BALTIMORE– A group of Baltimore teachers is asking voters to approve a program that would give new parents $1,000 in hopes of reducing child poverty from birth.
The “baby bonus” will appear on the ballot for city residents in November, after supporters secured the 10,000 signatures needed to bring the issue to voters. Its recent campaign was based on extensive campaign efforts and a cute logo: a cartoon flying stork with a bag of money in its beak.
The proposal is loosely based on a program implemented this year in Flint, Michigan, where women receive $1,500 during mid-pregnancy and $500 a month for the first year after giving birth. Officials said the Flint program was the first of its kind in the U.S.
Countries in Europe and Asia have experimented with larger cash payments, but these programs are designed to encourage more people to have more children, not combat child poverty. Italywhich has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, offers baby bonus checks and other benefits designed to increase the population.
Baltimore campaign organizers say more systemic changes are needed nationally to help lift families out of poverty, but giving new parents a modest financial boost could prove an important first step.
“If we’re going to spend a limited amount of money, where do you get the best return on your investment? The research says at birth,” said Nate Golden, a high school math teacher who helped found the Maryland Child Alliance, which is pushing the ballot initiative. “It can literally have a lifelong impact on a child.”
Golden said he also hopes the program demonstrates to elected leaders in Baltimore and beyond that there is a real appetite among voters to implement policies that help vulnerable children succeed.
The issue is particularly pressing in Baltimore, where about 31% of school-age children live in poverty, according to census data. Nationally, child poverty declined during the pandemic thanks to federal aid programs, but has since declined. went up again to around 12% in 2022.
It’s hard for the poor climb the economic ladderespecially among communities of color. Research shows that most American children born into the lowest income bracket will remain in approximately the same socioeconomic status for the rest of their lives.
Golden said she sees similar scenarios play out in her classroom every school year — with students facing homelessness, food insecurity, gun violence and countless other challenges.
“When you see what they are going through outside of school, I will still demand the best of them in the classroom, but that is not enough,” he said. “We have to take care of these underlying needs before we can get kids to focus on learning.”
If the ballot initiative passes, all new parents in Baltimore will receive a one-time payment of at least $1,000.
An estimated 7,000 children are born in Baltimore every year, so the program would cost about $7 million annually, which represents about 0.16% of the city’s annual operating budget, according to supporters. The initiative will not result in higher taxes, but it will be up to the Baltimore City Council to allocate funds if it passes.
Advocates say taking a comprehensive approach to distributing the funds ensures no one is forgotten. It also means some of the money goes to wealthy parents who don’t need assistance, but Golden said it’s worth including them to avoid leaving out poorer families.
Considering the payments are relatively small, the universal approach makes sense because research and development of a qualification system can add significant costs and delay program implementation, said Christina DePasquale, associate professor of economics at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.
No one claims that $1,000 is a life-changing amount of money. But it could help cover some of the many costs associated with having a baby, including paying for diapers, formula, strollers, cribs and more, she said. And for new parents living on the margins of society, it could make a real difference.
Above all, DePasquale said, the initiative will raise awareness about child poverty and could lead to more far-reaching changes in the future.
“It’s worth it in the sense that it makes people think about it,” she said. “It’s something to build on. Even if you don’t have something perfect, the less perfect version is better than having nothing.”
The largest federal program aimed at combating child poverty is the child tax credit, which was temporarily expanded during the pandemic. While it has proven effective, advocates say it leaves out some families due to necessary documentation and eligibility requirements.
In Maryland, Governor Wes Moore campaigned on a promise to help the state’s youngest and most vulnerable residents. He led one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty organizations before taking office as Maryland’s first black governor. Moore signed legislation this year that will provide funding to community organizations in areas with high concentrations of child poverty.
Baltimore also launched a two-year pilot program in 2022 providing guaranteed income assistance payments of $1,000 per month to a select group of young parents using federal COVID relief money. A recent report Evaluation of the ongoing pilot found that participants experienced more housing stability and improved mental health during the first year.
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