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The proposal keys off of the MIT Living Wage Calculator, with the goal of helping people get closer to affording a basic budget, e.g. rent, food, doctor etc. paid for w/ millionaire surtax. Good goal! But the approach misses the mark for some families even while it costs a lot.

How it would work: it seems to effectively triple the standard deduction to levels tied to the MIT calculator - $46,000 for singles and $92,000 for married couples compared to current $16,100/$32,200. (The boost may be phased out at high incomes.)

Problem 1: Ppl w/ larger affordability challenges will likely get less (or nothing): For example, a low paid worker making well below the $46,000 affordability threshold will get far less than the person w/ income at the threshold (who faces less challenging affordability issues)