Dear Neighbor:
With this monthly newsletter, I hope to keep you updated on what we're working on both in the District and in Sacramento.
District:
My District Office can assist you with state related matters such as:
- Unemployment (EDD) and Disability Insurance
- COVID-19 Resources from the State
- Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
- State Taxes
The deadline to file taxes has been extended to May 17 this year.
Golden State Stimulus
On Thursday, March 25th, we co-hosted a workshop with Golden State Opportunity, Senator Wieckowski, and Assemblymember Bill Quirk to explain the recently approved Golden State Stimulus. If you missed it, you can watch it by clicking here.
The Golden State Stimulus is intended to put more money in the pockets of low-income working families who are in need of financial assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Roughly 50,000 families in Alameda and Santa Clara counties will be eligible for the income tax credit.
You can check if you qualify by clicking here.
To qualify for the Golden State Stimulus:
Earned less than $30,000 in 2020. If you earned less than $30,000 in 2020, you may likely qualify for the Golden State Stimulus. Make sure to claim the CalEITC this tax season to be eligible to receive your GSS payment.
OR
- File taxes with an ITIN and you earned $75,000 or less in 2020.
- If you file your taxes using an ITIN and you earned $75,000 or less in 2020, you may be eligible to receive a $600 payment, even if you don't qualify for the CalEITC. If you file your taxes using an ITIN and you qualify for the CalEITC in 2020, you may be eligible to receive a one-time payment of $1,200.
- Have filed your taxes by October 15, 2021
- If you earned income in 2020, and you qualify for the CalEITC, you must file your 2020 tax returns by October 15, 2021 to ensure you receive your GSS payment.
- Be a California resident - You must be a California resident on the date payment is issued.
Events
I'll be hosting a joint virtual town hall on relief and assistance available for small businesses with Congressman Ro Khanna on April 15th from 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm.
There will be presentations by:
- U.S. Small Business Administration
- Northern California Small Business Development Center
- Small Business Development Center - Silicon Valley
- Small Business Development Center - Alameda County
Small Business Relief Grants
The 5th round of the Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program opens March 25 - March 31 to new applicants. Applicants who applied during rounds 1-3 and were waitlisted are also eligible to receive the grant and do not need to reapply; they will be moved automatically into round 5.
Businesses that are impacted by COVID-19 and pandemic-related health and safety restrictions are again eligible for grants of between $5,000 and $25,000 if they have been in business since June 1, 2019, and are open currently or have a plan to reopen.
The dollar amount of the grant is determined by each business's annual revenue as documented in the applicant's most recent tax return.
Learn more: CAReliefGrant.com
COVID-19 Updates
Currently, both Santa Clara County and Alameda County are both in the orange tier. California vaccine supply is expected to increase significantly and vaccine eligibility will be expanded:
April 1: individuals 50+ will be eligible
April 15: individuals 16+ will be eligible
While individual counties may not be ready to expand to these tiers quite yet, pharmacies such as Safeway and Walgreens are also getting allocations directly from the federal government.
Find out if it it's your turn to get COVID-19 Vaccine: https://myturn.ca.gov
Santa Clara County COVID Information:
Testing Information
Vaccine Information
Alameda County COVID-19 Information:
Testing Information
Vaccine Information
Stop Asian Hate
Increased and continued violence against the Asian American community has been painful to our communities. I was pleased to be able to join #StopAsianHate events organized by community members in Milpitas, Fremont, and Santa Clara.
Sacramento:
I currently sit on six committees including Budget, Education, Transportation, Privacy & Consumer Protection, Rules, and Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance.
April is going to be a busy month with policy committee hearings, including for the bills I've authored this session. In total, I've authored 16 bills. To learn about the bills I've introduced, you can visit my legislation page.
The legislature also approved a $6.6-billion plan to urge more school districts across the state to reopen classrooms. Many of our local school districts have already reopened, are currently in the reopening process, or have plans to reopen soon with stringent safety guidelines.
As a reminder, my Sacramento office can assist you with state related matters such as:
- Express an opinion on a bill
- Propose a new bill idea
- Ask for copies, summaries, and information on bills
Please call (916) 319-2025 if you need assistance.
Yours in Service,
Alex Lee
Assemblymember, 25th District
