More Money Provided To Soften The Economic Toll Of Covid
Expanded federal child care tax credits of up to $300 a month are available for the last half of the year. In other news, Oakland, California, experiments with a guaranteed income program, and Hawaii extends its eviction moratorium.
CBS News:
36 Million Families May Start Receiving Child Tax Credit Deposits On July 15
The IRS is sending letters to more than 36 million families who may qualify for monthly payments under the federal Child Tax Credit. Under the expanded tax benefit, families may be eligible to receive up to $300 per child on a monthly basis from July 15 through December 15. ... The IRS said it will [send] a second letter that will estimate their monthly payment amount, which will begin hitting bank accounts on July 15. (Picchi, 6/7)
NPR:
A Lifeline For The Unemployed Is About To End In Half Of U.S.
The United States is about to embark on a big national experiment with 4 million unemployed workers serving as guinea pigs. And it all centers on $300 a week. The payment was intended as a lifeline for millions of Americans who lost their jobs during the pandemic: an extra $300 a week on top of regular unemployment benefits. But now 25 Republican governors say the payments must end, with four states acting as early as this week. With vaccines rolling out and the economy reopening fast, they believe the payments are discouraging people from looking for work, leaving businesses begging and job openings unfilled. (Horsley, 6/7)
Axios:
A Pandemic Of COVID-Related Poverty
A new paper makes the case that the increase in extreme poverty triggered by COVID-19 rivals the pandemic's direct health effects. The pandemic of extreme poverty could be lasting, and it deserves far more of the world's attention and help than it has gotten so far. (Walsh, 6/5)
In updates from California and Hawaii —
San Francisco Chronicle:
Oakland's Guaranteed Income Program To Start Accepting Applications. Who's Eligible?
Oakland will open the first round of applications Tuesday for the city’s guaranteed income program — one of the largest of its kind in the country. The program, Oakland Resilient Families, will send $500 cash payments with no strings attached for 18 months. The first round of applications will be for 300 families who live in East Oakland, who must live within a one square-mile boundary. Applications will open citywide for an additional 300 families later this summer. Low-income families, with at least one child under 18, are eligible for the program. Applicants who are Black, indigenous or people of color will be prioritized. The application is open to anyone whose income qualifies — a shift after the program’s initial announcement spurred criticism that white residents wouldn’t be eligible. (Ravani, 6/7)
AP:
Hawaii Governor Extends Eviction Moratorium For 60 Days
Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Monday extended an eviction moratorium he implemented during the coronavirus pandemic for another two months, but he doesn’t expect to keep it longer than that. The existing emergency order instituting a pause on evictions was due to expire Tuesday, but Ige extended it for 60 more days. It’s now due to expire on Aug. 6. (6/8)
