Legislation has been introduced in Maryland, proposing a guaranteed income pilot program to give low-income families direct cash benefits for their basic needs, such as food and utilities.
$500 monthly checks for 2 years could be given to residents in Maryland. (Photo: CNET)
$500 Guaranteed Income for 2 Years
The proposed plan could provide needy Americans with $500 per month for two years, helping them to pay for their basic necessities. This plan would be modeled after the Stockton, California guaranteed income pilot program, which was successful in reducing income volatility among the recipients and helping them find full-time work.
Under the new proposal, 200 low-income families would be chosen to receive monthly cash stipends for 24 months. While the exact details have not been provided yet, the eligibility could be similar to that of the Stockton program, which required the beneficiaries to have an income below $46,034, according to a report published in The U.S. Sun.
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Source of Fund for the Guaranteed Income
The Greater Washington Community Foundation has already secured $2 million to fund the pilot program, but the bill would need to be passed by the Prince George’s County Council and signed by the mayor to become law. The program would need another $2 million in funding to run.
Krystal Oriadha, one of the members of the Prince George’s County Council, said that the pilot program could provide direct cash benefits to low-income families to support their basic needs. This would help families who have been struggling to make ends meet and could reduce income volatility among the recipients.
The Stockton program has been hailed as a success story around the country, and the proposed plan in Prince George’s could follow in its footsteps. While it is not guaranteed that the bill will pass and become law, the proposal has been made to help low-income families get direct financial assistance to support their basic needs.
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