Economic Security Project

It was an honor to moderate the conversation, "Strategies to Alleviate Poverty in Cook County and Beyond," at the City Club of Chicago yesterday, featuring Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, national guaranteed income advocate Mayor Michael Tubbs, and Dr. Maggie Thomas. The discussion focused on how guaranteed income pilots shape new and more compassionate narratives around cash assistance programs as practical and pragmatic tools to reduce poverty. Moderating this discussion was particularly meaningful to me as Michael Reese Health Trust and Jennifer Rosenkranz support Amanda Pyron and The Network's guaranteed income pilot to assist survivors of domestic violence. It was also meaningful because I co-chaired the nation’s first guaranteed income task force in Chicago while on the city council in 2018, partnering with Harish I. Patel, Mayor Tubbs, Natalie Foster, Taylor Jo Isenberg, and the Economic Security Project. I vividly recall how groundbreaking the concept was then and the backlash surrounding discussions about helping people make ends meet. I left heartened and inspired to hear leaders like President Preckwinkle discuss how Cook County's guaranteed income pilot program, the nation's largest, is exploring permanency. Above all, I felt hopeful that while the federal administration often embraces chaos and cruelty, our local leaders lead with kindness and empathy.

“The Cook County Promise Pilot is a historic success, helping thousands of residents afford essentials, withstand an emergency, and achieve financial stability,” said Economic Security Illinois Director Sarah Saheb. “With rising prices and working families struggling to afford what they need, we’re thrilled Cook County has doubled down on their past commitment to make this program permanent and put more money back in the pockets of our neighbors. We’re grateful to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle for her bold leadership and look forward to building on progress toward a guaranteed income across Illinois.” Cook County was the first publicly-funded guaranteed income pilot to commit to being a permanent pilot, and today, they doubled down on that commitment. With costs on the rise, thousands more Cook County residents will get money back in their pockets. Grateful to President Toni Preckwinkle for her leadership.

Do you like borrowing books for free from the library? Do you enjoy walking through your neighborhood park? Do you use the US post office because it offers delivery across the US at affordable prices? If you said YES, then you support public options! Public libraries and public parks are provided by the government so that everyone can use them because access to knowledge and nature belongs to all of us. Public options like USPS exist to give people affordable, high-quality options—especially when the private sector won’t. While FedEx adds extra fees just to deliver to rural areas, USPS delivers to every address across the U.S. at a flat rate. Imagine if grocery stores or internet providers were run as public options—designed not for profit, but for people. Public grocery stores could make food more affordable and help eliminate food deserts. In places where grocers won’t go because they don’t see a profit, public options can and should step in to ensure everyone has access to fresh and affordable food. Public broadband networks, like the one in Chattanooga, TN, prove that publicly owned internet infrastructure can be fast, affordable, and reliable. Public options work. USPS does it. Public libraries do it. Public parks do it. It’s time to think bigger about where else they can. Let us know in the comments what you’d want to see as a public option.

Patricia Lopez-Gutierrez and her children were forced to flee their home of 10 years during the recent L.A. fires. A housecleaner who has lived in Altadena for 18 years, she lost her job when her clients’ homes also burned. Now, she’s struggling to pay her bills and find a safe place to live – even as her landlord tries to illegally raise the rent on her smoke-damaged home. She’s staying afloat thanks to local nonprofits stepping up with direct support. St. Vincent de Paul has helped cover her utility, car, and dental bills. Other organizations like GiveDirectly, the Dena Care Collective (a partnership between End Poverty in California (EPIC) and FORWARD), and the Pasadena Community Foundation are getting cash directly into the hands of those impacted. Government is also stepping in. Los Angeles County launched the Household Relief Grant Program, which will distribute more than $32 million to fire victims – an encouraging sign of what’s possible when public and community efforts align. As former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs explains, “In a disaster like this, of course people need cash, because water bottles aren’t wealth. Clothing isn’t cash. People need money to be able to rebuild, to be able to move, to be able to persist.” Direct cash support is one of the fastest, most effective tools in a crisis—and #guaranteedincome programs have shown that it doesn’t just help people survive, it helps them thrive. It’s helped people gain full-time employment, move to stable housing, end abusive relationships, and now stay afloat during natural disasters. Natural disasters and other crises can strike anyone. #Guaranteedincome gives people the flexibility to meet their unique needs—whether that’s paying rent, covering car payments, putting food on the table, or replacing lost essentials. Cash meets people where they are, giving them the power to recover in the way that makes the most sense for their lives.

We’re Hiring! ✅ Love policy and research? ✅ Interested in progressive advocacy? ✅ Passionate about economic justice in California? Join Economic Security California as our new California Policy and Research Associate – a one-year grant-funded position focused on advancing progressive policies that create meaningful economic change across the state and beyond! This position offers an excellent opportunity for someone early in their career to develop expertise in economic policy and advocacy. We’re looking for someone with 1-3 years of relevant experience in policy research, analysis, or a related field; experience with California state policy or familiarity with economic security issues is a strong plus! Apply now or share with someone who’d be a great fit! https://lnkd.in/gVgb_MZW

Public options are goods and services provided by the government and available to everyone – especially when the private market fails to deliver affordable, reliable access to things we all need. And chances are, you’ve used one: ✅ Public Libraries ✅ Public Schools ✅ USPS But public options don’t stop there. Let’s talk about a few you might not know about: ✨ Public Grocery Stores: Cities like Madison, WI, and Atlanta, GA, are launching public grocery stores, and leaders in NYC are also showing support. It’s a way for local governments to tackle food deserts and rising prices and bring power back to communities. ✨Public Broadband Network: Chattanooga’s Electric Power Board, a municipally owned utility, established and operates a fast and reliable broadband internet network – offering some of the fastest internet in the country, creating jobs, and keeping people connected during disasters. ✨Bank of North Dakota: The only state-owned bank in the U.S., created to support local farms and businesses when private banks wouldn’t. It still reinvests in North Dakota’s economy today. 👉 Why does this matter now? In too many markets, corporate consolidation leaves people with no real choices – just higher prices or no access at all. Public options give communities real alternatives when private markets fail, putting economic power back in their hands. It’s time we see public options not as a backup plan, but as a strategy for building an economy that works for everyone.

For weeks, the Trump Administration has broadcast mixed, chaotic signals about what a new round of tariffs might look like. Today, despite loud and widespread concerns of an economic slowdown and imminently higher prices, President Trump implemented his sweeping wave of tariffs – posing huge threats to the economic security and stability of American families. Families are already facing an acute cost of living crisis and can’t afford for prices to rise higher. These tariffs, really just a new round of taxes levied on hardworking people, will do just that. This announcement is coupled with Congress’ intent to pass a sweeping budget resolution this week that will gut essential services like Medicaid, Social Security, and food assistance programs, all while delivering a fresh round of tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans.  Not all tariffs are bad, but when they are poorly planned and applied indiscriminately, they put pressure on some of the most important sectors of the economy. Trump’s tax applies 10% tariffs on all trading partners and a range of additional double-digit increases on dozens of countries such as the European Union, Japan, and India. No one is responding warmly. From businesses to the financial markets to grocery store clerks, there is collective uncertainty, unease, confusion, and genuine concern about what this means for risking a recession. The U.S. relies heavily on imported goods, meaning everything is about to get more expensive. Pantry staples like flour, cereal, fruits and vegetables will cost more. Construction materials like steel and aluminum will also spike – putting an even greater strain on a housing market already plagued by high costs and low supply. Even personal care items like skincare and beauty products will go up. This isn’t a smart economic strategy that will pay dividends later or a “liberation day” of any kind, this is President Trump trying to bully allies and strong-arm businesses in an authoritarian manner. This is what short-side economic policy written for the 1% looks like.  

Tax Day on April 15 is less than a month away! The average refund is ⬆️ 5.7% higher this year and 2️⃣ of the most significant credits you can claim are the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit. #DirectFile is the IRS new project that provides free, simple and online tax filing. It makes it easier for people to claim eligible tax credits they might miss out on because they don’t file returns or file them incorrectly. Every year Direct File will: ✅Save the average person $160 in filing fees and hours of time ✅Save Americans about $11 Billion in filing fees and time costs ✅Deliver up to $12 billion in tax credits to low-income families currently missing out

Childcare, diapers, formula, food, rent – the cost of raising kids keeps going up and families are feeling the strain. But this tax season, Illinois is helping families keep more of what they earn thanks to the state’s new #ChildTaxCredit and expanded #EarnedIncomeTaxCredit. For Chanelle Brown of Evanston, this cash makes a real difference. After welcoming her second child, she saw just how quickly expenses added up and campaigned last year to put more money back in parents’ pockets. “More money means getting your time back and paying for things that are just more expensive now,” she shared. Last year, Economic Security Illinois worked with the Coast of Living Coalition, including partners like COFI Chicago, Brightpoint, Hispanic Federation, LIFT, Inc., Worker Center for Racial Justice, and Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights to help create the state’s first-ever #CTC. This year, eligible families earning up to the median income with kids 12 and under can claim up to $300. The expanded #EITC also remains critical – now reaching nearly 1 million more Illinoisans, including younger workers and immigrant families And Illinois isn’t stopping. Governor Pritzker recently doubled the state’s CTC to $600 in his 2026 budget proposal. At a time when Washington threatens to pull back support for working families, states like Illinois are stepping up, proving that investing in parents and kids is not just possible – it’s essential.

Most formerly incarcerated people receive less than $200 after their release, which makes rebuilding their lives difficult. They face higher rates of financial insecurity, homelessness, and unemployment – all of which increase the risk of recidivism. The cities of Gainesville & Durham took a new approach: #guaranteedincome. The results? ✅ More food security ✅ Better housing stability ✅ Improved mental health ✅ Increased savings ✅ Higher employment In Gainesville, participants received an initial $1,000 payment followed by $600 a month for 11 months. Similarly, in Durham, participants with Mayors for a Guaranteed Income received $600 a month for a year. With this support, people were more likely to afford essentials like groceries and housing, build their savings, and find employment – all of which alleviated stress and improved their mental health. As one Gainesville participant shared: “This program has changed my life… It’s helped me and my family and our situation. It definitely makes a difference in the way a person thinks… And it makes a person want to do what’s right when there is someone on their side trying to push them forward. And if you aren’t being pushed forward, well—you’re falling back in the hole.” Guaranteed income isn’t a silver bullet, but the evidence is clear – it reduces economic instability and helps people rebuild their lives after incarceration. The Gainesville pilot even showed a reduction in recidivism, proving that financial security plays a critical role in successful reentry. When we invest in people, we build stronger communities. The success of these pilots demonstrates that #guaranteedIncome is a powerful tool for those facing economic hardship, creating a foundation for opportunity, dignity, and lasting change.