Mayor’s Reparations and Universal Basic Income Exploratory Committee to hold virtual meeting Wednesday

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — The City of Rochester’s Reparations and Universal Basic Income (UBI) Committee held another virtual meeting on Wednesday.

The committee, led by Mayor Lovely Warren, hosted a community forum on a proposed Guaranteed Basic Income pilot. The group discussed the differences between Universal Basic Income and Guaranteed Basic Income as well as present a working proposal for people who live in Rochester.

The committee said it’s leaning toward a model that is similar to a Guaranteed Basic Income model, but having target a specific population instead of giving a stipend to everyone 18 or older.

Warren has said she wants to use tax money from legal marijuana sales, after the state legalizes it, to pay a universal basic income to people living in some of the poorest neighborhoods in the city.

"Where’s the money going to come from?" said ROC RUBI committee member Larry Knox. "Obviously the city with the budget they just passed there’s a proposal before the City Council which would fund the pilot and would allow the work of the UBI for a year or two depending. I’m not exactly sure of all the details. There’s money set aside out of ARP money — American Rescue Plan’s money."

The group previously held a meeting last Saturday.

The event was live-streamed on the ROC RUBI Facebook page.