Boston City Council looks at possibility of creating a Universal Basic Income program

RECEIVED. THERE. SHARMAN. WELL, THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS TONIGHT ABOUT HOW THIS WILL ALL WORK. A GUARANTEED BASIC INCOME PROGRAM FLOATED IN BOSTON. SUPPORTERS OF THE CASH PAYMENTS SAY THEY COULD HELP THE CITY’S POOREST PULL THEMSELVES OUT OF POVERTY. IN A CITY THAT IS SO INCREDIBLY WEALTHY. THE BOTTOM 20% OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE LIVING OFF OF ONLY $14,000 A YEAR OF INCOME. CAMBRIDGE AND CHELSEA HAVE LAUNCHED THEIR OWN PROGRAMS PAID FOR BY A MIX OF FEDERAL AND CITY DOLLARS, ALONG WITH NONPROFITS. PEOPLE USE IT FOR THEIR THEIR BASIC NEEDS MEDICAL CARE AND FOOD RIGHT NOW, IT’S UNCLEAR HOW IT WOULD WORK IN BOSTON. WHO WOULD QUALIFY, HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST AND WHERE THE MONEY WOULD COME FROM. BOSTON’S MAYOR SAYS THE CITY WOULD NEED PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE IT WORK, BUT THAT NO PILOT PROGRAM IS PLANNED. I SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF OF HELPING PEOPLE ACCESS EVERYTHING THEY NEED. I THINK WE WOULD NEED TO SEE SOME MAJOR RESOURCES COME IN IN A DIFFERENT WAY. COUNCIL PRESIDENT ED FLYNN SAYS HE’S CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF EMPTY OFFICE SPACE IN THE CITY. BUSINESSES HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME AND ARE NOT IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROPOSAL, BUT I THINK THEY ARE OVERTAXED. THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CITY OF BOSTON, HE SAYS HE’S ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THE IMPACT ON TAXPAYERS AND NONPROFITS. I’M JUST NOT CERTAIN THAT’S THE BEST USE OF TAXPAYER MONEY IS IS PROVIDING RESIDENTS WITH A GUARANTEED INCOME. NOW, SUPPORTERS SAY THIS COULD ACTUALLY BENEFIT ALMOST 18, 18% OF THE CITY’S RESIDENTS. NOW, THE COUNCIL BASICALLY SAYS THIS WILL REMAIN IN COMMITTEE TO

Boston officials are considering a proposal to become the next Massachusetts city to test the creation of a Guaranteed Basic Income program.Members of the Boston City Council's Ways and Means Committee discussed the issue for more than two hours on Monday, and it was on the agenda again for Wednesday's meeting of the full council. The proposed order is a first step, which would require that the City Council hold a hearing to discuss the implementation of a Temporary Guaranteed Income Program for individuals living below the poverty line in the city. It was offered by Councilor Kendra Lara and six other members of the council.Lara, who spoke about the proposal on Wednesday, said the city is not yet prepared to outline a pilot program but hopes something will be ready soon. When asked about the idea, Mayor Michelle Wu also said she was not ready to move forward with any specific details. Within the proposed order, councilors site statistics including that almost 1-in-5 Boston residents are living in poverty and that the child poverty rate is almost 1 in 3. It also references experiments with Universal Basic Income in Cambridge, Chelsea and the State of Alaska. "A Boston (Guaranteed Basic Income) trial program would provide important qualitative and quantitative data to further actions that have been taken at the state level to pass legislation that would provide a guaranteed minimum income to all Massachusetts families," the proposal states. After Wednesday's meeting, the proposal will remain in committee, for now. If a hearing on the subject is ordered, the council would be required to invite stakeholders to provide input on the program, including the Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Department, Treasury, Equity and Inclusion Department and community advocates.

BOSTON —

Boston officials are considering a proposal to become the next Massachusetts city to test the creation of a Guaranteed Basic Income program.

Members of the Boston City Council's Ways and Means Committee discussed the issue for more than two hours on Monday, and it was on the agenda again for Wednesday's meeting of the full council.

The proposed order is a first step, which would require that the City Council hold a hearing to discuss the implementation of a Temporary Guaranteed Income Program for individuals living below the poverty line in the city. It was offered by Councilor Kendra Lara and six other members of the council.

Lara, who spoke about the proposal on Wednesday, said the city is not yet prepared to outline a pilot program but hopes something will be ready soon. When asked about the idea, Mayor Michelle Wu also said she was not ready to move forward with any specific details.

Within the proposed order, councilors site statistics including that almost 1-in-5 Boston residents are living in poverty and that the child poverty rate is almost 1 in 3. It also references experiments with Universal Basic Income in Cambridge, Chelsea and the State of Alaska.

"A Boston (Guaranteed Basic Income) trial program would provide important qualitative and quantitative data to further actions that have been taken at the state level to pass legislation that would provide a guaranteed minimum income to all Massachusetts families," the proposal states.

After Wednesday's meeting, the proposal will remain in committee, for now.

If a hearing on the subject is ordered, the council would be required to invite stakeholders to provide input on the program, including the Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Department, Treasury, Equity and Inclusion Department and community advocates.

Boston City Council looks at possibility of creating a Universal Basic Income program

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