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AND, UH, UH, COUNT, UH, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
[1. 21-2106 Approval of the minutes from the January 13 and February 10, 2021 meetings of the Intergovernmental Relations Committee ]
THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO IS, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S 1 1 1 CHANGE.IT'S ON PAGE FOUR OF FIVE ON THE FIRST SET OF MINUTES.
UM, AND OKAY, I, I SECOND WITH THOSE CHANGES.
HEARING NO OPPOSITION, OUR HEARING, NO OPPOSITION.
OUR MINUTES ARE, UH, ARE APPROVED.
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, LET'S HAVE EDUARDO PULL UP THE PRESENTATION HERE SHORTLY.
[2. 21-2107 Federal Update: • American Rescue Plan Legislation Status • Community Project Funding ]
TODAY, AS JEFF SHARED, UM, I WILL SHARE THE LATEST WORK OF THE SENATE ON THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AND WHAT WE KNOW NOW ABOUT THE RETURN OF EARMARKS NOW TITLED COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING.SO, AS JEFF STATED, UH, THE HOUSE IS ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW, AND I'M HEARING THAT WE'RE EXPECTING A FINAL VOTE ON THE AMENDED, UM, SENATE, UH, VERSION OF THE COVID RELEASE BILL, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AROUND NOONISH OR SO.
UM, AND THEN I WILL DIVE INTO WHAT WE KNOW NOW REGARDING THE COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, UM, FOR THE F Y 22 MEMBER COMMUNITY PROJECT REQUEST.
AND SO HERE, UM, AT QUICK GLANCE, HERE IS THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN PASSAGE TIMELINE.
UH, MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH, UH, THESE DATES.
I'VE SENT A COUPLE OF, UH, WEEKEND UPDATES WHEN CONGRESS HAS BEEN, UM, AT WORK, UM, ON THIS PLAN.
THE HOUSE PASSED ITS VERSION OF THE COVID RELIEF BILL ON FEBRUARY 27TH.
AND NOT MUCH LATER AFTER THAT, THE SENATE, THIS PAST SATURDAY ON MARCH 6TH PASSED, UH, THEIR AMENDED VERSION OF THE BILL SENT IT BACK TO THE HOUSE FOR, UH, FURTHER ACTION.
AND AS I SHARED, UM, AS JEFF DID TODAY, THE HOUSE IS SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON THE AMENDED, UH, BILL, UM, AS THEIR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS.
SO, AT THIS POINT, ONCE THE SENATE, UH, PASSES, UH, THE AMENDED VERSION THAT THE SENATE SENT OVER, THE PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO SIGN THE BILL SOON THEREAFTER.
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EXPECTED, JUST IN TIME BEFORE THE MARCH 14TH DEADLINE, UM, WHEN THE CURRENT ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS ARE SET TO EXPIRE, UM, THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE DEADLINE THAT A LEADERSHIP AND CONGRESS HAD SET FOR THEMSELVES TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO LAPSE, UM, IN THOSE BENEFITS.ULTIMATELY, UM, GREAT NEWS, THE SENATE VERSION, UM, IN THE PLAN INCLUDED STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS PROGRAM.
THIS IS A MAJOR WIN FOR CITIES AND COUNTIES.
WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH OTHER TOP 10 CITIES, AND WE WERE LOUD AND WE WERE UNITED ALSO.
WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT ALL THE WORK OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES AND THE US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS, UH, MAYOR NUREMBERG, AND MANY, UH, TEXAS, UH, MAYORS, UM, BOUNDED TOGETHER TO PUSH FOR THIS FUNDING, UM, IN SUPPORT FOR CITIES, UH, STATE AND LOCALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO A BIG THANKS, UH, TO THEM, UM, IN THEIR WORK WITH CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS FUNDING STUCK.
THIS PROGRAM ALLOCATES 130 BILLION EVENLY SPLIT BETWEEN CITIES AND COUNTIES AT 65 BILLION EACH.
SO THAT'S A GOOD CHUNK OF CHANGE.
UH, CITY ALLOCATIONS WILL BE DETERMINED BY MODIFIED C D B G FORMULA, AND WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT FORMULA.
AND COUNTY ALLOCATION, UH, WILL BE DETERMINED BY POPULATION.
UH, THIS PROGRAM, UM, AS HANDLED, UH, DURING THE CARES ACT ALLOCATIONS WILL BE MANAGED AND DISTRIBUTED BY US TREASURY, EXCEPT THIS ROUND WILL BE, UH, DISTRIBUTED IN TWO ROUNDS OR TWO TRANCHES.
THE FIRST ONE WILL BE WITHIN 60 DAYS OF ENACTMENT, AND THEN THE SECOND ONE, UM, EXACTLY ONE YEAR LATER.
ALSO HERE ON THIS SLIDE, UM, ANOTHER REALLY GREAT PROGRAM THAT WAS ESTABLISHED, UM, IN THIS ACT IS THE 10 BILLION CORONAVIRUS CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND.
UM, THIS WILL GIVE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS TO EACH STATE TO FUND, UH, CRITICAL CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR BROADBAND, UH, PROGRAMS THAT ENABLE WORK, EDUCATION, UH, HEALTH MONITORING.
UH, THESE ARE ESSENTIALLY FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO HELP STATES IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE ARENA RESPOND FURTHER TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DETAILS ABOUT THIS PLAN YET.
I'M SURE THAT TREASURY WILL RELEASE VERY SPECIFIC GUIDELINES AS, AS THEY HAVE IN THE PAST, UM, WITH ALLOCATIONS THAT THEY MANAGE SO FAR.
THE BILL DOES NOT PROVIDE, UM, SPECIFIC DETAILS ON HOW THE DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BE DISTRIBUTED, SO MORE GUIDANCE TO COME ON THAT FRONT.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UH, MEDIA ATTENTION PAID ON THE DIRECT PAYMENT TO INDIVIDUALS LIKE THE HOUSE VERSION.
THE SENATE BILL, UM, INCLUDES $1,400, UM, IN STIMULUS CHECKS TO ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS, BUT THE SENATE DID LOWER THE INCOME ELIGIBILITY, UH, FOR TAXPAYERS RECEIVING THE PAYMENTS.
UNDER THE SENATE BILL PAYMENTS WILL GO TO INDIVIDUALS MAKING UP TO 75,000 AND COUPLES, UM, AT 150,000.
UM, THERE IS A, UM, PHASE OUT PROVISION FOR, UM, 80,000 FOR INDIVIDUALS AND 160,004 COUPLES THAT WAS HIGHER IN THE HOUSE VERSION.
UH, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THOSE PAYMENT TO INDIVIDUALS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE, UM, SHORTLY AFTER ENACTMENT.
ALSO, THE SENATE EXTENDS THE ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AT 300 A WEEK THROUGH SEPTEMBER SIX, A BIT LOWER THAN THE HOUSE, AND A BIT OF A SHORTER TIMEFRAME.
UM, THE HOUSE HAD THEM AT 400 WEEKLY AND, UM, SHORTLY LATER INTO SEPTEMBER.
BUT VERY GREAT NEWS NONETHELESS, UM, FOR THE ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR INDIVIDUALS.
ALSO, THIS BILL ALLOCATES 5 BILLION, UH, FOR UTILITIES ASSISTANCE.
UM, THE BREAKDOWN, UH, IS PRETTY SIMPLE.
IT'S 4.5 BILLION FOR THE LIHEAP PROGRAM THAT MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH, AND 500 MILLION FOR A NEW WATER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE MODELED, UM, AFTER LIHEAP, THE LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT WE, UH, WERE ALL FAMILIAR WITH.
AND THE WATER PROGRAM WILL HELP LOW-INCOME FAMILIES PAY THEIR WATER BILLS.
UM, THIS BILL CONTINUES TO PROVIDE A GREAT DEAL OF SUPPORT, UH, FOR PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IN THE PANDEMIC.
THE BILL INCLUDES 49 BILLION FOR TESTING, CONTACT, TRACING, AND MONITORING.
UH, THIS ALLOCATION IS ON TOP OF THE 69 BILLION, UH, THE CONGRESS ALLOCATED IN THE DECEMBER COVID BILL.
UM, THERE'S ALSO AN ADDITIONAL 14 BILLION FOR VACCINES, UH, IN DECEMBER.
YOU MAY RECALL THAT THE COVID RELEASE BILL ALLOCATION
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FOR THE CITY WAS 13.9 MILLION FOR VACCINES AND VACCINE RELATED OPERATIONS.SO, UM, WILL KNOW, UM, SOON, UH, AFTER ENACTMENT WHAT THE ALLOCATION FOR THE CITY WILL BE.
FOR NOW, WE JUST KNOW THAT, UM, IT'S, UH, 49 BILLION FOR TESTING AND THE 14 BILLION FOR VACCINES.
THE RESCUE PLAN ALSO INCLUDES 450 A BILLION FOR, I'M SORRY, MILLION FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES.
UH, VERY CRITICAL FUNDING THAT WILL GO, UM, TO SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND ALSO IT'S INCLUDING, UH, FUNDING FOR RAPE CRISIS CENTERS.
STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL ALSO RECEIVE FUNDING, UM, FROM THIS, UM, MONEY FOR VIOLENCE, UH, PREVENTION AND SERVICES.
AND THE TEXAS ALLOCATION IS APPROXIMATELY 10.2 MILLION UNDER THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
THERE'S 21.5 BILLION FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UM, AND 5 BILLION IN EMERGENCY, UH, HOUSING VOUCHERS FOR A TOTAL OF 27 BILLION.
THE LEGISLATION ALSO INCLUDES 5 BILLION TO ASSIST PEOPLE EXPERIENCING, UM, HOMELESSNESS.
SO ALL VERY BENEFICIAL, UM, FUNDING FOR CITIES AND COUNTIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
FOR CONTEXT, IN DECEMBER, THE COVID BILL, UM, THERE WAS 25 BILLION IN RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND THE CITY'S ALLOCATION, UM, OUT OF THAT TRANCHE WAS 46 MILLION.
UM, YOU MAY RECALL BACK IN DECEMBER, THE 900 BILLION COVID RELIEF BILL INCLUDED A SECOND ROUND OF PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM.
THIS WAS THE 100% FORGIVABLE LOAN THAT RESTAURANTS COULD, UH, TAP INTO.
IT ALSO INCLUDED A TAX DEDUCTABILITY PIECE BENEFITING RESTAURANTS.
UM, YOU MAY RECALL WE HAD US GUESS THE, UM, TEAM FROM THE STATE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, AND THEY MENTIONED, UM, TO US THAT THEY WERE CONSIDERING THE DECEMBER COVID BILL ASSISTANCE AS A DOWN PAYMENT.
SO THIS NEXT RELIEF ROUND IS A MAJOR WIN FOR RESTAURANTS AND BARS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THE BILL INCLUDES 26 BILLION FOR RESTAURANTS, UH, THE RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION FUND.
UH, THIS AID ESSENTIALLY IS FOR FOOD AND DRINK ENTITIES FOR GRANTS UP TO 10 MILLION PER ENTITY AND 5 MILLION PER LOCATION.
SO THESE GRANTS COVER A WIDE ARRAY OF ITEMS FOR RESTAURANTS AND BARS.
IT COVERS, UH, PAYROLL BENEFITS, UH, MORTGAGE AND RENT AND UTILITIES, OUTDOOR SEATING, CONSTRUCTION SUPPLIES, P P E AND FOOD AND OTHER OPERATIONAL EXPENSES.
SO IT IS A VERY BROAD, UM, ELIGIBLE EXPENSES, UH, PLAN FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO TAP INTO.
UM, I WANTED TO SHARE A SPECIAL NOTE WITH YOU REGARDING, UH, THIS PARTICULAR FUNDING.
DURING THE FIRST 21 DAYS, UM, THE APPLICATION PROCESS WILL PRIORITIZE RESTAURANTS OWNED BY WOMEN, VETERANS, AND SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS.
SO THEY'RE GONNA GET, UM, FIRST GRAB, UM, AT THIS MONEY.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND OTHER PARTNERS ARE AWARE OF THIS DEADLINE.
UM, AND THE PARAMETERS FOR THIS PROGRAM ALSO, UM, AN AREA THERE OF PROGRAMMING THAT WE'VE BEEN WATCHING VERY CLOSELY ALONG WITH OUR E D D TEAM.
UM, IT INCLUDES AN ADDITIONAL 1.2 BILLION FOR THE SHUTTERED VENUE OPERATORS GRANT.
UH, THIS PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED BY S D A.
UM, THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR SMALL HARD HIT BUSINESSES AND ELIGIBLE NONPROFITS.
UM, AND AGAIN, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO COVER PAYROLL, RENT, MORTGAGE, UTILITIES, AND OTHER OPERATIONAL USES.
SO MORE ASSISTANCE, UM, ON THE WAY.
UM, AND OF COURSE, THIS IS ON TOP OF THE 15 BILLION INCLUDED IN THE DECEMBER COVID BILL THAT'S BEING MANAGED, UH, BY S B A CURRENTLY.
ON THE AIRPORT FRONT, AIRPORTS AND CONCESSIONAIRES, WE'LL GET ANOTHER ROUND OF 8 BILLION.
UM, IN DECEMBER, YOU MAY RECALL THAT COVID RELIEF ROUND, UM, GAVE THE AIRPORT, UH, 10 MILLION FOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH OPERATIONS, PERSONNEL, CLEANING, SANITATION, AND OTHER OPERATIONS.
UM, IN DECEMBER, THAT TOTAL ALLOCATION WAS 2 BILLION ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING OUR ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF FOR THE AIRPORT.
UM, AND LASTLY, IN THIS AREA, THE BILL INCLUDES 30 BILLION FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT GRANTS.
UM, THESE GRANTS ALLOW FOR TRANSIT AGENCIES, UH, TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE BUSES, MAINTENANCE OF BUS AND BUS FACILITIES, AND OTHER
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USES IN THE DECEMBER ROUND VIA WAS NOTIFIED THAT THEY WOULD BE RECEIVING APPROXIMATELY $60 MILLION.SO, UM, THIS IS A FORMULA DETERMINED, SO THEY'LL KNOW SOON, UM, AFTER ENACTMENT WHAT THEIR ACTUAL AWARD WILL BE.
SO BEFORE I DIVE INTO THE COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, AND THE NEXT SLIDE, ALLOW ME TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE EARMARK, UH, MORATORIUM OR THE EARMARK BAN.
SO, IN 2010, UH, ABOUT 11 YEARS AGO, CONGRESS, UH, BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT RESTRICTIONS TO, UM, CERTAIN EARMARKS.
THIS WAS A, UH, VERY MUCH, UH, REPUBLICAN, UH, PUSHED, UM, RESTRICTION AND CONCERNS ABOUT HOW EARMARKS WERE BEING HANDLED AND PROVIDED.
SO IN THE 112 CONGRESS, THE MORATORIUM COMMENCED, UM, EVEN THOUGH EARMARKS ACCOUNT FOR LESS THAN 1% OF THE TOTAL FEDERAL SPENDING UNDER THE MORATORIUM, THE ADMINISTRATION AND AGENCIES HAVE WIDE DISCRETION OVER PROGRAM SPENDING, UH, NOT USED FOR EARMARKS, UH, AND WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTION.
SO LIFTING THE MORATORIUM ESSENTIALLY GIVES CONGRESS THAT SPENDING POWER BACK.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE HEADED NOW.
SO, AS JEFF SAID, UM, THERE'S VERY LITTLE THAT WE KNOW NOW.
UM, LATE LAST MONTH, HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS CHAIRWOMAN DELTO ANNOUNCED THAT THE HOUSE WOULD ACCEPT MEMBER REQUESTS FOR THE NOW TITLED COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS EARMARKS, UM, IN THE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS OR ACCOUNTS FOR F Y 22.
SO, ESSENTIALLY, MEMBERS WILL BE ABLE TO REQUEST FUNDING FOR STATES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND CERTAIN NONPROFITS.
SO IT'S, IT'S A MUCH SHORTER LIST THAN BEFORE.
UM, THE NEW PROCESS FOR SUBMITTING THESE REQUESTS WILL GO THROUGH VIGOROUS, UM, VETTING AND TRANSPARENCY GUIDELINES.
AND SO, SPECIAL NOTE, WE DON'T KNOW YET, UM, WHAT THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS WILL DO, BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION TO BRINGING BACK, UH, THE EARMARKS RIGHT NOW.
SO, WHAT IS AN EARMARK? I'LL PARAPHRASE, UM, THIS FOR YOU.
UH, MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, BUT IN YOUR MARK IS A PROVISION INCLUDED AT THE REQUEST OF A CONGRESSIONAL MEMBER, A REP, US REPRESENTATIVE OR SENATOR AUTHORIZING OR RECOMMENDING A SPECIFIC AMOUNT, UM, OF A DISCRETIONARY BUDGET OR SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR A GRANT OR OTHER EXPENDITURES TO AN ENTITY OTHER THAN THROUGH A STATUTORY OR ADMINISTRATIVE FORMULA OR COMPETITIVE AWARD PROCESS.
UM, SO AS AGENCIES HAVE BEEN HANDLING THAT, UH, ALMOST 1% OF SPENDING DURING THIS EARMARK BAN, UM, THIS HAS BEEN, UH, PROCESSES THAT HAVE GONE MORE TOWARDS THE COMPETITIVE, UM, DISCRETIONARY FUNDS THAT HAVE RENDERED CERTAIN GRANTS, UH, THAT WE HAVE, UH, CHASED, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS MORATORIUM BAN PERIOD.
SO, THESE ARE THE MEMBER GUIDELINES THAT THE HOUSE APPROACHES, UM, PUSHED OUT TO THEIR MEMBERSHIP.
UM, IN CONGRESS, MEMBERS WILL BE CAPPED AT 10 COMMUNITY PROJECTS.
THEY MUST DEMONSTRATE COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR EACH SUBMISSION.
THEY MUST COMPLETE A FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENT, POST ALL THEIR REQUESTS ONLINE FOR THAT TRANSPARENCY PROCESS.
UH, UH, THERE WILL BE NO, UM, SUBMISSIONS FOR PROFIT RECIPIENT, SO THEY'VE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE ELIGIBLE LIST.
UM, AND RECIPIENTS MUST BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH, UH, MATCHING REQUIREMENTS WHEN THEY ARE PART OF THAT PARTICULAR ACCOUNT OR PROGRAM.
AND THE PROJECTS MUST BE, UH, ONE YEAR ONLY IN LENGTH FROM BEGINNING TO END.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE KNOW NOW, WE'RE EXPECTING MORE DETAILS TO COME.
SO, WHAT'S NEXT? UM, IN THE COMING WEEKS, HOPEFULLY BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH, UM, THE HOUSE OF PROBES COMMITTEE WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE TO MEMBERS REGARDING THE ELIGIBLE PROJECTS, UM, THE CRITERIA, SPECIFIC CRITERIA FOR MEMBER REQUESTS.
UM, AND SO THAT WILL GIVE US A MUCH BETTER IDEA ON WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS, WHAT THE FUNDING, UH, TERMS WILL BE AND WHAT THE, UM, ELIGIBILITY, UM, ACCOUNTS WILL BE UNDER THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS, AND OUR CONSULTANTS ARE ALSO ON THE LINE READY TO ASSIST.
SIR, YOUR MIC IS MUTED, RIGHT? YEAH,
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THANKS.I I WANT TO HAND IT OFF TO, UM, MY CO-CHAIR, JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ.
COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, SIR? YEAH, THANKS.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, SALLY, THANK YOU FOR MODIFIED, UH, C D B G FORMULA.
UM, THAT IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS UTILIZED FOR THE HOUSING ALLOCATION OUT OF THE DECEMBER COVID RELEASE BILL FOR COUNTIES, HOWEVER, IT'S GOING TO BE POPULATION BASED.
SO FOR THAT PARTICULAR, UM, ALLOCATION, IT'S DIFFERENT FOR CITIES AND COUNTIES UNDER THE TRANSIT AGENCIES.
WE KNOW THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE IS FORMULA.
SOMETIMES CONGRESS DOES INCLUDE SPECIFIC PARAMETERS TO DIRECT AGENCIES HOW TO DETERMINE THAT FUNDING, AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T.
UM, THEY TEND TO UTILIZE EXISTING PROGRAMS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, UM, AS TO NOT REINVENT THE WHEEL.
AND THAT ALLOWS THE AGENCIES TO PUSH OUT THE MONEY MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN IF THEY WERE TO HAVE A NEW PROCESS IN PLACE THAT THEY HAVE TO CREATE BRAND NEW GUIDELINES FOR.
WAS THERE A SPECIFIC OTHER, UH, PROGRAM THAT YOU WERE LOOKING AT? NO.
UM, WE HAVE TO GO WITH A R P FOR NOW.
UM, COMMISSIONER DEBERRY, WELCOME.
GREAT TO, I DID HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
YEAH, I THINK WE'VE GOT A SHOT AT DOING SOMETHING REALLY BIG.
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NOT ONLY THROUGH, BUT THE MONIES THATTHIS IS A ONCE IN A GENERAL, I, I EMPHASIZE A ONCE IN A GENERAL $5 MILLION RANGE, MAYBE EVEN LESS.
UH, AND THEN THE, THE OTHER THING IS LIKE CUE HIS, HIS DEADLINE IS APRIL 12TH.
UH, SO NOT A LOT OF TIME TO GATHER AND SAY, HEY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
YOU KNOW, WHOLE MEETINGS, LET'S GET WITH THE CHAMBER.
IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE THE CITY COUNTY GETTING TOGETHER AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING.
IS THERE OVERLAP HERE? LET'S SUBMIT THIS.
AS IN ONE, UH, RA'S OFFICE, DELEGATE'S OFFICE.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UH, EARLY RUMOR IS THAT CHIP, ROY'S NOT GONNA PARTICIPATE IN THIS.
UH, CONGRESSMAN CHIP ROY WON'T PARTICIPATE IN HERE.
MARK TONY GONZALEZ HAS COMMITTED.
I BELIEVE THAT HE IS, MAYBE HENRY
UH, BUT THAT'S MY PLAY ON THAT.
AND I, I'D I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER CONSULTANTS HAVE TO SAY.
UH, WELL, THIS IS KEVIN KELLY AND, UH, UH, FOR PEOPLE'S, UH, PURPOSE, UH, LETTING MADERO HAS JOINED US THIS MORNING.
AND SHE IS, UH, OUR NEWEST HIRE.
SHE WAS THE MOST RECENTLY CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE CHAIR OF THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
SO WHILE SHE CAN'T LOBBY THE HOUSE FOR A YEAR, SHE HAS A LOT OF INSIGHT INTO THE WAY THIS PROCESS IS GONNA WORK OUT.
AND SHE CAN JUMP IN HERE IN A MINUTE.
IN THE LAST 24 HOURS STARTING LAST NIGHT, UH, EACH OF THE SUBCOMMITTEES IS LOOKING IN.
THE HOUSE HAS BEEN ISSUING, NOT EVERYONE'S OUT YET, BUT ALMOST ALL OF 'EM ARE OUT SAYING WHICH ACCOUNTS WILL BE AVAILABLE, UH, AND THE DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSION.
IT DOES LOOK LIKE, UH, MR. QUARE IS GONNA HAVE TO REVISE HIS DEADLINE, BECAUSE I THINK THE DEADLINE'S SUBMISSION FOR MOST OF THE SUBCOMMITTEES NOW IS MID-APRIL.
SO HE'S GONNA HAVE TO MOVE HIS BACK TO PROBABLY SOMETIME TOWARDS THE END OF MARCH.
LARGELY, THEY'RE FOCUSED ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
THERE WILL ALSO BE THINGS WITH RESPECT TO PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THEY'LL ALSO, AND THERE'LL ALSO BE, UM, THINGS WITH RELATED TO SOCIAL SERVICES, RIGHT? THERE'LL ALSO BE THINGS FOR UNIVERSITIES, UH, IN THE RESEARCH SPACE, MAYBE SOME INFRASTRUCTURE FOR UNIVERSITIES AS WELL.
UM, I DO CONCUR THAT HAVING COALITION OF THE WILLING ON MULTIPLE PROJECTS ON PUBLIC SAFETY OR ON,
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UH, TRANSPORTATION OBVIOUSLY WILL BE CRITICAL.THERE IS A SECOND PROCESS THAT, UH, CARLOS AND JEFF AND WALTER HAVE ALL REFERRED TO, AND SALLY HAVE REFERRED TO FOR THE TRANSPORTATION BILL.
THEY'VE ALSO RECENTLY PUT OUT, UM, THE MEMBER REQUEST DEADLINE FOR THE HOUSE.
AND THAT, AGAIN, IS COMING UP, UM, LATER IN THIS MONTH, OR ACTUALLY EARLY NEXT, UM, IS WHEN THEY'RE DOING.
SO THEY'RE ALL KIND OF ABOUT THE SAME.
THEY'RE GONNA BE DUE RIGHT ABOUT THE WEEK AFTER EASTER.
MEMBERS HAVE TO GET ALL THEIR LISTS IN THIS AND ACROSS THE SUBCOMMITTEES THAT MATTER TO CITIES.
RIGHT? AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL DO IT QUITE THAT MECHANICALLY OR NOT.
LETTY CAN, CAN MAYBE JUMP IN HERE IN A SECOND.
BUT, UM, WE NEED TO BE TARGETED.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE ASKING FOR SOCIAL SERVICE MONEY PROGRAMS OVER THREE OR $4 MILLION.
AND I WOULD THINK WE WILL BE LUCKY TO GET ANYWHERE NEAR CLOSE TO THAT.
TRANSPORTATION ONES MAY BE BIGGER.
UH, AND THOSE ARE OBVIOUSLY AN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL WILL BE MULTI-YEAR, PROBABLY, RIGHT? IT'S NOT GONNA BE $1.9 TRILLION ALL AT ONCE THAT THAT'LL ACTUALLY OCCUR OVER A PERIOD OF FISCAL YEARS.
THOSE MONIES WILL BE RELEASED.
UH, SO I THINK WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR THOSE BIGGER PROJECTS AND THAT BILL TO BE READY AND TO BE REGIONALLY FOCUSED, I DO THINK THAT, AND THERE'S A WHOLE SET OF CRITERIA IN THE TRANSPORTATION SPACE THAT ARE VERY CLEAR HOW, AT LEAST ON THE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, YOU HAVE TO BE COMPLIANT WITH CERTAIN THINGS WITH RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS AND WITH RESPECT TO THE STATE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE FAIRLY STANDARD IN THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION WORLD.
UH, AND SO WE'LL HAVE TO BE READY FOR THOSE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME.
SO HOWEVER WE GET ORGANIZED WITH THE CITY AGENCIES AND OBVIOUSLY WITH CARLOS, JEFF, AND SALLY'S DIRECTION, UH, WORKING WITH YOU AND THE MAYOR, OBVIOUSLY, UH, IS GONNA BE CRITICAL.
LETTIE, HAVE I MISSED ANYTHING ON THIS? UM, CAN YOU HEAR ME? UM, THIS IS LETTIE.
UM, I JUST WANNA, UM, STRESS THE, THE, THE POINT THAT, UM, MY FORMER BOSS, MR. LAUREL, WAS URGING MEMBERS TO IDENTIFY STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AS GRANTEES.
SO THAT'S LIKE THE WHOLE FOCUS OF, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY PROJECTS.
AND IT STEMS FROM THE, UH, WORK DONE BY THE, UH, COMMITTEE ON MODERNIZATION.
'CAUSE THEY PUT OUT A REPORT LAST YEAR, UH, ON THEIR SUPPORT ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS FOR THE RETURN OF, UH, OF, UH, CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING BY MEMBERS.
UM, AND I THINK THE KEY THING IS GOING TO BE FROM OUR DISCUSSIONS THAT I, I JUST RETIRED LAST TWO, TWO WEEKS AGO FROM THE CONGRESS, AND WAS ABLE TO, TO BE PART OF THIS, UH, SORT OF, YOU KNOW, BRINGING BACK THESE, THESE PROJECT FUNDING.
UM, I WORKED ON EARMARKS IN THE TWO THOUSANDS FOR, UH, THE, THE SPECIFIC BILL OF LABOR H H SS, UM, FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS.
AND, AND I WAS, AS A STAFFER IN THE CONGRESS, IT WAS THE MOST MEANINGFUL, ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL THINGS I DID BECAUSE OF BEING ABLE TO DIRECT FUNDING TO WORTHY PROJECTS.
SO, UM, I KNOW THAT THE IDEA IS, IS THAT, AND THE KEY THING, I THINK WHEN STAFFERS ARE LOOKING AT PROJECTS, AND THESE ARE DECISIONS GOING TO BE INFORMED BY, BY THE STAFFERS ON THE SUBCOMMITTEES, THE KEY THING IS GOING TO BE EVIDENCE OF STRONG COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
SO IF THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE PIPELINE, UM, FOR YEARS, AND THERE IS A CONSENSUS, UM, OF SUPPORT, UM, ALONG DIFFERENT, UH, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT SECTORS, THEN, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S THE THING TO PUT FORTH RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S REALLY A TIME AS A, IT IS A TURNAROUND TIME OF TWO TO THREE WEEKS, UM, TO GET A LOT OF SUPPORT LETTERS, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO GET, BASICALLY THE FORMULA IS ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, FOR WHOM HOW MUCH AND FOR WHAT.
BUT THEN BEYOND THAT IS ALL THE SUPPORT BEHIND IT.
UM, AND IF IT COMES FROM A LOCAL LOCALITY, IT'S GONNA BE VERY WELL VIEWED.
I LET YOU CUT OUT THERE AT THE VERY END.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
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OH, I, I THINK THAT, HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY NOW? YES, MA'AM.UH, YEAH, I, I THINK I JUST SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE A VERY SHORT TIME FOR NOW.
LIKE KEVIN WAS SAYING, IT'S LIKE A MATTER OF TWO TO THREE WEEKS TO GET SOMETHING VERY STRONG FORTH.
UM, AND, UM, AS MUCH AS SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY ITSELF, YOU CAN GARNER THE BETTER.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN
I KNOW THERE WAS A LOT OF CHEERS AND TEARS OF JOY GOING ON AT THE N L C CONFERENCE THIS THIS WEEK.
UM, SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO, TO, TO SEE ALL OF THIS MONEY AND ALL OF THIS, UM, ITEMS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SALLY, CAN YOU EX CAN YOU SHARE AGAIN, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE 1.2 BILLION FOR THE SHUTTER VENUES, AND YOU SAID THAT A CERTAIN GROUP WOULD GET THE FIRST GRAB AT THIS MONEY.
UM, ONE IT'S WITH THE SS B A AND WHO IS THAT GROUP AGAIN? OR THAT THEY'RE GONNA PRIORITIZE? UH, YES.
COUNCILWOMAN, LET ME GO TO THAT.
BUT IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WITHIN THE FIRST 21 DAYS, UM, THE S B A WHO'S GONNA BE MANAGING THIS PROGRAM IS GONNA ALLOW, UM, GIVE PRIORITIZATION TO RESTAURANTS OWNED, UM, BY WOMEN VETERANS AND SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS.
SO THEY'LL HAVE A 21 DAY WINDOW TO GET A HEADSTART, UM, ON SUBMITTING THEIR APPLICATION REQUESTS FOR, FOR THIS FUNDING.
UM, I ENVISION S B A WILL PROVIDE SPECIFIC GUIDANCE ON HOW THEY WILL GO ABOUT DOING THIS.
AND AS IF THEY'VE DONE IN PAST, UM, ROUNDS OF FUNDING, THERE WILL BE A PORTAL THAT WILL BE OPENING UP, UM, WITH, UH, INSTRUCTIONS ON, ON HOW TO SUBMIT THEIR ONLINE APPLICATIONS.
I KNOW OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, ALEX, UM, AND HER TEAM, UM, WILL BE, UM, IN DIALOGUE WITH OUR LOCAL SS B A OFFICE.
AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE NOT ONLY TO PUSH OUT THIS INFORMATION, UM, TO OUR COMMUNITY, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, UH, BUT ALSO GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS AS WE GET ADDITIONAL DETAILS FROM OUR LOCAL S B A OFFICE.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
AND, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THE 10 BILLION OF THE CAPITAL PROJECT FUND, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT EACH STATE WOULD BE GETTING ROUGHLY A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, THAT SCARES ME A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE IF THE STATE IS GETTING IT, WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT WHAT THAT MEANS.
SO, UM, AND I KNOW THE TREASURY WILL COME OUT WITH THE DETAILS AND THE GUIDANCE, BUT IS THERE A WAY, OR CAN WE CONTINUE RIGHT NOW WITH OUR FEDERAL, UM, CONSULTANTS, DO WHAT WE CAN TO INFLUENCE THAT GUIDANCE THAT WE HAVE A, UM, A KIND OF A MORE OF A DIRECT LINE, OR THAT GUIDANCE TO THE STATE DOES SPEAK WHEN IT COMES TO EQUITY, DOES SPEAK TO AREAS THAT MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE NOT GOTTEN DOLLARS FROM THE STATE RECENTLY.
I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN IN AT LEAST, INFORM THEIR GUIDANCE.
AND THEN SAME THING WHEN IT COMES TO THE 14 BILLION FOR, UH, VACCINES.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GIVE, UM, THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE, THE DATA AND THE MAPS THAT SHOW THAT EQUITY IS NEEDED IN DISTRIBUTION OF THESE VACCINES, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN HARDEST HIT, KNOWING THAT CENTRAL AND SOUTH TEXAS HAVE NOT GOTTEN A MEGA VACCINATION SITE.
IT'S ONLY IN ARLINGTON, DALLAS, AND HOUSTON.
UM, THAT IS A LOT OF ISSUE THAT WE STILL HAVE.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO INFLUENCE THAT GUIDANCE WHEREVER WE CAN AND SHOW THEM THE DATA, THE MAPS, AND THE EQUITY IS AN, UM, A PRIORITY HERE IN OUR CITY.
UM, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE INSIGHT AND INFORMATION WHEN IT COMES TO THE EARMARKS.
WHAT'S IT CALLED NOW? COMMUNITY PROJECTS? WHAT'S CALLING IT COMMUNITY PROJECTS? YES.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM TOGETHER ON THAT, OF COURSE, WITH OUR, UH, MEMBERS AND APPROPRIATIONS, BUT ALSO
[00:40:01]
WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF, I GUESS,SO LOOKING FORWARD WITH, UH, COMING TOGETHER AND WORKING TOGETHER ON THAT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL POINT OUT THE, UH, THE OBVIOUS, WHICH IS THE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMITTEE AND THE WISDOM OF HAVING REPRESENTATION FROM THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ON THIS COMMITTEE IS THAT TOGETHER, UH, WE CAN ALL, UM, COME UP WITH A CONSENSUS, UH, PROJECT OR LIST OF PROJECTS, UH, THAT WE CAN THEN SUBMIT AND GO AFTER.
UM, AND, UH, JEFF, I'M, I'M SURE YOU'LL AGREE THAT, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST WITH, WITH THIS COMMITTEE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT GOING FORWARD, RIGHT? YES.
I, I, AS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE AN EXISTING I G R ROUNDTABLE THAT WE GET TOGETHER PERIODICALLY WITH ALL THE OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES.
I THINK WHAT I'M GONNA SUGGEST, IF, IF OUR TIMELINE IS, IS TRULY TWO TO THREE WEEKS, UH, AND TO THE COMMISSIONER'S POINT ABOUT NEEDING TO BE READY, I'M GONNA RECOMMEND THAT WE CALL A SPECIAL, UH, MEETING OF THAT ROUND TABLE AT THE STAFF LEVEL QUICKLY, WE CAN BRING IN THE STAFFS OF, UH, CONGRESSMAN GONZALEZ, UM, AND, AND CONGRESSMAN QUAY ARE, AND, AND GET THEIR INSIGHTS ON WHAT THEY NEED FROM US AND WHAT THEY KNOW.
AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE AND COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
AS, AS YOU NOTED, AND CARLOS HAS NOTED THIS, THIS GROUP IS IDEALLY SUITED TO BE THE VETTING BODY FOR THOSE THINGS.
AND, AND I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY DO THAT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, UH, TIME TO BE ABLE TO BE PREPARED IF, IF, IF THE COMMITTEE AGREES WITH THAT APPROACH.
UM, I WOULD SAY, JEFF, AMEN TO THAT.
'CAUSE WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER HERE, SO PLEASE MOVE FORWARD.
I'M HAPPY TO HELP IN ANY RESPECT THAT WE CAN OVER THE COUNTY, BUT I THINK MORE THAN EVER, UM, AS WE LOOK AT, LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEPARATE GOVERNMENTS OBVIOUSLY, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT THE COUNTY HAS RELATIVE TO THE STATE MM-HMM.
AND SO I THINK OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER, LIKE WE EVER, LIKE WE HAVE BEFORE, MUCH LIKE WE DID DURING COVID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY, SO LET'S SEIZE IT.
UM, IS, IS COUNCILMAN PERRY STILL ON THE LINE? I WANTED TO CALL ON HIM NEXT.
WELL THEN COUNCILWOMAN, ADRIANA GARCIA COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? I GOOD.
LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ON THIS, UH, TOGETHER.
CA COUNCILMAN, CAN I, UH, UH, JUST MENTION SOMETHING BEFORE I FORGET? I KNOW, I THINK WE'VE CO I DIDN'T WANNA JUMP IN FRONT OF ANYBODY, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE COORDINATION PIECE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, COORDINATING THOSE PROJECTS IS IMPORTANT.
BUT I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA MISS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY TO COLLABORATE ON THE VACCINATION PIECE.
UM, YOU KNOW, METRO HEALTH AND UNIVERSITY HEALTH, UM, WITH WHATEVER RESOURCES WE MAY BE GETTING OUT OF THIS PACKAGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR OUR COMMUNITY, THEN ALL THE OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER PROJECTS ARE FOR NAUGH.
AND SO, UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER DEBERRY AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
UM, I KNOW THAT I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL AT THE CITY ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO LET'S, LET'S NOT, UH, LOSE SIGHT OF THAT AS WELL.
I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING MORE IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW THAN GETTING COMMUNITIES BACK ON THEIR FEET.
AND I THINK THROUGH EFFECTIVE VACCINATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT.
SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE MENTION OF THAT BEFORE WE SHIFT IT OVER TO THE STATE, UM, PROGRAM.
UM, COUNCILMAN GARCIA, JUST, UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, NOTHING.
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER, IF I CAN SAY ONE MORE THING, UM, I WANNA, UH, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ SAID, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS BETTER THAN ANYBODY, COUNCILMAN WISE.
WE PUT OUT A RELEASE REGARDING THE FACT THAT WE DO NOT HAVE VACCINATION SITES THAT ARE NORTH OF FOUR 10 AND A HUGE PRECINCT TO 536,000 PEOPLE.
AND SO WHAT I CALLED FOR IN THAT RELEASE WAS FOR U H SS TO COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, HIS POINT FOR U H S AND METRO HEALTH TO COME TOGETHER, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE FAR GREATER IMPACT WHEN WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER.
THEN WHEN WE'RE WORKING SEPARATELY.
AND LOOK, I MEAN, LET'S BE HONEST, PUBLIC HEALTH IS GONNA CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY.
AND SO IF WE CAN LEVERAGE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE WITH U H S, UH, FROM A FUNDING STANDPOINT, BUT WORKING TOGETHER ON
[00:45:01]
A MASS VACCINATION SITE, UM, JOHNSON AND JOHNSON AND THOSE DOSES THAT ARE COMING DOWN OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE THROUGH AND GET ONE DOSE.SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M TALKING TO TONY GONZALEZ EVERY SINGLE WEEK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO BE DESIGNATED TO SUPER SITE.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, UM, ADRIANA, YOU KNOW, GARCIA AND COUNCILWOMAN VERAN, I THINK WE'RE ALL IN THE BOAT TOGETHER AND SAYING, THE NEED IS GREAT HERE, AND WE NEED TO BE DOING WHATEVER WE CAN POSSIBLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A MASS VACCINATION SITE HERE.
AND, UH, I'M HEARING FROM, UH, UH, FROM COUNCILWOMAN ADRIANA
SORRY, BECAUSE, UH, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER DEBERRY JUST REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING.
UH, AND, AND YES, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, ON VACCINATION EFFORTS AND, UM, WE, UH, ARE HAPPY THAT WE'RE MOVING ALONG TO, UH, TEACHERS NOW THAT WE'RE ADDING TEACHERS.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN MAKING GREAT PROGRESS.
I CAN CITE YOU MY EXAMPLE THAT, UH, DISTRICT FOUR HAS HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF COVID CASES IN STUDENTS, UM, SO IN THAT AGE GROUP.
AND SO WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE NEED, WHY OUR, OUR TEACHERS WHO ARE WORKING WITH THESE STUDENTS NEED TO CONTINUE TO, TO GET VACCINATED.
BUT I THINK THAT ANOTHER MAYBE, UM, A POPULATION THAT I DON'T THINK HAS BEEN ADDRESSED THAT WE COULD ADDRESS VERY EASILY THROUGH THE J AND J VACCINE, UM, WOULD BE THE HOME BOUND INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO, UM, COUNCILMAN
AND SO, UM, THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ONE SHOT ONCE THEY CAN GO OUT THERE AND, AND VACCINATE PEOPLE.
SO I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE STRATEGIC IN TALKING ABOUT WHO BENEFITS FROM THAT ONE SHOT.
IS IT EASIER TO USE THE J AND J VACCINE ON THESE HOME BOUND? BECAUSE NOW IT'S JUST ONE, LOGISTICALLY SPEAKING, IT MAKES IT LESS COMPLICATED, RIGHT? TO GET TO THESE POPULATIONS.
AND SO IF THERE'S, UM, UH, OUTER AREAS, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT MAYBE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION, ET CETERA, I WOULD LOVE TO LEARN, UM, WHERE THOSE J AND J VACCINES ARE COMING TO AND HOW WE COULD PARTNER WITH SOME OF THE, UH, PROVIDERS IN THE AREA.
AND YES, WITH OUR PARTNERS AT U H SS.
UM, AND, AND I KNOW THAT, THAT THE COMMISSIONERS PROBABLY HAVE A LOT MORE INSIGHT AT HOW THE DISTRIBUTION HAPPENS THROUGH, UH, U H S.
I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THE DISTRIBUTION HAPPENS THROUGH U H S OR HOW THEY'RE TARGETING.
UM, BUT I, I WOULD LOVE TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AND REALLY CONSIDER THAT WE HAVE AN ADDED OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, LEVERAGE THE FACT THAT THAT J AND J VACCINE ONLY TAKES ONE SHOT TO HELP PEOPLE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I ADDED THAT COMMENT.
UM, AND I THINK CARLOS CONTRERAS, UM, YOU HAVE A COMMENT OR JEFF YES.
JUST GOING BACK TO COMMISSIONER DE BARRY'S COMMENT ABOUT THE SUPER SITE.
UM, WE, WE HAVE SENT, UH, THE MAYOR AND JUDGE HAVE SENT LETTERS TO THE DELEGATION TO FEMA, UH, AND I BELIEVE KEVIN'S BEEN HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE WHITE HOUSE AS WELL.
KEVIN, ARE YOU THERE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE JUST A REAL QUICK UPTAKE? SURE.
UH, YEAH, WE WERE, I WAS IN TOUCH WITH JEFF ZANS, WHO'S OBVIOUSLY RUNNING THE WHITE HOUSE OVERALL RESPONSE TO C O D, UH, LOGISTICALLY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION.
UH, OVER THE WEEKEND HE CAME BACK TO ME AND WAS, YOU KNOW, SIGNALING A WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH THEM.
I'VE ALSO, UH, BEEN BACK TO THE PEOPLE THAT ONE OF THE, SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT, UH, SALLY HAS BEEN WORKING WITH IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS RELATED TO C O D AND PRESS THEM ABOUT THE FRUSTRATION ABOUT THE SELECTION SITE.
NOW, WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IN PART OFFLINE FROM THE WHITE, UH, APART FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, AND THIS IS FROM FOLKS THAT CONTROL THE MONEY FOR FEMA.
AND SO THERE, THIS IS A, THESE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE JOINTLY BETWEEN FEMA AND C D C, LIKE THE WHITE HOUSE IS NOT PICKING THEM BASED ON, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS FROM, FROM, AT LEAST FROM WHAT WE CAN SEE AT THIS POINT.
UH, TRUST 'EM THAT IN PLACES LIKE TEXAS AND IN LOCATIONS IN SOUTH TEXAS, LIKE SAN ANTONIO, WHERE IF THE GOVERNOR'S GIVING INPUT TO, UH, TO THE FEDERAL AGENCIES, THE FEMA AND C D C PROBABLY NOT GONNA LOOK TO SOUTH TEXAS.
AND I, I'M NOT HERE TO BE POLITICAL ABOUT IT, BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT WE'VE BEEN ADVISED INTERNALLY FROM PEOPLE WHO OVERSEE FEMA'S BUDGET ON CAPITOL HILL, ON THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
THAT THAT'S KIND OF HOW THIS HAS PLAYED OUT.
THAT THE STATES OR THE AGENCIES INVOLVED FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT ARE CONSULTING WITH THE GOVERNORS.
SO WE'VE GONE BACK AND SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A DISADVANTAGE.
I MEAN, THE SOCIAL VULNERABILITY INDEX, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, FOR SAN ANTONIO IS THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND BASED UPON THE COMPOSITION OF THE POPULATION, THE HIGH LATINO HISPANIC POPULATION, AND THE DENSITY OF LIVING AND THE HIGH RISK OF CASES THAT YOU ALL HAVE HAD TO SUFFER THROUGH.
UM, AND SO WE'RE PRESSING THEM.
[00:50:01]
THE RESCUE ACT, WHEN IT GETS SIGNED, WHICH I THINK THE PRESIDENT WILL PROBABLY SIGN THIS TOMORROW OR THURSDAY, I WOULD ASSUME, IF HE DOESN'T SIGN IT TODAY, UM, I THINK THERE'LL BE A WAVE OF ACTIVITY.AND I THINK THAT'S WHEN WE'LL GO BACK TO THEM AND PRESS THEM HARD.
I WAS PRETTY, YOU KNOW, IN THE LOBBYING BUSINESS, YOU ONLY USE THE, YOU USE, ALWAYS USE THE SMALLEST HAMMER THAT YOU NEED TO GET THE RIGHT OUTCOME.
SO, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DIDN'T THROW HIGH AND TIGHT IN MY LAST COMMUNICATION WITH THE WHITE HOUSE.
IT WAS, YOU KNOW, JUST, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT, IT WAS KIND OF HEADING CLOSER INSIDE, BUT IT WAS NOT FULLY INSIDE.
SO I THINK NOW WE NEED TO GIVE 'EM JUST A LITTLE BIT OF ROOM TO SEE WHAT THE NEXT SET IS.
'CAUSE THEY'VE ONLY DONE 18 OF THESE SITES, AND THEY DID THREE IN TEXAS, AND THEN THEY MOVED INTO SOME OTHER, UH, STATES WITH LARGER POPULATION CENTERS LIKE NORTH CAROLINA, ILLINOIS, A LITTLE MORE IN, IN, UH, NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA.
AND NOW THE QUESTION IS IN THIS NEXT WAVE, YOU KNOW, WE PRETTY MUCH SAID TO THEM, WE ARE EXPECTING US TO BE IN THAT SELECTION SUITE, AND IF NOT, WE WILL BE COMING BACK AND IT WILL BE STRONGER AND HARDER THE NEXT TIME.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE, THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION, SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA BE PROPORTIONATE IN OUR RESPONSE BACK IN.
SO, COUNCILMAN I, I, I HOPE YOU, UH, EZ I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT THROWING, WE'RE REALLY HARD INSIDE JUST YET.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, KEVIN.
IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU, BY THE WAY.
UM, WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION FROM, UM, SPEAKING OF HAMMERS FROM THE BIG HAMMER FROM DISTRICT THREE.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN GRO, THE HAMMER.
NO, DON'T NOT USE THAT, THAT PHRASE, 'CAUSE I'M ONLY THINKING OF THAT COMMERCIAL RIGHT NOW,
SO ANYWAY,
I KNOW THIS WEEK WE ALSO HAD A VACCINE BOOTCAMP WITH N L C, WITH THE C D C.
AND AS YOU ALL CAN IMAGINE, THAT WAS MY, UM, HAMMER.
THE LARGE HAMMER THAT I KEPT REPEATING OVER AND OVER WAS THE NEED FOR, UM, DIRECT ACCESS TO OUR LOCAL, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNITY.
SO WE COULD SET UP, SET UP THESE SUPER SITES, SUPER VACCINATION SITES, BECAUSE TEXAS ONLY HAD THREE AND NOTHING IN THE CENTRAL OR SOUTH OF TEXAS.
UM, ALSO TO COUNT, UH, COMMISSIONER DEBERRYS POINT WITH COLLABORATION, I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL HAS TALKED TO YOU AS WELL, UH, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE, UH, MR. GEORGE, UH, HERNANDEZ SPEAK TO OUR, UM, COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE TO TALK ABOUT THE VACCINE DISTRIBUTION.
HOW IS THAT GOING? HOW CAN WE WORK BETTER TOGETHER? AND I DO WANNA THANK THEM FOR ALSO BEING A PART OF OUR TEXT ALERT SYSTEM WHEN THE VACCINE DOSES COME AVAILABLE, BECAUSE ALL OF US BEING ON THE SAME PAGE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
SO WE CAN MORE SHOTS PEOPLE, THE SAFER WE ALL GET.
[3. 21-2108 State Update: • Legislative Priority Updates • Committee Meetings • Bills of Interest ]
WE'RE NOW GONNA COVER OUR STATE, UH, LEGISLATIVE, UH, UH, ISSUES.THANK YOU KEVIN, AND THANK YOU, HENRY.
THANK YOU LETTI FOR, FOR JOINING US TODAY.
I, UH, YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, WE'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON AT THE STATE LEVEL AS WELL TOO.
HEARINGS ARE, ARE, UH, ARE OFF AND RUNNING, UM, ON, ON NUMBERS OF BILLS.
WE'VE HAD TESTIMONY FROM SEVERAL CITY OFFICIALS THAT WE, WE WANNA UPDATE YOU ON AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENTS ON SOME OF OUR PRIORITIES AND SOME OF THE DEFENSIVE BILLS THAT WE'RE WATCHING.
SO CHRISTINE IS GONNA, UH, TO HANDLE THE PRESENTATION.
AND, AND JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I'LL NOTE THAT BEGINNING IN APRIL, WE'LL BE DOING, UH, REGULAR UPDATES TO THE FULL COUNCIL AS WELL.
SO WE WILL, UH, CONSULT WITH YOU ABOUT HOW WE MANAGE THE, THE BRIEFINGS BETWEEN THIS JOINT COMMITTEE AND THE COUNCIL, UH, COMMITTEES.
BUT CHRISTINE, UH, TAKE IT AWAY.
CHAIRMAN PLIE, CHAIRMAN RODRIGUEZ AND THE REST OF THE I T R MEMBERS.
UM, STATE SESSION, AS JEFF MENTIONED, AS WELL ON ITS WAY WITH COMMITTEE HEARINGS TAKING OFF THIS WEEK.
UM, IT WAS KIND OF ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY DECIDED TO, UM, START HEARING BILLS, BUT THAT STARTED OFF THIS WEEK.
UM, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, EDUARDO.
UM, SO THE CURRENT STATUS RIGHT NOW, UM, THE BILL FILING DEADLINE IS ACTUALLY THIS FRIDAY, MARCH 12TH.
UM, AND, UH, SO THEY'RE PRETTY BUSY GETTING ALL THEIR BILLS IN.
UM, I HEARD SOMEBODY GIVE US A STATISTIC THE OTHER DAY.
THEY'RE DOING ABOUT 300 BILLS A DAY.
UM, BUT BILLS FILED TO DATE AS OF YES, LAST NIGHT.
UM, THE HOUSE HAS, UM, OVER 3,500 BILLS FILED, AND THE SENATE HAS OVER 1300 BILLS FILED.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN TALK OF FEWER BILLS BEING FILED THIS SESSION, UM, AS OF LAST FRIDAY.
IT'S A LITTLE, ANOTHER LITTLE STAT.
UM, THE HOUSE HAD FILED ABOUT 40 MORE BILLS THAN THEY HAD
[00:55:01]
THIS TIME IN 2019, BUT THE SENATE HAS FILED ABOUT 350 BILLS LESS THAN THEY DID IN 2019.SO, I DON'T KNOW, YOU CAN KIND OF TAKE IT AS YOU WANT, BUT, UM, I THINK WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY END UP BEING WHERE WE USUALLY ARE ON BILL FILINGS.
UM, AND LIKE WE BOTH, AND LIKE WE MENTIONED, BOTH HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ARE NOW MEETING, UM, TO CONSIDER LEGISLATION, MOSTLY LEAVING BILLS PENDING AT THIS POINT IN HEARINGS.
UM, THEY'RE JUST GETTING IN THERE, INVITED TESTIMONY AND, UM, PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
UM, AS ALSO AS JEFF MENTIONED, WE DID HAVE SOME CITY OF SAN ANTONIO INVITED TESTIMONY LAST WEEK, OUR HOUSE COMMITTEE ON, UH, THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS THAT IS CHAIRED BY, UM, REPRESENTATIVE CORTEZ.
BRIDGER TO GIVE A UPDATE, UM, OF C OVID 19, UH, RESPONSE, THE IMPACT ON CITIES.
UM, SO SHE TESTIFIED, SHE GAVE THEM INFORMATION ON MR FROM THE HEALTH PERSPECTIVE AND ALSO IMPACT TO CITY SERVICES AND AN UPDATE ON VACCINE DISTRIBUTION.
UM, SHE WAS, UH, THERE WERE ALSO, UM, A FEW OTHER CITIES THAT, UH, PROVIDED TESTIMONY AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, ACTUALLY THIS WAS JUST ON MONDAY, UM, THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CULTURE, RECREATION AND TOURISM THAT IS, UH, THE VICE CHAIR IS, UM, REPRESENTATIVE GERWIN HAWKINS.
UM, THEY INVITED CARLOS CONTRERAS TO, UM, PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE IMPACT OF TOURISM.
UM, SO HE MAY TALKED ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER AIRPORT, THE DOME, UM, THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES AND THE IMPACT TO OUR, UM, HOT FUNDING.
UM, NOW THESE ARE, UM, AS WE'VE BEEN UPDATING YOU ON OUR CITY PRIORITIES.
UM, THE FIRST ONE THAT WE WANNA PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON IS, UM, THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.
UM, WE, UM, UPDATED YOU LAST MONTH THAT THREE OF 'EM, THE FIRST THREE HAVE, UM, THE FIRST THREE, UM, HAVE BEEN FILED SINCE THEN.
THE LAST ONE, HB 1940 WAS FILED, THE ONE, UM, UH, LIMITING AN ARBITRATOR TO REDUCE DISCIPLINE.
UM, SO THAT ONE HAS BEEN FILED, BUT SINCE IT IS JUST NOW BEEN FILED, IT HASN'T BEEN REFERRED TO COMMITTEES YET, BUT THE FIRST THREE HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO HOUSE URBAN AFFAIRS.
UM, AS A REMINDER, HOUSE URBAN AFFAIRS IS CHAIRED BY REPRESENTATIVE CORTEZ, AND MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVE BERNAL, REPRESENTATIVE EZ, AND REPRESENTATIVE COMPOST.
SO WE HAVE FOUR SA MEMBERS ON THAT COMMITTEE.
SO THAT'S HOPEFULLY A POSITIVE SIGN FOR US WITH OUR, UM, WITH OUR, WITH THOSE, WITH THESE BILLS.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, MORE OF A, UH, THIS IS GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, UM, THE PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES.
UM, BUT THE FIRST ONE IS, UM, STATE, AS YOU KNOW, UM, STATE AGENCIES WERE REQUIRED TO REDUCE THEIR BUDGETS BY 5%, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES WAS ASKED THAT THEY BE EXCLUDED FROM THE 5% CUT.
NOW, RIGHT NOW IT IS, IT'S PRETTY EARLY AND UNCLEAR AT THIS POINT WHETHER OR NOT THIS WILL HAPPEN.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SOME SOURCES THAT D S H S IS AMONG, UM, THE AGENCIES THAT HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF HAVING THEIR 5% RESTORED BECAUSE OF ALL THE WORK THEY HAVE DONE, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, AND KEEP DOING, UM, WITH THE PANDEMIC.
SO, UM, THE CITY HAS ALSO PUT THE ASK OUT THERE FOR FIVE PER, FOR, UM, D SS H SS TO BE, UH, TO BE EXEMPTED FROM, UM, THE 5%.
BRIDGER EVEN MENTIONED IT IN HER TESTIMONY, UM, THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER TO THE, UM, COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS.
SO, UM, WHERE WE'RE PUTTING THE ASK OUT THERE AS WELL.
UM, AS FAR AS MEDICAID EXPANSION, THERE ARE NUMEROUS BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED ON THIS.
THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST TO A FEW TO MENTION IS, UM, REPRESENTATIVE, REPRESENTATIVE LARSON'S BILL, UM, MAKING ALL PERSONS WHO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE AND WITH FEDERAL MATCHING MONEY AVAILABLE OR ELIGIBLE.
UM, AND THEN THE, UH, THE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD GO WITH THAT IS H D R 86, WHICH IS THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO 1730, BUT IT PUTS THE QUESTION TO THE VOTERS, AND THAT WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN NOVEMBER 21.
SO IT, UH, IT NOT ONLY WOULD YOU KNOW HIS BILL WOULD EXPAND MEDICAID, BUT IT WOULD GO, IT WOULD GO TO THE VOTERS AS WELL.
NOW, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, THERE'S ALSO, UM, HJ R 30 BY REPRESENTATIVE KANE.
IT IS THE OPPOSITE OF LARSON'S IN THAT IT WOULD PROHIBIT MEDICAID EXPANSION IN TEXAS WITH THAT GOING TO THE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER, 2021 AS WELL.
[01:00:01]
THERE'S TWO SIDES GOING HERE.UM, BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, ISSUES THAT WILL BE TALKED OUT THROUGHOUT SESSION.
IT'S, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO, UM, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN QUICKLY.
UM, HB FIVE AND SB FIVE HAVE BEEN FILED.
UM, THEY, UH, ARE BOTH, UH, ESTABLISH A BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, UM, THAT WOULD DEVELOP THE STATE BROADBAND PLAN.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS PORTION OF IT ALSO REQUIRES THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE WHEN DEVELOPING THE STATE BROADBAND PLAN TO COLLABORATE WITH POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS, STATE AGENCIES, ET CETERA, TO GET TO A POINT TO, YOU KNOW, TO JUST KIND OF GET EVERYONE, UH, AT THE TABLE TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES.
UM, OTHER IS, UM, ANOTHER THING IS THAT, UM, THEY REQUIRE, IT WOULD REQUIRE EXISTING, UM, THE EXISTING COUNCIL TO FORM LONG-TERM STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE ACCESS.
AND THEN, UM, ANOTHER IMPORTANT ONE IS, UM, THEY WOULD HAVE TO ANNUALLY, UM, PRODUCE A MAP THAT SHOWS QUALITY OF INTERNET CONNECTIONS IN TEXAS.
SO NOT ONLY WOULD IT BE ANNUALLY, IT HAS TO BE POSTED AND UPDATED EVERY YEAR.
UM, THE ONLY MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO BILLS IS THE LOCATION OF THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
SB FIVE ESTABLISHES, UM, THE OFFICE WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM, AND HB FIVE HAS THE OFFICE WITHIN THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.
SO THAT'S A PRETTY BIG, YOU KNOW, D ONE MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO.
AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE THE TWO ARE GOING.
I MEAN, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE THEY END UP WITH THAT.
UM, CHRISTINA, IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE LITTLE THING, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WELL TWO THINGS ACTUALLY.
SO THE BILL DOES ISN'T A FUNDING BILL, IT'S NOT A BUDGET BILL, BUT IT DOES AUTHORIZE THE CREATION OF GRANTS AND OTHER FUNDING MECHANISMS TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND BROADBAND.
SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US.
AND NUMBER TWO, WHAT WE'VE SIMPLY BEEN ASKING FOR IS THAT URBAN TEXAS BE AT THE TABLE HERE, AND THAT CITIES BE AT THE TABLE THAT THIS BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT ISSUE IS NOT JUST A RURAL TEXAS NEED.
AND, AND BOTH OF, AND THAT APPEARS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED IN, IN BOTH OF THESE BILLS.
SO WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHERE THIS IS SITTING, WE'RE GONNA WATCH IT AND ENGAGE AS NECESSARY AND, AND KEEP YOU INFORMED.
BUT, UM, WE FEEL GREAT ABOUT IT.
UM, AS HE WAS SAYING THAT THEY ARE NOTICING ABOUT THE, UM, THE LARGER CITIES THAT EVEN THE, UM, THE AUTHOR AND REPRESENTATIVE ASHBY, UH, IS QUOTED IN SAYING THAT IN HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH HIS COLLEAGUES, MANY ARE FROM URBAN AREAS OF THE STATE, HE'S SURPRISED TO SEE SO MANY, UM, THAT ARE CALLING, THAT ARE, THAT THEY'RE CALLING BROADBAND DESERTS IN SOME OF OUR LARGEST CITIES.
SO, UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THAT AND THEY BELIEVE THAT IS A PART OF THE AFFORDABILITY ISSUE.
NEXT WE HAVE, UM, PART OF, ONE OF OUR MAIN, UM, PRIORITIES IS LOCAL DECISION MAKING.
UM, JUST THIS WEEK, UM, UM, THERE'S BEEN SOME, WELL, WE CAN GO OVER THOSE LATER, BUT THIS HB THREE, UM, IS, UH, A BIG BILL GETTING ITS FIRST HEARING TOMORROW IN HOW STATE AFFAIRS HAS A VERY LOW BILL NUMBER.
SO THAT KIND OF SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BILL TO, UM, TO THE HOUSE.
UM, WHAT IT DOES IS IT CREATES A NEW CHAPTER OF STATE LAW THAT ADDRESSES EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, SPECIFICALLY DEALING WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSES TO A PANDEMIC DISASTER.
UM, COMPREHENSIVE, UM, IT'S A VERY COMPREHENSIVE BILL WITH 20 PLUS PAGES, HAS GOOD COMPONENTS, BUT ALSO SOME CONCERNS TO CITIES.
UM, THE BILL DOES CONSOLIDATE THE AUTHORITY TO TAKE ACTION DURING A PANDEMIC WITH THE GOVERNOR.
UM, SPECIFICALLY THERE IS AN EXPLICIT LANGUAGE THAT ALLOWS A LOCAL DISASTER DECLARATION, AND THAT THERE ARE EVEN PENALTIES FOR CITIES THAT IMPOSE LOCAL RESTRICTIONS, SUCH AS A REVENUE CAP PUNISHMENT.
SO, UM, THIS IS GONNA, LIKE I SAID, IT'S GONNA BE HEARD TOMORROW.
WE DO PLAN TO SUBMIT, UM, SOME TESTIMONY, UM, OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS NOW, UM, REVIEWING.
AND, UM, THERE'S A, THERE'S ALSO A, UM, WILL BE A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE.
UM, NEXT IS JUST KIND OF SOME THINGS THAT FALL IN LINE, UM, YOU KNOW, DISASTER ORDERS RELATED, UH, IF THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER PREVAILS LOCAL DISASTER ORDERS.
UM, IF, UM, IF A CITY IMPOSES RESTRICTIONS ON 2239, IF A CITY IMPOSES RESTRICTIONS ON BUSINESSES LIKE REDUCING HOURS, OCCUPANCY CAPACITY, OR LANDLORDS FROM ENFORCING LEASE TERMS, UM, THEY'RE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY TAXES IMPOSED BY THE CITY, INCLUDING PROPERTY TAXES.
[01:05:01]
UM, JUST SEEKS TO PROTECT THE FREEDOM OF RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES BY PREVENTING THE FUTURE CLOSURES OF WORSHIP THROUGH THE USE OF EMERGENCY POWERS.UM, THAT IS A, UM, ACTUALLY A PRIORITY BILL FOR THE, UM, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SB 26.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE GO ON TO OUR COMMUNITY CENSORSHIP, UM, LEGISLATION, UM, BOTH BILLS S H B 7 49 AND SB 2 34.
UM, THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, THE, THEY PROHIBIT POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS FROM HIRING LOBBYISTS.
THEY'VE BOTH BEEN REFERRED TO, UM, THE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IN RESPECTIVE CHAMBERS.
UM, VOTES ARE UNKNOWN BUT STILL HAVE A HIGH PRIORITY.
IT'S ALSO UN UH, IT'S STILL A HIGH PRIORITY FOR US AND ALSO REMAINS UNCLEAR WHETHER POLITICAL PRESSURES WILL INCREASE AS WE GO ON.
BUT, UM, WE'RE, UM, WORKING WITH OUR TEAM.
UM, EVERYONE SEEMS TO KIND OF BE ON THE SAME PAGE.
WE ARE OTHER CITIES, UM, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO OUR MEMBERS AND, UM, NOW MEMBERS OF THE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
JEFF, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD FOR THAT ONE? NO.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE OUR WINTER STORM ACTIVITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, LAST WEEK, WAS IT LAST WEEK OR THE WEEK BEFORE? HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES WERE, UM, THEY MET IN, YOU KNOW, A MARATHON OF, OF, UM, MARATHON OF HEARINGS, 15 DAYS, THE FIRST DAY, 10 DAYS THE NEXT.
UM, SO FROM THOSE HEARINGS, I'M, UM, JUST THIS WEEK, SPEAKER FELAN ANNOUNCED THE FIRST PHASE WITH HOUSE BILL 10 THROUGH 17, TACKLING SEVERAL ISSUES SUCH AS HARDENING FACILITIES FOR EXTREME WEATHER, CREATING AN ALERT SYSTEM COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN STATE AG AGENCIES, WHICH WAS VERY EVIDENT DURING, UM, THE HEARINGS THAT THE STATE AGENCIES JUST AREN'T COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO DISASTERS LIKE THIS, UM, WEATHERIZING NATURAL GAS INFRASTRUCTURE, REFORMING OR CO LED LEADERSHIP, IT'S KIND OF A, A SLEW OF ISSUES, UM, THAT WE WILL, UH, START TO ANALYZE.
LIKE I SAID, THEY JUST CAME OUT, UM, MONDAY AND YESTERDAY.
UM, JUST WANTED TO GO INTO SOME BILLS OF INTEREST REALLY FAST, UM, THAT WE ARE TRACKING.
UM, FIRST ONE IS, UH, HB 6 52 REGARDING ANIMAL SHELTERS.
THIS BILL WAS ACTUALLY HEARD THIS MORNING IN HOUSE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WAS LEFT PENDING.
IT WOULD REQUIRE ALL ANIMAL SHELTERS TO NOTIFY THOSE THAT HAVE ADOPTED A PET ABOUT AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE REGARDLESS OF EXPOSURE TO THE ILLNESS.
UM, A C S AND OTHER CITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD LEAD TO MAYBE UNWARRANTED FEAR, POSSIBLE RELINQUISHMENT OF PETS.
IT HAS GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT UNINTENDED CON, BUT IT HAS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
UM, WE JUST HEARD THAT THERE WILL BE, UM, HOPEFULLY A COMMITTEE SUB FOR THIS AND, UM, WE'LL KEEP WORKING ON IT.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE, UM, HB 8 72, UM, BY, IT WAS REFERRED TO HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, A MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY, CANNOT RELEASE CUSTOMER INFORMATION.
THAT'S PART OF, PART OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
BY BOROUGHS, IT WOULD MODIFY THE DEFINITION OF DEBT FOR PURPOSES OF THE DEBT SERVICE PROPERTY TAX CALCULATION.
SO TO ONLY INCLUDE DEBT APPROVED AT AN ELECTION.
UM, SO BASICALLY DEBT OBLIGATIONS LIKE COS MUST BE FINANCED THROUGH THE CITY'S MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TAX RATE.
SO THAT'S NOT A, THAT'S NOT A VERY GOOD BILL.
IT HAS NOT YET BEEN REFERRED YET, SO WE WILL KEEP AN EYE ON THAT ONE.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE, UM, SB 6 39 BY MENENDEZ.
IT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE CONTINUANCE OF VIRTUAL MEETINGS OF A GOVERNMENT BODY.
SO, UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, IT CAN BE CONTINUED.
THERE'S A FEW PROVISIONS IN THERE THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE MET, BUT, UM, IT'S A GOOD BILL AND IT WOULD, UM, HELP WITH, UM, CITIZENS STILL BEING ABLE TO CALL IN VIRTUALLY.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE, UM, HB 2365.
IT RECOGNIZES A MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITY AS A PROVIDER UNDER MEDICAID ALLEVIATING TRAUMA.
UM, PATIENT BILLING, UM, OUR OFFICE OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS AND BMS C WORKED WITH LOPEZ'S OFFICE ON THIS BILL.
SO THAT BILL HAS NOT BEEN REFERRED YET EITHER.
AND CHAIRMAN, VERY BRIEFLY, UH, JUAN IS ON THE CALL IN THE EVENT THAT YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THAT ISSUE.
I THINK HE HAS TO HOP OFF AT 1130, BUT I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT FOR YOU.
AND LAST, UM, JUST OVER SOME ELECTION BILLS, UM, LIMITS ON DEBT ELECTIONS, HB 35.
UM, THE MAIN RE UH, THE MAIN REQUIREMENT OF THIS BILL IS THAT THE ELECTION TO AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS OR A TAX INCREASE ISN'T VALID UNLESS MORE THAN 25%
[01:10:01]
OF REGISTERED VOTERS VOTE IN THAT ELECTION.UM, NEXT, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF A LITTLE, THAT'S 25% OF REGISTERED VOTERS.
THAT'S JUST A LITTLE, UH, IT'S, THAT'S VERY HIGH.
UM, IN HB 6 64, UM, LOCAL DEBT ELECTIONS CAN ONLY BE HELD, UM, ON THE NOVEMBER UNIFORM ELECTION DATE, UM, WE HAVE HB 7 82, UM, BALLOT LANGUAGE REVIEW.
UM, SO WITH REGARD TO, UH, A CITY'S BALLOT PROPOSITION LANGUAGE, THE BILL WOULD, UM, IT WOULD HAVE TO, IT WOULD, IT'S REQUIRED THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE REVIEW THE PROPOSITION LANGUAGE.
SO BASICALLY THEY HAVE TO, SECRETARY OF STATE WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE OUR, UM, BALLOT LANGUAGE.
AND LAST WE HAVE, UM, PARTISAN TO THE ELECTIONS, IT WOULD REQUIRE THAT A CANDIDATE MUST DECLARE A PARTY AFFILIATION TO RUN FOR A CITY OFFICE.
SO, UM, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR YOU TODAY, BUT WE ARE FREE TO ANS YOU KNOW, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
I KNOW I HAD TO RUN THROUGH THOSE FAIRLY QUICKLY.
UM, BUT WE ARE HERE AND OPEN, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, JEFF OR CARLOS, DO YOU WANNA WANNA ADD ANY, UH, TEXTURE TO THAT BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP TO COMMENTS? MAYBE A VERY QUICK WRAP TO SAY THAT ON OUR TOP PRIORITY ITEMS, WE FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT THEM.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THE BILLS ARE IN A GOOD PLACE.
THE FACT THAT OUR POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BILLS ARE GOING TO A VERY SAN ANTONIO KNOWLEDGEABLE COMMITTEE IS A POSITIVE, UH, ANY THOUGHT THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE DEALING WITH, A LOT OF THE DEFENSIVE TYPE CITY REDEMPTION STUFF IS, IS, UH, PRETTY MUCH BEING, UH, UM, UH, REFUTED, UH, THROUGH THE FILE BILLS THAT ARE FILED.
SO WE EXPECT TO PLAY A LOT OF DEFENSE AND WE WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF, OF SOME OF THE BAD ONES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE'RE FLAGGING AND WATCHING.
AND THEN I'M GONNA FORGET TO ASK, IF I DON'T ASK FOR IT NOW, UH, THE TWO PRESENTATIONS THAT WE SAW TODAY, CAN YOU PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT, UH, ALL THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE GET THEM? BECAUSE WE'RE ALL GONNA GET QUESTIONS AND IT'S GONNA BE EASIER FOR US TO ANSWER THEM IF WE'RE ARMED WITH GOOD DATA.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN
WHERE DO YOU, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UM, SO I, I WAS WONDERING HOW WE'RE GONNA TRACK A LITTLE BIT MORE, JEFF, IS THERE ANY WAY, UM, THERE'S A, A COMMITTEE THAT'S, THAT'S LOOKING AT THE, THE, UM, OBVIOUSLY THE LOCAL RESPONSE FOR UTILITIES.
AND SO AS YOU GET ANY INFORMATION, UM, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT MAYBE YOU CAN, OR, OR YOUR TEAM CAN UPLOAD, JUST UPDATES ON, ON WHATEVER THE, THE STATE IS DOING AS WELL? UM, JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN KIND OF KEEP ON, ON, ON TRACK, JUST LIKE A BY WAY OF AN F Y I SURE.
HOW, HOWEVER YOU'D LIKE TO DO IT.
WE, WE DO A UTILITY RELATED LEGISLATION GOES TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR REVIEWS.
SO, SO BEN AND HIS TEAM ARE AWARE OF BILLS IN THAT ARENA.
THERE'S A LOT ON THE STATE FRONT.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU WANT US TO, TO LOAD YOU DOWN WITH, BUT, UM, BUT YES, I, I UNDERSTAND THE STATE AND LOCAL INTERFACE HERE AND BE, AND, AND HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT, THE COMMITTEE IN ANY WAY I CAN.
UM, I'M, I, I'M, UH, JUST, JUST WATCHING AND, AND, AND, UM, UH, SEEING WHAT, WHAT PROGRESSES OVER THE NEXT, UM, FEW DAYS REALLY WITH SOME OF THESE.
BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND, AND THANK YOU TO SALLY AND THE TEAM.
YOU WERE IN A, A NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES MEETING, YOU DROPPED OFF AND NOW YOU'RE BACK.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, IN FACT, UH, I'LL HAVE TO CATCH UP ON, UH, WHAT WAS BRIEFED TODAY BECAUSE OF THAT OTHER MEETING.
SO, UH, NO, NO COMMENTS AT THIS POINT, BUT I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.
THOSE RIGHTS WILL RESERVE SOMEBODY.
PLEASE NOTE THAT IN THE RECORD.
COUNCILMAN, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU, UH, NOTHING CHAIR, BECAUSE CHRISTINE DOES SUCH A GREAT JOB OF REPORTING OUT AND, UM, UH, JUST GOOD JOB.
UH, COMMISSIONER DEBERRY, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, THE FIRST ONE FOCUSES, LOOK, I KNOW THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, A HUGE PRIORITY.
I'M COVID RELIEF, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH ENERGY IN TEXAS, OBVIOUSLY REDISTRICTING, UM, AND BALANCING THE BUDGET ARE PRIORITIES.
BUT, YOU KNOW, APPRAISAL REFORM, ESPECIALLY IN A DOWN ECONOMY, I'M VERY INTERESTED, A, TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, IS THERE GONNA BE ANY SUCCESS? BECAUSE I REALLY TRULY BELIEVE THAT APPRAISAL REFORM IS A NON-PARTISAN ISSUE.
UM, WE WANT RELIEF FOR OUR TAXPAYERS, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO TRACK SOME BILLS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO ANY INSIGHT YOU HAVE ON THAT.
AND THEN SECONDLY, THE QUESTION I'VE GOT IS, UM, ASSUMING THERE'S GONNA BE
[01:15:01]
A COUPLE OF SPECIAL SESSIONS, UH, ONE RELATED ENERGY AND PERHAPS ONE RELATED TO REDISTRICTING AND CENSUS AND WHAT THAT MEANS.AND I ASKED THE QUESTION FOR IT YESTERDAY, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON WHEN WE GET THAT CENSUS DATA, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD, YOU KNOW, PUSH BACK PRIMARIES AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO ANYWAY, ANY UPDATES YOU'VE GOT ON APPRAISAL FORM AND SPECIAL SESSIONS WOULD BE HELPFUL.
WHAT'S GOOD? CARLOS, DID YOU WANT TO CHIME IN ON THAT? I WAS GONNA SAY JEFF, JEFF HAS A, OH, JEFF, SURE.
UH, COMMISSIONER, THERE ARE, UH, DEFINITELY SOME APPRAISAL REFORM BILLS.
UH, I DON'T HAVE THEM IN FRONT OF ME TO GIVE YOU A GOOD REPORT, BUT WE CAN SEND THE COMMITTEE A, A SUMMARY OF THOSE THAT WE'VE NOTED THUS FAR.
THERE ARE ALSO IN THAT COMPREHENSIVE PANDEMIC BILL, THERE ARE ISSUES RELATED TO PROPERTY TAXES AND THE DEADLINES THAT, UH, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES HAVE TO MEET.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT WAIVES DEADLINES IN THE EVENT OF, OF PANDEMIC.
UH, AND AS CHRISTINE MENTIONED, THERE'S EVEN A PENALTY, UH, FOR A CITY THAT SHUTS DOWN.
BUSINESSES WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO COLLECT ANY MORE PROPERTY TAX REVENUES, UH, THAT YEAR.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, BUT, UM, AS PART OF IT, UH, YOUR SECOND QUESTION ABOUT THE CENSUS, THE CENSUS DATA, UM, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THE LAST REPORT.
I THINK IT'S NOT COMING UNTIL IT, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE THE, A SPECIAL SUCCESSION WILL, WILL LIKELY HAVE TO BE IN THE FALL.
UH,
UM, COUNCILMAN, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
I GUESS ONE COMMENT I'D MAKE IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, IT UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS COMMITTEE.
IS THERE, THERE, AND, AND CHRISTINE DID A GOOD JOB OF COVERING A FEW OF THESE.
THERE'S, THERE'S A MULTITUDE OF BILLS THAT, THAT CONTINUE TO, UH, ATTACK, UH, LOCAL CONTROL.
UM, THOSE IMPACT, OF COURSE, NOT JUST THE CITY, BUT THE COUNTY AS WELL.
UM, I THINK TO THE EXTENT THAT WE, UH, CAN KEEP OUR COORDINATED EFFORTS TOGETHER ON THOSE, WE NEED TO DO THAT BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, I NOTICED, I THINK IT WAS 1869, YOU MENTIONED, CHRISTINE, THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS AT THE COUNTY ARE FUNDED THROUGH CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S SOME, UH, LIMITATIONS IT SOUNDS LIKE ON, ON, ON WHAT WE COULD, COULD OR COULDN'T DO, UM, IN THAT BILL THE BOND ELECTIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, ANYWAY, ANYWAY, THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT I THINK ARE GONNA BE, THAT HAVE BEEN FILED.
UM, AND I THINK, AND MELISSA SENT ME A NOTE, SHE HAD TO JUMP OFF FOR A, UM, URBAN COUNTIES MEETING.
BUT, BUT I THINK TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO, TO WORK ON THOSE STRATEGICALLY, UM, WITH OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR EXTERNAL TEAMS AS WELL, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT IN HOW WE CAN DO OUR, DO BUSINESS ESSENTIALLY BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
SO, UM, SO LET'S JUST KEEP THAT CONVERSATION GOING.
THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT, CHAIRMAN.
UM, COUNCILMAN GARCIA, I SEE YOUR HAND IS UP.
YOU, YOU GOT ANOTHER QUESTION OR COMMENT? NO, I'M SO SORRY, CHAIR.
UM, AND, UH, COUNCILMAN
I THINK WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THAT, SO THANK YOU.
AND, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, I DO THINK IT'S ALSO, UH, UH, AND THESE, THESE COMMITTEES ARE ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CELEBRATE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR OUR OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND SO, UH, COUNCIL, UH, COMMISSIONER DEBERRY JUST GOT APPOINTED TO THE, UH, THE BECA BOARD.
UM, GO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, TRISH.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S CONGRATULATIONS OR CONDOLENCES, BUT I APPRECIATE IT,
NEITHER DO I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS EITHER.
UH,
ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL, THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF, UH, OF ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL MEETING.
I, I DO HAVE HOMEWORK FOR ALL OF YOU.
UM, I'M GONNA BE CALLING ALL OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY TO ASK, UM, YOU TO SEE IF, UM, YOU HAVE AN APPETITE TO UPDATE OUR FEDERAL OR STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, UM, WITH WHATEVER YOUR PRIORITIES ARE AND THINGS CHANGE VERY QUICKLY.
AND SO AFTER THESE MEETINGS, I'M GONNA START CALLING YOU ALL JUST TO SEE WHAT YOUR INDIVIDUAL THOUGHTS ARE SO THAT WE CAN THEN GIVE, UH, JEFF, CARLOS, SALLY, AND CHRISTINE, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO TWEAK ON THE FLY AS NEEDED.
UM, SO PLEASE BE, UH, PLEASE BE ON THE LOOKOUT, UH, FOR, UH, FOR THOSE PHONE CALLS.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, UM, YOU AND I NEED TO MEET SEPARATELY AND TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT IS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, YOUR, YOUR PRIORITIES INCLUDED IN THIS AND SORT OF AS, AS A BIGGER COUNTY EFFORT, RIGHT? UM,
[01:20:01]
ABSOLUTELY.AND SO, UM, ANYWAY, I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY, UM, THE REST OF YOUR WEEK.
IT'S SPRING BREAK FOR MANY OF YOU.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TIME AND JOINING US.
MR. CO-CHAIR, REAL QUICK, UH, A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
LAST TIME I FINISHED THE MEETING FOR YOU, 'CAUSE YOU HAD TO JUMP OFF AND I JUMPED THE GUN BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS CARLOS CONTRERAS LAST, UH, I G R MEETING, BUT I, I, BUT HE, HE MADE A SPECIAL ENCORE APPEARANCE TODAY.
UH, SO CARLOS, IS THIS OFFICIALLY YOUR LAST I G R MEETING? YES, SIR.
MR. CHAIRMAN, IT'S, WELL, LOOK, I, I'M GONNA JUST REPEAT SOME OF WHAT I SAID LAST TIME.
CARLOS HAS BEEN JUST A, A GREAT ASSET TO THE CITY.
I KNOW HE'S GONNA CONTINUE TO BE A GREAT FRIEND, BUT I KNOW HE'S MOVING ON.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS LUCKY TO, TO SERVE WITH HIM WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL AND I G R CHAIR, UH, CARLOS, UH, HELPED STEER THAT SHIP AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA MISS HIM TREMENDOUSLY IN, UH, BOTH, I GUESS JUST IN GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL, EVEN THOUGH HE'S GONNA BE AROUND.
SO, CARLOS, UH, GODSPEED, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND, UH, WE'RE ALL BETTER OFF BECAUSE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP AND ENCOUNTERS WITH YOU, SO THANK YOU.
YEAH, WE, THAT, THAT'S TRUE, CARLOS.
UH, WE, WE ALL APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH AND WE, UH, AND WE CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS.
UM, YOU'VE BEEN, UH, A TOUCHSTONE FOR ME, UH, AND, UH, ALWAYS GUIDED ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND EVERY SINGLE TIME I'VE GONE IN THE, IN, IN, YOU KNOW, THE OPPOSITE OF YOUR ADVICE IS ALWAYS BURNT AND HURT.
AND, UH, I'VE GOT SCARS TO SHOW FOR IT.
AND SO, UH, GOODWILL INDUSTRIES IS VERY, VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.