Written by William Hale
Mike Levin has released a letter summarizing 2021 in his 49th district, which spans from South Orange County to North County San Diego. With Levin up for election this coming November, the Congressman has every incentive to paint this past year as a glorious fiscal and social success.
But despite Levin’s unconcerning portrayal of 2021, there remains unacknowledged problems regarding unemployment, inflation, and gas prices that affect Californians on a practical level every day.
In his letter, Levin mentions that “…unemployment reached its lowest point since 1969.” Yet California certainly isn’t excelling in this category. In fact, California has the highest unemployment rate in the country — as of November, 2021, California had an unemployment rate of 6.9%. This is in accordance with many other Democratic-leaning states such as Nevada, Illinois, Colorado, and New York, with all these states having higher unemployment rates than the national average of 4.2%.
However unemployment wasn’t the only pressing issue dismissed by the Congressman in his year-end letter. In Orange county inflated gas prices have reached an average of $4.65 per gallon, that’s nearly $1.50 more than one year ago. Unfortunately, experts are predicting this trend of increasing gas prices won’t subside in 2022 — some southern California cities should expect over $5.00 per gallon this year.
Levin suggested that President Biden’s American Rescue Plan played a key part in 2021’s “successes.” But the ARP has produced the opposite effect suggested by Levin, as the $350 million in federal relief spread throughout the 49th district has only accelerated the inflation felt by Californians looking to buy groceries and shop for holiday gifts.
If there is one thing Levin got right in his Op-ed: “I know there is much more to do in 2022.”
Photo Cred: Bill Slane/ Coast News
