I don’t know whether the state can afford it at the moment, but a Cal-EITC would be a good and civilized thing to have. If we institute a higher gasoline or carbon tax, especially, which I do advocate, common decency requires that we balance it with a Cal-EITC that would be enough to cover the costs of the gas tax increase for the least affluent of working people. And they could keep the money if they found less gasoline or carbon consuming methods of commuting that they could afford!
Related: “Reduce tax burden on working poor, study suggests” by Sam Pearson at CaliforniaWatch.org
