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Council narrowly adopts guaranteed‑income pilot funded by marijuana equity and reinvestment funds
Summary
By a 5–4 vote the council approved R‑116 to direct $4 million to a marijuana equity and community reinvestment fund for a guaranteed basic income pilot targeting households connected to two Title I elementary schools and other prevention and treatment programs.
The Albuquerque City Council on March 3 approved R‑116, a resolution appropriating $4 million to the Marijuana Equity and Community Reinvestment Fund to support a guaranteed basic income pilot and other related programs, passing 5–4 after substantial public comment and council discussion.
The proposal directs half the allocation to a guaranteed basic income pilot (GBI) administered through the Albuquerque Foundation and the United Way; participating households would be recruited primarily through Whittier and Carlos Rey elementary schools, with programming tied to the Office of Equity and Inclusion’s Office of Financial Empowerment for wraparound supports. The resolution also earmarks funding for inpatient substance use treatment capacity, prevention/intervention programs and workforce/reentry supports tied to the marijuana equity fund’s statutory goals.
Supporters presented research and pilot experience arguing GBI stabilizes families, reduces food insecurity and improves school attendance and long‑term outcomes; multiple community organizations, school staff, and nonprofit leaders spoke in favor. Opponents raised concerns about program design, budget priorities, and whether using marijuana revenue for cash payments was the best use of funds. Councilors asked detailed questions about program oversight, whether United Way/Albuquerque Foundation would charge overhead, enrollment criteria, performance measures (including tracking school absenteeism), and the extent of financial‑empowerment coaching required.
City staff said the funds pass through the Albuquerque Foundation and the United Way to comply with administrative rules; staff also said no overhead would be charged against dollars earmarked for direct programming and that the program would include data collection and evaluation measures. The resolution requires program reporting and coordinated evaluation; council members flagged participation requirements (financial coaching, surveys and school‐attendance tracking) as conditions of the pilot rather than unconditional cash.
The council passed the resolution 5–4. Supporters called it a research‑driven, equity‑focused pilot; critics called for more targeted investments or stronger accountability for outcomes. Staff will return with implementation details, participation criteria and evaluation plans.
