That might be why IRS National Office was blindsided by this.  They figured California was the same as Virginia, where many of them live.  (It's more conservative than DC and Maryland, and IRS employees are more conservative.)  Not only did Virginia call it a rebate, but it looks like it only went to people who paid state income tax.  It's not clear to me, though:  If your tax liability was only $100, did you still get the $250?  Or was it limited to the $100?