Stimulus check: Californians will get up to $1,050 in "inflation relief" checks
CBSN
About 23 million California residents will receive "inflation relief" checks of up to $1,050 after Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed a $308 billion state budget that includes the payments.
The checks are part of a $17 billion relief package that will also suspend the state's sales tax on diesel fuel and provide additional aid to help people with rent and utility bills, Newsom said in a statement. The inflation-relief checks are tax refunds that will send a total of $9.5 billion back to state residents.
The agreement comes as California drivers face the highest gasoline prices in the U.S., with the average price for a gallon of gas in the state at $6.27 on Friday — or about 29% higher than the national average. Earlier this year, Newsom had proposed sending stimulus checks of $400 per vehicle to state residents, with a cap of two vehicles. But other lawmakers had pushed for a plan that would provide bigger checks to people who earn less.
Los Angeles firefighters have made progress containing wildfires that have claimed at least 10 lives and caused unprecedented damage. In the weeks ahead, officials and residents will examine whether local authorities' warnings and early responses adequately prepared the city for the escalating crisis.