Ask HN: What are some solutions for addressing income inequality in SF?

[vjanma]

I would like to pick the collective HN brain on how we can address income inequality issue not only in Bay Area but also in other cities around the world.

According to Brookings Institution(http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2014/02/cities-unequal-berube) SF ranks in the top in terms of income inequality. SF Chronicle compares SF with Rwanda for having the similar income inequality - Gini Coefficient (http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Income-inequality-on-par-with-developing-nations-5486434.php)

What are some solutions that can address this problem?

A few people are getting together to discuss about this issue tomorrow. http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/reinventsf/ I am looking for different perspective from HN community to address this issue.

Thanks in advance!

[sharemywin]

I think I have a way to cure poverty. What if we created a national auction system for low wage labor. The person is paid $11.15 an hour(poverty rate). Their time is auctioned off. They can refuse an offer but the difference between an offer they take and the highest offer is subtracted off their pay. They can work less than 40 hr a week but again subtracted off. And it's paid for by a national sales tax. So how much would cost? To pay the 10.5M unemployed cost 234.3B. Subtract unemployement benefits 116B. Bring Minimum wage and lower to $11.15/hr. 3.6M cost 28.8B The rest of the people in proverty 31.9M assuming avg pay at 9.15 hr. 127.8B. Total of 275B.

National Sales tax of 3.05% on 9T personal consumption(assumes not taxing unprepared food, housing etc.)

[sharemywin]

My guess is it could be done at a city or state level with similar % sales tax. As for medical services I think you people pay a % of their income for insurance.

[anigbrowl]

I was going to suggest we auction off the poor as slaves in a spirit of satire, but I see you've beaten me to it.

[vjanma]

Including links for easy clicking:

Brookings Institution Research: http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2014/02/cities-uneq...

SF Chronicle article: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Income-inequality-on-p...

[paulhauggis]

The only proposed solutions seem to be taking from the people earning more through taxes and giving it to the people with less, reducing the "inequality".

I would like to solutions that don't involve this.

[jesusmichael]

SF is geographically unique as is NYC... as concentration of wealth focuses on such areas it has a exponential effect on value of goods and services in such an area. There is not much you can do about it.