St. Paul Senator Proposes Basic Income Plan

A bill introduced by DFL Senator Omar Fateh would provide eligible Minnesotans with monthly income payments ranging from $350 to $1,200. Applicants would not be required to demonstrate proof of residency or citizenship.

Described as a “self-identified socialist,” Sen. Fateh has come under scrutiny recently for being tied to the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal, as reported by Center of the American Experiment.

More recently, Sen. Fateh came under fire for referring to his Republican colleagues as “terrorists” and “white supremacists” during a speech on the Senate floor.

The basic income bill (HF 2666/SF 2559) states its purpose is to “disrupt poverty, build wealth, advance equity, and support a recipient’s basic needs.”

Center of the American Experiment’s Bill Glahn reports,

“The money would not be given directly to recipients by the state. Instead, the money would be distributed as grants to local governments and nonprofits, to redistribute in turn. Grantees would decide the eligibility criteria for basic income recipients. Recipients would receive the monthly cash payments for 1 to 2 years.”

Similar legislation in the House (HF 2008) would give $1,000 per month to homeless adults ages 18-24 who live in Hennepin County and St. Louis County over the span of two years.

Democrats have long floated the idea of universal income. We asked ourselves not too long ago just how far they would go. It looks like we’re about to find out.