SACRAMENTO
Putting money in families’ pockets
California has its own California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC), which last year provided nearly 3.5 million California filers additional resources to make ends meet and provide for their families. California also added the Young Child Tax Credit and Foster Youth Tax Credit. These tax credits are inclusive of all Californians who file their taxes including immigrant families who pay their taxes with an IRS-provided Taxpayer Identification Number but are ineligible for most federal tax benefits.
Gov. Newsom also launched the country’s largest college savings program, known as the CalKIDS program, which invests $1.9 billion into accounts for low-income school-age children in grades 1-12 and for newborn children born on or after July 1, 2022. All families of low-income public school students – 3.4 million across the state – can access college savings accounts created in their children’s names, with seed investments of between $500 and $1,500.
The administration has also boosted paid leave benefits for lower- and middle-income employees to cover more of their regular income while they take much-needed time off to care for loved ones, including by increasing wage replacement rates for State Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave beginning in 2025, and enabling workers to take paid sick leave or family leave in order to care for a person designated by the employee.
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Record-breaking decrease comes after pandemic-era spike in overdoses
Drug overdose deaths dropped a record amount during the past year, according to provisional data the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Wednesday.
The CDC reported that 94,758 individuals died because of drug overdoses in the 12-month period ending May 2024 — a 15 percent drop from the previous 12-month period. The agency estimates that number may rise to 98,820 when finalized, which would be a 12.7 percent drop.
Rahul Gupta, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, commended the data, which showed a decline in nationwide drug-related deaths for the sixth month in a row.
“We are at a critical inflection point,” said Gupta. “This new data shows there is hope, there is progress, and there is an urgent call to action for us all to continue working together across all of society to reduce drug overdose deaths and save even more lives.”
Synthetic opioids like fentanyl are still involved in the majority of drug overdose deaths.
Wednesday’s data highlighted regional differences in efforts to successfully curb drug-related deaths.
North Carolina reported the largest change in overdose deaths, seeing a 48.8 percent drop over the previous period. Eight other states — Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey — also reported at least a 21 percent decrease in overdose deaths.
But several Western states bucked the trend and reported increases in drug-related deaths. Alaska led with a 36.1 percent increase in overdose deaths. Four other states — Oregon, Nevada, Utah and Washington — saw between 5 percent to 15 percent increases in deaths.
Reported drug fatalities over a 12-month period topped 100,000 for the first time in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and efforts to reverse that trend have produced mixed results. In contrast, overdose deaths in the 12-month period ending in January 2019 were about 68,000.
Congress renewed some of the lapsed provisions of the sweeping 2018 opioid prevention, treatment and enforcement law in its March omnibus spending measure but never reached a consensus on broader elements of either chamber’s bipartisan reauthorization packages.
Efforts to increase public awareness and access to naloxone, used to reverse opioid overdoses, have seen some success. A study published in JAMA Network Open on Monday found that between June 2020 and June 2022 naloxone administered by emergency medical services staff dropped 6.1 percent, while naloxone administered by laypeople increased 43.5 percent.
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LAKE COUNTY
Lake County Probation and RCHDC to hold community meeting to discuss the potential locations for housing project for justice-involved Individuals
The Lake County Probation Department and Rural Communities Development Corporation (RCHDC) will hold a Community Meeting on Oct. 23, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Lake County Courthouse in the Board of Supervisors Chambers. (Enter through side doors).
The topics will include the approved housing project for justice-involved individuals, potential locations for the project, and the resources that will be available for individuals who will be housed in the project.
For more information about the event, follow us on Facebook at Lake County CA Probation or contact Chief Probation Officer Wendy Mondfrans 707-262-4291.
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CLEARLAKE
Judge clears path for Youth Sports Complex in Burns Valley
The City of Clearlake has won a key legal victory, overcoming a lawsuit filed in July 2023 by the Koi Nation of Northern California over the development of the Burns Valley Youth Sports Complex. Throughout the project, the city has prioritized the protection of sensitive areas, ensuring compliance with strict environmental and cultural guidelines, according to officials.
The Court found that City officials followed the advice of the archaeologist and considered tribal input in determining appropriate mitigation, which included avoiding any impacts to tribal resources and still included the presence of tribal monitors during construction. City officials noted that this balance allowed the city to advance its ambitious plans while respecting cultural sensitivities.
“The Sports Complex was bold from the beginning, but I always had confidence in our plan, our dedicated staff, and the city council’s unwavering commitment to reshaping Clearlake’s future,” said Mayor David Claffey. “This project is about much more than just athletic fields. It’s a catalyst for jobs, housing, services, and a renewed sense of pride in our community.”
With the court ruling in its favor, Clearlake is hopeful that this victory will pave the way for other much-needed projects and improvements, noted city officials adding that the city sees this as a key moment in its larger effort to rejuvenate the community.
Vice Mayor Joyce Overton echoed these sentiments, highlighting the city’s dedication to responsible development. “The Sports Complex incorporates the most comprehensive mitigation measures in Clearlake’s history,” Overton said. “We remain committed to working with our tribal partners to create more open spaces and recreational opportunities for our community. But for now, it’s time to celebrate—let’s play ball!”
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