Authors Note: All cost estimates within this article are provided using the current consumer rates, and DO NOT account for negotiated rates assumed by the Los Santos or State Governments. The final rates may be higher or lower, depending on government contracts.

The Digital Inclusion & Equity Act of 2024 is a bill currently present in the Los Santos Municipal Council Chambers that encourages the increase of property taxes within Los Santos, enhancing the localized inflation effect assumed by the West Coast of the nation. The modern smartphone is a handheld device that also serves as a compact, portable computer. Today, smartphones are widely used by employers across various industries, with companies like Wal-Mart offering proprietary apps. These custom apps streamline tasks for employees, allowing them to easily check schedules, ask AI assistants for help with tasks that might otherwise be complicated, and communicate with coworkers in real-time. Managers employed under businesses further use smartphones to check emails, adjust their schedules without requiring a potentially stationary desktop or laptop, and even handle hiring tasks through apps like Indeed and LinkedIn.

Nearly 84% of all job applications are submitted electronically via smartphone. Employers utilize the popular app “LS Ads” (a subsidiary of Eyefind) to post, and view advertisements relating to their business and business needs. LS Ads functions very similarly to classified ads in the now-dated newspaper print, or personal advertisements on Craigslist. A user registered on the app may submit a post detailing their information, and pay a small fee to spread that advertisement to both users utilizing the Eyefind Browser and the LS Ads application. In exchange, job applicants can utilize the application or find job advertisements across the internet for various businesses. In addition to LS Ads, the majority of companies in Los Santos and San Andreas utilize external advertisements such as advertisements plastered across Facebrowser or even more traditional search engines such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo.

The Digital Inclusion & Equity Act (DIEA) is a proposed legislation aimed at addressing a longstanding issue: many individuals experiencing homelessness or coming from low-income families struggle to meet the technological demands of the 21st century, particularly in its first and second quarters. The DIEA intends to provide individuals in low-income households with government-funded cell phones, laptops, and access to subsidized telecommunications services. These telecommunication services include access to the internet and guaranteed access to cellphone communication services. In other terms, the bill intends to provide free and portable access to low-income and homeless families across San Andreas.

While on paper the DIEA sounds like a great idea, with sound moral and conventional grounds. There is no arguing that on an ethical level, the bill intends to do great things for the citizens of Los Santos. However, when analyzed with even the pinch of scrutiny beyond its moral and ethical grounds, comes the challenge that is cost. Corporations are known to routinely overcharge government entities or entities insured by the government. For the construction of the C-17 Globemaster Aircraft, Boeing overcharged the United States Air Force $149,072 for a single piece of mission-critical equipment. What is the equipment in mind? A soap dispenser, which if purchased anywhere else would cost only $30 for a conventional business to purchase, and $5 to install.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) introduced the Federal Public Housing Program in 1937. The program was a part of FDR’s New Deal (1933-1938) which sought to end many of the economic inequities and homelessness assumed by the American people during The Great Depression. The Projects intended to provide housing to low and middle-income Americans alike, with the majority of the funds for The Projects coming from equitable rent structures, which ensured that rent was paid by income level and not by traditional land value. The Projects, however, quickly fell apart. The first roadblock came from the lack of government oversight of contracts awarded to development companies. Companies resorted to utilizing cheap materials and often cut corners where other developers would have considered the impacts on safety. Furthermore, they charged full prices which were nearly 70% markups of the original prices the companies inherited. The labour costs also became an issue; while employment helped address the unemployment crisis leading up to World War II, the U.S. government was charged twice the amount that workers were paid. For two years, much of the development was almost entirely unmonitored, with government oversight of The Projects only increasing in 1941 due to the rising demand for materials and resources related to the war. Government Oversight and penny-pinching eased at the end of the war and by the 1950s the same exploitation of the US Governments’ “Open Pockets” took over once.

These are only two examples of government overspending prompted by the illicit exploitation of business entities, both corporate and individualistic. Certainly, the US Government has yet to learn from its shortcomings, but what about States and Municipalities? The DIEA accounts for a budget of only $1,000,000. This budget will serve the points previously mentioned; To provide free access to internet service providers and access to telecommunications. In the United States, the average monthly cost of household wifi is $50 for a family of five. The average cost of a cellphone in the United States is $823, and the average cost of a laptop is $368. Due to unmitigated circumstances, in Los Santos, these prices vary under static numbers. The average cost of a cellphone in Los Santos is $1,000, and the average cost of a laptop is $1,200. It is important to note that within Los Santos cell-phone providers currently do not provide a charge for phones purchased under contracts with telecommunication providers, and only individuals who opt for PAYG plans are charged additional service fees (in the form of minutes purchased).

According to the last LS Statistics Report, there are currently 79,423 individuals who are recorded as being homeless in the State of San Andreas. Part of the DIEA requires that participants facing homelessness applying for telecommunication coverage or personal devices must be registered with the Sacred Hearts Shelter or other charitable organizations endorsed or recognized by the City of Los Santos. If we assume that only five percent of the homeless population of Los Santos positions themselves with one of these shelters, that brings us to a total eligible population of 3,971 individuals, of which most likely only 70% will need a device, and the remaining 87% will apply for telecommunications access under the DIEA. That means that based on this roughly estimated figure there will be 2,780 applicants who are both eligible and request a singular device from the LS Government, and there will be 3455 applicants who will request full telecommunications coverage. More citizens in the United States own a cell phone than a laptop, so for any further calculations a static rate of 70% will be assumed for applicants applying for a cellphone, 20% for a laptop, and 10% for both; With this being measured by the assumed lack-of need for laptops if presented with an option for a cellphone.

Based upon the cost of goods in San Andreas, this means that there will be a potential cost of $1,946,000 spent on isolated applicants applying for cellphones, $467,040 spent on isolated applicants applying for laptops, and $428,120 spent on isolated applicants applying for both a laptop and cell phone. Due to the lack of cost associated to phone contracts, it will be assumed that there will be no additional cost assumed by the applicants, however, it is not specified in the DIEA if the government will provide contracts for applicants, or if they will assume the cost through PAYG. The total estimated initial cost towards the government based upon the previously provided information is, therefore, $2,841,160. $1,841,160 above the proposed budget.

The DIEA also does not specify who assumes the cost for the development of infrastructure and maintenance of infrastructure. It does not specify which providers may be eligible to work with the government, or if the allowance of service is purchased on an independent level with members of the government contracting service providers directly on the behalves of applicants. It should also be noted that the estimates judged above are using rough figures from observations taken from December 12-16 outside of the Sacred Hearts Shelter, and with information given by word-of-mouth in addition to the sources cited within the Bibliography. It should also be noted that in Los Santos specifically, only 1% of the eligible population is known to apply for government measures, and thus would significantly reduce the estimated cost of $2,841,160 to $28,411.60.

Even after considering the isolated variable of homelessness, there is still room to consider low-income populations and neighbourhoods. The DIEA clarifies that any household that earns under $300,000 (Note: The term “Household” includes Married & Common-Law Partners, as well as dependents). The median income in Los Santos is estimated to be around $500,000, so this figure is adequate. There are roughly 3.8 million citizens in Los Santos, with 16.5% of citizens defined as “living in Poverty or Low Income Spaces.” Therefore, 594,000 housed citizens of Los Santos remain eligible for the prefects of the DIEA. For the sake of argument simplicity, this paper will only assume that eligible applicants will apply for free telecommunications and internet service access. The estimated cost to the government for covering all eligible applicants will cost $297,000,000. Assuming the principle that only 1% of eligible applicants will take advantage of the DIEA, that rate comes down to a much more approachable $297,000. The previous estimates also do not account for the upkeep of telecommunications infrastructure and services across San Andreas. The DIEA does not specify whether continued service towards telecommunications and internet infrastructure will be maintained by corporate providers or the Los Santos Government. Further clarification is needed within the bill to appropriately assess the total cost to the government.

There are two models that we will use to assess the cost of this bill to the consumer. The first model will assume that all eligible applicants, both housed and homeless, will utilize all provisions employed by the DIEA. The second model will assume that only one percent of all eligible applicants, both housed and homeless, will utilize the provisions employed by the DIEA.

Note: These also include initial costs (such as the initial provision of Smartphones and Laptops, and may not be sustained long-term.).

Model One - All Eligible Applicants
Budget for the DIEA: $1,000,000
Total Cost to the Government: $299,841,160.
Assumed Budget Shift: + $23,000,000
Remaining Cost to the Taxpayer: $276,841,160
Tax Increase to Sustain the Cost (Estimate): 1.7%/Household

Model Two - 1% of Eligible Applicants
Budget for the DIEA: $1,000,000
Total Cost to the Government: $325,411.60
Assumed Budget Shift: - $500,000
Remaining Cost to the Taxpayer: $0

The DIEA can negatively impact the lives of citizens. Even through the two-model approach, there remain several unconsidered variables. Long-term costs and effects are incredibly hard to discern given the vague wording and lack of definitive approach and definitions towards the bill. There is no announced plans or methods of distribution, let alone who will bare the responsibility of distribution. Will Charities be absorbed by the government? Will a new government department be created to ensure Social Well-being? That is the question in mind. And while the tax increase to households remains small in the first model, it remains a heavy concern that seems absent from citizens' minds.

Republican governments emphasize affordability, tight fiscal management, and minimal government intervention. While Mayor Hank Preston has emphasized that the Republican Party and partisan politics in Los Santos are downplayed to focus on civil issues, this approach raises concerns about whether the long-term and short-term costs of these bills are fully considered, beyond a brief introduction to the fiscal budget. If the provisions in this bill cause it to exceed the budget, what measures will the government take to prevent further strain on taxpayers? At what point will a cut-off be enforced to declare the DIEA a failed initiative? Additionally, how will the DIEA prevent criminal groups from exploiting this legislation for their own benefit?

While the Digital Inclusion & Equity Act (DIEA) is rooted in good intentions to address digital accessibility for low-income and homeless populations in Los Santos, its financial feasibility remains highly questionable. The proposed budget of $1,000,000 is vastly inadequate to cover the actual costs, with even a modest estimate indicating a budget shortfall that could exceed $276 million. This discrepancy raises significant concerns regarding the long-term financial impact on taxpayers and the potential for government overspending, reminiscent of past federal failures. Furthermore, the lack of clarity on how the program will be implemented, managed, and sustained, including oversight of contracts and infrastructure, only adds to the uncertainty.

The bill's success hinges not only on its initial funding but also on the sustainability of its provisions, particularly the infrastructure and service maintenance costs. Without a clear plan for cost containment and responsible management, the DIEA risks becoming another example of government overreach with unintended financial consequences. As the proposal moves forward, the government must refine its approach, ensuring proper safeguards, detailed budgets, and transparent oversight, to avoid burdening taxpayers while genuinely serving those in need. The potential for abuse, both by individuals and criminal groups, further underscores the need for a more comprehensive, well-thought-out strategy. Ultimately, the DIEA's success will depend on the government's ability to balance its moral goals with practical, sustainable execution.



Editorial Note
Some information contained within this article uses “Assumed Data.” Assumed Data is data created from personal observations of the author and is not inherently factual or proven.




About The Author
**An image would appear, showcasing Samantha Richards in a suit with a highbun. ((https://i.imgur.com/O2C1FWW.png))
Doctor Samantha Richards is a former professor of Political Sciences from the University of Los Santos, San Andreas, and San Fierro PolyTechnical School. Growing up in San Fierro, Dr. Richards maintained an interest in the political sciences. She attended San Fierro PolyTechnical School from 2012 to 2019, obtaining her Doctorate in Political Sciences after presenting her Doctoral Dissertation “Globalized Interconnectivity and NGO Influences within the United Nations.” Dr. Richards now spends her free time analyzing local political phenomena in Los Santos and San Andreas as a whole, with most of her time dedicated to her two loving children.










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Laricchia Frederica. “Average price of smartphones in the United States from 2013-2027 by Segment”, Statista USA, August 31 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/619830/smartphone-average-price-in-the-us/#:~:text=The%20average%20price%20of%20consumer,to%20cost%20822%20U.S.%20dollars.

Los Santos Almanac. “Homeless Counts Los Santos County By City/Community, 2019-2024”, n.d. https://www.laalmanac.com/social/so14b.php

McCarty, Maggie. “Introduction to Public Housing”, Congressional Research Service. January 3, 2014. https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R41654.pdf

Sanders Chris, Shepardson David, Lewis Matthew. “Boeing overcharged Air Force nearly 8,000% for soap dispensers, watchdog alleges”, Reuters, October 29 2024. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boeing-overcharged-air-force-nearly-8000-soap-dispensers-watchdog-alleges-2024-10-29/

United States Census Bureau. “2023 Los Santos City Census, San Andreas.”, n.d. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/losangelescitycalifornia/RHI125223