Study of Stockton's universal basic-income program shows success

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Recipients of the monthly payments were twice as likely to gain full-time employment than others, according to data analysis by a pair of independent researchers, Stacia West of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and Amy Castro Baker of the University of Pennsylvania. Most of the money distributed was spent on food or other essentials. Tobacco or alcohol made up less than 1 percent of tracked purchases.

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As lawmakers in Washington consider limiting eligibility for coronavirus stimulus aid, Michael Tubbs, the former mayor of Stockton who began the program in 2017, said the research provides clear support for giving regular payments to people in need -- a theory that was once deemed fringe but popularized more recently by tech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang.