The lawmakers in the Golden State approved – with a 36-0 vote in the California State Senate and a 64-0 vote in the California State Assembly – the first state-funded guaranteed income program in the US and set aside some $35 million to be used for monthly cash payments to qualifying pregnant individuals and young adults who are no longer under foster care.
The guaranteed income program, which will be funded directly by the California taxpayers, does not stipulate how an individual may spend said funds, unlike traditional US government assistance programs, with the details like the average monthly payment amount remaining unknown.
The local governments and organizations will be determining the size of the monthly payments, which generally range from $500 to $1,000 in existing programs around the country with the state Department of Social Services deciding who will get the funding
The program that received support from all California state lawmakers was proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in May as a way to use part of the state’s budget surplus of more than $75 billion, but many right-leaning opponents argue that it would chip away at the average American’s worth ethic, and could create additional tax burdens.
Others like Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, believe that taxpayer’s money could be better used for scholarships, for example, than for a guaranteed income program, calling it a wealth transfer from productive individuals to those who may choose not to be productive.
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