FAQ
What is HudsonUP?
HudsonUP is a basic income pilot in Hudson, NY launched in the Fall of 2020. Created by The Spark of Hudson, in partnership with the Greater Hudson Promise Neighborhood, Mayor Kamal Johnson, and other community leaders and members, the first cohort of the pilot launched with 25 participants. The second cohort, launched in the Fall of 2021, has 50 participants, and the third cohort launched in the Fall of 2022 has 53 participants. A total of 128 city of Hudson residents were selected to participate in the basic income pilot. HudsonUP is one of many guaranteed or basic income pilots. HudsonUP staff and Advisory Board Members are involved with the Guaranteed Income Communities of Practice, Mayors for Guaranteed Income, and have participated in numerous conferences and press to discuss the Pilot’s progress and impact.
How much money will participants receive?
Participants will be given $500 each month for 5 years (i.e., 60 monthly payments of $500 or $30,000 in total).
Who was eligible for the Pilot, and how were participants selected?
Residents of the City of Hudson, NY who are above the age of 18 and earn less than the median annual income of the city of Hudson are eligible to be selected. Participants may be single, married, with children or without. Selection will be conducted via a random lottery, weighted by equity factors, and overseen by independent researchers.
What are participants’ obligations?
There will be no limits placed on how participants spend the money over the course of the pilot. Participants are required to provide up-to-date contact information to HudsonUP staff, but participants have no ongoing obligations or requirements otherwise. All research and story-telling opportunities that participants may engage in are voluntary.
Will participants lose other public benefits that they might currently be receiving?
This question can only be answered on a case-by-case basis. Prior to committing to participating, all recipients are offered opportunities for benefits’ counseling to decide if participation is best for their specific situation.
Will participants’ identities be publicly disclosed?
The program will not disclose the identities of the participants publicly, however, participants are free to do so personally if they wish. All press and other inquiries related to the program and its participants must be sent to info@hudsonup.org.
What support will be available for participants?
Participants have access to program staff and are encouraged to reach out with any questions or issues they may encounter. Participants who wish to participate in research or story-telling opportunities will be supported by HudsonUP staff throughout the process.
How can I provide input or ask a question?
All feedback and questions can be sent via email to info@hudsonup.org.
I’m now convinced that the simplest approach will prove to be the most effective —the solution to poverty is to abolish it directly by a now widely discussed measure: the guaranteed income.
— Martin Luther King Jr.
“Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community” (1967)
UBI FAQ
What is Universal Basic Income (UBI)?
Universal Basic Income, sometimes called “Unconditional Basic Income,” is a monthly payment that everyone receives. It does not depend on factors such as employment, family status, or location.
Why do we need UBI?
The existing social system was created in the industrial age, which was built on the need for lots of human labor. Thanks to digital technology, we now have intelligent machines, which make it possible for humans to have more time for activities that let us be truly human, such as creating art and music, conducting scientific research, spending time with friends and family, enjoying and taking care of nature, and so much more. UBI frees people to decide what they want to work on (that of course includes making more money if they want to).
How else does UBI help people?
UBI gives people bargaining power because it gives them the ability to walk away from a bad job, from an abusive partner and from a bad neighborhood. People who are stuck and at the mercy of someone else just to be able to have food and shelter will be taken advantage of. The founding spirit of the United States was one of independence, which at the time was achieved through subsistence farming. Today that is no longer viable as there are far too many of us but UBI accomplishes the same.
What is the relationship of UBI to entrepreneurship and small business?
In the United States entrepreneurship has been on the decline. People are starting fewer small businesses than ever before. Why? Most people, even when holding down multiple jobs, do not have any savings that let them take a risk. And starting a small business is a risk and requires time. As the move to online shopping is reducing the need for retail locations, there is plenty of space for new business formation. UBI will enable people to start those businesses.
How is UBI different from existing social programs?
Most existing social programs provide a strong disincentive to work. Why? When someone starts to work they lose their benefits. That often means the effective tax rate on their income is 100% or more! Also, existing social programs are means-tested creating a huge administrative overhead.
Who has supported UBI?
Support for UBI goes back to the founding of the United States and the writing of Thomas Payne. Since then as diverse a group as Milton Friedman and Martin Luther King Jr. have supported UBI. Andrew Yang ran on a UBI platform in the Presidential Primary. The Pope has called for UBI in one of his most recent letters.
Where will the money for UBI come from?
UBI is eminently affordable for an economy the size and productivity of the United States. The money can come from a combination of changes in existing government programs and in how money is created in the economy. See the additional reading resources at the end of this FAQ for detailed proposals on how to accomplish this.
Won’t people simply stop working once they receive UBI?
There is no evidence of that from the UBI trials that have been conducted around the world going back to the 1970s. People do take better care of themselves, their families and friends, they start small businesses, they move, they work a bit less (little or no overtime), they learn new skills, and many more positive outcomes.
Won’t UBI result in higher prices defeating itself?
Technology has been massively deflationary driving down the prices of many goods and services. The three areas that have become more expensive in the United States are healthcare, education and housing. UBI helps to drive down prices in those. For housing, UBI allows people to move to areas that are cheaper to live in (for example, the city of Detroit was giving away empty houses). For education, UBI allows people to access affordable and sometimes even free online educational resources. For healthcare, UBI makes preventative care accessible to all.
How can I ask a question that is not covered here?
We plan to expand this FAQ over time. Questions or comments may be submitted to info@hudsonup.org.
Where can I learn more about UBI?
You can watch an excellent video by Rutger Bregman or read his wonderful book Utopia for Realists. You can follow Scott Santens on Twitter and checkout his massive website about UBI.
Additional Reading:
World After Capital by Albert Wenger
Raising the Floor by Andy Stern
The War on Normal People by Andrew Yang