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TIME.I CAUSE THE MEETING ORDER LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
UH, THE COMMITTEE MAY RECESS FROM AN OPEN SEASON AND CONVENE AND CLOSE EXHIBIT SESSION IF IN DISCUSSION ON THE OF THE LISTED AGENDA ITEM CONCERNS, ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGES, COMMUNICATIONS INCLUDING PENDING LEGISLATION, LITIGATION RATHER, UH, SETTLEMENT OFFERS AND ANY MATTERS CONCERNING AND PRIVILEGE OR UNPRIVILEGED CLIENT INFORMATION DEEMED CONFIDENTIAL BY RULE 1.05 OF THE TEXAS DISC DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROVISIONAL CONDUCT.
FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA APPROVED BY MINUTES FROM THE MARCH.
WAIT A MINUTE, NOVEMBER 17TH, LADY, I DIDN'T GET THAT, BUT WE DO HAVE A MINUTE.
DID YOU GET IT? THE MINUTES? I'VE GOT THE MINUTES.
YOU HAD, DID YOU GET IT? YES, SIR.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
YOU HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT? MM-HMM
DO WE HAVE ANY ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR TODAY? NO PUBLIC SPEAKER.
GOOD INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION INTERIM CHARGES FROM THE TEXAS HOUSE AND SENATE.
ARE YOU, IT YOUR SHOW GO? YES.
SO I WANTED TO HAVE, UM, KIND OF AN INFORMAL DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, THE INTERIM CHARGES.
SO IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU SHOULD HAVE THREE SEPARATE PACKETS.
UM, THE FIRST ROUND OF THE SENATE INTERIM CHARGES, THE SECOND ROUND OF THE SENATE INTERIM CHARGES, AND THEN THE PACKET OF THE HOUSE INTERIM CHARGES.
UH, IN TOTAL THERE'S ROUGHLY 300, UH, INTERIM CHARGES.
WE ARE ACTIVELY TRACKING 63 OF THEM, SO WE'RE TRACKING 32 IN THE HOUSE AND 31 IN THE SENATE.
UM, WE'VE GOT THEM RANKED ON, UH, PRIORITY.
UH, SO THERE'S A COUPLE, UM, THEMES AND I WANTED TO TALK THROUGH A COUPLE OF THOSE AND HOW, UM, AND HOW WE'RE TRACKING THEM.
UH, PROPERTY TAX IS A VERY LARGE ONE AND THEY ARE, UH, LOOKING AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACETS OF CITIES.
UM, SO THAT'LL INCLUDE, UM, AN AUDIT.
AND IN ONE OF THEM IT'S CALLED, UH, THEY'RE GONNA CONDUCT A QUOTE UNQUOTE FULL SCALE REVIEW OF LOCAL ORDINANCES, REPEALED OR MODIFIED SINCE THE TEXAS REGULATORY CONSISTENCY ACT.
UM, IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING THAT.
UH, SO I'M, I'M CURIOUS TO SEE WHEN THEY POST FOR, FOR THAT ONE, HOW THEY IN FACT DO THAT.
UM, AND THEN THERE WERE, THERE'S SEVERAL OTHERS THAT ARE, UH, FILED REGARDING PROPERTY TAXES AND HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS.
UM, BUT WE WILL SEE THE RETURN NEXT SESSION OF THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE BILL, AND THAT IS THE BILL THAT, UM, IS PROPOSED TO REDUCE THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE FROM 3.5% TO TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT.
UM, WE SAW IT DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION EVEN GET, UM, REDUCED TO 1%.
UM, THAT'S NOT LIKELY TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
WE'LL MOST LIKELY SEE TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT.
UM, AND WE'RE WORKING ON AMENDMENT LANGUAGE TO SOFTEN THAT BELOW.
BUT IT IS A SPEAKER PRIORITY, A LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PRIORITY, AND A GOVERNOR PRIORITY.
SO IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF IF IT WILL HAPPEN, BUT WHEN, SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO KIND OF MITIGATE THE DAMAGE AND ATTORNEY THE GENERAL'S PRIORITY, RIGHT? YES.
HE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE AS MUCH SAY IN THAT PROCESS THOUGH NORMALLY, GENERALLY HE DOESN'T.
BUT BEHIND THE SCENES HE DOES.
I MEAN, HE CAN MAKE SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS.
HE CAN, UM, AND HE HAS REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM CITIES, UM, BUT HE DOESN'T REALLY ACTIVELY INFLUENCE LEGISLATION USUALLY.
I'M SURE HE HE'S GOT BIGGER MR. FIGHT, RIGHT? YEAH, HE'S IN A BIGGER FIGHT.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRACKING SEVERAL, UM,
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ENERGY RELATED, UM, INTERIM CHARGES AND THERE ARE, UM, DATA CENTERS BEING, UM, AT THE CENTER OF THAT CONVERSATION.WE'LL SEE LIKELY, UM, THREE TO SIX HEARINGS ON, ON THOSE FOR, FOR BOTH SIDES, THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.
AND THEN, UM, WE'RE ALSO SEEING, NOT NECESSARILY AN ATTACK, BUT A DEEPER DIVE INTO, UM, FEES, CITY FEES AND UTILITY FEES.
SO LOOKING AT, UM, HOW CITIES CHARGE FEES, WHAT THEY CAN PUT FEES ON, THAT HAS BECOME ONE OF THE, UM, LARGEST CHARGES.
SO IT LARGEST MEANING IT'S HIGH IMPACT FOR CITIES IF THEY DECIDE TO CHANGE THAT PROCESS.
UM, GENERAL FUND TRANSFERS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED AS WELL BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A, A WATER CRISIS IN CORPUS CHRISTI.
UM, THE GOVERNOR THREATENED TO TAKE OVER CORPUS CHRISTI, UH, EVEN AT ONE POINT.
SO I THINK, UH, THAT IS WHAT SPURRED THIS LOOK AT GENERAL FUND TRANSFERS.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL OF LIMITING THEM OR, UM, STRUCTURING THEM DIFFERENTLY.
SO WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE HOW THAT CONVERSATION PLAYS OUT.
BUT, UM, WE'RE ACTIVELY TRACKING ALL OF THOSE IN OUR SYSTEM.
CURRENTLY THERE WAS THE WATER SHORTAGE IN EAST TEXAS ALSO HAS THAT COME UP.
NOT NECESSARILY A WATER SHORTAGE IN EAST TEXAS.
THEY'RE NOT SUPER HAPPY ABOUT OTHER CITIES LIKE WEST TEXAS, GEORGETOWN, OTHER CITIES THAT ARE IN NEED OF WATER TAPPING INTO THEIR AQUIFERS, UM, AND THEIR GROUNDWATER STORAGE.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN EAST TEXAS BATTLE IN THAT REGARD.
THEY DON'T WANNA SHARE THEIR WATER, BUT WE ARE IN A, A SIGNIFICANT WATER CRISIS AS A STATE.
UM, UPWARDS OF $150 BILLION OR TRILLION DOLLARS NEEDS TO BE INVESTED IN OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
DOES THAT MEAN BUILDING NEW RESERVOIR THAT ON HORIZON? I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THAT? BUILDING NEW RESERVOIRS.
ANYTHING ON THAT? I THINK WE JUST NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GET WATER FROM AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO TRANSPORT IT ACROSS THE STATE.
DESALINATION PLANTS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED, UM, BUT ESSENTIALLY IT'S A BATTLE BETWEEN WATER RIGHTS AND HOW DO WE GET WATER FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER, AND THAT'S GONNA COST A LOT OF MONEY.
ISN'T THE DESALINATION PLANT IN CORPUS WHERE THE ENTIRE PROBLEM BEGAN? YES.
THEY WEREN'T MANAGING THE PROJECT WELL AND IT WASTED A LOT OF FUNDS IN THE, IN THE MIDDLE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT BROUGHT DESALINATION IN AS A REVIEW ITEM AS WELL.
UM, ONE OF THE HOUSE CHARGES IS EX FOR LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.
UM, AND I QUOTE IS, EXAMINE FEES IMPOSED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS INCLUDING IMPACT FEES, UTILITY CONNECTION CHARGES, PERMIT AND INSPECTION FEES AND DRAINAGE OR STORMWATER FEES, EVALUATE TRANSPARENCY AND LEGAL AUTHORITY STUDY, THIRD PARTY REVIEW METHODS AND RECENT LEGISLATION ON REVIEW OF PLATS DEVELOPMENT PLANS, PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS, EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF PRE-APPROVAL AND REPEATED USE OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PLANS.
UM, AND LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT HAS NOT YET POSTED.
SO, UM, WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THE CHAIR AS WELL, BUT THAT'S WHEN WE'LL BE FOLLOWING VERY, VERY CLOSELY.
AND, AND WHO'S, WHAT GROUP IS PUSHING THAT? I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S A SPECIFIC GROUP.
I THINK THAT IT'S JUST KIND OF INFLUENCED BY A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING CORPUS ANTI CITY, UH, PUSH.
THERE'S BEEN AN ANTI CITY PUSH
YEAH, HE'S NOT A CITY CITY FRIENDLY REP.
UM, ON THE SENATE SIDE, UM, THERE IS A CHARGE CUTTING PROPERTY TAXES.
UM, THERE'S ONE EFFECTS OF INCREASING THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AND EXAMINING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, THIS ONE IS HOLDING LOCAL GOVERNMENT FEES ACCOUNTABLE AND THEIR CHARGE IS TO EXAMINE THE COLLECTION USE AND OVERSIGHT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT FEES,
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INCLUDING UTILITY CONNECTION CHARGES, PERMIT AND INSPECTION FEES AND DRAINAGE OR STORMWATER IMPROVEMENT FEES.EVALUATE WHETHER THESE FEES ARE SUBJECT TO ADEQUATE FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENTS AND WHETHER INDEPENDENT AUDITS SHOULD BE REQUIRED.
MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENHANCE ACCOUNTABILITY AND ENSURE FEE REVENUES ARE USED SOLELY FOR THEIR INTENDED PUBLIC PURPOSES.
THAT ONE IS A PAUL BETTEN COURT CHARGE, IT SOUNDS LIKE.
UM, SO I THINK THEY'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO DO A HEARING ON THAT ONE IN AND OF ITSELF.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S A RATHER LARGE CHARGE.
SO THAT'S WHAT ABOUT WHAT ABOUT WHAT IS HE ASKING ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT STATE FEES? NO, I, I THINK SO.
I JUST, CAN YOU GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT CITIES MAY BE DOING THAT IS CAUSING THIS TYPE OF, I'M GONNA SAY, UH, TACTIC ON THE PART OF THE STATE AND ARE THERE THAT MANY CITIES DOING IT THAT IT WOULD CAUSE THIS TYPE OF DECISION MAKING, EVEN IF IT'S ONE CITY, IF IT'S MADE A HEADLINE, THEY ASSUME IT'S ALL OF THEM.
SO, UM, EXAMPLES OF OF THIS WOULD BE CHARGING HIGHER RATES FOR ELECTRIC IF YOU HAVE A MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY AND THEN INCREASING YOUR GENERAL FUND TRANSFER TO COVER THINGS THAT MAYBE DIDN'T PASS A BOND ELECTION.
UM, THAT'S HAPPENED IN SEVERAL OF THE BIG CITIES, AUSTIN INCLUDED.
SO THAT'S WHAT SPURRED THIS ONE.
UM, IT'S HAPPENED ACROSS WATER UTILITIES AS WELL.
SO AGAIN, IT'S ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE WE ARE SUFFERING AS A RESULT OF THEM TO DEAL WITH VIOLATORS.
UM, A, A SIMILAR ONE FOR A WATER AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS IS UTILITY REVENUE TRANSFERS AND INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE STUDY.
THE PRACTICE OF LARGE MUNICIPALITIES TRANSFERRING REVENUE FROM WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITIES TO GENERAL FUNDS.
THAT ONE IS THE CORPUS CHRISTI, UH, ANSWER.
SO I THINK YOU, THERE'S A, THERE'S DEFINITELY A THEME.
SO IT SAYS ASSESS THE IMPACT OF SUCH TRANSFERS ON PROJECT DELAYS, INFRASTRUCTURE, MAINTENANCE BACKLOGS, WATER LOSS MITIGATION, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO LIMIT THE PERCENTAGE OF UTILITY REVENUE AVAILABLE FOR TRANSFER AND ENSURE TAXPAYER FUNDS ARE DEDICATED TO THE SUSTAINABILITY AND SECURITY OF TEXAS WATER SYSTEMS. SO I CAN SEE THEM LOOKING AT THIS FOR WATER UTILITIES AND THEN MAKING IT APPLIED TO, UM, ELECTRIC UTILITIES OR LANDFILL AS WELL.
BUT ISN'T BUROUGHS, HE'S FROM LUBBOCK? CORRECT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THIS WOULD AFFECT LUBBOCK IN A BIG WAY ALSO BECAUSE THEY HAVE LPNL OUT THERE, LUBBOCK POWER AND LIGHT, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN LANDFILL.
THEY DO ALL, THEY DO ALL THE SAME THINGS WE DO.
GI, HE JUST DOESN'T LIKE CITIES.
HE, HE JUST DOESN'T LIKE THEM.
HE'S BEEN HISTORICALLY ANTI CITY.
HE'LL LISTEN TO LUBBOCK A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO IF THEY COME OUT AND SAY, WE NEED HELP ON THIS, OR THEY PUSH BACK, HE MIGHT GIVE A LITTLE BIT.
BUT IF THEY UNELECTED HIM, WOULD THAT, I MEAN, THEY COULD DO THAT IF HE, THEY COULD, BUT THE PEOPLE OF LUBBOCK WOULD ELECT HIM, NOT THE CITY.
SO IF THE PEOPLE LIKE HIM, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNELECT HIM.
THE VOTERS THAT AREA ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
SO HOW WILL THIS IMPACT OUR SWAPPING DROP? WHAT, HOW WILL THIS IMPACT OUR SWAPPING DROP? OR WILL IT IF THEY KEEP US FROM TRANSFERRING FEES? YES.
IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE SCOPE OF HOW MUCH THEY KEPT US FROM TRANSFERRING.
BUT I MEAN IT COULD, IF THEY, IF THEY TOLD US WE COULDN'T MAKE THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFERS THAT WE GET FROM GP AND L AND FROM AND FROM SOME OF THE OTHER FUNDS, MATT WILL TELL YOU THAT'LL CREATE A SERIOUS FINANCIAL CONSTRAINT FOR US.
I MEAN, THE SWAP AND DROP IS GONNA SOLVE ABOUT $8 MILLION AND THE OTHERS COMBINED, THEY'RE TRIPLE THAT.
SO IF YOU LOOK ACROSS TRANSFERS FROM ALL OF OUR UTILITIES, WATER, WASTEWATER, STORMWATER AND GPNL, I MEAN IT'S $60 MILLION.
SO IF THEY TOOK A HARD NO MORE TRANSFERS, THAT'S $60 MILLION THAT WILL GO AWAY IN THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH, UH, I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO TELL Y'ALL THAT WOULD BE DEVASTATING AND CRIPPLING PERCENTAGE OF THAT OR THE TOTAL IS THAT THAT'S ABOUT 25% OF THE ENTIRE BUDGET.
MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT 60 63% OF OUR BUDGET IS POLICE AND FIRE.
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EVERYTHING ELSE OUT OF THE CITY AND HAVE JUST A LITTLE BIT LEFT OVER TO RUN THE PLACE.AND IT SOUNDS LIKE ARIEL IS SAYING THAT THIS 2.5 IS NOT A, MAYBE IT'S PRETTY MUCH A WIN.
AND SO EVERY, AND ALSO, JUST TO PUT THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT, SO WE'RE AT THREE AND A HALF NOW.
UM, ABOUT EACH HALF A PERCENTAGE THEY DROP US IS ABOUT $715,000.
SO IF THEY DROP US TO 3%, WE WILL LOSE 715,000.
YOU DROP US A WHOLE UH, 1% AND YOU'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, 1.40 EXCUSE MINUTE.
OH, I DIDN'T, I FAILED TO DO SOMETHING.
COUNCILMAN BASS, JEFF BASS, COUNCILMAN CHRIS, OT, CITY MANAGER, MAC BATCH, AND COUNCILMAN, UH, ARE HERE FOR THE RECORD FOR, AND MATT, WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? SURE.
MATT WATSON, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
UM, CONTINUING ON, THERE'S UH, APPEARS TO BE A LOOK AT GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY AS WELL AND, UH, DETERMINING WHETHER AMENDMENTS ARE WARRANTED TO CLARIFY OR UPDATE ITS PROVISIONS.
SO, UH, WE SAW SOME GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY BILLS SPECIFICALLY TOWARDS LIBRARIANS LAST SESSION, UM, TAKING AWAY THEIR IMMUNITY.
SO I THINK WE WOULD SEE THIS POINTS IN A DIRECTION OF UPDATING OR REVIEWING HOW AND WHO HAS GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY? THAT'S A BIG ONE.
THERE'S ONE, UH, FOR WAYS AND MEANS TO STUDY AND CONSIDER METHODS TO BUILD ON THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF PROVIDED BY THE 89TH LEGISLATURE, WHICH INCLUDES REVIEWING THE COST AND BENEFITS OF COMPRESSING SCHOOL DISTRICT TAX RATES AND INCREASING THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
WHETHER THE PROPERTY TAX APPRAISAL SYSTEM IS WORKING AS INTENDED OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM TO BENEFIT HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES AND THE ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF STATE TAX REVENUE SUPPORTING ONGOING PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, INCLUDING THE IMPACT OF EXEMPTIONS.
UM, THAT IS A VERY LARGE CHARGE.
SO WE'LL PROBABLY SEE ONE OR TWO HEARINGS ON THAT ONE.
UM, THAT IS ONE THAT WE ARE ALSO TRACKING WITH A HIGH PRIORITY.
ANOTHER ONE THAT'S A WAYS AND MEANS, UM, CHARGE IS EXAMINING LOCAL GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND DEBT PRACTICES, INCLUDING THE USE OF CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION TO DETERMINE THE OVERALL IMPACT ON PROPERTY TAX RATES, EVALUATE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES SUCH AS FEES UTILIZED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO FACILITATE INCREASED SPENDING, MAKE A RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE LONG-TERM AFFORDABILITY FOR TEXAS FAMILIES BY LIMITING THE GROWTH OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT SPENDING.
ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE DEBT PRACTICES PORTION.
UM, WE HAVE A VERY VESTED INTEREST IN, IN THAT SPECIFIC PIECE.
UM, SO WE WILL BE TRACKING THAT ONE ALSO WITH A HIGH PRIORITY TO TALK WITH OFFICES AND SEE WHERE THEY'RE HEADING AND WHAT BILLS WE MIGHT SEE COME OUT OF THIS.
BUT WE WILL BE SUBMITTING COMMENTS ON THAT FOR SURE.
UM, THOSE ARE THE BIGGEST ONES, UH, WITH THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.
UM, WE HAVE BEGUN HAVING MEETINGS WITH MEMBERS AND WE'VE STARTED GOING TO INTERIM HEARINGS, HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS AND SENATE BUSINESS AND COMMERCE AND, UH, WATER AND AGRICULTURE HAVE STARTED MEETING AND SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE POSTED, BUT FOR WELL INTO THE, INTO THE YEAR, SOME FOR AS FAR AS SEPTEMBER, UM, IN AUGUST.
BUT AS THESE PROGRESS AND AS THESE MOVE FORWARD, WE WILL BE SURE TO UPDATE ALL OF YOU ON, ON THE DISCUSSIONS WE'RE HAVING AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OUTCOMES AND, UM, OVERVIEWS OF EACH HEARING.
OH, ALSO HAVE COUNCILMAN ED MOORE HERE, THE GUARD WHO STANDING GUARD FOR, FOR THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE FIXING TO HAPPEN, WE HOPE IN DISTRICT THREE.
UM, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? YEAH, WHAT, WHAT YOU HAVE ANY, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES GIVEN ALL OF THIS? WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES
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FOR YOU AND YOUR STAFF? TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRACKING ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING.UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING ON TOP OF INFORMATION AS IT'S GIVEN TO US THROUGH, UM, OUR MEETINGS IN TERMS OF ANY INTEL ON WHAT BILLS ARE GONNA BE FILED, WHO'S GOING TO CARRY THEM.
UM, SEEING WHAT HAS A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF PASSING SO THAT WE CAN DO A LITTLE BIT OF OFFENSE, UH, IN THE INTERIM, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING INPUT ON THESE CHARGES AS THEY PROGRESS.
UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST QUOTE UNQUOTE, OH MY GOD, WHAT IS THE WORD CRITIQUES CITIES HAD LAST SESSION WAS WE HEARD, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE INTERIM, WHERE WERE YOU? YOU DIDN'T TALK TO US ABOUT THIS IN THE INTERIM.
SO US AS CITIES HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER AND WE'RE GOING TO BE MUCH MORE ACTIVE IN THE INTERIM TALKING TO NOT JUST OUR MEMBERS, BUT ALL THE MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEES.
UM, SO THAT THERE IS NO SURPRISE WHEN WE DO OPPOSE THESE VERY DETRIMENTAL BILLS TO THE CITY.
UM, SO OUR PRIORITY IS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE HIGH PRIORITY, UM, INTERIM CHARGES, THOSE WILL BE OUR FIRST PRIORITY.
AND THEN, UM, THE MEDIUM HIGH AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
WHAT ABOUT OUR LOCAL LOCAL DE DELEGATION? OF OF LEGISLATORS? ANY PARTICULAR ONE THAT YOU ARE FOCUSING ON? UH, NO, NOT NECESSARILY ONE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON.
WE HAVE REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL OF OUR LOCAL DELEGATION, INCLUDING, UH, ANGIE CHEN BUTTON, UM, BOWERS, INCLUDING HUNT COUNTY, LINDA GARCIA, SENATOR HALL, BOB HALL, MM-HMM
SO WE HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM AND THEIR STAFF.
IS THAT A LISTENING RELATIONSHIP OR IT FEEL A GOOD RELATIONSHIP? I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF BOTH.
THERE IS AN UNDERSTANDING THAT REPUBLICANS ARE GONNA VOTE PARTY LINE, THEY'RE GOING TO, SO IT'S WORKING WITH OTHER MEMBERS TO TRY TO AMEND THOSE BILLS.
ANY QUESTION? UH, YOU NOTED EARLIER THAT, UH, YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE THE DART ISSUE OF GOVERNANCE AND THE DIFFERENT CHANGES THEY MADE TO THE LEGISLATURE.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE WAY OF, UH, IT APPEARS THAT THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION IS GOING TO SERVE AS A MODERATOR FOR THAT DISCUSSION AS WELL.
SO I IMAGINE IT'LL WORK VERY SIMILAR TO HOW THE ORIGINAL DISCUSSIONS WERE, WHERE CITY MANAGERS OR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS OFFICIALS FROM EACH CITY WILL GET TOGETHER AND TALK THROUGH WHAT THE LEGISLATION SHOULD LOOK LIKE UNTIL IT'S SOMEWHERE THAT WE AGREE ON.
BUT WE HAVE TO DO THAT RELATIVELY QUICKLY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE LANGUAGE AND HAVE A SPONSOR FOR THAT BILL.
DO WE NEED TO BE DOING ANYTHING HERE LOCALLY? UH, WE JUST HAD AN EMAIL GO THROUGH, SO I THINK THEY'RE WORKING ON GETTING THAT GROUP UP AND GOING RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, THERE WAS AN EMAIL CIRCULATED TODAY.
IT STARTED GETTING EVERYONE, UH, WORKING TOGETHER.
SO RIGHT NOW IT'S GOING TO BE ARIEL REPRESENTING US WITH THE OTHER LEGISLATIVE INDIVIDUALS IN PLANO OR RICHARDSON TO ENSURE THAT LIKE WHAT ARIEL SAID, I I ENVISION IT LOOKING VERY SIMILAR TO HOW WHEN MIKE WENT THROUGH WITH THE, UH, WITH THE, THE FUNDING PIECE AND JUST MAKING SURE EVERYONE'S STILL IN AGREEMENT ON THE GOVERNANCE AND THEN FINDING SOMEONE TO REPRESENT THAT.
AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW IF WE NEED SOME HELP.
WE MET WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE LAST WEEK ON OPPORTUNITY ZONES.
UM, THEY SEEMED REALLY RECEPTIVE TO US SUBMITTING SEVERAL PROPOSALS FOR, UM, OPPORTUNITY ZONES.
SO WE'RE, I THINK OUR PLAN IS TO THROW AS MANY NOODLES AT THE WALL AND SEE HOW MANY STICK.
SO WE'RE HOPEFUL TO GET I THINK AT LEAST THREE, MAYBE MORE.
A DRAFT THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING NOW HAS SOME LANGUAGE IN IT AND TALKS ABOUT
IF YOU GO TO AUSTIN AND AS SOME OTHER CITIES PREVIOUSLY DID INITIATE THIS, BUT IF YOU GO AS PART OF DART, THEN YOU OKAY.
SO LAST SESSION WE WERE GOING AGAINST DART AND IT WAS US FILING A BILL THAT WOULD CHANGE DART'S STRUCTURE IN TERMS OF GOVERNANCE, BUT ALSO, UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR PERCENTAGE THAT WE PAY IN THAT PORTION
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OF THE PENNY.IT WOULD REDUCE IT BY A QUARTER.
UM, WE ARE NOT GOING AGAINST DART IT'S DART'S BEEN AT THE TABLE IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, IT'S A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE THAT WE'VE AGREED TO.
DALLAS HAS ADOPTED THE ORDINANCE ALREADY.
SO IT'S JUST US GETTING TOGETHER AND LOOKING AT HOW THAT IS STRUCTURED IN TERMS OF A LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY AND HOW THAT LOOKS WRITTEN AS A BILL.
LAST I CHECK, THERE ARE STILL THREE CITIES, MEMBER CITIES THAT ARE STILL GOING AHEAD WITH THEIR ELECTIONS.
HOW, HOW IS THAT PLAYING OUT ON THAT SIDE? 'CAUSE IF WE GONE AND PARTICIPATE IN THAT, WE'RE, IT'S IT'S VIEWED AS BEING ANTI DART.
I I BUT, BUT, BUT IF YOU GO ON THE LEGISLATIVE ROUTE WITH DART, SO I HAVE, YOU'RE NOT VIEWED AS BEING ANTI DART.
SO THERE WAS A RESOLUTION THAT WAS COME TO A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
UM, WE ARE NO LONGER, THERE'S NO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PULLING OUT OF DART.
IT'S US WORKING TOGETHER AS MEMBER CITIES ON GOVERNANCE.
AND THAT HAS TO BE, THAT CHANGE HAS TO BE DONE LEGISLATIVELY AND ADOPTED LEGISLATIVELY.
WE'VE ALL TAKEN A LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE AND ADOPTED THE ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO GO TO THE LEGISLATURE AND TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT THE CONVERSATION WITH THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION ARE ALL OF US COMING TOGETHER TO AGREE ON WHAT THE LEGISLATION WOULD LOOK LIKE.
LIKE MR. CHAIRMAN, UNDER THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE A PARTY TO NOW, UH, THE CITY IS, IS PRECLUDED FROM, UM, SOLICITING, UH, THE LEGISLATURE TO PASS LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BE INCONSISTENT WITH DART'S ABILITY TO COLLECT, UH, THE SALES TAX MONEY FROM US.
THAT WAS PART OF THE AGREEMENT.
THE OTHER THING IS WE COULDN'T, IF WE WERE TO HOLD AN ELECTION OR TO, EVEN IF WE WERE TO DECIDE IN NOVEMBER, WE'RE GONNA HOLD AN ELECTION AND OPT OUT OF DART, WHICH I THINK IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, WE WOULD, UH, WE WOULD THEN FORFEIT OUR GENERAL MOBILITY FUNDS, WHICH IS ABOUT $25 MILLION THAT WE'RE GETTING BACK AS PART OF THE SETTLEMENT, UH, AGREEMENT.
UH, AND AND ILA THAT WE ENTERED INTO.
SO I DON'T REALLY SEE ANY EITHER OF THOSE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE FOR THE MEMBER CITIES WHO HAVE, UH, NOT, UH, DECIDED TO GO FORWARD WITH THE ELECTION RIGHT NOW.
I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY SIX YEARS A CITY LIKE PLANO CAN GO BACK AND DO A VOTE.
SO WHAT WE HAVE WITH THE GENERAL MOBILITY FUNDS FOR RIGHT NOW, I SEE AS A BANDAID TO GET US THROUGH THE NEXT SIX YEARS TO TRY TO GET A GLOBAL REALIGNMENT OF DART INTO A REGIONAL ROLE.
SO THAT'S THE, THE OVERARCHING GOAL FOR MANY OF THESE CITIES IS STILL TO GET SALES TAX BACK.
BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, IT MAY NOT BE THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, BUT MAYBE A FUTURE LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO TOTALLY REVAMP THE WAY D IS STRUCTURED OUTSIDE OF JUST GOVERNANCE.
SO THAT KNOW THAT THERE'S A, A FIGHT STILL OUT THERE FOR THE FUTURE, BUT AT LEAST THE CITIES ARE COMING TOGETHER TO WORK TOGETHER WITH DART RATHER THAN JUST PICKING APART DART WITHOUT THEM AT THE TABLE.
SO I, WHILE, WHILE THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE, UH, IT'S PROMISING AT LEAST THAT WE'RE ALL SINGING THE SAME TUNE IN MY OPINION AS OF RIGHT NOW, BUT KNOW THAT THIS WILL REAR ITS UGLY HEAD AGAIN IN SIX YEARS.
WELL, I GUESS THE LAST THING I'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT DART IS WE HAD TWO SURPRISES RECENTLY WITH THE RESIGNATION OF NADINE AND THE APPOINTMENT OF NEW PERSON.
YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? I DID NOT FIND THAT SURPRISING.
I FEEL LIKE THEY'VE, THE BOARD AND NADINE HAVE BEEN DIVERGING FOR QUITE A WHILE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WAS, AND THE PROCESS WAS TELLING AND I, I THINK THAT THAT HAD COME TO A HEAD.
SO THAT WAS NOT, UH, A SURPRISE TO ME.
AND I WOULD SAY BACK TO COUNCILMAN MOORE'S QUESTION, WHAT DO WE DO NOW? I THINK THE, THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE IS TO GET, UH, UH, OUR DART BOARD MEMBERS ALIGNED WITH THE CITY OF GARLAND'S NEEDS RATHER THAN, UH, LOOKING FOR JUST AN APPOINTMENT.
AND THEN THEY KIND OF GO AND DRINK THE KOOL-AID AND THEY'RE OFF, THEY GO WITH DART.
BUT I WOULD SAY PROBABLY THAT'S OUR, FROM THIS BODY'S STANDPOINT, THE THE NEXT BIG THING THAT WE COULD USE THAT HELP ON IS MAKING SURE WE HAVE A STRONG CANDIDATE TO SEND TO DART TO REPRESENT THE GARLAND, MR. CHAIR, TO REPRESENT.
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LET'S GET BACK ON THE TOPIC OF THE, SORRY.AND, AND AS IT RELATES TO OUR ABILITY TO GO TO THE STATE, ONE OF, UH, THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH DMRC IS THAT THE STATE IS NEVER OPPOSED TO MEETING WITH CITIES.
THEIR OPPOSITION HAS TRULY BEEN MEETING WITH THE LOBBYIST.
I THINK THAT, THAT, THAT WAS THE REASON THAT I ASKED WHAT CAN WE DO? BECAUSE, UH, BASED ON WHAT WE ARE GATHERING AT THIS POINT, THE REPRESENTATIVES IN AUSTIN, THEIR DOORS ARE CERTAINLY OPEN TO US AS CITY OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THEY'RE JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE CITY SENDING A LOBBYIST.
YOU THINK THEY'RE, YOU'RE THROWING, UH, TML IN THAT BUNCH.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S ALIVE AND WELL, IF, IF TML IS SENDING LOBBYISTS YES, THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN THAT BUNCH.
BUT I THINK THAT AGAIN, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW REPRESENTATIVES IN TML WHO REPRESENT MUNICIPALITIES ALSO MM-HMM
THAT ARE, THAT, THAT HAVE THE EAR OF PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT THAT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST THING.
AND, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, OF COURSE, AND IT COMES BACK TO NO MATTER WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, NO MATTER WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING, IF THERE ARE THE LOBBYISTS INVOLVED, THEY'RE GONNA GET THE COLD SHOULDER PRETTY MUCH.
AND ARIEL, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHO THE LOBBYIST IS.
I'LL ALSO SAY WE'RE ALSO WORKING HARD LOOKING AT DATA, ESPECIALLY PROPERTY TAX, SALES TAX DATA TO, TO LOOK FOR PARTNERS TO ALIGN WITH.
AND IT MAY NOT BE YOUR TRADITIONAL, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY WE, WE ALIGN WITH THE OTHER SUBURBAN AREA, CITIES, PLANO, RICHARDSON.
BUT, YOU KNOW, PLANO AND RICHARDSON'S NEEDS ARE VERY DIFFERENT THAN SAY, A PASADENA, TEXAS OR A LUBBOCK, TEXAS, WHICH IS CLOSER TO THE NEEDS WE HAVE HERE AT GARLAND.
'CAUSE WE'RE BUILT OUT, WE'RE OLDER.
AND, UM, RIGHT NOW THE PROPERTY TAX, THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED BENEFITS, THOSE THAT HAVE GREEN SPACE STILL LEFT TO, TO FILL IN THEIR, IN THEIR, UM, IN THEIR CITY LIMITS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF DOUBLE HIT.
WE'RE GETTING 3.5% CAP, BUT OUR NEW CONSTRUCTION IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO GET ON THE STREETS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO TEAR SOMETHING DOWN TO REBUILD IT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE TO, ALLS WE CAN DO IS REDEVELOPMENT.
A FRISCO HAS GREEN SPACE AFTER GREEN SPACE TO JUST PUT NEW CONSTRUCTION ON.
WE HAVE TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY TO GET A MARGIN.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY DIFFERENT.
SO WE'RE ARE LOOKING AT THAT TOO, TO MAYBE TAKE DIFFERENT ANGLES WHEN WE GO TALK TO THE STATE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT, WE ARE NOT THESE PROBLEM CHILDREN.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WE ARE NOT AUSTIN.
I MEAN, AUSTIN DOES SOME GREAT THINGS, BUT THEY TEND TO PICK, BUT HERE IN GARDEN, WE ARE JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING WE DO FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, DECISIONS ON DEBT, IT'S BASED OUT OF NECESSITY.
SO, AND I DO AGREE THAT WE REALLY DO NEED REPRESENTATION THAT REPRESENTS GARLAND IN THE YES.
THAT MAY BE ANOTHER, ANOTHER CHALLENGE FOR ANOTHER DAY THAT WE, WE, WE WILL NEED VOICES THAT SPEAK FOR, FOR GAR.
SO MAYBE IN OUR NEW APPOINTMENT APPOINTMENTS WHEN, WHEN THEY SITTING THE BOARD, THEY, THEY ARE UP.
ARE WE ALREADY WORKING IN A DIRECTION THOSE WILL BE COMING BACK.
DO WE NEED TO TALK TO YOUR WIFE ANYMORE? NO, I GOT IT ALL STRAIGHTENED OUT.
I GOT IT ALL STRAIGHTENED OUT THIS WEEKEND ACTUALLY.
I'M GONNA START DOING LESS WORK WITH THE CHAIR.
YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? UH, JUST THAT AS, AS THESE DO PROGRESS AND HEARINGS ARE, ARE HELD, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE SEND OUT, UM, HEARING SUMMARIES AND, UM, INFORMATION ON ALL OF THE HIGH PRIORITY, UH, INTERIM CHARGES.
YOU STILL HAVE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR STAFFING THAT YOU YES, TAYLOR AND KARMA ARE STILL GOING STRONG, SO WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT.
ANYBODY GOT ANYTHING ELSE? WELL, FROM WHAT I HEAR FROM, UH, SISTER CITIES, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE ARIEL AND HER ON BOARD BECAUSE YES, WE TALK TO, UH,
[00:35:01]
DIFFERENT CITIES.SHE'S ALWAYS HER NAME ALL WITHIN THE MIX.
YES, IT IS, IT IS FOR POSITIVE REASONS.
YOU'RE NOT ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE, THE, UH, OTHER OTHERS.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH, I JUST WOULD ECHO THAT SIR ARIEL, UM, JUST AGAIN, WANTED TO GIVE HER A KUDOS, ESPECIALLY ON THE, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN MOR MENTIONED THE OPPORTUNITY ZONES.
I GOT A CHANCE TO SEE ARIEL IN ACTION DOWN IN AUSTIN AND IT WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED.
AND IN FACT, I BELIEVE WE WERE THE ONLY CITY THAT HAD APPROACHED THEM WITH INTEREST ON THIS.
SO, SO IT'S ALWAYS GOOD, UH, TO BE, UH, UH, THE, THE ONE CITY THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO PLAY ALONG IN THE SANDBOX, SO TO SPEAK, FOR TEXAS.
WELL, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE AT FOUR THIRTY SIX, WE'LL CALL THIS MEETING TILL, TILL CLOSE.