Mayor Brandon Johnson is shaking up Chicago's financial plan, redirecting $80 million of federal pandemic relief funds to bolster social programs, including a push to extend the city's basic income initiative. With a chunk of the $1.9 billion received by the city from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) sitting idle, Johnson's moves aim to speed up the allocation of these critical funds before looming federal deadlines, as reported by the Chicago Business Journal.
Among the pivotal changes, a guaranteed income program, originally birthed under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, is set to receive a $32 million injection, aiming to provide an additional year of $500 in monthly payments to struggling families. Bearing witness to an urgent need confronting the city, Johnson's administration intends to navigate these funds into the hands of those grappling with the harshest realities of our unequal urban terrain. The program's comeback was one such event unearthed among the impending shifts detailed to the reporters on Monday by administration officials, as relayed by the Chicago Tribune.
Under Johnson's spearheaded initiatives, the landscape of Chicago's pandemic relief spending is set for renovation. While $32 million is destined to reinvigorate the basic income project, another $40 million is earmarked to buoy youth activities through 2026. This redirection aligns with Johnson's vision for the city's path to recovery and stands as a poignant reminder of the power vested in city hall to pivot when urgency calls.
However, not all programs have won favor in Johnson's revised plan. The ax fell upon a proposed sobering center and support for "low barrier" homeless shelters—endeavors that would have provided respite for the city's intoxicated and its pet-accompanied homeless, previously reported by the Chicago Tribune. Budget Director Annette Guzman reasoned with the challenges of program deployment, suggesting that despite the requests for proposals being put out, an administrator remains elusive.
Critics have yet to wade into the forthcoming changes, which are set to be overseen by the Budget Committee in a scheduled spring hearing. Guzman has assured that no City Council approval is necessary for these financial maneuvers, citing prior authorization for ARPA fund adjustments. However, she stressed the importance of transparency, pledging monthly reports to the Council and a public-facing online portal to clear the mist surrounding the allocation of this ambitious outlay, details confirmed by the Chicago Business Journal.
