{"id":467072,"date":"2025-12-23T17:45:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T17:45:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/467072\/"},"modified":"2025-12-23T17:45:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T17:45:20","slug":"san-antonio-mayor-calls-on-abbott-to-opt-into-summer-lunch-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/467072\/","title":{"rendered":"San Antonio mayor calls on Abbott to opt into summer lunch program"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones speaks to reporters during a recent press conference. Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\n

San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones sent a letter<\/a> to Gov. Greg Abbott urging him to rethink his decision to end free summer lunches for impoverished Texas kids. In it, she argued the Republican governor\u2019s move creates a national security threat. <\/p>\n

\u201cActions such as this that impact our ability to raise smart and healthy kids are, in fact, a national security issue in the long-term,\u201d Jones, a former Under Secretary of the Air Force, wrote.<\/p>\n

Jones is referring to Abbott\u2019s June veto of a $60 million federally funded Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program that provides more than $100 to Texas families living under the poverty line so they can help pay for their kids\u2019 lunches while school is out of session.<\/p>\n

Although the program is federally funded, Texas would have been required to spend $60 million<\/a> in administrative costs over the next two fiscal years to operate it.<\/p>\n

Despite those costs, Abbott and state lawmakers could work to find the operating money and opt into the program before its Jan. 1 deadline, Jones argued in her letter.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not too late for Texas to commit to this program for summer 2026,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Around 22% of San Antonio residents under 18 live in poverty, according to the 2024 U.S. Census Bureau<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis decision directly impacts the most vulnerable residents of my city and our state,\u201d Jones added.<\/p>\n

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