By Mandi Remington, Iowa City
Most of us want the same basic thing for our families: to know that our children are safe, fed, and cared for, and that one unexpected expense won’t send the whole household into crisis.
I know what it feels like when that security isn’t there.
Seven years ago, I left an abusive marriage and became the sole provider for my three children. I learned very quickly that making ends meet isn’t always about budgeting better. Sometimes there simply aren’t enough dollars to stretch.
Cars break down. Children get sick and injured. Childcare needs come up when you weren’t expecting them. There were months I could make everything work, and there were months when I couldn’t. I skipped meals and made tradeoffs so my kids could have what they needed — and still ran out of milk and fresh fruit between paydays.
I wouldn’t wish that kind of hardship on anyone, and those experiences are a big part of why I ran for office. I know what it’s like to live with constant calculation: What can wait? What can we go without? What do my kids need most? And I know how much easier life can become when a family has just a little bit of breathing room.
That’s why I support guaranteed income programs.
In 2024, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors began working toward bringing a guaranteed income program to our community. The effort, championed by Supervisor Fixmer-Oraiz, was inspired by programs around the country, like the Central Iowa Uplift pilot, which gave 110 families $500 per month for two years.
Unfortunately, Iowa lawmakers then made it illegal for local governments to create or maintain such guaranteed income programs. As a result, months of research, planning and resourcing came to an end, despite the success seen elsewhere.
Thankfully, Central Iowa UpLift survived by raising private charitable funds and ending government involvement. Not only did UpLift continue to be a lifeline for families, it proved that guaranteed income works.
The number one usage for the extra cash? Groceries. Forty percent of all spending went towards food. As survival became easier, recipients’ mental health improved. Parents were able to be more present with their children and to afford things like field trips and after school programs. Some used the money to pursue professional licenses, start businesses, or pay for transportation to get to work.
People didn’t stop working because they had a little more stability. They made choices and investments that helped them move forward. Choices they couldn’t make previously, because when you’re constantly worried about whether you can make it to the next paycheck, it’s difficult to think beyond the immediate crisis, and impossible to invest in your future. The extra stability offered by guaranteed income programs can mean a car repair gets paid before it becomes a bigger problem. That a parent can afford the childcare or certification that they need to move into a higher-paying career. That groceries don’t have to go on a credit card. (I’m still digging myself out of that one.)
That security is what I want to see for Johnson County residents. Unfortunately, some of our state leaders are more interested in controlling local government and waging ideological wars than they are in passing policies that help everyday Iowans. The state’s ban on guaranteed income isn’t good policy, and it doesn’t help hard-working Iowans get by. It’s simply obstructionism without evidence. Seven Republican legislators understood this and joined Democrats in voting against the ban.
Just as Farm Bill subsidies help insulate farmers from market volatility by ensuring they have a reliable source of income they can count on, guaranteed income helps reduce the unpredictability of household budgets as work schedules fluctuate, gas prices surge, and emergencies happen.
We need more lawmakers who understand the reality that too many Iowans are facing. They’re clocking in at a part-time job or driving for a gig app after their full-time job, while the kids do their homework alone. They’re in the grocery store figuring out whether they can afford fresh vegetables or canned ones, trying to keep their family healthy. They’re cutting corners and saving every dollar they can, only to be wiped out by unexpected circumstances.
For Uplift participants, an extra $500 per month reduced the stress of always falling short, so they could begin to plan for a better future. The program gave families the stability of keeping food on the table so they could focus on the other things that matter — raising their children, investing in their futures, progressing in their careers, and giving back to their communities.
As a Johnson County Supervisor, I am charged with improving the health, safety, and welfare of our residents. Good government works for the people, making their lives easier and giving them a better chance to build the future they want. A guaranteed income program would be an incredible tool.
I wish Iowa had trusted Johnson County enough to let us try it. We should be able to look at evidence, listen to the people in our community, learn from what’s worked elsewhere, and try new things. Our state has taken that authority away from local governments.
I hope that changes. Because I know what $500 can mean to a family. I know what it means when there’s finally a little space between the budget and the next emergency — and everyone deserves that space.
Mandi Remington is a Johnson County Supervisor, single mother, domestic violence survivor, and the Founder of Corridor Community Action Network (CCAN).