That's like saying that using tax dollars to pay for roads assumes that everyone has a car.

MOST people do use things like government/taxpayer funded roads, public transportation, water, healthcare, etc that are considered as basic necessities.

As far as everyone needing a smartphone, or e-mail address, that ship has already sailed. Here in the US, try using "Parkmobile" without a mobile phone.

I feel like you are applying a US specific/ western lense to this. In East Asian countries they’ve built lots of infrastructure around that presumption already and are committed to it.

Communication access is a universal need and does not necessarily require smartphone usage. The US has had universal access programs since at least the mid 80s

Everyone should have a smartphone, just not necessarily a closed down and enshittified one.