Why 45% of TX-18 Is Struggling — and What We Can Do About It

Let’s talk about something too many politicians avoid: low wages.

In TX-18, nearly half of all workers earn less than $15 an hour. That’s not a headline — that’s a crisis. It’s the difference between a full fridge or skipping meals, between stable housing or living paycheck to paycheck, between building a future or just barely getting by.

You can feel it from the Northside to the East End, in every corner of the Third Ward, Acres Homes, and Sharpstown. These aren’t “entry-level” jobs either — they’re careers that support families: home health aides, cooks, cashiers, bus drivers, warehouse workers.

And let’s be honest: this isn’t just about economics. It’s about dignity. When people work hard and still can’t afford rent, child care, or medicine, that’s not an accident — it’s policy failure.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the bottom 25% of wage earners in Harris County — which includes TX-18 — earn around $12.36/hour on average. That’s not enough to live on, let alone thrive.

So here’s what I’m fighting for:

• A federal minimum wage of $15/hour, adjusted for inflation

• Tax credits to help small businesses raise wages and stay strong

• Targeted investments in job training, trade schools, and second-chance hiring

• Local hiring incentives that bring public dollars back to the communities that need them most

Because when we lift up the lowest earners, we lift up everyone — reducing crime, growing the middle class, and healing long-standing injustices.

TX-18 is full of people with talent, grit, and ambition. But no one can build a future on $12.36 an hour.

Let’s change that — together.