Friday, February 15, 2019

Basic Income -- Stockton, CA -- The Experiment Begins -- February 15, 2019

Stockton, CA, 2018 - 2019, budget. Link here.
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-19 Annual Budget is balanced and reflects the City Council’s targets and goals. The FY 2018-19 Annual Budget is $709 million from all funding sources and supports 1,705 full- time positions. This includes $221 million for General Fund operations, $136 million for water, sewer, and stormwater utility operations and capital projects, and $352 million for all other activities.
From SacBee:
After months of planning, Stockton is sending debit cards loaded with $500 to a select group of 130 residents starting Friday as part of a closely watched experiment in universal basic income, the first led by a U.S. city. Stockton, once dubbed “America’s foreclosure capital,” was the largest city to seek bankruptcy protection before Detroit’s 2013 filing. During the recession, unemployment soared toward 20 percent, and violent crime rose. Today, one in four residents lives below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 
The debit cards will go out monthly for 18 months.

$500 / month *18 months * 130 residents = $1.2 million.

"$352 million for all other activities."

Doomsday Chronicles: not many updates needed since President Obama left office.

Doomsday: US cities: tracked here. Ditto.

2 comments:

  1. $500 in California, wont even get you a decent night out, "Dinner and a movie" style.
    Except the local pushers to start accepting Debit cards for their transactions

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    Replies
    1. Wow, I agree 1000%. I would never call $500 "peanuts/crumbs" like Pelosi would but I would sure like to see how the 130 folks/families were selected (the criteria) and then how the results are going to be evaluated. One wonders if photo ID is even required. My hunch: probably not.

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