In a case that may solely be described as “reverse Robin Hood,” Texas Legal professional Normal Ken Paxton, who was indicted on two counts of securities fraud (stealing), a first-degree felony with a punishment of as much as 99 years in jail, and who had a “pro-Paxton group” that paid $3 million to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick who presided over Paxton’s impeachment trial, took steps to dam Texans present at or beneath the poverty line from receiving doubtlessly life-saving funds.
Paying homage to the sadistic tycoon on “The Simpsons,” Mr. Burns, who took pleasure in utilizing his huge wealth and energy to make life practically unattainable for the poor and dealing class, Paxton not too long ago filed a lawsuit in opposition to Harris County’s federally funded assured earnings pilot program (Uplift Harris) in an try to cease the taking part 1,928 low-income Harris County households from receiving $500 a month, funds these households already designated to pay hire, preserve the lights on and purchase meals.
The lawsuit falsely claims that Uplift Harris program is illegitimate below Texas legislation and in observe. If Paxton is profitable in his efforts to Ebenezer Scrooges these households out of $500 a month, it might imply not solely days of missed meals and minimize off energy for these in a position to preserve their residency standing, however many might additionally face the very actual risk of being evicted, putting whole households on Harris County streets.
In January, Harris County created the Uplift Harris assured earnings pilot program, becoming a member of greater than 80 cities and counties throughout the nation and different nations all over the world which have seen success by means of related applications. In Texas, San Antonio and Austin ran related applications beginning in 2020 and 2022, respectively.
“I really feel for these households whose plans and livelihoods are being caught up in political posturing by Trumpian leaders in Texas.”
lina hildago
“I really feel for these households whose plans and livelihoods are being caught up in political posturing by Trumpian leaders in Texas,” stated Harris County Choose Lina Hidalgo. “Like with abortion rights and fundamental gun security, Texas far-right leaders seize at any alternative to proclaim their Trumpian rhetoric, and so they do it with impunity as a result of they know that the folks they’re hurting should not their billionaire donors, however on a regular basis folks with restricted political energy.”
Assured earnings is without doubt one of the nation’s oldest and most profitable anti-poverty applications. Throughout the 2020 presidential primaries, one candidate, Andrew Yang, made a assured earnings a significant a part of his platform. Lengthy earlier than Yang, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. advocated for a assured earnings as the important thing to addressing a number of nationwide issues, believing the widespread root was poverty.
And it’s not solely “liberals” who imagine assured earnings applications have benefit. Celebrated conservative economist Milton Friedman advocated for the concept of a common fundamental earnings. Furthermore, current information exhibits that these applications have helped enhance employment charges, strengthen households, and enhance well being outcomes and psychological well being, in keeping with the Journal of City Well being.
“The [Paxton] submitting reads like a Trumpian manifesto and its logic is nonsensical. Trump himself instituted and touted a program in 2020 that despatched checks to people beneath a sure earnings stage. A number of Texas jurisdictions have carried out related applications for years with out problem,” added Hidalgo.
In 2023, Paxton had a financial internet value of roughly $10 million, the equal of 20,000 Uplift Harris month-to-month funds of $500.
Uplift Harris contributors are slated to obtain far lower than 20,000 months of funds – 18 to be precise. These funds have been scheduled to start this month utilizing federal {dollars} from the American Rescue Plan.
Recipients have been notified starting March 18 and have been relying on receiving these $500 funds for a number of weeks. Recipients could have full discretion to spend the funds on no matter their household’s most pressing wants are. Uplift Harris recipients have been randomly chosen from the ten most impoverished zip codes all through the county, which make a median annual earnings of $35,000.
Harris County is experiencing poverty at charges larger than different massive counties in Texas and the nation. In keeping with census information, roughly one in six folks in Harris County dwell in poverty, greater than the nationwide common and greater than all different massive counties in Texas. Information from the Kinder Institute exhibits that roughly two in 5 Houston residents say they’d be unable to pay for a $400 emergency.
