brienOct 15, 2024
Craig LeMoult

Salem is the latest Massachusetts city to launch a program to provide a guaranteed income to some of its residents living in poverty. Salem announced today that it will begin taking applications for a lottery that will give $500 a month to 100 residents, no strings attached. The city is using federal ARPA dollars to fund the project. Other Mass. cities with similar programs are trying to figure out how to fund them when that money runs out.

Here's my @gbhnews story: https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2024-10-15/salem-launches-guaranteed-income-program-for-100-residents-living-in-poverty

Salem launches guaranteed-income program for 100 residents living in poverty

Salem is using federal ARPA dollars to fund the project. Other Mass. cities with similar programs are trying to figure out how to fund them when that money runs out.

GBH
Oct 15, 2024 at 3:29pmWeb
Show threadJohn RefiorOct 15, 2024

@craiglemoult @gbhnews
“will give $500 a month over the next year to 100 residents living at or below the federal poverty line”

What makes this aid so, so good is the targeting. There is no more simple and efficient way to help people or boost the economy than to give cash to those who don’t have it.

The federal poverty line is too low though, so an ideal program would also give progressively less cash to others, up to around the 60th percentile of income

Show threadJohn RefiorOct 15, 2024
And an ideal program would be paired with a wealth tax, which would both pay for the program, and reduce the inflationary effect. Which would in turn allow for much larger monthly payments to the poor.
Show threadJohn BreenOct 15, 2024
@craiglemoult @gbhnews OK, wait, Salem, and Lottery ?