Statewide Day of Action
to Save the Renters’ Rebate

From Senior Action Network

November 19, 2008

WHAT: Press Conference

WHO: Senior Action Network, Tenants Together, Central City SRO Collaborative, Chinatown Community Development Center, SOMCAN, Mission SRO Collaborative, Planning for Elders, SF Tenants Union

WHEN: Wednesday November 19, 2008, noon.

WHERE: State Building Steps, 501 Van Ness at McAllister.

Californians across the state will take action on November 19, 2008, to save the renters’ rebate, a popular program recently eliminated by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Organizers seek to send a loud and clear message to the governor that Californians do not accept elimination of this crucial program for low-income senior, blind and disabled renters.

“My rebate check of 324 dollars helped me recover some of the medical expenses caused by the donut hole of Part D,” said John Melone of Senior Action Network.

The statewide day of action comes in response to Governor Schwarzenegger’s unprecedented use of the line-item veto power to eliminate $150 million in tax rebates to low-income elderly and disabled renters. This was the governor’s single biggest line-item veto in the budget. The governor defunded the entire Renter/Homeowner Assistance program, in effect for decades, which makes senior and disabled renters who earn less than $44,096 eligible for up to $347.50 as a tax rebate.

Last year, 467,000 renter households received payments averaging $316 per household. With no forewarning whatsoever, the Governor simply struck all funds from the program, despite the fact that the Legislature, both Democrats and Republicans, had included funding for the program in the budget.

Events are planned for Wednesday November 19 in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego. Press conferences and rallies will feature elected officials, advocates and affected renters and homeowners.

Allied statewide organizations will urge thousands of their members to call the governor and legislators on November 19 to state their opposition to the Governor’s elimination of renters’ rebates.

“We’re outraged that the governor would take aim at low-income senior, blind and disabled renters during these difficult times,” said Dean Preston, Executive Director of Tenants Together, California’s statewide organization for renters’ rights. “This cut is totally unacceptable.”

Contact: Jeff Buckley 415-845-9053, Christina Olague 415-350-9827

FCJ Editor

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