The Universal Income Project, a basic income advocacy group headquartered in San Francisco, is hosting a Q&A with California state senator Bob Wieckowski on basic income and carbon dividends.
This free public event will take place on July 25 at Covo, a coworking space in San Francisco.
Bob Wieckowski, CC BY 2.0 Internet Association
Wieckowski, along with Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de León, was a sponsor of Senate Bill 775 (SB 775), introduced earlier this year, which proposed to revise the state’s carbon cap-and-trade program and institute a small basic income in the state.
Under SB 775, a portion of the new carbon revenue would be directed towards a newly created California Climate Dividend Program, which would distribute quarterly cash payments to all individual residents of California. The bill proposed a Climate Dividend Access Board to work with state officials to develop a mechanism to deliver the quarterly dividends (see the previous Basic Income News article “California State Legislature to Consider Carbon Dividend”).
Many American proponents of basic income see a carbon dividend, such as that proposed by SB 775, as a politically feasible stepping stone to a universal basic income of a livable amount.
At present, however, California is unlikely actually to adopt such a policy: on Monday, July 17, the state legislature voted to extend the state’s current carbon cap-and-trade program, which had been set to expire in 2020, through 2030. This program does not include a dividend.
For more information about the Q&A with Bob Wieckowski, see Eventbrite and Facebook.
Top photo: Coal power plant in southern California, CC BY 2.0 Rennett Stowe.
A number of countries are still just developing and advertising free money and unconditional help is not OK right now. Min income is also a milterism, The idea of treating everyone the same really from in the military. We have different employers and serve in military or police at different times. America is a productive, work focused country. We pay taxes for everything we have, There is also unpaid work which is indirect economic contribution. The government is a middleman in capitalism and an international middle in socialism. You can’t take someone’s money, give it to their neighbors and call that free or universal. It is very important to also think about public safety and diversity and shared spaces. America is international, We are mainly white, black, and Asian and are open for tech and development. Advertising free handouts, free money, unconditional money is not our job in America. People are supposed to come here for sciences. not support. Life is hard in America and its not for everyone. A number of countries are still developing , they may not banks yet, and throwing around money right above South America is not fair, it could also an immigration frenzie, and it also creates a market for illegal passports and IDS which can really hurt people. Don’t live in a middle-class fantasy or endanger the public. Please continue to support people who need help with discression. Addicts are also not allowed money, they are given food , service, and suppose to have shelter without actually exchanging money for their own personal safety. Please think about regional programs and iniatives that are confidential and private, everyone has the right to financial privacy as individuals,groups, or region or state. Confidential tax credits or working poor income supplements, that are not advertised, are a much safer more secure way to help people. Please think with your head and certainly be aware of safety, once all countries are developed then universal benefits might be a good idea. Sorry for my English. I’m from Africa.