A California Valley Native, Hernandez Moved To Texas To Become An Astronaut

Jose Hernandez Has Deep Roots In The California Valley, Moved To Houston To Be An Astronaut Until Shuttle Program Ended. According to the Modesto Bee: “Hernandez is a newcomer to politics. He grew up primarily in Stockton, worked as a Bay Area engineer, moved to Houston to become an astronaut and flew on a space shuttle in 2009. The United States ended its shuttle program in 2011, and Hernandez moved back to California last winter to launch his campaign. He lives with relatives in Lodi now while his home is being built in Manteca.” [Modesto Bee, 9/15/12]

Jose Hernandez Went From ‘Toiling In California’s Farm Fields Alongside His Migrant Workers Parents To Moving To Houston In 2001 To Become An Astronaut. According to the Associated Press: “He toiled in California’s farm fields alongside his Mexican migrant worker parents and didn’t learn English until he was 12. Now Jose Hernandez, NASA astronaut, is about to rocket into orbit. His parents will be in Florida next week for space shuttle Discovery’s launch, as will his two older brothers and sister, who also worked the fields in the 1960s and 1970s… Hernandez, 47, vividly recalls being dusty, sweaty and tired in the back seat of the family’s car after a hard day of labor. His father would look back at his children and tell them, ‘Remember this feeling because if you guys don’t do well in school, this is your future.’ ‘That was pretty powerful,’ Hernandez recalled. All four took it to heart. Each graduated from high school and went to college. Discovery is scheduled to blast off in the wee hours of Tuesday. Seven astronauts will be on board for the space station supply run, including two Mexican-Americans, as it turns out, and a Swede. Hernandez moved to Houston in 2001 to work at Johnson Space Center as an engineer. He was selected as an astronaut in 2004, after 12 years of trying.” [Associated Press, 8/21/09]

Tax Lien Was Lifted Before Hernandez Declared His Candidacy

Hernandez’ Wife Ran Restaurant While He Was Working For NASA. From the Associated Press: “[Hernandez] moved to Houston in 2001 to work at Johnson Space Center as an engineer, working his way up to branch chief. He was selected as an astronaut in 2004, after 12 years of trying. […] Wife Adela runs a Mexican restaurant just outside the Johnson gates, aptly called Tierra Luna Grill, Spanish for Earth Moon Grill.” [Associated Press via MSN.com, 8/24/09]

Hernandez Paid Owed Taxes And Tax Lien Was Lifted In August 2011. From the Modesto Bee: “Records do indicate that the IRS imposed a lien on Tierra Luna in 2010 for $10,813 in unpaid federal taxes; this amount was paid off and the lien lifted in August, a month before Hernandez announced he was considering running.” [Modesto Bee, 4/22/12]

As Of April 2012, Hernandez’ Opponent, Jeff Denham, Owed Over $6,000 In Unpaid Property Taxes. From McClatchy: “[Rep. Jeff] Denham owed Merced County $6,051 in unpaid taxes, including penalties, as of last week, county records show. The taxes cover property at Longview Avenue in Atwater, Calif.” [McClatchy, 4/18/12]

In April 2012, Hernandez Owed $484, Likely Because He Never Received The Final Bill. From McClatchy: “Hernandez, meanwhile, owed $484 in Harris County, Texas, for past taxes on a family restaurant that has since closed. […] Hernandez’s campaign manager Dan Krupnick was explaining by telephone that Hernandez had never received the final Harris County bill. The Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector’s website showed that the bill was marked ‘returned undeliverable.’” [McClatchy, 4/18/12]

Both Candidates Have Since Paid Off Their Tax Liens. The Modesto Bee reported: “Former astronaut Jose Hernandez and Rep. Jeff Denham differ politically, but until Wednesday they shared a need to catch up on some taxes. […] Both men paid the late taxes Wednesday shortly after being contacted by a McClatchy reporter.” [Modesto Bee, 4/22/12]

“Failed” Recovery Act Created Millions Of Jobs, Boosted GDP, And Cut Taxes

Recovery Act “Succeeded In…Protecting The Economy During The Worst Of The Recession.” From the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: “A new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report estimates that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) increased the number of people employed by between 200,000 and 1.5 million jobs in March. In other words, between 200,000 and 1.5 million people employed in March owed their jobs to the Recovery Act. […] ARRA succeeded in its primary goal of protecting the economy during the worst of the recession. The CBO report finds that ARRA’s impact on jobs peaked in the third quarter of 2010, when up to 3.6 million people owed their jobs to the Recovery Act. Since then, the Act’s job impact has gradually declined as the economy recovers and certain provisions expire.” [CBPP.org, 5/29/12]

At Its Peak, Recovery Act Was Responsible For Up To 3.6 Million Jobs. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office:

CBO estimates that ARRAs [sic] policies had the following effects in the third quarter of calendar year 2010:

• They raised real (inflation-adjusted) gross domestic product by between 1.4 percent and 4.1 percent,
• Lowered the unemployment rate by between 0.8 percentage points and 2.0 percentage points,
• Increased the number of people employed by between 1.4 million and 3.6 million, and
• Increased the number of full-time-equivalent (FTE) jobs by 2.0 million to 5.2 million compared with what would have occurred otherwise. (Increases in FTE jobs include shifts from part-time to full-time work or overtime and are thus generally larger than increases in the number of employed workers). [CBO.gov, 11/24/10]

Recovery Act Included $288 Billion In Tax Cuts. From PolitiFact: “Nearly a third of the cost of the stimulus, $288 billion, comes via tax breaks to individuals and businesses. The tax cuts include a refundable credit of up to $400 per individual and $800 for married couples; a temporary increase of the earned income tax credit for disadvantaged families; and an extension of a program that allows businesses to recover the costs of capital expenditures faster than usual. The tax cuts aren’t so much spending as money the government won’t get — so it can stay in the economy.” [PolitiFact.com, 2/17/10]