While former presidential hopeful and entrepreneur Andrew Yang had a lot of people talking about universal basic income (UBI), he is far from the only politician to advocate for the program. In fact, Michael Tubbs, the mayor of Stockton, California, is not only a major advocate for UBI—he has actually run a pilot program in his own city. As part of Stockton’s experimental pilot program, 125 residents who earned less than the city’s median annual income (about $46,000 per year) received $500 from the city on a monthly basis. Stockton’s program, known as the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED), is an 18-month pilot and made Stockton the first city in the United States to try out UBI in a real way.
Tubbs linked up with Daily Kos behind the scenes at last summer’s Netroots Nation to talk about UBI, why it matters, and a realistic path forward for the program. Of course, it’s nearly impossible to talk about UBI without discussing some of the major misconceptions, including the argument that it’s a “handout.” On that note, Tubbs says that “folks just need a floor upon which to build upon” and that people “deserve an income floor.” What do we actually do achieve this inspiring goal? Check out the Making Progress with Mayor Tubbs below.
Question 1: What’s the No. 1 thing you want people who think Universal Basic Income is a “handout” to know?
The No. 1 thing I want people who think that basic income is a “handout” [to know] is that, in a country as great as ours, in the richest nation in the world, that folks just need a floor upon which to build upon. One in two Americans can't afford one $400 emergency. Wages have increased 6% since the late 70s, and folks are struggling. People like us, with lights and rents and all the necessities needed to be part of our community, so I want people to know we deserve an income floor. And it's not a new idea. It's something that's been talked about since Thomas Paine in the American Revolution in late 1700s to Dr. King in the 60s. It's idea whose time has come.
Question 2: What is the path to Universal Basic Income? How can we reasonably achieve this as a nation and not just dream about it?
I think the path to universal basic income is the same path we've taken to give trillions of dollars of tax cuts to the wealthy. It's really an issue of priorities and focus. So Sen. Kamala Harris has her LIFT Act and Congresswoman Rashida has her LIFT Plus Act, which is really using the tax code to make sure that folks who are filing taxes are given the benefits of $500 a month to do the things they need to do to provide for themselves and their families.
So I think that's a great start. But it's really a question of values. But what I realized, particularly in Stockton, which is a 60/40 Dem/Republican split, is that no matter how people vote in the presidential elections, everyone is trying to figure out how do I to pay for my rent or my mortgage? How do I pay for the healthcare bill? How do I pay for the car? People are really trying to [it] figure out and really struggling in the current economy. So I think the path to basic income is a path through us and really understanding kind of what we deserve and what we can afford.
Question 3: What do you see as the biggest barrier to economic growth in places like Stockton? What would it take to remove that barrier?
No. 1 is poverty. There's research that talks about how poverty affects brain development. The cortisol levels and things in brains change from living in poverty, so I think dealing with structural issues of poverty is a key issue. I also think [it’s] this idea of where the investments are.
So in Stockton, for example, we have two youth correctional facilities from the state. We have a $400 million state court house. But we're the largest city in the state of California without a public institution of higher learning. So, I think it's the investments that state and federal government makes in communities like Stockton. And understanding that the folks in Stockton are just as talented, just as smart as folks in Palo Alto or San Francisco or Los Angeles, and just need opportunity.
Bonus Question: If you could give advice to your teenage self, what would it be?
That’s a tough question. Let me think about that, actually. I was just a teenager like, yesterday, though. If I could give advice to my teenage self, I would say: "Turn your pain to purpose and really focus on what you're passionate about. With that passion, with that drive, with the real kind of ‘why’ behind what you're doing, you'll be successful.”
Want to check out more Making Progress interviews? Don’t skip North Dakota’s Ruth Buffalo on her historic win, how to support a progressive cause if you disagree with its tactics, and why the media needs to frame civil rights stories as being about injustice rather than unfairness.