Photo: Galveston County / Courtesy
For: Gustavo Rangel
TEXAS – The County Galveston has one of the highest poverty rates in Texas: one in 4.4 of its residents lives in poverty.
The area also faces other social problems. For example, there are still residences and businesses that have not recovered from the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey.
Four years after Harvey there are people who are still waiting for help to finish to rebuild homes and establishments.
Another hard blow that the island received came with the pandemic , as restaurants suffered and continue to struggle to recover from the effects. Tourism has collapsed and its recovery is just beginning.
With all these challenges facing Galveston County Administrator Mark Henry, he has a better idea of donating $ 6.6 million dollars. ”
. from a federal fund to build the wall proposed by Governor Greg Abbott instead of directing it to aid Galveston residents.
At a press conference, Galveston County Judge Mark Henry announces he’s declared a disaster in Galveston County because of the “crisis at the border” # galvnews pic.twitter.com/9grskWv3rj
– John Wayne Ferguson (@JohnWFerguson ) June 29, 2021
Money is part of the p federal relief program American Rescue Plan whose main purpose is to help small counties recover from the effects of the pandemic, but Henry announced this Tuesday that “once there is a coherent and achievable plan” he will donate the $ 6.6 million for the construction of the border wall with Mexico.
The official pointed out that the border crisis has led to an increase in crime in his county, though he did not present statistics to back up his comment.
The administrator said he will team up with the Texas Department of Public Safety and officers from Police Districts 1, 3 and 4 to offer support in whatever is required to contain this illegal immigration.
Governor Abbott amended on Monday the declaration of emergency issued on this issue at the beginning of the month and which were excluded the most populous border counties.
In total they are 28 counties that have joined the Abbott initiative and where some reside 550, 000 inhabitants.
The 11 counties that were excluded have a population of over 1.7 million people .
The proposal will be reviewed by the Galveston County Commissioners Court this Friday.
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