GND JG Neg - DDI 2023 BK

DDI BK—GND Jobs Guarantee
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1NC --- States CP
The 50 states and all relevant territories should adopt a Green New Deal jobs guarantee
Solves—states have the resources, avoid issues at the local and federal level, and cause fed follow-on.
Economic Security Project 22 [Economic Security Project, distinguished group of over 100 entrepreneurs, activists, researchers, and philanthropists sign on to the mission of championing direct cash payments and disburses grants, runs issue campaigns, develops creative interventions and research products, and convenes the field to advance our issues and turn bold ideas into reality to empower Americans to live and work to their full potential, 04-13-2022, “States Lead the Way,” Economic Security Project, https://economicsecurityproject.org/resource/states-lead/] laura
Every person deserves to live with dignity and have their basic needs met. After decades of rollbacks and disinvestment, our current social safety net is insufficient given the economic situation we face. In the United States there is unconscionable and accelerating wealth inequality, wages have been stagnant for 40 years and, both before and throughout the coronavirus pandemic, many Americans struggle to meet their basic needs. In the richest country on Earth, elimination of deep poverty is attainable and long overdue. Historically, states have played a critical role in testing concepts to improve the lives of low-income residents and created a blueprint for anti-poverty measures that can be implemented nationwide. It is time to boldly reimagine and revitalize an eroded social safety net, and states have an opportunity to lead by example. The devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted mitigation strategies intended to get cash to people who were impacted. Federal policies such as increased unemployment insurance, an expanded and fully refundable Child Tax Credit (CTC), and stimulus checks have led to burgeoning support for permanent cash transfer programs like a guaranteed income. Additionally, state and local governments added to relief efforts by using federal dollars provided by both the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to fund cash transfer programs of their own. At the same time, an increasing number of municipalities and other units of local government across the country are exploring guaranteed income demonstrations in their community, and states should seize this opportunity to build upon this work. Local guaranteed income programs, though limited in scope, produce incredibly valuable data to prove the efficacy of unconditional cash programs, which are critical for states to obtain buy-in from the necessary stakeholders. One limitation of local programs, however, is that they often aren’t scaled to study the potential for community-level change or other broader economic impacts. At the federal level, the expanded CTC being debated as part of President Biden’s American Families Plan represents a form of guaranteed income for 39 million households. Unfortunately, federal conversations around nationwide cash transfer programs – like an expanded CTC – have been underwhelming. As of December 2021, the Build Back Better Act does maintain the fully refundable nature of the expanded-CTC, allowing low- and no-income families excluded pre-pandemic to continue to receive a credit, but only a temporary extension is being considered for the increased amounts families received during the pandemic. While the Build Back Better Act has not yet passed, the stimulus checks and expanded CTC have moved the needle, breaking down barriers to moving cash policies at any level of government. We now have a much better sense of what is possible when it comes to distributing monthly cash payments, and we have data and stories of the impact these policies have in the lives of low- and middle-income earning families. In light of the current limits at the local and federal level, there is an opportunity for state governments to explore ambitious, publicly-funded cash transfer policies that: promote dignity and greatly improve the lives of their low-income residents; add to a growing body of research with assessments of larger scale positive impacts across geographically and racially diverse areas; utilize the revenue raising powers of state government; and could be a model for a permanent federal program. We need a permanent federal guaranteed income, but political gridlock and polarization threaten to frustrate attempts at a federal program in the immediate term. States have an opportunity to push closer to that ideal with large scale, publicly funded, permanent programs of their own that will provide essential data and experience toward the realization of a federal program. This guide seeks to arm state-level advocates and policymakers with information regarding the choice points in program design, the positive impacts shown by existing research, and special considerations for states including options for guaranteed income implementation, interactions with existing public benefits programs, opportunities for public funding, and promoting racial equity.
State governments are best situated to provide green job guarantees—they have stepped in absent federal action
Gunby 19’ [Jennifer Gunby is the Senior Manager for State & Local Advocacy at the US Green Building Council. U.S. Green Building Council. 9-17-19. “State and local governments offer their own New Deal policy solutions” https://www.usgbc.org/articles/green-new-deal-policy-packages-offer-solutions-all-levels]//LA
State and local governments can capitalize on the benefits provided by Green New Deal-style legislation. There has been a great deal of attention following the November 2018 elections, and the announcement of the “Green New Deal.” At the federal level, a Green New Deal was introduced in February 2019 (House Resolution 109 and Senate Resolution 59). The resolution has spurred conversation and action from states and local governments to address economic inequality and climate risks. Absent federal action, state and local governments can move forward with solutions. Not only can they more nimbly address the challenges, they are also spending significant amounts of taxpayer money on the consequences of lack of action—increased rates of asthma, vector-borne diseases, heart disease and cancer; impacts of extreme weather events; and diminished air and water quality. Several states and cities have already moved forward with solving these challenges by introducing their own versions of a “Green New Deal,” and many others passed complementary policies that well aligned with the tenets of the Green New Deal. Those packages that specifically use Green New Deal terminology include: California: AB 1276, introduced in February Los Angeles, California: Green New Deal / pLAn 2019 Connecticut: HB 6452, introduced in January Maine: LD 1282, introduced in March; passed and signed in June Minnesota: HF 2836, introduced in April New York, New York: The Climate Mobilization Act, passed and signed in April; see also OneNYC 2050 North Carolina: H737, introduced in April New York: A08429 / S06599, introduced in June; passed and signed in July Rhode Island: H 5665, introduced in February, and RI S 0659, introduced in March Virginia: HJ 724, introduced in January These bills would put a significant portion of the country on the path toward net carbon neutrality and an improved economy. However, the majority are introduced bills and resolutions—they are not yet passed, actionable legislation. Moving forward in the meantime An alternate path forward for state and local governments to take realistic action without a jurisdiction-wide Green New Deal is to remedy their own impacts and lead by example. A Green New Deal policy package that is customizable to emphasize local concerns can lead by example, focusing on government-owned buildings, infrastructure and assets, as well as incentives to guide the private sector in following suit. Such a package should be ambitious, cover transportation and buildings, and have an aggressive time frame. While the exact policy package would vary based on the goals of each jurisdiction, a typical package could include: All existing government buildings meeting high-performance standards All new government buildings achieving net zero Electrification of fleets Clean energy mandates Incentives for green industrial practices Residential weatherization grants and training Increased minimum wage for projects receiving public funds State and local governments are well positioned to capitalize on the many economic and quality of life benefits provided by Green New Deal-style legislation. In the absence of federal action, USGBC believes it is imperative that local leaders take this opportunity to create better communities while addressing economic inequality and climate change.
States solve best for GND goals—dozens of examples of state and local legislation prove
Sierra Club No Date [The Sierra Club is an American environmental organization with chapters in all 50 states, Sierra Club, No Date, “A Green New Deal Is Already Underway in States and Cities,” https://www.sierraclub.org/trade/green-new-deal-already-underway-states-and-cities]//LA
The policy changes envisioned in the Green New Deal resolution are not hypothetical. In fact, many are already happening at the state and local level, where broad local coalitions of labor, environmental, and racial justice groups are winning pro-climate, pro-jobs, pro-equity policies that help lay the groundwork for a national Green New Deal. In addition to more than 100 cities nationwide that have already committed to 100 percent clean, renewable energy, here are just a few examples of state and city initiatives that offer models and momentum for a nationwide Green New Deal. NEW YORK CITY The New York City Council recently passed a job-creating bill that takes aim at the city's largest source of climate pollution: inefficient buildings. The new policy, cited as part of the city's own Green New Deal, will require about 50,000 large buildings to meet ambitious targets for reducing climate pollution. The building retrofits required by the policy are expected to create about 8,000 jobs each year. To protect low-income residents, the policy includes terms to prevent rent increases in rent-regulated buildings. MAINE Maine recently enacted a new "Act To Establish a Green New Deal for Maine." The law will create a task force of labor, youth, climate science, and other representatives to craft a strategy for achieving 80% renewable energy in Maine by 2040, creating good jobs in renewable energy and manufacturing, and ensuring low-income households have access to affordable solar power. The Maine AFL-CIO has praised the policy, saying that workers must "have a seat at the table in crafting bold climate protection policies." LOS ANGELES In April 2019, Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti released an update to the Sustainable City pLAn, calling it "L.A.'s Green New Deal." The plan lays out the most ambitious and achievable climate goals for the city to date. It would invest in L.A.'s local workforce and economy by creating good union jobs for thousands of technicians, electricians, engineers, and other clean energy workers. Critically, the plan tackles the ongoing poor air quality that Los Angeles and other Southern California communities continue to breathe as the worst region for smog pollution in the country. ILLINOIS The Future Energy Jobs Act gives low-income families priority access to solar panels, while providing solar-installation job training, particularly for formerly incarcerated people and communities fighting environmental injustice. The law also sets new energy-efficiency standards that are slated to further reduce air and climate pollution, create over 7,000 new jobs each year to retrofit buildings, and cut $4 billion in energy costs for Illinois families. CALIFORNIA In addition to committing to 100 percent clean energy by 2045, California’s Buy Clean policy helps stimulate clean manufacturing by requiring that tax dollars be spent on goods manufactured under conditions that protect our climate. The law will help ensure that when the state government buys steel for bridges or glass for offices, it sends tax dollars to manufacturers that are slashing their climate pollution and creating good jobs. NEW MEXICO New Mexico has enacted a historic law to transition to 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2045. The bill sets interim milestones for clean energy adoption and invests heavily in NM communities, accounting for retiring an existing coal-fired generating plant while pursuing a just and equitable transition to a clean energy future for NM workers and families. PORTLAND In 2018, after a grassroots campaign led by communities of color, voters in Portland overwhelmingly approved a ballot referendum that will raise $30-70 million per year, via a fee on big retailer profits, for energy efficiency, renewable energy, job training, affordable housing, regenerative agriculture, and green infrastructure projects. A new task force of city stakeholders will be tasked with deciding annually the beneficiaries of the fund, with at least half of the revenue going toward investments in low income communities and communities of color. SEATTLE In August 2019, the Seattle city council unanimously passed a resolution calling for a city-level Green New Deal, which seeks to eliminate Seattle’s climate pollution by 2030, address historical and current injustices, and create thousands of good, green, well-paying, unionized jobs. The effort is being led by local environmental justice organizations and frontline communities of color, and includes a "Healthy Homes, Healthy Businesses" ordinance that would require new buildings in the city to run on clean electricity rather than gas appliances. PITTSBURGH Pittsburgh United's Clean Rivers Campaign has been pushing for job-creating green infrastructure projects that could drastically reduce flooding in some of the city’s vulnerable neighborhoods. They are one of many local coalitions across the country calling for, and often securing, public investments in green spaces to absorb rainwater, replacement of lead pipes, and other infrastructure upgrades to increase climate resilience and ensure clean water. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA The Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018 requires DC to transition to 100 percent clean, renewable electricity sources by 2032. It also sets stronger, job-creating building performance standards to reduce energy use and make buildings more energy efficient and requires buses and large private vehicle fleets to transition away from dirty fuel and toward electric vehicles.
States solve—they’ve already stepped in and are best suited to green jobs creation
Crunden 19’ [E. A. Crunden: B.A. in Government (International Relations), Smith College, 4-2-2019, ThinkProgress, “Cities and states are modeling what a Green New Deal could look like,” https://archive.thinkprogress.org/cities-states-green-new-deal-ocasio-cortez-b87147b4b47d/]//LA
Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., have spent the past two months engaged in a war of words over the Green New Deal resolution. Many argue its ambitious goals aren’t feasible within the short timeframe it lays out. Others say there’s simply no alternative. While they’ve been sparring, however, cities and states across the country have been moving forward with their own ambitious plans, showing how elements of the radical proposal could take shape at a local level. “I think at the state and local level, we’ve got the capacity to do it,” Alan Webber, mayor of Santa Fe, New Mexico, told ThinkProgress. Webber’s city has been moving swiftly on climate action over the past few years. Part of that is necessity: New Mexico already suffers from water shortages, something the 2018 National Climate Assessment (NCA) warns will only grow worse in the Southwest as climate change intensifies droughts. With no time to waste, Santa Fe is jumping in head first. “We are on land that belongs to the Pueblo,” Webber said, noting that indigenous communities in the area have paved the way for the “sustainable life” Santa Fe is now pursuing. Last November, Santa Fe adopted a sustainability plan putting the city on the road to carbon neutrality by 2040. That’s 10 years later than the Green New Deal proposes, but it’s still a rapid timeline. And it’s one that includes a host of factors — moving to renewable energy, upgrading buildings and street lighting, water conservation, and local food production, in addition to more run-of-the-mill actions like recycling. “It’s a comprehensive approach to having a sustainability roadmap,” said Webber. What is unfolding in Santa Fe is an accelerated version of the conversation taking place on the national level. Once a topic pushed to the side by Republicans and Democrats alike, climate change has been catapulted to the top of the political agenda in recent months. After two years of deadly wildfires and hurricanes across the country, polling shows that most Americans accept the science behind climate change and that many feel it is already impacting their lives directly. And they are demanding action. Congressional newcomers like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), joined by activist groups like the youth-led Sunrise Movement, have led the charge. In February, Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Green New Deal resolution, a blueprint for overhauling the entire U.S. economy and transitioning to emissions-neutral energy sources within a decade. Short on specifics, the resolution is meant to serve as an aspirational blueprint for eventual legislation in Congress that would emphasize rapidly transitioning the United States away from fossil fuels, in line with the latest science, all while investing in job creation, education, and health care. Ambitious climate legislation akin to the Green New Deal faces gridlock in Congress and staunch opposition from the White House, making it essentially a non-starter right now. But that isn’t true of cities and states. As of March, at least 19 states are considering or have already set 100 percent clean or renewable electricity targets, according to EQ Research, a policy group that works on issues like energy efficiency and renewables. Not all of those efforts resemble the full spectrum of changes called for under the Green New Deal, however, as they focus predominately on electricity goals. But several of the plans incorporate language about jobs and social justice, with some directly referencing the Green New Deal as a source of inspiration. That’s significant because, without federal support, ground-up implementation could be how the Green New Deal ultimately becomes a reality. Ambitious energy targets alone are notable in several areas. Hawaii and California have enacted legislation to hit a 100 percent clean or renewable electricity target by 2045, while Washington, D.C., is aiming for 2032. And already this year, 10 more states have followed suit, introducing their own legislation to reach a clean electricity standard by 2050 or earlier. This marks a dramatic change of pace compared to a few years ago, according to Ben Inskeep, a research analyst with EQ Research. “We definitely do see a lot of examples at the state level where we see [decarbonization targets] ratcheting up,” Inskeep told ThinkProgress. According to an alarming U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released last fall, the world only has around a decade left before crossing a dangerous global warming threshold. Reaching 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming above pre-industrial levels would, the report warns, mean devastating climate impacts on a scale the world is not prepared to address. This is why the Green New Deal resolution emphasizes the importance 

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