San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones despatched a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott urging him to rethink his determination to finish free summer time lunches for impoverished Texas children. In it, she argued the Republican governor’s transfer creates a nationwide safety menace.
“Actions similar to this that impression our potential to lift sensible and wholesome children are, in truth, a nationwide safety situation within the long-term,” Jones, a former Beneath Secretary of the Air Pressure, wrote.
Jones is referring to Abbott’s June veto of a $60 million federally funded Summer season Digital Advantages Switch program that gives greater than $100 to Texas households dwelling beneath the poverty line to allow them to assist pay for his or her children’ lunches whereas faculty is out of session.
Though this system is federally funded, Texas would have been required to spend $60 million in administrative prices over the following two fiscal years to function it.
Regardless of these prices, Abbott and state lawmakers may work to search out the working cash and choose into this system earlier than its Jan. 1 deadline, Jones argued in her letter.
“It’s not too late for Texas to decide to this program for summer time 2026,” she stated.
Round 22% of San Antonio residents beneath 18 reside in poverty, based on the 2024 U.S. Census Bureau.
“This determination instantly impacts essentially the most susceptible residents of my metropolis and our state,” Jones added.
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Throughout a council debate Wednesday, members raised considerations together with how such a transfer would impression faculty districts.
Jones’ journey to Mexico Metropolis is her newest effort to drum up worldwide funding right here.
Some councilmembers say there isn’t sufficient time for neighborhood enter on shifting off-year municipal elections to November. Jones says that’s not her fault.
