Santa Fe Just Agreed To Send Some Parents $400 Per Month
New Mexico could become the second state to implement a statewide universal basic income program.
The city of Santa Fe is testing out universal basic income, or guaranteed monthly payments, for 100 parents under the age of 30 who attend Santa Fe Community College. They'll get $400 monthly payments, also known as a "stability stipend," for a year, and if that local pilot program goes well, lawmakers are considering moving forward with a similar statewide proposal.
"I think that $400 is a heckuva lot of money to a heckuva lot of people in this state," Albuquerque Rep. Antonio Maestas said during a committee hearing on Monday.
Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber, who testified at the hearing, expressed support for guaranteed monthly payments, saying that they are "exactly what we need to break the cycle of poverty."