A People's Dividend

Even as the GDP and stock market reach all time highs, the divide between the wealthy and the poor grows ever wider and with it comes a whole host of societal problems.

Universal basic income is possible at the state level and could be structured in a very similar way to the famous Alaska Permanent Fund which pays out cold hard money to every Alaskan on a yearly basis based on Alaska's oil profits.

Washington is home to growing industries and world-leading businesses. From tech, to aerospace, to coffee - Washington is an incredibly lucrative place for commerce. But these profits should not only go to the executives and investors - this wealth must be shared and felt broadly across Washington state.

By enacting a windfall profits tax on top businesses in Washington and then distributing those funds evenly as a direct cash payout to all residents, the prosperity of our business sector will become synonymous with a prosperous people. No longer will "business interests" be seen and treated as separate from "people interests."

This will not only provide much needed economic relief to many people, it will also increase spending and commerce for all Washington businesses as the people of our state have a bit more cash in their pockets with which to participate in our consumer economy.

Damages & Reparations Payments

The infrastructure established to pay out dividends to all Washingtonians could also function as a means of quickly, easily, and reliably paying out to communities who have been negatively and unfairly impacted by Washington policy decisions. These funds could be dispersed as increased payments on top of the standard dividend payouts.