LOS ANGELES—Eric Garcetti, the Democrat mayor of Los Angeles, outlined the city’s budget that takes effect on July 1 and includes $24 million earmarked for a Guaranteed Basic Income pilot program that will provide 2,000 low-income families with $1,000 a month for the year.
Fox 11 reported that Garcetti called the program the largest in the country and said the families will receive the funds, "no questions asked."
"We’re betting that one small but steady investment for Angeleno households will pay large dividends for health and stability across our city and light a fire across our nation," he said.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the budget will be released on Tuesday. The paper said the Los Angeles City Council also plans to send more than $11 million in funds from the police department to new initiatives in poorer areas of the city. The paper pointed out that the budget needs to be approved by the City Council.
"This is not small ball," Garcetti said. "It isn’t just the biggest budget I’ve ever overseen – it’s the most progressive, and I would argue the most progressive in the country."