To be clear, what we're talking about here are state stimulus payments, not the federal government's ongoing relief checks. The latter are payments that are given to all Americans across the country.
On Dec. 15, millions of Americans will receive their sixth and final child tax credit payment. Meanwhile, we'll look at some of the more localized stimulus measures around the country below.
Efforts that, to be sure, will become even more crucial as the fate of the federal government's planned monthly stimulus payments in 2022 remains unknown.
The types of stimulus-related payments we'll talk about here range from back-to-work incentives to teacher bonus checks. By the way, this roundup isn't a complete list of every possible stimulus check or associated benefit from every state and city around the country. There are simply too many to be flagged all at once. Which, depending on who you ask, is a good problem.
Nonetheless, this reflects the various approaches being used to lessen the financial impact of the pandemic.
California, for example, has targeted lower- and middle-income residents with statewide stimulus checks averaging several hundred dollars. While states such as Arizona and Connecticut have given citizens who return to work $1,000 payouts. The Connecticut check is for workers who return to work after an eight-week layoff. The $1,000 check in Arizona is for workers who work part-time (full-time labor is worth $2,000).
In September, Ohio State University announced that it would disburse an additional $46 million in federal financial aid to students. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Ohio State has distributed more than $87 million in pandemic-related help to students. Thousands of them received emergency grants as part of that aid.
In other parts of the country, New Mexico recently announced that over 3,000 low-income families will receive a one-time payment of $452 in emergency financial assistance.
Private citizens are attempting to garner Congress' attention.
A restaurant owner in Denver, Colorado, initiated a Change.org petition urging Congress to grant $2,000 monthly payments to adults and $1,000 monthly payments to children until the pandemic is over. The petition is getting close to reaching its goal of 3 million signatures.
The Senior Citizens League has been urging Congress to provide Social Security recipients a $1,400 stimulus payout.
A nonpartisan senior citizens' group has also filed a petition, but Congress has yet to act on it.
