A guaranteed income program that would provide stimulus checks of $500 per month has been authorized in another region of the country.
The Rochester City Council this week authorized a two-year trial program. For the first 12 months, the initiative intends to give $500 payouts to 175 low-income families.
The $500 monthly payments would then be given to a new group of 175 Rochester, New York, households the following year.
Thus, 350 locals in all would be eligible for some extra money. Households at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty line would get this. The American Rescue Act monies would be used to pay for the $2.2 million guaranteed income program.
Rochester Families Will Receive Monthly Stimulus Checks
The initiative would be the most recent test of universal basic income (UBI), a system of monthly payments, in the nation. The UBI initiatives have already been put into place in a number of states and towns.
400 more people have just been added to Newark, New Jersey‘s “guaranteed income trial program.” Additionally, 115 prisoners from Durham, North Carolina, will be selected for the city’s Excel pilot program, which will give them $500 payments each month for a year.
Families and individuals that are poor typically qualify for UBI. According to the most recent US Census Bureau data, 31% of Rochester City’s citizens are considered to be poor. Before leaving office as a consequence of a plea agreement involving state criminal charges, Mayor Lovely Warren suggested the UBI concept.
The stimulus check initiative is supported by the incoming mayor Malik Evans, but he wants to investigate utilizing charitable and private monies, which might result in higher payouts to families.