Another gift for the wealthy. Only people with enough income to file get the "gas rebate". Yet, many people who have to pay for gas just like rich people do, get nothing because they don't have enough earnings to file a tax return. I think it's a poorly thought-out plan, like the Golden Lump of Gold handed out to taxpayers with children. Parents aren't the only people who are suffering from inflation. I guess the amusing thing is that my uncle, 90 years old, doesn't drive a car, but DOES file a tax return because he has just enough investments to meet the income threshold, gets a gas rebate card. Newsom should have only given them to vehicle owners with current registration. But that's on "the legislature" for writing the bill in the first place.

As for the divorced who should "work together to ensure proper handling of the (Middle Class Tax Refund) payment," -- if they could work together on anything they wouldn't be divorced.

A gas tax suspension made more sense, but that was gutted. Then there was $400.00 per registered vehicle(s) and that didn't work. So here we have it.

This isn't a gift for the "wealthy." Wealthy people don't qualify. There are income limits, and the state cuts wealthy people out, and rightfully so. You can file a tax return with ZERO income and qualify for this rebate, but the return had to be filed by Oct. 2021 for 2020 tax year. This information was available on the Franchise Tax Board website.

My heart goes out to those who are struggling financially. Most of us have been there, and it's hard.

I don't like to see tax incentives for driving. We should pay more of the true hidden costs of driving. Driving costs all of us--greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are destructive to our planet's long-term ability to support life, auto collisions killed 43,000 people in the U.S. last year and 4.8 million people were injured by cars. This risk intimidates people who walk and bike for recreation and transportation and exercise. Auto congestion slows all of us down (including those who use transit). The MASSIVE expense to the public (not to mention GHG emissions) of building and maintaining asphalt and cement parking, roads, highways and other built auto infrastructure cars is an enormous cost that gets deeply buried in every government's budget. (Weekly, there is a story here.) It is also interesting that increases in rates childhood obesity and diabetes closely align with the increase in children being driven to school in our nation. Is there a correlation with obesity and obesity-related diseases like heart disease for adults too? We can do better. We must. We are the problem.

While I sometimes drive, I do not support incentives to choose driving. this is not progressive policy. Given the very real progressing dangers of climate change, I find it irresponsible.

I’m curious. Has anybody reading this column received a rebate yet? We haven’t. I don’t know how they prioritize sending out the rebates. Thanks!