Cook County Budget Vote: Historic Permanent Guaranteed Income Win

On November 20th at around 10:30 AM, Cook County made history. The County Board officially passed a budget that includes a permanent $7.5 million line item for Guaranteed Income, making this one of the most significant county-level commitments to direct cash support in the entire nation. This is a historic vote that sets a precedent for what is possible when communities organize, speak out, and demand economic security and dignity.

This win was made possible due to the collective organizing of our coalition partners, the Workers Center for Racial Justice, Equity and Transformation (EAT), and Community Change. But most importantly, the impact of countless members, residents, and leaders who emailed their commissioners, testified, joined our canvassing efforts, and shaped the vision for what this program should be. This win was only possible because of the power of organized people.

But let’s be clear: winning the budget line item is only the first step. Now begins the critical phase of implementation, where we must ensure Cook County residents most impacted by economic hardship are centered in shaping and leading the permanent Guaranteed Income program.

Cook County is one of the largest counties in the nation. That means we now have the opportunity and responsibility to set a national model for what a truly impactful, community-rooted Guaranteed Income program can look like. We’ve already held strategy sessions and deep-dive conversations with member leaders from the GI Committee and community members who shared powerful input on design, eligibility, and priorities. We plan to continue these conversations and push for a truly inclusive program that includes parents, formerly incarcerated people, and immigrant communities, groups too often excluded from economic security programs despite being among the ones who need them most.

This moment is historic not only because of the size of the county, but also because of the political climate we are living through. As threats to communities escalate across the country, this Guaranteed Income program can serve as a lifeline for families and individuals navigating these crises. Most importantly, guaranteed income does not replace existing resources or benefits; it strengthens the economic floor underneath them, allowing individuals the flexibility and self-determination to address their most pressing needs, providing support for financial stability and necessities from rent to food.

We are committed to staying at the table to fight for a program that answers essential questions our communities are raising: Who gets access? Who’s eligible? How much support is enough? How do we ensure the most impacted are centered in the design?

The next phase of our fight is critical: making sure the very people who need this program the most are included, and that formerly incarcerated people, immigrants, and parents remain a priority population.

This local win is also a step toward something bigger: a robust statewide Guaranteed Income program that could reach hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents. While we helped win this Cook County line item, we do not currently have control over eligibility decisions; that’s why the next step is building a strong, statewide policy that ensures equity, fairness, and impact at scale.

We’re already exploring what a GI program could look like statewide, one that could reach up to 100,000 people, providing $600-$1200 per month, truly reshaping economic mobility across Illinois. Today’s win gives us momentum; now we capitalize on it by organizing, advocating for a process with community input, and drafting bold policy, reimagining bargaining power for individuals directly impacted by systems and decision makers.

Guaranteed Income provides a real opportunity for economic empowerment with no strings attached, and is a real solution to improving health and well-being, and investment in Illinois residents. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated, Guaranteed Income is “the simplest approach to abolish poverty,” rooted in the fundamental belief that economic security is a matter of human dignity. Cook County took a historic step toward that vision.

To everyone who emailed their commissioner, spoke up, shared their story, or joined the GI conversations, thank you! Your voice made this possible!

And we’re not done. Join us on December 4th to dig deeper into what this new Guaranteed Income program means for our communities, how it will take shape in 2026, and how we can continue leading the fight for a statewide program that meets the scale of the need.