Suraj Patel, a 36-year-old attorney, businessman, former Obama White House staffer and assistant professor at New York University is one of three Democrats running against incumbent Democrat Carolyn Maloney to represent New York's 12th Congressional district. This is Patel's second time running against Maloney, and the primary election will take place June 23.

In order to stand out, Patel is putting forth a bold policy proposal that he calls "Universal Basic Income for Kids."

Patel proposes giving New York families a universal child allowance of $500 per month, for every child aged five and younger, and $350 per month for every child between the ages of six and 17.

He says the system would be more efficient than existing programs aimed at helping families and could be expanded nationally.

"Currently, we have a patchwork system of assistance to families with kids. We have the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Dependent Care Tax Credit," Patel tells CNBC Make It. "But the problem with all these benefits is that they are phased in, meaning that the beneficiary has to have a minimum income to receive them."

Individuals must have earned at least $1 to qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit and must have earned at least $2,500 to qualify for the Child Tax Credit each tax year.

The issue: Many individuals living in poverty don't earn an income or have difficulty keeping a stable job, Patel says.

"That's the person that all of these politics leave out the most and that's who needs the help the most."

He also says UBI for kids could cut childhood poverty and minimize bureaucracy by lifting families off of other social programs such as food stamps — effectively cutting costs and giving families more choice about how they use their funds each month.

There are no restrictions on how families can spend the funds. Opponents of UBI say this freedom will be abused by bad actors who will spend the money on unnecessary luxuries rather than on their children, but Patel says these stories are based on "stereotypes."

"Let's say the $500 comes in and people buy better food or mom takes a vacation, it doesn't matter. It's freeing up $500 other dollars that can go to the kids," he says. "It's impossible to separate those choices, and budgeting happens at the family unit in America."