The Democratic leadership of Houston and Harris County want to move closer to making Texas a welfare state.
But Attorney General Ken Paxton is having none of it.
Back in June, Harris County commissioners approved a pilot program called Harris Uplift, which would guarantee a $500 a month income to 1,900 poor families for 18 months. The money was to start flowing this month -- with no strings attached. Recipients could spend it on necessities or just blow it on anything they fancy.
On Tuesday, Paxton filed lawsuit to stop what he termed the "Harris Handout." He says the program violates a section of the state Constitution forbidding "any county, city, town or other political corporation or subdivision of the State...to grant public money or thing of value in aid of, or to any individual."
But the county argues Paxton is just playing politics and that doesn't apply, since it's using $20.5 million in federal COVID-19 relief money to fund the program.
That will be up to a court to decide. But in our view Paxton is right to challenge the pilot program.
A pilot program implies more to come in the future. A lot more, Right now, because of federal funding rules, the program is only available to legal residents. But according to the Houston Chronicle, Harris County is exploring ways to provide funding for illegal immigrants as well.
Should Uplift Harris be expanded, the money will have to come from somewhere and we doubt Washington will be footing the bill. That means the burden will fall to Texas taxpayers.
This isn't the first time a guaranteed income program has been tried in Texas. Austin launched a similar pilot guaranteed income program in 2022, giving just over 130 families $1,000 a month for a year, but restricting eligibility to those facing eviction or behind on energy bills.
Since landmark welfare reform during President Bill Clinton's administration, the U.S. as a whole has largely moved away from the endless cycle of cash welfare payments. Now it looks like some in Texas, of all places, want to bring it back.
But thanks to AG Paxton, not without a fight.