Page 64 - AAGLA-JUNE 2022

Feature Story
better. These payments, which are funded by a nonprofit through a partnership with the city, will be in the form of gift cards, and the payments can be bumped up to $500 if the individuals participating also perform some volunteer work.
Health and COVID-19: How Do Electric Cars Prevent Coronavirus?
Governor Newsom’s COVID-19 relief budget raised some eyebrows when a closer look at the proposal revealed it included $1.5 billion for electric car infrastructure and incentives. In fact, the amount of money allocated to electric cars was nearly triple the $575 million planned for helping small businesses weather the pandemic.
Counties That Vote for the Majority Party Get More Coronavirus Relief
Although rural, more Republican-leaning counties are no less susceptible to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state auditor found large cities were prioritized for receiving relief. Do you think this was a coincidence or a conscious decision to favor counties that are more supportive of our state’s majority political party?
EDD and Bank of America “Nifty Little Kickback Scheme”
While many Californians struggled to receive unemployment benefits, the Employment Development Department (EDD) and Bank of America were receiving revenue every time debit cards issued by the agency were swiped, according to a CalMatters report. Although officials said they did not know how much money Bank of America received, and Bank of America itself declined to comment, the EDD reported receiving $5.2 million in September alone in response to a public records request by CalMatters. “This is essentially a nifty little hidden kickback scheme,” said Assemblymember Jim Patterson.
Big Businesses Give Big to Gov. Newsom and Receive Lucrative Contracts
Governor Newsom raised over $200 million in “behest payments,” mostly for COVID-19 relief programs. These donations, which were made at the Governor’s request, included payments from healthcare companies that received lucrative state contracts. Is this really appropriate? You be the judge.
When You’re the Government You Pay When You Want ...
Have you ever gotten a threatening letter from the government over an unpaid tax bill or fine? They want to be paid on time and they’re not afraid to threaten drastic consequences if ordinary taxpayers can’t pay up. However, when it comes to them, they don’t hold themselves to the same standard they expect from the rest of us. When Los Angeles experienced a fiscal crisis, the city simply blamed the coronavirus pandemic and told their creditors they would have to wait.
California Spends $50 Million on “Glitchy” COVID-19 Appointment Website
Only 27% of Californians who received coronavirus vaccinations used “MyTurn” to schedule their appointments due in part to multiple glitches in the hastily built site. The site failed to list many providers and pharmacies where Californians could be vaccinated and the site also frustrated and confused people by requiring multiple logins. The contract to build the site itself was awarded to Blue Shield of California on a “no bid” basis.
Who Wants to Be a Vaccinated Millionaire?!
As part of its drive to get Californians vaccinated against COVID-19, the state resorted to lottery-style payouts and prices. Under this plan, 10 Californians received $1.5 million each in prizes, 30 got $50,000 and 2 million were eligible for $50 gift cards.
Laboratory Awarded $1.7 Billion Contract Despite Reports They Were Sleeping on the Job
Whistleblowers exposed a COVID-19 test facility for serious problems including lab technicians sleeping while processing samples and test swabs found in bathrooms. First, state officials denied the existence of any problem at all. While they later did acknowledge “serious deficiencies” were present, they still renewed a contract worth $1.7 billion with the same lab.
Housing: When Does an 8-Foot Shed Cost $130,000? When the Government is the One in Charge of Buying It!
A program to build “tiny home villages” in Los Angeles consisting of 64-square-foot aluminum and composite sheds, paid $130,000 each for the structures, ten times what other cities spent, according to a Los Angeles Times report.
Tents That Cost More Than Luxury Apartments
The San Francisco Chronicle reported 260 tents that the City of San Francisco maintains in six “sleeping villages” cost the city $5,000 per tent per month, or $60,000 annually. In addition to tents, the sleeping villages provide access to showers and 3 meals a day, but some have raised concerns about the cost. At $5,000 per tent per month, the rent on a luxury apartment would be less, and the rent on an average 1-bedroom apartment in San Francisco would be less than half.
Rent Relief Money Gets Stuck in Bureaucracy
The U.S. Treasury allocated $900 million to provide rent relief for San Francisco residents, but as of mid-July only about 10% of the money had actually reached residents. The program was heralded as an unprecedented collaboration of multiple levels of government but the money, however well intentioned, seems to have gotten stuck in the bureaucracy.
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