SACRAMENTO—Assemblymember Evan Low (D–Silicon Valley) introduced AB 2712 this week, which would establish the California Universal Basic Income (CalUBI) program to provide all Californians over the age of 18 with the option to receive $1,000 per month.
AB 2712 is modeled after former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang’s Freedom Dividend. Yang popularized the idea on the campaign trail, claiming that the Freedom Dividend would “help society transform through the greatest automation wave in human history.”
“We must continue the conversation on how the job loss that comes with automation will profoundly change our economy,” said Assemblymember Evan Low. “The innovations and technologies created in California today are already disrupting our workforce. It’s time that we consider the merits of expanding economic security through a universal basic income.”
Those currently receiving benefits from California social safety net programs like CalWORKS and CalFresh would have a choice between participation in those programs or the CalUBI program.
Currently, the City of Stockton is experimenting with a form of universal basic income by giving a select group of 125 residents $500 per month for 18 months. Initial data from the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED) show that recipients, by and large, spend the money on basic essentials like food, clothes, and utility bills.
In the State of Alaska, since 1980 all residents receive a check ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 per year from the Alaska Permanent Fund (APF), which is funded by oil revenues. One study estimated that the APF dividend “lifted 15,000 to 25,000 Alaskans out of poverty annually.”
23 comments
Very Simply this is a way for taxpayers to provide a monthly salary to
VOTE DEMOCRAT
Instead of worrying about
income inequality
We taxpayers are getting screwed by
Effort Inequality
I propose BASIC JOBS
Why stop at just 1,000 and knot 3 or 5 thousand. Oh also free housing and pay for there education through college. The state can certainly do this by getting rid of high speed rail. Raise taxes on all corporations and individuals. Healthcare too. Yes this is all stupid and so is giving people 1,000 bucks.
Let’s see Mr. Low’s math on just where the money for this will come from. Citing Alaska as an example is utterly irrelevant – Alaska is unique – a state with a very small population and it’s unique Permanent Fund.
Alaska with their small population is only giving out approximately 80-170 dollars per month to each resident. Unlike the $1000 per month Mr Low wants to give. 700,000+ residents compared to 40,000,000 residents.
This is probably one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard, the President is trying to get people jobs, off welfare and food stamps and this dummy is trying to keep people in line for government cheese. Mr Low also brought forth AB 2020 earlier this month trying to ban State of California employees from staying at Trump hotels while traveling on state business. How about we find them a job instead of another free handout.
Why not invest in getting people trained in a trade? What is the saying….Teach a man to fish….
Promote being self sufficient and not adult dependents of the government. Let people earn their money, feel good about themselves and what they’ve accomplished? Too much like right I guess….
MsKris, that makes too much sense, they want to buy votes with other people’s money. Sick and pathetic these socialists are. Everyone with common sense knows socialism does not work and will collapse on itself in time.
Just another idiot assembly member. Well moron where are you going to get the money for that? I see, more taxes……
Let’s review: Automation is the reason people on CalWORKs and CalFresh need “universal income” for income they never had before automation. Is that correct Mr. Low?
I’ll try to stand out from you negative NPC’s. When your first actor turned president (Reagan) made income inequality the worst it’s ever been, we’ve never recovered. He was a true Republican in that this country is for the top 0.1% not for the common man. We’re still experiencing the effects of this and the myth of “trickle down economics”. But now it’s 2020, salaries and hourly wages have stagnated while inflation has skyrocketed rents, taxes, gas prices, etc. There’s plenty of money for the American people, but you right wingers worship the ultra rich like they’re Gods chosen people. Not everyone is as lucky as you. Have some compassion and empathy for those less fortunate. But oh no, that’s what Jesus actually taught, something that you modern day “Christians” and right wingers know nothing about.
Well, Mary Beth! I am not a “Christian” nor espouse any other religion, so I guess I can pretty much express my thoughts and not get blasted by they likes of you and your kind. There is no such thing as income “equality” nor should there ever be. Different jobs have different monetary values. An MD should not be earning the same salary as a janitor, don’t you agree? The person who heads the company which supplies the janitors should get paid more than each janitor because that person RISKS his own capital to open and run a business? Is that a problem? Many people are playing you using their lack of ambition and refusal to learn new skills just so they can become BEGGARS for life. They count on BLEEDING HEARTS such as you to take care of them. You’re actually doing them more harm than good.
Exactly, that’s why I’m tired of hearing about assistance for veterans. A lot of them do the bare minimum and expect the world after basic training or in the reserves. They’re turning into these whiny millennials coming out of college. That’s why so many “veterans” are lazy and become homeless addicts because they aren’t resourceful and expect everything to be handed to them like the VA and GI Bill. No more handouts for veterans. No more handouts to those with disabilities. If you can’t work, then starve like the rest of us.
Awesome Maureen. Couldn’t be said better. I wonder how many homeless MaryBeth has at her house or is MaryBeth suckling off some else. Those rich people she claims are to the right is just stupid. Bloomberg, Oprah, and other overpaid actors would disagree with your BS MaryBeth but god bless you anyway.
communism 101
communism 101. very likely cummyfornia will collapse in a few years.
You guys like socialism when it’s for the billionaires, corporations, banks, etc. You guys love to fetishize over the wealthy that you’ll never become.
There is no human right for basic income, there is no human right for healthcare, there is no human right for a job, there is no human right for anything handed to you. But there is the unalienable human right for freedom and liberty.
Some fat cow in Oakland decided that “housing is a human right” because she said so. The idiots who run that city latched onto it and they are now going to be sued and tied up in the courts for probably generations.
To add to this: We are a nice people and help people in need by ensuring everyone has to eat and we protect everybody’s life. But the socialists say everybody has a human right for entitlements. That is wrong. Because this would require the government to provide all these services to everyone. And that is socialism by definition.
Why work? Eliminate incentive. Let’s keep a permanent underclass in the state to perpetuate a large block of voters who are dependent upon Democrats to continue to provide them with all the money & services that are required to sustain them on the liberal plantation known as California. That should keep the Democrats in power forever…… unless the Eloi population ever, ever, wakes up….. and realizes they are being used like cattle.
Why work? Eliminate incentive. Let’s keep a permanent underclass in the state to perpetuate a large block of voters who are dependent upon Democrats to continue to provide them with all the money & services that are required to sustain them on the liberal plantation known as California. That should keep the Democrats in power forever…… unless the Eloi population ever, ever, wakes up….. and realizes they are being used like cattle.
Why work? Eliminate incentive. Let’s keep a permanent underclass in the state to perpetuate a large block of voters who are dependent upon Democrats to continue to provide them with all the money & services that are required to sustain them on the liberal plantation known as California. That should keep the Democrats in power forever…… unless the Eloi population ever, ever, wakes up….. and realizes they are being used like cattle.
Didn’t Andrew Yang drop out of running? I wonder why? He was promulgating that $1000/per month stipend for everyone over 18 …… so, what happened? No takers? He sure turned tail and ran!
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