Well, I obviously picked the wrong place to live.
Not only is my rent going up, thanks to the skyrocketing property values in Archuleta County and vacation rental investors buying up every last house, but my state government gave away $5 million in a vaccination lottery and I didn’t get a penny out of it. They gave all the cash to five people, who probably didn’t even need the money.
I got nothing.
5 million people in Colorado, and how many got money? Five. Five people.
Over in California, they are doing things differently. This week, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the state budget legislation that will send out a “Golden State Stimulus” check to approximately two out of three Californians.
Now, that’s the kind of odds I can get behind.
Plus, Governor Newsom is handing out $2 billion to cover overdue utility bills. (I’ve been paying my bills on time, so that wouldn’t help me personally, but still, it’s the thought that counts.)
California is offering the largest renter assistance package of any state in America with a total of $5.2 billion to help low-income renters and landlords, covering 100 percent of back-rent and all prospective rent for several months into the future. Is Colorado’s governor paying attention?
But it gets better, if you live in California. They are giving away $4 billion in direct grants to California’s small businesses, on top of $6.2 billion in tax relief. Let me tell you, if I lived in California, I would go right out and start a small business. How hard can that be? You buy a $50 business license, and get a shot at $10 billion (billion, with a “b”) in grants and tax relief.
What is the average Coloradan getting from our government?
A free band-aid.
It seems that this California program is actually working, because Governor Newsom posted this authentic testimonial from one of his constituents, named Jennifer, on his Twitter page:
Office of the Governor of California @CAgovernor, July 14
“I went to apply & it works. It’s real. They paid for my bills, they paid 2 months rent, plus they’re paying til September. There is help & we get to sleep better at night.” – Jennifer in Bell Gardens
What can our Colorado governor post to Twitter?
“I risked my life getting vaccinated with a poorly researched vaccine, hoping to win the $5 million lottery, and all I got was a free band-aid.”
Yes, I’ve heard the horror stories from people who escaped from California. The crowded streets, the high taxes, the lack of water, the loose morals.
I could live with all that, I think, if they will pay my rent until September.