It was late and the pandemic was in full swing. The mother of four needed a hand. She used the money to fill her gas tank and pay her car insurance. Sullivan said the funds allowed her to land a higher-paying job and move from an apartment into a house. The pandemic relief program ran from to Guaranteed income programs have become more popular since the pandemic as dozens of cities across the country launched pilot programs using federal COVID relief funds. Whereas other welfare funds like food stamps and housing vouchers provide assistance for specific expenses, guaranteed income programs allow recipients to decide how they spend the money.
Researchers have found them to be an effective way to combat poverty. In recent years, a handful of Texas cities and counties have piloted their own guaranteed income programs for low-income households. The Texas Supreme Court indefinitely paused the pilot while the case goes to trial.
Recipients are allowed to prioritize what they want to spend the funds on, which could include costs that other welfare programs do not cover. UpTogether is a California-based nonprofit that plans guaranteed income funds across the country and has helped organize four in Texas so far. Bogle instead emphasized the almost guaranteed positive effect that direct cash programs have on the children in participating families.
Bogle pointed to research that shows increases in household income improve future employment opportunities for children, which helps break the cycle of welfare. Across the country, several states have moved to pass laws that restrict local governments from implementing guaranteed income programs. Paxton accused Harris County of violating a state law that says governments cannot use public money for private purposes.
To qualify as a public purpose, a program must demonstrate that the funding is used to meet specific goals for the good of the public and not for the benefit of private parties, among other requirements, said Randy Erben, adjunct professor at the University Texas School of Law. Opponents also criticize guaranteed income programs for excessively expanding government spending, a traditional conservative concern. Guaranteed income programs increase government involvement, which raises the burden on taxpayers, according to James Quintero, policy director at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
