[1. Public Hearings on the City's 2021 Ad Valorem Tax Rate for the FY 2022 Proposed Budget and the FY 2022 Proposed Budget. [Erik Walsh, City Manager; Scott Huizenga, Director, Management & Budget]]
[00:00:04]
TIME IS 5:04 PM WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE CL THE, UH, CAPTION PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CITY'S 2021 A VALOREM TAX RATE FOR THE F Y 2022 PROPOSED BUDGET AND THE FY 2022 PROPOSED BUDGET? ALRIGHT, IS THERE A PRESENTATION WE DID RECEIVE THAT LAST WEEK? ALRIGHT, THE SECOND OF TWO COMBINED, F Y 22 BUDGET AND 21 TAX RATE.
PUBLIC HEARINGS IS HEREBY OPEN.
ANYONE WHO WANTS TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS MAY DO SO.
HOWEVER, COMMENTS MUST BE LIMITED TO MATTERS ABOUT THE BUDGET OR THE TAX RATE.
IF THE SPEAKER STARTS DISCUSSING ANY OTHER SUBJECT OR TOPIC, THEY'LL BE ASKED TO CEASE THEIR COMMENTS AND LEAVE THE PODIUM.
UH, SPEAKERS WILL HAVE INDIVIDUALS THREE MINUTES.
UM, GROUPS WILL HAVE UP TO NINE MINUTES.
UM, I'LL READ THE NAMES IN ORDER.
I'LL READ THE NEXT PERSON ON THE LIST IF YOU CAN BE PREPARED TO COME FORWARD.
UH, KAREN, YOU'D BE FOLLOWED BY MARCO.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ACTUALLY, IF I MAY.
UM, I WAS CURIOUS IF JOANNA HARGROVE IS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
IF NOT, I'D LIKE TO GIVE HER MY TIME IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
I'M A ARE YOU, ARE YOU SEATING YOUR TIME TO JOANNE? SHE IS SIGNED UP.
SO THAT I'M NOT SEATING HER MY TIME.
I'M A MEMBER OF SAN ANTONIO STANDS AND ALSO TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT.
UM, I WANNA START BY SAYING, OBVIOUSLY AS WE ALL KNOW, THE BUDGET IS A MORAL DOCUMENT THAT'S BEEN SAID BY SEVERAL OF YOU BEFORE.
UM, SO MY MAIN ASK IS THAT WE DESERVE A HOUSING BUDGET OF $50 MILLION MINIMUM.
WE ALSO DESERVE A MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE TEAM ENTIRELY SEPARATE FROM SSS A P D.
UM, SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE LOOK INTO THE HOUSING BUDGET, I DEMAND THAT WE FUND A DEMOLITION PREVENTION AND MITIGATION PILOT PROGRAM THROUGH THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AT 1.5 MILLION THAT WE INCREASE UNDER ONE ROOF FUNDING BY $2 MILLION, THAT WE INCREASE THE GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTION TO THE MI MINOR REPAIR AND OWNER OCCUPIED REPAIR PROGRAMS AT FIVE, 5 MILLION THAT WE INCREASE RISK MITIGATION FUND BY $9 MILLION TO RESTORE IT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 AMOUNT THAT WE HIRED TWO PSYCHIATRISTS WITHIN METRO HEALTH AS PART OF THE 34 POSITIONS OF FOR THE CRISIS ON SCENE RESPONSE TEAM THAT WE DESIGNATE TWO POSITIONS IN DSDS, PROPOSED AFFORDABLE HOUSING TEAM FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT CASE MANAGERS, AND THAT WE REPLENISH THE HOSPITALITY GRANT PROGRAM AT $10 MILLION.
UM, LASTLY, I WANNA SAY THAT I KNOW THAT, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY TAKES UP, I BELIEVE ALMOST 67% OF THE BUDGET, IF NOT ALMOST THERE.
UM, WHICH IS AN ARBITRARY NUMBER.
AND ALSO, AGAIN, THE BUDGET IS A MORAL DOCUMENT.
IT ONLY A HUNDRED PERCENT IS THE ENTIRETY.
AND I WAS HERE LAST YEAR SAYING THE SAME THING.
BUT IF 67% GOES TO EVERYTHING, THEN THERE'S NO WAY LOGICALLY TO FUND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT EVERYONE HERE IS GOING TO DEMAND.
AND THERE'S NO WAY TO FUND THEN THAT $50 MILLION.
UM, ALSO HOUSE BILL 1900, AS I'M SURE MANY OF YOU KNOW, UM, IF WE DO INCREASE PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING BY I BELIEVE 3% IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO, UM, IF WE DO THAT, THEN WE'RE NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO LOWER THAT.
SO THAT MEANS THAT PROBLEM OF US HAVING NO MONEY TO FUND THE OTHER THINGS IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT THAT, BUT THE REALITY IS, AGAIN, THERE'S ONLY A HUNDRED PERCENT, UM, AND REALITY, THE REALITY IS THAT EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR NEEDS TO BE FUNDED AND IT CANNOT, SO LONG AS THAT'S THE REALITY.
MR. OKUNO, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY DEVORA FROST.
HI, UH, THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE BECAUSE MUCH LIKE KAREN, I AM RECOGNIZING AS A MEMBER OF TOP AND AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, THAT WE DESERVE A HOUSING BUDGET THAT ADEQUATELY ADDRESSES OUR NEEDS.
YOU KNOW, AS RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO, WE NEED, UH, WE NEED TO FUND THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM AT A FULL $5.25 MILLION.
[00:05:02]
WE ALSO, I'M, WE'RE ALSO REQUESTING THAT CITY COUNCIL, UH, CITY COUNCIL SIGN ON AND SUPPORT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN TERRY CASTILE'S AMENDMENT TO CREATE THE DEMOLITION DIVERSION PILOT PROGRAM AND FUND THAT AT $1.5 MILLION.THE REASON WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT IS BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING MANY PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WHO ARE HAVING THEIR HOMES RAISED AND WHO ARE HAVING THEIR HOMES DEMOLISHED BECAUSE OF PREDATORY PRACTICES AND PREDATORY ENFORCEMENT OF 3 1 1.
UH, WE ALSO WANT TO ADEQUATELY FUND THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM.
UH, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THERE IS A LACK OF OUTREACH, UH, IN THE WAY THAT THE PROGRAM HAS OPERATED.
THERE DOES NEED TO BE MORE FUNDING AND THERE DOES NEED TO BE STAFF THAT IS ABLE TO DO OUTREACH IN THE COMMUNITIES AND IS ABLE TO DIRECTLY ASSIST PEOPLE WHEN THEY NEED RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND WHEN THEY NEED LEGAL COUNSEL AFTER BEING DEALT WITH ABUSIVE LANDLORDS.
UH, WE ARE ALSO, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO INCREASE ITS GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTION TO HOMEOWNER PROGRAMS SO THAT ALL FAMILIES CAN HAVE STABLE HOUSING.
RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A BACKLOG OF PEOPLE IN THE HOUSING AS THERE IS A BACKLOG OF PEOPLE IN NEED OF HOUSING ASSISTANCE BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE DENIED FUNDS LAST YEAR.
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THIS BACKLOG RIGHT NOW WHEN FUNDING SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE HELP FOR ALL FAMILIES.
OUR COMMUNITIES ARE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL, WITH HOUSING, WITH MENTAL HEALTH, AND WITH THIS PANDEMIC, WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
SO THE QUESTION THAT WE ARE ASKING TODAY AS MEMBERS OF TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT AND AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IS, WHICH SIDE ARE Y'ALL ON? WHICH SIDE OF CITY COUNCIL ON YOU HAVE THE POWER TO GET OUR REQUEST INTO THIS BUDGET? AND WE ELECTED YOU TO REPRESENT US.
OUR FEEDBACK HAS BEEN CONSISTENT, NOT ONLY HERE ON THE HOUSING JUSTICE PROGRAM, BUT ACROSS THE CITY IN THE SA SPEAKUP SURVEY.
WE NEED MORE, MORE FUNDING FOR HOUSING.
WE ARE ASKING FOR $50 MILLION IN, INTO THESE HOUSING PROGRAMS. AND WE ASK THAT CITY COUNCIL RESPECT THAT REQUEST AND ACTUALLY ADEQUATELY ADDRESS OUR HOUSING NEEDS.
MS. FROST SHOULD BE FOLLOWED BY KEVIN LAMEL.
I FEEL LIKE OUR HOUSING BUDGET SHOULD BE AT LEAST $50 MILLION TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS THROUGH PROGRAMS SUCH AS RENTAL ASSISTANCE, MORTGAGE ASSISTANT HOME REPAIR, AND TENANT LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS ARE STRUGGLING DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
THE CITY NEEDS TO INVEST IN HELPING OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE SAFETY.
SAFETY IS NOT ONLY FREEDOM FROM CRIME.
SAFETY MEANS HAVING STABLE LIVING ARRANGEMENTS, A HOME THAT IS NOT IN DESPAIR, AND FROM THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR RIGHTS SO THAT WE ARE NOT THROWN OUT OF OUR HOMES.
IN THIS MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC.
TEXAS HOUSING ESTIMATED THAT 700,000 TAXES ARE AT AT RISK OF EVICTION.
NOW THAT, UM, OVER A THOUSAND EVICTIONS HAVE BEEN CLAIMED HAVE BEEN FILED THIS YEAR, ALONG WITH THE MOMENTARY IN PLACE, WE NEED MORE INVESTMENTS INTO OUR PROGRAM.
ALSO, WE NEED ASSISTING WITH THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
THE SAHA WAITING LIST HAS BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
PEOPLE SAID THAT NO, THEY'VE BEEN SIGNED UP FOR A YEAR OR TWO AND THEY HAVEN'T HEARD FROM SAHA.
OKAY? THIS IS WHY WE ARE DEMANDING THE CITY TO COMMIT AT LEAST 50 MILLION TO HOUSING SERVICES AND TO SIGN ON THE BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT WILL BE BETTER TO SUPPORT OUR HOUSING NEEDS.
WORKING CLASS FAMILIES ARE IN NEED AND OUR NEED SHOULD NOT BE PUT ASIDE TO GIVE LUXURY DEVELOPMENTS, MORE TAX BREAKS AND TO CONTINUE IGNORING OUR NEEDS.
SO WE COME AND ASK THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? WE DESERVE $50 MILLION INTO OUR BUDGET.
KEVIN LAMEL, RIGHT? ROSEMARY WILLIAMS. ROSEMARY WILLIAMS, BENNY TYLER.
BENNY TYLER, ISABEL CHAVEZ, ISABELLE CHAVEZ, GWENDOLYN SMITH.
ALL RIGHT, MS. SMITH, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ESTHER TIINA.
[00:10:06]
GOOD EVENING.UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY THERE'S A BACKLOG OF HOME REPAIR APP APPLICATION AND WE ARE GOING TO FILL THIS BACKLOG.
RIGHT NOW, THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM IS, UH, ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATION, BUT WE STILL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUN TO FULFILL THE REQUEST WE HAVE CURRENTLY, UH, DURING THE STORM, THE WINTER, WE, WE, WE LOST, UH, POWER AND NO, DIDN'T HAVE NO WATER FOR TWO WEEKS.
MY DAD HAD FELL AND WAS IN THE HOSPITAL AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY WATER.
WE TRIED TO GET ASSISTANCE AND NOBODY TRIED TO HELP US.
SO WE HAD TO END UP TRYING TO GET A LOAN TO PAY TO GET OUR HOUSE REPAIRED AND OUR PIPES AND EVERYTHING.
SO WE NEED ASSISTANCE ON THE EAST SIDE RIGHT NOW TO HELP US.
SO I'M ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE WITH WHERE WE HAD TO PAY AND WE ON A FIXED INCOME.
SO IF SOMEBODY COULD HELP US PAY FOR THIS REPAIR THAT WE HAD TO PAY, WHEN THEY SAID WE HAD, UH, HELP, BUT NOBODY HELPED US AND WE WAS IN THE HOUSE FOR TWO WEEKS WITHOUT NO WATER, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU WAS IN THE HOUSE FOR TWO WEEKS WITHOUT NO WATER? THANK YOU, MS. SMITH.
ESTHER TIINA, MS. TIINA, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ROSIE ABU LIVE IN THE EAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND WHEN WE HAD THAT WINTER STORM, I WAS WITHOUT LIFE FOR ALMOST LIKE A MONTH, A WEEK FREEZING IN MY HOUSE.
SO WE NEED HELP IN THE EAST SIDE.
AND THEN ALSO, I WOULD LIKE FOR Y'ALL TO HELP PEOPLE THAT I BUY MY HOUSE.
I WOULD LIKE HELP AND TRYING TO SAVAGE MY HOUSE SO I CAN LIVE, YOU KNOW, MORE COMFORTABLE INSTEAD OF, 'CAUSE PEOPLE ARE OVER THERE TRYING TO BUY ME OUT.
WHERE AM I GONNA GO IF I HAVE TO SELL MY HOUSE? WHERE AM I GONNA GO? I HAVE THREE GRANDCHILDREN.
WHERE ARE WE GONNA GO? AND THEN THEY WANNA GIVE US WHATEVER THEY WANT.
THEY DON'T WANNA EVEN PAY, PAY US THE VALUE OF THE HOME.
THEY JUST WANNA PAY YOU OUT BECAUSE THEY WANNA BUILD NEW HOMES.
WHERE ARE WE GONNA GO WHEN THAT HAPPENS? WE NEED HELP IN REPAIRING OUR HOMES SO WE CAN STAY IN OUR HOMES.
THE REASON I BOUGHT A HOME IS BECAUSE I WAS SCARED OF THIS.
I SAID, WHERE AM I GONNA GO WHEN I GET OLDER? BUT AT THE RATE THAT THE CITY'S GOING, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET TO STAY IN OUR HOMES 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO PAY TOO MUCH.
AND WE DON'T EVEN GET PAID DE DECENTLY.
THAT'S WHY WE WE'RE, WE VOTED Y'ALL IN.
RICH PEOPLE DON'T NEED NO MONEY.
WE'RE THE ONES THAT NEED THE HELP.
THEM DEVELOPERS THAT ARE OVER HERE BUYING ALL OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY DON'T NEED NO MONEY.
WE'RE THE ONES THAT NEED TO STAY IN PLACE 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE NO MONEY.
AND THEN Y'ALL JUST PAY US NINE, $7 AN HOUR.
AND Y'ALL, Y'ALL ALWAYS SAY, OH, Y'ALL DON'T DESERVE NO MORE MONEY.
IT'S ALREADY TOO LATE FOR ME TO GO TO SCHOOL.
PLEASE DO SOMETHING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING FAMILIES.
I WANT MY GRANDKIDS TO HAVE A NICE HOME TO STAY IN.
I CAN'T EVEN AFFORD NO REPAIRS BECAUSE IF I NEED TO DO ANYTHING FOR MY HOUSE, I HAVE TO GO DO THE GO, GET A PERMIT AND HIRE, UH, PEOPLE THAT KNOW HOW TO DO THINGS WITH, WITH, UM, HOW DO YOU CALL IT? WITH THESE, UM, WITH THESE, UH, LICENSING STUFF.
I HAVE A LEAK IN MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW THAT I CAN'T FIX.
'CAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD A PLUMBER.
SO Y'ALL NEED TO DO MORE FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP THAN THAN PEOPLE THAT HAVE MONEY.
AND WE, WE NEED MONEY FOR HOUSING AND FOR Y'ALL TO HELP US, UH, FIX OUR HOMES.
Y'ALL ARE, PEOPLE IN THE CITY ARE ALWAYS COMPLAINING.
OH, YOUR HOUSE IS FALLING APART.
'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT.
CAN YOU HELP ME? NO, THEY CAN'T HELP US.
THEY LOOK THE OTHER WAY AND TRY TO KICK US OUT OF OUR HOMES.
MR. ABBU, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY
[00:15:01]
JOANNE HARGROVE.GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE.
UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT IN FOR OUR PATIENTS.
I JUST CAME FROM OUR OFFICE AND I'M ADVOCATING FOR OUR PATIENTS.
UM, A LOT OF OUR PATIENTS, UH, CALLED US DURING SNOW, V SNOWPOCALYPSE, WHATEVER YOU CALL IT.
UH, THERE WAS NO POWER, NO WATER FOR DIALYSIS.
UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE POWER FOR FOUR DAYS.
A LOT OF OUR PATIENTS DIDN'T HAVE POWER FOR FOUR DAYS OR LONGER.
UH, ELECTRICITY, POWER, WATER, POWER.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF PATIENTS THAT NEED MEDICATION.
THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO, THEY CAN'T EVEN AFFORD THEIR MEDICATION, MUCH LESS FIXING THEIR HOUSES.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
THESE ARE THE POPULATION THAT WE SERVE DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO, EAST SIDE, WEST SIDE, SOUTH SIDE MOSTLY.
UH, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S NEW TO US.
I'VE BEEN WORKING IN MY HUSBAND'S OFFICE FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
YOU KNOW, UH, PEOPLE COME IN, WELL, WHAT HAPPENED? WELL, YOU KNOW, THE AIR CONDITIONING DOESN'T WORK AND, UH, OR THE WATER'S TURNED OFF, OR, WELL, WE GOT THROWN OUTTA THE HOUSE AND, YOU KNOW, I'M ON RADIATION AND I HAD TO MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE, SO I HAD TO STOP.
UH, I HAD TO MOVE INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE.
MY, WE COULDN'T AFFORD THE MEDICATION.
UH, SO I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR PATIENTS.
UH, AND I'M FROM SEVEN EIGHT TWO TWO EIGHT.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SEVEN EIGHT TWO TWO EIGHT IN THE EDGEWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT RA.
SO, UH, I CAME A LONG WAY TO WHERE I'M AT.
PEOPLE THINK THAT I WAS BORN WITH MONEY.
NO, I HAD TO GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
UH, I HAD TO GET A G E D BECAUSE I WENT TO A SCHOOL THAT I DIDN'T KNOW WAS, WAS NOT ACCREDITED.
UH, I, UH, WORKED THREE JOBS AT A TIME.
AND SO, UH, I ALSO DIDN'T HAVE HEALTHCARE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I DON'T HAVE HEALTHCARE RIGHT NOW.
PEOPLE THINK, OH, THERE'S A DOCTOR'S WIFE.
UH, I PAY EVERYTHING BY CASH AHEAD OF TIME.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT JUST RICH PEOPLE.
PEOPLE THINK I'M RICH, BUT I DON'T HAVE HEALTHCARE.
SO I DON'T HAVE, I HAD A HEALTHCARE, BUT THEY WERE JUNK POLICIES.
SO, UH, I JUST WANNA ADVOCATE FOR MYSELF TOO, 'CAUSE I'M SICK TOO.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF Y'ALL REM NOTICE ANYTHING, BUT I'VE LOST OVER 30 POUNDS BECAUSE, UH, I'M SICK.
SO YES, I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR MYSELF, MY FAMILY, AND FOR A LOT OF THE PEOPLE HERE, BECAUSE I USED TO BE LIKE THEM.
JOANNE HARGROVE, MS. HARGROVE, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY MELANIE LIRA.
MR. HARGROVE, THEY CALL ME MAMA JOE.
UM, MANY OF YOU KNOW HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, THERE ARE MANY HOMES BUILT OVER 50 YEARS AGO.
THEY HAVE CEDAR POST FOUNDATIONS, BAD ROUST PLUMBING, AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
EVEN WITH THE INSURANCE, AS YOU WELL KNOW, AFTER THE PANDEMIC, THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING HAS GONE UP.
REPAIRS ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.
I STAND HERE USING MY VOICE TO REPRESENT THE MANY WHO CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES OUT OF FEAR OR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE.
AND THEY CAN STAND UP AND BE ACCOUNTED FOR BECAUSE THEY ARE TAXPAYERS.
MANY CHILDREN SOLD THEIR HOMESTEADS FOR THE FAST NICKEL INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE PROFITABLE SLOW DIME, OR THEY FORGOT TO INVEST IN THEIR INHERITANCE.
I JUST PAY RENT IN THE FORM OF PROPERTY TAX.
WE ARE REQUESTING $50 MILLION TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR YOU.
YOU KNOW, SAN ANTONIO IS A, UH, CITY THAT PEOPLE HAVE KNOWN IT.
I WAS IN NEW YORK, DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO THE SPURS WERE, GOT DOWN HERE.
AND THAT'S ALL I VOTE FOR IS THE SPURS.
SAN ANTONIO HAS SO MUCH BEAUTY
[00:20:01]
AND SO MUCH WEALTH, BUT POOR PEOPLE.WHEN YOU WANT SOMETHING FIXED, YOU GOTTA CALL SOMEBODY.
AND LIKE SHE SAID, I CAN'T HIRE A, A ROOFER, A PLUMBER.
MY INSURANCE COMPANY TOLD ME, UNLESS IT WAS AN ACT OF GOD, THAT THE PART, PART, I HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY ROOF.
AND I SAID, SO I'VE BEEN PAYING FOR 19 YEARS HOME INSURANCE AND FOR WHAT? I'M PAYING PROPERTY TAXES.
THE PRESIDENT ALLOCATED IT, IT'S THERE.
ALL WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO IS TAKE THAT MONEY, PUT IT BACK IN.
AND BY THE WAY, I WAS WATCHING IN 1921, THERE WAS A FLOOD OVER ON THE WEST SIDE.
I HAVE 36 GRANDCHILDREN, AND THEY'RE NOT ALL TWINS.
AND I ONLY HAD TWO CHILDREN DO THE MATH.
BUT 95% OF THEM ARE EITHER MEXICAN OR PUERTO RICAN.
I ONLY HAVE TWO BLACK BIRACIAL, BLACK WHOLE FULL-BLOODED BLACK CHILDREN.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OUR HEARTS ARE FULL.
I COULD GO BACK TO NEW YORK, BUT I CHOSE TO STAY HERE.
IF YOU GO THERE, YOU CAN SEE MY NAME DOWN THERE.
SO HELP ME TO GET COMFORTABLE WHILE I'M STILL HERE.
AND I PROMISE YOU, IF YOU HELP US, I WORK FOR YOU AS LONG AS GOD GIMME STRENGTH.
MS. LIRA, YOU'D BE FOLLOWED BY YVONNE SCHILLING.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT CAUSE.
I WOULD LIKE TO REALLY JUST ADDRESS THIS FROM LESS OF A FACTUAL STANCE, AS I'M SURE SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVE ADDRESSED FACTS AND GIVING YOU NUMBERS.
BUT I'M COMING FROM A HUMANITARIAN PERSPECTIVE, 2020 REALLY BROUGHT A LOT OF EMPATH, A LOT OF HUMANITY TOWARDS EACH OTHER AS WE ALL STRUGGLED AS A NATION, AS A WORLD UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THIS PANDEMIC.
BECAUSE OF THAT, WE'VE SEEN COUNTLESS RESOURCES COME OUT OF THE WOODWORKS, REALLY, THAT ARE OFFERED TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THE AVAILABILITY OF IT.
IF WE MITIGATE AND PUT OUR RESOURCES INTO PROPER PLACEMENTS, INSTEAD OF IT BEING A TEMPORARY THING TO ADDRESS A TEMPORARY PANDEMIC, WE CAN ACTUALLY START ASSISTING OVERALL SOMETHING THAT IS SUSTAINABLE, SOMETHING THAT SAN ANTONIO REALLY NEEDS.
I'VE BEEN BORN AND RAISED IN THIS CITY.
I'VE SEEN IT CHANGE SUBSTANTIALLY.
I AM NOW IN A VERY FORTUNATE POSITION TO NOT ONLY BE A PRACTICING ATTORNEY, BUT RUNNING FOR CANDIDACY.
AND MY POINT HERE IS, AS I GREW UP, THERE WAS A POINT IN MY LIFE WHERE I COULDN'T EVEN AFFORD HOUSING MYSELF STRUGGLING.
AND AT ONE POINT, EVEN LIVING IN MY OWN CAR AND ALL OF THAT IS BECAUSE THERE IS VERY, VERY LITTLE RESOURCES THAT ARE IMPLEMENTED BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND AT THIS POINT, WITH ALL OF THIS MONEY THAT WE HAVE, WE SEE HOW IT'S BEING USED.
THE QUESTION IS, IT NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENT AND IT NEEDS TO BE SUSTAINABLE.
WE SAW OVER 600,000 PEOPLE KILLED DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND I WANNA ADDRESS SOMETHING EXTREMELY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW, THAT THIS DIDN'T JUST BEGIN BECAUSE OF 20 TWENTY'S CRAZY PANDEMIC.
THIS WAS AN ISSUE WE WERE HAVING FOR SO MANY YEARS.
WE'RE SEEING SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN ROOTED IN THIS CITY FOR TENS AND TENS OF YEARS.
FAMILIES HAVE GROWN UP WHO'VE HAD HOUSES THAT NOW THEIR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN ARE LIVING INTO BEING PRESSURED TO CONSTANTLY MOVE OUT OF THEIR HOMES IN ORDER TO BUILD SOMETHING BETTER FOR SOMEBODY BETTER.
AND THAT IS THE ONLY MESSAGE THAT THIS SENDS.
I LIVE IN A HOME WHERE, YEAH, I HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OFFERS EXTRA EVERY DAY.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, IF I SOLD MY HOME TODAY AS A PRACTICING ATTORNEY WITH MY EDUCATION, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BUY ANOTHER HOME AND CONTINUE TO AFFORD THOSE MONTHLY PAYMENTS.
WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? YOU GUYS ARE IN A COMPLETE POSITION OF POWER AND IT'S TIME TO ASK YOURSELF THAT.
ALL THOSE TRENCHES YOU WORKED TO GET THERE TO BEAT THE OPPRESSORS BECAUSE YOU WERE OPPRESSED OR THERE WAS SOMETHING IN YOU THAT YOU WANTED TO CHANGE.
NOW IS WHEN THAT INTEGRITY COMES OUT AND SHOWS UP.
WILL YOU GET TO THIS POSITION TO CONTINUE YOU TO? LET'S
[00:25:01]
JUST BE HONEST, TO CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THE PROBLEM.A $50 MILLION BUDGET IS COMPLETELY DOABLE.
AND I ASK THAT IT'D BE ALLOTTED.
MS. SCHILLING, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JUSTIN MARTINEZ.
UM, ANANDA THOMAS IS SEATING HER TIME.
IS SOMEONE ELSE WHO HAS SIGNED UP WANNA CED THEIR TIME TO MS. SHILLING, GIVE YOU THREE MINUTES.
UH, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS YVONNE SHILLING, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UH, MY NAME IS YVONNE SHILLING AND I'M WITH DIS.
I'M ALSO A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR, AND I'VE WORKED IN THE MENTAL HEALTH FIELD FOR OVER 20 YEARS IN CRISIS MANAGEMENT, UH, THROUGH THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH, UH, CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, AND ALSO IN AUSTIN WITH THE AUSTIN TRIBES COUNTY INTEGRAL CARE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE AWARE, BUT, UM, YOUR PROPOSAL TO HAVE TO HAVE A MULTIDISCIPLINARY MENTAL HEALTH TEAM, INCLUDING A MENTAL, INCLUDING A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, UM, THAT'S REINVENTING THE WHEEL AND DUPLICATING SERVICES BECAUSE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, THEY HAVE THEIR MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM THAT GOES OUT.
IT'S ON CALL 24 7, AND THEY GO OUT TO THE HOMES WHERE PEOPLE ARE HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND THEY, THEY INTERVENE WITHOUT A POLICE OFFICER.
HOW MANY CALLS HAVE POLICE OR BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE RECEIVED FROM OTT IN THE LAST YEAR? IT CAN BE DONE WITHOUT THE POLICE.
UM, PROFESSIONALLY, I CAN SPEAK A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF WORKING WITH THE POLICE, UH, ON MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
AND I HAVE ASSESSED INDIVIDUALS WHO I BELIEVE ARE IN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
AND IF THEY DO NOT GET TREATMENT OR AN ASSESSMENT, THEY WILL, UM, CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE AND DECOMPENSATE.
SO THE WHOLE POINT IS TO PREVENT A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS FROM HAPPENING.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM DOES.
UM, THEY ALSO CONNECT FOLKS WITH, UM, IT'S A WRAPAROUND SERVICE.
THEY CONNECT PEOPLE WITH, UH, THEY GET 'EM INTO SERVICES TO SEE A DOCTOR, TO, UH, HAVE A CASE MANAGEMENT AND COUNSELING AS WELL.
SO, UM, AND THEY CAN GO OUT AND SEE THESE, UH, THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LIVING AT HOME, UM, TWO TO THREE TIMES A WEEK.
SO THE, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT I THINK, TO HAVE, UM, NOT TO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE MY EXPERIENCE, AGAIN, PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IS, UM, WHEN I'VE, UM, RECOMMENDED AND ASSESSED A PERSON FOR MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, THEY HAVE REFUSED TO ISSUE AN EMERGENCY DETENTION.
THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN DO AN EMERGENCY DETENTION.
UM, AND IF THEY REFUSE TO MY RECOMMENDATION, THAT'S IT.
THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE.
MR. MARTINEZ, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER ESCOVEDO.
MY NAME IS JUSTIN MARTINEZ AND I WORK FOR THE TEXAS CENTER FOR JUSTICE AND EQUITY, FORMERLY KNOWN AS TEXAS CRIMINAL JUSTICE COALITION AS A POLICY ANALYST AND BEXAR COUNTY PROJECT DIRECTOR.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO CONTINUE TO URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER THE ROLE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE CREATION OF A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS UNIT.
AND TODAY I WANNA FOCUS THE BULK OF MY TESTIMONY ON WHY THIS IS GOOD POLICY.
UM, BUT BEFORE I DO, I WANNA JUST REMIND EVERYONE THAT WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS SIMPLY THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT NOT BE A MEMBER OF THE CORE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM.
THAT INSTEAD OF LAW ENFORCEMENT BEING THE PRIMARY FIRST RESPONDERS TO CALLS INVOLVING SOMEONE IN A CRISIS THAT
[00:30:01]
A TEAM OF HIGHLY TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED MEDICAL MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS AND AN ADVOCATE OFFERING PEER SUPPORT ARE THERE TO PROVIDE SAFE, EFFECTIVE, AND COMPASSIONATE CARE NEEDED IN THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS.AND I WANTED TO REITERATE THAT, UH, BECAUSE THERE WERE COMMENTS MADE IN A RECENT SAN ANTONIO REPORT ARTICLE THAT BROUGHT BACK CONCERNS AROUND SAFETY.
AND THE COMMENTS WERE BASICALLY THAT THEY DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE SENDING A SOCIAL WORKER WITH JUST A CLIPBOARD TO A SITUATION WHERE THERE MAY BE KNIVES AND GUNS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE PROPOSED PLAN DOES WAY MORE THAN JUST SEND A SOCIAL WORKER WITH JUST A CLIPBOARD.
UH, BUT I ALSO WANNA POINT TO, AND I'M SURE THIS WASN'T INTENTIONAL, UM, BUT THAT COMMENTS THAT CAN BE, THAT CAN BE READ AS SUGGESTING THAT THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS PRESENT INHERENT DANGER OR INHERENT POTENTIAL FOR VIOLENCE PERPETUATES AN INCREDIBLY HARMFUL AND BASELESS NARRATIVE THAT THOSE SUFFERING FROM CHALLENGES RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE, POVERTY, ET CETERA, ARE DANGEROUS INDIVIDUALS.
AND BECAUSE OF THIS PERCEIVED DANGER, THAT THE ONLY RESPONSE APPROPRIATE IS TO SEND ANOTHER PERSON WITH A GUN TO DEESCALATE AND OFFER RELIEF FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL.
IN NOVEMBER OF 2020, THE VERA INSTITUTE RELEASED A REPORT HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED TO SHIFT POLICE TO MORE COMMUNITY RESPONSES.
IN FACT, INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, BUREAU OF JUSTICE STATISTICS, AS WELL AS OTHER ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP POINT TO THE AWFUL TRUTH THAT A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS ARE KILLED BY POLICE, AND THAT A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER ARE IN OUR JAILS AND PRISONS.
AND ADDITIONALLY, THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS A BRANCH OF THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HUMAN SERVICES, UM, RELEASED A REPORT IN 2020 IN WHICH THEY DESCRIBE MOBILE CRISIS CARE AS ONE, HELPING INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING A CRISIS EVENT TO EXPERIENCE RELIEF QUICKLY AND TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS SITUATION WHEN POSSIBLE.
TWO, MEETS THE INDIVIDUALS IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY'RE COMFORTABLE, AND THREE, PROVIDES APPROPRIATE CARE SLASH SUPPORT WHILE AVOIDING UNNECESSARY LAW ENFORCEMENT INVOLVEMENT, EMERGENCY DETENTION USE, AND HOSPITALIZATION.
AND THIS IS REINFORCED IN THAT SAME REPORT WHEN ONE OF THE GUIDELINES TO BEST PRACTICES FOR CRISIS UNIT IS, AND I QUOTE TO RESPOND WITHOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPLIMENT UNLESS SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT INCLUSION IN ORDER TO SUPPORT TRUE JUSTICE SYSTEM DIVERSION.
AND LASTLY, THE REPORT ALSO EMPHASIZES THE NEED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, STATING THAT ENSURING SAFETY FOR BOTH CONSUMERS AND STAFF IS THE VERY FOUNDATION OF EFFECTIVE CRISIS CARE.
AND THE REPORT ALSO GOES ON TO STATE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS A ROLE IN PROVIDING THIS SAFETY.
UM, BUT ALSO STATES, AND I QUOTE, UNFORTUNATELY, WELL-INTENTIONED LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONDERS TO A CRISIS CALL OFTEN ESCALATE THE SITUATIONS SOLELY BASED ON THE PRESENCE OF POLICE VEHICLES WITH ARMED OFFICERS THAT GENERATE ANXIETY FOR FAR TOO MANY INDIVIDUALS IN A CRISIS.
CHRISTOPHER ESCOVEDO, CHRISTOPHER VEO.
MR. ESCOVEDO, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ALBERT CAMPBELL.
A NOON MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TODAY, UH, TO MEET WITH Y'ALL AND SPEAK.
UH, TODAY I'M HERE REPRESENTING MY SIXTH MEMBER TEAM FROM THE ALEX ENO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THROUGH THE SAN ANTONIO CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND WHAT BRINGS US TODAY HERE IS, UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A PROJECT TO EXPAND AWARENESS AND, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ELECTRIC, UH, VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS IN THE CITY.
UH, OUR PROJECT HAS, UH, HAS ALLOWED US TO CONDUCT SOME RESEARCH INTO THE AVAILABILITY OF THESE STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND, UM, OUR PROJECT COMES AT A TIME WHEN THERE IS CURRENTLY A PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT WILL EXPAND THE USE, UH, PROPOSED USE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR UNTIL 2030.
NOW, OUR RESEARCH HAS, UH, ALLOWED US TO FIND A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UH, NUMBER ONE, WE'VE DISCOVERED THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS JUST STARTING OUT ITS INFRASTRUCTURE IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS.
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE 232 STATIONS AVAILABLE IN THE CITY.
UH, BUT UNFORTUNATELY ABOUT 50%, ONLY 50% ARE FREE TO THE PUBLIC.
IN CONTRAST, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ABOUT 800 CHARGING STATIONS.
SO OUR PROPOSAL, OUR REQUEST TODAY IS WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO REQUESTS.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS TO, UH, AND LEMME JUST BACK UP REALLY QUICK.
THE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DISCOVERED IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET THAT'S PROPOSED IS THAT WE DID NOT FIND ANY BUDGET FOR FUNDS GOING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS OR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH, UH, BRINGS US TO OUR FIRST REQUEST.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE FOR THERE TO BE NEW BUDGETS SET ASIDE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR, AND ALSO TO BE CONSIDERED FOR FUTURE YEARS.
SO WE'RE ASKING ALSO FOR CONSIDERATION IN FUTURE BUDGETS AS WELL.
THE, UM, THE, ALSO THE OVER REQUEST THAT WE HAVE IS AS MONEY COMES IN FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, UM, IN THE FUTURE, WE'D LIKE FOR THOSE FUNDS TO ALSO BE
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GOING TOWARDS, UM, THAT, UM, THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.AND SECONDLY, WE LIKE TO WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, UM, SO THAT WE CAN RAISE AWARENESS AND ALSO EXPAND, UM, AND DRIVE THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CHARGING STATIONS.
SO FINALLY, JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE.
WE, WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND WE REALLY THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY.
WE FIND OURSELVES AT A VERY UNIQUE POINT IN TIME WHEN, UH, PORTABLE ELECTRIC CHARGING IS, IS GROWING.
UH, IT'S A UNIQUE SITUATION AND WE LIKE TO BE PART OF IT.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
MR. CAMPBELL, YOU'VE BE FOLLOWED BY YANA FLORES.
UH, CITY COUNCIL, UH, I WANT TO SPEAK ON THAT.
THE FOLLOWING FIVE PRIORITIES NEED TO HAVE TO BE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE CONSTELLATION PLAN PROCESS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH HOT HOMES OF FUNDS FOR THE PHYSICAL YEAR OF, UH, 2022 AND THROUGH 2026, TO PROVIDE THESE DECENT AND SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDED SERVICE FOR SPECIAL NEED POPULATIONS, HOMELESS SERVICE AND PROGRAMS, A NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO, UH, THE PROVIDE NEIGHBORHOOD REAL SIDE, UH, EFFORTS THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO FUND, THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE ABLE TO ACTIVITIES TO CREATE SAFE, SUSTAINABLE NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH IMPROVING PUBLIC FACILITIES.
PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING STREETS, SIDEWALKS, DRAINS, BROADBAND, CONNECTIVE, ELIMINATED ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS AND BRIGHTER CONDITIONS AND STREETLIGHTS.
THAT WAY WE BE THE CITY, THE NEIGHBORS CAN BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON THROUGH THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS INSTEAD OF HAVING DI DI LIGHTS, YOU KNOW, THEY, AND WE NEED MORE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO THESE HOMES THAT NEED HELP.
SO THESE PEOPLE WON'T HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET A LOAN FROM SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY CAN'T EVEN PAY THE LOAN AND THEN LOSE THEIR HOMES.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THERE'S ALSO THE CITY HAS A TOTAL OF 27.4 MILLION ALREADY AVAILABLE IN FUNDS.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE NOT USING THAT MONEY TO HELP THESE PEOPLE THROUGH THIS.
YOU KNOW THAT THROUGH THE INFORMATION THROUGH THE HUTS, YOU ARE GONNA HAVE APPROXIMATELY THROUGH FOUR GRANTS.
IT'S 111 MILLION IT DOLLARS IN TOTAL GRANT FUNDING.
SO WHY, WHERE'S ALL THAT MONEY GOING TO? BECAUSE IT'S TOTALLY RIDICULOUS ON WHAT Y'ALL DOING BECAUSE THE PHYSICAL IMPACT.
AND SINCE FOR OCTOBER 1ST TO THE 21ST THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30 TO THE 20, UH, 22, IT'S ONLY $22,500,000 THAT IS ENTITLEMENT FUNDING.
AND THAT IS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS.
UH, THERE'S ANOTHER THING FOR THE HOMES.
A TOTAL FOR 82 HOMES, YOU ONLY WANT TO USE 8 MILLION AND $500,000 FOR ONLY 82.
ARE WE BUILDING $1 MILLION HOMES? WE'RE NOT.
SO WHERE'S ALL THE MONEY GOING? BECAUSE EVEN FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD RESILIENT EFFORTS IS AT 1.5 MILLION, PROVIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS AT 1 MILLION AND I DON'T KNOW, WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE MORE THAN 69 MILLION TO HAVE DECENT HOMES AFFORDABLE TO THE POOR.
JAN FLORES, MS. FLORES, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ELIZA HARRIS.
HI, MY NAME IS JEANNETTE FLORES.
UM, FIRST, UM, I WANNA NOTE THE ACCESSIBILITY AND THE REALITY OF THE DAY TO DAY 5:00 PM START DI START TIME IS INCREDIBLY INACCESSIBLE TO FOLKS AND IT WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTING TO HEAR SO MANY NAMES, UM, OF PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T MAKE IT OUT.
UM, SO I WANNA ECHO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TONIGHT.
OF COURSE, A BUDGET IS A MORAL DOCU DOCUMENT AND SHOULD BE CREATED WITH INPUT, DIRECT INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AT THE FOREFRONT.
I WANNA PULL SOME DATA DIRECTLY FROM THE ESSAY SPEAKUP BUDGET SURVEY.
UM, AGAIN, THE SAME DOCUMENT THAT I MENTIONED A FEW TIMES, AND THAT RECEIVED OVER 22,000, ACTUALLY CLOSER TO 23,000 IN RESIDENTS RESPONDING WITH AN INCREASE OF 163%
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AND PARTICIPATION FROM THE LAST TWO YEAR SURVEYS.SOME OF THE SERVICE PRIORITIES THAT PEOPLE IDENTIFIED AS THEIR HIGHEST CONCERNS ACROSS ALL DISTRICTS WERE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY PROGRAMS, AND SENIOR AND YOUTH SERVICES.
AGAIN, AS OUR TOP PRIORITIES, THE BUDGET SHOULD REPRESENT THOSE TOP PRIORITIES.
UM, AGAIN, AS A DOCUMENT, UM, THAT DIRECTS WERE FUNDING, PUBLIC FUNDING IS GOING TO IN THE CITY.
UM, WHEN RESIDENTS WERE ASKED TO IDENTIFY HOW THE BUDGET WOULD BE BALANCED, 44% OF RESIDENTS CHOSE TO REDUCE PERSONNEL COSTS LEADING OTHER RESPONSES.
42% OF RESIDENTS DO NOT BELIEVE THE CITY EFFECTIVELY MANAGED THEIR TAX TAX DOLLARS DURING THIS CRISIS.
SO THERE'S ABOUT 800 PAGES OF DATA.
UM, AND I REALLY WANNA ASK YOU ALL TO LOOK AT THE DATA, UM, BECAUSE WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT FOLKS SHOWING UP TO THESE MEETINGS, UM, THEY'RE NOT ACCESSIBLE, BUT THAT SURVEY WAS ACCESSIBLE.
YOU HAD OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF RESPONSES THAT YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT OR CONSIDERING WHEN YOU'RE MAKING A DOCUMENT THAT WILL IMPACT EVERY SINGLE PERSON LIVING IN THE CITY.
UM, PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR WHAT THEY WANT, YOU ARE NOT RESPONDING TO IT.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOUR LACK OF ACTION, YOUR LACK OF INACTION, CONTINUOUS.
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I STOOD HERE? HOW MANY TIMES HAS MANY LIES LAUGHED AT ME AS I MAKE MY PUBLIC COMMENTS? UM, TOO MANY, RIGHT? WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THE SAME THINGS.
UM, PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR WHAT THEY WANT AND YOU ARE NOT GIVING IT TO THEM.
YOU ARE WELL AWARE THAT IF YOU INCREASE THE POLICE BUDGET BY 3%, $15 MILLION, 1.8 MILLION TO HIRE MORE POLICE OFFICERS, YOU CANNOT UNDO THAT.
SO WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO REDUCE A POLICE BUDGET THAT IS ONLY GONNA GET HIGHER AND HIGHER AS PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR MORE AND MORE THINGS? BECAUSE GUESS WHAT, WE'RE IN A YEAR TWO OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA F*****G STAY HERE IF YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
UM, P REMOVE POLICE PRESENCE FROM MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, UH, CALLS AND FOR THE SAKE OF GOD, INCREASE THE MONEY THAT IS DIRECTLY PUT INTO PUBLIC HEALTH AND HOUSING SERVICES.
MAYOR RON NUREMBERG, YOU HAVE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT FOLKS ARE ASKING FOR AND YOU'RE NOT GIVING THEM WHAT THEY WANT.
WE NEED FURTHER INVESTMENT IN HOUSING SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE CITY BECAUSE FOLKS ARE GOING TO THOSE PROGRAMS. THEY NEED THEM AND THEY NEED SUPPORT.
IF YOU DON'T PUT THAT MONEY NOW, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO LATER? HOW ARE YOU GONNA REDUCE THE POLICE BUDGET? THANK YOU, MS. FLORES, ELIZA PEREZ, ELIZA PEREZ, MS. PEREZ, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY LETICIA SANCHEZ.
HI, MY NAME IS ELISA AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO.
I'VE LIVED IN SAN ANTONIO SINCE 2011.
FIRST AS A STUDENT AND THEN I SETTLED HEREAFTER.
I KNOW THAT NOTHING I SAY WILL SWAY FOLKS THAT HAVE ALREADY MADE UP THEIR MINDS, UM, AND HAVE IGNORED MORE VULNERABLE TESTIMONIES THAN MINE IN THE PAST.
UM, BUT I'M HERE TO VOICE MY UTTER DISGUST AT THE PROPOSED INCREASED S A P D.
THE CURRENT S A P D BUDGET IS OVER HALF A BILLION DOLLARS.
AND NONE OF US WILL EVER SEE THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IN OUR LIVES.
PLEASE DON'T PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES.
THEY COME IN AFTER THE FACT AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE THE VERY PEOPLE WHO KILL PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
I'VE SEEN FOLKS GET FED A SCRIPT.
I'VE SEEN PEOPLE GET FED A SCRIPT ON HOW THEY WANT MORE SAFE OFFICERS OR SUPPORT MORE FUNDING FOR THE POLICE WITHOUT THEM UNDERSTANDING HOW UNDERFUNDED A LOT OF OTHER COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND DEPARTMENTS ARE INCLUDING RE INCLUDING RESOURCES THAT THEY RELY ON OR ARE IN NEED OF ON A DAILY.
I SEE WAY TOO MANY POLICE OUT IN THE STREETS.
I'VE SEEN FOUR OR FIVE POLICE CARS TRYING TO ANTAGONIZE ONE PERSON.
I'VE HAD TO COP GRAB MY MAIL AND TRY TO DELIVER TO ME FOR WHAT? LIKE THAT IS NOT THEIR JOB.
I DON'T NEED SOMEBODY WITH NO MASK COMING TO MY DOOR AND MAKING ME FEEL UNSAFE IN MY OWN HOME.
A FRIEND RECENTLY MOVED INTO A NEW APARTMENT.
COPS WENT BANGED ON HER DOOR, HANDS ON THEIR HOLSTERS, READY TO BREAK INTO HER HOME, ASKING FOR A PERSON THAT DIDN'T EVEN LIVE THERE THAT SHE HAD NEVER EVEN HEARD OF.
I WENT TO GO GET A ROUTINE COVID TEST THE OTHER DAY, AND I JUST SEE COPS JUST HANGING OUT, DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BUT WASTING OUR TAX DOLLARS.
AND FOR THOSE, USING THE CRIME RATE AS AN EXCUSE FOR FURTHER INCREASING SS A P D BUDGET, HOW ABOUT FUNDING THINGS THAT ACTUALLY ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF THOSE THINGS INSTEAD OF A DEPARTMENT OF COPS WHO ONLY SHOW UP AFTER THE FACT, DO NOTHING TO TRULY PREVENT CRIME.
AND WHY INCREASE FUNDING TO A DEPARTMENT THAT REHIRES 70% OF REHIRED POLICE OFFICERS THAT HAVE BEEN FIRED JUST BECAUSE OF LOOPHOLES? THAT'S THE HIGHEST REHIRING RATE IN THE NATION.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING TO SEE Y'ALL TRYING TO INCREASE FUNDING TO SS A P D.
WHILE SO MANY FOLKS IN THE CITY ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET, TO GET PROPER HEALTHCARE AND TO FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I THINK THAT MONEY INSTEAD SHOULD BE GOING TO LIKE A LOT OF THE EXAMPLES THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOU TO PUBLIC HEALTH, TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND TO AN ABORTION FUND.
UH, AND YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD DETAILED INCREASES.
I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT.
UM, BUT YES, LIKE, DO NOT INCREASE FUNDING TO SS A P D.
SO GIVE IT TO OTHER THINGS THAT REALLY ACTUALLY NEED IT.
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THANK YOU, MS. PEREZ.MS. SANCHEZ, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
HELLO, MY NAME IS LETICIA SANCHEZ AND I'M THE CO-CHAIR PERSON OF THE HISTORIC WEST SIDE RESIDENT ASSOCIATION, UH, WHICH REPRESENTS RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT FIVE.
OUR RESIDENTS CAN'T AFFORD TO HIRE LOBBYISTS OR TO MAKE HUGE DONATIONS TO CAMPAIGN FUNDS.
THE ONE THING WE DO HAVE IS OUR VOICES.
SO ALTHOUGH WE SHOULDN'T BE IN CROWDS DURING THIS PANDEMIC, AND I PERSONALLY SHOULD BE AT HOME PREPARING DINNER FOR MY 93 YEAR OLD FATHER, I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET TO ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO DIRECTLY ASSIST THE NEEDS OF TAX PAYING SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.
ALTHOUGH OUR RESIDENTS HAVE REQUESTED AND DEMANDED MORE FUNDING FOR HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS, AND THE HOMELESS TO LE ALLEVIATE THE HOUSING CRISIS IN OUR CITY, WHICH WAS A CRISIS PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, AND WHICH IT HAS BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC FUNDING FOR HOUSING PROGRAMS HAS NOT RETURNED TO THE PRE PANDEMIC BUDGET LEVEL.
INSTEAD, FUNDING FOR POLICING HAS INCREASED.
OUR VOICES STATED THAT POLICING IN SAN ANTONIO IS NOT A PRIORITY FOR OUR TAX PAYING RESIDENTS.
OUR RESIDENTS ARE ANXIOUS, EXHAUSTED, AND SCARED THAT THEIR HOUSING, WHICH SHOULD BE A RIGHT AND NOT A PRIVILEGE, COULD AT ANY TIME MOMENT BE LOST FOR OUR HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE SENIORS OR DISABLED OR WORKING POOR AND CANNOT KEEP UP WITH BOTH INCREASING PROPERTY TAXES AND MUCH NEEDED HOME MAINTENANCE, THERE'S VERY RE A VERY REAL THREAT OF LOSING A HOME.
RESIDENTS HAVE WITNESSED NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED WHEN HOMES COULD NOT BE BROUGHT UP TO CITY CODE.
ONE OF OUR LEGACY CITY, UH, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, JOE, WHO RAN A DOOR AND WINDOW SCREEN BUSINESS ON GUADALUPE STREET WAS FORCED OUT OF HIS BUSINESS PROPERTY BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO BRING HIS STRUCTURE UP TO CODE.
HIS CHILDREN BELIEVED THAT THE HEART ATTACK HE SUFFERED AND DIED FROM SOON AFTER, UH, ALL OF THE STRESS THAT HE ENDURED WHEN TRYING, UH, TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO FIX HIS BUSINESS STRUCTURE.
WE ASK AGAIN THAT FUNDING TO BE ALLOCATED FOR HOME REPAIR AND SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS TO PREVENT THE DISPLACEMENT OF MORE TAX PAYING RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE PAY TAXES, DEVELOPERS GET INCENTIVES.
THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS ARE ALSO DEALING WITH INCREASING UTILITY BILLS.
MANY ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE PAYMENTS AND SOME EVENTUALLY WILL LOSE POWER FOR NONPAYMENT.
WE ASK THAT FUNDING IS ALLOCATED.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS ALLOCATED TO THE RISK MITIGATION FUND TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS MAINTAIN POWER AND WATER IN THEIR HOUSES.
FINALLY, EVERYONE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A VERY REAL NEED FOR A AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT 30% OR BELOW A M I YET SO MANY OF OUR EXISTING OLDER HOMES ARE BEING DEMOLISHED INSTEAD OF BEING REHABBED AND SOLD AND OR RENTED TO INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVENTORY.
WHEN RESIDENTS ARE THREATENED BY CO COMPLIANCE, DEMOLITION FEES, SOME CHOOSE TO SELL HOMES AND PROPERTIES TO SPECULATORS AND DEVELOPERS LEADING TO AN, AN INCREASE IN DEMOLITIONS, DEMOLITIONS, LEAD TO VACANT LOTS, WHICH DRASTICALLY CHANGES.
NEXT, NATALIE GUERRERO, FOLLOWED BY IMA HOFFMAN.
NATALIE GUERRERO, TIME TO HER HOFFMAN.
OKAY, MS. GUERRERO, YOU'RE GIVING YOUR TIME TO MS. HOFFMAN? YES.
OKAY, MS. HOFFMAN, YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES.
UM, IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GOING TO BRING THIS DOWN SO I CAN GO AHEAD.
ALSO, I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS MAYOR NUREMBERG COMING BACK BECAUSE, UM, I READING NO, HE'LL NOT BE BACK.
BUT YOU'RE, UH, YOU'RE RE WE'RE RECORDING THIS AND HE WILL GET YOUR WORDS.
'CAUSE I'D REALLY WOULD LIKE FOR HIM TO LISTEN TO HISTORIC WEST SIDE.
WE WOULD ALL LIKE TO, BUT THANK YOU.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, UH, I AM GOING TO BE READING THIS FOR MS. KAYLA MIRANDA, WHO IS ILL.
UH, SO EVERYTHING THAT I'VE, UH, I WILL READ WILL BE QUOTED FROM HER.
AND BEFORE I START, IF I MAY AGAIN RESPECTFULLY REMIND ALL OF, UM, EVERYONE HERE IN THE COUNCIL THAT WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN VOTED IN TO REPRESENT YOUR VOTERS, THE ONES WHO TRUST IN YOU, THAT BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE HONEST, THAT BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
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AND I WILL TRY TO BE, UH, BRIEF.UH, SHE, SHE DID WRITE QUITE A BIT.
SHE'S ILL AND, UH, LIKE I SAID, UH, I AM QUOTING HER.
TENANT AT ANO PATRICK COURTS AND A FOUNDING MEMBER OF COALITION FOR TENNIS JUSTICE.
I AM UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY BECAUSE ALTHOUGH I AM FULLY VACCINATED, I STILL CONTRACTED C OVID 19.
I AM WELL AWARE OF HOW BUDGETING WORKS, NOT AS, AS HEAD OF MY HOUSEHOLD, BUT ALSO AS SOMEONE WHO OWNED AND RAN A CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS AND AS SOMEONE WHO MANAGED RETAIL, THE MAJORITY OF MY ADULT LIFE.
BUT WHEN I SEE, AND I LOOK AT THIS BUDGET AND SEE THAT THE GREATEST NEEDS ARE NOT BEING MET, I SPEND MY DAYS WORKING WITH LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS.
I AM BOOTS ON THE GROUND OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
I SEE PEOPLE EVERY DAY CHOOSING BETWEEN BUYING GROCERIES, PAYING MEDICATIONS, OR BETWEEN RENT AND ELECTRIC BILLS.
NONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE WORRIED ABOUT BIKE LANES, ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS OR BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS.
THE PEOPLE ON THE SAHA WAITING LISTS ARE HOUSELESS AND ARE HOMELESS POPULATIONS, AND THEY ARE NOT REQUESTING HOUSING WITH GRANITE COUNTERTOPS, GARDEN TUBS, OR FRENCH DOORS.
THEY NEED A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD THAT IS SAFE, PEST FREE AND AFFORDABLE.
OPEN FLOOR PLANS ARE NOT A PRIORITY FOR THOSE WHO TRULY NEED A HOME.
AND WHAT IS A GOOD BIKE LANE WHEN YOU'RE SLEEPING IN A CAR OR UNDER A BRIDGE OR AN OPEN COURTYARD AT HAVEN FOR HOPE? THIS IS THE REALITY THAT OUR CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE ARE FACING.
THIS IS THE REALITY OF A BUDGET.
YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE WHAT THE GREATEST NEEDS ARE AND MEET THOSE FIRST.
I CAN SEE THERE ARE TOO MANY HANDS IN THE POT.
THE CITY NEEDS TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT MORE FUNDS ARE GOING DIRECTLY TO THOSE WHO NEED IT INSTEAD OF GOING TO CONTRACTORS.
I CAN THINK OF SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT HAVE HAD LITTLE TO NO EFFECT IN HELPING PEOPLE OR THE GENERAL POPULATION BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDS WENT TO STAFF.
EVERYONE SHOULD MAKE A LIVABLE WAGE.
BUT DO WE REALLY NEED THREE SUBCONTRACTORS THAT OR MORE BETWEEN THE CONTRACTOR AND THE ACTUAL GROUND FLOOR? NO.
IN HOUSING, THE CITY REALLY NEEDS TO BECOME THEIR OWN DEVELOPER.
IT'S THE SAME THING I SAID TO SAHA.
THE LEGACY OF ALZA APARTMENTS IS COSTING APPROXIMATELY 219,000 PER UNIT WITH MANY OF THOSE BEING ONE BEDROOM.
DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE LOWEST COST OF CONSTRUCTION? I GUARANTEE YOU IT IS NOT.
I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT UNITS CAN BE BUILT PROPERLY FOR MUCH, MUCH LESS.
IT'S TIME FOR THE CITY TO TAKE BACK ITS POWER AND STOP ALLOWING THE DEVELOPERS TO SET THE RATES.
PLEASE DO NOT CLOSE YOUR EYES AND PRETEND THIS IS NOT HAPPENING.
IN THE WORDS OF NELSON MANDELA, OVERCOMING PROPERTY POVERTY IS NOT A GESTURE OF CHARITY.
WHAT PEOPLE SO EASILY IGNORE OR AVOID IS THAT MANY OF OUR CITIES ARE MOST VULNERABLE.
ARE VVE VETERANS, ELDERLY, DISABLED CHILDREN, OR THE WORKING POOR, MAKING EIGHT TO $12 AN HOUR, AS WE SAW DURING THE BEGINNING STAGES OF COVID.
THESE ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS, THE VERY PEOPLE THAT KEEP US GOING DURING LOCKDOWN.
SO INSTEAD OF SHOWING GRATITUDE TO THESE INDIVIDUALS, THEY ARE SHOWN DISDAIN.
THEY ARE NOT LAZY, UNEDUCATED, OR UNTRAINED.
OUR CITY IS A HOSPITALITY CITY AND MAKES MILLIONS EACH YEAR THROUGH TOURISM.
IT'S NOT THE C E O OR OWNERS THAT MAKE PEOPLE COME TO SAN ANTONIO.
IT IS THE VERY PEOPLE THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO RENT AN APARTMENT AND TAX CREDIT PROPERTIES, THESE SO-CALLED MIXED INCOME WORKFORCES, HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE SUPPOSEDLY AFFORDABLE ARE OUTSIDE OF THESE WORKERS' INCOMES.
YET THOSE PROPERTIES GET MILLIONS IN TAX BREAKS EACH YEAR.
WE MUST PRIORITIZE THE GREATEST NEED.
PEOPLE OVER PROFIT PUBLIC FUNDS FOR PUBLIC GOOD, NOT INVESTOR OR DEVELOPER GOOD.
NOT FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE YOU WANT TO ATTRACT
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TO THIS CITY, BUT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY LIVING HERE.LASTLY, WHEN I SPEAK WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT REQUEST ADDITIONAL OFFICERS AND I ASK WHY THERE ANSWERS ARE SIMILAR, IT TAKES FOUR HOURS FOR AN OFFICER TO RESPOND TO THEIR CALL OR OFFICERS MAY NOT COME.
THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE NEED ADDITIONAL OFFICERS, WE NEED ADDITIONAL SOCIAL SERVICES.
I THANK YOU AND, AND I THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF KAYLA MIRANDA.
NEXT IS RICHARD MARTINEZ, FOLLOWED BY GRACIELA SANCHEZ.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I'M A RESIDENT OF, UH, DISTRICT SIX, BUT MY CONCERNS HERE ARE WITH DISTRICT FIVE.
I GREW UP IN THE WEST SIDE OF OF TOWN.
AND, UH, IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING TO THE WEST SIDE.
AND, UM, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, I KNOW IT'S GENTRIFICATION THAT'S COMING TO THE WEST SIDE.
AND, UM, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN FROM, FROM THE CHAMBER IS THEY'VE GIVEN ALL THE INCENTIVES TO SPECIAL INTERESTS.
THERE'S NO INCENTIVES FOR, FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE WEST SIDE.
YOU KNOW, THE ONLY THING THAT GOT LOOKED, UH, TO LOOK FORWARD TO, I BELIEVE IS LOSING THEIR HOMES HERE, UH, IN THE FUTURE AS THESE, UH, DEVELOPERS COME IN AND REDEVELOP THE WEST SIDE.
UM, SO I I'M THINKING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE, UH, CHAMBER CAN, UM, FIND OTHER WAYS AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT, THAT THE, UH, COMMUNITY ON THE WEST SIDE BE THE ONES THAT, UM, DEVELOP THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I, I THINK BY BRINGING RESOURCES AND JOB TRAINING AND, AND, AND TRADE SKILLS THAT WOULD, UM, BE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN, IN THE WEST SIDE TO, TO, UH, ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE THE ONES TO DEVELOP THEIR, THEIR, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, BUT LIKE RIGHT NOW, EVERYTHING THAT I SEE AND ALL THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON TRAILS, ALONG THE CREEK BINS AND ALL THAT, I KNOW IT'S NOT FOR THE CURRENT RESIDENTS.
IT'S FOR THE FUTURE RESIDENTS THAT ARE GONNA COME IN ONCE THIS DEVELOPMENT TAKES PLACE.
I KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW THERE'S INVESTORS ASKING HOMEOWNERS THROUGH CERTAIN CORRIDORS, THEY'RE OFFERING THEM, UH, TO BUY THEIR HOMES.
AND I ALREADY KNOW WHAT IT'S FOR.
IT'S TO DEVELOP, TO TEAR 'EM DOWN AND BUILD CONDOMINIUMS AND APARTMENTS FOR WHITE COLLAR PROFESSIONALS THAT Y'ALL WANT TO BRING BACK IN FROM THE SUBURBS TO BASICALLY CHANGE THE, UH, DIRECTION OF THE RIO.
IT'S NO LONGER GONNA BE THE RIO, IT'S GONNA BE THE WEST SIDE, BUT AT THE COST OF, OF RESIDENTS LOSING THEIR HOMES HERE, HERE IN TIME.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE POOREST ZIP CODE IN THE NATION.
THEY CAN PROBABLY, UH, BARELY AFFORD TO PAY THEIR TAX NOTE YEARLY.
SO WITH THESE RISING TAX RATES, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO PAY THESE, THESE TAXES.
AND, UM, SO WHAT HAPPENS? THEY'LL LOSE THEIR HOMES, UH, IN MY VIEW.
SO, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT, UM, THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR WOULD, UM, TAKE A STEP BACK IN, IN THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING AND, AND MAYBE TRY TO IMPLEMENT SOME, SOME, A NEW AGENDA AS FAR AS LIKE, LIKE I SAID, IN MY VIEW IS TO GET THE RESIDENTS INVOLVED, UM, AND MAKING THOSE CHANGES IN, IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND, YOU KNOW, UM, REDEVELOPING IT.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WE'D LIKE YOU TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ADDRESSING THE, UH, TAXES AND BUDGET.
UH, GRACIELA SANCHEZ, FOLLOWED BY BENNY TYLER WHEN I START THIS, MY NAME IS GRACIELA SANCHEZ.
UM, I WANTED TO SAY, UH, SINCE 2001, THE ESPERANZA, ALONG WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND THE WEST SIDE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE HAS BEEN TRYING TO PRESERVE THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IN THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD OF DISTRICT FIVE.
UM, BUT IT'S THE SAME IN ALL THE INNER CITY NEIGHBORHOODS IN DISTRICTS ONE THROUGH SEVEN.
UM, WE'RE SEEING THE SAME THING.
WE'RE FEE, WE'RE SEEING THE DISPLACEMENT OF INDIVIDUALS, THE DEMOLITION OF PEOPLE'S HOMES BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURES FROM LAND SPECULATORS AND INVESTMENT COMPANIES THAT ARE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE, THE COUNTRY AND EVEN THE WORLD.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO FUND, UH, AND SUPPORT, UH,
[01:00:01]
COUNCILMAN, UH, TERRY CASTILLO'S, UH, FUND FOR A DEMOLITION PRE PREVENTION AND MITIGATION PILOT PROGRAM THROUGH THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION FOR 1.5 MILLION.THIS WOULD REDUCE RESIDENTIAL DEMOLITIONS AND DISPLACEMENT BY CONNECTING AT RISK HOMEOWNERS TO SEPARATE MINOR OR OWNER-OCCUPIED FUNDING THAT WILL BE DISPERSED THROUGH A MORE SWIFT AND DIRECT PROCESS.
UM, AGAIN, IN FROM 2014 TO 2023, DISTRICTS TWO, THREE, AND FIVE ACCOUNTED FOR 72% OF THE CITY'S ORDERED DEMOLITION.
DISTRICT ONE IS RIGHT THERE AS WELL.
SO IF WE CAN, UH, PRESERVE WHAT WE'VE GOT.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE OFFICE OF AAR PRESERVATIONS, UH, OPPORTUNITY AT RISK, IT WAS SHARED WITH CITY COUNCIL ON DECEMBER OF 2019.
PLEASE READ THAT BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT EXISTS IS THE CURRENT HOUSING STOCK TWO.
UM, WE WANT TO INCREASE THE UNDER ONE ROOF FUNDING FOR, UH, BY $2 MILLION.
THIS REQUEST IS FOR AN ADDITIONAL $2 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH WILL RESTORE THE FUNDING FOR UNDER ONE ROOF PROJECT TO THE INITIAL 2020 AMOUNT OF $5.25 MILLION.
WE ALREADY HAVE RESEARCH THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE, UH, THAT SHOW THAT THIS WILL LAYER BENEFITS LIKE PRESERVING EXISTING HOUSING, LOWERING RESIDENTIAL ENERGY BUILDS AND REDUCING PEAK DEMAND FOR ENERGY DURING HOTTER MONTHS.
IT WILL CONTINUE TO ASSIST VULNERABLE HOMEOWNERS LIKE SENIORS, VETERANS DIFFERENTLY ABLED AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
AND, AND THIS WILL ALSO ADDRESS ROOF REPAIR IN A MEANINGFUL WAY EACH YEAR TO ENSURE RESIDENTS LIVING IN OLDER HOMES ARE MORE RESILIENT AGAINST EXTREME HEAT AND COAL EVENTS LIKE WINTER STORM UDI NUMBER THREE, INCREASE THE GENERAL FUND, UH, CONTRIBUTION TO THE MINOR REPAIR AND OWNER-OCCUPIED REPAIR PROGRAMS BY $5 MILLION.
2018 WE HAD 300 PEOPLE SHOW UP TO GUADALUPE CHURCH THAT YEAR.
ONLY THREE FAMILIES GOT SELECTED TO GET ANY OF THIS MINOR REPAIR FUNDS.
SO NOW THEY'VE CHANGED IT OUT A LITTLE BIT AND EACH ONE OF YOU PROBABLY GET BETWEEN 11 AND 22 HOMES
SO THIS WILL INCREASE, UH, THE 256 HOMES TO 340 HOMES AND PLEASE INCREASE THE RISK MITIGATION FINE FUND BY $9 MILLION TO RESTORE IT TO THE FISCAL YEAR, UH, 2021 AMOUNT.
GARCIA, THANK YOU MS. SANCHEZ.
AND WE HAD, UH, TWO ENTRIES WHO WERE MISSED WHEN THEY SIGNED UP.
I'LL BE CALLING ON THEM AFTER BENNY TYLER WILL BE ASHLEY POWELL.
I'M BENNY TYLER AND I'M COMING TO ASK FOR $50 MILLION.
AND THE REASON I'M COMING FOR THIS, BECAUSE WE GOT OUT AND BELIEVED IN Y'ALL IN THE RAIN BEGGING THESE PEOPLES TO GO OUT AND VOTE FOR ALL OF Y'ALL, ESPECIALLY THE BEAR.
AND WE TOOK 'EM DOWN THERE TO VOTE FOR YOU ALL SO Y'ALL COULD BE BACK IN OFFICE.
NOW IT'S Y'ALL TURN TO RETURN AND DO, AS THESE PEOPLES HAVE ASKED US TO ASK Y'ALL TO DO, WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT ELECTING Y'ALL TO GIVING Y'ALL A CHANCE THAT Y'ALL WILL WORK FOR THEM.
NOW IT'S Y'ALL TURN TO WORK FOR THEM LIKE WE WORKED FOR Y'ALL TO GET Y'ALL INTO THE OFFICE.
SO THEREFORE THEY WANT THE $50 MILLION TO HELP OUT WITH THE RENT AND UH, THE PEOPLE THAT'S LIVING IN THESE HOMES THAT CAN'T AFFORD 'EM, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT ALSO.
SO THEY NEED THE HELP JUST LIKE Y'ALL NEEDED TO HELP TO GET AN OFFICE.
SO WE ARE JUST ASKING YOU ALL Y'ALL TO JUST, UH, WE ARE DEMANDING FROM THE CITY COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THESE, UH, ASSISTANCE FUNDS FOR THE STRUGGLING RENTERS AND ALSO FOR THE PEOPLES THAT'S IN THESE HOUSES THAT CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THESE HOUSE NOTES.
WE ARE ASKING FOR Y'ALL TO HELP THEM OUT ALSO.
AND WE ARE ALSO ASKING THE COUNSELOR FOR, UH, INCREASE IN THE FUNDS, CONTRIBUTE TO THE HOMEOWNERS PROGRAM ALSO FOR THE STRUGGLING HOUSING AND THE STRUGGLING HOUSEHOLD ASSISTANCE ALSO.
SO IF WE CAN GET OUT THERE AND DO THAT FOR Y'ALL, I'M SURE Y'ALL CAN
[01:05:01]
GET OUT AND HELP US TO MAKE THEM SEE THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR THEM.WE WAS LISTENING TO THEM WHEN THEY WAS TELLING US WHAT THEY WANTED AND WE WAS TELLING THEM IF THEY ELECT Y'ALL, THEY WILL MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.
AND I HOPE Y'ALL FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH THIS HERE BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE WAS LISTENING TO FROM THEM.
SO WE ARE ASKING Y'ALL TO HELP US HELP THEM.
YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY AN AMANDA THOMAS.
UH, I'VE LIVED IN SAN ANTONIO ALL MY LIFE.
I'M A WIFE, A MOTHER, AND I SERVE LOCALLY ON THE BOARD OF A NONPROFIT, COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING YOU THROUGH MENTORSHIP.
I HAD THE HONOR OF MEETING MY COUNCILMAN CLAYTON PERRY, UM, AT THE SEAMS LIBRARY, UM, WHEN, UH, HE WAS UP FOR ELECTION AT THE TIME.
HE, YOU WERE REALLY AMIABLE AND YOU SHOOK MY HAND AND WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE AREA AND WENT IN TO VOTE AND DID VOTE FOR YOU.
UM, COUNCILMAN PERRY, YOUR VOTING VIEWS ARE NOT SO DISSIMILAR TO MY OWN.
I CAN DEFINITELY GET BEHIND STREETS AND SIDEWALK UPKEEP
BUT, UM, THERE IS MORE TO THIS POSITION THAT YOU GUYS HOLD UP HERE AND WE COULD MAKE A REAL CHANGE BASED ON NEW REPORTED EVIDENCE, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT, WHICH IS THE POLICE PRESENCE IN OUR CITY.
UM, I'VE UTILIZED THE POLICE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I SAW A SUSPECT VAN LOADING, UM, AND UNLOADING ON THE SIDE OF VERDE AND JOHN ONE NIGHT, AND I KNEW THE POLICE WOULD SHOW UP TO CHECK IT OUT, AND I WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
AND I DIDN'T HESITATE TO CALL.
I DO BELIEVE IN, IN SOME POLICE PRESENCE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT I'M REQUESTING TO KEEP THE POLICE UNIT OFF OF THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESPONSE TEAM FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, ACCORDING TO THE VERA INSTITUTE, MORE THAN 240 MILLION 9 1 1 CALLS ARE MADE EACH YEAR.
THE POLICE HAVE BECOME THE DEFAULT FIRST RESPONDERS TO NEARLY EVERY SOCIAL ISSUE PEOPLE AND THEIR COMMUNITIES FACE FROM MENTAL ILLNESS TO SUBSTANCE USE TO HOMELESSNESS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A DESIRE ON YOUR PART, COUNCILMAN PERRY, TO FILL ALL OF THE VACANT SEATS, UM, ON, UH, POLICE SPOTS IN OUR CITY.
AND THAT STATISTIC ALONE IS ENOUGH TO REINFORCE THAT INITIATIVE.
HOWEVER, UM, ONE IN FOUR POLICE ENCOUNTERS END IN A FATALITY, ONE IN FIVE JAIL AND PRISON INMATES HAVE A MENTAL ILLNESS OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUE, AND ONE IN 10 LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSES IS DUE TO MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES.
WHAT WE'VE LEARNED AND SEEN IS THAT WHEN THE POLICE GET INVOLVED, REGARDLESS OF THEIR TRAINING, THE MERE PRESENCE OF ARMED UNIFORMED OFFICERS INCREASES A PERSON'S FEELINGS OF DISTRESS AND ESCALATES MENTAL HEALTH RELATED SITUATIONS, PARTICULARLY IN MINORITY COMMUNITIES.
THIS HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY ON THE NEWS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, BUT IS NOTHING NEW IN THE NEWS CYCLE, UM, OR IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE OF COLOR.
ADDITIONALLY, RECENT ANALYSIS OF 9 1 1 CALLS IN EIGHT CITIES HAS FOUND THAT NEARLY 40% OF CALLS WERE NON CRIMINALLY RELATED, WHICH ARE BETTER ADDRESSED BY CIVILIAN FIRST RESPONDERS INSTEAD OF THE POLICE IN OUR OWN CITY.
THE MAJORITY OF POLICE INTERACTIONS WITH THE HOMELESS HAVE WITNESSED, UM, I WITNESSED HAVE RESULTED IN ARREST ALMOST EVERY SINGLE TIME.
EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THAT CRISIS WORKERS SHOULD SHOW UP TO THE SCENE WITHOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ONLY REQUEST POLICE BACKUP AS NEEDED.
ALL CALLS CAN BE FILTERED THROUGH THE 9 1 1 LINE, WHERE DISPATCHERS DIRECT TO ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITY RESPONDERS WILL BE SUBJECT TO A COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD.
THIS BOARD OF SPECIALISTS AND REHABILITATIVE PEERS WILL HELP DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT ROLLOUT OF THIS PROGRAM.
ALL OF THIS ENCOMPASSES WAYS IN WHICH SAN ANTONIO COULD BE A LEADER IN THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE AND RESPONSES IN OUR NATION.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE HOW MENTAL HEALTH IS RECEIVED.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE PROGRAM.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THE CITY IS ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE, ESPECIALLY AFTER WE RECEIVE SUCH A RESPONSE, NOT ONLY FROM CITY BUT OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
I WANT TO REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT OUR OWN POLICE OFFICERS HAVE ASKED TO DIVERT THESE CALLS AWAY FROM, FROM THEM TO ACTUAL PROFESSIONALS TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH CRISES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A CONCERN FOR KEEPING OUR RES, OUR NEW RESPONDERS, UH, SAFE DURING THESE INTERACTIONS, BUT THE MAJORITY OF MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS CALLS CALLS FOR HOUSELESS FOLKS.
[01:10:01]
ARE NOT VIOLENT AND DO NOT INVOLVE AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A WEAPON.IT INVOLVES SOMEBODY UNDERGOING A PANIC ATTACK.
SOMEBODY WHO IS HAVING A, A EPISODE OF EXTREME GRIEF FROM LOSING A LOVED ONE.
THEY NEED TO BE MET WITH COMPASSION AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
AN OFFICER CANNOT GIVE THAT TYPE OF RESPONSE.
WE HAVE DATA AND EVIDENCE AND PROGRAMS ALL AROUND THIS NATION THAT SHOW THAT WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS. UH, THE CAHOOTS PROGRAM, THE DENVER STAR PROGRAM, THE PROGRAM IN MONTANA, THE HOUSTON HEART MODEL.
THEY HAVE THE PROTOCOLS, THE RUBRIC, THE MODEL THAT WE NEED.
AND WE ARE SIMPLY ASKING TONIGHT THAT WE FOLLOW A MODEL AND A PILOT PROGRAM LIKE THEIRS THAT WE KNOW NOT ONLY SAVES THE CITY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PUBLIC SAFETY SPENDING THAT CAN BE USED FOR ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THESE BEAUTIFUL FOLKS ARE ASKING FOR HOUSING STREETS.
UM, THE VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION PROGRAMS, RIGHT? THESE OTHER AREAS, PARKS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE FUNDED.
WE CAN SAVE THOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SIMPLY BY IMPLEMENTING THE RIGHT TYPE OF MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE THAT ALLOWS OUR OFFICERS TO RESPOND QUICKER TO THE ACTUAL CALLS THEY ARE MEANT TO SERVE CRIMES IN PROGRESS.
THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
I LEFT MY STATEMENT BEHIND, BUT I'M BEGGING YOU TO PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL.
I'M BEGGING YOU TO RECONSIDER INCREASING OUR POLICE BUDGET KNOWING THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BRING IT BACK DOWN WITHOUT SERIOUS PENALTIES IN THE FUTURE.
IF WE NEED IT FOR OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN.
IF WE NEED IT FOR PARKS, FOR LIBRARIES, FOR HEALTHCARE, FOR HOUSING THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED, PLEASE, PLEASE CONSIDER MOVING TOWARDS A RE-IMAGINING A PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, THAT DOES NOT INVOLVE LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT DOES NOT RELY ON LAW ENFORCEMENT SO HEAVILY FOR EVERYTHING WHEN WE NEED THIS MONEY TO FUND THE COMMUNITY.
UH, I'M GOING TO, UH, DO A QUICK RECALL IN CASE SOMEBODY CAME IN WE MISSED.
UH, CAROL ANN OR KEVIN LAMEL OR ROSEMARY WILLIAMS. UH, AND ISABELLE CHAVEZ.
UH, THAT'S ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS WHO ARE SIGNED UP.
UH, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR TAX YEAR 2021 AT ITS MEETING ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2021, WHICH WILL BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND WILL BE HELD AT THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 1 1 4 WEST COMMERCE STREET.
HAVING HEARD ALL COMMENTS FROM THOSE CITIZENS WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THE BUDGET AND TAX RATE, THE SECOND OF TWO COMBINED FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET AND 2021 TAX RATE, PUBLIC HEARINGS IS HEREBY CLOSED.