Posted on 06/06/2023 7:33:26 AM PDT by Towed_Jumper
A new, multi-million dollar program was announced Monday in Harris County that looks to help bridge economic inequality and reduce poverty.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioner Rodney Ellis introduced the $20.5 million investment program called Uplift Harris. The program will be proposed during Tuesday's Commissioner's Court meeting Tuesday.
As the first of its kind for the city, a pilot program would launch later this year, if approved, where families living below 200% of the federal poverty line - approximately $40,000 for a family of four - will receive $500 a month to support household needs.
However, Commissioner Ellis says programs like these have worked in other areas.
"Similar programs in other cities and counties have been shown to increase employment and the incentive to work while reducing poverty," he said in a press release. "But the benefits go even further. Families report improvements to their physical and mental health and are able to spend more time with their children. They also have a greater sense of self-determination when they are trusted with the resources they need to build a better life."
If approved, the program would run for 18 months starting in the Fall and administered by a third-party agency and subjected to rigorous evaluation, the county noted.
The guaranteed funds would help families meet their basic needs like paying rent, buying groceries, transportation, or child care. Because Harris County is one of the most economically segregated regions in the U.S., with wealth disparities impacting people of color, the program looks to address these concerns.
"Decades of neglect, inequity, and discrimination have financially destabilized generations of Harris County families, perpetuated poverty, and created unfair barriers to prosperity," Commissioner Ellis explained. "Unchecked and ongoing inequality has created an economic divide that families can’t overcome on their own, and Harris County has an obligation to act."
"It is uncivilized that we live in a society where people cannot afford basic necessities," Judge Hidalgo added in the release. "We all may know hardworking families who are one extra cost away from falling off their stable path."
Families eligible for the program will be randomly selected, according to the release, who either live in targeted high-poverty ZIP Codes or participate in Harris County Public Health’s ACCESS (Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self Sufficiency) Harris County, a program to improve the lives of residents experiencing hardship and facing health challenges, financial and housing needs, and social inequity.
"As county leaders, we have a duty to employ all the tools that we can to reduce poverty. This pilot program will support the people that work incredibly hard day and night but still need an uplift."
To learn more about similar programs like this, click here.
The whole concept is anathema. Here are a few of my questions for the judge:
Who exactly is this "third-party agency" that will be managing this wealth transfer (theft), of $20M of public taxpayer money? How much will they skim off the top in various fees to "administer" this program?
What are you going to do when these "guaranteed funds" end up helping families meet their basic needs like paying rent (buying Air Jordans), buying groceries (buying cocaine), transportation (buying rims to pimp their rides), or child care (out of state abortions). Will anyone be criminally prosecuted?
You say that Families report improvements to their physical and mental health and are able to spend more time with their children. What about the impact on me when I have to work even more hours to pay the additional tax burden you've imposed to pay for this and as a result I get to spend less time with my own children?
You say "Decades of neglect, inequity, and discrimination have financially destabilized generations of Harris County families, perpetuated poverty, and created unfair barriers to prosperity,". OK, Shelia Jackass Lee has been the U.S. Representative for most of Houston for the last 28 years and has accomplished precisely "dick" in terms of alleviating the economic and social sufferings of her constituents. How is spending $20M more going to move fix this? (I'm sure when Houston elects Jackass Lee as the new Mayor, she will finally get things turned around).
I could go on but you get the point.
Increase by how much? Very little, I suspect.
Any time somebody gets something without paying for it, somebody else pays for something without getting it.
The beginning of universal basic income.
How is giving money to people an “investment?” This is blatantly paying for votes.
> the $20.5 million investment program called Uplift Harris <
Kamala Harris has heard about “Uplift Harris”. And she misunderstands. I hate to be the person who has to tell Harris that it’s not about her. She won’t be getting $20.5 million.
I’ve never understood, if these universal basic income programs, provide income over and above, and in addition to, whatever public assistance program benefits people receive.
Also wonder, in this era of multi trillion dollar federal budget deficits, and strained state and local budgets, exactly where the money for these programs is coming from.
Exactly. Even the so called “work requirement” to get EBT cards is 20 hours a week! Preposterous for those of us oldsters who still work 7 days a week.
Decades of laziness, ignorance and a culture the eschews education and families with fathers have perpetuated multi-generational poverty and dependence on drugs and government handouts.
20.5 million dollars will pay for an office, an administrator, “their” secretary and a dozen flunkies who will distribute about 1.5 million to the target beneficiaries.
Who guarantees the guarantee?
spit
I was somewhat surprided to learn that this Guaranteed Income concept has been under consideration for quite a long time.
Even the late president Richard Nixon was for it.
In 1969,Nixon wanted every American family of four to have, from the state, at least $1600. a year. That would be equal to about $10K today. Milton Friedman recalled that the decision was dropped, due to concerns that society would be adversely affected, and more inclined to induldge in unsavory vices.
Here's the link mentioned in the article about other counties around the country implementing the same types of programs:
https://countiesforaguaranteedincome.org
isnt this just another name for welfare?
The left must constantly invent new slogans and terms, to present itself as “new” and “forward thinking”
Whites are a minority in Harris county. I suppose they will get special consideration in “random selection”. /sarc
EC
It was Uncle Marx who said: ""From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." The Commie-Left always plays the role of Robin Hood -steal from the rich to give to the poor.
This destructive kind of communist shit in TX!?
“In need” of what? An 85 inch “Smart TV?” The latest iPhone? A Caribbean cruise? Tater Swuft concert tickets?
20.5 million dollars will pay for an office, an administrator, “their” secretary and a dozen flunkies who will distribute about 1.5 million to the target beneficiaries.
“They also have a greater sense of self-determination when they are trusted with the resources they need to build a better life.”
A greater sense of self-determination when they rely on handouts guaranteed to make them permanently non-self-determinative. Orwell lives, indeed.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.