Los Angeles County is set to consider a proposal that would create a universal income pilot program and give up to 1,000 residents $1,000 per month for three years.
The county’s supervisory board will vote on the proposal Tuesday, which establishes a “poverty alleviation policy agenda” and seeks to give direct payments to some residents living at or below the poverty line.
The COVID-19 pandemic worsened inequality, and the safety net structure does not adequately address poverty in the county, said Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Sheila Kuehl in their motion.
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“The coronavirus crisis has heightened and made more vivid what was already clear to many: the inequities in our economy have been a matter of life and death for many of our most vulnerable county residents,” according to the motion. “Prior to the COVID-19 epidemic, the safety net failed to address the structural issues that have been keeping many children and their families trapped in poverty.”
Mitchell and Kuehl pointed to other California cities that established universal basic income pilots of their own, including the city of Stockton, which gave 125 residents $500 per month for two years beginning in 2019.
“A guaranteed income program provides households with financial stability during sharp economic swings, alleviates stress and broadens recipients’ horizons, allowing them the time to complete deferred schooling and plans to fully participate in their communities,” the motion stated.
If passed, the board would “recognize, affirm, and declare that poverty and economic opportunity is a matter of public health in Los Angeles County and that economic inequity exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting our county’s public health,” the results of which are “large disparities in family stability, economic stability, health and mental wellness, education, employment, public safety, criminal justice and housing.”
The motion also directs the county’s CEO to establish a “countywide poverty alleviation initiative,” which must include an implementation plan that identifies “appropriative funding and administrative support” for the income pilot program.
The county would need to raise at least $36 million to pay for the proposed program, according to the Los Angeles Times.
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The Washington Examiner reached out to Mitchell and Kuehl for comment on their proposal but did not immediately receive a response.
