As Cook County scrambles to find permanent funding for its now-expired guaranteed income pilot program, Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski joined Chicago’s Morning Answer to offer a reality check on the state’s economic and educational priorities. Speaking with co-hosts Amy Jacobson and John Anthony, Dabrowski didn’t mince words about the growing list of politically driven programs and the mounting costs Illinois taxpayers are being asked to shoulder.
The guaranteed income program, launched with $42 million in COVID-19 relief funds from the American Rescue Plan, provided 3,250 Cook County households with $500 per month for two years. While supporters, including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, touted the program’s reported benefits—like reduced stress and improved mental health—Dabrowski was skeptical of its long-term sustainability and purpose.
“Of course you feel more financially secure when you get free money,” Dabrowski said. “But the pilot was never about sustainability. It was a short-term campaign tool dressed up as policy.”
With federal funds dried up as of January 2025, Preckwinkle announced she was forming a committee to identify new revenue streams, though none have been named. Dabrowski cautioned that unless private donors step up, the bill will land squarely on taxpayers. “This is politics disguised as governance,” he added. “And they’ll find the money in the budget because Preckwinkle is running for reelection.”
Dabrowski warned that guaranteed income schemes, now being tested in cities like Evanston and previously proposed in Detroit, are dangerous fiscal ground. Without requirements for work or need beyond income thresholds, he argued, such programs inevitably spiral back into expansive welfare systems. “Once you start handing out money with no conditions, you’ll be pressured to give more for every hardship,” he said.
Shifting to broader issues in the state, Dabrowski criticized Illinois’ political leadership—particularly Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson—for focusing more on identity politics than academic fundamentals. “They’re obsessed with DEI and curriculum reforms that have nothing to do with teaching kids to read or do math,” he said.
In a recent Wirepoints analysis, Dabrowski revealed that 80% of Black students and 73% of Hispanic students in Illinois are not proficient in reading. In math, the numbers are even worse. Yet, instead of measurable goals for academic improvement, the state continues to promote LGBTQ+ inclusive curricula and gender policies.
“When was the last time you heard Johnson or Pritzker commit to a 50% reading proficiency target?” Dabrowski asked. “We never hear that. All we hear is equity, not accountability.”
The interview also touched on rising crime. Despite a slight national dip in homicide rates, Chicago’s numbers remain stubbornly high—five times the rate of New York City and three times that of Los Angeles. Mayor Johnson has praised the recent decrease in homicides, but Dabrowski said Chicago’s criminal justice approach still lacks a coherent strategy. “Johnson’s target is to get below 500 murders a year. That’s mediocrity,” he said. “If we had New York’s rate, we’d have just 122 murders a year.”
On the Chicago Public Schools front, Dabrowski noted the historic ratification of a new CTU contract, which includes pay raises, smaller class sizes, and expanded staffing. First-year teachers will earn more than $100,000 by 2027. “What do we get in return? Larger tax bills and no improvement in student outcomes,” Dabrowski said bluntly. “This contract is a windfall for the union, not for the kids.”
Finally, Dabrowski reiterated his call for stronger accountability measures in state government, including a state-level Department of Justice-like watchdog with the power to subpoena and conduct forensic audits. “We know where the money is going—it’s Medicaid, education, and health services. But we don’t know how it’s being spent,” he warned. “Pritzker and Johnson would never allow it. But Illinois desperately needs it.”
As Illinois braces for the fiscal challenges ahead, Dabrowski’s message is clear: the state needs leaders who prioritize results over politics, and taxpayers need transparency before signing the check.
For more analysis, visit Wirepoints.org.