Prepared by: Rodney LaBruce, Candidate for U.S. Congress, Texas District 30

Coalition: Unified Advocacy and Leadership Coalition (UALC)

I. The Strategy: Immediate Defense and Systemic Reform

Poverty in America is not the result of individual failure. It is sustained by everyday systems that quietly extract money from people who have the least margin for error. While I work to dismantle these "revenue models" in Congress, our community can begin fixing these issues today. This blueprint provides the tools to stop the wealth drain from your household immediately.

II. Prescription Drugs: Breaking the "Evergreening" Cycle

• The Problem: Pharmaceutical companies use a tactic called "evergreening" to maintain high prices by filing additional patents on minor changes to existing drugs. This blocks more affordable, FDA-approved generic versions from entering the market.
• How it Preys on the Community: Low-income families are often the least equipped to afford high out-of-pocket costs for essential medications. When evergreening keeps prices artificially high, families may be forced to ration medication or skip doses, leading to medical emergencies and missed work.
• Action: UALC will teach families to request "clinically equivalent" generics and utilize discount pharmacy platforms to keep money in their pockets today.

III. The Credit Trap: Restoring Agency Over Opportunity

• The Problem: The American credit system acts as a permanent punishment mechanism rather than a path to recovery. Negative marks, often stemming from a single late payment or a medical emergency, can haunt a family's record for years, creating a cycle of financial exclusion.
• How it Preys on the Community: Because credit reports are used for everything from apartment rentals to job applications, a poor score creates inequality that locks people out of stable housing and employment. Predatory credit repair industries then target vulnerable individuals, charging high fees for services that people have the legal right to perform themselves for free.
• Action: We provide DIY Credit Defense templates so you can legally dispute errors yourself, bypassing predatory repair fees and restoring your own financial standing.

IV. Banking and The Lottery: Ending the Hidden "Poverty Taxes"

• The Problem: Systems like bank overdraft programs and state-sanctioned lotteries act as regressive taxes that disproportionately extract wealth from those with the least income.
• How it Preys on the Community: High bank fees, often $30 or more per incident, can "bounce" low-income depositors out of the banking system entirely, forcing them into expensive "fringe banking" like check-cashing stores. Simultaneously, state lotteries rely on lower-income households to spend a disproportionate share of their income on tickets marketed as a solution to wealth accumulation.
• Action: We will help neighbors disable "overdraft protection" and transition to no-fee community banking and savings alternatives.

V. Predatory Lending: Stopping the Debt Treadmill

• The Problem: Payday and auto-title lenders offer "quick cash" with annual interest rates that often exceed 300% to 400%.
• How it Preys on the Community: These loans are designed to be difficult to repay in a single period, forcing borrowers to "roll over" the debt and pay repeated fees. This creates a "debt treadmill" where families spend thousands in interest without ever paying down the original small loan.
• Action: UALC connects residents with Credit Union "Payday Alternative Loans" (PALs) that provide safe, small-dollar credit capped at 28% interest.

VI. Utility and Maintenance: Plugging the Financial Drains

• The Problem: Unpredictable costs like high winter heating bills and sudden car repairs frequently trigger financial crises for families living paycheck to paycheck.
• How it Preys on the Community: For lower-income households, necessities like utilities can consume a much higher percentage of after-tax income compared to the average household. When a utility bill spikes or a car breaks down, predatory lenders use these moments to justify high-interest "Title Loans" that put a family's vehicle at risk of seizure.
• Action: We provide direct help for CEAP/LIHEAP utility assistance applications and connect families with free North Texas repair programs like Autocare Haven to prevent these crises from turning into long-term debt.

The "Stop the Drain" Community Toolkit

Immediate Steps to Protect Your Household

• Stop the Fee Cycle: Call your bank today to opt out of "Overdraft Protection". This stops the $35 fees for small purchases.
• Claim Your Utility Relief: Do not wait for a disconnect notice. Apply for the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) through Dallas County Health and Human Services (214-819-2000) for help with past-due electric and gas bills.
• Bypass the Payday Lender: If you need emergency cash, skip the payday shop. Visit a local credit union for a Payday Alternative Loan (PAL)—these are safer, small-dollar loans designed to break the debt trap.
• Free Car & Home Repairs: Before taking out a high-interest title loan for repairs, check with Autocare Haven for free vehicle maintenance or Rebuilding Together North Texas for free home safety repairs.
• The Pharmacy Pivot: Always ask: "Is there a clinically equivalent generic for this?" This simple question can save you hundreds per month.

Immediate Steps to Protect Your Household

• Stop the Fee Cycle: Call your bank today and explicitly say: "I want to opt out of overdraft coverage." This prevents the bank from allowing a transaction to go through if you don't have the funds, saving you $35 "junk fees" on small purchases like a cup of coffee or a bus fare.
• Pro Tip: Switch to a "Bank On" certified account (like those at many local credit unions) which are guaranteed to have no overdraft fees.
• Claim Your Utility Relief: Do not wait for a disconnect notice. Apply for the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) through Dallas County Health and Human Services (214-819-2000).
• New for 2025: Ask about the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). They can provide free home repairs—like sealing windows and insulating attics—that permanently lower your electric bill by 20% or more.
• Bypass the Payday Lender: If you need emergency cash, skip the payday shop. Visit a local credit union for a Payday Alternative Loan (PAL). These are small-dollar loans capped at 28% interest—a fraction of the 300% charged by payday lenders.
• Alternative: Look into the St. Vincent de Paul Mini-Loan Program, which specifically helps people convert high-interest payday loans into low-interest, manageable payments.
• Medical Bill Defense: Never pay a hospital bill immediately.
• Action: Ask the hospital's billing department for their "Charity Care" or "Financial Assistance Policy." By law, nonprofit hospitals must provide discounts or even waive bills for families below certain income levels.
• Crucial: Check your bill for "Chargemaster" prices and request an itemized statement; often, just asking for an itemized list causes "accidental" charges to disappear.
• Free Car & Home Repairs: Before taking out a high-interest title loan, check with Autocare Haven (autocarehaven.org) for free vehicle maintenance or Rebuilding Together North Texas for free home safety repairs.
• New: If your home was affected by recent North Texas weather events, check the Red Cross 2025 Texas Bridge Assistance for emergency recovery funds that do not have to be repaid.
• The Pharmacy Pivot: Always ask: "Is there a clinically equivalent generic for this?"
• Advanced Move: Use tools like GoodRx or Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drug Company. Sometimes the cash price at these sites is cheaper than your insurance co-pay. If you have Medicare, check if you qualify for the "Extra Help" program, which can cap your drug costs at very low amounts.
• Free Legal Defense: If you are facing eviction or being sued by a debt collector, do not ignore the notice.
• Action: Contact the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (DVAP) at 214-243-2236 or attend their virtual clinics held every Thursday. Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas also provides free representation to help keep evictions off your permanent record.

The "Saturday Morning" Action Plan

To see an immediate impact, spend 30 minutes this Saturday doing these three things:

1. Call your bank and opt out of overdraft fees.
2. Download the GoodRx app and look up your most expensive prescription.
3. Check your eligibility for CEAP utility assistance on the Dallas County website.