Harris County cancels Uplift Harris program with plans to use $18M for other programs

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Harris County leaders waved the white flag on a program that would've given families a guaranteed income.

Uplife Harris ends before it begins

More than a year ago, Harris County leaders announced a guaranteed incoming program. It was called Uplift Harris.

The program planned to use about $20 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to support approximately 2,000 families from the ten highest-poverty zip codes across Harris County.

Once selected, families would receive $500 a month for 18 months. However, Attorney General Ken Paxton said the program was illegal and took the county to court.

Although there's an ongoing legal battle, commissioners decided to end the program on Thursday.

"I think we just reached a point where some people in government are more interested in tax breaks for billionaires, or whatever they can do to help the people who already own the buses, sort of speak, than those people who have to get on the buses," Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis said.

Ellis explained that the program was costing upwards of $20,000 in administration costs. Although participants were chosen, they never received the money.

Now, they'll be notified it's not coming.

Instead of guaranteed income, the money is going to other programs

After ending Uplift Harris, commissioners voted to reallocate more than $18 million into other programs.

"The least we ought to do is go back and spend this money that was for those ten poorest zip codes in areas that will help poor people throughout the county," Ellis said.

All commissioners, except for Commissioner Tom Ramsey, voted to reallocate the money into rental assistance, homelessness, and nutrition programs. Commissioner Adrian Garcia said $8 million will go towards rental assistance, $8 million for homelessness, and $2.5 million for nutrition programs.

Ramsey wanted to move the money towards closing the county's budget deficit. The motion failed after it didn't receive additional support.

More money is coming to contracted workers, but they'll have to wait

While money isn't coming for Uplift Harris participants, it is for county-contracted workers. Earlier this year, commissioners approved pay raises for county workers and county-contracted workers.

Those contractor workers are set to go from $15 an hour to more than $21 an hour. It was supposed to start on July 1.

However, Ramsey asked to block it due to fears about what the pay increase could do.

"If this is implemented, this is very likely a 35% increase," Ramsey explained. "A 35% increase in construction costs in Harris County."

Commissioners decided to delay the implementation until October as they work through concerns. Garcia told workers that the pay increase is coming.

"Providing a livable wage will allow us to have workers on these jobs that can actually afford to live in Harris County," Garcia said.

Commissioners extend Diwali firework celebrations for five more years

Last year, after state lawmakers changed the law, commissioners approved the sale and use of fireworks during celebrations for the Diwali holiday. On Thursday, they agreed to extend it for another five years.

The county fire marshal told commissioners there were no issues during last year's celebrations. The reason commissioners took the item up in June is to avoid people buying fireworks around the July 4th holiday and storing them in their homes for months.

Diwali is celebrated in mid-October. During that time, the county will allow fireworks sales and celebrations.

While fireworks are approved, that's for the unincorporated areas. Fireworks are illegal in Houston.

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