WAMU article about helping the city's poorest - could it help with DCPS?

[Anonymous]

I thought the disabled who are unable to work already receive checks.

If DC already has a homeless problem because we are more generous than the surround areas, why wouldn’t this also attract more people in need? Seems unfair since we can’t levy commuter taxes on the workers coming into the city every day from these same areas who pay less local taxes.

I think I would be Ok with this if we first built a WALL ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the city even have that much money in reserves?

No. One estimate given to the council is that it would cost more than the entire current District budget.

By providing a benefit that is unique in the area, DC will attract more people to move here for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. The commentariat will flood this with negative responses, but low-income students should get into any DCPS. To me that means you get a surpassing advantage to get any lottery-accessible seat if you have [X] to indicate your low income, e.g., housing vouchers, SNAP, WIC, tax returns - whatever DC uses to do this, preferably without having to have people check a box on the lottery sign up saying "YES I AM POOR HAVE PITY."

If Janney is full of Ward 8 students, so be it.

And then you'd be fine if people who stretch for a house in Upper NW are told that their kids have been assigned to the Mayor-for-Life Marion S. Barry Educational Center in far Southeast?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. The commentariat will flood this with negative responses, but low-income students should get into any DCPS. To me that means you get a surpassing advantage to get any lottery-accessible seat if you have [X] to indicate your low income, e.g., housing vouchers, SNAP, WIC, tax returns - whatever DC uses to do this, preferably without having to have people check a box on the lottery sign up saying "YES I AM POOR HAVE PITY."

If Janney is full of Ward 8 students, so be it.

I like it - this is how they do it in San Francisco, where there are no by-right schools and the whole thing is a lottery -- kids who live in the poorest areas get preference. (I know this bc one of our (wealthy) friends gamed the system by moving into a poor area for the lottery year. It worked -- they got into their top choice.)

Yes, and San Francisco public schools are now more segregated than ever before.
http://sfpublicpress.org/news/2015-02/as-parents-get-more-choice-sf-schools-resegregate

And SF public schools on a downward trajectory. Unless they can afford private schools, hardly any upper middle class parents with kids stay in the city anymore after their kids are of school age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's a good idea. My hometown just got a private grant to try out a universal basic income. No one really knows how it'll play out but clearly things aren't getting better so why not try it?

I have worked with "the city's poorest" and I'm OK with conditional direct payments: they should be tied to a work/study or counseling requirement and financial literacy classes. All handouts in DC including 8 new homeless shelters, subsidized housing etc. should be. They're paid for by the $ of people who work after all. And if the city really has tax surplus, better yet-- invest in HIGH QUALITY daycare, then offer it subsidized and require parents who use it to work, study or get counseling. If your children are taken care of, you CAN work. And if there is no work, the city should create jobs like cleaning and snow shoveling (to be clear, my grandma was a janitor. It's honest work). To get out of the cycle of poverty, these parents need to set an example of responsibility. Period. If the city simply doles out cash without that expectation, not only will things not change--they'll probably worsen.

+1
With the caveat that some people really aren't able to work due to age or disability, and work/study requirements shouldn't be disqualifiying for them. But payments conditional on your kids attending school, or you taking classes, or working? Fine with me. And I totally agree that the city should use the money to create jobs. Even part-time jobs would help. Most people want to have a job--it's a source not just of income but of self-respect. But there have to be jobs they can do and safe and reliable child care for those who need it.

And lots of people have proposed UBI; seems like it's worth a few places trying it to see how it actually works in practice.

Being a drug addict shouldn't be considered a disability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's a good idea. My hometown just got a private grant to try out a universal basic income. No one really knows how it'll play out but clearly things aren't getting better so why not try it?

I have worked with "the city's poorest" and I'm OK with conditional direct payments: they should be tied to a work/study or counseling requirement and financial literacy classes. All handouts in DC including 8 new homeless shelters, subsidized housing etc. should be. They're paid for by the $ of people who work after all. And if the city really has tax surplus, better yet-- invest in HIGH QUALITY daycare, then offer it subsidized and require parents who use it to work, study or get counseling. If your children are taken care of, you CAN work. And if there is no work, the city should create jobs like cleaning and snow shoveling (to be clear, my grandma was a janitor. It's honest work). To get out of the cycle of poverty, these parents need to set an example of responsibility. Period. If the city simply doles out cash without that expectation, not only will things not change--they'll probably worsen.

+1
With the caveat that some people really aren't able to work due to age or disability, and work/study requirements shouldn't be disqualifiying for them. But payments conditional on your kids attending school, or you taking classes, or working? Fine with me. And I totally agree that the city should use the money to create jobs. Even part-time jobs would help. Most people want to have a job--it's a source not just of income but of self-respect. But there have to be jobs they can do and safe and reliable child care for those who need it.

And lots of people have proposed UBI; seems like it's worth a few places trying it to see how it actually works in practice.

We already have UBI and shoukd formalizeut with a name change and requirement that people do something to continue to receive it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. The commentariat will flood this with negative responses, but low-income students should get into any DCPS. To me that means you get a surpassing advantage to get any lottery-accessible seat if you have [X] to indicate your low income, e.g., housing vouchers, SNAP, WIC, tax returns - whatever DC uses to do this, preferably without having to have people check a box on the lottery sign up saying "YES I AM POOR HAVE PITY."

If Janney is full of Ward 8 students, so be it.

And then you'd be fine if people who stretch for a house in Upper NW are told that their kids have been assigned to the Mayor-for-Life Marion S. Barry Educational Center in far Southeast?!

Move to the burbs or go private. Everyone knew that the DC schools could hold on for just so long.

[Anonymous]

Why not but them over way tickets to warmer places

[Anonymous]

Give stupid people free money and they'll spend it on stupid things like drugs, alcohol , TV's and fast food

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does the city even have that much money in reserves?

No. One estimate given to the council is that it would cost more than the entire current District budget.

By providing a benefit that is unique in the area, DC will attract more people to move here for it.

This is a valid point to consider. Look how there was a spike in DCs homeless population when the DC council enacted policies and benefits that far exceeded what neighboring jurisdictions provide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the city even have that much money in reserves?

Nope, but if they stop stealing money left and right "educating" kids at Ballou, Ellington and a dozen others, they will find enough money to fund programs like those described in the article.