Lightfoot Floats Plan To Issue $150 Gas Cards To Ease Pain At Pump

CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot plans to combat skyrocketing gas prices by dolling out $12.5 million in prepaid cards redeemable at city fueling stations and on public transit.

The Chicago Moves financial assistance proposal, which would begin April 27 pending City Council approval, calls for doling out $150 prepaid gas cars to 50,000 Chicagoans and $50 prepaid transit cards to about 100,000 riders.

"The last two years have been exceedingly difficult for many of our residents, in particular our most vulnerable populations. Through the pandemic, we have collectively faced tragedy, and many among us have faced accompanying economic hardship. Now, as inflation steadily rises and the cost of gas continues to soar, our disadvantaged residents are carrying a significant financial burden," Lightfoot said.

"Chicago Moves endeavors to provide much needed relief and ease some of this pain. By subsidizing the cost of gas and transit, this program will enable participants to save their resources for other critical expenses. Chicago is a city that moves. People have to be able to get to work, school, places of worship, medical offices, grocery stores. The goal of this program is to help make those moves easier."

About 50,000 gas cards worth $150 each would be distributed to Chicagoans who are at least 18 years old, own a car with a current city sticker and have a household income of 140 percent of the city's median income, which is $91,000 for a single person and $130,000 for a family of four. Applications will be limited to one per household. And the cards would be distributed 10,000 at a time for five consecutive months staring in May.

The project has support from the City Council finance committee chairman.

"As the cost of gas continues to soar, the City has a responsibility to ensure our most vulnerable residents are not overlooked,” Ald. Scott Waguespack said. "Chicago Moves allows our residents to get where they need to go without an additional financial burden. I am pleased to stand with Mayor Lightfoot as she advocates for our residents."

Chicagoans are currently spending about 4.5 percent of their annual income on gasoline, a 1.4 percentage point spike since last year, according to AAA and the Center for Neighborhood Technology. Nationwide, drivers are spending nearly $70 to fill up their tanks.

City Hall also will distribute $50 cards or add that amount to 100,000 public transit cards. About 75,000 of the $50 cards will be distributed in low-income neighborhoods, and the remainder will be issued citywide to residents who meet the household income criteria.