Overview:

Vernon Guaranteed Income Measure – Draft Overview

This proposal would create a 2-year guaranteed income program for Vernon residents.

• Every registered voter in Vernon would receive $1,500 per month for 24 months.

• The City must launch the program within 6 months of voter approval.

• The program is funded directly from the City’s reserves.

• Payments will be made in addition to other city services – no one loses eligibility.

• The City may run the program directly or hire an outside administrator, but administrative costs are capped at 5% and cannot reduce the $1,500/month payments.

• The City will publish public reports during the program and a final evaluation at the end.

This is a draft for feedback, not yet filed with the City Clerk.

Working text (legal draft):

Vernon Guaranteed Income Pilot

Section 1. Title

This measure shall be known and may be cited as the Vernon Guaranteed Income Pilot Act of 2025.

Section 2. Findings and Purpose

The People of the City of Vernon find and declare:

(a) Cities across California — including Compton, Long Beach, and South Los Angeles — have successfully implemented guaranteed income pilots funded with public resources. These programs demonstrated measurable public benefits such as improved financial stability, increased civic engagement, and enhanced public health outcomes.

(b) Vernon’s small residential population, strong fiscal position, and unique governance make it an ideal location for a measurable, equitable, and time-limited guaranteed income program.

(c) This measure establishes a fixed-term pilot program to directly benefit all registered voters of Vernon while protecting the city’s financial health and business-friendly environment.

Section 3. Program Requirements

(a) Implementation Deadline: The City shall establish and fully implement the Vernon Guaranteed Income Pilot within six (6) months of this measure’s effective date.

(b) Duration: The program shall operate for twenty-four (24) consecutive months from the first month in which payments are issued.

(c) Benefit Amount: Each registered voter in the City of Vernon as of the measure’s effective date shall receive $1,500 per month for the program duration.

(d) Residency Verification: The City shall establish a clear and transparent process to verify residency and voter registration status to ensure program integrity.

Section 4. Funding Source

(a) The Vernon Guaranteed Income Pilot shall be funded from the City’s General Fund reserves, including both unassigned and assigned reserves.

(b) All reserves designated as “assigned” are hereby unassigned to the extent necessary to fund the program.

(c) The City shall appropriate and allocate sufficient funds to cover the full cost of the program, including permitted administrative costs, within sixty (60) days of the effective date of this measure.

(d) If any portion of this section is held invalid or unlawful, such provision shall be severable and the City shall nonetheless be required to fund the program to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Section 5. Administration and Transparency

(a) The City may administer the program directly or contract with a third-party administrator, provided that:

(1) Administrative costs shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the total program budget; and

(2) The $1,500 per-month benefit shall not be reduced by administrative costs.

(b) The City shall publish quarterly public reports detailing disbursements, administrative costs, and program participation.

Section 6. Legal Effect and Enforcement

(a) This measure shall be self-executing and binding on the City of Vernon.

(b) The provisions of this measure shall be liberally construed to fulfill its purposes.

(c) If any provision of this measure is held invalid, the remaining provisions shall remain in effect.