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"content": "\u003cp>A bell chimes every time a new customer enters Martha Valencia’s tax shop in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sonoma-county\">Sonoma County.\u003c/a> The space is filled with knickknacks, gifts from customers and photos of family. During tax season, it’s usually filled with customers too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this year has been slower than normal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bell used to be ringing off the hook, says Valencia, with lines out the door. She and her son would fit walk-ins between appointments, trying to keep wait times under an hour. But today, “it’s empty,” Valencia says. “They have to wait nothing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Valencia, who has been doing immigration and tax services for over 20 years, says around 80% of her clients file with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, the tax number used by people — like undocumented immigrants — who don’t qualify for a Social Security number.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, business isn’t just slow; it’s the worst she’s ever seen. Valencia says she’s seeing a 60% drop in clients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not even in the pandemic I had a drop like this,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Valencia believes the drop is linked to larger governmental changes and fear in the current political climate. This year, H.R. 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, \u003ca href=\"https://lulac.org/impact_of_hr_1_one_big_beautiful_bill_act_on_immigrants_and_children_of_immigrants_who_are_us_citizens/\">tightened restrictions\u003c/a> on ITIN filers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the biggest changes for undocumented taxpayers as a result of H.R. 1’s passage includes restrictions on the \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/child-tax-credit\">Additional Child Tax Credit\u003c/a>, which previously allowed many mixed‑status families to receive thousands of dollars back. That means ITIN filers can expect much smaller refunds, Valencia says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12074131\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12074131 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/OneBigBeautifulBillGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1251\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/OneBigBeautifulBillGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/OneBigBeautifulBillGetty-160x100.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/OneBigBeautifulBillGetty-1536x961.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is seen during an enrollment ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on July 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The House passed the sweeping tax and spending bill after winning over fiscal hawks and moderate Republicans. The bill makes permanent President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, increases spending on defense and immigration enforcement and temporarily cuts taxes on tips, while at the same time, cutting funding for Medicaid, food assistance for the poor, clean energy and raises the nation’s debt limit by $5 trillion. \u003ccite>(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Many of Valencia’s clients are long-term customers. The tax business is built on trust, she says. This year, before accepting any work, Valencia feels an ethical obligation to tell clients the bad news that their refunds will be smaller, and maybe nonexistent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A mixed-status household could, in a normal year, expect to receive around $2,000 in the Additional Child Tax Credit. But this year, they’re lucky to get $500, she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Valencia says the reaction to this information has been immediate. Prospective customers tell her: “You know what? I’m not going to file because I’m not getting any refund. So what’s the point of doing taxes?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As an undocumented immigrant, having proof of taxes is important. It builds a paper trail, so if the day comes to receive legal status, it shows work history, engagement with the system and U.S. presence.[aside postID=news_12079829 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/ImmigrantTaxes-GilsTaxServices.jpg']But Valencia says customers are coming in worn-down, without a vision for future immigration relief. They tell her their faith in the system is dropping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Southern California city of Pomona, tax preparer Hayde Vigil says her business is also seeing about half its usual filings this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet the steep drop looks different in Southern California, she explains. Most of her clients are documented, Vigil says in Spanish, but status doesn’t seem to be the issue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re afraid to leave their homes because there are so many raids, and they’re scared they’ll be detained and deported,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigration enforcement agents have been active in that region, and her customers are afraid they’ll be picked up because they’re Latino, even if they are here legally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They weren’t going out at all before, and now they only go out for the bare minimum,” says Vigil, which doesn’t seem to include leaving the house to file taxes this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘There’s nothing for you’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Claudia, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, sits wringing her hands in her lap. As names are called out in the Northern California day labor hall where she sits in, she waits for the sound of her own, hoping to pick up some work for the day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Claudia, who did not want her full name to be used because her immigration status puts her at risk of deportation, has been living in California for over 20 years. In these decades, her work has ebbed and flowed, sometimes working multiple jobs at once. These days, Claudia is lucky to have her name called a few times a week. Regardless of workflow, she files her taxes every year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet it’s not just around tax season that she pays, Claudia explains in Spanish. “You pay taxes on what you earn, on what you buy, on everything you consume in this country,” Claudia says. “But you can’t get anything back from it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12030566\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1993px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12030566\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1993\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed.jpg 1993w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed-1020x682.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed-1920x1284.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1993px) 100vw, 1993px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Current federal tax forms are distributed at the offices of the Internal Revenue Service on Nov. 1, 2005, in Chicago, Illinois. \u003ccite>(Scott Olson/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Claudia keeps filing year after year in the hope that one day she’ll have a pathway to documentation that would let her visit her family in Mexico, find work more easily and live with no fear about status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You hold onto the hope that, in the future, you’ll be able to do things the right way,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But after over 20 years of filing, her hope toward legalization only seems to be dwindling. “In the end, there’s nothing there for you, is there?” she asks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Claudia still sees no pathway to legal status and receives no Social Security benefits, no MediCal — and this year, for the first time, she was told she’ll receive no credits back for her son, who is a U.S. citizen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her voice grows soft. “So, what’s the point in paying?” she asks. “There’s no hope for someone like me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Claudia says she went back and forth in her head, deciding if this would be the year she broke her commitment to a stable future here. In the end, she filed, but her doubt continues to grow, both in the system and her future in the United States.[aside postID=news_12079441 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed.jpg']Yet for others, the doubt has already reached a tipping point.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the Northern California day labor facility, Velasco waits to hear his own name called.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Why should I pay taxes?” he asks in Spanish. “When you realize you’re paying in but not receiving anything in return, there’s no point anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Velasco, who also asked for his full name not to be shared out of fear of deportation, has lived in Northern California for 24 years. For the majority of that time, he worked at a lumber company and filed his taxes consistently. Filing always felt like a no‑brainer, he says — part of his civic responsibility, even without legal status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He always considered himself a rule follower. “After all, that’s how the country keeps running,” he says. “But lately, I’ve changed my tune.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like many undocumented immigrants across the state, Velasco fears being seen in public, afraid he’ll be picked up and deported. He says he feels at odds with the federal government and has begun questioning why he should contribute to a system he believes wants him gone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t exactly give you the desire to comply,” he says. “Yet when it comes to collecting taxes, [the government] certainly want to do that, don’t they?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Velasco no longer files. Now, he picks up odd jobs doing house maintenance and gets paid in cash, under the table.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Undocumented taxpayers are ‘extremely important’ to economy\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s a common belief that immigrants don’t pay taxes, says Abby Raisz, vice president of research at the Bay Area Council Economic Institute. But it’s not true. “Undocumented immigrants maintain very high effective tax rates,” Raisz says — \u003ca href=\"https://itep.org/undocumented-immigrants-state-local-tax-contributions-2017/\">averaging 7.1% in state and local taxes\u003c/a>, higher than the rate paid by the top 1% of earners nationally, according to the nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaeconomy.org/\">Raisz’s team estimates\u003c/a> undocumented Californians contribute about \u003ca href=\"https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/our-work/publications/economic-impact-mass-deportation-california\">9% of the state’s GDP\u003c/a>, or roughly $278 billion, a figure on the order of the entire GDP of Nevada or Oregon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They also \u003ca href=\"https://taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/do-immigrants-pay-taxes\">pay more\u003c/a> than $10.6 billion in state and local taxes and $13 billion in federal taxes, despite being excluded from most federal benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11863601\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11863601 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/03/RS47577_iStock-915488206-qut.jpg\" alt=\"woman doing taxes with calculator\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1012\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/03/RS47577_iStock-915488206-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/03/RS47577_iStock-915488206-qut-800x422.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/03/RS47577_iStock-915488206-qut-1020x538.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/03/RS47577_iStock-915488206-qut-160x84.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/03/RS47577_iStock-915488206-qut-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Undocumented Californians generate about 9% of the state’s GDP — roughly $278 billion — and pay more than $10.6 billion in state and local taxes and $13 billion in federal taxes, despite being excluded from most federal benefits. \u003ccite>(Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Josh Stehlik, policy director for the California Immigrant Policy Center, says those contributions are essential to the state’s fiscal health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Undocumented taxpayers are extremely important to the national economy and to California’s economy,” Stehlik says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But both Raisz and Stehlik say trust in the tax system is quickly eroding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, the IRS was directed by the Trump administration to \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/policywatch/ice-and-irs-reach-agreement-to-share-taxpayer-information-of-suspected-undocumented-immigrants/\">share taxpayer information\u003c/a> with the Department of Homeland Security, a move that immigrant rights groups called unprecedented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal courts \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/policywatch/ice-and-irs-reach-agreement-to-share-taxpayer-information-of-suspected-undocumented-immigrants/\">have since blocked\u003c/a> the IRS‑DHS data‑sharing agreement, but the episode has already shaken confidence in the system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Raisz says, after speaking with tax providers throughout the state, the implications for an already fragile trust could be \u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaeconomy.org/report/economic-impact-of-immigration-enforcement-bayarea/\">long‑lasting\u003c/a>.[aside postID=news_12077664 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/IRSGetty.jpg']“If this taxpayer information does in fact get related to other departments, ITIN is going to lose all of the trust that it currently has,” she says, and warned it probably won’t ever gain it back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stehlik says new federal policy changes have only deepened the fear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Immigrant taxpayers are afraid to file because of the Trump administration’s repeated attacks on immigrant taxpayer confidentiality,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Experts warn that if undocumented immigrants disengage from the tax system, the consequences would be severe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We could be looking at an $8.5 billion loss in revenue,” Stehlik says, referencing the amount that ITEP says undocumented Californians paid in state and local tax contributions in 2022.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Raisz agrees that the long‑term implications would be enormous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Undocumented immigrants contribute billions in sales tax revenue, and their consumer spending powers local businesses already struggling with post‑pandemic declines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The larger concern seems to be the loss of trust and disengagement from the tax system,” Raisz says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She adds that undocumented taxpayers are often economically engaged, starting businesses, buying homes, and supporting local economies. If they continue to disengage, she says, the \u003ca href=\"https://calbudgetcenter.org/resources/californias-undocumented-residents-make-significant-tax-contributions/\">economic fallout\u003c/a> “would be massive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Shandra Back covers immigration for Northern California Public Media through the \u003ca href=\"https://fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows/\">California Local News Fellowship\u003c/a>. This story was edited with help from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/californianewsroom\">The California Newsroom\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A bell chimes every time a new customer enters Martha Valencia’s tax shop in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sonoma-county\">Sonoma County.\u003c/a> The space is filled with knickknacks, gifts from customers and photos of family. During tax season, it’s usually filled with customers too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this year has been slower than normal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bell used to be ringing off the hook, says Valencia, with lines out the door. She and her son would fit walk-ins between appointments, trying to keep wait times under an hour. But today, “it’s empty,” Valencia says. “They have to wait nothing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Valencia, who has been doing immigration and tax services for over 20 years, says around 80% of her clients file with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, the tax number used by people — like undocumented immigrants — who don’t qualify for a Social Security number.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, business isn’t just slow; it’s the worst she’s ever seen. Valencia says she’s seeing a 60% drop in clients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not even in the pandemic I had a drop like this,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Valencia believes the drop is linked to larger governmental changes and fear in the current political climate. This year, H.R. 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, \u003ca href=\"https://lulac.org/impact_of_hr_1_one_big_beautiful_bill_act_on_immigrants_and_children_of_immigrants_who_are_us_citizens/\">tightened restrictions\u003c/a> on ITIN filers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the biggest changes for undocumented taxpayers as a result of H.R. 1’s passage includes restrictions on the \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/child-tax-credit\">Additional Child Tax Credit\u003c/a>, which previously allowed many mixed‑status families to receive thousands of dollars back. That means ITIN filers can expect much smaller refunds, Valencia says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12074131\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12074131 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/OneBigBeautifulBillGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1251\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/OneBigBeautifulBillGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/OneBigBeautifulBillGetty-160x100.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/OneBigBeautifulBillGetty-1536x961.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is seen during an enrollment ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on July 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The House passed the sweeping tax and spending bill after winning over fiscal hawks and moderate Republicans. The bill makes permanent President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, increases spending on defense and immigration enforcement and temporarily cuts taxes on tips, while at the same time, cutting funding for Medicaid, food assistance for the poor, clean energy and raises the nation’s debt limit by $5 trillion. \u003ccite>(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Many of Valencia’s clients are long-term customers. The tax business is built on trust, she says. This year, before accepting any work, Valencia feels an ethical obligation to tell clients the bad news that their refunds will be smaller, and maybe nonexistent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A mixed-status household could, in a normal year, expect to receive around $2,000 in the Additional Child Tax Credit. But this year, they’re lucky to get $500, she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Valencia says the reaction to this information has been immediate. Prospective customers tell her: “You know what? I’m not going to file because I’m not getting any refund. So what’s the point of doing taxes?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As an undocumented immigrant, having proof of taxes is important. It builds a paper trail, so if the day comes to receive legal status, it shows work history, engagement with the system and U.S. presence.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But Valencia says customers are coming in worn-down, without a vision for future immigration relief. They tell her their faith in the system is dropping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Southern California city of Pomona, tax preparer Hayde Vigil says her business is also seeing about half its usual filings this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet the steep drop looks different in Southern California, she explains. Most of her clients are documented, Vigil says in Spanish, but status doesn’t seem to be the issue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re afraid to leave their homes because there are so many raids, and they’re scared they’ll be detained and deported,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigration enforcement agents have been active in that region, and her customers are afraid they’ll be picked up because they’re Latino, even if they are here legally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They weren’t going out at all before, and now they only go out for the bare minimum,” says Vigil, which doesn’t seem to include leaving the house to file taxes this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘There’s nothing for you’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Claudia, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, sits wringing her hands in her lap. As names are called out in the Northern California day labor hall where she sits in, she waits for the sound of her own, hoping to pick up some work for the day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Claudia, who did not want her full name to be used because her immigration status puts her at risk of deportation, has been living in California for over 20 years. In these decades, her work has ebbed and flowed, sometimes working multiple jobs at once. These days, Claudia is lucky to have her name called a few times a week. Regardless of workflow, she files her taxes every year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet it’s not just around tax season that she pays, Claudia explains in Spanish. “You pay taxes on what you earn, on what you buy, on everything you consume in this country,” Claudia says. “But you can’t get anything back from it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12030566\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1993px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12030566\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1993\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed.jpg 1993w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed-1020x682.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/taxes041511_qed-1920x1284.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1993px) 100vw, 1993px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Current federal tax forms are distributed at the offices of the Internal Revenue Service on Nov. 1, 2005, in Chicago, Illinois. \u003ccite>(Scott Olson/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Claudia keeps filing year after year in the hope that one day she’ll have a pathway to documentation that would let her visit her family in Mexico, find work more easily and live with no fear about status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You hold onto the hope that, in the future, you’ll be able to do things the right way,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But after over 20 years of filing, her hope toward legalization only seems to be dwindling. “In the end, there’s nothing there for you, is there?” she asks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Claudia still sees no pathway to legal status and receives no Social Security benefits, no MediCal — and this year, for the first time, she was told she’ll receive no credits back for her son, who is a U.S. citizen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her voice grows soft. “So, what’s the point in paying?” she asks. “There’s no hope for someone like me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Claudia says she went back and forth in her head, deciding if this would be the year she broke her commitment to a stable future here. In the end, she filed, but her doubt continues to grow, both in the system and her future in the United States.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Yet for others, the doubt has already reached a tipping point.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the Northern California day labor facility, Velasco waits to hear his own name called.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Why should I pay taxes?” he asks in Spanish. “When you realize you’re paying in but not receiving anything in return, there’s no point anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Velasco, who also asked for his full name not to be shared out of fear of deportation, has lived in Northern California for 24 years. For the majority of that time, he worked at a lumber company and filed his taxes consistently. Filing always felt like a no‑brainer, he says — part of his civic responsibility, even without legal status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He always considered himself a rule follower. “After all, that’s how the country keeps running,” he says. “But lately, I’ve changed my tune.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like many undocumented immigrants across the state, Velasco fears being seen in public, afraid he’ll be picked up and deported. He says he feels at odds with the federal government and has begun questioning why he should contribute to a system he believes wants him gone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t exactly give you the desire to comply,” he says. “Yet when it comes to collecting taxes, [the government] certainly want to do that, don’t they?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Velasco no longer files. Now, he picks up odd jobs doing house maintenance and gets paid in cash, under the table.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Undocumented taxpayers are ‘extremely important’ to economy\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s a common belief that immigrants don’t pay taxes, says Abby Raisz, vice president of research at the Bay Area Council Economic Institute. But it’s not true. “Undocumented immigrants maintain very high effective tax rates,” Raisz says — \u003ca href=\"https://itep.org/undocumented-immigrants-state-local-tax-contributions-2017/\">averaging 7.1% in state and local taxes\u003c/a>, higher than the rate paid by the top 1% of earners nationally, according to the nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaeconomy.org/\">Raisz’s team estimates\u003c/a> undocumented Californians contribute about \u003ca href=\"https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/our-work/publications/economic-impact-mass-deportation-california\">9% of the state’s GDP\u003c/a>, or roughly $278 billion, a figure on the order of the entire GDP of Nevada or Oregon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They also \u003ca href=\"https://taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/do-immigrants-pay-taxes\">pay more\u003c/a> than $10.6 billion in state and local taxes and $13 billion in federal taxes, despite being excluded from most federal benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11863601\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11863601 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/03/RS47577_iStock-915488206-qut.jpg\" alt=\"woman doing taxes with calculator\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1012\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/03/RS47577_iStock-915488206-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/03/RS47577_iStock-915488206-qut-800x422.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/03/RS47577_iStock-915488206-qut-1020x538.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/03/RS47577_iStock-915488206-qut-160x84.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/03/RS47577_iStock-915488206-qut-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Undocumented Californians generate about 9% of the state’s GDP — roughly $278 billion — and pay more than $10.6 billion in state and local taxes and $13 billion in federal taxes, despite being excluded from most federal benefits. \u003ccite>(Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Josh Stehlik, policy director for the California Immigrant Policy Center, says those contributions are essential to the state’s fiscal health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Undocumented taxpayers are extremely important to the national economy and to California’s economy,” Stehlik says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But both Raisz and Stehlik say trust in the tax system is quickly eroding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, the IRS was directed by the Trump administration to \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/policywatch/ice-and-irs-reach-agreement-to-share-taxpayer-information-of-suspected-undocumented-immigrants/\">share taxpayer information\u003c/a> with the Department of Homeland Security, a move that immigrant rights groups called unprecedented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal courts \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/policywatch/ice-and-irs-reach-agreement-to-share-taxpayer-information-of-suspected-undocumented-immigrants/\">have since blocked\u003c/a> the IRS‑DHS data‑sharing agreement, but the episode has already shaken confidence in the system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Raisz says, after speaking with tax providers throughout the state, the implications for an already fragile trust could be \u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaeconomy.org/report/economic-impact-of-immigration-enforcement-bayarea/\">long‑lasting\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“If this taxpayer information does in fact get related to other departments, ITIN is going to lose all of the trust that it currently has,” she says, and warned it probably won’t ever gain it back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stehlik says new federal policy changes have only deepened the fear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Immigrant taxpayers are afraid to file because of the Trump administration’s repeated attacks on immigrant taxpayer confidentiality,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Experts warn that if undocumented immigrants disengage from the tax system, the consequences would be severe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We could be looking at an $8.5 billion loss in revenue,” Stehlik says, referencing the amount that ITEP says undocumented Californians paid in state and local tax contributions in 2022.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Raisz agrees that the long‑term implications would be enormous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Undocumented immigrants contribute billions in sales tax revenue, and their consumer spending powers local businesses already struggling with post‑pandemic declines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The larger concern seems to be the loss of trust and disengagement from the tax system,” Raisz says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She adds that undocumented taxpayers are often economically engaged, starting businesses, buying homes, and supporting local economies. If they continue to disengage, she says, the \u003ca href=\"https://calbudgetcenter.org/resources/californias-undocumented-residents-make-significant-tax-contributions/\">economic fallout\u003c/a> “would be massive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Shandra Back covers immigration for Northern California Public Media through the \u003ca href=\"https://fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows/\">California Local News Fellowship\u003c/a>. This story was edited with help from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/californianewsroom\">The California Newsroom\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Here’s How California’s Next Governor Will Change Your Taxes",
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"content": "\u003cp>As Californians rush to file their taxes before the April 15 deadline, the candidates vying to be \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>’s next governor have laid out competing visions for the future of taxation in the nation’s largest state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Leading candidates have proposed eliminating income taxes, cutting taxes for businesses, increasing taxes on corporations and raising taxes on commercial properties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not on that list: taxing billionaires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>None of the candidates polling in double digits has embraced the tax proposal, sending shockwaves through California politics: a one-time tax on the wealth of billionaires that a health care union is trying to qualify for the November ballot. But while Gov. Gavin Newsom has spent his final year in office arguing that the state has a spending problem, not a revenue problem, the Democrats most likely to succeed him are eyeing ways to bring new money into the state’s coffers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democrats Katie Porter and Tom Steyer have proposed new taxes on large corporations — albeit in different forms — to offset federal health care cuts, boost education funding and help fill structural budget deficits \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2025/5091/2026-27_Fiscal_Outlook_111925.pdf\">projected\u003c/a> to reach $35 billion in the coming years. Porter has also aligned with Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco in promising to cut taxes for working families and businesses, though the Republicans’ plans would go much further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>None of the leading candidates has indicated which state programs they would cut to make up for lost tax revenue. But in a year when affordability is the \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8dj134w8\">dominant voter concern\u003c/a>, taxes are top of mind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you’re gonna talk about affordability — and affordability is the main kind of buzzword of the campaign — well, you gotta start with taxes,” said Tim Anaya of the Sacramento-based Pacific Research Institute, a libertarian, free-market think tank.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A tax code ‘frozen in amber’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California’s tax code has been largely frozen in amber for the past century. When voters limited property tax increases through Proposition 13 in 1978, they made the state more dependent on a progressive income tax that relies disproportionately on the high incomes and capital gains of a relatively small number of residents. As a result, California tax revenues fluctuate wildly based on how tech and other large companies perform in the stock market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the past 40 years, \u003ca href=\"https://sco.ca.gov/Files-EO/Appendices_cea.pdf\">efforts\u003c/a> to change California’s tax law have largely nibbled around the edges. No one has proposed a wholesale reform of the system, Anaya said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069108\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12069108\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1337\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP-1536x1027.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during his State of the State address on Jan. 8, 2026, in Sacramento, California. \u003ccite>(Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The governor’s race is playing out against the backdrop of negotiations to shave billions of dollars off state spending next year to close the state’s growing structural deficit. In budget hearings this spring, finance officials in Newsom’s administration have made clear that the governor is not interested in pursuing any new taxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like his predecessor, Jerry Brown, Newsom has bemoaned the annual swings between surpluses and deficits driven by gyrations in personal income tax and capital gains revenue. But he has done little to either broaden the tax base or bring in new forms of revenue, said Chris Hoene, executive director of the left-leaning California Budget & Policy Center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He has not done very much on the tax front,” Hoene said. “He’s been more inclined to actually give away new or expanded tax credits — like he became a big proponent of expanding the film tax credit.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The top Democratic candidates for governor — Porter and Steyer — are vowing to boost state revenues, primarily by honing in on big business.[aside postID=news_12072234 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1.jpg']Hoene said it’s no surprise that their proposals lean into familiar ideas such as raising taxes on corporate profits or property, rather than the relatively novel approach of taxing overall wealth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some of these newer ideas, like taxing wealth … those are things that need to be cooked a bit longer,” Hoene said. “If I were a gubernatorial candidate, I’d be saying, ‘hey, there’s some low-hanging fruit we should be going after first.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s also some unlikely overlap. Porter and Hilton both propose eliminating state income tax on earnings less than $100,000, a change that would affect \u003ca href=\"https://lab.data.ca.gov/dataset/pit-annual-report-2024\">more than 70% of California residents who file tax returns\u003c/a>. (Porter’s proposal focuses on \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/katieporterca/status/2032495138384322988\">families\u003c/a>, while \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdP6OxD9flY&t=3s\">Hilton said\u003c/a> he would extend the exemption to all filers.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton also proposed reducing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/corporations/index.html\">$800 minimum franchise tax\u003c/a> that businesses have to pay, regardless of their profits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the lower-polling candidates, San José Mayor Matt Mahan and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond — both Democrats — have offered tax plans on opposite ends of the party’s ideological spectrum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thurmond supports the one-time 5% tax on the wealth of billionaires, which could raise up to $100 billion for health care and food assistance. Mahan vows to oppose all tax increases until oversight measures are in place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other candidates have not released detailed tax proposals.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Here’s what we know about the leading candidate’s tax plans so far:\u003c/h2>\n\u003ch2>Tom Steyer\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Steyer argued that while the richest Californians should pay more, the state should focus on taxing corporations. He supports a proposal to close the so-called “water’s edge” loophole that allows \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1790\">multinational corporations\u003c/a> to shelter their profits in countries with low tax rates to shield their international profits from state taxes. The proposal would require these corporations to pay taxes based on a share of their global income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s an idea that progressives have floated for years but never managed to pass. This year, ahead of the November governor’s race, \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-playbook-pm/2026/02/10/waters-edge-tax-loophole-00774699\">Sacramento legislators will debate\u003c/a> closing the loophole again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12072288\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12072288\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left to right, Matt Mahan, Tom Steyer and Tony Thurmond participate in the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Laure Andrillon/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steyer also \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/18/tom-steyer-wants-a-special-election-to-hike-corporate-taxes-in-2027-00786876\">floated a special election in 2027\u003c/a> to pass an increase on commercial property taxes, which were capped by Proposition 13.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steyer and other progressives have long wanted to split off commercial properties from Proposition 13 protections, an idea known as “split roll.” In 2020, state voters \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11844592/voters-reject-proposition-15-a-ballot-question-to-partially-dismantle-a-cap-on-property-taxes\">rejected\u003c/a> a measure to do just that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am proposing closing a corporate real estate tax loophole that’s existed for over 40 years,” Steyer \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjXvKfldFlI&t=1s\">told KQED’s \u003cem>Political Breakdown\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. “That brings in more money to the state, that is permanent, that is completely fair.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Steve Hilton\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Hilton argued California’s budget problems are due to overspending, noting that the state budget has nearly doubled since 2017. He also said the state’s affordability problem is tied to how expensive it is to do business in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton noted that California, the nation’s most populous state, has more people in poverty than any other state, \u003ca href=\"https://hdpulse.nimhd.nih.gov/data-portal/social/table?age=001&age_options=ageall_1&demo=00007&demo_options=poverty_3&race=00&race_options=race_7&sex=0&sex_options=sexboth_1&socialtopic=080&socialtopic_options=social_6&statefips=00&statefips_options=area_states\">according to federal government statistics\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071399\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071399\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-STEVE-HILTON-ON-PB-MD-04-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-STEVE-HILTON-ON-PB-MD-04-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-STEVE-HILTON-ON-PB-MD-04-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-STEVE-HILTON-ON-PB-MD-04-KQED-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton at KQED in San Francisco on Jan. 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Why?” he \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdP6OxD9flY&t=3s\">said on \u003cem>Political Breakdown\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. “Because of all these combinations of the spending and the policies that are making it so difficult to start and grow businesses. As a result of that, costs go up. As a result of that, we increase welfare payments because people are struggling. That means taxes go higher. That means it becomes even more expensive. And we’ve got to get out of that cycle.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton said he will make the state more affordable by eliminating state income tax for Californians earning less than $100,000 and imposing a flat 7.5% tax on earnings over $100,000. Currently, the income tax tops out at 12.3% for individuals making more than $722,000 a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He opposed any changes to Proposition 13 and wants to eliminate the minimum franchise tax, which is about $800 annually for all businesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton believes the tax cuts will grow California’s economy, which could result in more tax revenue.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Katie Porter\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Porter framed her tax plan as key to tackling affordability. At its center: eliminating state income taxes for families who make under $100,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The state takes a chunk of many people’s paychecks,” she \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078450/katie-porters-run-for-governor-centers-tax-cuts-corporate-accountability\">said on \u003cem>Political Breakdown\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. “$100,000 allows people to make ends meet, but also to do the things we need them to do: To save for retirement. To be able to get a house, to be able to put a little money away for college.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12074712\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12074712\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260226-GovRaceForum-56-BL_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260226-GovRaceForum-56-BL_qed-1.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260226-GovRaceForum-56-BL_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260226-GovRaceForum-56-BL_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter speaks during a gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Porter said she would pay for that tax cut by changing California’s corporate tax, which is currently a flat 8.84%, no matter how much a company makes. She wants to increase it gradually, with the highest-earning corporations paying up to 9.75%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That would generate enough revenue … to deliver on my promise of free college tuition,” Porter said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her free college tuition plan would allow Californians to attend two years of community college for free, then transfer to a University of California or California State University campus, where the state would cover their tuition.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Chad Bianco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Bianco’s campaign said his tax priorities are “straightforward”: he wants to cut them and make up for lost revenue with undefined “wasteful spending” cuts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bianco proposed eliminating the state income tax entirely, opposing any new taxes and reducing “cost drivers like the gas tax,” according to a campaign spokesperson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a recent interview with KVCR, Bianco accused Democratic leaders of “bilking” the state for billions of dollars, pointing toward state contracts with nonprofits. He estimated annual waste and fraud at up to $50 billion — without providing specifics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12077855\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12077855\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-2267789591-scaled-e1775847167430.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gubernatorial Candidate Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco speaks at an event in downtown Los Angeles on March 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“California government is broken,” he said. “Number one, we absolutely have to stop the waste, the fraud, and the abuse going on in our government … So you eliminate all of the fraud, you become oil independent and use that to fund government, and now we don’t have to pay income taxes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also would “provide targeted relief, including reducing or eliminating state taxes on tips.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a debate with Hilton April 4 at the Lincoln Club of Coachella Valley, Bianco suggested that upending the state’s tax system would be more difficult than repealing regulations enacted by previous governors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Regulations are easy, we sign all of those away…all of those boards and commissions can be suspended, the regulations can be suspended,” Bianco said. “The taxes are going to be a different story.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KVCR’s Madison Aument contributed reporting to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Leading gubernatorial candidates Chad Bianco, Steve Hilton, Katie Porter and Tom Steyer can’t agree on who should pay more or less. Here’s where they stand. ",
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"title": "Here’s How California’s Next Governor Will Change Your Taxes | KQED",
"description": "Leading gubernatorial candidates Chad Bianco, Steve Hilton, Katie Porter and Tom Steyer can’t agree on who should pay more or less. Here’s where they stand. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As Californians rush to file their taxes before the April 15 deadline, the candidates vying to be \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>’s next governor have laid out competing visions for the future of taxation in the nation’s largest state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Leading candidates have proposed eliminating income taxes, cutting taxes for businesses, increasing taxes on corporations and raising taxes on commercial properties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not on that list: taxing billionaires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>None of the candidates polling in double digits has embraced the tax proposal, sending shockwaves through California politics: a one-time tax on the wealth of billionaires that a health care union is trying to qualify for the November ballot. But while Gov. Gavin Newsom has spent his final year in office arguing that the state has a spending problem, not a revenue problem, the Democrats most likely to succeed him are eyeing ways to bring new money into the state’s coffers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democrats Katie Porter and Tom Steyer have proposed new taxes on large corporations — albeit in different forms — to offset federal health care cuts, boost education funding and help fill structural budget deficits \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2025/5091/2026-27_Fiscal_Outlook_111925.pdf\">projected\u003c/a> to reach $35 billion in the coming years. Porter has also aligned with Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco in promising to cut taxes for working families and businesses, though the Republicans’ plans would go much further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>None of the leading candidates has indicated which state programs they would cut to make up for lost tax revenue. But in a year when affordability is the \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8dj134w8\">dominant voter concern\u003c/a>, taxes are top of mind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you’re gonna talk about affordability — and affordability is the main kind of buzzword of the campaign — well, you gotta start with taxes,” said Tim Anaya of the Sacramento-based Pacific Research Institute, a libertarian, free-market think tank.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A tax code ‘frozen in amber’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California’s tax code has been largely frozen in amber for the past century. When voters limited property tax increases through Proposition 13 in 1978, they made the state more dependent on a progressive income tax that relies disproportionately on the high incomes and capital gains of a relatively small number of residents. As a result, California tax revenues fluctuate wildly based on how tech and other large companies perform in the stock market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the past 40 years, \u003ca href=\"https://sco.ca.gov/Files-EO/Appendices_cea.pdf\">efforts\u003c/a> to change California’s tax law have largely nibbled around the edges. No one has proposed a wholesale reform of the system, Anaya said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069108\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12069108\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1337\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP-1536x1027.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during his State of the State address on Jan. 8, 2026, in Sacramento, California. \u003ccite>(Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The governor’s race is playing out against the backdrop of negotiations to shave billions of dollars off state spending next year to close the state’s growing structural deficit. In budget hearings this spring, finance officials in Newsom’s administration have made clear that the governor is not interested in pursuing any new taxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like his predecessor, Jerry Brown, Newsom has bemoaned the annual swings between surpluses and deficits driven by gyrations in personal income tax and capital gains revenue. But he has done little to either broaden the tax base or bring in new forms of revenue, said Chris Hoene, executive director of the left-leaning California Budget & Policy Center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He has not done very much on the tax front,” Hoene said. “He’s been more inclined to actually give away new or expanded tax credits — like he became a big proponent of expanding the film tax credit.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The top Democratic candidates for governor — Porter and Steyer — are vowing to boost state revenues, primarily by honing in on big business.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Hoene said it’s no surprise that their proposals lean into familiar ideas such as raising taxes on corporate profits or property, rather than the relatively novel approach of taxing overall wealth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some of these newer ideas, like taxing wealth … those are things that need to be cooked a bit longer,” Hoene said. “If I were a gubernatorial candidate, I’d be saying, ‘hey, there’s some low-hanging fruit we should be going after first.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s also some unlikely overlap. Porter and Hilton both propose eliminating state income tax on earnings less than $100,000, a change that would affect \u003ca href=\"https://lab.data.ca.gov/dataset/pit-annual-report-2024\">more than 70% of California residents who file tax returns\u003c/a>. (Porter’s proposal focuses on \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/katieporterca/status/2032495138384322988\">families\u003c/a>, while \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdP6OxD9flY&t=3s\">Hilton said\u003c/a> he would extend the exemption to all filers.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton also proposed reducing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/corporations/index.html\">$800 minimum franchise tax\u003c/a> that businesses have to pay, regardless of their profits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the lower-polling candidates, San José Mayor Matt Mahan and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond — both Democrats — have offered tax plans on opposite ends of the party’s ideological spectrum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thurmond supports the one-time 5% tax on the wealth of billionaires, which could raise up to $100 billion for health care and food assistance. Mahan vows to oppose all tax increases until oversight measures are in place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other candidates have not released detailed tax proposals.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Here’s what we know about the leading candidate’s tax plans so far:\u003c/h2>\n\u003ch2>Tom Steyer\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Steyer argued that while the richest Californians should pay more, the state should focus on taxing corporations. He supports a proposal to close the so-called “water’s edge” loophole that allows \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1790\">multinational corporations\u003c/a> to shelter their profits in countries with low tax rates to shield their international profits from state taxes. The proposal would require these corporations to pay taxes based on a share of their global income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s an idea that progressives have floated for years but never managed to pass. This year, ahead of the November governor’s race, \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-playbook-pm/2026/02/10/waters-edge-tax-loophole-00774699\">Sacramento legislators will debate\u003c/a> closing the loophole again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12072288\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12072288\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left to right, Matt Mahan, Tom Steyer and Tony Thurmond participate in the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Laure Andrillon/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steyer also \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/18/tom-steyer-wants-a-special-election-to-hike-corporate-taxes-in-2027-00786876\">floated a special election in 2027\u003c/a> to pass an increase on commercial property taxes, which were capped by Proposition 13.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steyer and other progressives have long wanted to split off commercial properties from Proposition 13 protections, an idea known as “split roll.” In 2020, state voters \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11844592/voters-reject-proposition-15-a-ballot-question-to-partially-dismantle-a-cap-on-property-taxes\">rejected\u003c/a> a measure to do just that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am proposing closing a corporate real estate tax loophole that’s existed for over 40 years,” Steyer \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjXvKfldFlI&t=1s\">told KQED’s \u003cem>Political Breakdown\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. “That brings in more money to the state, that is permanent, that is completely fair.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Steve Hilton\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Hilton argued California’s budget problems are due to overspending, noting that the state budget has nearly doubled since 2017. He also said the state’s affordability problem is tied to how expensive it is to do business in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton noted that California, the nation’s most populous state, has more people in poverty than any other state, \u003ca href=\"https://hdpulse.nimhd.nih.gov/data-portal/social/table?age=001&age_options=ageall_1&demo=00007&demo_options=poverty_3&race=00&race_options=race_7&sex=0&sex_options=sexboth_1&socialtopic=080&socialtopic_options=social_6&statefips=00&statefips_options=area_states\">according to federal government statistics\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071399\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071399\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-STEVE-HILTON-ON-PB-MD-04-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-STEVE-HILTON-ON-PB-MD-04-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-STEVE-HILTON-ON-PB-MD-04-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-STEVE-HILTON-ON-PB-MD-04-KQED-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton at KQED in San Francisco on Jan. 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Why?” he \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdP6OxD9flY&t=3s\">said on \u003cem>Political Breakdown\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. “Because of all these combinations of the spending and the policies that are making it so difficult to start and grow businesses. As a result of that, costs go up. As a result of that, we increase welfare payments because people are struggling. That means taxes go higher. That means it becomes even more expensive. And we’ve got to get out of that cycle.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton said he will make the state more affordable by eliminating state income tax for Californians earning less than $100,000 and imposing a flat 7.5% tax on earnings over $100,000. Currently, the income tax tops out at 12.3% for individuals making more than $722,000 a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He opposed any changes to Proposition 13 and wants to eliminate the minimum franchise tax, which is about $800 annually for all businesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton believes the tax cuts will grow California’s economy, which could result in more tax revenue.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Katie Porter\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Porter framed her tax plan as key to tackling affordability. At its center: eliminating state income taxes for families who make under $100,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The state takes a chunk of many people’s paychecks,” she \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078450/katie-porters-run-for-governor-centers-tax-cuts-corporate-accountability\">said on \u003cem>Political Breakdown\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. “$100,000 allows people to make ends meet, but also to do the things we need them to do: To save for retirement. To be able to get a house, to be able to put a little money away for college.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12074712\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12074712\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260226-GovRaceForum-56-BL_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260226-GovRaceForum-56-BL_qed-1.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260226-GovRaceForum-56-BL_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260226-GovRaceForum-56-BL_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter speaks during a gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Porter said she would pay for that tax cut by changing California’s corporate tax, which is currently a flat 8.84%, no matter how much a company makes. She wants to increase it gradually, with the highest-earning corporations paying up to 9.75%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That would generate enough revenue … to deliver on my promise of free college tuition,” Porter said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her free college tuition plan would allow Californians to attend two years of community college for free, then transfer to a University of California or California State University campus, where the state would cover their tuition.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Chad Bianco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Bianco’s campaign said his tax priorities are “straightforward”: he wants to cut them and make up for lost revenue with undefined “wasteful spending” cuts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bianco proposed eliminating the state income tax entirely, opposing any new taxes and reducing “cost drivers like the gas tax,” according to a campaign spokesperson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a recent interview with KVCR, Bianco accused Democratic leaders of “bilking” the state for billions of dollars, pointing toward state contracts with nonprofits. He estimated annual waste and fraud at up to $50 billion — without providing specifics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12077855\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12077855\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-2267789591-scaled-e1775847167430.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gubernatorial Candidate Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco speaks at an event in downtown Los Angeles on March 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“California government is broken,” he said. “Number one, we absolutely have to stop the waste, the fraud, and the abuse going on in our government … So you eliminate all of the fraud, you become oil independent and use that to fund government, and now we don’t have to pay income taxes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also would “provide targeted relief, including reducing or eliminating state taxes on tips.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a debate with Hilton April 4 at the Lincoln Club of Coachella Valley, Bianco suggested that upending the state’s tax system would be more difficult than repealing regulations enacted by previous governors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Regulations are easy, we sign all of those away…all of those boards and commissions can be suspended, the regulations can be suspended,” Bianco said. “The taxes are going to be a different story.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KVCR’s Madison Aument contributed reporting to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "tax-day-2026-what-is-tax-strike-financial-legal-consequences-irs-april-15",
"title": "What Actually Happens If a Person Doesn't Pay Their Federal Taxes?",
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"headTitle": "What Actually Happens If a Person Doesn’t Pay Their Federal Taxes? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>2026 Tax Day is around the corner on Wednesday, April 15 — the last day to file and pay your federal and state income\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/taxes\"> taxes\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While millions have already taken care of their taxes, some people \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/oregon/comments/1qd76pb/okay_everyone_hear_me_out_we_gotta_stop_paying/\">have shared\u003c/a> online that they are considering not paying their federal taxes \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/KatanaSpeaks/status/2030786670480810351\">as a form of protest\u003c/a> against the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In March, Chicago lawyer Rachel Cohen went viral on social media when \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DVbmBC3jwld/?hl=en\">she announced\u003c/a> her intention not to pay over $8,800 in income taxes. She \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/11/trump-income-tax-protest\">told \u003cem>The Guardian\u003c/em>\u003c/a> that she refused to pay taxes that \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/where-do-our-federal-tax-dollars-go\">could fund\u003c/a> aggressive immigration enforcement tactics or military actions in the Middle East.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Refusing to pay taxes has existed as a form of protest in the United States for centuries. During the Vietnam War, musician Joan Baez \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/joan-baez-75th-birthday-celebration-8-things-you-didnt-know-about-joan-baez/4904/#:~:text=In%201964%2C%20she%20withheld%2060,Quentin%20during%20a%20Christmas%20vigil\">withheld 60%\u003c/a> of her income tax from the Internal Revenue Service to protest U.S. military spending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the decades since, voices on both the left and the right have called for a “tax strike” as a response to U.S. intervention abroad. Last year, former Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene endorsed the idea of a “tax revolt” \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/FmrRepMTG/status/2006343025480306948\">on social media\u003c/a>, with the term “tax strike” seeing its biggest spike ever \u003ca href=\"https://trends.google.com/explore?q=tax%20strike&date=all&geo=US\">in Google searches\u003c/a> in the days that followed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, tax professionals and legal experts consistently warn that refusing to file or pay taxes carries significant consequences. Under federal law, individuals who fail to meet their obligations may end up having to pay a lot more than what they originally owed — and in more serious cases, face enforcement actions by the IRS.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what to know ahead of April 15, the last day to file and pay taxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What U.S. law says I need to pay taxes?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After the U.S. became an independent nation, the federal government financed itself mostly by charging tariffs on imported goods. By the end of the 19th century, elected officials from \u003ca href=\"https://www.finance.senate.gov/about/history\">across the political spectrum\u003c/a> were calling for some sort of income tax in order to finance a growing federal government and \u003ca href=\"https://time.com/7293419/robert-la-follettes-progressive-vision/\">respond to the massive inequality\u003c/a> of the Gilded Age.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it wasn’t until 1913 that the country ratified the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which states that Congress “shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12077685\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12077685 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TaxesGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1330\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TaxesGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TaxesGetty-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TaxesGetty-1536x1021.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In New York City, a coalition of anti-war groups gathered outside the IRS offices in Manhattan, demanding no taxes for war and militarism on April 15, 2024. \u003ccite>(Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Since then, Congress has approved multiple laws that regulate how individuals should file and pay income taxes. All of these rules make up the \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6103\">Internal Revenue Code\u003c/a>, which regulates how the IRS can go about doing its job. The Code also establishes clear limits for the agency, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073445/tax-day-filing-2026-ice-irs-trump-itin-number-no-social-security-number\">limiting how it uses\u003c/a> taxpayers’ personal information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We do not have a voluntary tax system,” said Amy Spivey, professor and director of the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic at UC Law in San Francisco. “Anyone who earns or receives income in the United States has to file and pay taxes — that includes \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073445/tax-day-filing-2026-ice-irs-trump-itin-number-no-social-security-number\">people who are undocumented\u003c/a> as well.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If I refuse to pay my taxes, what happens first?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Let’s say April 15 comes and goes, and you didn’t file anything with the IRS documenting your income from the previous year (and didn’t request an extension either). Will Uncle Sam be at your door on April 16?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not exactly, Spivey said, but nonetheless, a clock at the IRS offices will begin to tick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For each month that passes, the IRS can charge you two kinds of fees — a \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/payments/failure-to-file-penalty\">failure to file penalty\u003c/a> and a separate \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/payments/failure-to-pay-penalty\">failure to pay penalty\u003c/a> — which are calculated as a percentage of the total amount you owe them. Meaning: The longer you don’t deal with your taxes, the bigger the amount the IRS will be expecting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11964303\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11964303 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1438452854-e1741641207115.jpg\" alt=\"A Black woman wearing a tan sweater sits at a desk holding a piece of paper in one hand and staring at a laptop.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">With each passing month, the IRS can impose two separate penalties — one for failing to file and another for failing to pay — both calculated as a percentage of the total taxes owed. \u003ccite>(Pixdeluxe via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Regardless of how much you owe, that’s going to add up,” said Minnie Sage, program director of San Francisco-based \u003ca href=\"https://tax-aid.org/\">Tax-Aid\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You may start receiving letters from the IRS letting you know that your liability is growing. If you ignore this communication and let more time pass by, both penalties will keep stacking up on each other.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, there is a point when the IRS can actually \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6020\">file a return\u003c/a> \u003cem>for \u003c/em>you based on your income information from years past — called a \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/what-to-expect-after-receiving-a-non-filer-compliance-alert-notice-and-what-to-do-to-resolve\">substitute return\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One downside of the IRS filing for you: Regardless of your living situation, the agency can actually file you as single and only give you a standard deduction, Spivey said. “You don’t get the benefit of any deductions, and it ultimately results in a higher tax burden,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for \u003cem>when \u003c/em>this might happen, Spivey said that in her experience, the IRS filing a return for you doesn’t happen immediately and could even take place a few years down the road. But in the meantime, both the failure to file and failure to pay penalties will keep accumulating.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Uncle Sam gets serious\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Eventually, the IRS will kickstart a collection process to get what you owe. Here, the agency has two powerful tools available, Spivey said: a \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/understanding-a-federal-tax-lien\">lien\u003c/a> and a levy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A lien is a document that establishes a legal claim by the federal government against your property or financial assets when you fail to pay a tax debt. “If you sell assets — for example, a home — you would have to hand over the proceeds or pay the taxes that you owe,” Spivey said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A levy, on the other hand, allows the federal government to seize your property or financial assets to cover what you owe the IRS. Once you get a notice of intent to levy, you usually have 30 days to enter some sort of \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/options-for-taxpayers-with-a-tax-bill-they-cant-pay\">payment arrangement\u003c/a> with the IRS.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12031205\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12031205 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1055\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed-800x422.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed-1020x538.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed-160x84.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed-1536x810.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed-1920x1013.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tax experts note that even if no federal taxes are withheld from your paycheck, you’re still legally required to pay taxes on those earnings later. \u003ccite>(Diego Cervo/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This agreement could potentially include an \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/payments/offer-in-compromise\">“offer in compromise”\u003c/a> if you’re unable to pay your full tax liability or doing so “creates a financial hardship,” according to the agency. This may potentially reduce your tax debt — but relies on the IRS agreeing with your assessment of your finances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if you ignore this notice, the IRS will go ahead and levy your property anyway. This could look like taking what you owe directly from your bank account, since your bank is required by law to comply with a levy, and if you don’t have enough money in your account, you’ll also be liable for overdraft fees from your bank.[aside postID=news_12073445 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/internal-revenue-service_qed-1020x680.jpg']In certain cases, the IRS can garnish your wages, meaning the agency communicates with your employer to require that a certain percentage of your salary be used to cover your debt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spivey said that the IRS — depending on how much you owe — can also levy your retirement account. In extreme circumstances, they can even take your home or revoke your passport or block you from applying for one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Collection proceedings usually go through civil law, but in \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-counsel/tax_crimes_handbook.pdf\">very specific cases\u003c/a>, the federal government can also enforce tax law through criminal prosecutions — which could result in much more severe penalties, including prison time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But even if someone’s situation does not get to that level, experts point out that not filing can complicate other parts of life. “A tax return is oftentimes a requirement for proof of income, with things like housing, education and federal loans like FAFSA,” Sage said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you also skipped on your state taxes, California’s Franchise Tax Board also has similar powers. “The Franchise Tax Board can also file a lien, they can levy your accounts, they can garnish your wages,” Spivey said. “You could potentially be looking at both the IRS and FTB both coming to collect the taxes that you owe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What do those refusing to pay taxes say?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Advocates of a tax strike say that international conflicts involving the U.S. — most recently, the ongoing war with Iran — are boosting public interest in what they call “tax resistance” as a form of political protest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lincoln Rice, coordinator for the Milwaukee-based National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee, told KQED that before Israel’s invasion of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gaza\">Gaza\u003c/a> in 2023, around 20 people would attend his group’s online trainings.[aside postID=news_11909786 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/pexels-sora-shimazaki-5668869-672x372.jpg']But hundreds of people are now showing up, he said. Training sessions cover “legal and illegal methods of war tax resistance along with the associated risks,” he said, adding that the group organizes a fund that aims to help members cover penalties and interests collected by the IRS.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rice said his group has also “offered W-4 workshops, where we explain how employees can lower or eliminate the federal tax withholding done by their employer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But tax experts are quick to point out that even if you have zero federal tax withholdings on your paycheck, the law still requires you to pay taxes on those earnings down the line.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ tax system, which means that taxpayers are required to pay taxes throughout the year on your income,” Spivey said. “If you underpay throughout the year, you may be hit with an \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/payments/underpayment-of-estimated-tax-by-individuals-penalty\">Underpayment of Estimated Tax penalty\u003c/a>, in addition to any tax you may owe related to the under-withholding.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Seen online talk about not paying income taxes as a form of protest against the federal government? We talk with experts to understand the consequences.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>2026 Tax Day is around the corner on Wednesday, April 15 — the last day to file and pay your federal and state income\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/taxes\"> taxes\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While millions have already taken care of their taxes, some people \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/oregon/comments/1qd76pb/okay_everyone_hear_me_out_we_gotta_stop_paying/\">have shared\u003c/a> online that they are considering not paying their federal taxes \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/KatanaSpeaks/status/2030786670480810351\">as a form of protest\u003c/a> against the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In March, Chicago lawyer Rachel Cohen went viral on social media when \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DVbmBC3jwld/?hl=en\">she announced\u003c/a> her intention not to pay over $8,800 in income taxes. She \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/11/trump-income-tax-protest\">told \u003cem>The Guardian\u003c/em>\u003c/a> that she refused to pay taxes that \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/where-do-our-federal-tax-dollars-go\">could fund\u003c/a> aggressive immigration enforcement tactics or military actions in the Middle East.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Refusing to pay taxes has existed as a form of protest in the United States for centuries. During the Vietnam War, musician Joan Baez \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/joan-baez-75th-birthday-celebration-8-things-you-didnt-know-about-joan-baez/4904/#:~:text=In%201964%2C%20she%20withheld%2060,Quentin%20during%20a%20Christmas%20vigil\">withheld 60%\u003c/a> of her income tax from the Internal Revenue Service to protest U.S. military spending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the decades since, voices on both the left and the right have called for a “tax strike” as a response to U.S. intervention abroad. Last year, former Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene endorsed the idea of a “tax revolt” \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/FmrRepMTG/status/2006343025480306948\">on social media\u003c/a>, with the term “tax strike” seeing its biggest spike ever \u003ca href=\"https://trends.google.com/explore?q=tax%20strike&date=all&geo=US\">in Google searches\u003c/a> in the days that followed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, tax professionals and legal experts consistently warn that refusing to file or pay taxes carries significant consequences. Under federal law, individuals who fail to meet their obligations may end up having to pay a lot more than what they originally owed — and in more serious cases, face enforcement actions by the IRS.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what to know ahead of April 15, the last day to file and pay taxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What U.S. law says I need to pay taxes?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After the U.S. became an independent nation, the federal government financed itself mostly by charging tariffs on imported goods. By the end of the 19th century, elected officials from \u003ca href=\"https://www.finance.senate.gov/about/history\">across the political spectrum\u003c/a> were calling for some sort of income tax in order to finance a growing federal government and \u003ca href=\"https://time.com/7293419/robert-la-follettes-progressive-vision/\">respond to the massive inequality\u003c/a> of the Gilded Age.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it wasn’t until 1913 that the country ratified the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which states that Congress “shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12077685\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12077685 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TaxesGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1330\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TaxesGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TaxesGetty-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TaxesGetty-1536x1021.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In New York City, a coalition of anti-war groups gathered outside the IRS offices in Manhattan, demanding no taxes for war and militarism on April 15, 2024. \u003ccite>(Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Since then, Congress has approved multiple laws that regulate how individuals should file and pay income taxes. All of these rules make up the \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6103\">Internal Revenue Code\u003c/a>, which regulates how the IRS can go about doing its job. The Code also establishes clear limits for the agency, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073445/tax-day-filing-2026-ice-irs-trump-itin-number-no-social-security-number\">limiting how it uses\u003c/a> taxpayers’ personal information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We do not have a voluntary tax system,” said Amy Spivey, professor and director of the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic at UC Law in San Francisco. “Anyone who earns or receives income in the United States has to file and pay taxes — that includes \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073445/tax-day-filing-2026-ice-irs-trump-itin-number-no-social-security-number\">people who are undocumented\u003c/a> as well.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If I refuse to pay my taxes, what happens first?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Let’s say April 15 comes and goes, and you didn’t file anything with the IRS documenting your income from the previous year (and didn’t request an extension either). Will Uncle Sam be at your door on April 16?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not exactly, Spivey said, but nonetheless, a clock at the IRS offices will begin to tick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For each month that passes, the IRS can charge you two kinds of fees — a \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/payments/failure-to-file-penalty\">failure to file penalty\u003c/a> and a separate \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/payments/failure-to-pay-penalty\">failure to pay penalty\u003c/a> — which are calculated as a percentage of the total amount you owe them. Meaning: The longer you don’t deal with your taxes, the bigger the amount the IRS will be expecting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11964303\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11964303 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1438452854-e1741641207115.jpg\" alt=\"A Black woman wearing a tan sweater sits at a desk holding a piece of paper in one hand and staring at a laptop.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">With each passing month, the IRS can impose two separate penalties — one for failing to file and another for failing to pay — both calculated as a percentage of the total taxes owed. \u003ccite>(Pixdeluxe via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Regardless of how much you owe, that’s going to add up,” said Minnie Sage, program director of San Francisco-based \u003ca href=\"https://tax-aid.org/\">Tax-Aid\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You may start receiving letters from the IRS letting you know that your liability is growing. If you ignore this communication and let more time pass by, both penalties will keep stacking up on each other.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, there is a point when the IRS can actually \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6020\">file a return\u003c/a> \u003cem>for \u003c/em>you based on your income information from years past — called a \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/what-to-expect-after-receiving-a-non-filer-compliance-alert-notice-and-what-to-do-to-resolve\">substitute return\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One downside of the IRS filing for you: Regardless of your living situation, the agency can actually file you as single and only give you a standard deduction, Spivey said. “You don’t get the benefit of any deductions, and it ultimately results in a higher tax burden,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for \u003cem>when \u003c/em>this might happen, Spivey said that in her experience, the IRS filing a return for you doesn’t happen immediately and could even take place a few years down the road. But in the meantime, both the failure to file and failure to pay penalties will keep accumulating.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Uncle Sam gets serious\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Eventually, the IRS will kickstart a collection process to get what you owe. Here, the agency has two powerful tools available, Spivey said: a \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/understanding-a-federal-tax-lien\">lien\u003c/a> and a levy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A lien is a document that establishes a legal claim by the federal government against your property or financial assets when you fail to pay a tax debt. “If you sell assets — for example, a home — you would have to hand over the proceeds or pay the taxes that you owe,” Spivey said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A levy, on the other hand, allows the federal government to seize your property or financial assets to cover what you owe the IRS. Once you get a notice of intent to levy, you usually have 30 days to enter some sort of \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/options-for-taxpayers-with-a-tax-bill-they-cant-pay\">payment arrangement\u003c/a> with the IRS.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12031205\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12031205 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1055\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed-800x422.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed-1020x538.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed-160x84.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed-1536x810.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-915488206_qed-1920x1013.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tax experts note that even if no federal taxes are withheld from your paycheck, you’re still legally required to pay taxes on those earnings later. \u003ccite>(Diego Cervo/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This agreement could potentially include an \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/payments/offer-in-compromise\">“offer in compromise”\u003c/a> if you’re unable to pay your full tax liability or doing so “creates a financial hardship,” according to the agency. This may potentially reduce your tax debt — but relies on the IRS agreeing with your assessment of your finances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if you ignore this notice, the IRS will go ahead and levy your property anyway. This could look like taking what you owe directly from your bank account, since your bank is required by law to comply with a levy, and if you don’t have enough money in your account, you’ll also be liable for overdraft fees from your bank.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In certain cases, the IRS can garnish your wages, meaning the agency communicates with your employer to require that a certain percentage of your salary be used to cover your debt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spivey said that the IRS — depending on how much you owe — can also levy your retirement account. In extreme circumstances, they can even take your home or revoke your passport or block you from applying for one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Collection proceedings usually go through civil law, but in \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-counsel/tax_crimes_handbook.pdf\">very specific cases\u003c/a>, the federal government can also enforce tax law through criminal prosecutions — which could result in much more severe penalties, including prison time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But even if someone’s situation does not get to that level, experts point out that not filing can complicate other parts of life. “A tax return is oftentimes a requirement for proof of income, with things like housing, education and federal loans like FAFSA,” Sage said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you also skipped on your state taxes, California’s Franchise Tax Board also has similar powers. “The Franchise Tax Board can also file a lien, they can levy your accounts, they can garnish your wages,” Spivey said. “You could potentially be looking at both the IRS and FTB both coming to collect the taxes that you owe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What do those refusing to pay taxes say?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Advocates of a tax strike say that international conflicts involving the U.S. — most recently, the ongoing war with Iran — are boosting public interest in what they call “tax resistance” as a form of political protest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lincoln Rice, coordinator for the Milwaukee-based National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee, told KQED that before Israel’s invasion of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gaza\">Gaza\u003c/a> in 2023, around 20 people would attend his group’s online trainings.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But hundreds of people are now showing up, he said. Training sessions cover “legal and illegal methods of war tax resistance along with the associated risks,” he said, adding that the group organizes a fund that aims to help members cover penalties and interests collected by the IRS.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rice said his group has also “offered W-4 workshops, where we explain how employees can lower or eliminate the federal tax withholding done by their employer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But tax experts are quick to point out that even if you have zero federal tax withholdings on your paycheck, the law still requires you to pay taxes on those earnings down the line.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ tax system, which means that taxpayers are required to pay taxes throughout the year on your income,” Spivey said. “If you underpay throughout the year, you may be hit with an \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/payments/underpayment-of-estimated-tax-by-individuals-penalty\">Underpayment of Estimated Tax penalty\u003c/a>, in addition to any tax you may owe related to the under-withholding.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">How We Get By\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">full series here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From a young age, Liam Chavez felt different from the people around him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Growing up in Thousand Oaks, he got bullied. In high school, he didn’t know anyone who was openly gay or queer. “I didn’t really fit in,” said Chavez, 28. “It was really hard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was sure something was wrong with him. It wasn’t until he moved to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/berkeley\">Berkeley \u003c/a>a decade ago for college that he felt like he was home. “A lot of people I meet are surprised to learn I didn’t grow up here because I enjoy it so much and fit in so well,” Chavez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the first time, he’d found the language and the identity that matched his experience. “Basically, the day that I found out that trans men existed, I realized I was a trans man,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But staying here has come at a real cost.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he came out to his family, they cut him off. His parents told him it was Berkeley’s fault, “that I’ve been brainwashed,” he said. His father refused to come to his graduation, and he said he’s hardly spoken to either parent since.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fresh out of school, he felt overwhelmed. He struggled to find his financial footing, knowing nobody was there to catch him if he fell. At the same time, he was trying to heal from the trauma of a sexual assault by another college student, and he had developed chronic migraines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If I go back to that time, I just remember terror,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079248\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079248\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_003_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_003_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_003_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_003_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Liam Chavez examines yarn for an upcoming artisans fair on April 8, 2026, at Avenue Yarn in Albany, California. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>With no family support and significant medical expenses, including medication for his migraines and therapy, in part for the assault, the gap between what he earned and what he needed to live widened fast. But he couldn’t go home, and leaving the state for somewhere cheaper didn’t feel like an option.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Chavez was transitioning, his doctor sat him down and issued some advice: Don’t leave California, at least not for a while. “I think she was right,” Chavez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the Bay Area is one of the most expensive places to live in the country, transgender Californians like Chavez have found that the calculation of whether to stay or go is about more than rent prices.[aside postID=news_12078915 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_011-KQED.jpg']In \u003ca href=\"https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/transgender-moving-desire/\">a national survey\u003c/a> conducted following the 2024 presidential election, nearly half of trans respondents said they had already moved, or were considering moving, in search of a more trans-friendly community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To afford life here, Chavez patched together part-time work as a tutor and dog sitter and picked up random gigs on Craigslist. His friends joked that he was always hustling. “I had no choice,” he said. “I had to, and it was exhausting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When it still wasn’t enough, he turned to credit cards. He charged food, gas and rent until he owed close to $15,000, on top of his student loan debt. “It felt crushing,” he said. “It felt like I could never get out from under that money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/lgbt-poverty-us/\">Research has found\u003c/a> that nearly 1 in 3 transgender Americans lives in poverty — double the rate of cisgender straight people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Whether you’re looking at individual income, household income, food insecurity or housing instability, what you’ll see among trans people are much higher rates of economic vulnerability,” said Brad Sears, a distinguished scholar at the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reason for these discrepancies lies, in part, in demographics. Research from the Williams Institute found that, compared with cisgender straight men, transgender people are more likely to be young and people of color, and almost twice as likely to be living with a disability — all factors that can make it more difficult to achieve financial stability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079250\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079250\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_007_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_007_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_007_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_007_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Liam Chavez and Avenue Yarn employee Leti Iversen compare yarn colors on April 8, 2026, in Albany, California. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But even when researchers compared people with the same education, age, race and disability status, they found that transgender people still have 70% higher odds of living in poverty than cisgender straight men.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sears attributes this to the unique layer of discrimination that transgender people face. “The pathways to poverty really start with [family] rejection, over-criminalization, homelessness … while trans people are still young,” he said. “That continues into adult life, where you continue to see high rates of discrimination in all parts of life, including housing, but particularly in the workplace.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Addressing these disparities, he said, means working with parents to decrease family rejection, and with law enforcement — “so it’s not a crime to be walking while trans” — in order to keep trans people out of the foster care and criminal justice systems, “which are just huge predictors for future poverty.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079251\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079251\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_008_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_008_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_008_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_008_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Liam Chavez speaks with Avenue Yarn employee Leti Iversen on April 8, 2026, in Albany, California. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Workplace protections also make a big difference. Although federal employment protections prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, the Trump administration has sought to \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/trumps-executive-orders-promoting-sex-discrimination-explained\">limit and roll back safeguards\u003c/a> for transgender Americans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California, meanwhile, has one of the country’s strongest \u003ca href=\"https://transgenderlawcenter.org/resources/employment/know-your-rights/faq-the-gender-nondiscrimination-act/\">nondiscrimination frameworks for transgender people\u003c/a>, and some Bay Area cities add \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/san-francisco-all-gender-restroom-ordinance?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">additional\u003c/a> protection \u003ca href=\"https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/our-work/title-vi-nondiscrimination-policy#:~:text=The%20City%20of%20Berkeley%20is,Rights%20Restoration%20Act%20of%201987\">through\u003c/a> local \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/files/assets/city/v/1/employment-investigations-and-civil-rights-compliance/documents/working-for-oakland/workplace-amp-employment-standards/employment-investigations-and-civil-rights-compliance/city-of-oakland-gender-inclusion-policy-ai-73.pdf\">policies\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sears said having a gender identity nondiscrimination policy is a good start, but workplaces should also have a plan in place to support employees who want to transition by doing things like ensuring there’s an appropriate bathroom available and providing colleagues with training. “Visible support from leadership at the top is one of the biggest things that make a difference,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘A whole future that I can think about’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For Chavez, the turning point came when, out of desperation, he called the free, 24-hour 211 helpline that connects callers to social services. The operator referred him to a nonprofit credit counseling agency, Money Management International, where a counselor helped him build a monthly budget and negotiated with his creditors to cut his interest rates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agency consolidated his debt into a single monthly payment automatically drafted from his bank account — something that credit counseling agencies have set up in agreements with major creditors to help close accounts and dig borrowers out of crushing debt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079242\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079242\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_001_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_001_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_001_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_001_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Liam Chavez opens the trunk of his car as he prepares for a morning swim at Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach on March 30, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“These creditors know that when people come to us, they’re not just getting plugged into this affordable repayment plan, but they’re also getting budgeting advice and advice that helps people achieve financial stability, which makes it more likely that they will repay the debt that they owe when presented with more affordable repayment terms,” said Bruce McClary, a spokesperson for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chavez said the counselor’s debt management plan helps hold him accountable, and the low monthly payment has allowed him to chip away at his balance. “That’s really helped because it’s really the interest that is just like a killer,” Chavez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years later, he has paid off more than $10,000. “I really want to be debt-free,” he said. “And I’m so close.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Much of Chavez’s life today is structured around that goal.[aside postID=news_12075761 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00263_TV-KQED.jpg']At home in Oakland, he tracks every dollar in a spreadsheet: rent, insurance, groceries, savings, income from his job and side gigs like a pet-sitting job he recently took on. “I’m actually pretty comfortable this month, which I’m kind of like, whoa, this is new,” he said, laughing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To cut costs, he keeps his heater off and uses an electric blanket. He buys clothes, furniture and appliances secondhand. Groceries come from a mix of bulk purchases, discount markets and Trader Joe’s. When money gets tight, he turns to food pantries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just visited a couple weeks ago because I had some unexpected expenses and I was really hungry and I needed to eat,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He shares a one-bedroom apartment with Erasmo, a 7-year-old Greek tortoise he got during a difficult stretch in college. “I thought to myself, it might be good to have somebody to be responsible to, another creature,” Chavez said. “In order to take care of him, I have to take care of myself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The tortoise’s name means “beloved” in Greek, and Chavez has a custom bumper sticker on his car that reads: My tortoise is smarter than your honor student.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, Chavez has a full-time job at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health, where he administers grant funding to students working on community health projects and helps them manage budgets — skills he’s honed through hard experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, he ran his salary through an online calculator and was surprised to find himself labeled middle class, like his family had been growing up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079296\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079296\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_012_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_012_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_012_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_012_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Liam Chavez swims in the bay at Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda on March 30, 2026. He says open water swimming helps him manage stress and reconnect with his body. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I was like, really?” he said. “Because … I think about my family, they could go out and buy their RV, and they could go on vacations. But I don’t do any of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even small splurges require planning. Instead of credit cards, Chavez sometimes uses “buy now, pay later services” to spread out costs, like when he bought a hot pink inflatable flamingo-shaped buoy that he named Chorizo, which bobs along behind him to keep him safe on his open-water swims off Crown Beach in Alameda.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s been swimming since he was a kid. As an adult, it’s become a kind of therapy. “Sport has been such an instrumental way of me reclaiming my bodily autonomy and my power,” he said. It’s one of the small, hard-won pleasures that make staying in the Bay Area feel worth it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079297\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079297\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_013_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_013_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_013_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_013_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Liam Chavez swims across the bay with “Chorizo” trailing behind him at Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda on March 30, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In his spare time, he volunteers on a crisis line for sexual assault survivors. He said he recently took a call from someone whose circumstances closely mirrored his own. “It was incredible that I could answer that call and be their advocate and be their support,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s considering pursuing a master’s degree in social work or public health once his debt is paid off — a path he hopes will lead him to a stable career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s kinda been crazy for me to think about, like, oh wow, I actually have a whole future that I can think about,” he said. “I can have professional aspirations now instead of just thinking about: Where’s my next meal? How am I gonna pay the rent?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some months, Chavez is still living with little room to spare. His medical expenses remain high, and the cost of living continues to climb. But for the first time in years, he said, “I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "For many people, staying in the Bay Area despite soaring costs is a choice. But for some transgender Californians in the current political climate, it’s also a matter of safety. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">How We Get By\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">full series here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From a young age, Liam Chavez felt different from the people around him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Growing up in Thousand Oaks, he got bullied. In high school, he didn’t know anyone who was openly gay or queer. “I didn’t really fit in,” said Chavez, 28. “It was really hard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was sure something was wrong with him. It wasn’t until he moved to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/berkeley\">Berkeley \u003c/a>a decade ago for college that he felt like he was home. “A lot of people I meet are surprised to learn I didn’t grow up here because I enjoy it so much and fit in so well,” Chavez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the first time, he’d found the language and the identity that matched his experience. “Basically, the day that I found out that trans men existed, I realized I was a trans man,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But staying here has come at a real cost.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he came out to his family, they cut him off. His parents told him it was Berkeley’s fault, “that I’ve been brainwashed,” he said. His father refused to come to his graduation, and he said he’s hardly spoken to either parent since.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fresh out of school, he felt overwhelmed. He struggled to find his financial footing, knowing nobody was there to catch him if he fell. At the same time, he was trying to heal from the trauma of a sexual assault by another college student, and he had developed chronic migraines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If I go back to that time, I just remember terror,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079248\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079248\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_003_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_003_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_003_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_003_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Liam Chavez examines yarn for an upcoming artisans fair on April 8, 2026, at Avenue Yarn in Albany, California. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>With no family support and significant medical expenses, including medication for his migraines and therapy, in part for the assault, the gap between what he earned and what he needed to live widened fast. But he couldn’t go home, and leaving the state for somewhere cheaper didn’t feel like an option.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Chavez was transitioning, his doctor sat him down and issued some advice: Don’t leave California, at least not for a while. “I think she was right,” Chavez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the Bay Area is one of the most expensive places to live in the country, transgender Californians like Chavez have found that the calculation of whether to stay or go is about more than rent prices.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/transgender-moving-desire/\">a national survey\u003c/a> conducted following the 2024 presidential election, nearly half of trans respondents said they had already moved, or were considering moving, in search of a more trans-friendly community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To afford life here, Chavez patched together part-time work as a tutor and dog sitter and picked up random gigs on Craigslist. His friends joked that he was always hustling. “I had no choice,” he said. “I had to, and it was exhausting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When it still wasn’t enough, he turned to credit cards. He charged food, gas and rent until he owed close to $15,000, on top of his student loan debt. “It felt crushing,” he said. “It felt like I could never get out from under that money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/lgbt-poverty-us/\">Research has found\u003c/a> that nearly 1 in 3 transgender Americans lives in poverty — double the rate of cisgender straight people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Whether you’re looking at individual income, household income, food insecurity or housing instability, what you’ll see among trans people are much higher rates of economic vulnerability,” said Brad Sears, a distinguished scholar at the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reason for these discrepancies lies, in part, in demographics. Research from the Williams Institute found that, compared with cisgender straight men, transgender people are more likely to be young and people of color, and almost twice as likely to be living with a disability — all factors that can make it more difficult to achieve financial stability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079250\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079250\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_007_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_007_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_007_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_007_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Liam Chavez and Avenue Yarn employee Leti Iversen compare yarn colors on April 8, 2026, in Albany, California. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But even when researchers compared people with the same education, age, race and disability status, they found that transgender people still have 70% higher odds of living in poverty than cisgender straight men.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sears attributes this to the unique layer of discrimination that transgender people face. “The pathways to poverty really start with [family] rejection, over-criminalization, homelessness … while trans people are still young,” he said. “That continues into adult life, where you continue to see high rates of discrimination in all parts of life, including housing, but particularly in the workplace.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Addressing these disparities, he said, means working with parents to decrease family rejection, and with law enforcement — “so it’s not a crime to be walking while trans” — in order to keep trans people out of the foster care and criminal justice systems, “which are just huge predictors for future poverty.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079251\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079251\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_008_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_008_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_008_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/040826TransAffordability-_GH_008_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Liam Chavez speaks with Avenue Yarn employee Leti Iversen on April 8, 2026, in Albany, California. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Workplace protections also make a big difference. Although federal employment protections prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, the Trump administration has sought to \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/trumps-executive-orders-promoting-sex-discrimination-explained\">limit and roll back safeguards\u003c/a> for transgender Americans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California, meanwhile, has one of the country’s strongest \u003ca href=\"https://transgenderlawcenter.org/resources/employment/know-your-rights/faq-the-gender-nondiscrimination-act/\">nondiscrimination frameworks for transgender people\u003c/a>, and some Bay Area cities add \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/san-francisco-all-gender-restroom-ordinance?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">additional\u003c/a> protection \u003ca href=\"https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/our-work/title-vi-nondiscrimination-policy#:~:text=The%20City%20of%20Berkeley%20is,Rights%20Restoration%20Act%20of%201987\">through\u003c/a> local \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/files/assets/city/v/1/employment-investigations-and-civil-rights-compliance/documents/working-for-oakland/workplace-amp-employment-standards/employment-investigations-and-civil-rights-compliance/city-of-oakland-gender-inclusion-policy-ai-73.pdf\">policies\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sears said having a gender identity nondiscrimination policy is a good start, but workplaces should also have a plan in place to support employees who want to transition by doing things like ensuring there’s an appropriate bathroom available and providing colleagues with training. “Visible support from leadership at the top is one of the biggest things that make a difference,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘A whole future that I can think about’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For Chavez, the turning point came when, out of desperation, he called the free, 24-hour 211 helpline that connects callers to social services. The operator referred him to a nonprofit credit counseling agency, Money Management International, where a counselor helped him build a monthly budget and negotiated with his creditors to cut his interest rates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agency consolidated his debt into a single monthly payment automatically drafted from his bank account — something that credit counseling agencies have set up in agreements with major creditors to help close accounts and dig borrowers out of crushing debt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079242\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079242\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_001_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_001_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_001_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_001_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Liam Chavez opens the trunk of his car as he prepares for a morning swim at Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach on March 30, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“These creditors know that when people come to us, they’re not just getting plugged into this affordable repayment plan, but they’re also getting budgeting advice and advice that helps people achieve financial stability, which makes it more likely that they will repay the debt that they owe when presented with more affordable repayment terms,” said Bruce McClary, a spokesperson for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chavez said the counselor’s debt management plan helps hold him accountable, and the low monthly payment has allowed him to chip away at his balance. “That’s really helped because it’s really the interest that is just like a killer,” Chavez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years later, he has paid off more than $10,000. “I really want to be debt-free,” he said. “And I’m so close.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Much of Chavez’s life today is structured around that goal.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>At home in Oakland, he tracks every dollar in a spreadsheet: rent, insurance, groceries, savings, income from his job and side gigs like a pet-sitting job he recently took on. “I’m actually pretty comfortable this month, which I’m kind of like, whoa, this is new,” he said, laughing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To cut costs, he keeps his heater off and uses an electric blanket. He buys clothes, furniture and appliances secondhand. Groceries come from a mix of bulk purchases, discount markets and Trader Joe’s. When money gets tight, he turns to food pantries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just visited a couple weeks ago because I had some unexpected expenses and I was really hungry and I needed to eat,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He shares a one-bedroom apartment with Erasmo, a 7-year-old Greek tortoise he got during a difficult stretch in college. “I thought to myself, it might be good to have somebody to be responsible to, another creature,” Chavez said. “In order to take care of him, I have to take care of myself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The tortoise’s name means “beloved” in Greek, and Chavez has a custom bumper sticker on his car that reads: My tortoise is smarter than your honor student.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, Chavez has a full-time job at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health, where he administers grant funding to students working on community health projects and helps them manage budgets — skills he’s honed through hard experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, he ran his salary through an online calculator and was surprised to find himself labeled middle class, like his family had been growing up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079296\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079296\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_012_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_012_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_012_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_012_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Liam Chavez swims in the bay at Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda on March 30, 2026. He says open water swimming helps him manage stress and reconnect with his body. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I was like, really?” he said. “Because … I think about my family, they could go out and buy their RV, and they could go on vacations. But I don’t do any of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even small splurges require planning. Instead of credit cards, Chavez sometimes uses “buy now, pay later services” to spread out costs, like when he bought a hot pink inflatable flamingo-shaped buoy that he named Chorizo, which bobs along behind him to keep him safe on his open-water swims off Crown Beach in Alameda.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s been swimming since he was a kid. As an adult, it’s become a kind of therapy. “Sport has been such an instrumental way of me reclaiming my bodily autonomy and my power,” he said. It’s one of the small, hard-won pleasures that make staying in the Bay Area feel worth it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079297\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079297\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_013_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_013_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_013_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/033026Trans-affordability-_GH_013_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Liam Chavez swims across the bay with “Chorizo” trailing behind him at Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda on March 30, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In his spare time, he volunteers on a crisis line for sexual assault survivors. He said he recently took a call from someone whose circumstances closely mirrored his own. “It was incredible that I could answer that call and be their advocate and be their support,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s considering pursuing a master’s degree in social work or public health once his debt is paid off — a path he hopes will lead him to a stable career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s kinda been crazy for me to think about, like, oh wow, I actually have a whole future that I can think about,” he said. “I can have professional aspirations now instead of just thinking about: Where’s my next meal? How am I gonna pay the rent?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some months, Chavez is still living with little room to spare. His medical expenses remain high, and the cost of living continues to climb. But for the first time in years, he said, “I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "in-east-oakland-a-store-where-1-item-is-always-free",
"title": "In East Oakland, a Store Where 1 Item Is Always Free",
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"headTitle": "In East Oakland, a Store Where 1 Item Is Always Free | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">How We Get By\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">full series here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a recent Saturday afternoon, people moved shoulder to shoulder through a small shop in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/east-oakland\">East Oakland\u003c/a>, pausing at tables, lifting objects, and deciding what to take with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The space resembled a grandmother’s attic, crowded with mismatched objects: glassware stacked beside old electronics, knitted hats next to typewriters and rotary phones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One elementary school-aged girl gripped a lock-and-key set, turning it over in her hands as if testing its purpose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I guess I could put it on my suitcase,” she said. When asked who wouldn’t be allowed to open it, she didn’t hesitate: “Anybody!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moments later, she walked out of the store without paying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s how it works here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071057\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071057\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_005-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_005-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_005-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_005-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Boxes filled with donated art supplies line the sidewalk outside Free Oakland UP in Oakland on Jan. 24, 2026 \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In a city grappling with rising costs and displacement, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/freeoaklandup/\">Free Oakland UP\u003c/a> offers a hybrid model of mutual aid and art: a storefront where goods circulate freely, customers pay what they can and community interaction is as central as the items themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The ‘UP’ stands for Utopian Project,” said Jocelyn Meggait, an artist and the founder of Free Oakland UP. “Wouldn’t it be great if everything was free — your housing, your medical, everything?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>From art experiment to Oakland storefront\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The store reflects Meggait’s background as a social practice artist — someone who builds experiences rather than physical art pieces. The idea first took shape nearly 15 years ago, when she was pursuing her Master of Fine Arts at Mills College in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I did start it out as a response to the economy,” she said. “After the crash in 2008, everyone was freaking out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071058\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071058\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_007-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_007-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_007-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_007-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jocelyn Meggait, the creator of Free Oakland UP, poses inside the store where donated items are sorted and future art projects are developed in Oakland on Jan. 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For her master’s thesis, she created a “free pile” inside the school’s art museum — a curated installation where visitors could take one item, no more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I liked the idea of it being in a gallery or museum where you’re not allowed to touch anything,” she said, “let alone take something for free.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That one-item limit was intentional. It forced visitors to weigh their choices and needs — whether they wanted to walk away with a piece of art or a mug. For Meggait, the project extends beyond that single choice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071055\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071055\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_002-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_002-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_002-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_002-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An ongoing project by artist Jocelyn Meggait, the creator of Free Oakland UP, hangs inside the space in Oakland on Jan. 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s about the economy, and it’s about the environment — keeping stuff out of the landfill, reusing, upcycling, the whole circular economy of it,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After graduate school, Meggait expanded the concept into pop-ups across California, bringing the free-store model to places like Lake Tahoe and Venice Beach. In 2014, she settled on a permanent storefront in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I found it, I was so excited,” she said. “The neighborhood is great because [this area] needs something to get the community out and get people talking to each other.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A third space in a city under pressure\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Free Oakland UP sits in a quiet strip mall near an ice cream shop, an auto repair shop and a bodega. Meggait’s operation runs on small donations from customers, arts grants and plant sales, but she said it’s been hard to maintain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The business model has changed just because I’ve had to adapt to paying rent and my rent has just been raised,” she said, adding that now the shop is open an extra day in order to afford the rent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071056\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071056\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jacques Lafontant, a frequent patron of Free Oakland UP and Oakland resident, holds a copy of his favorite book, “The Story of the Exposition,” inside the store in Oakland on Jan. 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Oakland has faced a deepening affordability crisis for years, with its unhoused population \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/The-Unhoused-Community/Homelessness-and-Encampment-Response/Oaklands-Response-to-Homelessness#:~:text=@oaklandca.gov.-,Our%20Response,more%20people%20in%20their%20homes.\">doubling over the past decade\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://ccrl.stanford.edu/publications/residential-and-neighborhood-instability-in-oakland\">2021 Stanford report\u003c/a> found that East Oakland experiences some of the highest levels of financial instability and disinvestment in the region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here, Free Oakland UP stands out — a quirky, kooky, joyful space where people can find objects and community.[aside postID=news_12041474 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241010-RISEEASTDEEPDOWN-43-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg']“It’s like an intersection between three or four different neighborhoods,” said Jacques Lafontant, a longtime Oakland resident. “People from different communities and socioeconomic environments come here and mix.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What draws people in may be the objects, but what lingers is something less tangible — the conversations that form around them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[I asked] someone last week …‘what are you going to do with those 20 Pez dispensers?’” said Angie Fryer, who lives two blocks away. “That’s not a conversation you’re going to strike up at the grocery store line.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what keeps the space alive isn’t just money — it’s movement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Deborah Campbell regularly donates items to the store and picks up materials to bring to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.creativegrowth.org/\">Creative Growth Art Center\u003c/a>, where adults with developmental disabilities make and sell artwork.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wish there was more of this going on,” she said. “I think this activates a community spirit.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others come with no specific purpose at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For window shopping,” said Niem Nguyen, who has lived in the neighborhood for 25 years. “Just for fun and for a happy day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071059\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071059\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_008-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_008-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_008-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_008-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A repurposed filing cabinet holds old circuit boards at Free Oakland UP in Oakland on Jan. 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Over time, Meggait has become a central figure within that ecosystem — a shopkeeper, a therapist, a confidant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you come in here, you realize she knows everybody,” Fryer said. “And if it’s their first visit, she knows that too.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meggait sees that role a little differently.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I hear people’s stories and their secrets,” she said. “I’m like somebody’s grandma. You can tell Grandma anything.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071061\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071061\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_012-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_012-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_012-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_012-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A customer places a doll into a box of vintage handmade dolls inside Free Oakland UP in Oakland on Jan. 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>More than a decade after opening the storefront, Meggait said the concept still surprises people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I first opened, my customers thought I was insane,” she said. “My family up in Canada thinks I’m insane.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, she said, “I’m still here, so it seems to be working.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a city where scarcity can define daily choices, Free Oakland UP offers a different framework — one rooted in a free exchange of goods and the added bonus of community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Free Oakland UP in East Oakland is a free store and community space where shoppers can take one item at no cost, blending mutual aid, affordability and sustainable reuse in a city facing displacement and rising living costs.",
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"title": "In East Oakland, a Store Where 1 Item Is Always Free | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">How We Get By\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">full series here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a recent Saturday afternoon, people moved shoulder to shoulder through a small shop in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/east-oakland\">East Oakland\u003c/a>, pausing at tables, lifting objects, and deciding what to take with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The space resembled a grandmother’s attic, crowded with mismatched objects: glassware stacked beside old electronics, knitted hats next to typewriters and rotary phones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One elementary school-aged girl gripped a lock-and-key set, turning it over in her hands as if testing its purpose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I guess I could put it on my suitcase,” she said. When asked who wouldn’t be allowed to open it, she didn’t hesitate: “Anybody!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moments later, she walked out of the store without paying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s how it works here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071057\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071057\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_005-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_005-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_005-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_005-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Boxes filled with donated art supplies line the sidewalk outside Free Oakland UP in Oakland on Jan. 24, 2026 \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In a city grappling with rising costs and displacement, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/freeoaklandup/\">Free Oakland UP\u003c/a> offers a hybrid model of mutual aid and art: a storefront where goods circulate freely, customers pay what they can and community interaction is as central as the items themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The ‘UP’ stands for Utopian Project,” said Jocelyn Meggait, an artist and the founder of Free Oakland UP. “Wouldn’t it be great if everything was free — your housing, your medical, everything?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>From art experiment to Oakland storefront\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The store reflects Meggait’s background as a social practice artist — someone who builds experiences rather than physical art pieces. The idea first took shape nearly 15 years ago, when she was pursuing her Master of Fine Arts at Mills College in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I did start it out as a response to the economy,” she said. “After the crash in 2008, everyone was freaking out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071058\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071058\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_007-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_007-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_007-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_007-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jocelyn Meggait, the creator of Free Oakland UP, poses inside the store where donated items are sorted and future art projects are developed in Oakland on Jan. 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For her master’s thesis, she created a “free pile” inside the school’s art museum — a curated installation where visitors could take one item, no more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I liked the idea of it being in a gallery or museum where you’re not allowed to touch anything,” she said, “let alone take something for free.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That one-item limit was intentional. It forced visitors to weigh their choices and needs — whether they wanted to walk away with a piece of art or a mug. For Meggait, the project extends beyond that single choice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071055\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071055\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_002-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_002-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_002-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_002-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An ongoing project by artist Jocelyn Meggait, the creator of Free Oakland UP, hangs inside the space in Oakland on Jan. 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s about the economy, and it’s about the environment — keeping stuff out of the landfill, reusing, upcycling, the whole circular economy of it,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After graduate school, Meggait expanded the concept into pop-ups across California, bringing the free-store model to places like Lake Tahoe and Venice Beach. In 2014, she settled on a permanent storefront in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I found it, I was so excited,” she said. “The neighborhood is great because [this area] needs something to get the community out and get people talking to each other.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A third space in a city under pressure\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Free Oakland UP sits in a quiet strip mall near an ice cream shop, an auto repair shop and a bodega. Meggait’s operation runs on small donations from customers, arts grants and plant sales, but she said it’s been hard to maintain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The business model has changed just because I’ve had to adapt to paying rent and my rent has just been raised,” she said, adding that now the shop is open an extra day in order to afford the rent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071056\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071056\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jacques Lafontant, a frequent patron of Free Oakland UP and Oakland resident, holds a copy of his favorite book, “The Story of the Exposition,” inside the store in Oakland on Jan. 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Oakland has faced a deepening affordability crisis for years, with its unhoused population \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/The-Unhoused-Community/Homelessness-and-Encampment-Response/Oaklands-Response-to-Homelessness#:~:text=@oaklandca.gov.-,Our%20Response,more%20people%20in%20their%20homes.\">doubling over the past decade\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://ccrl.stanford.edu/publications/residential-and-neighborhood-instability-in-oakland\">2021 Stanford report\u003c/a> found that East Oakland experiences some of the highest levels of financial instability and disinvestment in the region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here, Free Oakland UP stands out — a quirky, kooky, joyful space where people can find objects and community.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“It’s like an intersection between three or four different neighborhoods,” said Jacques Lafontant, a longtime Oakland resident. “People from different communities and socioeconomic environments come here and mix.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What draws people in may be the objects, but what lingers is something less tangible — the conversations that form around them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[I asked] someone last week …‘what are you going to do with those 20 Pez dispensers?’” said Angie Fryer, who lives two blocks away. “That’s not a conversation you’re going to strike up at the grocery store line.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what keeps the space alive isn’t just money — it’s movement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Deborah Campbell regularly donates items to the store and picks up materials to bring to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.creativegrowth.org/\">Creative Growth Art Center\u003c/a>, where adults with developmental disabilities make and sell artwork.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wish there was more of this going on,” she said. “I think this activates a community spirit.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others come with no specific purpose at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For window shopping,” said Niem Nguyen, who has lived in the neighborhood for 25 years. “Just for fun and for a happy day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071059\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071059\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_008-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_008-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_008-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_008-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A repurposed filing cabinet holds old circuit boards at Free Oakland UP in Oakland on Jan. 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Over time, Meggait has become a central figure within that ecosystem — a shopkeeper, a therapist, a confidant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you come in here, you realize she knows everybody,” Fryer said. “And if it’s their first visit, she knows that too.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meggait sees that role a little differently.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I hear people’s stories and their secrets,” she said. “I’m like somebody’s grandma. You can tell Grandma anything.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071061\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071061\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_012-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_012-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_012-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/012426_FREEOAKLANDUP_GH_012-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A customer places a doll into a box of vintage handmade dolls inside Free Oakland UP in Oakland on Jan. 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>More than a decade after opening the storefront, Meggait said the concept still surprises people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I first opened, my customers thought I was insane,” she said. “My family up in Canada thinks I’m insane.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, she said, “I’m still here, so it seems to be working.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a city where scarcity can define daily choices, Free Oakland UP offers a different framework — one rooted in a free exchange of goods and the added bonus of community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "when-child-care-costs-half-a-paycheck-bay-area-parents-must-choose-kids-or-career",
"title": "When Child Care Costs Half a Paycheck, Bay Area Parents Must Choose: Kids or Career",
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"headTitle": "When Child Care Costs Half a Paycheck, Bay Area Parents Must Choose: Kids or Career | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">How We Get By\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">full series here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Annie Malekzadeh was shopping at a Joanne Fabrics store in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/concord\">Concord\u003c/a> a couple of years ago when she had an encounter that stung her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An older woman who saw her pregnant while pushing her toddler son in a shopping cart, told her: “I don’t know why you would want more than two [children]. It’s basically impossible in the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At the time I was like, how dare she?” she said. “But now I’m like, oh, [she] was right. It’s really hard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malekzadeh wound up having another baby, and the decision to have three kids pushed her child care expenses to roughly $56,000 a year and ultimately changed the course of her career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061802/how-are-child-care-costs-affecting-the-lives-of-bay-area-families-you-told-us\">Rising child care costs in the Bay Area\u003c/a> are forcing parents to make painful tradeoffs, either by passing up career opportunities, cutting back work hours, or quitting altogether. For families with multiple young children, these expenses can surpass a parent’s entire salary, disproportionately affecting mothers and shaping their long-term economic security.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malekzadeh’s story is just one example of how the gap between what families can afford and the actual cost of care is pushing parents to find creative solutions — and prompting calls for systemic change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Child care has long been expensive for parents, but recently it’s been even more so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078461\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078461\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00035_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00035_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00035_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00035_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Annie Malekzadeh, a mom who quit her teaching job to save on child care and is now pursuing her master’s degree in mathematics, studies at Pleasant Hill Library in Pleasant Hill on April 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Prices shot up almost 30% between 2020 and 2024, outpacing inflation by 7 percentage points, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.childcareaware.org/price-landscape24/\">a survey of child care resource and referral organizations \u003c/a>around the country. In just the last year, 40% of child care programs in California \u003ca href=\"https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/user-174467/2026_survey_brief.pdf\">reported raising tuition \u003c/a>to offset rising operating costs like insurance and food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Four years ago, Malekzadeh was a math teacher at a private middle school, earning roughly $32,000 annually and working 25 hours per week. At the time, her son was in kindergarten and her daughter in preschool. Her husband is a psychiatrist, she said, and because he earned more money and worked more hours, most of the parenting responsibilities went to her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With their joint income, the cost of preschool and before- and afterschool care was manageable for the Pleasant Hill couple. But when their baby boy came along in July 2022, and needed full-time infant care, the amount for all three kids’ care — about $4,700 per month — was almost double her teacher’s salary.[aside postID=news_12070762 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/240911-CHILDCARE-REAX-MD-01_qed.jpg']“It didn’t make sense,” she said. “My job wasn’t really making enough of a contribution to justify that kind of expense.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By the time the school year ended, Malekzadeh decided to quit, even though she didn’t want to leave a profession she loved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My grandparents were both educators,” she said. “They were beloved by their community, and they were really excited when I chose to become a teacher. So that was my plan, and I didn’t ever expect to deviate from that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The move is saving about $600 a week in child care. The older two are in public school, and the youngest is still in preschool. While he’s in care, Malekzadeh takes classes at Diablo Valley College as she pursues a master’s degree in math, which she hopes will ultimately lead to a higher-paying job to make up for time away from the labor market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you quit to stay home with your kids, it creates gaps in your resume that a lot of places don’t necessarily look nicely at,” Melakzadeh said. “You have to have some kind of explanation for that, which might translate into less pay.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Child care prices vary by region and depend on a child’s age and the type of provider. In California, full-time infant care in 2024 cost an average of $22,628, which is 16% of the average married couple’s income and 50% of a single parent’s. Bay Area families pay the highest child care prices \u003ca href=\"https://tootris.com/edu/blog/parents/cost-of-child-care-in-california-by-city-age-and-type-of-care-provider/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">compared to other parts of California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078462\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12078462 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00228_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00228_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00228_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00228_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Annie Malekzadeh plays a card game with her daughter as they wait for her older son to finish school at Valhalla Elementary School in Pleasant Hill on April 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The spike in prices came as companies began mandating employees return to work and \u003ca href=\"https://rapidsurveyproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/arpa-funding-factsheet-aug2023.pdf\">child care providers lost federal funds\u003c/a> meant to help them recover from the pandemic. Less flexibility and high costs led to a decline in labor force participation for moms of children under the age of 5, and college-educated moms in particular, according to\u003ca href=\"https://kpmg.com/us/en/articles/2025/october-2025-the-great-exit.html\"> an analysis by the financial firm KPMG.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their labor force participation declined by 2.3 percentage points, while the number of college-educated dads of young children who were working or seeking a job continued to increase.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Families are facing child care prices that are higher than the price of rent or mortgage. So this is a huge problem. It’s one of the biggest expenses in a family’s budgets,” said Julie Kashen, a researcher at The Century Foundation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078476\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078476\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-04-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nolan Cruz eats oatmeal for breakfast in the morning on Oct. 27, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The progressive think tank conducted an October survey of 1,400 voters about their affordability concerns. Kashen said that while all families are facing rising costs, it’s women who experience a greater threat to their economic security.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Women are faring worse in terms of taking on debt to cover their basics, borrowing from friends and families to pay the bills,” she said. “So when you add child care on top of that, I think it’s incredibly challenging.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those challenges led Amy Cruz to walk away from a six-figure nursing job to freelance as a dance teacher and care for her 3-year-old son, Nolan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078474\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078474\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-02-KQED-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-02-KQED-1536x1034.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brandon and Nolan Cruz cook oatmeal for breakfast on Oct. 27, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Until he was about two years old, Cruz paid $3,000 per month to share a nanny with another family for just four days a week of child care (on the fifth day, she leaned on family members to look after him). While child care wasn’t the only reason she left her job, it was a significant factor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Essentially, half of my monthly income was going to child care,” Cruz said. “Watching that much money leave our account every month was tough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once Nolan was old enough to start preschool, she enrolled him in a three-day program near her Berkeley home, which cut her child care costs in half. When he’s there, she teaches dance — something she did professionally before going to nursing school — to afford his tuition. With a second baby on the way, she also figured that it was “worth it to make a little less money but be able to be with my kids more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078475\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078475\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-03-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-03-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-03-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Amy Cruz picks raspberries for her son Nolan’s breakfast in the morning on Oct. 27, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Economists call child care a broken market because the actual cost of providing care is a lot more than what families can afford to pay. In California, \u003ca href=\"https://rrnetwork.org/assets/general-files/California.pdf\">the demand for licensed infant care exceeds supply\u003c/a> because it’s the most expensive and labor-intensive. Babies need constant care, and California has strict rules limiting the number of children each adult can care for in a licensed child care home or center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, low pay and benefits have made it tough for child care providers to attract or retain early educators. In January, nearly half of providers said they didn’t have enough staff to enroll children at capacity, according to a survey by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For providers, energy costs, food, insurance have all gone up,” said Matthew Nestler, senior economist at KPMG. “They can’t necessarily raise their workers’ wages to the degree that they would like to.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078473\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078473\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-01-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(From left) Brandon, Amy and Nolan Cruz prepare breakfast and pack a lunch for Nolan in the morning on Oct. 27, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The shortage can cause parents to weave in and out of the workforce. Malezadeh first left her job when her eldest child was born eight years ago, and she couldn’t find an open infant care slot when her maternity leave ended. She didn’t know she had to reserve months in advance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We didn’t actually find any kind of daycare spot for him until he was two, and by then, I was already expecting my second child,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malekzadeh stayed out of teaching for four years and went back to work when her first two kids were a little older.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But after a year, the costs of infant care for her youngest, combined with her older children’s care, were too great, and she left her job again.[aside postID=news_12078480 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/AffordabilitySeriesIntro_Lede.jpg']Kashen, from The Century Foundation, said public investment can help close the gap between what parents like Malekzadeh and Cruz can afford and what it actually costs to provide child care. As an example, she pointed to New Mexico’s recent move to offer free child care for all residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When governments invest in child care, that is the biggest thing that we can do because right now what we have is essentially a DIY, do-it-yourself, system for families where everyone’s on their own,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, Cruz gave birth to a daughter. During her pregnancy, she considered becoming a nanny so she could take care of her baby alongside someone else’s, allowing her to make some money. She also thought about continuing to teach dance part-time, and while she’s at work, trading child care responsibilities with other parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve been thinking about it more and more, because I can make more money teaching dance than doing my own nanny share,” Cruz said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Building a community with other parents has helped Malekzadeh get by when she’s in a child care pinch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you’re gonna be five minutes late to pick up, you have to have someone else that you can text, and be like, ‘Can you grab my kid for me real quick?’” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078901\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078901\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-affordabilitychildcare00326_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-affordabilitychildcare00326_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-affordabilitychildcare00326_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-affordabilitychildcare00326_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Annie Malekzadeh walks her kids home after school in Pleasant Hill on April 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Malekzadeh tutors on the side to make some money and said she’s constantly revising the family budget as grocery and health insurance prices go up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m looking at where can we cut costs and what bundle can I use or coupon can I use to save money? I do most of our shopping at Costco now because buying in bulk is usually cheaper,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her family is also taking fewer trips, but Malezadeh said, despite these compromises, she’s grateful she has been able to afford raising three kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel very fortunate that I got through having our second kid and didn’t feel done,” she said. “Instead of living with the potential of regretting it for the rest of my life, I was able to say, ‘Hey, can we have another one? Can we work that into the budget?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Rising child care prices leave many Bay Area parents with little choice, but to turn down career opportunities, cut back hours, quit or come up with creative solutions.",
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"title": "When Child Care Costs Half a Paycheck, Bay Area Parents Must Choose: Kids or Career | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">How We Get By\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">full series here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Annie Malekzadeh was shopping at a Joanne Fabrics store in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/concord\">Concord\u003c/a> a couple of years ago when she had an encounter that stung her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An older woman who saw her pregnant while pushing her toddler son in a shopping cart, told her: “I don’t know why you would want more than two [children]. It’s basically impossible in the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At the time I was like, how dare she?” she said. “But now I’m like, oh, [she] was right. It’s really hard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malekzadeh wound up having another baby, and the decision to have three kids pushed her child care expenses to roughly $56,000 a year and ultimately changed the course of her career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061802/how-are-child-care-costs-affecting-the-lives-of-bay-area-families-you-told-us\">Rising child care costs in the Bay Area\u003c/a> are forcing parents to make painful tradeoffs, either by passing up career opportunities, cutting back work hours, or quitting altogether. For families with multiple young children, these expenses can surpass a parent’s entire salary, disproportionately affecting mothers and shaping their long-term economic security.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malekzadeh’s story is just one example of how the gap between what families can afford and the actual cost of care is pushing parents to find creative solutions — and prompting calls for systemic change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Child care has long been expensive for parents, but recently it’s been even more so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078461\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078461\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00035_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00035_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00035_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00035_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Annie Malekzadeh, a mom who quit her teaching job to save on child care and is now pursuing her master’s degree in mathematics, studies at Pleasant Hill Library in Pleasant Hill on April 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Prices shot up almost 30% between 2020 and 2024, outpacing inflation by 7 percentage points, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.childcareaware.org/price-landscape24/\">a survey of child care resource and referral organizations \u003c/a>around the country. In just the last year, 40% of child care programs in California \u003ca href=\"https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/user-174467/2026_survey_brief.pdf\">reported raising tuition \u003c/a>to offset rising operating costs like insurance and food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Four years ago, Malekzadeh was a math teacher at a private middle school, earning roughly $32,000 annually and working 25 hours per week. At the time, her son was in kindergarten and her daughter in preschool. Her husband is a psychiatrist, she said, and because he earned more money and worked more hours, most of the parenting responsibilities went to her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With their joint income, the cost of preschool and before- and afterschool care was manageable for the Pleasant Hill couple. But when their baby boy came along in July 2022, and needed full-time infant care, the amount for all three kids’ care — about $4,700 per month — was almost double her teacher’s salary.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“It didn’t make sense,” she said. “My job wasn’t really making enough of a contribution to justify that kind of expense.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By the time the school year ended, Malekzadeh decided to quit, even though she didn’t want to leave a profession she loved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My grandparents were both educators,” she said. “They were beloved by their community, and they were really excited when I chose to become a teacher. So that was my plan, and I didn’t ever expect to deviate from that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The move is saving about $600 a week in child care. The older two are in public school, and the youngest is still in preschool. While he’s in care, Malekzadeh takes classes at Diablo Valley College as she pursues a master’s degree in math, which she hopes will ultimately lead to a higher-paying job to make up for time away from the labor market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you quit to stay home with your kids, it creates gaps in your resume that a lot of places don’t necessarily look nicely at,” Melakzadeh said. “You have to have some kind of explanation for that, which might translate into less pay.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Child care prices vary by region and depend on a child’s age and the type of provider. In California, full-time infant care in 2024 cost an average of $22,628, which is 16% of the average married couple’s income and 50% of a single parent’s. Bay Area families pay the highest child care prices \u003ca href=\"https://tootris.com/edu/blog/parents/cost-of-child-care-in-california-by-city-age-and-type-of-care-provider/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">compared to other parts of California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078462\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12078462 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00228_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00228_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00228_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-AFFORDABILITYCHILDCARE00228_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Annie Malekzadeh plays a card game with her daughter as they wait for her older son to finish school at Valhalla Elementary School in Pleasant Hill on April 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The spike in prices came as companies began mandating employees return to work and \u003ca href=\"https://rapidsurveyproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/arpa-funding-factsheet-aug2023.pdf\">child care providers lost federal funds\u003c/a> meant to help them recover from the pandemic. Less flexibility and high costs led to a decline in labor force participation for moms of children under the age of 5, and college-educated moms in particular, according to\u003ca href=\"https://kpmg.com/us/en/articles/2025/october-2025-the-great-exit.html\"> an analysis by the financial firm KPMG.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their labor force participation declined by 2.3 percentage points, while the number of college-educated dads of young children who were working or seeking a job continued to increase.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Families are facing child care prices that are higher than the price of rent or mortgage. So this is a huge problem. It’s one of the biggest expenses in a family’s budgets,” said Julie Kashen, a researcher at The Century Foundation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078476\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078476\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-04-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nolan Cruz eats oatmeal for breakfast in the morning on Oct. 27, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The progressive think tank conducted an October survey of 1,400 voters about their affordability concerns. Kashen said that while all families are facing rising costs, it’s women who experience a greater threat to their economic security.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Women are faring worse in terms of taking on debt to cover their basics, borrowing from friends and families to pay the bills,” she said. “So when you add child care on top of that, I think it’s incredibly challenging.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those challenges led Amy Cruz to walk away from a six-figure nursing job to freelance as a dance teacher and care for her 3-year-old son, Nolan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078474\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078474\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-02-KQED-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-02-KQED-1536x1034.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brandon and Nolan Cruz cook oatmeal for breakfast on Oct. 27, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Until he was about two years old, Cruz paid $3,000 per month to share a nanny with another family for just four days a week of child care (on the fifth day, she leaned on family members to look after him). While child care wasn’t the only reason she left her job, it was a significant factor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Essentially, half of my monthly income was going to child care,” Cruz said. “Watching that much money leave our account every month was tough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once Nolan was old enough to start preschool, she enrolled him in a three-day program near her Berkeley home, which cut her child care costs in half. When he’s there, she teaches dance — something she did professionally before going to nursing school — to afford his tuition. With a second baby on the way, she also figured that it was “worth it to make a little less money but be able to be with my kids more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078475\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078475\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-03-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-03-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-03-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Amy Cruz picks raspberries for her son Nolan’s breakfast in the morning on Oct. 27, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Economists call child care a broken market because the actual cost of providing care is a lot more than what families can afford to pay. In California, \u003ca href=\"https://rrnetwork.org/assets/general-files/California.pdf\">the demand for licensed infant care exceeds supply\u003c/a> because it’s the most expensive and labor-intensive. Babies need constant care, and California has strict rules limiting the number of children each adult can care for in a licensed child care home or center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, low pay and benefits have made it tough for child care providers to attract or retain early educators. In January, nearly half of providers said they didn’t have enough staff to enroll children at capacity, according to a survey by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For providers, energy costs, food, insurance have all gone up,” said Matthew Nestler, senior economist at KPMG. “They can’t necessarily raise their workers’ wages to the degree that they would like to.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078473\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078473\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/251027-CHILD-CARE-PRICES-MD-01-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(From left) Brandon, Amy and Nolan Cruz prepare breakfast and pack a lunch for Nolan in the morning on Oct. 27, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The shortage can cause parents to weave in and out of the workforce. Malezadeh first left her job when her eldest child was born eight years ago, and she couldn’t find an open infant care slot when her maternity leave ended. She didn’t know she had to reserve months in advance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We didn’t actually find any kind of daycare spot for him until he was two, and by then, I was already expecting my second child,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malekzadeh stayed out of teaching for four years and went back to work when her first two kids were a little older.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But after a year, the costs of infant care for her youngest, combined with her older children’s care, were too great, and she left her job again.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Kashen, from The Century Foundation, said public investment can help close the gap between what parents like Malekzadeh and Cruz can afford and what it actually costs to provide child care. As an example, she pointed to New Mexico’s recent move to offer free child care for all residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When governments invest in child care, that is the biggest thing that we can do because right now what we have is essentially a DIY, do-it-yourself, system for families where everyone’s on their own,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, Cruz gave birth to a daughter. During her pregnancy, she considered becoming a nanny so she could take care of her baby alongside someone else’s, allowing her to make some money. She also thought about continuing to teach dance part-time, and while she’s at work, trading child care responsibilities with other parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve been thinking about it more and more, because I can make more money teaching dance than doing my own nanny share,” Cruz said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Building a community with other parents has helped Malekzadeh get by when she’s in a child care pinch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you’re gonna be five minutes late to pick up, you have to have someone else that you can text, and be like, ‘Can you grab my kid for me real quick?’” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078901\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078901\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-affordabilitychildcare00326_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-affordabilitychildcare00326_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-affordabilitychildcare00326_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-affordabilitychildcare00326_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Annie Malekzadeh walks her kids home after school in Pleasant Hill on April 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Malekzadeh tutors on the side to make some money and said she’s constantly revising the family budget as grocery and health insurance prices go up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m looking at where can we cut costs and what bundle can I use or coupon can I use to save money? I do most of our shopping at Costco now because buying in bulk is usually cheaper,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her family is also taking fewer trips, but Malezadeh said, despite these compromises, she’s grateful she has been able to afford raising three kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel very fortunate that I got through having our second kid and didn’t feel done,” she said. “Instead of living with the potential of regretting it for the rest of my life, I was able to say, ‘Hey, can we have another one? Can we work that into the budget?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "As Kaiser’s Presence in Downtown Oakland Dwindles, So Does Foot Traffic",
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"content": "\u003cp>For decades, lunchtime at Roy Mejia’s downtown \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> bar meant a steady stream of Kaiser Permanente workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doctors, nurses and office staff from nearby buildings would stop in for a soda or a sandwich.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’d come in, have a soda, bring a sandwich,” recalled Mejia, adding that he was “surrounded by Kaiser.” “We all got along. It was beautiful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, Mejia looks out at blocks of empty storefronts — and far fewer customers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And every day there’s one more,” he said. “One more, one more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mejia arrived in Oakland from Sacramento in 1970. By January 1992, he opened his 19th Street Station, a bar in the heart of downtown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ I fell in love with Oakland,” Mejia said. “It was a beautiful city back then.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For decades, his bar had thrived on a stream of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/kaiser\">Kaiser Permanente employees\u003c/a> who worked nearby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076762\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076762\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Roy Mejia tends bar at 19th Street Station in Oakland on March 16, 2026. Mejia says he’s able to keep costs down by not employing others to work at the bar. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kaiser Permanente — long one of downtown Oakland’s largest employers — has been steadily shrinking its local office presence in recent years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The health care giant has relocated workers to suburban offices, reduced its real estate footprint and laid off hundreds of employees across California, changes that economists say are contributing to quieter streets and struggling small businesses in the city’s core.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kaiser Permanente, once an anchor of downtown Oakland’s office workforce, has in recent years pulled workers out of the city’s core.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Kaiser Layoffs by County in California\" aria-label=\"Column Chart\" id=\"datawrapper-chart-bE2I4\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/bE2I4/3/\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" height=\"553\" data-external=\"1\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2024, Kaiser relocated over 1,000 members of its Oakland workforce to a suburban hub, citing “changes in how and where employees have been working since the COVID-19 pandemic.” Not too long after, they issued \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/kaiser-to-oakland-workers-stay-inside-for-work-and-lunch\">a memo\u003c/a> directing downtown Oakland employees to stay inside for lunch due to safety concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in 2025, Kaiser laid off over 400 employees across 16 California counties. Alameda County — home to Oakland, the company’s national headquarters, and the Kaiser Pleasanton campus — accounts for nearly half of these layoffs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a written statement, a spokesperson from Kaiser said that it “remains committed to the City of Oakland, which is an integral part of Kaiser Permanente’s history and future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The layoffs coincided with Kaiser’s decreasing real estate footprint in Oakland, a trend that followed the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the Kaiser Center at 300 Lakeside Drive was \u003ca href=\"https://www.tmgpartners.com/news/tmg-partners-acquires-future-oakland-pge-headquarters\">sold to TMG Partners\u003c/a>, and Kaiser terminated their occupancy in the building.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076765\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076765\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-12-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-12-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-12-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-12-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An empty storefront at 19th Street and Harrison Street in Oakland on March 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Similar acquisitions happened in 2024: Kaiser’s 2000 Broadway building was sold to BART, the office tower and garage on Franklin Street went to Behring Companies, and 10% of Kaiser’s Oakland-based employees were moved to Pleasanton.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An \u003ca href=\"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/908311/000090831125000007/cmct-20250108.htm\">SEC filing\u003c/a> shows that in January 2025, Kaiser extended its lease for 236,692 square feet of the Ordway building through 2027. The space, listed as Kaiser’s corporate office on Google Maps, is down from the 366,000 square feet that Kaiser occupied in 2024, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/kaiser-oakland-19932710.php\">\u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The broader health care sector remains one of Oakland’s few stable pillars supported by the presence of hospitals, clinics and social service providers,” said Christopher Skerritt, an economist at\u003ca href=\"https://kweconomics.com/services/health-economics/california/oakland\"> Kincaid Wolstein\u003c/a>. “But office consolidation and telehealth adoption have limited in-city job growth.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a result, big cities like Oakland and San Francisco are losing commercial real estate to suburban hubs like Pleasanton and Walnut Creek, which have seen comparatively faster rates of economic recovery since the pandemic, according to Skerritt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076764\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076764\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-11-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Empty storefronts along 19th Street in Oakland on March 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Many of the health care workers who remain in the city are remote or hybrid employees, Skerritt said, a change that, combined with Kaiser’s downsized office footprint, has contributed to downtown Oakland’s quieter streets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The shift has cut daytime population density, reducing spending at restaurants, coffee shops, small retailers that depend on office workers for business,” Skerritt said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Small businesses in downtown Oakland have felt these effects. Tierra Mia Coffee, a six-minute walk from 1 Kaiser Plaza, has “most definitely” seen a drop in business since early 2024, according to its supervisor, Odiseo Castrejon.[aside postID=news_12076753 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260318-KAISER-MENTAL-HEALTH-STRIKE-MD-07-KQED-1.jpg']Since Kaiser’s early 2024 decision to move part of its Oakland workforce to Pleasanton, its sales have shrunk by more than a quarter, according to Castrejon. Before, customers wearing scrubs or hospital badges were noticeable, Castrejon said. Now, not so much.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This obvious decrease in foot traffic can be felt all throughout the downtown area. Nearly 38% of office space in Oakland’s central business district is vacant, according to \u003ca href=\"https://assets.cushmanwakefield.com/-/media/cw/marketbeat-pdfs/2025/q3/us-reports/office/eastbayoakland_americas_marketbeat_office_q3_2025.pdf?rev=f9920db83ed249778a3790b110e88270&_gl=1*1pz1tnl*_gcl_au*ODM3MjQxMTU5LjE3NjE1Mjg5Mjc\">a report\u003c/a> by commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“COVID has really changed the way that people work, and companies’ need for space,” said Cushman & Wakefield’s East Bay research manager, Wescott Owen, who authored the report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Small business owners like Mejia are hit hard by these changes. On a recent afternoon, he stood behind the bar he opened more than three decades ago, watching pedestrians pass by outside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the nearby offices are quieter than they once were.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve got 32 years here,” he said. “I don’t know how much longer I’m going to hang in there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://cjlab.stanford.edu/projects/big-local-news/\">\u003cem>Big Local News\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a data-sharing platform and collaborative at Stanford University that supports local journalism. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "After Kaiser’s decision to relocate part of its workforce away from Downtown Oakland, everyone from small business owners to economists is feeling the impacts, bracing themselves for an uncertain economic future.",
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"title": "As Kaiser’s Presence in Downtown Oakland Dwindles, So Does Foot Traffic | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For decades, lunchtime at Roy Mejia’s downtown \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> bar meant a steady stream of Kaiser Permanente workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doctors, nurses and office staff from nearby buildings would stop in for a soda or a sandwich.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’d come in, have a soda, bring a sandwich,” recalled Mejia, adding that he was “surrounded by Kaiser.” “We all got along. It was beautiful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, Mejia looks out at blocks of empty storefronts — and far fewer customers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And every day there’s one more,” he said. “One more, one more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mejia arrived in Oakland from Sacramento in 1970. By January 1992, he opened his 19th Street Station, a bar in the heart of downtown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ I fell in love with Oakland,” Mejia said. “It was a beautiful city back then.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For decades, his bar had thrived on a stream of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/kaiser\">Kaiser Permanente employees\u003c/a> who worked nearby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076762\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076762\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Roy Mejia tends bar at 19th Street Station in Oakland on March 16, 2026. Mejia says he’s able to keep costs down by not employing others to work at the bar. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kaiser Permanente — long one of downtown Oakland’s largest employers — has been steadily shrinking its local office presence in recent years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The health care giant has relocated workers to suburban offices, reduced its real estate footprint and laid off hundreds of employees across California, changes that economists say are contributing to quieter streets and struggling small businesses in the city’s core.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kaiser Permanente, once an anchor of downtown Oakland’s office workforce, has in recent years pulled workers out of the city’s core.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Kaiser Layoffs by County in California\" aria-label=\"Column Chart\" id=\"datawrapper-chart-bE2I4\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/bE2I4/3/\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" height=\"553\" data-external=\"1\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2024, Kaiser relocated over 1,000 members of its Oakland workforce to a suburban hub, citing “changes in how and where employees have been working since the COVID-19 pandemic.” Not too long after, they issued \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/kaiser-to-oakland-workers-stay-inside-for-work-and-lunch\">a memo\u003c/a> directing downtown Oakland employees to stay inside for lunch due to safety concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in 2025, Kaiser laid off over 400 employees across 16 California counties. Alameda County — home to Oakland, the company’s national headquarters, and the Kaiser Pleasanton campus — accounts for nearly half of these layoffs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a written statement, a spokesperson from Kaiser said that it “remains committed to the City of Oakland, which is an integral part of Kaiser Permanente’s history and future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The layoffs coincided with Kaiser’s decreasing real estate footprint in Oakland, a trend that followed the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the Kaiser Center at 300 Lakeside Drive was \u003ca href=\"https://www.tmgpartners.com/news/tmg-partners-acquires-future-oakland-pge-headquarters\">sold to TMG Partners\u003c/a>, and Kaiser terminated their occupancy in the building.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076765\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076765\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-12-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-12-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-12-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-12-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An empty storefront at 19th Street and Harrison Street in Oakland on March 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Similar acquisitions happened in 2024: Kaiser’s 2000 Broadway building was sold to BART, the office tower and garage on Franklin Street went to Behring Companies, and 10% of Kaiser’s Oakland-based employees were moved to Pleasanton.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An \u003ca href=\"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/908311/000090831125000007/cmct-20250108.htm\">SEC filing\u003c/a> shows that in January 2025, Kaiser extended its lease for 236,692 square feet of the Ordway building through 2027. The space, listed as Kaiser’s corporate office on Google Maps, is down from the 366,000 square feet that Kaiser occupied in 2024, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/kaiser-oakland-19932710.php\">\u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The broader health care sector remains one of Oakland’s few stable pillars supported by the presence of hospitals, clinics and social service providers,” said Christopher Skerritt, an economist at\u003ca href=\"https://kweconomics.com/services/health-economics/california/oakland\"> Kincaid Wolstein\u003c/a>. “But office consolidation and telehealth adoption have limited in-city job growth.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a result, big cities like Oakland and San Francisco are losing commercial real estate to suburban hubs like Pleasanton and Walnut Creek, which have seen comparatively faster rates of economic recovery since the pandemic, according to Skerritt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076764\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076764\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-KAISER-RETREATS-MD-11-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Empty storefronts along 19th Street in Oakland on March 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Many of the health care workers who remain in the city are remote or hybrid employees, Skerritt said, a change that, combined with Kaiser’s downsized office footprint, has contributed to downtown Oakland’s quieter streets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The shift has cut daytime population density, reducing spending at restaurants, coffee shops, small retailers that depend on office workers for business,” Skerritt said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Small businesses in downtown Oakland have felt these effects. Tierra Mia Coffee, a six-minute walk from 1 Kaiser Plaza, has “most definitely” seen a drop in business since early 2024, according to its supervisor, Odiseo Castrejon.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Since Kaiser’s early 2024 decision to move part of its Oakland workforce to Pleasanton, its sales have shrunk by more than a quarter, according to Castrejon. Before, customers wearing scrubs or hospital badges were noticeable, Castrejon said. Now, not so much.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This obvious decrease in foot traffic can be felt all throughout the downtown area. Nearly 38% of office space in Oakland’s central business district is vacant, according to \u003ca href=\"https://assets.cushmanwakefield.com/-/media/cw/marketbeat-pdfs/2025/q3/us-reports/office/eastbayoakland_americas_marketbeat_office_q3_2025.pdf?rev=f9920db83ed249778a3790b110e88270&_gl=1*1pz1tnl*_gcl_au*ODM3MjQxMTU5LjE3NjE1Mjg5Mjc\">a report\u003c/a> by commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“COVID has really changed the way that people work, and companies’ need for space,” said Cushman & Wakefield’s East Bay research manager, Wescott Owen, who authored the report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Small business owners like Mejia are hit hard by these changes. On a recent afternoon, he stood behind the bar he opened more than three decades ago, watching pedestrians pass by outside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the nearby offices are quieter than they once were.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve got 32 years here,” he said. “I don’t know how much longer I’m going to hang in there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://cjlab.stanford.edu/projects/big-local-news/\">\u003cem>Big Local News\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a data-sharing platform and collaborative at Stanford University that supports local journalism. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Trump’s Mass Deportations Could Cost the Bay Area $67 Billion a Year, Report Says",
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"content": "\u003cp>As the Trump administration carries out high-profile \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077292/is-ice-at-sfo-heres-what-we-know-about-videos-of-woman-being-forcefully-detained\">detention and deportation efforts\u003c/a> across the country, a new study by Bay Area researchers found that mass immigration raids in the nine counties would cost the local economy up to $67 billion a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study published Wednesday by business advocacy group Bay Area Council is the first to examine the consequences of increased enforcement on the region’s roughly 478,000 undocumented immigrants, from fear and uncertainty to potential targeted arrests or widespread raids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Undocumented immigrants make up 5% to 6% of the Bay Area’s economy, one of the largest in the world. The loss of that workforce would be a major blow, said Abby Raisz, vice president of research at the Bay Area Council Economic Institute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This would be very different than a typical recession,” Raisz said. “This is a loss of productive capacity. You’re removing workers from an economy in a way that’s very difficult to immediately replace, especially in a high-cost region like this one.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Political debate over immigrants’ economic contributions to the U.S. labor market has escalated under the second Trump administration, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.opb.org/article/2024/11/15/trump-mass-deportation-immigration-border/\">promised \u003c/a>the largest deportation campaign in history. Abundant \u003ca href=\"https://www.migrationpolicy.org/content/explainer-immigrants-and-us-economy\">research \u003c/a>has shown that immigrants are a powerful engine for growth and innovation, expanding the workforce and increasing consumer spending, and often paying significantly into public services while frequently being \u003ca href=\"https://taxpolicycenter.org/fiscal-facts/yes-undocumented-immigrants-pay-taxes-and-receive-few-tax-benefits\">excluded \u003c/a>from benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, proponents of greater restrictions \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/priorities/border-immigration/\">argue \u003c/a>that unauthorized immigration is a net strain on public resources and depresses wages for American workers, though there is substantial \u003ca href=\"https://www.cato.org/cato-journal/fall-2017/does-immigration-reduce-wages\">disagreement \u003c/a>even among conservatives about whether that is true.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearly one-third of California’s residents are immigrants, including an estimated 2.28 million undocumented individuals — or around 8% of the workforce. In the Bay Area, 1 in 5 immigrants is undocumented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12077372 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The researchers behind this week’s report measured deportation’s economic effects by industry, GDP, tax revenue and household impacts on mixed-status families, which includes more than 3 million Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report found that more than half of the Bay Area’s undocumented population has lived there for over a decade, and one-third have lived in the region for more than 20 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is not a marginal population,” Raisz said. “These are folks that are very deeply embedded in the workforce of the Bay Area and the broader economy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sanctuary policies and other local constraints could blunt the effects of large-scale enforcement in the Bay Area, the report noted. Still, it said \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12045243/ice-raids-deportations-could-cripple-californias-economy'\">employers and business owners\u003c/a> across the region have already reported lower foot traffic, higher absenteeism and delays in hiring as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12072256/immigration-fears-stilt-vendors-trying-to-make-money-during-super-bowl\">communities with greater immigrant populations\u003c/a> navigate mounting challenges since last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The disruption that’s already happening, even without large-scale raids or deportation, also has its own slew of economic impacts,” Raisz said. “And we’re seeing that small-scale enforcement action — the fear and uncertainty that starts to ripple through communities — that alone can have millions of dollars of economic impact.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fred Blackwell, CEO of the San Francisco Foundation, which commissioned the report, said that much of the conversation surrounding the escalating federal immigration activities in cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago has framed it as a “moral issue and a legal issue.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what the report highlights, Blackwell said, is that immigration and deportation are also questions of economics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Economic issues require strategy, and silence is not a strategy,” Blackwell said. “We all need to be speaking up on behalf of these communities and talking about the contributions they make from an economic and cultural point of view.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12055077\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12055077\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250905-ADOPTACORNER_00805_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250905-ADOPTACORNER_00805_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250905-ADOPTACORNER_00805_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250905-ADOPTACORNER_00805_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Day laborers wait for work on International Boulevard at a U-Haul in Oakland on Sept. 5, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The report showed that undocumented workers earn an estimated $21.5 billion annually in the Bay Area, which generates billions in public revenue each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Additionally, the removal of a single undocumented primary income earner from a mixed-status household would ripple through the economy and result in average household income losses of 69%. That would be particularly devastating across Santa Clara, Alameda and Contra Costa counties, which have the highest numbers of mixed-status households, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study found that the region’s undocumented immigrants are highly active in the workforce — with nearly 75% participation, a higher rate than that of U.S.-born residents. Their removal would have an outsized effect on critical industries such as construction, hospitality and caregiving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because many of those jobs involve physically demanding work, nonstandard hours or high turnover, the workers are not easily or quickly replaced in an already tight labor market, researchers said. Disruptions in those industries, the report said, could radiate outward through supply chains, consumer spending and public budgets “in ways no sector would escape.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As the Trump administration carries out high-profile \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077292/is-ice-at-sfo-heres-what-we-know-about-videos-of-woman-being-forcefully-detained\">detention and deportation efforts\u003c/a> across the country, a new study by Bay Area researchers found that mass immigration raids in the nine counties would cost the local economy up to $67 billion a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study published Wednesday by business advocacy group Bay Area Council is the first to examine the consequences of increased enforcement on the region’s roughly 478,000 undocumented immigrants, from fear and uncertainty to potential targeted arrests or widespread raids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Undocumented immigrants make up 5% to 6% of the Bay Area’s economy, one of the largest in the world. The loss of that workforce would be a major blow, said Abby Raisz, vice president of research at the Bay Area Council Economic Institute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This would be very different than a typical recession,” Raisz said. “This is a loss of productive capacity. You’re removing workers from an economy in a way that’s very difficult to immediately replace, especially in a high-cost region like this one.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Political debate over immigrants’ economic contributions to the U.S. labor market has escalated under the second Trump administration, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.opb.org/article/2024/11/15/trump-mass-deportation-immigration-border/\">promised \u003c/a>the largest deportation campaign in history. Abundant \u003ca href=\"https://www.migrationpolicy.org/content/explainer-immigrants-and-us-economy\">research \u003c/a>has shown that immigrants are a powerful engine for growth and innovation, expanding the workforce and increasing consumer spending, and often paying significantly into public services while frequently being \u003ca href=\"https://taxpolicycenter.org/fiscal-facts/yes-undocumented-immigrants-pay-taxes-and-receive-few-tax-benefits\">excluded \u003c/a>from benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, proponents of greater restrictions \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/priorities/border-immigration/\">argue \u003c/a>that unauthorized immigration is a net strain on public resources and depresses wages for American workers, though there is substantial \u003ca href=\"https://www.cato.org/cato-journal/fall-2017/does-immigration-reduce-wages\">disagreement \u003c/a>even among conservatives about whether that is true.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearly one-third of California’s residents are immigrants, including an estimated 2.28 million undocumented individuals — or around 8% of the workforce. In the Bay Area, 1 in 5 immigrants is undocumented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The researchers behind this week’s report measured deportation’s economic effects by industry, GDP, tax revenue and household impacts on mixed-status families, which includes more than 3 million Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report found that more than half of the Bay Area’s undocumented population has lived there for over a decade, and one-third have lived in the region for more than 20 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is not a marginal population,” Raisz said. “These are folks that are very deeply embedded in the workforce of the Bay Area and the broader economy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sanctuary policies and other local constraints could blunt the effects of large-scale enforcement in the Bay Area, the report noted. Still, it said \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12045243/ice-raids-deportations-could-cripple-californias-economy'\">employers and business owners\u003c/a> across the region have already reported lower foot traffic, higher absenteeism and delays in hiring as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12072256/immigration-fears-stilt-vendors-trying-to-make-money-during-super-bowl\">communities with greater immigrant populations\u003c/a> navigate mounting challenges since last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The disruption that’s already happening, even without large-scale raids or deportation, also has its own slew of economic impacts,” Raisz said. “And we’re seeing that small-scale enforcement action — the fear and uncertainty that starts to ripple through communities — that alone can have millions of dollars of economic impact.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fred Blackwell, CEO of the San Francisco Foundation, which commissioned the report, said that much of the conversation surrounding the escalating federal immigration activities in cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago has framed it as a “moral issue and a legal issue.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what the report highlights, Blackwell said, is that immigration and deportation are also questions of economics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Economic issues require strategy, and silence is not a strategy,” Blackwell said. “We all need to be speaking up on behalf of these communities and talking about the contributions they make from an economic and cultural point of view.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12055077\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12055077\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250905-ADOPTACORNER_00805_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250905-ADOPTACORNER_00805_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250905-ADOPTACORNER_00805_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250905-ADOPTACORNER_00805_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Day laborers wait for work on International Boulevard at a U-Haul in Oakland on Sept. 5, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The report showed that undocumented workers earn an estimated $21.5 billion annually in the Bay Area, which generates billions in public revenue each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Additionally, the removal of a single undocumented primary income earner from a mixed-status household would ripple through the economy and result in average household income losses of 69%. That would be particularly devastating across Santa Clara, Alameda and Contra Costa counties, which have the highest numbers of mixed-status households, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study found that the region’s undocumented immigrants are highly active in the workforce — with nearly 75% participation, a higher rate than that of U.S.-born residents. Their removal would have an outsized effect on critical industries such as construction, hospitality and caregiving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because many of those jobs involve physically demanding work, nonstandard hours or high turnover, the workers are not easily or quickly replaced in an already tight labor market, researchers said. Disruptions in those industries, the report said, could radiate outward through supply chains, consumer spending and public budgets “in ways no sector would escape.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "ayuda-para-presentar-impuestos-san-jose-oakland-san-jose-california",
"title": "Dónde encontrar ayuda gratuita para presentar sus impuestos de 2026 y cómo prepararse para su cita",
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"headTitle": "Dónde encontrar ayuda gratuita para presentar sus impuestos de 2026 y cómo prepararse para su cita | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11909786/how-to-find-free-tax-help-near-you-and-prepare-everything-you-need-for-your-appointment\">\u003cem>Read in English\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Este año, el plazo para presentar la declaración de impuestos es el miércoles 15 de abril. Y si necesita asesoramiento (o no le queda mucho tiempo antes de que se cumpla el plazo), una buena opción podría ser acudir a un centro de ayuda fiscal gratuito para presentar su declaración. Vaya directamente \u003ca href=\"#ayuda\">\u003cstrong>a donde encontrar ayuda gratuita para su declaración de impuestos.\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED se puso en contacto con varias organizaciones sin fines de lucro en el Área de la Bahía que ofrecen esta ayuda para preguntarles qué información les gustaría que sus clientes conocieran antes de utilizar sus servicios, y qué cambios a nivel federal podrían afectar su reembolso este año.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ir directamente a:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#presentar\">\u003cstrong>Qué hay que tener preparado antes de presentar la declaración\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#asesor\">\u003cstrong>Qué hay que tener en cuenta al hablar con un preparador de impuestos\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#tiempo\">\u003cstrong>¿Se le acaba el tiempo y está pensando en no presentar la declaración este año?\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"ayuda\">\u003c/a>Dónde encontrar ayuda fiscal gratuita cerca de usted\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>En toda el área de la bahía, docenas de organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro y centros de asistencia fiscal voluntaria (VITA) te ofrecen servicios gratuitos de presentación de declaraciones de impuestos, tanto en persona como de forma virtual, a menudo hasta el 15 de abril.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Muchos de estos sitios ofrecen asistencia en español, cantonés, tagalo, vietnamita y otros idiomas. Algunos también ofrecen citas sin cita previa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Encuentre ayuda fiscal gratuita cerca de usted en línea:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Visite \u003ca href=\"http://myfreetaxes.org\">myfreetaxes.org/es/\u003c/a> para programar una cita en persona o virtual (o para presentar su declaración por su cuenta de forma gratuita).\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Utilice \u003ca href=\"https://uwba.org/what-we-do/free-tax-help/es/\">el mapa de United Way Bay Area\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Encuentre ayuda fiscal gratuita cerca de usted por teléfono:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Llame al 211\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Envíe un mensaje de texto con la palabra “taxes” al 211-211 (una línea de ayuda por mensaje de texto de United Ways of California y 211) para encontrar un sitio de presentación de impuestos gratuito cerca de usted.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"presentar\">\u003c/a>Qué debe tener listo antes de presentar la declaración\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Las dos últimas semanas antes del día de la declaración de impuestos suelen ser el período más ajetreado para las organizaciones que ofrecen asesoría fiscal gratuita, y muchas atienden a cientos de personas cada semana.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Por este motivo, los grupos de ayuda fiscal con los que habló KQED hicieron hincapié en lo importante que es que los contribuyentes tengan todo listo con antelación, para que el proceso sea lo más fácil y rápido posible. Por lo tanto, unos días antes de su cita para presentar la declaración, empiece a reunir todos sus documentos en un “kit de presentación”.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asegúrese de que su kit incluya lo siguiente:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>1. Su identificación con foto\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>2. Su tarjeta del Seguro Social o una carta de la Administración del Seguro Social que verifique su número de Seguro Social 3. Los números de Seguro Social y/o los números ITIN de todas las personas que incluirá en su declaración de impuestos este año.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Si no tiene un número de la Seguridad Social, traiga su número de identificación fiscal individual (ITIN) proporcionado por el IRS. Un ITIN es un número creado por el IRS para los contribuyentes que no tienen un número de la Seguridad Social debido a su situación migratoria.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A partir del 5 de febrero, un juez federal ha\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073445/tax-day-filing-2026-ice-irs-trump-itin-number-no-social-security-number\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bloqueado temporalmente\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> que el IRS comparta con el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional la información personal de los contribuyentes que presentan su declaración con un ITIN con fines de control de la inmigración. Los tribunales aún no han tomado una decisión definitiva sobre si las agencias federales pueden compartir datos fiscales entre sí, pero mientras tanto, el IRS no puede compartir información personal, como la dirección de un contribuyente, con agencias como el ICE.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/individuals/how-do-i-apply-for-an-itin\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obtenga más información sobre cómo solicitar un ITIN.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>3. Los números de la Seguridad Social y/o los números ITIN de todas las personas que va a incluir en su declaración de la renta de este año\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>4. Formularios de declaración de ingresos de su empleador, como W-2, 1099-MISC, 1099-NEC o 1099-K.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A partir de este año, debe recibir por correo un formulario 1099-K si utiliza sistemas de pago en línea como Venmo, Cash App o PayPal, y ha recibido más de 20 mil dólares en más de 200 transacciones. Es posible que reciba un formulario 1099-K aunque haya ganado menos de esta cantidad. El IRS ha declarado este año que “debe declarar todos los ingresos en su declaración de impuestos”, independientemente de la cantidad de los pagos declarados.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Si no ha recibido un formulario 1099-K, pero ha ganado más de 20 000 dólares a través de plataformas en línea, comuníquelo a su declarante para evitar el riesgo de una posible auditoría del IRS.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Si solicitó prestaciones por desempleo en 2025, el EDD también debería haberle enviado un formulario 1099-G.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>5. Comprobante de seguro médico\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Será un formulario 1095-B o 1095-A si tiene seguro médicoa través de Covered California.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Si no ha recibido el formulario 1095-B o 1095-A por correo y estaba inscrito en un plan de salud en 2025, póngase en contacto con su proveedor de atención médica o acceda a su cuenta de salud en línea para tenerlo listo antes de presentar sus impuestos.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076546\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076546\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/wallet-with-money.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1536\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/wallet-with-money.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/wallet-with-money-160x100.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aunque le preocupe presentar su declaración de impuestos a última hora, no lo posponga. \u003ccite>(Karolina Grabowska/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"asesor\">\u003c/a>Aspectos a tener en cuenta al hablar con un preparador de impuestos\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Una vez que haya reunido toda la documentación necesaria, asegúrese de compartir toda esta informacion con el preparador de impuestos. E incluso si ha extraviado algún formulario, informe a esta persona de lo que recibió en 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Algunos contribuyentes piensan que cumplen con los requisitos para obtener muchos créditos fiscal, pero la realidad es más complicada. Por ejemplo, es posible pensar que todo el mundo tiene derecho a recibir el crédito fiscal federal por ingresos del trabajo, independientemente de sus ingresos.[aside label='Más en español' tag='kqed-en-espanol']Sin embargo, esta reembolso depende de los ingresos que reciba y del número de personas que incluya en su declaración de impuestos. Por ejemplo, si presenta una declaración conjunta con su cónyuge y solo tiene un hijo, sus ingresos de 2025 deben haber sido inferiores a 57 mil 554 dólares. Si presenta la declaración por su cuenta y no tiene personas a su cargo, sus ingresos del año pasado deben haber sido inferiores a 19 mil 104 dólares para tener derecho a este crédito.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/earned-income-and-earned-income-tax-credit-eitc-tables#eitctables\">El IRS tiene una lista completa de los límites de ingresos\u003c/a> que deben cumplir las familias para tener derecho al Crédito por Ingreso del Trabajo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California tiene su propia versión estatal de este reembolso, llamada \u003ca href=\"https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/personal/credits/caleitc/eligibility-and-credit-information.html\">Crédito por Ingreso del Trabajo de California\u003c/a>. Sin embargo, solo pueden optar a esta ayuda las familias cuyos ingresos no hayan superado los 32 mil 900 dólares en 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Si no tiene prueba de cobertura médica (como un formulario 1095-B o 1095-A) porque no tiene seguro médico, debe dejarlo muy claro a su preparador de impuestos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Es muy probable que el estado de California le imponga una multa por no tener seguro. Puede utilizar la herramienta de cálculo de multas \u003ca href=\"https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/personal/filing-situations/healthcare/estimator/\">en el sitio web de la Junta Tributaria del Estado\u003c/a> para calcular cuánto podría ascender esta multa en su caso.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"tiempo\">\u003c/a>¿Se le acaba el tiempo y está pensando en no presentar la declaración este año?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Reunir todos los documentos y encontrar un lugar que le ayude a presentar la declaración puede resultar abrumador en ocasiones. Y aunque ponerse al día con el Tío Sam puede resultar estresante, hay consecuencias si no presenta la declaración, según Minnie Sage, directora del programa \u003ca href=\"https://tax-aid.org/\">Tax-Aid\u003c/a>, con sede en San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nunca es buena idea no pagar los impuestos. A la larga, le va a salir caro”, afirma, y añade que el IRS ha fijado \u003ca href=\"http://irs.gov/payments/quarterly-interest-rates\">el tipo de interés\u003c/a> para los impuestos impagados por particulares en un 7 %, y que también hay \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/payments/failure-to-pay-penalty\">sanciones mensuales adicionales\u003c/a> por no presentar la declaración y no pagar los impuestos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Independientemente de cuánto deba, eso se va a acumular”, explica Sage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dependiendo de su situación financiera, es posible que tenga derecho a recibir una devolución o determinados créditos de años anteriores, pero solo dispone de \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/filing-past-due-tax-returns\">hasta tres años\u003c/a> a partir de ese año fiscal para reclamar este dinero. Una vez transcurrido ese plazo, estos fondos pasan a ser propiedad del gobierno federal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>¿Y qué pasa si no puede pagar todo lo que debe por adelantado cuando presenta la declaración? Pregunte a la persona que le ayude a presentar la declaración cómo establecer un plan de pago. Puede hacerlo en el momento de presentar la declaración o más tarde en el sitio web del IRS.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Mary Franklin Harvin, previamente de KQED, colaboró en este artículo, el cual fue traducido por la periodista \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/mpena/\">María Peña\u003c/a> y editado por \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/ccabreralomeli\">Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Falta poco para el 15 de abril, el último día para presentrar sus Impuestos y si ya se le está acabando el tiempo, sepa dónde puede recibir ayuda gratuita para cumplir con este trámite en el Área de la Bahía.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11909786/how-to-find-free-tax-help-near-you-and-prepare-everything-you-need-for-your-appointment\">\u003cem>Read in English\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Este año, el plazo para presentar la declaración de impuestos es el miércoles 15 de abril. Y si necesita asesoramiento (o no le queda mucho tiempo antes de que se cumpla el plazo), una buena opción podría ser acudir a un centro de ayuda fiscal gratuito para presentar su declaración. Vaya directamente \u003ca href=\"#ayuda\">\u003cstrong>a donde encontrar ayuda gratuita para su declaración de impuestos.\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED se puso en contacto con varias organizaciones sin fines de lucro en el Área de la Bahía que ofrecen esta ayuda para preguntarles qué información les gustaría que sus clientes conocieran antes de utilizar sus servicios, y qué cambios a nivel federal podrían afectar su reembolso este año.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ir directamente a:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#presentar\">\u003cstrong>Qué hay que tener preparado antes de presentar la declaración\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#asesor\">\u003cstrong>Qué hay que tener en cuenta al hablar con un preparador de impuestos\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#tiempo\">\u003cstrong>¿Se le acaba el tiempo y está pensando en no presentar la declaración este año?\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"ayuda\">\u003c/a>Dónde encontrar ayuda fiscal gratuita cerca de usted\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>En toda el área de la bahía, docenas de organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro y centros de asistencia fiscal voluntaria (VITA) te ofrecen servicios gratuitos de presentación de declaraciones de impuestos, tanto en persona como de forma virtual, a menudo hasta el 15 de abril.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Muchos de estos sitios ofrecen asistencia en español, cantonés, tagalo, vietnamita y otros idiomas. Algunos también ofrecen citas sin cita previa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Encuentre ayuda fiscal gratuita cerca de usted en línea:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Visite \u003ca href=\"http://myfreetaxes.org\">myfreetaxes.org/es/\u003c/a> para programar una cita en persona o virtual (o para presentar su declaración por su cuenta de forma gratuita).\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Utilice \u003ca href=\"https://uwba.org/what-we-do/free-tax-help/es/\">el mapa de United Way Bay Area\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Encuentre ayuda fiscal gratuita cerca de usted por teléfono:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Llame al 211\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Envíe un mensaje de texto con la palabra “taxes” al 211-211 (una línea de ayuda por mensaje de texto de United Ways of California y 211) para encontrar un sitio de presentación de impuestos gratuito cerca de usted.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"presentar\">\u003c/a>Qué debe tener listo antes de presentar la declaración\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Las dos últimas semanas antes del día de la declaración de impuestos suelen ser el período más ajetreado para las organizaciones que ofrecen asesoría fiscal gratuita, y muchas atienden a cientos de personas cada semana.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Por este motivo, los grupos de ayuda fiscal con los que habló KQED hicieron hincapié en lo importante que es que los contribuyentes tengan todo listo con antelación, para que el proceso sea lo más fácil y rápido posible. Por lo tanto, unos días antes de su cita para presentar la declaración, empiece a reunir todos sus documentos en un “kit de presentación”.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asegúrese de que su kit incluya lo siguiente:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>1. Su identificación con foto\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>2. Su tarjeta del Seguro Social o una carta de la Administración del Seguro Social que verifique su número de Seguro Social 3. Los números de Seguro Social y/o los números ITIN de todas las personas que incluirá en su declaración de impuestos este año.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Si no tiene un número de la Seguridad Social, traiga su número de identificación fiscal individual (ITIN) proporcionado por el IRS. Un ITIN es un número creado por el IRS para los contribuyentes que no tienen un número de la Seguridad Social debido a su situación migratoria.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A partir del 5 de febrero, un juez federal ha\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073445/tax-day-filing-2026-ice-irs-trump-itin-number-no-social-security-number\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bloqueado temporalmente\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> que el IRS comparta con el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional la información personal de los contribuyentes que presentan su declaración con un ITIN con fines de control de la inmigración. Los tribunales aún no han tomado una decisión definitiva sobre si las agencias federales pueden compartir datos fiscales entre sí, pero mientras tanto, el IRS no puede compartir información personal, como la dirección de un contribuyente, con agencias como el ICE.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/individuals/how-do-i-apply-for-an-itin\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obtenga más información sobre cómo solicitar un ITIN.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>3. Los números de la Seguridad Social y/o los números ITIN de todas las personas que va a incluir en su declaración de la renta de este año\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>4. Formularios de declaración de ingresos de su empleador, como W-2, 1099-MISC, 1099-NEC o 1099-K.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A partir de este año, debe recibir por correo un formulario 1099-K si utiliza sistemas de pago en línea como Venmo, Cash App o PayPal, y ha recibido más de 20 mil dólares en más de 200 transacciones. Es posible que reciba un formulario 1099-K aunque haya ganado menos de esta cantidad. El IRS ha declarado este año que “debe declarar todos los ingresos en su declaración de impuestos”, independientemente de la cantidad de los pagos declarados.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Si no ha recibido un formulario 1099-K, pero ha ganado más de 20 000 dólares a través de plataformas en línea, comuníquelo a su declarante para evitar el riesgo de una posible auditoría del IRS.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Si solicitó prestaciones por desempleo en 2025, el EDD también debería haberle enviado un formulario 1099-G.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>5. Comprobante de seguro médico\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Será un formulario 1095-B o 1095-A si tiene seguro médicoa través de Covered California.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Si no ha recibido el formulario 1095-B o 1095-A por correo y estaba inscrito en un plan de salud en 2025, póngase en contacto con su proveedor de atención médica o acceda a su cuenta de salud en línea para tenerlo listo antes de presentar sus impuestos.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076546\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076546\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/wallet-with-money.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1536\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/wallet-with-money.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/wallet-with-money-160x100.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aunque le preocupe presentar su declaración de impuestos a última hora, no lo posponga. \u003ccite>(Karolina Grabowska/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"asesor\">\u003c/a>Aspectos a tener en cuenta al hablar con un preparador de impuestos\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Una vez que haya reunido toda la documentación necesaria, asegúrese de compartir toda esta informacion con el preparador de impuestos. E incluso si ha extraviado algún formulario, informe a esta persona de lo que recibió en 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Algunos contribuyentes piensan que cumplen con los requisitos para obtener muchos créditos fiscal, pero la realidad es más complicada. Por ejemplo, es posible pensar que todo el mundo tiene derecho a recibir el crédito fiscal federal por ingresos del trabajo, independientemente de sus ingresos.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Sin embargo, esta reembolso depende de los ingresos que reciba y del número de personas que incluya en su declaración de impuestos. Por ejemplo, si presenta una declaración conjunta con su cónyuge y solo tiene un hijo, sus ingresos de 2025 deben haber sido inferiores a 57 mil 554 dólares. Si presenta la declaración por su cuenta y no tiene personas a su cargo, sus ingresos del año pasado deben haber sido inferiores a 19 mil 104 dólares para tener derecho a este crédito.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/earned-income-and-earned-income-tax-credit-eitc-tables#eitctables\">El IRS tiene una lista completa de los límites de ingresos\u003c/a> que deben cumplir las familias para tener derecho al Crédito por Ingreso del Trabajo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California tiene su propia versión estatal de este reembolso, llamada \u003ca href=\"https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/personal/credits/caleitc/eligibility-and-credit-information.html\">Crédito por Ingreso del Trabajo de California\u003c/a>. Sin embargo, solo pueden optar a esta ayuda las familias cuyos ingresos no hayan superado los 32 mil 900 dólares en 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Si no tiene prueba de cobertura médica (como un formulario 1095-B o 1095-A) porque no tiene seguro médico, debe dejarlo muy claro a su preparador de impuestos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Es muy probable que el estado de California le imponga una multa por no tener seguro. Puede utilizar la herramienta de cálculo de multas \u003ca href=\"https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/personal/filing-situations/healthcare/estimator/\">en el sitio web de la Junta Tributaria del Estado\u003c/a> para calcular cuánto podría ascender esta multa en su caso.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"tiempo\">\u003c/a>¿Se le acaba el tiempo y está pensando en no presentar la declaración este año?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Reunir todos los documentos y encontrar un lugar que le ayude a presentar la declaración puede resultar abrumador en ocasiones. Y aunque ponerse al día con el Tío Sam puede resultar estresante, hay consecuencias si no presenta la declaración, según Minnie Sage, directora del programa \u003ca href=\"https://tax-aid.org/\">Tax-Aid\u003c/a>, con sede en San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nunca es buena idea no pagar los impuestos. A la larga, le va a salir caro”, afirma, y añade que el IRS ha fijado \u003ca href=\"http://irs.gov/payments/quarterly-interest-rates\">el tipo de interés\u003c/a> para los impuestos impagados por particulares en un 7 %, y que también hay \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/payments/failure-to-pay-penalty\">sanciones mensuales adicionales\u003c/a> por no presentar la declaración y no pagar los impuestos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Independientemente de cuánto deba, eso se va a acumular”, explica Sage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dependiendo de su situación financiera, es posible que tenga derecho a recibir una devolución o determinados créditos de años anteriores, pero solo dispone de \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/filing-past-due-tax-returns\">hasta tres años\u003c/a> a partir de ese año fiscal para reclamar este dinero. Una vez transcurrido ese plazo, estos fondos pasan a ser propiedad del gobierno federal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>¿Y qué pasa si no puede pagar todo lo que debe por adelantado cuando presenta la declaración? Pregunte a la persona que le ayude a presentar la declaración cómo establecer un plan de pago. Puede hacerlo en el momento de presentar la declaración o más tarde en el sitio web del IRS.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Mary Franklin Harvin, previamente de KQED, colaboró en este artículo, el cual fue traducido por la periodista \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/mpena/\">María Peña\u003c/a> y editado por \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/ccabreralomeli\">Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "california-passed-a-law-to-curb-spikes-in-gas-prices-why-isnt-it-using-those-powers-now",
"title": "California Passed a Law to Curb Spikes in Gas Prices. Why Isn’t It Using Those Powers Now?",
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"headTitle": "California Passed a Law to Curb Spikes in Gas Prices. Why Isn’t It Using Those Powers Now? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years ago, California built a first-in-the-nation system aimed at protecting drivers when oil \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/economy\">markets turn calamitous\u003c/a>. The Legislature passed it. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it. He proclaimed “California took on Big Oil and won.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Its author, then-Sen. Nancy Skinner called it a “landmark law” that “will allow us to hold oil companies accountable if they pad their profits at the expense of hard-working families.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the law — which gave regulators the power to cap refinery profits and penalize oil companies for price gouging — has never been used. Instead, last year, the California Energy Commission voted to delay the rules for five years. Skinner – who wrote the law as a Senator – was absent when her own commission voted to delay it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, with gas \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/09/california-gas-prices-iran-war\">topping $5.30 a gallon\u003c/a> statewide, that decision is under a new spotlight. The Iran war has sent global oil prices soaring — but the war is only part of the story. California has a structural problem: fewer refineries, a captive market and no easy outside supply options. When prices rise nationally, they can rise even more here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11944934\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1980px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11944934\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/AP23086788063121-scaled-e1770414780894.jpg\" alt=\"A sign at a gas station shows very high gas prices, approaching $6 a gallon. The Bay Bridge can be scene in the background.\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1319\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Bay Bridge rises behind the price board of a gas station in San Francisco on July 20, 2022. \u003ccite>(Jeff Chiu/AP)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Proponents say this is precisely the moment the 2023 law was designed for. The commissioners last year left the door open to rescind the delay — and move forward with the rule before the five years — if they change their minds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These are the moments we need them, because when the price of a commodity goes through the roof — be it crude oil or refined gasoline — that’s when companies make outrageous profits,” said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But those who backed the delay argue it was a necessary concession — that penalizing refiners risked driving them out of the state entirely. It’s a tension that cuts to the heart of California’s energy predicament: how to protect consumers today from an industry the state can’t yet afford to lose, while still making good on its promise to leave that industry behind.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>California’s unused gas-price tools\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>When the California Energy Commission met last August Newsom was already retreating from his confrontation with the oil industry. The question before commissioners was whether to move ahead with aggressive rules targeting refinery profits — or step back, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/oil-compromise-california-legislature/\">as the governor was doing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076525\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076525\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260116-NewsomLuriePresser-33-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260116-NewsomLuriePresser-33-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260116-NewsomLuriePresser-33-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260116-NewsomLuriePresser-33-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference at the Friendship House Association of American Indians in San Francisco on Jan. 16, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It was a sharp reversal. Newsom had declared \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/08/california-gas-prices-newsom-special-session/\">special legislative sessions\u003c/a> in 2022 and 2024, pushing through sweeping new powers to curb gasoline price spikes — including requirements that refiners store more fuel and replace lost supply during maintenance, and the profit-cap rules now sitting dormant. A new energy commission oversight division created by the law found an unexplained gasoline premium of about 41 cents per gallon between 2015 and 2024, costing drivers \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2025-10/CEC-900-2025-001.pdf\">an estimated $59 billion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Those are critically important laws,” said Kassie Siegel, director of the Climate Law Institute at the Center for Biological Diversity. “What that information shows is that Californians are at the mercy of a very few refiners with immense power.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s oil industry strongly opposed the measures, and some economists remain skeptical of them. UC Berkeley energy economist Severin Borenstein warned that capping refinery profits during shortages could backfire.[aside postID=news_12076523 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-2264208891-2000x1465.jpg']“The last thing we need is to start trying to regulate refinery margins,” he said. “As much as people don’t like high gasoline prices, they really, really hate gas lines.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By last August, refinery closures were looming and warnings of $8-a-gallon gasoline circulated in Sacramento. Newsom and Democratic leaders were negotiating with the oil industry to boost production in Kern County — talks that produced a law that has since driven an uptick in drilling permits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After Valero said it would close its Benicia refinery, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Newsom-Gupta-Letter-4.21.pdf\">Newsom directed Siva Gunda\u003c/a>, vice chair of the California Energy Commission, to “redouble the state’s efforts to work closely with refiners on short- and long-term planning” and ensure a “reliable supply of transportation fuels.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gunda responded with a \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/CEC%27s_Respone_to_Governor_Newsom%27s_Letter_June-27-2025_ada.pdf\">series of recommendations\u003c/a> that aligned largely with industry’s desires — among them a pause in the state’s profit-cap rule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Against that backdrop, energy commissioners \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/filebrowser/download/7958?fid=7958\">voted on Aug. 29\u003c/a> to delay the rules for five years. Ahead of the vote, Gunda said the delay would help boost “investor confidence” in the state’s oil refiners, “thereby ensuring a reliable in-state refining capacity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037671\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037671\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Valero refinery in Benicia on Sept. 21, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Oil industry representatives say the decision made sense – the profit-cap measures, they argued, miss the real problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The real problem is California is an energy island — we’re losing 17% of our refining capacity,” said Zachary Leary, a lobbyist for the Western States Petroleum Association.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Court, of Consumer Watchdog, said the governor “panicked,” leaving the state without the “hammer” it now needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you have this type of level of gas run up, you’re going to need those tools,” Court said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>The difficult middle of the energy transition\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California has committed to phasing out fossil fuels by 2045 — but it still depends heavily on gasoline, and it is losing the refineries that produce it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Phillips 66 last year shut its Los Angeles refinery, citing concerns about the sustainability of the California market. Valero is closing its Benicia refinery next month, pointing to a challenging regulatory environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11960711\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11960711\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"The silhouettes of several smokestacks emit fumes into the air.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Phillips 66 Los Angeles Refinery Wilmington Plant stands beyond a residential street on November 28, 2022 in Wilmington. \u003ccite>(Mario Tama/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“If you start losing refineries — as we are going to — and you don’t have an alternative source of supply, we’re going to start getting price spikes when there’s any sort of disruption at one of our refineries,” Borenstein said. “Or just during high demand periods.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The challenge of reducing fossil fuel use while maintaining adequate supply has created what Gunda — Newsom’s point person in negotiations with the oil industry — calls the “mid-transition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is not going to be a smooth transition,” Gunda said last month in testimony to a state Senate committee. “Every time you lose a refinery, it’s going to be a double-digit percent of refined fuel lost in California. So that abrupt transition will mean an abrupt increase in imports.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>A global oil shock hits California\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The recent jump in gasoline prices reflects a global oil shock tied to the war with Iran — not a policy change unique to California, experts said. But the surge highlights how exposed the state remains to global energy markets as it loses refining capacity and \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65704\">imports more crude\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/crude-oil/112525-californias-gasoline-demand-met-with-increased-global-supply-as-refineries-close\">gasoline\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since the conflict began, the international benchmark for crude oil has climbed more than $25 a barrel — a shift that typically translates to about 60 cents per gallon at the pump, in line with the increase in California retail prices, argues Borenstein, of UC Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12075007\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12075007\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022826_IRAN-BAY-AREA-RESPONSE_GH_011-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022826_IRAN-BAY-AREA-RESPONSE_GH_011-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022826_IRAN-BAY-AREA-RESPONSE_GH_011-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022826_IRAN-BAY-AREA-RESPONSE_GH_011-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hundreds of demonstrators march along Market Street during a “Hands Off Iran” rally on Feb. 28, 2026, in San Francisco. Protesters took over the roadway while calling for an arms embargo and an end to U.S. participation in the strikes. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“All of the change we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks is in line with the change in crude oil prices, and therefore is not California specific,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom has made a similar argument, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/03/10/governor-newsom-blasts-trump-for-raising-gasoline-prices-on-americans-with-no-plan-and-no-accountability/\">blaming the spike\u003c/a> on global oil markets and the war with Iran rather than California policies. But analysts note that the state’s shrinking refinery base means global shocks land harder here than elsewhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A key concern is the Strait of Hormuz. Before the conflict, the narrow waterway carried \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65504#:~:text=The%20Strait%20of%20Hormuz%2C%20located,of%20global%20petroleum%20liquids%20consumption.\">more than 20 million barrels of oil a day\u003c/a> — roughly one-fifth of global supply. Traffic is now at a standstill, and crude prices topped $100 a barrel again — even after more than 30 countries \u003ca href=\"https://www.iea.org/news/iea-member-countries-to-carry-out-largest-ever-oil-stock-release-amid-market-disruptions-from-middle-east-conflict\">announced\u003c/a> releases from emergency reserves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ryan Cummings, chief of staff at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policymaking, said a prolonged closure could push crude prices above $130 or $140 per barrel — driving California prices closer to $7, with a worst-case scenario approaching $10 at some stations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076648\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1980px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076648\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-639787574.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1320\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-639787574.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-639787574-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-639787574-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The port city of Gwadar balochistan on the southwestern coast of Pakistan, just outside the Strait of Hormuz near key shipping routes in and out of the Persian Gulf. \u003ccite>(SM Rafiq Photography via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Most analysts consider that outcome unlikely but no longer unthinkable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Right now, this doesn’t appear likely, but it is a worst-case scenario that is growing by the day,” Cummings said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Competing ideas for what comes next\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Siegel, of the Center for Biological Diversity, said California should move forward immediately to implement the profit-cap rules and require companies to hold larger fuel inventories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our leaders shouldn’t rest until the rules are in place to prevent price gouging on top of volatility, and should not rest until people get their money back,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Economists say California’s biggest challenge may be infrastructure. Valero plans to close its Benicia refinery, which produces about 10% of the state’s gasoline, next month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051503\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12051503\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250808-CAP-AND-TRADE-ENVIRO-JUSTICE-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250808-CAP-AND-TRADE-ENVIRO-JUSTICE-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250808-CAP-AND-TRADE-ENVIRO-JUSTICE-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250808-CAP-AND-TRADE-ENVIRO-JUSTICE-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Luna Angulo looks at the Chevron Refinery from the Wildcat Marsh Staging Area in Richmond on Aug. 8, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In an \u003ca href=\"https://nealemahoney.substack.com/p/an-analysis-of-the-valero-benicia\">analysis posted last year\u003c/a>, Stanford economist Neale Mahoney and Cummings said California could offset lost refinery production with gasoline imports – if permitting allows refineries like Benicia to convert to fuel import terminals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom said in January his administration is \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/01/06/governor-newsoms-statement-on-valeros-benicia-refinery-update/\">working with the company\u003c/a> to continue importing gasoline into Northern California after its refinery operations close.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If I was in the Legislature right now, all of my energies and effort would be built on, one, making sure that Benicia gets turned into an import terminal — and two, making sure whoever owns or operates that is not an incumbent,” Cummings said.[aside postID=news_12075522 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/RobBontaAP.jpg']Court, of Consumer Watchdog, pointed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.phillips66.com/newsroom/western-gateway-pipeline/\">a proposed Phillips 66 pipeline\u003c/a> that could bring refined gasoline from Midwest refineries into the state – something California has never had, relying instead on in-state refining and marine imports.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dubbed the Western Gateway Pipeline, the project would build a new pipeline and reverse an existing one to move gasoline and diesel from central U.S. refineries to Arizona and California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One state lawmaker has \u003ca href=\"https://ransom.asmdc.org/press-releases/20260219-assemblymember-rhodesia-ransom-introduces-bill-gives-access-cheaper\">proposed expanding access to E85\u003c/a>, a cheaper ethanol blend. Both ideas remain proposals without clear timelines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/27873034-mpc-proposed-cap-and-invest-amendments-concerns-30926/\">some oil companies\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/27813814-asm-member-letter-carb-ci-regs-concerns-march-9/\">even some Democrats\u003c/a> are warning California’s climate policies could raise production costs enough that refineries reconsider operating in California — adding another pressure point to an already strained supply picture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The profit-cap rules that could penalize oil companies remain on hold until 2029. By then, California may have lost more refineries — and may still be grappling with the problem Newsom once promised to solve: gasoline price shocks in the country’s most unaffordable market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/03/california-iran-oil-profit-spike/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "California built a first-in-the-nation system to police refinery profits during price spikes. Regulators delayed it for five years.",
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"title": "California Passed a Law to Curb Spikes in Gas Prices. Why Isn’t It Using Those Powers Now? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years ago, California built a first-in-the-nation system aimed at protecting drivers when oil \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/economy\">markets turn calamitous\u003c/a>. The Legislature passed it. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it. He proclaimed “California took on Big Oil and won.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Its author, then-Sen. Nancy Skinner called it a “landmark law” that “will allow us to hold oil companies accountable if they pad their profits at the expense of hard-working families.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the law — which gave regulators the power to cap refinery profits and penalize oil companies for price gouging — has never been used. Instead, last year, the California Energy Commission voted to delay the rules for five years. Skinner – who wrote the law as a Senator – was absent when her own commission voted to delay it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, with gas \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/09/california-gas-prices-iran-war\">topping $5.30 a gallon\u003c/a> statewide, that decision is under a new spotlight. The Iran war has sent global oil prices soaring — but the war is only part of the story. California has a structural problem: fewer refineries, a captive market and no easy outside supply options. When prices rise nationally, they can rise even more here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11944934\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1980px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11944934\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/AP23086788063121-scaled-e1770414780894.jpg\" alt=\"A sign at a gas station shows very high gas prices, approaching $6 a gallon. The Bay Bridge can be scene in the background.\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1319\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Bay Bridge rises behind the price board of a gas station in San Francisco on July 20, 2022. \u003ccite>(Jeff Chiu/AP)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Proponents say this is precisely the moment the 2023 law was designed for. The commissioners last year left the door open to rescind the delay — and move forward with the rule before the five years — if they change their minds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These are the moments we need them, because when the price of a commodity goes through the roof — be it crude oil or refined gasoline — that’s when companies make outrageous profits,” said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But those who backed the delay argue it was a necessary concession — that penalizing refiners risked driving them out of the state entirely. It’s a tension that cuts to the heart of California’s energy predicament: how to protect consumers today from an industry the state can’t yet afford to lose, while still making good on its promise to leave that industry behind.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>California’s unused gas-price tools\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>When the California Energy Commission met last August Newsom was already retreating from his confrontation with the oil industry. The question before commissioners was whether to move ahead with aggressive rules targeting refinery profits — or step back, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/oil-compromise-california-legislature/\">as the governor was doing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076525\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076525\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260116-NewsomLuriePresser-33-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260116-NewsomLuriePresser-33-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260116-NewsomLuriePresser-33-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260116-NewsomLuriePresser-33-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference at the Friendship House Association of American Indians in San Francisco on Jan. 16, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It was a sharp reversal. Newsom had declared \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/08/california-gas-prices-newsom-special-session/\">special legislative sessions\u003c/a> in 2022 and 2024, pushing through sweeping new powers to curb gasoline price spikes — including requirements that refiners store more fuel and replace lost supply during maintenance, and the profit-cap rules now sitting dormant. A new energy commission oversight division created by the law found an unexplained gasoline premium of about 41 cents per gallon between 2015 and 2024, costing drivers \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2025-10/CEC-900-2025-001.pdf\">an estimated $59 billion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Those are critically important laws,” said Kassie Siegel, director of the Climate Law Institute at the Center for Biological Diversity. “What that information shows is that Californians are at the mercy of a very few refiners with immense power.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s oil industry strongly opposed the measures, and some economists remain skeptical of them. UC Berkeley energy economist Severin Borenstein warned that capping refinery profits during shortages could backfire.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“The last thing we need is to start trying to regulate refinery margins,” he said. “As much as people don’t like high gasoline prices, they really, really hate gas lines.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By last August, refinery closures were looming and warnings of $8-a-gallon gasoline circulated in Sacramento. Newsom and Democratic leaders were negotiating with the oil industry to boost production in Kern County — talks that produced a law that has since driven an uptick in drilling permits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After Valero said it would close its Benicia refinery, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Newsom-Gupta-Letter-4.21.pdf\">Newsom directed Siva Gunda\u003c/a>, vice chair of the California Energy Commission, to “redouble the state’s efforts to work closely with refiners on short- and long-term planning” and ensure a “reliable supply of transportation fuels.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gunda responded with a \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/CEC%27s_Respone_to_Governor_Newsom%27s_Letter_June-27-2025_ada.pdf\">series of recommendations\u003c/a> that aligned largely with industry’s desires — among them a pause in the state’s profit-cap rule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Against that backdrop, energy commissioners \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/filebrowser/download/7958?fid=7958\">voted on Aug. 29\u003c/a> to delay the rules for five years. Ahead of the vote, Gunda said the delay would help boost “investor confidence” in the state’s oil refiners, “thereby ensuring a reliable in-state refining capacity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037671\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037671\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-02_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Valero refinery in Benicia on Sept. 21, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Oil industry representatives say the decision made sense – the profit-cap measures, they argued, miss the real problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The real problem is California is an energy island — we’re losing 17% of our refining capacity,” said Zachary Leary, a lobbyist for the Western States Petroleum Association.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Court, of Consumer Watchdog, said the governor “panicked,” leaving the state without the “hammer” it now needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you have this type of level of gas run up, you’re going to need those tools,” Court said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>The difficult middle of the energy transition\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California has committed to phasing out fossil fuels by 2045 — but it still depends heavily on gasoline, and it is losing the refineries that produce it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Phillips 66 last year shut its Los Angeles refinery, citing concerns about the sustainability of the California market. Valero is closing its Benicia refinery next month, pointing to a challenging regulatory environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11960711\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11960711\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"The silhouettes of several smokestacks emit fumes into the air.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/239011-OIL-AIR-QUALITY-Getty-MT-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Phillips 66 Los Angeles Refinery Wilmington Plant stands beyond a residential street on November 28, 2022 in Wilmington. \u003ccite>(Mario Tama/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“If you start losing refineries — as we are going to — and you don’t have an alternative source of supply, we’re going to start getting price spikes when there’s any sort of disruption at one of our refineries,” Borenstein said. “Or just during high demand periods.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The challenge of reducing fossil fuel use while maintaining adequate supply has created what Gunda — Newsom’s point person in negotiations with the oil industry — calls the “mid-transition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is not going to be a smooth transition,” Gunda said last month in testimony to a state Senate committee. “Every time you lose a refinery, it’s going to be a double-digit percent of refined fuel lost in California. So that abrupt transition will mean an abrupt increase in imports.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>A global oil shock hits California\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The recent jump in gasoline prices reflects a global oil shock tied to the war with Iran — not a policy change unique to California, experts said. But the surge highlights how exposed the state remains to global energy markets as it loses refining capacity and \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65704\">imports more crude\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/crude-oil/112525-californias-gasoline-demand-met-with-increased-global-supply-as-refineries-close\">gasoline\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since the conflict began, the international benchmark for crude oil has climbed more than $25 a barrel — a shift that typically translates to about 60 cents per gallon at the pump, in line with the increase in California retail prices, argues Borenstein, of UC Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12075007\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12075007\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022826_IRAN-BAY-AREA-RESPONSE_GH_011-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022826_IRAN-BAY-AREA-RESPONSE_GH_011-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022826_IRAN-BAY-AREA-RESPONSE_GH_011-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022826_IRAN-BAY-AREA-RESPONSE_GH_011-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hundreds of demonstrators march along Market Street during a “Hands Off Iran” rally on Feb. 28, 2026, in San Francisco. Protesters took over the roadway while calling for an arms embargo and an end to U.S. participation in the strikes. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“All of the change we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks is in line with the change in crude oil prices, and therefore is not California specific,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom has made a similar argument, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/03/10/governor-newsom-blasts-trump-for-raising-gasoline-prices-on-americans-with-no-plan-and-no-accountability/\">blaming the spike\u003c/a> on global oil markets and the war with Iran rather than California policies. But analysts note that the state’s shrinking refinery base means global shocks land harder here than elsewhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A key concern is the Strait of Hormuz. Before the conflict, the narrow waterway carried \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65504#:~:text=The%20Strait%20of%20Hormuz%2C%20located,of%20global%20petroleum%20liquids%20consumption.\">more than 20 million barrels of oil a day\u003c/a> — roughly one-fifth of global supply. Traffic is now at a standstill, and crude prices topped $100 a barrel again — even after more than 30 countries \u003ca href=\"https://www.iea.org/news/iea-member-countries-to-carry-out-largest-ever-oil-stock-release-amid-market-disruptions-from-middle-east-conflict\">announced\u003c/a> releases from emergency reserves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ryan Cummings, chief of staff at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policymaking, said a prolonged closure could push crude prices above $130 or $140 per barrel — driving California prices closer to $7, with a worst-case scenario approaching $10 at some stations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076648\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1980px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076648\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-639787574.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1320\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-639787574.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-639787574-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-639787574-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The port city of Gwadar balochistan on the southwestern coast of Pakistan, just outside the Strait of Hormuz near key shipping routes in and out of the Persian Gulf. \u003ccite>(SM Rafiq Photography via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Most analysts consider that outcome unlikely but no longer unthinkable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Right now, this doesn’t appear likely, but it is a worst-case scenario that is growing by the day,” Cummings said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Competing ideas for what comes next\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Siegel, of the Center for Biological Diversity, said California should move forward immediately to implement the profit-cap rules and require companies to hold larger fuel inventories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our leaders shouldn’t rest until the rules are in place to prevent price gouging on top of volatility, and should not rest until people get their money back,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Economists say California’s biggest challenge may be infrastructure. Valero plans to close its Benicia refinery, which produces about 10% of the state’s gasoline, next month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051503\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12051503\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250808-CAP-AND-TRADE-ENVIRO-JUSTICE-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250808-CAP-AND-TRADE-ENVIRO-JUSTICE-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250808-CAP-AND-TRADE-ENVIRO-JUSTICE-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250808-CAP-AND-TRADE-ENVIRO-JUSTICE-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Luna Angulo looks at the Chevron Refinery from the Wildcat Marsh Staging Area in Richmond on Aug. 8, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In an \u003ca href=\"https://nealemahoney.substack.com/p/an-analysis-of-the-valero-benicia\">analysis posted last year\u003c/a>, Stanford economist Neale Mahoney and Cummings said California could offset lost refinery production with gasoline imports – if permitting allows refineries like Benicia to convert to fuel import terminals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom said in January his administration is \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/01/06/governor-newsoms-statement-on-valeros-benicia-refinery-update/\">working with the company\u003c/a> to continue importing gasoline into Northern California after its refinery operations close.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If I was in the Legislature right now, all of my energies and effort would be built on, one, making sure that Benicia gets turned into an import terminal — and two, making sure whoever owns or operates that is not an incumbent,” Cummings said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Court, of Consumer Watchdog, pointed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.phillips66.com/newsroom/western-gateway-pipeline/\">a proposed Phillips 66 pipeline\u003c/a> that could bring refined gasoline from Midwest refineries into the state – something California has never had, relying instead on in-state refining and marine imports.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dubbed the Western Gateway Pipeline, the project would build a new pipeline and reverse an existing one to move gasoline and diesel from central U.S. refineries to Arizona and California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One state lawmaker has \u003ca href=\"https://ransom.asmdc.org/press-releases/20260219-assemblymember-rhodesia-ransom-introduces-bill-gives-access-cheaper\">proposed expanding access to E85\u003c/a>, a cheaper ethanol blend. Both ideas remain proposals without clear timelines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/27873034-mpc-proposed-cap-and-invest-amendments-concerns-30926/\">some oil companies\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/27813814-asm-member-letter-carb-ci-regs-concerns-march-9/\">even some Democrats\u003c/a> are warning California’s climate policies could raise production costs enough that refineries reconsider operating in California — adding another pressure point to an already strained supply picture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The profit-cap rules that could penalize oil companies remain on hold until 2029. By then, California may have lost more refineries — and may still be grappling with the problem Newsom once promised to solve: gasoline price shocks in the country’s most unaffordable market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/03/california-iran-oil-profit-spike/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> and 23 other states sued President \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">Donald Trump\u003c/a> on Thursday over his latest tariffs, arguing the administration is using an obscure law to bypass the Supreme Court and create new costs for families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Last month, the Supreme Court struck down those tariffs as unlawful, rightfully so,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said during a press conference announcing the lawsuit. “Today, we’re back for round two, because instead of accepting the ruling, the president doubled down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit zeroes in on Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the president to impose temporary tariffs during specific economic emergencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the tariff is currently set to 10%, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed this week that the rate will rise to 15% within days. The states are asking the U.S. Court of International Trade to declare the tariffs unlawful and refund money already collected, with interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Section 122 was enacted in 1974 to address a specific type of financial crisis tied to a fixed exchange rate system, during a time when currencies were tied to a set value like gold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12070783\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1980px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12070783\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2256680653.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1320\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2256680653.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2256680653-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2256680653-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks at the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 20, 2026. \u003ccite>(Harun Ozalp/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The U.S. abandoned that system just two years later in favor of today’s floating rate system, where currency values fluctuate freely on global markets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is an archaic statute that was never intended for its current purpose as used by the Trump administration,” Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For California, the financial stakes of global trade policy are significant. The state is the fourth largest economy in the world, the nation’s largest importer and its second largest exporter. Previous International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariffs cost each American between roughly\u003ca href=\"https://budgetlab.yale.edu/research/state-us-tariffs-january-19-2026\"> $1,000 and $2,000\u003c/a> over the course of a year, Bonta said — or an estimated $40 billion to $80 billion in costs to Californians alone.[aside postID=news_12074141 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/DonaldTrumpTariffsAP.jpg']The new Section 122 tariffs, if allowed to stand, are estimated to cost the average American household an additional $200 to $600 per year, he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For the President of the United States, twice, to act unlawfully to raise prices after promising the American people he would lower prices, I think that tells you all you need to know,” Bonta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s economy has already shown signs of strain from the administration’s trade policy. Businesses in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12036939/san-francisco-chinatown-businesses-survival-mode-trade-war\">San Francisco’s Chinatown\u003c/a> have struggled to stay afloat amid the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/trade-war\">trade war\u003c/a>, and officials at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037649/trumps-tariffs-are-stifling-shipping-demand-at-port-of-oakland-officials-warn\">Port of Oakland\u003c/a> warned that tariffs would stifle shipping demand at one of the West Coast’s busiest trade hubs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12039333/california-farmers-hit-hard-trumps-trade-war-havent-turned-against-him-yet\">California farmers\u003c/a>, who depend heavily on export relationships with Canada and other trading partners, have also raised alarms about disruptions to long-standing trade ties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit also challenges Trump’s justification for invoking it. To use Section 122, a president must identify a “large and serious” balance-of-payments deficit — but the complaint argues Trump mischaracterized the term by focusing only on the nation’s goods trade deficit while ignoring a financial account surplus of roughly $1.13 trillion in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12048615\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12048615\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/025_KQED_SchnitzerSteelPortofOakland_03082022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/025_KQED_SchnitzerSteelPortofOakland_03082022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/025_KQED_SchnitzerSteelPortofOakland_03082022_qed-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/025_KQED_SchnitzerSteelPortofOakland_03082022_qed-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Schnitzer Steel manufacturing facility shreds scrap metal at the Port of Oakland on March 8, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When all components are properly included, the lawsuit said, the actual U.S. balance of payments position amounted to approximately negative $53 billion, or about 0.2% of GDP.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A trade deficit is not a balance of payment deficit,” Bonta said. “The president either doesn’t know the difference, or he doesn’t care.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit also marks the 60th time California has sued the White House since Trump took office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> and 23 other states sued President \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">Donald Trump\u003c/a> on Thursday over his latest tariffs, arguing the administration is using an obscure law to bypass the Supreme Court and create new costs for families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Last month, the Supreme Court struck down those tariffs as unlawful, rightfully so,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said during a press conference announcing the lawsuit. “Today, we’re back for round two, because instead of accepting the ruling, the president doubled down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit zeroes in on Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the president to impose temporary tariffs during specific economic emergencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the tariff is currently set to 10%, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed this week that the rate will rise to 15% within days. The states are asking the U.S. Court of International Trade to declare the tariffs unlawful and refund money already collected, with interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Section 122 was enacted in 1974 to address a specific type of financial crisis tied to a fixed exchange rate system, during a time when currencies were tied to a set value like gold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12070783\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1980px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12070783\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2256680653.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1320\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2256680653.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2256680653-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2256680653-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks at the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 20, 2026. \u003ccite>(Harun Ozalp/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The U.S. abandoned that system just two years later in favor of today’s floating rate system, where currency values fluctuate freely on global markets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is an archaic statute that was never intended for its current purpose as used by the Trump administration,” Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For California, the financial stakes of global trade policy are significant. The state is the fourth largest economy in the world, the nation’s largest importer and its second largest exporter. Previous International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariffs cost each American between roughly\u003ca href=\"https://budgetlab.yale.edu/research/state-us-tariffs-january-19-2026\"> $1,000 and $2,000\u003c/a> over the course of a year, Bonta said — or an estimated $40 billion to $80 billion in costs to Californians alone.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The new Section 122 tariffs, if allowed to stand, are estimated to cost the average American household an additional $200 to $600 per year, he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For the President of the United States, twice, to act unlawfully to raise prices after promising the American people he would lower prices, I think that tells you all you need to know,” Bonta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s economy has already shown signs of strain from the administration’s trade policy. Businesses in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12036939/san-francisco-chinatown-businesses-survival-mode-trade-war\">San Francisco’s Chinatown\u003c/a> have struggled to stay afloat amid the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/trade-war\">trade war\u003c/a>, and officials at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037649/trumps-tariffs-are-stifling-shipping-demand-at-port-of-oakland-officials-warn\">Port of Oakland\u003c/a> warned that tariffs would stifle shipping demand at one of the West Coast’s busiest trade hubs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12039333/california-farmers-hit-hard-trumps-trade-war-havent-turned-against-him-yet\">California farmers\u003c/a>, who depend heavily on export relationships with Canada and other trading partners, have also raised alarms about disruptions to long-standing trade ties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit also challenges Trump’s justification for invoking it. To use Section 122, a president must identify a “large and serious” balance-of-payments deficit — but the complaint argues Trump mischaracterized the term by focusing only on the nation’s goods trade deficit while ignoring a financial account surplus of roughly $1.13 trillion in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12048615\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12048615\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/025_KQED_SchnitzerSteelPortofOakland_03082022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/025_KQED_SchnitzerSteelPortofOakland_03082022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/025_KQED_SchnitzerSteelPortofOakland_03082022_qed-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/025_KQED_SchnitzerSteelPortofOakland_03082022_qed-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Schnitzer Steel manufacturing facility shreds scrap metal at the Port of Oakland on March 8, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When all components are properly included, the lawsuit said, the actual U.S. balance of payments position amounted to approximately negative $53 billion, or about 0.2% of GDP.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A trade deficit is not a balance of payment deficit,” Bonta said. “The president either doesn’t know the difference, or he doesn’t care.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit also marks the 60th time California has sued the White House since Trump took office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This story first appeared on \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/\">The Oaklandside.\u003c/a>\u003c/span>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alameda County’s public hospital system, which includes the region’s main provider of mental health services and clinics serving thousands of low-income residents, has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074462/alameda-county-officials-look-to-stave-off-mass-hospital-layoffs-as-medicaid-cuts-loom\">spared layoffs\u003c/a> — for now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yesterday, the Alameda Health System and the county agreed to hold off on job cuts scheduled to take effect on March 9.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12068383/alameda-health-system-to-lay-off-hundreds-in-january-after-massive-federal-cuts\">plan\u003c/a> would have included the closure of mental health programs at Highland Hospital and Fairmont Hospital, AHS’s ambulatory plastic surgery program, and Highland Hospital’s Complex Care Program, which provides care to patients with multiple, chronic illnesses, many of whom are homeless.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other closures would have included Fairmont Hospital’s Kitchen Retail program, which provides meals to staff and visitors, and Highland Hospital’s Tele-sitter program, which helps AHS staff remotely monitor patients’ wellbeing while they’re hospitalized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The temporary pause buys the hospital system and the county time to try and figure out alternatives to layoffs, with the goal of minimizing impacts on health care services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supervisors Nate Miley and Nikki Fortunato Bas will lead the effort through an ad hoc committee of the supervisors, working with AHS, labor representatives, and other stakeholders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12074475\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12074475\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_015-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_015-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_015-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_015-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, who represents District 4, speaks during a resident physician “unity break” outside Highland Hospital in Oakland on Feb. 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I’m greatly encouraged by the feedback we’ve received from the supervisors and the partnership we’ve experienced with the county,” said AHS CEO James Jackson at yesterday’s meeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Alameda County patients and their families deserve a healthcare system that’s clean, safe, and well-staffed, a place where they can get the care they need and won’t go hungry when they visit,” Maria Betancourt, a specialist clerk at John George and the current AHS Chapter President for SEIU 1021 said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It has been a long fight to get to this point, but this is a great step for our members and for healthcare in Alameda County. As the federal cuts approach, we will work with the Board and others to find every avenue to protect public healthcare and preserve jobs against these attacks.”[aside postID=news_12074462 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_003-KQED.jpg']Jackson said the AHS trustees, the board that directly governs the hospital system, will meet today to further discuss delaying the layoffs and the plan to find savings.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Federal health care cuts to blame\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Alameda Health System is \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2025/12/09/federal-cuts-alameda-health-systems-budget-highland-hospital-layoffs/\">facing a massive drop in revenues\u003c/a> because of H.R. 1, the “Big Beautiful Bill” passed by the Republican-controlled Congress last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That bill massively reduced funding for Medicaid, the insurance program that public hospitals like AHS heavily rely on. It imposed other cuts and requirements that amount to an unprecedented $1 trillion reduction in health care spending nationwide by the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We should all keep in mind that the reason we’re all here is largely, exclusively because of H.R. 1,” Supervisor David Haubert said yesterday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anticipating a $30 million drop in revenue this year and a $100 million budget hole in 2027, AHS leaders \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2025/12/09/federal-cuts-alameda-health-systems-budget-highland-hospital-layoffs/\">confirmed\u003c/a> in December that they were looking at eliminating as many as 372 positions, including nurses, therapists, doctors, housekeeping staff, and other roles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In January, AHS \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/02/24/county-health-care-layoff-plan-to-face-public-scrutiny/\">published a plan\u003c/a> scaling back the layoffs to about 188 positions. Hospital staff said at the time that even this level of cuts would significantly harm their ability to care for patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Exploring options to avoid staff reductions\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On Feb. 25, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/02/26/alameda-county-looks-for-10m-to-stave-off-health-care-layoffs-and-program-closures/\">signaled\u003c/a> they were willing to work with AHS on solutions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At yesterday’s meeting, the supervisors unanimously voted to identify alternative, non-patient-facing positions that could be cut to address the system’s budget shortfall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12074474\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12074474\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_010-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_010-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_010-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_010-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus is seen through flowering branches in Oakland on Feb. 24, 2026. The hospital is part of Alameda Health System. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Under the new plan, which wasn’t described in much detail, the county, county auditor, and AHS will examine behavioral health contract payments that could be reduced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Currently, the county and AHS have dozens of contracts with nonprofits to provide behavioral health services. They also want to scrutinize AHS’s finances and potentially make adjustments to how AHS can borrow money from the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And county leaders said they will look into alternative service models with respect to the system’s intensive outpatient program, all with an eye toward saving money and avoiding staff layoffs. The supervisors will hold another meeting on March 17 to report back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A plan to slash 188 health care jobs at the East Bay’s safety net hospital would heavily impact mental health programs. County leaders hope to avoid this.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This story first appeared on \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/\">The Oaklandside.\u003c/a>\u003c/span>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alameda County’s public hospital system, which includes the region’s main provider of mental health services and clinics serving thousands of low-income residents, has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074462/alameda-county-officials-look-to-stave-off-mass-hospital-layoffs-as-medicaid-cuts-loom\">spared layoffs\u003c/a> — for now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yesterday, the Alameda Health System and the county agreed to hold off on job cuts scheduled to take effect on March 9.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12068383/alameda-health-system-to-lay-off-hundreds-in-january-after-massive-federal-cuts\">plan\u003c/a> would have included the closure of mental health programs at Highland Hospital and Fairmont Hospital, AHS’s ambulatory plastic surgery program, and Highland Hospital’s Complex Care Program, which provides care to patients with multiple, chronic illnesses, many of whom are homeless.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other closures would have included Fairmont Hospital’s Kitchen Retail program, which provides meals to staff and visitors, and Highland Hospital’s Tele-sitter program, which helps AHS staff remotely monitor patients’ wellbeing while they’re hospitalized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The temporary pause buys the hospital system and the county time to try and figure out alternatives to layoffs, with the goal of minimizing impacts on health care services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supervisors Nate Miley and Nikki Fortunato Bas will lead the effort through an ad hoc committee of the supervisors, working with AHS, labor representatives, and other stakeholders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12074475\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12074475\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_015-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_015-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_015-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_015-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, who represents District 4, speaks during a resident physician “unity break” outside Highland Hospital in Oakland on Feb. 24, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I’m greatly encouraged by the feedback we’ve received from the supervisors and the partnership we’ve experienced with the county,” said AHS CEO James Jackson at yesterday’s meeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Alameda County patients and their families deserve a healthcare system that’s clean, safe, and well-staffed, a place where they can get the care they need and won’t go hungry when they visit,” Maria Betancourt, a specialist clerk at John George and the current AHS Chapter President for SEIU 1021 said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It has been a long fight to get to this point, but this is a great step for our members and for healthcare in Alameda County. As the federal cuts approach, we will work with the Board and others to find every avenue to protect public healthcare and preserve jobs against these attacks.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Jackson said the AHS trustees, the board that directly governs the hospital system, will meet today to further discuss delaying the layoffs and the plan to find savings.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Federal health care cuts to blame\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Alameda Health System is \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2025/12/09/federal-cuts-alameda-health-systems-budget-highland-hospital-layoffs/\">facing a massive drop in revenues\u003c/a> because of H.R. 1, the “Big Beautiful Bill” passed by the Republican-controlled Congress last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That bill massively reduced funding for Medicaid, the insurance program that public hospitals like AHS heavily rely on. It imposed other cuts and requirements that amount to an unprecedented $1 trillion reduction in health care spending nationwide by the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We should all keep in mind that the reason we’re all here is largely, exclusively because of H.R. 1,” Supervisor David Haubert said yesterday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anticipating a $30 million drop in revenue this year and a $100 million budget hole in 2027, AHS leaders \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2025/12/09/federal-cuts-alameda-health-systems-budget-highland-hospital-layoffs/\">confirmed\u003c/a> in December that they were looking at eliminating as many as 372 positions, including nurses, therapists, doctors, housekeeping staff, and other roles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In January, AHS \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/02/24/county-health-care-layoff-plan-to-face-public-scrutiny/\">published a plan\u003c/a> scaling back the layoffs to about 188 positions. Hospital staff said at the time that even this level of cuts would significantly harm their ability to care for patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Exploring options to avoid staff reductions\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On Feb. 25, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/02/26/alameda-county-looks-for-10m-to-stave-off-health-care-layoffs-and-program-closures/\">signaled\u003c/a> they were willing to work with AHS on solutions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At yesterday’s meeting, the supervisors unanimously voted to identify alternative, non-patient-facing positions that could be cut to address the system’s budget shortfall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12074474\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12074474\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_010-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_010-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_010-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/022426_ALAMEDA-COUNTY-HEALTH-CUTS-_GH_010-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus is seen through flowering branches in Oakland on Feb. 24, 2026. The hospital is part of Alameda Health System. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Under the new plan, which wasn’t described in much detail, the county, county auditor, and AHS will examine behavioral health contract payments that could be reduced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Currently, the county and AHS have dozens of contracts with nonprofits to provide behavioral health services. They also want to scrutinize AHS’s finances and potentially make adjustments to how AHS can borrow money from the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And county leaders said they will look into alternative service models with respect to the system’s intensive outpatient program, all with an eye toward saving money and avoiding staff layoffs. The supervisors will hold another meeting on March 17 to report back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
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"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
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"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
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"order": 8
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},
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
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"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"order": 9
},
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"hidden-brain": {
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"order": 18
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"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
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"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
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"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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