SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones joined the KSAT Q&A on Tuesday and discussed her letter to Gov. Greg Abbott, where she requested he reconsider his veto halting funding for children’s summer lunch programs.
In June, Abbott vetoed a $60 million budget for the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program, which would give low-income Texas families more than $100 per child to pay for summer lunches.
The federal program, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, would provide benefits while schools are closed for the summer.
Almost 1 in 5 children in San Antonio live below the poverty line, according to Jones.
“This is not an issue of money — we’ve got the resources,” Jones said. “This is an issue of leadership, and an issue of courage, and I hope the governor finds the courage to do right by these kids.”
Jones said she felt called to write the letter to Abbott, which was sent Monday. Jones said if he rejects her request, she will have to look at other plans.
“We’ve got until the end of the year to get this right, and I hope we do,” Jones said.
Jones also discussed her biggest accomplishments of 2025 and things to look forward to in 2026.
Watch the full interview in the video player above.
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