Ithaca, NY Adopts Guaranteed Income Resolution
January 22, 2021, Ithaca, NY - In a unanimous decision, the City of Ithaca Common Council has voted in support of a resolution to establish a guaranteed income. The resolution further solidifies the city’s commitment to advancing cash-based policies under the leadership of Mayor Svante Myrick, a member of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI).
“The past year has shown us how quickly financial security can evaporate in the face of an unpredictable world and an economy that is more unequal than ever” said Mayor Myrick. “Guaranteed income provides financial stability to those who need it most, ensuring that no one falls through the cracks.”
The full text of the resolution, passed on January 6, can be found here. The adopted resolution required one small modification in changing references from Senate Majority Leader McConnell to Senator Chuck Schumer.
Founded in June of 2020 by former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, MGI is a coalition of 34 mayors committed to advancing a federal guaranteed income – direct, recurring cash payments to the poor and middle class.
MGI member cities are eligible for up to $500,000 in pilot funding, thanks to a recent $15M donation by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. A pilot in Ithaca is planned to launch in 2021, with details currently being finalized. In addition to pilots, MGI also advocates for cash-based policies at the federal level. There are currently at least 10 Congressional bills to provide pandemic-related payments to struggling Americans, and support for $2,000 checks helped drive the Democratic Senate wins in Georgia.
MGI, together with the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice, has also established the Center for Guaranteed Income Research to consolidate the key learnings from the pilots taking place in MGI member cities to address knowledge gaps and allow the organization to layer data with anecdotal evidence.
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CONTACT: Saadia McConville
info@mayorsforagi.org