Universal Health Care and Basic Income is too controversial. Universal basic utilities (internet, electricity/gas, purified water) seem likely to be accepted versus giving everyone free money and health care.
Ask HN: Why can't tax pay for universal basic utilities?
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Re: Ask HN: Why can't tax pay for universal basic utilities?
#2Universal health care is not controversial in developed countries outside of the US.
Universal basic utilities wouldn't work because it would need to be means-tested, and that's not easy to do. A household with $0 of income might have a secret $100M fortune somewhere. Should they get free electricity?
It makes much more sense to have affordable utilities and just give people cash. If they want to use 10% of the electricity of their neighbors, they should be able to save some money.
Re: Ask HN: Why can't tax pay for universal basic utilities?
#3Same reason why universal health care is controversial: "I don't use as much as them, why should I pay for their use?"
Re: Ask HN: Why can't tax pay for universal basic utilities?
#4The people you're forcing to pay for yours can move to another state.
Re: Ask HN: Why can't tax pay for universal basic utilities?
#5Basic Income and forget about it.
Re: Ask HN: Why can't tax pay for universal basic utilities?
#6Universal health care is not controversial in developed countries outside of the US. Universal basic utilities wouldn't work because it would need to be means-tested, and that's not easy to do. A household with $0 of income might have a secret $100M fortune somewhere. Should they get free electricity? It makes much more sense to have affordable utilities and just give people cash. If they want to use 10% of the elect…
> Universal health care is not controversial in developed countries outside of the US.
I'm canadian and our universal healthcare system sucks. It's very controversial here. Universal often means universally bad - picture your typical interaction with the government bureaucracy and imagine that for something important. It's the same reason you wouldn't want government run utilities (which Canada also has)
Re: Ask HN: Why can't tax pay for universal basic utilities?
#7It could. You could establish a baseline and then have people pay an excess, or just cover it all. Probably only the former is viable.
In the latter case, such a tax doesn't discourage heavy users, it's a lot easier to abuse things when you don't have a direct correlation for how much it's costing; why not have a 1 hour shower? It's only 0.0001c to the taxpayer, and you've had a hard day! Comparatively, if you have to pay for largesse yourself, you may be less likely to splurge as much. Of course, there'll still be a 1% who does because money is nothing to them, but moderately wealthy people won't be so prone to doing so.
We do want to discourage rampant energy and water usage at the end of the day, so fully covering it may not be the best idea.
Re: Ask HN: Why can't tax pay for universal basic utilities?
#8It could. You could establish a baseline and then have people pay an excess, or just cover it all. Probably only the former is viable. In the latter case, such a tax doesn't discourage heavy users, it's a lot easier to abuse things when you don't have a direct correlation for how much it's costing; why not have a 1 hour shower? It's only 0.0001c to the taxpayer, and you've had a hard day! Comparatively, if you have t…
> there'll still be a 1% who does because money is nothing to them
I recently heard someone well off describe fines like parking as "the cost to park here".
Re: Ask HN: Why can't tax pay for universal basic utilities?
#9It could. You could establish a baseline and then have people pay an excess, or just cover it all. Probably only the former is viable. In the latter case, such a tax doesn't discourage heavy users, it's a lot easier to abuse things when you don't have a direct correlation for how much it's costing; why not have a 1 hour shower? It's only 0.0001c to the taxpayer, and you've had a hard day! Comparatively, if you have t…
> there'll still be a 1% who does because money is nothing to them I recently heard someone well off describe fines like parking as "the cost to park here".
Yes, other taxation devices should be created to target such individuals.
Re: Ask HN: Why can't tax pay for universal basic utilities?
#10People will use (waste) more energy and water when they are not paying for it. Do you want to encourage huge homes with high heating and cooling bills?