By Jesús Gerena
This year, Texas lawmakers came dangerously close to banning guaranteed income — advancing a bill that would have prohibited cities and counties from using public funds to provide direct cash to residents. While the bill passed the Senate, it ultimately failed to reach the House floor before the session ended. That’s a relief — for now.
But make no mistake: this effort is part of a broader campaign to strip local governments of the power to meet their communities’ needs. And the consequences are already being felt.
In El Paso, local leaders had partnered with UpTogether to expand on a successful pandemic-era initiative that provided unrestricted cash to more than 1,000 households. But those plans were abruptly halted after Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against a similar guaranteed income effort in Harris County. The legal threat was clear: any local government that dared invest in its residents would be punished.
At UpTogether, we’ve seen firsthand what happens when families are trusted with resources. In partnership with local leaders and philanthropic funders, we’ve invested $230 million in households facing financial hardship — including more than 43,000 in Texas alone. Families used that capital to reduce debt, pay rent, care for children and aging parents, pursue education, and start small businesses.
The impact is real — and it’s measurable. In Austin, a study showed guaranteed income helped residents stay housed, feed their families and continue working during crises. Participants like Ashleigh Hamilton shared their stories with lawmakers. When she got COVID-19, the extra income helped her stay afloat.
“Do you know what it feels like,” she asked, “to work yourself to exhaustion and still not have enough — to have to choose between rent and groceries?”
Yet, while the state Legislature nearly cut off this tool for families with the least, it moved forward with expanding private school vouchers — redirecting public dollars to families who already have means. Call it what it is: a deeply unequal double standard. Support for working-class families is derided as wasteful. Support for wealthier ones is rebranded as “opportunity.”
This isn’t about fiscal responsibility. If it were, the state wouldn’t be creating these costly, unaccountable voucher programs. And it’s not about constitutional purity. If it were, lawmakers wouldn’t be overriding the will and expertise of local governments trying to support their own residents.
This is about control, about preserving a status quo that punishes those with the least, while rewarding those with the most.
As Congress debates cuts to safety net programs, the stakes only grow higher. Nonprofits like UpTogether can’t replace government — but we can, and do, show what’s possible when people are treated with trust and dignity.
Guaranteed income isn’t a fringe idea. It’s been piloted and studied in cities across the country. It’s been proven to work. And it has broad support across party lines and income levels. When families have even a modest boost in income, they do what they’ve always done: make smart decisions, support their communities and build more stable futures.
For now, guaranteed income remains legal in Texas. That’s a win worth celebrating. But it’s also a reminder that progress isn’t permanent. We must remain vigilant — because the next attempt to restrict local innovation and strip families of choice is likely already being drafted.
Jesús Gerena is president and CEO of UpTogether.
The post Opinion: Guaranteed income Is safe in Texas — for now appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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