MGI Applauds Gov. Newsom’s Golden State Stimulus Proposal

Michael D. Tubbs, former Stockton Mayor and founder and chair of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, released this statement following Governor Newsom’s call for a “Golden State Stimulus” which would provide $600 to EITC-eligible Californians:

“In a pandemic and economic crisis, people need cash to survive. Even if people have the ability to stay home, the bills keep coming. The Golden State Stimulus will provide a badly needed boost to the federal $600 check and enables the most economically vulnerable California families to decide how to best spend their money - providing a lifeline and a sense of dignity to recipients. As we saw in the Stockton guaranteed income demonstration, people use cash for basic needs - food, utilities and childcare. Mayors for a Guaranteed Income applauds this step by Governor Newsom to put money in the pockets of struggling families. Our state continues to lead the way on cash-based policies, with guaranteed income pilots underway or in the works in Compton, Long Beach, Los Angeles and Oakland.

While these city and state steps are important, we need to go further, which is why we are calling on federal leaders to adopt guaranteed income: recurring, no-strings attached cash payments. As we see in guaranteed income pilots led by mayors throughout the country, direct cash builds economic resilience and ensures everyone has a floor so that if a pandemic or other emergency occurs occurs, we are able to feed our families, go to the doctor, pay our bills and keep our economy going. As we transition to the Biden-Harris Administration and the opportunity to pass meaningful relief with Democratic control of both chambers of Congress, we urge federal lawmakers to pass recurring cash payments immediately.”

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