The first results from a Universal Basic Income (UBI) experiment in Stockton, California are in—and guess what? They’re already disproving one of the most popular arguments levied against UBI, which is that recipients will use the money on frivolous purchases. In Stockton, the early results show most of the 125 people in the program used the $500 they received each month for food, utility bills, and clothing. A new Associated Press story breaks down the spending: recipients spent about 40 percent of the funds on food, 24 percent on sales and merchandise, and 11 percent on utility bills. They spent the remainder on car maintenance, medical expenses, insurance, education, self-care, and even donations. Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs is hopeful the new data will help “win over” skeptics of UBI — and potentially convince lawmakers to take the program nationwide.
Stockton UBI experiment: recipients are spending money only to cover basic needs
More of Today's Solutions
Naples lets blind visitors feel the Veiled Christ
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM On a Tuesday morning in Naples, a guide named Chiara Locovardi ran her gloved fingers across a marble ...
Read MoreUrban coyotes are denning next door: here’s what to know
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Somewhere near you, a coyote may be nursing a litter of pups right now. She chose her den ...
Read MoreCompany that raised minimum salaries to $70,000 is still thriving
Almost seven years ago, The Optimist Daily did a piece on Dan Price, CEO of the credit card processing company Gravity Payments. At the ...
Read MoreUsing the Paralympics to encourage conversations about limb differences with ...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Children are naturally curious about the world around them, especially the people that cross their paths. When kids ...
Read More
