There are at least 82 municipalities across 29 states now engaged in guaranteed income experiments, including more than 70 with pilot programs created within the past year, according to a coalition of more than 100 American mayors promoting the concept.
Mayors for Guaranteed Income, and proponents among municipal officials nationwide, are encouraging local governments to seed pilot programs with federal pandemic assistance from a $350 billion fund for state and local governments within the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), adopted in March 2021.
The mayoral group was established by Michael Tubbs, the former mayor of Stockton, Calif., in June 2020 after the city launched, and later extended, an experiment where 125 residents received $500 monthly in a program financed by the Economic Security Project, a nonprofit that supports guaranteed income experiments.
During a Dec. 15 virtual roundtable discussion, several municipal officials said there is growing public support for basic income models and accelerating momentum to expand these programs through a mix of federal, state, local, and private money.
In fact, much to the chagrin of conservatives and budget hawks, the ARPA state and local recovery fund is being used “as a seed for long-term policy change,” said DePaul University’s Dr. Amanda Kass, who studies how states, cities, and counties spend federal pandemic assistance.
read more:
Replies
This has been tried before between 1971-1974 "GIME" (=Gary Income Maintence) this was a pilot program, It was done in several big Cities and all were RAN BY DEMOCRAT MAYORS When the GOVERNMENT is going to do everything for you, IT "FAILS" . Look At This on-line IT WAS A BIG FAILURE
This is an unbelievable waste of taxpayer money. I so wish Trump was still in the White House (where he rightfully belongs) because this travesty would have never happened on his watch.
Where are the regulations on how this money can be spent?? Let send some officials to jail. Misappropriation of funds.