Chicago’s, Mayor Johnson, has joined other U.S. mayors in a coalition dedicated to guaranteed income. Guaranteed income is a policy that simply gives people money. What is meant by this, is that every citizen or income-specified citizen receives a certain amount of money per month.
Furthermore, Mayor Johnson’s goal is to create a “minimum base income” for all Chicagoans. Imagine if this monthly payout was 100 dollars per month. That would equal an extra 12,000 every year. Moreover, someone making 24k is now making 36, someone making 36 is now making 48, and someone making 48 is now making 60.
Chicago Segregation
Additionally, a guaranteed income could be one of the best things to ever happen to the city of Chicago. As every resident of Chicago knows, the city is quite segregated.
Chicago is segregated by race and class lines. Poor Blacks are geographically separated from rich whites. This separation is performed with the pricing of certain goods and commodities in certain communities.
Racial Wealth Gaps
Moreover, as a consequence of redlining and racist housing policies, there is a huge wealth disparity between white and black people in America. As a consequence, this wealth can be used to occupy a space that is much more expensive than others.
As a consequence, racial lines also become class lines as well. This isn’t to say that all Black people are poor and that all white people are rich. This is to say that generally, as a consequence of historical policies, white people tend to be richer.
Fill The Gaps
Furthermore, these racial geographical boundaries exist because of differences in wealth and income. A guaranteed income program could help heal the racial wealth gap between white and Black Chicagoans.
Moreover, guaranteed income programs help people pay for necessities like groceries, rent, and medical bills. So many aspects of daily life have climbed in price that many Chicagoans simply choose to leave for a place that is easier financially.
Economic Choices
Finally, if every Chicagoan had the choice, they would live in a neighborhood like Lincoln Park or Lakeview. However, because many don’t have a choice, they live in neighborhoods like West Garfield Park and Austin.
Ultimately, everyone deserves to live a decent life, and a guaranteed income program could be Chicago’s next big step towards that equitable society.
Written by Kenneth Mazerat
Sources
ChicagoGov: Mayor Brandon Johnson Re-Launches Guaranteed Income Advisory Group, Joins Mayors for a Guaranteed Income Coalition
History: How the GI Bill’s Promise Was Denied to a Million Black WWII Veterans BY: ERIN BLAKEMORE
NLC: How Guaranteed Income Programs Can Help Cities Narrow the Racial Wealth Divide by Diana Goldsmith
Jordyn Battle
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Yamanaka Tamaki’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
First Inset Image Courtesy of Peter Miller’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License