A Letter from Co-Chair Alderman Ameya Pawar
Dear Chicagoans,
We are proud to announce the launch of the Chicago Resilient Families Task Force to pursue opportunities to pilot a Universal Basic Income (UBI) or guaranteed income program and further modernize the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program for low- to moderate-income city residents.
The task force is working hard to pursue an in-depth look into guaranteed income policies and pilots, the EITC and the potential for policy innovation, and discuss other policies to reduce poverty.
We are meeting with experts and elected officials from around the nation to gain context to inform our recommendations for action here in Chicago, in Springfield, and in Washington D.C. We hope to release a report with our findings and recommendations in early January. The report will address the convergence of the poverty, automation, income inequality, and stagnant wages with the future of work.
We are committed to success in launching these models in part because we know other cities will look to Chicago as they develop their own economic policy innovations.
To learn more about guaranteed income policies, here are some links to further reading for your consideration:
· No Strings Attached: The Behavioral Effects of a Universal Basic Income, Roosevelt Institute
· A Universal Basic Income Would Set the Terms of a Progressive Agenda, New America
· Modeling the Macroeconomic Effects of a Universal Basic Income, Roosevelt Institute
· Working Families Tax Credit, Economic Security Project
If you have questions, ideas or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@chicagoresilientfamilies.com. And stay tuned for updates about how to get involved or attend upcoming community listening sessions to gather community feedback on these policy proposals.
Thank you for all that you do.
Sincerely,
Ald. Ameya Pawar (47)
