A LIVE LOOK AT THE STATE CAPITOL WHERE THE BUDGETS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR WAS APPROVED AND ULTIMATELY SIGNED THIS WEEK, BY GOVERNOR NEWSOM. IN THE BUDGET, ARE INFLATION RELIEF PAYMENTS FOR MANY CALIFORNIANS. THOSE PAYMENTS ARE BASED ON INCOME LEVELS AND OUR SOURCE FROM 2020 TAX RETURNS. ALTHOUGH THE PAYMENTS WILL GO TO MILLIONS OF CALIFORNIANS, SOME ARE BEING LEFT OUT. KCRA 3'S MICHELLE VAN DURE IS LIVE AT THE STATE CAPITOL. YOU SPOKE WITH ONE SENIOR WHO SAYS THEY DON'T QUALIFY? THE REPORTER: YEAH, BRITTANY, IT'S A LOOPHOLE IN THE INFLATION RELIEF PACKAGE, THAT HAS SOME SENIORS FEELING LEFT OUT AND EVEN ANGRY. THEY SAY THAT THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ACTUALLY NEED THIS HELP THE MOST. BACK IN HER CHILDHOOD HOME IN MANTECA, KAREN BOYLE LIVES A SIMPLE LIFE. >> 78 YEARS YOUNG. ♪♪ THE REPORTER: THE ARTIST SURROUNDS HERSELF AND STAYS BUSY BY THROWING AROUND WITH THE HOBBIES THAT SHE LOVES. SHE HAS TO. >> IT'S BUDGETING AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND DO WITHOUT. >> The Reporter: KAREN IS ON A FIXED INCOME AND WITH RISING COSTS, HIGH GAS PRICES, AND INFLATION, SHE CAN'T AFFORD TO LEAVE HOME. >> IT'S VERY TIGHT. I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT. >>> KAREN IS ONE OF THE THOUSANDS OF CALIFORNIA SENIORS DEPENDING SOLELY ON SOCIAL SECURITY. THAT PUTS HER IN A GROUP EXCLUDED FROM THE STATE'S NEW INFLATION RELIEF PROGRAM. >> I FEEL VERY CHEATED. OF AND LET DOWN. THE REPORTER: TO MAKE SURE SHE UNDERSTOOD WHERE SHE STOOD WITH THE STATE, KAREN CALLED GOVERNOR NEWSOM'S OFFICE TWICE. >> BASICALLY I SAID SO YOU'RE EXCLUDING THE SENIOR CITIZENS THAT ARE NOT FILING TAXES ANY LONGER AND SHE SAID YES. AND I SAID, THAT'S SO SAD, BECAUSE WE PAY TAXES AND WE VOTE TOO. THE REPORTER: KAREN SAYS, IT'S NO RELIEF FOR HER AND OTHER SENIORS WHO DON'T PAY INCOME TAXES, BECAUSE THEY TAKE SOCIAL SECURITY. >> ALTHOUGH WE DO PAY INTO TAXES EVERY YEAR, WE BUY HOUSES, WE BUY CARS, WE BUY GROCERIES AND WASHING MACHINES. WE ARE PAYING TAXES, AND WE HAVE PAID OUR TAXINGS IN THE PAST. >> The Reporter: KAREN HOPES THE STATE CAN RECONSIDER AND FIND REAL RELIEF FOR HER, AND THE REST OF THE SENIORS. >> EVERYBODY IS SUFFERING WITH THIS SITUATION. WE ALL ARE. IT'S NOT JUST ME AND IT'S NOT JUST THE SENIORS. EVERYBODY IS SUFFERING. THE REPORTER: WELL, SO WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND A SPOKESPERSON TELLS US, THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP, AND THEY'LL BE MORE MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR RENTS ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS HEALTH SUBSIDIES AS THEY RUN OUT. KAREN SAYS SHE NEEDS THE EXTRA HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR GAS MONEY SO SHE CAN VISIT HER SISTER IN PLACERVILLE, AS WELL AS GET OIL CHANGES ON HER CAR. ANYTHING HELPS, SHE SAYS. REPORTING LIVE FROM THE CAPITOL, KCRA 3 NEWS. TY: >> MICHELLE, THANK YOU. PAYMENTS ARE EXPECTED TO START IN OCTOBER FOR THOSE WHO DO QUALIFY. YOU CAN SCAN THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT NOW TO LEARN HOW MUCH MONEY YOU CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE. THE TIMELINE FOR THAT MONE
'I feel cheated': California seniors disappointed they're left out of state's inflation relief package
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Updated: 7:53 PM PDT Jul 5, 2022
Karen Boyles lives back in her childhood home in Manteca, California.She lives a simple life."I'm 78 years young," she said, smiling.The artist stays home and is busy fiddling around with the hobbies she loves. She plays the fiddle, draws, makes wind chimes and loves nature photography. Boyles said she has to stay home."it’s just budgeting and sometimes you have to make adjustments and do without," Boyles said.Boyles is on a fixed income and with rising costs, high gas prices and inflation, she can't afford to leave home."It’s very tight. I will admit that," Boyle said.Boyles is one of the thousands of California seniors depending solely on social security."Although we do pay into taxes every year, we buy houses, we buy cars, washing machines, groceries," she said. "We are paying taxes and we have paid our taxes in the past."She is in the group excluded from the state's new inflation relief program.| RELATED | Do you qualify for California’s Middle Class Tax Refund? Estimate your 'inflation relief' | RELATED | Some disabled Californians say they're left out of new inflation relief program, want answers"I feel very cheated and let down," she said. Boyle said it's no relief for her and other seniors, who don't pay income taxes because they take social security. To make sure she understood where she stood with the state, she called Gov. Gavin Newsom's office, twice."I said, 'You’re excluding the senior citizens that are not filing taxes any longer?' and she said, 'Yes.' and I said, 'That’s so sad because we pay taxes and we vote too,'" Boyles said. Boyle hopes the state can reconsider and find real relief for her and the rest of the seniors."Everybody is suffering with this situation. We all are. It’s not just me and not just the seniors, but everybody is suffering," she said.KCRA 3 reached out to the state Department of Finance and a spokesperson points out there are some other programs that will help people, including increased assistance for vulnerable Californians who are Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) recipients, or CalWORKS grant recipients. There's also more money in the budget for rent assistance, utility assistance, and health subsidies if those end up not being renewed by the federal government.| READ MORE | Here's why some seniors and others won't get payments from California's 'inflation relief' programs
MANTECA, Calif. — Karen Boyles lives back in her childhood home in Manteca, California.
She lives a simple life.
"I'm 78 years young," she said, smiling.
The artist stays home and is busy fiddling around with the hobbies she loves. She plays the fiddle, draws, makes wind chimes and loves nature photography. Boyles said she has to stay home.
"it’s just budgeting and sometimes you have to make adjustments and do without," Boyles said.
Boyles is on a fixed income and with rising costs, high gas prices and inflation, she can't afford to leave home.
"It’s very tight. I will admit that," Boyle said.
Boyles is one of the thousands of California seniors depending solely on social security.
"Although we do pay into taxes every year, we buy houses, we buy cars, washing machines, groceries," she said. "We are paying taxes and we have paid our taxes in the past."
She is in the group excluded from the state's new inflation relief program.
| RELATED | Do you qualify for California’s Middle Class Tax Refund? Estimate your 'inflation relief'
| RELATED | Some disabled Californians say they're left out of new inflation relief program, want answers
"I feel very cheated and let down," she said.
Boyle said it's no relief for her and other seniors, who don't pay income taxes because they take social security. To make sure she understood where she stood with the state, she called Gov. Gavin Newsom's office, twice.
"I said, 'You’re excluding the senior citizens that are not filing taxes any longer?' and she said, 'Yes.' and I said, 'That’s so sad because we pay taxes and we vote too,'" Boyles said.
Boyle hopes the state can reconsider and find real relief for her and the rest of the seniors.
"Everybody is suffering with this situation. We all are. It’s not just me and not just the seniors, but everybody is suffering," she said.
KCRA 3 reached out to the state Department of Finance and a spokesperson points out there are some other programs that will help people, including increased assistance for vulnerable Californians who are Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) recipients, or CalWORKS grant recipients. There's also more money in the budget for rent assistance, utility assistance, and health subsidies if those end up not being renewed by the federal government.
| READ MORE | Here's why some seniors and others won't get payments from California's 'inflation relief' programs
