AUGUSTA (WGME) – A legislative committee at the State House is looking into universal income for Maine residents.
The committee will spend the next year examining whether officials with the state of Maine should decide what Mainers need to get by and provide it.
It is a socialist concept that’s not without controversy.
“There’s an exploration and study that’s necessary. Now, obviously the price tag would be enormous so the question is how would we pay for it? Is it even feasible? It might not be in a state like Maine, but that’s our committee’s job,” said Sen. Shenna Bellows, D-Manchester.
Jay Posik of the Maine Heritage Policy Center, however, said universal income was “not really feasible unless we’re planting existing anti-poverty program spending. Something like a universal basic income could cost over $10 billion.”
Over the next year, the committee will talk with those they consider “experts” and then pitch a plan to the Maine Legislature.
