it is in fact real. Link to official CA site. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/05/12/governor-newsom-proposes-18-1-billion-inflation-relief-package/ this is so profoundly stupid, the gov printing and borrowing money to send out, is a short term creating new money (which increases inflation) and then giving it to poor people, or people who will immediately spend it (most often poor people) is also what creates inflation in the first place. Or you know what you could do, lower taxes and let people keep more of the money they already earn without any additional admin costs or anything and let people spend or save that money instead. No, the gov needs to be the hero in this, we need people to think we are helping them while at the same time putting them further into debt through the amount their government will ultimately have to pay back by taking more out of their paychecks later on.