Switzerland First to Vote on Universal Basic Income; Excitement Builds For Europa League Final Next Week; Bus and Tram Ticket Prices Set to Rise Latest; Labor Market Statistics Revealed

News For 10 May 2016

 

Swiss people have launched an initiative which would guarantee a basic, unconditional income for all residents.  First in the world, a majority "yes" vote on June 5 would call on the government to begin evaluating the benefit.  The final rules and implementation could take up to 10 years to achieve according to Gabriel Barta, a vice-president of the Basic Income Earth Network, the private group backing the initiative.  Intended to address poverty and dependence on welfare the goal of the plan according to Mr. Barta is to diminish the welfare institutions which reinforce cycles of poverty and demeaning dependence of welfare recipients.  While specifics have yet to be debated, supporters have suggested every adult recipient would get a monthly 2500 francs and every child 625 francs up to the age of 18.  Opponents worry that if implemented, the measure would immediately dis-incentivize those already earning less than the benefit, causing them to quit work all-together and still be eligible for more pay than what they were earning.  Surveys seem to indicate that the initiative despite its headline appeal, doesn't have broad based support in either the Swiss political parties or in the population - likely resulting from the complications implied by the cost and fair administration of such a program.

*************** Some estimates now suggest up to 100,000 fans of the two finalist Football clubs will be massing on Basel next week for the Europa League Championship game.  Liverpool FC and FC Sevilla will come to the city to face-off in St. Jakob's stadium on Wednesday, May 18.  Police authorities are also finalizing their plans to deal with the throngs by mobilizing 1300 officers - some imported from other cantons.  One can only wonder what all those fans intend to do in the city, considering only 10,000 tickets have been allocated to each side.  The last time a Football event of this scale and magnitude was hosted by Basel was in 2008, during the championships between the Netherlands and Russia.   ************

The TNW the organization which sets the prices and schedules for Basel's public transportation services announced plans for fare increases next year.  Riders on trams and busses can expect to dig a little deeper into their pockets as the expected increases will average 4.9% across the system of services.  This will mark the second time in 3 years prices will have increased, where they were raised by 4.3% in 2014.  TNW cites an increase in the quality and quantity of services as the main reasons for the price hikes.  They specifically pointed out the improvement in the new tram and bus fleets servicing existing routes.  They further pointed out that only 50% of the cost of operating the transportation services in Basel is covered by rider fares, the rest coming from Canton and Federal subsidies.  The cost of a single zone ticket will rise from three Francs sixty to 3.80, and an annual pass will cost 800 francs.  

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The unemployment statistics for Baselstadt and Baselland were released today by the Cantonal Labor Department.  The headline numbers show that Baselstadt's unemployment rate decreased by 0.1% to 3% since last month and in Basel Stadt, the unemployment rate crept up to 4.2%.  Nationally, the Swiss unemployment rate now stands at 3.5%.  In terms of absolute numbers, the statistics show close to 4000 unemployed people each in both of Basel-Stadt and Baselland.