Of late, several Texas cities and counties have established guaranteed income programs (GIPs), which employ redistributive means to provide regular cash payments to select members of a community,
with no strings attached and no work requirement. These publicly-administered programs tend to be “organized around the principles of collectivism, social justice, and government control” (Quintero & Kirwin, 2024, p. 2). Despite certain constitutional and statutory limitations, numerous Texas cities and counties have attempted to establish these types of programs, including the cities of Austin and San Antonio, as well as El Paso and Harris counties.
Rise of the Transfer State: Guaranteed Income Programs in Texas’ Cities and Counties
This paper examines guaranteed income programs instituted by Texas cities and counties. Key points: The Texas Constitution prohibits political subdivisions from gifting public monies or things of value to private persons. Taxpayer-funded guaranteed income programs run afoul of this prohibition. In addition to being unconstitutional, guaranteed income programs cultivate dependency on government and detract from...