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FOUR O'CLOCK ON[Legislative Affairs Committee on December 7, 2020]
MONDAY, DECEMBER 7TH, 2020.THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE FOR THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL.
I AM CHAIRMAN ROBERT JOHN SMITH, UH, JOINED TODAY BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH RAJAB AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, BJ WILLIAMS, UH, GUEST STARRING, UH, WE'LL BE COUNCILWOMAN DEBRA MORRIS.
WE ALSO HAVE MEMBERS FROM THE CITY'S LEGAL AND MANAGEMENT STAFF TODAY.
UH, THE ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
UH, I'M GOING TO SORT OF PITCH THESE ALL OUT HERE AT ONCE BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE ALL THE SAME DISCUSSION AND IT'S GOING TO BE KIND OF FREEFORM EVEN A LITTLE BIT ROUND TABLE.
UM, UH, THE ITEMS WE HAVE ARE TO CONSIDER AND DEVELOP A 20, 21 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
UH, SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN REFERRED IN SO FAR, UH, ARE CONSIDERING LEGISLATIVE OR OTHER AMENDMENTS TO TD THCA RULES REGARDING VETERANS HOUSING, UM, CONSIDER LEGISLATIVE OR OTHER RULES TARGETING PREDATORY APPLICATION PRACTICES AND MULTIFAMILY HOUSING AND CONSIDER REQUESTING OR BOLSTERING LEGISLATIVE RULES GOVERNING FISCAL NOTES ON BILLS AS TO HOW THE BILL WILL HAVE A FINANCIAL IMPACT ON MUNICIPALITIES.
UH, BASED ON THE WAY WE WERE POSTED AA, I DON'T THINK WE'RE LIMITED IN OUR DISCUSSIONS ON WHAT WE'D WANT TO PUT INTO A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
I THINK THE, WE REALLY LEFT THIS WIDE OPEN.
UM, AND SO MR. NEIGHBOR, MY THOUGHT IS I'D KINDA LIKE TO START WITH WHAT YOUR STAFF HAS COME UP WITH, UH, FOR ITEMS THAT YOU GUYS ARE WANTING TO SEE UNDER THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF GET INTO WHAT THE COUNCIL IS PITCHING, UH, IF THAT'D BE OKAY.
GOT WHAT WAY NOW? THERE'S THE FIRST TIME AS YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD THIS, UH, LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA.
UM, THE REASON BEING THAT IN ANY GIVEN SESSION, WE DEAL WITH A FERRARI PART, UH, THOUSANDS OF THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF BILLS AND AMENDMENTS THEY GET FILED DURING THE SESSION.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, UH, INTERACTING YOU'RE IN A LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND BY THAT, I MEAN, NOT ONLY THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEIR STAFF TML, UM, OTHER, UH, GROUPS, UH, EITHER LOBBYING GROUPS OR GOVERNMENT GROUPS OR, UM, OTHER FORCES DOWN THERE, AND LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OWN SORT OF AGENDA.
UH, WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS FOCUS THAT DOWN ON THINGS THAT ARE JUST OF INTEREST TO GARLAND, BUT AS OFTEN AS NOT WITH HAVING ONLY THE COUNCIL TO GO TO, IT'S SOMETIMES VERY HARD TO GET, UH, MID-COURSE DIRECTION, UH, OR CORRECTION AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PURSUING OR NOT PURSUING, UH, THE RIGHT BILLS.
AND SO HAVING THOSE COMMITTEE, UM, WE'LL PROBABLY BE CALLING ON YOU QUITE FREQUENTLY DURING THE SESSION, UM, AND SAYING, WELL, HERE'S A NEW ONE, OR HERE'S A NEW TWIST ON ONE THAT WE'VE BEEN WATCHING.
UH, WHAT, UH, Y'ALL UM, THE, THE GOAL IN ANY GIVEN SESSION IS, IS TO KEEP OUR FOCUS AS NARROW AS WE CAN, UH, THAT SOMETIMES VERY DIFFICULT AS FAR AS, AS PROACTIVE LEGISLATION AND THE KIND OF LEGISLATION THAT, THAT WE GO OUT AND FIND AUTHORS AND SPONSORS AND OTHER PEOPLE SIGN ONTO THE BILL SUPPORT.
UM, WE OF NECESSITY HAVE TO KEEP THAT LIST PRETTY SHORT BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE END UP, UM, AS I CALL IT, CHASING EACH OTHER THROUGH THE HALLS STANDARDS CAPITOL ON, EVEN KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE THIS SESSION, BUT CHASING EACH OTHER THROUGH THE HALLS DOWN THERE, UH, AT THE CAPITOL, UH, TRYING TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT ALL OUR BILLS BECOME LAW.
UM, AND THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT, UM, BY SPREADING OURSELVES TOO THIN, UH, WE HAVE LESS SUCCESS, SO WE HAVE LESS SUCCESS WITH MORE BILLS.
AND WE DO, UM, WHEN WE PARE IT DOWN TO TWO OR THREE, MAYBE EVEN FOUR THAT WE'RE PROACTIVELY SEEK IT, UM, EVERY SESSION.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS HOLDING UP, UM, FOR COUNCILMAN AUBURN GOT ON, IT WAS HOLDING UP THIS LIST.
UH, I STARTED THIS, UM, IN 2019.
SO THIS IS, UH, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY LEFTOVERS FROM 2019, BUT ALWAYS CREATE A, WHAT WE CALL A WISHLIST OF LEGISLATION.
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AND THAT'S HOW I HAVE IT IN THE FILE LEGISLATION, 2021 WISHLIST, UH, AND WE CAN ADD TO IT AND SUBTRACT FROM IT AS NEEDED.UM, COUPLE OF THINGS, AS FAR AS A LEFTOVER, THERE IS A LEFTOVER FROM, FROM LAST SESSION.
AND THAT IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT OF ALL PLACES IS FOUND IN THE CIVIL SERVICE STATUTES.
ALTHOUGH IT DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH CIVIL SERVICE PER SE.
THERE'S A, A PROVISION IN THE CIVIL SERVICE STATUTE, UH, ONE 43 OH FIVE TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
IF YOU WANT TO LOOK IT UP, UM, IT PROVIDES FOR AN EMERGENCY SERVICES FEE THAT CAN BE COLLECTED BY CIVIL SERVICE CITY.
SO YOU HAVE TO BE A CIVIL SERVICE CITY, A ONE 43 CITY.
WE CALL IT IN THE TRADE WITHIN CERTAIN POPULATION BRACKET RIGHT NOW IT'S TWO 20 TO TWO 50.
UM, AND THAT FEE REPRESENTS QUITE A BIT OF MONEY TO US.
I'M SURE BRIAN CITY MANAGER COULD TELL US THAT 3 MILLION, 3 MILLION, $3 MILLION, SO THAT ONE'S WORTH CHASING AROUND THE HALLS OF CAPITOL FOR, UM, THE, THE PROBLEM BEING THAT WE MAY CHURN EXCEED 250,000.
AND SO WE WOULD FALL OUT OF THE POPULATION BRACKETS AND COULD NO LONGER COLLECT THAT SEAT.
UH, SO FAR AS I'M AWARE, UH, ONLY GARLAND AND IRVING FALL WITHIN A BRACKET AND, AND OTHER, UH, PREREQUISITES OF THAT LEGISLATION, UH, OF ALL THINGS IRVING REACHED OUT TO ME TODAY, UM, ANOTHER, UM, UH, REVENUE MATTER, AND THAT'S A SALES TAX OPTUM THAT IRVING IS, UH, PURSUING FOR, UM, UH, AN OPTIONAL SALES TAX THAT WOULD BE ADOPTED BY, UM, EXCUSE ME, BY ELECTION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADD THAT TO OUR LIST.
IT'S UP TO Y'ALL THE COURT, UH, THIS SALES TAX OPTION WOULD, WOULD APPLY TO, UH, AS I UNDERSTAND, IT'D BE BRACKETED TO CITIES WITHIN DALLAS COUNTY.
UM, I, I DOUBT AND THE LOBBYIST OR THE STAFFER FOR, UM, IRVING DOUBTS.
IT'D BE A WHOLE LOT OF SUCCESS FOR THAT, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW.
ANYWAY, I, I MENTIONED TO JOHN, UH, THERE STAFFER, UH, HEY, WE NEED TO WORK ON THIS POPULATION BRACKETS BELOW.
BECAUSE IRVING, UH, SOMEDAY IS GOING, GONNA RUN IN SAME PROBLEM.
WE ARE, THEY'RE NOT LOSING POPULATION, BUT THEY COULD WELL EXCEED TWO 50.
NOW WE WERE TOLD LAST SESSION WHEN WE FOUND AN AUTHOR FOR THAT KIND OF BRACKETS BILL, BUT WE WERE TOLD WHEN IT WENT DOWN TO THIS, UM, AGENCY, THAT'S CALLED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
IT'S NOT COUNCIL LIKE LAWYER COUNCIL.
UM, SO YOU AND CIL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DOES THE DRAFTING OF ALL BILLS IN THEIR FINAL FORM FOR, UM, THE LEGISLATURE.
SO ANY BILL THAT YOU WANT, EVEN THOUGH WE WRITE THEM UP IN AN INITIAL PASS, THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH LEDGED COUNCIL.
WE CALL IT FOR SHORT, UM, TO BE APPROVED AND REWRITTEN.
AND WE'VE NEVER SUBMITTED ONE THAT WASN'T RE WRITTEN SOMEHOW.
UH, I GET THAT, UM, WE WERE TOLD THAT BY ALLEGED COUNSEL THAT IN 2021, THERE WOULD BE A GENERAL POPULATION BRACKET, READJUSTMENT BILL DUE TO THE, UM, DECENNIAL CENSUS.
SO THE CENSUS HAPPENS IN 2020 SHOULD BE DONE, UH, 20, 21 THEY'LL COME BACK AND TRY TO ADJUST ALL OF THE POPULATION BRACKETS CONTAINED IN THE LEGISLATION.
THAT'S ONE THAT WE, THE BOTTOM LINE, WE HAVE TO PUT THAT ON THE LIST, UH, $3 MILLION.
AND IF WE DON'T SEE A, A VEHICLE FOR THAT, IF WE DON'T SEE A BILL THAT DOES THAT, UM, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND SOMEBODY TO FILE OUR OWN BRACKET BILL TO, TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THOSE BRACKETS GET ADJUSTED.
SO THAT'S ONE, THAT'LL BE ON THE LIST IN SOME FORM.
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TRIED TO HAVE SOME INSURANCE BY NOT ONLY PURSUING AND, AND SUPPORTING THE STATE OMNIBUS BRACKETTVILLE, BUT INCLUDE OUR OWN, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT BRACKET IN ONE 43 OH FIVE, TWO GETS ADJUSTED.UM, WAY I HAVE A REQUEST FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THIS GETS A LITTLE BIT COMPLICATED, UM, UH, PROM, UH, CHIEF LEE.
I DON'T KNOW IF CHIEF'S ON TODAY.
YOU SEE HIM, LORD, NO CHAIRMAN, NO, UM, CHEAPLY AND THE LARGER FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAVE RUN INTO AN ISSUE THAT'S DRIVEN BY THE COMPOSITION OF TEXAS FIRE COMMISSION ADVISORY BOARD.
UH, ONE, IT REALLY SHOULDN'T STILL EXIST BECAUSE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AD HOC AND TEMPORARY.
UM, THE PROBLEM BEING THAT THE SMALLER, ESPECIALLY THE MID-SIZED CITIES AND VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS, UM, ACTUALLY END UP WITH SOME MORE DISPOSABLE KIND OF REVENUE THAN WE WOULD HAVE CAUSE THEIR SALARY, UM, SHORTER IT AND SO ON.
AND SO I'M GIVING YOU A VERY SHORT SYNOPSIS HERE.
UH, THE PROBLEM IS THAT BIAS ESTABLISHING RULES THAT GO THROUGH THIS ADVISORY COMMISSION AND ARE ALMOST ALWAYS RUBBER STAMP BY THE TEXAS FIRE COMMISSION.
UH, THE RULES BECOME THE LAW AS GOVERNS, UH, OR CERTIFICATIONS AND WHAT WE DO AS A FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THE PARTICULAR PROBLEM IS FOR EXAMPLE, AND EQUIPMENT, UM, THEY HAVE, UH, A SHORTER EQUIPMENT REVIEW AND DISPOSAL, UM, TIMETABLES AND, AND WHAT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR FIRE SAFETY.
UM, I MEAN, IT'D BE GREAT, BUT WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A 300 PERSON FIRE DEPARTMENT, AS OPPOSED TO A THREE PERSON FIRE DEPARTMENT, YOU START RUNNING INTO SUBSTANTIAL MONEY.
UM, AND, AND THIS ADVISORY COMMISSION IS PUSHING THAT NOT NECESSARILY THE STATE OF THE ART OR FOR FIREFIGHTERS SAFETY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS GET MORE OF A VOICE OF BIGGER CITIES ON EITHER THE FIRE COMMISSION OR THIS ADVISORY BOARD DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE LEGISLATION'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND, UH, OF ALL THINGS THAT THE PARTICULAR COMMISSION INVOLVED THE FIRE COMMISSION IS UNDER SUNSET REVIEW.
IT MAY ALL OF THEIR LEGISLATION GOING TO BE REVIEWED FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER.
SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THIS SESSION TO GET INVOLVED, UH, NOT JUST BANDIT, NOT RUIN ANYTHING FOR ANYBODY ELSE, BUT GET MORE VOICE, UH, ON A BOARD ADS, REPRESENTATION, OR WHERE MOST OF THE FIREFIGHTERS AREN'T BECAUSE THOSE FIREFIGHTERS, I FORGET WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGES, BUT MOST OF THEM WORK FOR A LARGER DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO THERE, THERE ARE TWO THINGS THE REST OF THEM WE CAN ADD OR SUBTRACT.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU HAD MENTIONED TO ME, AND I ADDED IT TO THE LIST, UH, OPEN MEETINGS ACT AMENDMENTS, PROVIDE GREATER FLEXIBILITY FOR REMOTE MEETINGS LIKE WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
AND I'M SURE THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO BE ON THAT VERY HEAVILY.
WE PROBABLY DON'T EVEN NEED TO, WE, WE MAY DO A PIGGYBACK THERE.
UM, IF WE FIND SOMEBODY WHO'S, UH, SOME OF THEM MAY HATE THEM.
YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO DO AWAY WITH THEM, COULD WALK OR WRITING AS WE ARE NOW UNDER GOVERNOR GORDON.
AND SO IF THE GOVERNOR HADN'T SUSPENDED CERTAIN THINGS, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THESE ZOOM MEETINGS, BUT WE FOUND AFTER SOME INITIAL FEAR RELUCTANT, AT LEAST ON MY PART, UH, IT'S BEEN WORKING, IT WORKS QUITE HANDSOMELY.
SO, UM, IF WE FIND A BILL TO PIGGYBACK ON, THEN I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE AND, AND TRY TO MAKE THE ZOOM MEETINGS WORK.
UM, I DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC GRIPING Y'ALL WOULD HEAR BETTER THAN I WOULD, BUT, UM, THEY SEEM TO BE PRETTY HANDY.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS CERTAINLY IT'S ALREADY ON YOUR AGENDA FOR TONIGHT AND THAT'S THE, THE VETERANS TAX CREDIT HOUSING PREFERENCE
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THAT ALL HOLLY TO YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, TOO, UM, UH, WE, WE HAVE A RELATIVELY BLANK SHEET.JUST REMEMBER WE GOT TO KEEP THE LIST, UM, VERY, VERY SHORT THAT'S PROACTIVE LEGISLATION.
UM, AND, AND IT'S PROBABLY WHERE WE SPEND 99% OF OUR TIME.
AND THAT'S DEFENSE, UM, OF, OF ALL THE BILLS YOU GET FILED IN A PARTICULAR SESSION.
VERY FEW ARE HELPFUL TO US, OR MAYBE EVEN TO THE PUBLIC POLICY OF THE STATE, NOT REALLY MY CALL, THAT THAT'S WHERE YOU ALL COME IN.
UM, IT'S SOMEWHAT EASIER TO KILL A BILL THAN IT IS TO GET ONE ALIVE.
AND THROUGH THE PROCESS, THERE ARE A LOT OF PLACES WHERE BILLS CAN FALL OFF AND DIE.
UM, AND SOMETIMES WE HELP THAT HAPPEN WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING DEFENSE.
IT DEPENDS ON THE POLITICS WERE NOW YOU, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IS TRYING TO HAVE AN IDEA.
IT, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IS BOTH OF THEM HATE CITIES OR AN EASY TARGET, ODDLY ENOUGH, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE LOBBYISTS, UH, LIKE SOME OF THESE OUTFITS, WE CAN'T GO DOWN THERE WITH A HANDFUL OF CHECKS, UH, OR SPONSOR COCKTAIL PARTIES OR GALAS, OR, UH, TRIPS TO CANCUN OR ANYTHING ELSE.
AND, UM, SO WE'RE AN EASY TARGET.
I EXPECT THE LEGISLATURE WILL BE BACK AFTER US IN 2021.
UM, W WE HAVE A LOT OF ALLIES.
WE HAVE TML THAT, THAT DOES A TON OF WORK.
AND I GIVE US A PRETTY HANDY SYNOPSIS, ALMOST EVERY BILL, UM, THAT AFFECTS CARLIN, NOT NECESSARILY ALL OF THEM, BECAUSE WHEN IT'S A BILL THAT AFFECTS ONLY A FEW CITIES, UM, OR THAT CREATES CONTROVERSY BETWEEN CITIES, TML IS SAME KIND OF EFFECTS.
THEY MAY HAVE IT ON THEIR LIST, BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY GONNA HELP US DO OUR JOB AND GO DOWN AND FIVE TO BILL.
UH, AS AN EXAMPLE, WE'RE EXPECTING A BILL RELATED TO MUNICIPAL UTILITIES PNL.
UM, THAT'S ACTUALLY AIMED AT, UM, SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN, UM, GAVE US A LOT OF ENEMIES.
AND IN ANY GIVEN, UH, THIS ONE IS DIRECTED AT THEIR PRACTICE, THE FUND TRANSFERS, UM, FROM FUNDS THAT THEY RECEIVED BY SELLING ELECTRICITY OUTSIDE OF THEIR CITY LIMITS, WHERE THOSE RIGHT HEIRS DON'T HAVE A VOICE IN SELECTING THE RIGHT CENTERS.
OF COURSE, IT'S THE EXACT OPPOSITE HERE IN GARLAND, WE HAVE 75, 80%.
THAT'S ALL WE HAVE THE ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS IN GARLAND.
AND IF THE RIGHT PARENTS DON'T LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING, I CAN COME DOWN AND, AND YELL AT Y'ALL.
UM, UH, WE EXPECT THAT WE'LL SEE THAT WE'VE ALREADY SEEN A KIND OF MANDATORY DEREGULATION CUSTOMER CHOICE OPT IN A BILL FILED IT'S DIRECTED AT GEORGETOWN.
I UNDERSTAND CAUSE GEORGETOWN GOT HEAVILY INTO RENEWABLE AND, UH, DIDN'T CHOOSE ALL THAT WISELY THAT'S PRICING.
UM, THE PROBLEM WITH THOSE BILLS IS, UM, IT CAN BE VERY COMPLEX AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE LEGISLATURE LOVES ONE SIZE FITS ALL LEGISLATION.
UH, BUT APPLYING THAT TO EACH OF THOSE CITIES GIVES DIFFERENT RESULTS.
THEY CAN HANDLE CUSTOMER CHOICE, NOT A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY STRANDED CARS.
WE, UH, HAVE STRANDED COSTS ALL OVER THE PLACE, STRANDED COST, THOSE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR.
UM, LUBBOCK'S KIND OF NEW IN ERCOT, NEW AND NEW IN THIS MARKET, AND THEY'RE DIFFERENT.
AND JUST LIKE ON THE FUN TRANSFERRED BILLS, EVERY CITY IS DIFFERENT AND CHANGING THE LAW AND THE IMPACT IS DIFFERENT.
AND THAT'S, TO OUR ADVANTAGE, WE HAVE TO EXPLAIN THOSE DIFFERENCES TO THE LEGISLATURE IN EITHER CARVE OURSELVES OUT OR,
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UM, KILL THE BILL ENTIRELY IF WE CAN.UM, THERE ARE BILLS THAT COME UP OCCASIONALLY THAT, UH, WE STAY AWAY FROM BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY OTHER DIRECTION.
UH, LAST SESSION, IT WAS RED LIGHT CAMERAS, OR WE STARTED RED LIGHT CAMERAS HERE IN GARLAND.
UM, WE WERE ONE OF THE MAIN AUTHORS OF THE LEGISLATION THAT SENATOR CORONA HAD PASSED.
WE DIDN'T SAY A WORD LAST SESSION IN ANY COMMITTEE HEARING OR ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE LEGISLATION THAT KILLED RED LIGHT CAMERAS, BECAUSE THE COUNCIL DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE.
I DIDN'T TELL US TO GO SUPPORT IT.
THEY DIDN'T TELL US, GO KILL IT.
AND SO BY DEFAULT, WE KEPT OUR MOUTH SHUT AND THAT HAPPENS TOO.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE WOULD LIKE YOUR INPUT, SO YOU COULD TELL US, YEAH, GO FIGHT IT OR NO STAND FAR, FAR AWAY FROM IT.
AND SOME OF THESE THINGS GET VERY CONTROVERSIAL AND THEY, UH, THEY MAKE THE NEWS.
UM, WE, WE DID FIGHT SOME PROVISIONS, THE SB TWO COURSE, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A TRAIN
UM, W W WE DID PARTICIPATE IN THOSE HEARINGS.
UM, BUT WE DIDN'T TRY TO STAND IN FRONT OF THE TRAIN CARS THAT WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN RUN OVER.
UM, BUT IT WAS ALSO JUST STAFFED, I THINK HERE.
UH, AND I'M, I'M STARTING TO MUMBLE ALONG HERE, SO I'LL STOP AND REMEMBER, UM, ONE LAST THING, LET ME JUST DROP, DROP THAT THERE, BUT YOUR PARTICIPATION AS ELECTED OFFICIALS CARRIES MORE WEIGHT THAN, UM, EVEN A VERY INFLUENTIAL, UH, LAURA DELLA VEGA, UH, OR AREA THE STAFF HERE.
IF I GO DOWN THERE, IT'S ANOTHER LAWYER, ANOTHER LOBBYIST, ANOTHER STORY.
AND JUST AS IT MEAN THAT MUCH.
AND WHEN I SAY GO, DAN, I THINK, UH, THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS, UH, LEGISLATIVE EFFORT, JUST LIKE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN SOME FORM VIA ZOOM, BUT YOUR PARTICIPATION, YOUR INTERACTION WITH THE LEGISLATURE CARRIES A LOT MORE LIGHT BECAUSE YOU'RE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
UM, WE WOULDN'T THROW YOU TO THE WOODS TO ON YOUR OWN.
UM, WE CAN GET YOU BRIEFED UP AND BULLET POINTED ON A THING.
UM, BUT, UH, YOUR HELP IN THAT REGARD, AS FAR AS INTERACTING WITH THE LEGISLATORS, UM, IS IMMENSELY MORE HELPFUL THAN ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO.
AND, UM, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HAVE THE BACK OFFICE PARTICIPATION THAT STAFF, UH, HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU GET THINGS DONE, UM, BECAUSE FROM ONE BUREAUCRAT TO ANOTHER, UM, WE CAN GET SOME INFORMATION FROM THE BACK OFFICE AS WE CALL IT DOWN IN THE LEGISLATURE AND THE CAPITOL.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY THIS YEAR.
UM, NOT BECAUSE WE'RE CITY TAXPAYER FUNDED, LOBBYING SICKER TERM.
UM, BUT BECAUSE THERE AREN'T GOING TO LET ANYBODY IN THE CAP EXCEPT FOR REAL LOBBYIST WITH REAL MONEY IN THEIR POCKET, I HATE TO BE SO SNIPPY ABOUT IT, BUT THAT'S JUST THE WAY THINGS HAPPENED DOWN HERE IN AUSTIN.
WAS THAT MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M GOING TO STOP TALKING, SHOOT MY COFFEE AND CATCH UP WITH MY VOICE.
UM, MR. BRADFORD, MR. BATES, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA ADD TO, WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID, MAY THE FORCE BE WITH US? UH, MITCH, YOU GOTTA THINK I CANNOT TALK THAT ONE.
SO, UM, NOW BRAD'S ALREADY COVERED SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE WERE WATCHING.
UM, JUST CURIOUS, UH, LAST YEAR, DID WE GET THE, UH, THE INTERVENTION BILL PASSED WHERE OUR OFFICERS WERE ABLE TO GO AND, UH, DEAL WITH THE SCHOOL THREAT ISSUE? UH, DID, DID THAT MAKE IT THROUGH? YEAH, IT WAS, UH, UH, THREATENED TO DISPLAY A FIREARM.
YES, THAT WAS, THAT WAS ONE OF OUR SUCCESSES.
SO WE DON'T NEED TO BRING THAT BACK THIS YEAR.
LET ME STOP AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS
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FOR, FROM ANYBODY FOR ANYTHING, UH, THAT MR. NEIGHBOR SAID, UH, BRIDGET, GO AHEAD.AM I MR. CHAIR? I'M MIKE, CAN YOU HEAR ME? THANK YOU.
I ALMOST SAID FRIDAY EVENING, BUT IT'S NOT FRIDAY, MONDAY.
UM, BRAD, JUST A COUPLE OF OBSERVATION.
JUST, JUST WANT TO ECHO YOUR S YOUR LAST STATEMENT ABOUT, UM, PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT, EVEN THOUGH WE WON'T HAVE THAT PROBABLY NEXT CENTURY WE WILL, AND THAT WE ALL WILL BE BIG, A STATUTES, A STATUETTE SOMEPLACE, PROBABLY NOT ON SOME CITY COUNCIL.
UM, UM, A COUPLE OF, COUPLE OF THINGS, JUST JUST OPINION.
ONE IS THE SUBJECT BRAND OF MEET AND CONFER.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN BOUNCED AROUND FOR, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, UH, WITH PRIMARILY A FIRE.
DO YOU, DO YOU HEAR ANYTHING OR ANTICIPATE ANYTHING AND PUSH AGAIN FOR, UH, FOR LEGISLATION THAT IS GOING TO GET PUSH US CLOSER TO PERHAPS HAVING TO HAVE A REFERENDUM ON MEET AND CONFER ANY, ANY RUMORS OR ANYTHING ON THAT BREAD? HI, I KNOW PREVIOUS, UH, MEMBERS OF THE FIRE ASSOCIATION HAVE REALLY BEEN HOT ON MEET AND CONFER AND, AND EVERY TIME THERE'S A NEW ISSUE, THEY HAVE A SOLUTION, UM, MEET AND CONFER COURSE IS JUST A EUPHEMISM FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
I'VE NEVER, I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY RUMORS LIKE THAT.
I THINK THEY HAVE ALL THE LEGISLATION THEY NEED, BECAUSE IT CAN EITHER BE A MANDATED THROUGH AN ELECTION OR THROUGH A DIRECTION OF THE, A CITY COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND, UH, OR, OR AN ENTITY WITH FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO IT'S, IT'S A POLITICAL, UM, A MATTER OF POLITICS GETTING A CITY COUNCIL TO PULL THE TRIGGER AND SAY, YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ME FOR NOT ON THAT ISSUE.
UM, THE PROBLEM WITH MEET AND CONFER.
AND I THINK WHY IT HADN'T BEEN PUSHED IN A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS IS IT TAKES AWAY, UM, UH, A LOT OF THE INTERACTION THAT YOU WOULD OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO HAVE BETWEEN YOUR FIRE, CHEAPER POLICE SHAPE OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE, UH, ADMINISTRATION AND ACTUAL WORKERS.
AND, UM, I DON'T SEE THAT AS BEING CHANGED LEGISLATIVELY.
SO, UM, BECAUSE, UM, IT, IT WOULD GIVE UP TOO MUCH INFLUENCE AT THE ASSOCIATIONS.
AND, UM, YEAH, I JUST DON'T SEE ANY CHANGES COMING ALONG.
NOW WE CAN ADD THAT AS, AS AN ALERT AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MOMENTARILY.
WHAT, UM, LAURA DOES A LOT OF IN THE BACKGROUND, UM, AND WHAT I DO IN THE BACKGROUND, WHAT BRIAN DOES, WE, WE MAINTAIN THESE LISTS OF THE BILLS TO TAG, BUT, UH, WE CAN ADD THAT WARREN, IF SOMETHING POPS UP, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW IF MEET AND CONFER KIND OF BILL COMES THROUGH.
UH, MY SECOND POINT AND I WOULD ONE MORE MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE, UH, WITH COVID-19 RELATED, UH, THERE'VE BEEN, UH, DOES, UH, ONGOING TUG OF WAR BETWEEN, UH, THE STATE AND LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES ON WHO CAN DO WHAT AND WHEN, AND, AND HOW, UH, JUST THE TALKING AROUND AND FILLING THE POLITICAL WATERS.
I DON'T THINK THAT CONVERSATION IS GOING TO END COME JANUARY.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO INTENSIFY, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO IMPACT LOCAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, UH, I THINK THAT I'M NOT SURE WHAT OUR LANGUAGE SHOULD BE, BUT I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE PLACED SOMEPLACE ON THE TABLE BECAUSE THAT DISCUSSION IS, IS, UH, FROM, AND, AND I'VE TALKED TO SOME LEGISLATORS AND I'VE TALKED TO SOME CITY COUNCILMAN AND ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM OTHER CITIES AND, AND THEY'RE IN AGREEMENT THAT THAT CONVERSATION IS GOING TO COME UP, UH, IN THE NEXT SESSION AND COULD VERY WELL IMPACT, UH, HORMONAL CHARTER AND, AND, UH, MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS.
SO, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON MR. CHAIRMAN? DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS BRETT, THAT BRIAN AND IT'S ALSO NOT, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FACING, UM, MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE I THINK THERE SOME FOLKS WHO WANT TO CODIFY SOME THINGS IN THE WAY OF CONTROL OR POWER
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OR WHATEVER WORDS YOU WANT TO USE IN THAT.SO ANY THOUGHTS, BRETT, BRIAN, OR MITCH, ANYBODY ON THAT, ARE YOU TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, UH, HOW DISASTER DECLARATIONS ARE MANAGED AND EXACTLY WHAT LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS THRASH TO DO AND WHAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED? IT HAS BEEN VERY AMBIGUOUS TO SAY THAT, TO BE KIND THIS POINT, BUT, UH, I'M HEARING SOME DISCUSSIONS THAT THERE CAN BE SOME, UH, SHOULD ACTIVITY TO TRY TO CLARIFY SOME THINGS, UM, AND WHERE THAT PLANE'S GOING TO LAND.
NOBODY KNOWS, BUT, UH, IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO IMPACT US ON A LOCAL LEVEL.
WELL, AND I, AND I KNOW MR. NEIGHBOR, YOU AND I HAD SPOKEN AT LENGTH MANY TIMES ABOUT THE COMPETING INTERESTS THERE, AND WHAT'S CONSTITUTIONALLY ALLOWED VERSUS THE AUTHORITY THAT WE'RE GIVEN BY THE CONSTITUTION VERSUS WHAT SECTION, WHAT FOUR 18, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THE, UH, AND STATE GOVERNMENT CODE AND, YOU KNOW, UH, AND WHO GETS TO DO WHAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE A, A GOOD CRYSTAL BALL ON THAT? UH, I, I THINK THERE ARE GOING TO BE LOTS AND LOTS.
UH, DOZENS IS PROBABLY AN UNDER COUNT OF BILLS DIRECTED AT WHO HAS WHAT AUTHORITY AND AT SITUATIONS LIKE WE SAW THIS YEAR WITH, UH, COVID-19 THE REASON BEING THAT THE, THE STATUTES THAT THE CHAIRMAN JUST MENTIONED WAS REALLY WRITTEN WITH COLD WAR IN MIND.
IT WAS DESIGNED TO GIVE THE GOVERNOR SOME IMMEDIATE POWERS IF WE JUST BEEN, UM, LEVELED BY SOVIET MISSILES, UH, NUCLEAR WEAPONS, AND, AND WHO DOES WHAT, AND IT HAD TO BE IMMEDIATE.
UM, WE'VE KIND OF USE THOSE OVER THE YEARS TO RESPOND TO BIG EVENTS LIKE FLOOD OR HURRICANE TO, THEY WERE REALLY WEREN'T DESIGNED WITH THAT IN MIND.
UH, THEY SET UP AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S A BAD THING.
UM, AND IT'S NOT A BAD THING TO HAVE SOME SORT OF HIERARCHY.
UM, BUT, UH, I GOTTA BE HONEST, A LOT OF WHAT YOU'VE SEEN, UH, AS FAR AS THE SPLIT BETWEEN WHAT'S A GOVERNOR CAN DO AND, AND WHAT'S THE COUNTY JUDGE CAN DO AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, IT'S NOT SUPPORTED BY THE LAW.
IT'S NOT SUPPORTED BY THE STATUTE.
AND SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME HELPFUL CLARIFICATION OF WHO CAN DO WHAT, AND WHEN, UM, SURPRISINGLY CITIES HAVE COMMA SETS THIS OUT, UM, THIS PANDEMIC OUT, AND WE DID INVOLVE THEM, UM, BECAUSE IT SEEMED TO BE UNPRODUCTIVE, UH, TO OUR CITIZENS, THAT EVERYBODY HAD AN ORDER SAYING STOP THEM.
AND THEY WERE TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH EACH OTHER.
SO IF WE SEE LEGISLATION LIKE THAT, I THINK IT'S GOOD.
UM, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT TO EXPECT, UH, WHAT I WOULD CALL BAD LEGISLATION LEGISLATION THAT SAID, CITY, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
AND YOU THINK, WELL, WHO'S GOING TO DO THE WORK CITIES.
WE'RE THE NUMBER ONE PROVIDER OF DIRECT SERVICES, UH, TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE IN GARLAND.
AND IF YOU'RE GONNA PULL THE AUTHORITY FROM US, WELL, GOOD LUCK.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, WHO, UH, IS GOING TO IMPLEMENT THESE STRATEGIES.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE, UM, STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT COMES AND ENFORCES THESE ORDERS IN GARLAND, UH, OR PROVIDES THE VACCINATIONS OR, YOU KNOW, PROVIDES THE INFORMATION TO THE CITIZENS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, WE'RE GOING TO SEE GOOD AND BAD.
I SUSPECT A LOT OF BAD, UM, BUT MAYBE A COOLER HEADS WILL PREVAIL AND, AND, AND IT'S ALL A MATTER OF POLITICS TOO.
SO COULD WE ADD THAT AS AN ITEM TO THE LIST MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, COMING DOWN, JUST NOT KNOWING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MY, MY, MY, MY LAST PIECE IS, UM, WE ALSO KNOW, AND THIS WAS FROM THE, UM, THEY TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ON THE CHAMBER'S, UH, UH, UH, LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS FOR THEM TO HAVE LAST WEEK.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE THE LARGEST DISCUSSION, UH, AROUND CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND, UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, UM, ON THE TEXAS VERSION OF THE GEORGE FORGE ACT.
UM, AND HOW THAT MAY IMPACT, UH, UM, CERTAINLY WILL IMPACT, UH, CITIES, UH, WHAT, WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE, WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, NOBODY KNOWS DEBATABLE RIGHT
[00:35:01]
NOW, BUT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE, UH, ALSO COMING OUT OF THE, THE FORUM LAST WEEK.THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE AN AYE, AYE.
AND ITEM, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY AT LEAST IN THE TOP 10, IF NOT THE TOP FIVE, THAT IT'S GOING TO HIT THE TABLE NOW, BUT WHAT IT DOES IN AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, IT'S ANYBODY'S GUESS, BUT I KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ADEQUATE DISCUSSION.
AND AGAIN, AS YOU SAID, BRAD, UM, IMPLEMENTATION EXECUTION OF THOSE THINGS COME RIGHT BACK DOWN TO, TO US AT THE CITY LEVEL.
SO I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THAT'S AN ITEM THAT WE NEED TO AT LEAST TO PUT ON OUR RADAR SCREEN WAS CHAIRMAN, UH, TO, TO, UH, UH, TO MONITOR.
UH, MR. BRADFORD, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP, UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MEET AND CONFER.
DID YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN THERE? UM, I ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF THINGS, UM, W UH, AND I'LL, I'LL SKIP THE MEET AND CONFER.
THEY, UH, UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO PLAY DEFENSE ON THIS YEAR.
BETANCOURT IS PLANNING ON INTRODUCING A BILL TO GO AFTER THE ISSUE OF CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, UH, IN PARTICULAR, I THINK HE'S WANTING TO, UH, REQUIRE THAT THE DEBT SERVICE FOR THOSE, UH, INSTRUMENTS BE PAID FROM THE O AND M RIGHT, RATHER THAN DEBT SERVICE.
UM, WHICH, UH, WHICH COULD BE VERY, VERY CRIPPLING, UM, UH, ON THE, UM, UH, ONE OF THE MATTERS THAT, THAT BJ JUST MENTIONED AS FAR AS POLICE REFORM, EVERYTHING I'M HEARING SO FAR ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE ALREADY DOING.
AND, AND WHAT, WHAT WOULD REALLY BE, UH, I THINK ADVANTAGE IF WE CAN FIND A SEAT AT THE TABLE, UH, TO, TO HELP, UM, UH, GUIDE THE LEGISLATION INTO SOMETHING THAT IS DOABLE AND SENSIBLE, BECAUSE, UH, WHETHER AUSTIN WANTS TO ADMIT IT OR NOT, I THINK WE HAVE AN IDEAL, UH, POLICE PROGRAM WHEN IT COMES TO SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT ARE PROBLEMATIC RIGHT NOW.
AND SO, UH, I'D REALLY LIKE FOR US AS A GROUP, TO, TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR, FOR THOSE PARTICULAR OPPORTUNITIES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN SEE YOUR ROLE FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, EVEN AT THE, AT REACHING OUT AT THE STATE LEVEL AND HELPING OTHER POLICE FORCES, UH, FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE RULES LOOKS LIKE, SO THAT WE MAY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LEADERSHIP THERE AT THE STATE LEVEL.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER, ROBIN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO JUMP IN ON, ON THE STAFF PRESENTATION SO FAR? NO, NOT IN PARTICULAR.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION VERY MUCH.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SPEND MOST OF THIS SESSION ON DEFENSE AND IN MY CONCERN, IT EVEN, AND IT'S ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE THAT WE WOULD BE MORE ON DEFENSE AND WE WERE LAST SESSION, BUT, BUT THAT IS MY CONCERN.
UM, AND BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO SEE THINGS THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, TERRIBLE THINGS THAT WERE PROPOSED LAST TIME, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE COME A LITTLE SHARPER AND HARDER THIS TIME.
UM, AND SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE THINGS, AND, AND, AND FROM A STRUCTURAL STANDPOINT, I'D ALMOST LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING FROM A, YOU KNOW, AS THESE BILLS COME IN, THAT WE START CLASSIFYING THEM IN THE SENSE OF, TO IT, WHICH WILL HELP GIVE STAFF SOME IMMEDIATE DIRECTION IN THE SENSE OF HERE'S THIS CLASS OF BILLS THAT INVOLVES INCREASING CITIES' COSTS, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT ARE BEING CRUSHED DOWN AND DO WE HAVE KIND OF CITIES AND WE'RE LOSING YOUR VIDEO QUALITY, YOU'RE BREAKING UP HEAVILY.
SO THAT'S THE BETTER, YES, SIR.
THE LAST THING I HEARD WAS THE BILL CLASSIFICATION AND IDENTIFYING THINGS THAT, UH, WERE COSTING THE CITY MONEY.
AND THEN YOU WENT GARBLED AFTER THAT.
UM, JUST THE IDEA THAT, THAT WE CAN GIVE SOME GUIDANCE TO STAFF THAT MAY NOT EVEN KNOW WE'RE, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THIS LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE THAT CAN MEET ON SHORT NOTICE THAT WE HAVE SOME GUIDANCE TO STAFF ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S THIS CLASS OF BILLS, IF SOMETHING FALLS INTO CLASS, THE BILLS THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE AN UNFUNDED MANDATE THAT WE HAVE, UH, THAT WE HAVE A DEFAULT KIND OF POSITION THAT WE'RE TAKING ON THAT.
AND IF WE HAVE A BILLS THAT AFFECT, FOR EXAMPLE, I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT
[00:40:01]
GOD, THE, UM, THE BUILDING MATERIALS BILL FROM WA I MEAN, WHAT A CAR THAT CAME COMPLETELY OUT OF NOWHERE.AND, AND HOW DO YOU HANDLE THAT? THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT CHANGE, THAT, THAT MATERIALLY AFFECT CITY OPERATIONS.
UM, I ALSO WOULDN'T MIND HAVING A CLEAN UP LIST OF BILLS.
IN OTHER WORDS, ARE THERE BILLS FROM LAST SESSION THAT, THAT REQUIRE SOME DEGREE OF CLEANUP? AND CAN WE BE KEYED IN ON THAT? THOSE ARE OFTEN I KNOW RELATIVELY, UH, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN OFTEN GET INVOLVED IN AND GET SOME TWEAKS IN AND TALK TO SOME PEOPLE WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALREADY GOING TO TWEAK.
WHAT WAS IT, UH, WAS IT SENATE? WAS IT NINE? I CAN'T REMEMBER NOW THOUGH, THE ONE ABOUT KEEPING ALL OF OUR, YOU KNOW, SENATE NINE WAS A NINE 11 OR NINE 44, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THINGS LIKE THE MATERIALS BILL, WHERE WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, OKAY, UM, YOU KNOW, CAN WE GET IN ON A REWRITE OF THAT? SO IT'S NOT AS DRACONIAN AS IT WAS.
SO I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T MIND HAVING A LIST OF, OF BILLS THAT NEED REPAIR.
AND IF THERE'S ALREADY SOMEBODY CARRYING THE WATER, MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME DISCUSSION ON THAT, UH, WITH SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, OTHER FOLKS.
SO THOSE ARE THE BIG THINGS FOR ME.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE SOME, I KNOW THE RTC IN A LOT OF THESE OTHER ENTITIES HAVE THEIR OWN LEGISLATIVE AGENDAS.
THE RTC THIS YEAR EXPLICITLY ASKED THE CITIES TO LOOK AT THEIR AGENDA.
DON'T HAVE THAT HANDY RIGHT NOW.
BUT, BUT TO LOOK AT THE AGENDA AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT, THAT COULD BE PUSHED OR FORWARDED REGARDING THAT FROM THE CITIES, THOSE TEND TO BE A LOT KIND OF BIGGER PICTURE TYPE THINGS.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THOSE WOULD BE THINGS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO, YOU KNOW, AS BRAD WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE ENDED UP DILUTING OUR INFLUENCE IF WE'RE PUSHING TOO MUCH ON THOSE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S A BAD IDEA TO AT LEAST AT LEAST HAVE A SENSE OF IT.
UM, OF COURSE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE FAIRLY LIMITED.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THREE OF OUR FOUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE REPRESENTED IN THE MINORITY PARTY, SO I DON'T REALLY, YOU KNOW, AND WHEN YOU COME UP TO THE, AND WHEN YOU COME UP TO THE SENATE, I DON'T THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GET A LOT OF HELP AT THE SENATE LEVEL EITHER.
SO I DON'T REALLY KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER THERE FOR US TO EFFECTIVELY, WHICH IS WHY I ENDED UP THINKING WE WERE MOSTLY ON DEFENSE AND WE MOSTLY LOOK AT, UM, HOW CAN YOU MAKE BAD BILLS, BETTER TYPE STUFF.
SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS FOR THE MOMENT.
THE NOTES I HAVE OUR BILL CLASSIFICATIONS.
UH, SO WE HAVE SOME DEFAULT POSITIONS.
AND IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE REPORT, MR. NEIGHBOR, THAT YOU DID FOR US LAST YEAR, WHERE WE'RE RICH AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THE MIC, JUST YELLING ABOUT THE STATE LEGISLATURE, UH, AND LOOK AT THOSE AS OPTIONS, OPPORTUNITIES FOR CLEANUP.
UH, I THINK THAT, THAT THAT'S PROBABLY AS GOOD A PLACE TO START AS ANY, UH, LET'S SEE, CHECKING FOR ANYBODY RAISING HANDS.
UH, UH, I'LL DO SOME OF MY COMMENTS.
UM, LET'S SEE, YOU'VE TOUCHED ON MOST OF THEM, AS FAR AS THE DISASTER DECLARATION PIECE GOES, I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THAT MAYBE WE LOOK AT, UH, UH, SOME THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN DALLAS COUNTY, UH, WHICH I THINK PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THAT LEGISLATION OR AT LEAST THAT SECTION OF LAW.
UM, THE CHIEF COMPLAINT THAT I HEARD WAS THAT THE COUNTY JUDGE KEPT RENEWING HIS DECLARATION, BUT THERE WAS NEVER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BODY TO RATIFY, UH, WHAT HE WAS PUSHING.
CAUSE HE WAS JUST DOING THIS INFINITE RENEWAL OF HIS DECLARATION.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK A NICE MIDDLE GROUND WOULD BE IF WE WANTED TO, IF WE EVEN WANT TO TAKE A POSITION ON IT, IS THAT ANYBODY WHO'S ISSUING A DISASTER DECLARATION, UM, IF THEY'VE GOT ANY BODY THAT THEY'RE A MEMBER OF AT SOME POINT, THE BODY NEEDS TO RATIFY, UH, THAT DECLARATION.
AND I THINK IF WE PUSH FOR SORT OF A COMMON SENSE, UH, TYPE OF, UH, APPROACH TO IT, WE CAN, WE CAN LEAVE SOME OF THE POLITICS OUT OF IT.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT AUSTIN DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY, BUT I CAN, AT LEAST I CAN AT LEAST TRY AND THINK POLICY AND NOT POLITICS ON THIS.
SO W WE DID A VERY GOOD OF HERE IN THE CITY, SCOTT WOULDN'T WOULD DO A DECLARATION AND THEN WE WOULD MEET AS A COUNCIL AND WE WOULD EITHER CHOOSE TO RATIFY IT OR NOT.
AND IT SEEMS, SEEMS REASONABLE TO ASK THE COUNTY TO DO THE SAME AND POTENTIALLY EVEN THE STATE TO DO THE SAME.
UM, ALTHOUGH I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE WITH, UH, WITH OUR LEGISLATURE.
UM, AS I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED MY COMMENTS ON THE GEORGE FLORIDA PIECE WHERE I THINK WE HAVE A LEADERSHIP ROLE THERE.
UH, BUT YEAH, I'D LIKE JUST TO STAY PLUGGED INTO IT AND, AND KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING AND, AND HELP GUIDE IT.
[00:45:01]
UH, BECAUSE WE, WE KNOW THE, UH, WE KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE OPERATIONALIZED, AND I THINK WE CAN BE A BIG HELP THERE, UH, SENATE BILL TWO, IF WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THE CALENDAR FIXES, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE CAN'T CONTROL THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND IT, BUT IF WE CAN HELP CONTROL THE IMPLEMENTATION, WE RAN INTO SOME OF THOSE ISSUES THIS YEAR, UH, WITH WAS LIKE AN AUGUST 25TH, UH, CERTIFICATION DATE.AND IT PUT US A MONTH BEHIND ON ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR BUDGET DELIBERATIONS AND, AND REALLY WHAT IT BOILED DOWN TO WAS WAS IT LESSENED, UH, CITIZEN PARTICIPATION BECAUSE WHAT WE HAD 30 DAYS LESS IN WHICH TO ACT, AND YOU JUST CAN'T, YOU CAN'T REACT TO THAT QUICKLY AND ALLOW CITIZEN INPUT TO BE MEANINGFUL IF YOU'RE RUSHING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UM, AND THAT, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO KIND OF BE MY, MY MANTRA THIS TIME IS ALL OF THESE BILLS THAT PASSED THAT, THAT WENT AFTER CITIES REALLY THOUGH THE IMPACT IS THE CITIZENS.
IT'S NOT US, WE'RE GOING TO SURVIVE JUST FINE, BUT THINGS LIKE THE, UH, THE 30 DAY SHOT CLOCK ON PLANNING AND ZONING CASES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKING TO, UH, ANGIE BUTTON'S STAFF EARLIER THIS YEAR AND WAS LIKE, LOOK, 30 IS CRAZY BECAUSE I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CASES THIS YEAR FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME WHERE I HAD TO TELL CITIZENS, WE CAN'T DELAY THIS STATE LAW.
DOESN'T ALLOW US TO, YOU HAVE NO OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY MAKE ANY INFLUENTIAL CHANGE TO THIS CASE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME.
AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US PUSH FOR A 60 DAY TIMER INSTEAD OF A 30 DAY.
UH, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD GET THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, UH, FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF GREATER CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THE LEGISLATURE IS NOT GOING TO DO CITIES ANY FAVORS, BUT THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, LEGISLATE FOR THE PEOPLE.
SO THAT THAT'S, THAT'S WHEN I WAS THINKING OF, UH, THE ITEMS THAT I'D PUT ON THE ACTUAL AGENDA, UM, TDH RULES REGARDING VETERANS HOUSING, UH, THIS IS KIND OF A, A PASSION OF MINE.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SENIOR HOUSING AND WE HAVE WORKFORCE HOUSING.
I'M TRYING TO DO A, A VETERANS HOUSING PROJECT, UH, NEAR THE VA FOR THE PURPOSES OF CONCENTRATING SERVICES.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF AWARENESS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AMONGST THE COMMUNITY ABOUT, UM, UH, VETERANS SUICIDE AND, UH, VETERAN MEDICAL NEEDS.
AND OF COURSE SAMMY'S GROWING IN THE BACKGROUND NOW.
SO YOU'LL GET TO HEAR THAT IN A SECOND, SAMMY, IT'S JUST A DOG, SWEETIE.
UH, BUT, UM, I WOULD LOVE FOR SOME TWEAK TO THE TDH D RULES THAT INCENTIVIZES VETERAN HOUSING, OR AT LEAST ALLOWS FOR IT.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO RUN INTO SOME FAIR HOUSING ISSUES POTENTIALLY THERE.
AND SO THIS, THIS MAY BE, I DON'T KNOW, TO WHAT EXTENT WE CAN INFLUENCE THAT PROGRAM LEGALLY.
UH, BUT I'D LIKE FOR US TO EXPLORE IT AND JUST SEE, SEE KIND OF WHERE THE LAW TAKES US.
UH, THIS IS JUST TO KIND OF A CORRECTIVE THING.
UM, AS FAR AS, UH, IN, IN COUNSELOR, BOB AND, OH, LET ME HOLD OFF.
UH, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, GO AHEAD, SIR.
I HAVE TO, I'LL JUST SIT DOWN.
JUST, JUST, UH, I WANT TO JUST, JUST THROW THIS OUT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE GROUP THINKS ABOUT IT AS, AS, AS I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS, UM, AFTER LAST YEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTS PREVIOUS COUNSELORS WENT THROUGH ALL THESE THINGS LAST YEAR.
UM, HOW BENEFICIAL DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE SORT OF TO DO, UH, A LESSON LEARNED SORT OF EXERCISE BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION GETS, GETS ROLLING IN THE SECOND YEAR? UM, I DON'T KNOW.
AND TELL ME IF, IF, IF, IF, IF THIS WAS DONE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH DIRECT CONVERSATION WAS, LET'S SAY WITH THE, OUR CUTTING COMMISSIONER, UM, LESS THAN DARREN, UM, ON THIS, HOW MUCH DIRECT CONVERSATION WAS HAD WITH OUR LEGISLATURE LEGISLATURES IN PRIMARY, WITHOUT REFERRING TO THE THREE STATE REPS THAT, UH, HAVE THAT COUNCILMAN AUBURN REFERRED TO JUST SOME DIRECT SET OF SOME SURVEILLANCE, IF YOU WILL, SOME PREEMPTIVE, UH, KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE IT JUST ONE PIECE OF INTELLIGENCE, BUT THAT MAY HELP US OUT IN SOME AREAS.
AND I WAS THINKING IF THIS CHAIRMAN, IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, MAYBE PERHAPS IT MIGHT MAYBE THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER, IT COULD BE, OUR GUESTS WERE ALL THESE THINGS FROM WHERE SHE SITS, YOU KNOW, SHE SEES THINGS AND SORT OF, UH, DO SOME INTELLIGENCE
[00:50:01]
GATHERING, UH, IF YOU WILL.AND, UH, ALSO WITH OUR, WITH OUR REPS, UM, I KNOW AT LEAST TWO OF THEM THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO HAVE OFFERED, AND I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES WE'D LIKE TO FIX YOUR SAFE THINGS TO GET YOU OUT OF THEIR FACE.
UH, BUT I I'M ONE, I HOLD THEM TO IT.
IF YOU, IF YOU TELL ME AND YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIAL, I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO CALL YOU ON IT.
SO MAYBE LATER, BUT I'M GOING TO CALL YOU ON IT.
AND, UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT JUST PERHAPS AS SOME INTELLIGENCE GATHERING SO THAT, UH, SO THAT WHEN THE GAVEL DOES DROP IN AN AUSTIN WEEK, PERHAPS HAVE, HAVE THE BENEFIT OF, OF SOME INTELLIGENCE, UM, TOO, AND THEN WE CAN FURTHER PRIORITIZE IS RICH SAID FOR OUR TIES, OUR BATTLE PLAN TO FOLKS, BECAUSE WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T DO A SHOTGUN APPROACH, UH, CAUSE YOU ENDED UP HITTING NOTHING.
SO, BUT I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT IDEA OUT THERE AND SEE WHAT THE COMMITTEE AND STAFF THINKS OF THAT IS.
I'LL DO THAT, UH, INTELLIGENCE GATHERING.
AND MAYBE THAT COULD SAY INVITE OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER IS AS A GUEST IN, AND FROM WHAT SHE SAID DURING THIS WHOLE, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO COVID, THAT'S KIND OF THING IF WE ARE LOOKING AT, SO IT'S JUST A THOUGHT I'M SURE.
AND I ABSOLUTELY WOULD, WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM HAVING, UH, ANY OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, SHARE BORDERS WITH US TO COME AND SPEAK WITH US ABOUT ANY LESSONS LEARNED OR LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES OR, OR, UH, I THINK THE MORE COMMUNICATION THAT WE HAVE THE BETTER.
SO I DON'T SEE A DOWNSIDE TO THAT AT ALL.
UH, AS LONG AS THEY'RE WILLING TO COME AND SHOW UP AND SPEND THE TIME WITH US AND I WILL, UH, I WILL LET YOU REMIND THEM OF THEIR OFFER SO WE CAN GO FROM THERE.
UM, CHECKING FOR HANDS, NOTHING.
WE HAVE TWO OTHER ITEMS THAT I'D PUT IN.
UH, THE FIRST IN, IN COUNCILMAN ROBIN ALREADY TOUCHED ON THIS, UH, IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A FISCAL NOTE RIGHT NOW THAT GETS PLACED ON A BILL.
IF IT'S GOING TO COST THE STATE MONEY.
AND THE STATE TRIES TO ESTIMATE THAT COST, UH, I WOULD REALLY LOVE AND, AND I'M SURE THIS WON'T HAPPEN, BUT I WOULD REALLY, REALLY LOVE TO SEE, UM, SOME NOTE, UH, FISCAL NOTE ON A BILL THAT SAYS THAT IT WILL COST A DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT MONEY.
ALTHOUGH I WOULD NOT EXPECT THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO ESTIMATE THAT COST.
UH, I THINK THAT'S UNWIELDY AND UNREASONABLE TO ASK THEM TO PUT A NUMBER TO IT.
UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE JUST TO NOTE THAT SAYS, UH, THIS WON'T COST THE STATE ANY MONEY, BUT THIS WILL COST MUNICIPALITIES MONEY OR COUNTY'S MONEY OR MUDS OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER THEY'RE THEY'RE TACKLING, UH, BECAUSE THEY NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THAT THEY'RE SHIFTING COSTS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I ASKED, UH, REPRESENTATIVE BOWERS DURING THE MEETING THE OTHER DAY, UH, AND I'LL READ MY QUESTION THAT I ASKED HER.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S A, WHEN THERE'S A BUDGET SHORTFALL, THE STATE TYPICALLY TRIES TO SHIFT SOME OF THE FINANCIAL BURDEN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL, TO COVER LEVEL, TO COVER THE GAP.
UH, WITH SB TWO, WE'VE HAD A VERY TOUGH TIME PICKING UP THAT SLACK.
WHAT FINANCIAL PRESSURE DO YOU BELIEVE THIS LEGISLATURE WILL APPLY TO MUNICIPALITIES TO HELP BALANCE THE STATE BUDGET AND KEEP IN MIND, THEY'VE GOT AN $11 BILLION SHORTFALL GOING INTO THIS THIS YEAR.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET SLAMMED AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY IT BECAUSE THEY'VE PREVENTED US FROM DOING THAT WITH SB TWO.
AND SO I, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT US TO GO IN THERE WITH IS THIS, THIS IDEA OF OKAY, BUT WHAT IS IT GOING TO COST THE CITIES? AND I THINK THAT QUESTION HAS TO BE ASKED ON EVERY SINGLE BILL THAT TARGETS US IS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT ONLY COSTING US MONEY TO PICK UP YOUR SLACK, BUT YOU'RE PREVENTING US FROM RAISING THE FUNDS TO DO IT.
SO W WE CAN'T, YOU GOTTA PICK ONE OR THE OTHER SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE, WE CAN'T BE THE BAD GUYS ON EVERYTHING BECAUSE YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR BILLS AS A STATE.
AND SO I'M, I'M, I'VE STARTED PUSHING THAT WITH OUR, WITH THE SIX AREA REPS, THE FOUR STATE REPS, THE TWO SENATORS, UM, OF COURSE, ONE OF THE SENATORS, WON'T, IT WON'T, YOU KNOW, THEY WON'T RESONATE AT ALL, BUT THAT THAT'S A DIFFERENT ISSUE ENTIRELY.
TH THERE IS A, A FISCAL NOTE IS SHORTS.
UM, FOR OTHER GOVERNMENT COSTS.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS I SEND OUT STAGE REQUESTS FOR THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD OR WHATEVER IT IS.
THEY SEND OUT SEARCH REQUESTS LIKE TONIGHT, BEFORE A COMMITTEE HERE.
RIGHT? AND THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN RESPOND.
I'M THINKING WHAT WE COULD DO TO EXPAND ON YOUR IDEA IS PERHAPS HABIT OR GENERIC.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF THERE'S ANY COST, ANY UNFUNDED
[00:55:01]
MANDATE INVOLVED, THEN THE BILL GETS NOTED.THIS BILL, AND WE COULD PRESCRIBE THE LANGUAGE.
THIS BILL IS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE AND LEAVE IT AT HIS HAND AND THEN, UM, TRY TO LET HIM DEFEND THEIR RECORD ON, ON VOTING FOR THAT BILL, IF THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S, IF WE WANT TO FIGHT THIS FIGHT, WE'VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO QUANTIFY THE FIGHT.
AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
I MEAN, WE'RE DEBATING PHILOSOPHY WITH THEM, BUT THEY CAN JUST SAY, OH, IT WASN'T THAT BAD.
AND WE CAN'T ARGUE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A NUMBER, BUT IF I, IF I GO BACK AND YOU KNOW, I, I BLOW UP SOCIAL MEDIA AND SAY, HEY, THE STATE LEGISLATURE JUST COST YOU $80 MILLION THIS YEAR.
YOU NEED TO TALK TO YOUR STATE REP AND THAT'S A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION.
BUT IF THEY ONLY COST US A MILLION, WELL, OKAY, WHATEVER FINE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL MOVE ON.
SO, UH, THE LAST ONE THAT I HAD WAS CONSIDERING LEGISLATIVE OR THE RULES TARGETING PREDATORY APPLICATION PRACTICES OF MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING.
WE HAVE A THEORETICAL APARTMENT COMPLEX, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO POINT IN NAMING NAMES HERE.
UM, THAT LEAVES ONE UNIT OPEN.
UH, THEY HAVE A VERY HIGH FEE AND THEY OFFER WHAT'S CALLED SECOND CHANCE LIVING.
SO PEOPLE WITH A CRIMINAL RECORD CAN LIVE THERE.
AND ALL THEY DO IS THEY LEAVE ONE UNIT OPEN AND THEY COLLECT $200 APPLICATION FEES FOR PEOPLE THAT REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER OPTIONS.
THEY NEVER FILL THE UNIT AND THEN MAKE A TON OF MONEY ON THOSE APP FEES.
I'VE REACHED OUT A COUPLE OF TIMES TO A COUPLE OF STATE REPS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN STATE LAW THAT, THAT CAN GOVERN THAT TYPE OF BEHAVIOR.
UH, AND THERE, THERE ISN'T, UH, ODDLY ENOUGH, THERE, THERE ARE CERTAIN, THERE ARE CERTAIN DISCRIMINATION PRACTICES THAT YOU, YOU CAN'T BE GUILTY OF, BUT, BUT CHOOSING NOT TO FILL A UNIT AND JUST BANKING APPLICATION FEES, UH, WHICH TO ME IS PREDATORY BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAKING THEM FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE NEVER GOING TO ENGAGE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO REPORT IT.
THESE PEOPLE WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN TREAT IT AS A MIX OF PEOPLE WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS OR PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED, OR YOU JUST PICK, HOWEVER, YOU, WHATEVER PATH YOU WANT TO TAKE, THESE PEOPLE ARE SCAMMING OTHER PEOPLE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE ANSWER IS AT STATE OR WHERE, AND SO I WANTED TO BRING IT UP HERE AND SEE IF WE HAD ANY IDEAS ABOUT, UH, IF THE COUNCIL HAD ANY INTEREST IN TACKLING THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.
UM, AND IF SO, IS IT, IS IT APPROPRIATE TO DO SO THROUGH THE STATE BECAUSE THEY MANAGE THOSE, UH, UH, RENTER LANDLORD AGREEMENTS OR, UH, IS THERE A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT THAT WE SHOULD TACKLE THIS AT? OR SHOULD WE BE INVOLVED AT ALL? SO IF ANYBODY'S GOT IDEAS OR INPUT, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE COMMENTS, MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE CAN DO ON A LOCAL.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? EVERYBODY'S YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT FOR AWHILE, MR. CHAIRMAN? I AGREE WITH BRENDA.
I THINK WE CAN APPROACH IT IN A LOCAL, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO NEED SOME STATE LEGISLATIVE ACTION BECAUSE IT'S A FIRST COUSIN TO PREDATORY LENDING.
THEY MAY LIVE IN DIFFERENT ROOMS IN THE SAME HOUSE.
AND, UM, SO I MEAN, IF, AGAIN, UM, IF WE, AS MUNICIPALITIES, YOU KNOW, SPEND TIME AND RESOURCES, AND OF COURSE YOU AND I BOTH KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGED, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, AS, AS, AS A CITY ATTORNEY SAID EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TRIPS AND WE DON'T HAVE THE DOLLARS.
AND, UH, UH, THE, UH, THE TOURIST AT THE BAHAMAS, UH, TO OFFER LOBBYISTS AND THAT INDUSTRY DOES THERE WILL BANK INDUSTRY AS WELL BANK.
SO WE DEFINITELY WILL HAVE, UM, WHEN THEY STAY, I THINK CHAIRMAN THAT, THAT MAY BE ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT, UH, WHEN THIS COMMITTEE INVITES, UH, A, ONE OF OUR STATE LEGISLATORS THAT WE BROACH THIS, THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT WE DISCUSSED WITH HIM.
AND IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, IF, IF WE CAN WORK ON IT, I'LL PROVIDE THEM WITH SOME INFORMATION.
AND AN EXAMPLE, I KNOW WHO OUR NUMBER OF DAYS ARE THROUGHOUT DALLAS COUNTY.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ALL ARE IN THE CITY HAVE GONE.
YOU KNOW, SO WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S, UH, IT WOULD BE, UH, UM, SEVERAL PARALLEL GET DATA
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ON IT.UH, SHARE THIS WITH, WITH, UH, OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES.
AND I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND HAVE THEM DO RESEARCH TO DETERMINE WHETHER, WHETHER THEY RESTRICTED TO THE NORTH TEXAS REGION OR WHATEVER, THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM AND TO POST LEGISLATION ON THERE RAN WHILE WE WERE WORKING ON IT HERE, CIVILLY, BECAUSE I, I, I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S, IT GOES BEYOND OUR BORDERS BECAUSE I, I KNOW OF AT LEAST A COUPLE OF INSTANCES, UM, I TRIED TO, UH, ASSIST THE LADY ONE TIME.
UM, BUT OUR PROBLEM WAS, SHE HAD VERY BAD CREDIT, I MEAN, OFF THE BULLET AND, AND, UH, SHE MADE THAT PHONE CALL AND, AND IT HAPPENED TO HER EXACTLY, AS YOU DESCRIBED IT, UH, SHE PUT THE MONEY DOWN, YOU KNOW, AND SHE SHOWS UP AND SHE DIDN'T GET THE UNIT AND SHE DIDN'T GET HER MONEY BACK.
AND SHE HAD HAD SOME RUN INS ALSO WITH THE LAW.
AND SO SHE COULDN'T GO TO THE LODGE.
SO YOU EXACTLY WHAT, BUT, BUT I THINK PUTTING THIS ON A PARALLEL TRACK, AND AS WE PURSUED THE COUNSELOR, CHOOSES TO DO IT AND CHARGE OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, UH, WITH, WITH, UH, ADDRESSING THIS, UH, THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN COME OUT WITH A WIN FOR THAT FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO NEED THIS ASSISTANCE.
AND, UH, YEAH, IT, IT IS CERTAINLY CRIMINAL FRAUD AND I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE KIND OF COVERED ALREADY, BUT IT'S HARD TO PROVE INTENT AND IT'S HARD TO GO AFTER THESE FOLKS.
AND, AND I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST LOOKING FOR ANSWERS.
BRAD, ARE YOU PUNCHED BACK IN OR DID I FORGET TO LOWER YOUR HAND? CAUSE I'M STILL NEW AT MANAGING THESE.
LET ME, I'M STILL FIGURING OUT MY INTERFACE HERE, SO THANK YOU.
UH, THE LAST ITEM THAT HAD COME TO ME, UH, WAS, UH, LOCAL LOBBYING.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A VERY LARGE PUSH, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE SRPC, UH, TO, TO FIND WAYS TO, UH, STOP ANY PUBLIC FUNDING OF ANY FORM OF LOBBYING ACTIVITY.
UM, THE ROUGH DRAFTS I'VE SEEN SO FAR, UM, OR AT LEAST BEEN TOLD ABOUT SO FAR, UH, WOULD SAY THAT THAT NO PUBLIC FUNDS ARE TO BE USED FOR ANY LOBBYING WHATSOEVER.
AND ANY GOVERNMENT LIAISONS CAN NOT HAVE THAT POSITION AS THEIR FULL-TIME JOB, OR THEY CAN'T SPEND THE MAJORITY OF THEIR TIME DOING, UH, THAT, THAT GOVERNMENTAL LIAISON WORK, SORRY, LAURA, THIS ONE'S, THIS ONE'S STARTED IN NEW DIRECTLY.
UM, AND SO, UH, I WAS HOPING THIS BODY COULD DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, DO WE FEEL THAT THERE'S AN APPROPRIATE ROLE FOR, UH, LEGISLATIVE, UH, AT OUR LOCAL LEVEL? UH, AND IF SO, DO WE WANT TO TAKE STEPS TO DEFEND THAT, THAT ABILITY AND, UH, THINGS MIGHT, WE WANT TO SEE INCLUDED IN ANY SORT OF LEGISLATION THAT COMES FORWARD? UH, I'LL THROW A COUPLE OF IDEAS OUT THERE TO GET THE CONVERSATION ROLLING.
UH, WHAT I'VE SEEN SO FAR IS A LOT OF DISCUSSION THAT, UH, THAT, UH, IT IS, UH, QUOTE UNQUOTE UNETHICAL, UH, FOR US TO SPEND PUBLIC MONEY, UM, AND A LOBBYING CAPACITY.
YEAH, REALLY ALL THIS BOILS DOWN TO IS THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE FACT THAT WE SHOWED UP TO ARGUE AGAINST SB TWO AND HB THREE, THAT'S IT, THAT'S THE NUTS AND BOLTS RIGHT THERE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THAT SO MUCH OF OUR LOBBYING IS WHAT I WOULD CALL TECHNICAL LOBBYING.
UH, WHEN, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE TALKING LIKE THIS, THIS MULTIFAMILY THING, IF WE WENT DOWN THERE AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO SEE A LEGISLATOR HERE.
AND WE WANT TO SEE SOME LEGISLATION TO FIX IT.
UH, I THINK IT'S PERFECTLY LEGITIMATE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR US TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT.
IF WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE A LANDFILL AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WELL, WE WANT TO USE A TARP EACH NIGHT INSTEAD OF DIRT TO SAVE AIRSPACE.
YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE CITIZEN IS NOT GOING TO GO DOWN TO AUSTIN TO TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW IT'S AN ISSUE THAT THAT'S ON US, THAT THAT'S OUR JOB TO GO LOBBY FOR THAT CHANGE.
UH, YOU KNOW, FURTHER, IF IT'S UNETHICAL FOR US TO DO IT, IT'S CERTAINLY UNETHICAL FOR THE STATE TO DO IT.
AND SO ANY, ANY LEGISLATIVE OR ANY PUBLIC FUNDING OF LOBBYISTS, UH, PROHIBITIONS THAT THEY PASS, UH, I WOULD DEMAND OF OUR LEGISLATORS, UH, BE APPLIED TO THE STATE AS WELL, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN PULL THEIR LOBBYISTS OUT OF, OUT OF WASHINGTON.
UH, SO THOSE ARE KIND OF MY IDEAS.
UH, I WANT TO MAKE SOME, SOME VERY HARD SEPARATIONS BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE LOBBYING FOR.
UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THE QUESTION OF, UH, THERE'S A FIRST AMENDMENT QUESTION THERE, YOU KNOW, IS THE CONTENT OF OUR SPEECH.
UM, AND IN ANY WAY, SHOULD WE BE PREVENTED FROM UNDERTAKING LOVING ACTIVITIES BASED ON THE CONTENT OF THE SPEECH THAT
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WE'RE EXPRESSING.