WASHINGTON
Thompson-Smith bill to provide relief to employers passed by House of Representatives
On Wednesday, the Employer Reporting Improvement Act – bipartisan legislation introduced by Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Adrian Smith (R-NE) – was passed by a strong, bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives.
“Last night, the House of Representatives passed my bipartisan bill with Rep. Adrian Smith to streamline reporting requirements, protect privacy, and ensure that employees have access to the health insurance they deserve,” said Thompson. “I am committed to helping American businesses create jobs and grow our economies.”
“The Employer Reporting Improvement Act will help streamline reporting for employers of all sizes,” said Smith. “I’m pleased this bill unanimously passed the House, and I encourage the Senate to take action on this commonsense measure soon.”
The Employer Reporting Improvement Act:
- Protects privacy by eliminating the requirement that employers collect not only their workers’ Social Security
- Numbers (SSNs) but their workers’ dependents’ SSNs.
- Allows electronic submission of certain forms to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) which previously had to be faxed.
- Provides employers a notice before the IRS levies penalties against them if they are not complying with
- Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements.
- Gives the IRS more time to go after bad actors who don’t meet their ACA obligations to provide their employees with coverage that meets certain standards.
—Submitted
SACRAMENTO
How many ways does homelessness impact California? Here’s another
Most of what Californians experience with homelessness occurs along public spaces and city streets. With more than 170,000 unhoused people in the state, residents often see the crisis reflected in encampment tents along a roadside or panhandling on street corners.
But one aspect of homelessness has surprisingly presented itself in Ojai, a small mountain valley town located in Ventura County.
As CalMatters’ political reporter Alexei Koseff explains, the controversy first started with an explosive report from the county’s grand jury: An unnamed Ojai council member has not been living in the district since December 2021. And because they failed to establish a new residency in Ojai within 30 days, under local ordinance, they have thereby vacated their seat.
That council member is Suza Francina — a 74-year-old resident who has lived in Ojai for 67 years and served the city for more than 10 years.
In November 2021, the owners of the house she had been renting for the past eight years kicked her out when they decided to remodel the place. And so, for the past 18 months, Francina has been technically homeless — living in a small room above the garage at a friend’s home, across town from her district.
Now her opponents are leveraging her living situation, or rather lack thereof, to boot her off the council. They accuse Francina of hanging onto her seat because her political stakeholders need her vote on certain issues. During a three-hour city council meeting last week to determine whether or not Francina should be allowed to keep her seat, one resident said the “situation has gone on long enough.”
- Drew Mashburn: “Doing nothing is no longer an option. To honor your oaths, you must first uphold the law.”
Francina has never kept her housing status a secret (she even spoke to local media about it). And she doesn’t want to vacate her seat. Instead, she wants the city council to amend the election code so that she could continue being a council member while she finds a place to live within her district. Otherwise, only people who are wealthy enough to be homeowners will be able to securely serve on the council, she argues.
- Francina: “That’s unethical. You will not have a diverse council if they do not amend this ordinance.”
Her situation calls into question who is allowed to have influence in local politics. It also reflects a major driver of homelessness: The state’s lack of affordable housing. Along with economic instability, it’s one of the most common reasons unhoused people cite for why they’re homeless — more so than mental health issues or addiction.
In Ojai, demand for housing outpaces development. Despite a local ban, vacation rentals are replacing affordable guesthouses. And a low-income development on the outskirts of the city has a years-long waiting list.
For Francina, who has advocated in past years for the city to adopt environmentally friendly building standards and bicycle infrastructure, the irony doesn’t escape her: “We worked so hard to preserve it and here’s our reward. We can’t afford it.”
—Lynn La
LAKE COUNTY
Ribbon cutting ceremony
The Lake County Chamber of Commerce was lucky enough to host the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the One Year Anniversary celebration of Lady Luck Garage this past Sunday. What better way to celebrate Father’s Day than with a car show? When pulling up to their event space and car garage, you’re met with the coolest collectible rides in the most eye-catching colors. Contact the team at Lady Luck Garage for any classic car and hot rod needs, including consignment services and worldwide internet sales. The 8,000 square foot showroom also doubles as an epic event space for any of your celebratory needs.
—Submitted
