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RIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I THINK WE'VE GOT OURSELVES A QUORUM.UM, AND SO IONA, TAKE THE ROLL.
[Approval of Minutes ]
THE GATE, UH, WE HAD A MEETING DECEMBER 14TH.UH, AND WE HAVE MINUTES FROM THAT, THAT WOULD REQUIRE APPROVAL.
COUNCILWOMAN RUCHA GARCIA, WHAT DO YOU THINK? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 14TH.
SECOND, YOUR HONOR, A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
WE HAVE A BRIEFING, UM, TODAY REGARDING OUR, UH, LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.UM, AND PARTICULARLY WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRE AND POLICE PENSION FUND.
UM, AND SO I'M GONNA HAND IT OFF TO, I WAS GONNA HAND IT OFF TO SALLY SO THAT, THAT SHE CAN HAND IT OFF TO TROY SO THAT TROY CAN DO SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT BEFORE I HAND IT OFF TO SALLY, I, I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES IS ON THAT BOARD, RIGHT? COUNCILMAN? YES.
HAVEN, BUT ALSO COUNCILMAN
SO I HAVEN'T BEEN SWORN IN YET.
OH, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN SWORN IN.
BUT YES, BUT I'VE BEEN FOR, FOR FOUR YEARS.
UM, I'M GONNA DUCK IN A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF TROY HERE TO SHARE SOME NEWS.
AND, UH, QUICK HIGHLIGHTS ON THE UPDATE YESTERDAY, THE FIREWORKS IN AUSTIN.
FIRST DAY OF SESSION, JANUARY 10TH.
UH, IT WASN'T AS EVENTFUL AS THE FEDERAL GUYS I MIGHT ADD, BUT, UM, THERE WERE STILL SOME REALLY GREAT, UH, COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK, UM, THAT WE RECEIVED, UH, FOR THE 88 SESSION THAT STAFF, UM, WERE TRACKING, UH, YESTERDAY AS WELL AS AS OUR CONSULTANTS.
UM, 26, UH, NEW HOUSE MEMBERS WERE SWORN IN, UH, FIVE IN THE SENATE, UH, FOR THE SECOND TERM, UH, SPEAKER DATE PHELAN WAS, UH, UH, SELECTED YESTERDAY, UM, AGAIN, AND KELLY HANCOCK AS SENATE, UH, PRO TEMP.
SO, UM, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE SPEAKER FEELING AND HIS TEAM ON THE, DURING THE 88TH SESSION.
UM, THERE'S, UH, SOME WISHLIST ITEMS THAT HE SHARED YESTERDAY DURING HIS REMARKS THAT I WILL, UM, SLIDE INTO THERE MOMENTARILY.
BUT, UH, IMPORTANT DAY TO TODAY FOR THE SPEAKER SENATE.
UH, THE HOUSE RULES WILL BE CONSIDERED TODAY, UM, UP IN AUSTIN, SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT UNFOLDS TODAY.
THERE IS SOME PRESSURE THAT HE'S RECEIVING, UH, BY HIS REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES TO, UM, ONLY APPOINT, UM, REPUBLICAN MEMBERS TO THE COMMITTEES.
HE'S, UH, OPPOSED, UH, THAT PROPOSAL.
SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT UNFOLDS, UH, TODAY.
BUT WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT, UM, HE WILL REMAIN IN OPPOSITION OF THAT PROPOSAL.
UM, AS WELL, EARLIER THIS WEEK, UM, THE COMPTROLLER RELEASED HIS NUMBERS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 188.2 BILLION IN REVENUE, UH, FOR BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS FOR THE STATE FOR THE NEXT, UH, BIENNIUM.
THAT'S APPROXIMATELY A 26% INCREASE FROM, FROM WHAT WAS AVAILABLE IN THE LAST, UH, BUDGET CYCLE.
THIS ALSO INCLUDES, AS MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD, A 32.7 BILLION, UH, SURPLUS.
THAT'S, UH, PRIMARILY DUE TO THE ECONOMIC GROWTH, GAS PRICES, INFLATION, UM, AND ET CETERA.
AND REVENUE, UH, FOR THE STATE.
UM, THERE ARE SPECIAL, THERE ARE SPENDING CAPS ASSOCIATED, UM, THAT THE LEGISLATURE MUST ADHERE TO.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THEIR SPENDING LIMITS TO BE LIMITED TO ABOUT, UH, 12.3%, UM, OVER THE SPENDING LIMIT OF THE CURRENT BIENNIUM.
THAT EQUALS TO ABOUT $12.5 BILLION OVER THE NEXT, UM, TWO YEARS.
SO THERE WILL BE MANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW TO SPEND THAT SURPLUS FUNDING.
WE'RE STILL HEARING THAT THE GOVERNOR AND THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WANT TO PUT SOME OF THAT MONEY INTO PROPERTY, UH, TAX RELIEF FOR TEXANS.
SO WE'LL WAIT AND REMAIN TO SEE HOW THAT RECONCILES AS THEY NEGOTIATE, UM, MOVING FORWARD, UM, IN THOSE NEGOTIATIONS AT THE TOP OF, UH, SPEAKER FEELINGS, PRIORITIES, AND HE NAMED A FEW, I'LL SHARE WITH YOU A FEW OF THEM HERE TODAY.
UM, SURPLUS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, ONE-TIME INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, HE AGREES ON THAT.
UM, POTENTIAL POSSIBILITY AS WELL.
UH, THERE'S A HEALTHCARE ITEM THAT HE MENTIONED YESTERDAY, GIVING PATIENTS CONTROL OVER OVER HEALTHCARE.
SO WE'LL SEE WHAT, WHAT THAT, UM, UNFOLDS TO BE.
HE ALSO MENTIONED CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, DA ACCOUNTABILITY, AND PUBLIC SAFETY AS PART OF HIS, UH, PRIORITIES.
AND A COUPLE MORE, UH, SAFER SCHOOLS, SO SCHOOL SAFETY FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.
AND THEN LASTLY, ADDRESSING THREATS, UM, TO THE POOREST BORDER.
SO, UM, SOME OF THESE ITEMS ARE GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO TRACK VERY, VERY CLOSELY.
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AND SO WE'LL BE REPORTING, UH, BACK TO YOU, UH, PERIODICALLY, UH, DURING THESE MEETINGS.THAT'S, UH, ESSENTIALLY THE HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, GA STAFF IS TRACKING ABOUT 334, UH, POTENTIAL CITY IMPACT BILLS RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'RE ONLY AT THE 300 RANGE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING OKAY SO FAR.
A HOUSE HAS FILED 1300 BILLS, APPROXIMATELY AND CLOSE TO 400 ON THE SENATE SIDE.
WE'RE TRACKING THOSE, AND WE'LL BE REPORTING TO YOU ON THOSE CRITICAL BILLS, UM, AS THEY BEGIN TO BE HEARD, UM, IN MID-MARCH WHEN THE HEARINGS START GETTING SCHEDULED.
UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO TROY.
ONE, ONE QUESTION BEFORE YOU STEP AWAY.
THE DA ACCOUNTABILITY HAS, HAVE BILLS ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED? NO, NO, NO BILLS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED YET.
THIS IS JUST PART OF THE WISHLIST, UH, BASED ON THE REMARKS THAT THE SPEAKER MADE YESTERDAY DETERMINE.
AND, AND IN RESPONSE TO DAS AROUND THE STATE SAYING THEY, THEY WON'T ENFORCE CERTAIN SURE.
STATE LAWS, IT'S REACTION TO THAT, I THINK.
UH, GOOD MORNING CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
MY NAME'S TROY ELLIOT, I'M THE DEPUTY CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, AND THIS MORNING I'LL BE PRESENTING A PROPOSED 2023 LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE FOR THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE AND POLICE PENSION FUND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLY APPROVING THAT, MOVING THAT TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION BEFORE MOVING INTO THE, THE PACKAGE ITSELF.
JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, CONTEXT.
UH, THE FIRE AND POLICE PENSION FUND IS A STATUTORY FUND IS A CREATURE OF STATUTE.
SO EVERYTHING IS REALLY GOVERNED BY STATE STATUTE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE, UM, FROM THE POWERS AND THE GOVERNANCE TO THE MEMBERSHIP CONTRIBUTIONS, THE BENEFITS OF THE MEMBERS AND THEIR BENEFICIARIES, AS WELL AS WHAT THEY CAN INVEST IN THE FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES OF THAT FUND.
UM, I THINK, AS Y'ALL MENTIONED, WE HAVE TWO, UH, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL THAT WILL BE SITTING ON THAT BOARD, AS WELL AS ONE DESIGNEE FROM THE, THE MAYOR.
THE BOARD IS ALSO COMPRISED OF FOUR ACTIVES FROM BOTH FIRE AND POLICE, AND TWO RETIREES FROM FIRE AND POLICE.
SO A BOARD COMPOSITION OF NINE.
THAT BOARD, UM, IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, THEY, UM, APPROVED A PACKAGE FOR, UM, CONSIDERATION, UM, BY THE LEGISLATURE.
THE, AND I'LL GO THROUGH THE DETAILS OF THAT PACKAGE HERE IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES IN MORE DETAIL.
UM, THERE WAS ONE COMPONENT OF THAT PACKAGE THAT WE AS A CITY WANTED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OVER, AND SO WORKED WITH THE PENSION FUND TO ACTUALLY HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
AND, UM, THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT TO THAT PACKAGE THAT WAS PROPOSED TO, UH, ACTUALLY THIS MONDAY TO THE PENSION FUND LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
THEY APPROVED THAT AMENDMENT AND THAT WILL BE FORWARDED TO THEIR FULL BOARD ON JANUARY 31ST.
AND I'LL GO INTO THE DETAILS OF THAT HERE IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES.
FOR PURPOSES OF THE PRESENTATION, I CARVED UP THE PACKAGE REALLY INTO FOUR DIFFERENT BUCKETS, OR FOUR DIFFERENT AREAS, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES, UM, DEATH CAUSED OR ABETT BY A SURVIVOR.
UM, CLARIFICATION OF THE KILL, THE LINE OF DUTY DEFINITION, AND THEN THE AREA THAT HAD A LOT OF FOCUS OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS WHERE WE HAVE, UM, A PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT IS INCREASING THE NON-LINE OF DUTY DEATH BENEFIT FOR THE ANNUITY DEATH BENEFIT ANNUITY.
THE FIRST AREA IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES.
THESE BASICALLY JUST UPDATE THE VERBIAGE TO PROVIDE BETTER CLARIFICATION.
HIGH LEVEL, VERY GENERAL IN NATURE, PROVIDES CLARITY OF LANGUAGE, ALIGNS WITH FEDERAL LAW, AND EXPANDS ON DEFINED TERMS. AND IN ORDER TO PROVIDE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT LANGUAGE IS DOING, ONE AREA IS PROBABLY THE BEST AREA TO HIGHLIGHT IS SURVIVOR BENEFITS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE CURRENT LANGUAGE IN THE STATE STATUTE BASICALLY SAYS THAT THE PENSION FUND MUST, MUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION FOR SURVIVOR BENEFITS, THE DEPENDENT STATUS OF A CHILD ON THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX RETURN.
UM, IN THEORY, I THINK THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT WORKS IN PRACTICE, NOT SO MUCH.
I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES A PENSION FUND HAS HAD IS THAT WHEN IT COMES TO DETERMINING THE DEPENDENT STATUS OF A CHILD FOR SURVIVOR BENEFITS, IS THAT FREQUENTLY, UM, PARENTS WHEN THEY'RE DIVORCED, THEY WILL, UM, BASICALLY ALTERNATE THE DEPENDENT STATUS OF THAT CHILD.
SO DEPENDING ON WHEN THE MEMBER PASSES, IF THAT FEDERAL INCOME TAX RETURN DOES NOT CLASSIFY THEM AS A DEPENDENT, THEY MAY NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR SURVIVOR BENEFITS.
SO THAT LANGUAGE HAS BEEN REMOVED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE SURVIVOR'S CHILDREN DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO BENEFIT AS A SURVIVOR.
SO I WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU THAT, AND THERE'S MANY MORE IN THERE, BUT THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF KIND OF SOME OF THE ADMIN ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES.
I'M, I'M SPEAKING TO THIS NEXT AREA.
I MEAN, IT REALLY IS COMMON SENSE, BUT IT'S KIND OF A, A LAPSE OR A LOOPHOLE IN THE CURRENT STATE STATUTE.
THIS IS A NEW STATUTORY PROVISION, UM, DEATH CAUSE OR ABED BY A SURVIVOR.
THIS WOULD RESULT IN THE DENIAL OF BENEFITS.
BASICALLY, IT PRECLUDES A PERSON FROM RECEIVING BENEFITS IF THAT PERSON IS A PRINCIPAL OR AN ACCOMPLICE AND A WILLFUL ACT THAT RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF A MEMBER OR A BENEFICIARY.
SO IF I AS A BENEFICIARY KILLED OR CAUSED THE DEATH OF THAT MEMBER,
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I SHOULD NOT BENEFIT FROM THAT ACTION OR THAT CRIMINAL ACTION.SO, AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS KIND OF COMMON SENSE.
IT BASICALLY CLOSES THAT LOOPHOLE AND PROVIDES THE BOARD THE ABILITY TO DENY THOSE BENEFITS IN THE EVENT THAT SOMEONE CAUSES A DEATH OR, UM, CONTRIBUTES TO THE DEATH OF A MEMBER OR BENEFICIARY.
SO THIS PROVIDES THE BOARD THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION BASED ON THE FACTS OF THE, OF THE SITUATION.
AND WE SUPPORT THIS, UM, THIS PROVISION.
THE THIRD AREA IS REALLY CLARIFYING THE KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY DEFINITION.
THE CURRENT STATUTE BASICALLY SAYS THAT, UM, THE BOARD SHALL CONSIDER THE FINDINGS OF A MUNICIPALITY THAT A MEMBER WAS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
THAT CAN BE SOMEWHAT PROBLEMATIC 'CAUSE THAT DETERMINATION, SOME MAY TAKE SOME TIME DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, WORKERS' COMP AND, AND WORKING WITH THE STATE.
BUT THIS GIVES THEM SOME MORE FLEXIBILITY.
AND THE DEFINITION OR CLARIFICATION BASICALLY PROVIDES THAT A MEMBER OF THE FUND IS TO HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A LINE OF DUTY IF A MEMBER'S DEATH DIRECTLY RESULTED FROM TRAUMATIC INJURY SUSTAINED WHILE ENGAGING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY, THE STATUTE OR PROPOSED LANGUAGE, ALSO FURTHER DEFINED A TRAUMATIC INJURY TO MEAN A SEVERE PHYSICAL INJURY OF SUDDEN ONSET OF A LIFE ENDING OR A LIFE-THREATENING NATURE.
SO, REALLY DEFINES THAT KILLED IN LINE OF DUTY BENEFIT.
AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS IN A SECOND, BUT THAT KILLED IN LINE OF DUTY.
THE BENEFIT FOR THE DEATH IS EQUIVALENT TO A HUNDRED PERCENT, UM, IN THAT DEATH BENEFIT ANNUITY VERSUS 50% IN THE STATUTE TODAY FOR A NON-LINE OF DUTY DEATH.
SO AFTER WORKING WITH THE PENSION FUND AND UNDERSTANDING THIS, WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF THIS AS WELL AND BE RECOMMENDING THIS FOR INCLUSION IN THE PACKAGE.
THE LAST AREA OR LAST BUCKET I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION IS THE NON-LINE OF DUTY DEATH BENEFIT ANNUITY.
THE CURRENT PENSION STATUTE PROVIDES A DEATH BENEFIT ANNUITY OF A MINIMUM OF 50% FOR ALL NINE OF NON LINE OF DUTY DEATHS VERSUS A LINE OF DUTY DEATH, WHICH IS A HUNDRED PERCENT.
UM, THAT'S A MINIMUM 'CAUSE IN THE EVENT BASED ON YEARS OF SERVICE.
IF YOU HAVE MORE YEARS OF SERVICE THAT, THAT REQUIRE A ANNUITY GREATER THAN 50%, THEN THAT WOULD BE APPLICABLE.
WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
AS I MENTIONED IN LATE SEPTEMBER, THE BOARD APPROVED A PACKAGE, UM, AND THE PACKAGE THEY APPROVED WITH RESPECT TO THIS NON-LINE OF DUTY DEATH BENEFIT MOVED FROM A MINIMUM OF 50% FOR ALL NON-LINE OF DUTY DEATHS AND FOCUSED ON SPECIFICALLY TWO TYPES OF DEATHS MOVING TO 75% FOR, UM, DEATHS SPECIFIC TO CANCER AND TO COVID.
UM, WE WANTED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND WORK A LITTLE FURTHER AND LOOKING THROUGH OTHER OPTIONS, UM, WE WANTED TO EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS BECAUSE IF THAT PACKAGE, UM, STAYED IN PLACE, YOU WOULD HAVE A MINIMUM OF 50% FOR ALL NON NON-LINE OF DUTY DEATHS.
YOU'D HAVE WHAT, UM, I GUESS I REFER TO AS A CARVE OUT FOR COVID AND FOR CANCER AT 75%, AND THEN YOU'D HAVE KILLED IN LINE OF DUTY AT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
SO WE REALLY WANTED TO EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS THAT DID NOT SPECIFY A TYPE OF DEATH.
UM, I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT OUR PRICE ON A TYPE OF DEATH VERSUS, UM, ALL DEATHS.
SO WORK WITH THE PENSION FUND, UM, WORK WITH THEIR ACTUARIES, PROVIDE US WITH A NUMBER OF BENEFITS.
AFTER LOOKING AT THOSE OPTIONS.
UM, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE PENSION FUNDS BOARD APPROVED LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE LAST SEPTEMBER BE AMENDED TO INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN THE MINIMUM DEATH BENEFIT OF 50% TO A MINIMUM OF 75% FOR ALL NON-LINE OF DUTY DEATHS AND NOT SPECIFY THE TYPE OF DEATH AS COVID OR CANCER.
AS I MENTIONED, WE WANTED TO LOOK AT WITH THIS INCREASE IN BENEFIT, WHAT IS THE COST OF THIS BENEFIT INCREASE? UM, SO WE WORKED WITH THE PENSION FUND TO, UM, END THEIR ACTUARIES AND, UM, ESTIMATED THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF MOVING FROM A 50% TO A 75% FOR ALL NON-LINE OF DUTY DEATHS THAT WOULD INCREASE THE FUND'S TOTAL PROJECTED ACTUARIALLY ACCRUED LIABILITY BY $14.8 MILLION.
$14.8 MILLION SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WHEN YOU PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, IN CONTEXT FOR THE TOTAL FUND, I MEAN, THE TOTAL FUND HAS A TOTAL ACTUARIALLY ACCRUED LIABILITY OF $4.3 BILLION.
THEY ALSO HAVE ASSETS TO OFFSET THAT, THAT OFFSET THAT LIABILITY TO TUNE OF 3.8 BILLION.
SO THEY HAVE AN UNFUNDED AMOUNT OF ABOUT 496 MILLION WITHOUT THE INCLUSION OF THIS BENEFIT INCREASE.
SO WHILE 14.8 MILLION SOUNDS LIKE A LOT MATERIALLY, IT'S NOT MATERIAL TO THE FUND.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AS WE, UM, ALSO LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF THIS BENEFIT INCREASE, ONE OF THE TRUE MEASURES IS, WAS IT DUE TO THE AMORT AMORTIZATION OF THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY? AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE, GIVEN ALL THE ASSUMPTIONS BY THE ACTUARY, UM, HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO PAY OFF THE LIABILITY WITHOUT THIS BENEFIT CHANGE TAKES ABOUT 13.57 YEARS BASED ON THE ACTUAL RESULTS.
PUTTING THIS IN PLACE, IT WOULD EXTEND THAT PAYOFF ABOUT LESS THAN HALF, LESS THAN A YEAR TO 0.8
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YEARS, EXTENDING THAT AMORTIZATION TO 14.37, UM, YEARS, AND WORKING WITH THE PENSION FUND.UM, AS I MENTIONED, THEIR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE HEARD THIS ON MONDAY.
THEY'RE MOVING THIS FORWARD TO THE FULL BOARD FOR THEIR APPROVAL ON JANUARY 31ST AND WORKING WITH THEM.
ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS ARE ALSO IN AGREEMENT WITH THESE CHANGES AS WELL BEING THE FIRE AND POLICE PENSION UNIONS AND THEIR MEMBERSHIP.
AND SO WITH THAT PRESENT WITH THIS PRESENTATION, I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE AMEND THE CITY STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM TO INCLUDE OUR SUPPORT FOR THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE AND POLICE PENSION FUNDS LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL AS AMENDED AND CONTINGENT UPON APPROVAL BY THE PENSION FUNDS BOARD, UM, APPROVAL ON JANUARY 31ST CHAIR SHARP PRESENTATION.
UM, WE HAVE MEMBERS FROM THE FUND HERE AS WELL.
WARREN SHOT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, SO BEFORE WE GO, UH, TO QUESTIONS, I, IF WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE PENSION FUND, IF, UH, IF IF YOU HEARD THE PRESENTATION AND YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING TO IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE FULL CONTEXT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO SO.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SAN ANTONIO FARM POLICE PENSION FUND.
I'VE BEEN AT THE FUND FOR 25 YEARS NOW.
UH, AS TROY MADE HIS COMMENTS, I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING OTHER TO ADD OTHER THAN IT HAS BEEN GREAT WORKING WITH THE CITY, WITH TROY AND VICTORIA, UH, WITH FOREIGN POLICE UNIONS, UH, WITH THE PENSIONERS ASSOCIATION ALSO TO COME TO THIS AGREEMENT.
UH, WE HAVEN'T GONE TO AUSTIN IN OVER 10 YEARS TO MAKE ANY CHANGES.
UH, SO IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE WHERE WHEN IT TAKES THIS MUCH WORK TO GET SOMETHING DONE, IT FEELS GOOD.
WHEN YOU GET IT TOGETHER AND, AND EVERYBODY ON BOARD AND EVERYBODY'S HAPPY, IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY.
UH, SO DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING OTHER TO ADD OTHER THAN IT'S, IT'S WORKED OUT WELL FOR THE FUND.
THE CITY CAME TO US, UH, TO MAKE THESE CHANGES.
THE BOARD'S IN FULL APPROVAL OF IT.
UH, AS TROY SAID, WE'RE GONNA BE GOING TO THE BOARD AT THE END OF JANUARY, FULLY EXPECT IT TO BE A UNANIMOUS DECISION TO SUPPORT THIS GOING FORWARD.
UH, AND AGAIN, WE'D APPRECIATE THE CITY'S SUPPORT ON THIS ALSO.
AND I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
JUST MY FIRST COMMENT, UM, AND I THINK THERE'LL BE UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT ON THIS ONE, IS THAT WE'VE TAKEN THIS REALLY SERIOUSLY AND WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY.
UM, WE, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE SEEN, UH, JEFF COYLE AND SALLY AND TROY AND ERIC WALSH AND MARIA MOVE VERY QUICKLY TO GET THIS DONE RIGHT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT, UH, WE HAVE GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S A, IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY.
AND WE DO THAT BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A, A SACRED OBLIGATION TO THE, YOUR BENEFICIARIES, RIGHT? TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY AND THEIR FAMILIES, UH, ARE OKAY AFTER A LIFETIME OF SERVICE.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, WHY DON'T WE START WITH OUR, OUR CURRENT BOARD MEMBER, UH, COUNCILMAN ROCHE GARCIA, THANK YOU CHAIR.
AND I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS, AND SO, AND, AND WARREN KNOWS, AND, UM, THANK YOU TO ERIC AND, AND, AND BEN AND MARIA AND THE TEAM BECAUSE, UM, I'LL TELL YOU ALL A, A STORY OF HOW I GOT SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.
A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE HAD A WIDOW COME TO US, AND, UM, HER HUSBAND, A POLICE OFFICER HAD PASSED AWAY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS IN THE LINE OF DUTY BECAUSE HE CONTRACTED COVID.
AND, UM, SHE CAME TO US TO, TO THE PENSION BOARD, AND WE HAD TO TURN HER AWAY FOR BENEFITS.
AND IT WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST VOTES OF MY LIFE.
I WAS JUST IN TEARS AFTERWARDS.
I RAN OFF REALLY QUICKLY, AND I JUST, I, I FELT REALLY, REALLY BAD.
AND, UM, I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT IT WASN'T CONSIDERED, UH, IN THE LINE OF DUTY IF, IF HE HAD CONTRACTED COVID THEN AND THERE.
AND SO, UM, I WAS, I WAS JUST DEVASTATED FOR DAYS AND, UM, WHEN THIS, AND, AND SO I IMMEDIATELY SAID, WE NEED TO PUT THIS ON OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT ON THERE.
AND SO, UM, THEY, AND, AND THEY WERE ALREADY ALL OVER IT BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST AN AWESOME TEAM.
AND THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH, COUNCILMAN, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS AS SOON AS WE CAN.
WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH THE CITY.
AND SO, UM, ERIC, OR I THINK IT WAS, UH, BEN THAT CALLED ME, AND HE HAD SOME, SOME CONCERNS INITIALLY.
AND I SAID, BEN, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
LIKE, LET ME TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.
AND I WAS ABOUT TO CRY AGAIN WHEN HE, YOU KNOW, HAD NOT SO GOOD NEWS.
AND THEN THEY WENT BACK AND THEY TALKED TO THE ACTUARIES, AND THEY TALKED TO THE TEAM.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT IT'S HIGH TIME THAT, THAT WE DO INCLUDE THIS, SAY THEY WERE SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND SO AT ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES IN THE COMMUNITIES, UM, LIFE, OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, THEY STEPPED UP AND, UM, LOST LIVES, RIGHT? AND, UH, TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE GET TO ADD THIS ON TODAY.
AND THEN, UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO ACTIVELY SUPPORT.
RIGHT? AND SO, I MEAN, I, I CAN SEE THAT WIDOW'S FACE WITH HER CHILDREN, AND I COULD SEE THEIR TEARS STILL.
AND, UM, I'M TELLING YOU, IT WAS JUST, IT, IT WAS
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HAUNTING TO, TO, TO ME, UM, AFTER THAT.AND SO I, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO TO TESTIFY AND SUPPORT OR ANY LETTERS THAT THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, NEEDED.
BUT ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO, AND I'M SURE THAT ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL FEEL THE SAME WAY.
AND THEN MY ONLY QUESTION IS, HAVE OTHER FIRE AND POLICE PENSION FUNDS MADE SIMILAR ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES THAT WE'RE AWARE ABOUT WARREN? SO ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES, MOST OF THE CHANGES WE'RE MAKING ARE DEALING WITH I R S STATUTE THAT HAVE CHANGED OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS THAT WE HAVEN'T GONE UP TO CHANGE OUR STATUTE.
SO MOST OF THE FUNDS HAVE MADE THOSE CHANGES BEFORE.
SO THOSE ARE THE ONES WE NEED TO MAKE WITH YOU, SARAH.
WE NEED TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
UH, FOR DEATH BENEFITS, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY GOING UP TO 75% LIKE WE'RE DOING, COVERING, YOU KNOW, CANCER AND COVID.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER FUNDS TAKING THAT ON YET.
AND THEN, AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR THE CANCER.
'CAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD EVER SINCE I GOT ON COUNCIL FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND SO, UM, THINGS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TOO.
UM, I'VE HEARD IT MORE FROM FIREFIGHTERS, BUT I HAVE HEARD IT FROM POLICE AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, JUST AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, ALL OF YOUR ADVOCACY AND THANK YOU.
I SEE, UM, THE FIRE UNION IS HERE IN ATTENDANCE, ALWAYS SUPPORTIVE THIS, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THOSE ARE MY ONLY COMMENTS, AND I WILL ADD ONE MORE, ONE MORE TALKING ABOUT CANCER.
THAT WE ARE, INCLUDING CANCER, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE CONCLUDING ALL DEATHS.
AND, AND AS TROY MENTIONED, THE CITY HAD SOME ISSUES.
AND, AND HONESTLY, SOME, SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS DID ALSO WITH US COVERING CANCER AND COVID, IT WAS, IT WAS JUST THOSE TWO THAT WERE GONNA BE COVERED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS FOR THE ACTIVE MEMBER DEATHS ON THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'VE EITHER DIED FROM CANCER, FROM COVID OR SUICIDE.
THOSE ARE THE DEATHS FOR ACTIVE MEMBERS THE LAST TWO YEARS.
SO SUICIDE WAS GETTING LEFT OUT.
SO WITH THIS CHANGE, WE ARE GONNA BE INCLUDING ALL OF THOSE.
AND, AND WE KNOW IN THE POLICE AND THE SUICIDES, MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN ON THE POLICE SIDE, SO THEY WILL ALL BE GETTING COVERED THERE.
THERE AGAIN, THEIR WIDOWS AND THE ORPHANS WILL BE COVERED IN THIS BENEFIT.
SO, AGAIN, YEAH, WE ALL FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING.
YOU ASKED A SPECIFIC QUESTION, COUNCILMAN, ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO AS FAR AS ADVOCACY GOES, JEFF.
WELL, THE BIGGEST THING THAT YOU ALL CAN DO IS, UH, APPROVE THIS AMENDMENT AND THEN HAVE THE COUNCIL APPROVE THE AMENDMENT, BECAUSE THEN IT'LL BE IN OUR AGENDA THAT WE SUPPORT IT.
AND THE WAY IT'LL WORK UP THERE IS THAT THE MEMBERS THAT THE PENSION FUND TALKS TO ABOUT FILING THE BILLS, AND I KNOW THEY'RE ALREADY TALKING, A BIPARTISAN MIX OF MEMBERS WILL COME TO US AND ASK US WHERE WE STAND SINCE WE ARE A FUNDER OF THE FUND, ESSENTIALLY.
UH, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO POINT TO THAT AND SAY, WE'RE IN FULL SUPPORT.
I WOULD SUSPECT THAT, UM, THAT THIS WILL GET A LOT OF SUPPORT UP THERE, THAT IT WON'T BE A DIFFICULT FIGHT.
BUT IF IT DOES, AND THERE ARE COMMITTEE HEARINGS THAT ARE CHALLENGING AND SO FORTH, WE'LL NOTE YOUR INTEREST IN IT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE YOU AWARE WELL IN ADVANCE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE UP THERE.
BUT BIGGEST THING IS THE LANGUAGE IN OUR PROGRAM SAYING WE'RE IN ALIGNMENT AND LOCKSTEP.
IF YOU REMEMBER SENATOR MENENDEZ AT OUR LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST, HIS CLOSING REMARKS WERE, DON'T BRING LOCAL FIGHTS UP HERE, WORK THINGS OUT LOCALLY, AND COME TO US.
AND WE'RE, WE'VE DONE THAT HERE.
SO I THINK EVERYONE'S GONNA BE HAPPY WITH, WITH THE OUTCOME AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, CHAIR.
UH, THANK YOU CITY STAFF AND TEAM FOR Y'ALL'S WORK ON THIS LANGUAGE AND ENSURING THAT WE SUPPORT THE FAMILIES OFFICERS.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS ITEM.
UH, THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO'S PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST SPECIFICALLY THANK JOE AND JAVIT AND, AND JOE, BOTH JOES, UM, FOR BEING HERE REPRESENTING THE FIREFIGHTERS TODAY.
UH, AND OF COURSE, WARREN FROM THE, THE, THE FUND, THE THE FUND.
AND, AND FRANK, UM, I WENT TO THE, THE PENSION COMMITTEE, LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING ON MONDAY.
AND JUST TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A FEEL FOR WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO, UM, BE DOING AND, AND HEARING TODAY.
AND, AND OF COURSE, UM, AT THE END OF THE MONTH, I'LL BE, UH, SWORN IN AS A ONE OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR THE BOARD MEMBERS, I'M SORRY.
UM, AND I, I REALLY AM SPECIFICALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE, THE, THE PARTICULAR CHANGE TO 75%.
UH, I THINK, UM, ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, UM, ON BEHALF OF OUR, OUR, REALLY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S, IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE A COMPROMISE.
AND IT'S REALLY SAYING SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE AND SUPPORTING IT.
I THINK THAT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO DO, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS ULTIMATELY BETTER HELP OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND THEIR FAMILY.
AND THAT'S NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S AT THE, I THINK, REALLY THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND SO I'M GRATEFUL THAT, UH, WE'LL BE A SMALL PART OF THIS AT I G R AND THEN OF COURSE AT COUNCIL, AND I'D LIKE TO BE AVAILABLE TO TESTIFY IF THAT'S EVEN, YOU KNOW, UM, NECESSARY.
HOPEFULLY, UH, WE WON'T, IT'LL GO OFF WITHOUT A HITCH AT THE LEDGE, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT IT'S A BIG SHOW OF STRENGTH AND SUPPORT THAT, THAT EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE.
I ALSO, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE THE CLOSING OF THE LOOP AND, AND REALLY ADAPTING TO KIND OF, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SOCIETY NOW AND REMOVING THE TAX DEPENDENT, UM, UH, REQUIREMENT.
[00:25:01]
I THINK THAT'S, IT SEEMS LIKE A SMALL THING MAYBE, BUT TO FAMILIES IT CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN A LOT OF, UH, UH, LESS PAPERWORK AND, AND, UH, GETTING THEIR, THEIR BENEFITS FASTER FOR THOSE FAMILIES.I AM CURIOUS, SO IS IT AT ALL RETROACTIVE? UM, THINKING ABOUT THE WIDOW THAT, YOU KNOW, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, RICHARD GARCIA WAS TALKING ABOUT, IS, IS IT GONNA BE JUST GOING FORWARD ONCE THE LEG APPROVES, OR NO, THAT'S A, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION I FAILED TO MENTION, BUT AS FAR AS THE DEATH BENEFIT, IT'S, IT'S RETROACTIVE BACK TO 2005, BUT THE BENEFIT WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL SEPTEMBER OF 2023.
UM, SO IT WOULD NOT BE A CATCHUP, BUT COME SEPTEMBER, 2023 FOR ANYBODY WHO HAD DEATHS AFTER 2005 WOULD BE ELIGIBLE PERSPECTIVELY.
WILL THEY HAVE TO COME BACK AND REAPPLY FOR IT, OR IS THERE A OKAY.
I THINK IT'LL BE ALL THAT, IT'S GONNA MAKE IT.
MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO MAINTAIN, UH, OR RECEIVE THOSE BENEFITS.
UH, AGAIN, I CAN'T EXPRESS ENOUGH HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, ULTIMATELY, REALLY TO HELP OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND OUR FAMILY, BECAUSE WHEN WE HELP OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND THEIR, AND THEIR FAMILIES, WE'RE HELPING OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, I, I, I DO THINK IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT THAT, UH, WHEN THE MEDIA COVERS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, POLICE AND FIRE, UH, OFTENTIMES THEY LOOK FOR THAT STORY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ANTAGONISTS AND PROTAGONISTS 'CAUSE IT'S EXCITING, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE REAL WORK.
AND, UH, TO ME, WHAT'S REALLY EXCITING IS WHEN WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO NEGOTIATE, UM, AND COME TO AGREEMENTS ON THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, AND THAT AREN'T AS SEXY AND SHINY AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ALLURING FOR PURPOSES OF, OF ARTICLES AND TV.
UM, AND I, I JUST WISH THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SAME ZEAL THAT THEY REPORT ON, ON, UH, THE, THE CONFLICTS AND FRICTION AND SPARKS, UM, I WISH THAT THEY WOULD ZEALOUSLY REPORT ON THINGS LIKE THIS, RIGHT? WHEN, UH, ALL OF US TOGETHER AGREE ON TAKING CARE OF, UH, OF FAMILIES WHEN, UH, THEY'RE AT THEIR MOST VULNERABLE.
UM, THERE YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND SO WITH THAT, UM, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
THANK YOU, UH, TO EVERYBODY FOR COMING.
AND, UH, THANK YOU, UH, MARIA GOMEZ FOR MAKING TIME.
UM, THE MEETING TOOK A SUDDEN TURN FOR THE CLASSY WHEN YOU WALKED IN
SO NOW WE WILL BE PIVOTING TO AN UPDATE TODAY, UM, FOR YOU AND THE COMMITTEE ON THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW.
AS PROMISED, WE WILL COME BEFORE YOU, UM, AS OFTEN AS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE YOU UPDATES ON THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW ACTIVITY.
UM, AND NOW WE ARE ADDING AN UPDATE AS WELL TO THE, UH, INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, OR AS WE REFER TO AS I R A.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE WAS SOME ACTIVITY IN CONGRESS IN DECEMBER RELATED TO THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET, UM, THE APPROPRIATION CYCLE, AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THAT AS WELL TODAY.
UM, A MUCH GREATER FOCUS ON A SPECIFIC GRANT WILL BE RELATED TO THE BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES GRANT THAT WE PROVIDED YOU FUNDING UPDATES ON PREVIOUSLY, UM, TITLED BRICK.
AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING SPECIFIC DETAILS ON THE COSA APPLICATION THAT OUR PUBLIC WORKS AND OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAMS, OUR COLLECTIVELY WORKING TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT.
SO, A QUICK LOOK HERE, UH, CONGRESS LAST MONTH, ON DECEMBER 29TH, UH, PASSED, UM, AND WAS ABLE TO SIGN INTO LAW THROUGH THE PRESIDENT'S APPROVAL, THE APPROPRIATIONS OR FUNDING PACKAGE FOR F Y 23.
UM, BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, UH, THIS FUNDING PACKAGE, UH, PROVIDES ALL THE FEDERAL DISCRETIONARY FUNDING FOR THE FEDERAL AGENCIES, UM, THAT IS COMING OUT OF THE 12 APPROPRIATIONS, UH, BILLS, UH, IN CONGRESS.
SO, UM, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT, UH, TO PASS THIS BILL.
WE NEVER LIKE CONTINUING RESOLUTIONS, BECAUSE THEN THAT LEAVES THE FUNDING AT FUNDING REGULAR FUNDING LEVEL WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL NEW FUNDING.
AND YOU'LL SEE HERE, UM, SOME GREAT NEWS, UH, REGARDING TWO SPECIFIC CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, APPROPRIATIONS REQUESTS THAT WE SUBMITTED THROUGH OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION MEMBER.
A BIG THANKS TO CONGRESSMAN CASTRO.
UH, AS PART OF THE APPROPRIATIONS PACKAGE, UH, WE SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR $1.5 MILLION FOR THREE ELECTRIC BUSES FOR SURFACE TRANSPORTATION, UM, AT THE SAN ANTONIO AIRPORT.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, $483,900 FOR, UM, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THE GUARDIAN HOUSE, UM, TO ENHANCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION THROUGH THEIR TRIPLE P, UH, POSITIVE, UH, PREVENTION PROGRAM.
[00:30:01]
SO WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE AIRPORT TEAM AND WITH METRO HEALTH AND WITH THE GUARDIAN HOUSE, UH, TO PREPARE, UH, THESE SUBMISSIONS.UM, WITH THE SUPPORT OF CONGRESSMAN CASTRO OF SPECIAL NOTE.
UM, THESE WERE PREVIOUSLY CALLED EARMARKS, YOU MIGHT RECALL.
UM, THEY'RE NOW CALLED COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUESTS.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS, THIS IS A CONGRESSIONAL PROCESS FOR THE MEMBERS THEMSELVES.
SO, IN OTHER WORDS, UH, THESE PROJECTS, UH, HAVE TO BE VETTED, CONSIDERED, AND ULTIMATELY SPONSORED AND SUBMITTED BY THE MEMBER.
MEMBERS DO HAVE, UM, THEY HAVE HAD FUNDING CAPS.
UH, IT WAS 15 MILLION PER MEMBER IN THE LAST ROUND.
THE HOUSE AND SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE WILL DETERMINE THAT CRITERIA.
IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHAT THE REPUBLICAN LED APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES, UM, WILL DETERMINE.
UH, WE FORESEE THAT, UM, THEY WILL STICK AT LEAST ONE OTHER YEAR.
UH, YESTERDAY, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN KAY GRANGER WAS, UM, SELECTED AS THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS CHAIRWOMAN, UH, FELLOW TEXANS.
SO, UM, HOPEFULLY SHE WILL, UH, CONTINUE TO, UH, KEEP THE COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUEST PROCESS.
WE ARE HEARING THAT THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT AND REPORTING ASSOCIATED, WHICH, UM, OBVIOUSLY OUR DELEGATION MEMBERS ARE TOTALLY OKAY WITH.
UM, THE PROCESS HAS BEEN HANDLED IN A VERY TRANSPARENT MANNER, SO WE'LL BE GETTING SOME, UH, GREATER DETAIL AND DIRECTION FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS, UM, VERY, VERY SOON.
PIVOTING QUICKLY, UM, TO THE, JUST THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS PACKAGE, AFTER MANY WEEKS AND MONTHS OF COORDINATING WITH, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF SENATOR CORNYN, UH, CONGRESSMAN CUELLAR, CONGRESSMAN CASTRO, AND REALLY, UH, MOST OF THE DELEGATION TO PUT ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER BOARD.
UH, THERE'S 800 MILLION, INCLUDING FOR INCLUDED FOR THAT POT.
UM, WE STARTED AT 25 MILLION IN 2017.
SO WE'VE REALLY COME A LONG WAY.
THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR THIS.
WE, UH, DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS OF THE NEW PROGRAM.
THE NEW PROGRAM IS CALLED SHELTER IN SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM.
SO WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THE AGENCY TO TRY AND GET MORE DETAILS ON HOW THAT'S GOING TO, UM, BE MANAGED AT THE AGENCY LEVEL.
SO WE WILL DEFINITELY KEEP YOU POSTED THERE.
ULTIMATELY, THE GOOD NEWS ASSOCIATED WITH, UM, THE, THIS APPROPRIATIONS PACKAGE IS THAT THERE'S APPROXIMATELY A 5% IN INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD IN DISCRETIONARY FUNDING FOR DOMESTIC UH, SPENDING, AND ABOUT A 10% INCREASE FOR DEFENSE SPENDING THAT ULTIMATELY RECONCILES ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE INDIVIDUAL AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS. UH, SO WE ARE HOPING TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF A PLUS UP IN SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT COMES, UH, DIRECTLY TO THE CITY, AND THEN THROUGH SOME OF THOSE COMPETITIVE GRANTS.
UM, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, CONGRESS BEGAN LAST, UH, WEEK ON JANUARY 3RD, UH, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FIREWORKS.
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, OF COURSE, IS UNDER REPUBLICAN CONTROL, 2 22 TO TWO 13, A VERY SLIGHT, UH, MARGIN, UM, THAT MADE, UM, KEVIN MCCARTHY, UH, THAT GAVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ELECTED SPEAKER AFTER 15 VOTES, UM, JUST A FEW DAYS AGO.
SO THAT, UH, PROCESS, UH, IS ONGOING AND WE'LL BE LOOKING OUT FOR THE HOUSE RULES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AS WELL.
GOOD NEWS THAT WE WANTED TO PUT IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE, UH, APPROPRIATIONS FUNDING THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUESTS THAT WERE MADE, UM, AND INCLUDED BY OUR VARIOUS PARTNERS.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE CRITERIA IS VERY, UH, CURTAILED IN SPECIFIC.
THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE NORMALLY HAVE CAPS PER MEMBER, LIKE I SAID, AND YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF $1 MILLION, UH, COUPLE OF FEW, UH, $2 MILLION MARK.
AND THEN THERE'S A COUPLE OF, OF, UH, ONES AT, UH, FIVE, UH, 0.4 AND 5.5 MILLION.
THE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH, UH, FUNDING, UM, WAS THE MOST FLEXIBLE IN THE LAST ROUND.
UH, THE MAJORITY OF THEM YOU'LL SEE THAT ARE WITHIN TWO AND, AND, AND 1 MILLION AND A FEW, UM, IN THE 400,000, 300,000, 100,000, ET CETERA.
SO YOU SEE HERE THE LIST OF THE RECIPIENTS.
UM, THE BIG WINNER, OF COURSE, WHICH WE'RE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT IS JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO.
THIS IS PART OF THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS FUNDING CYCLE.
OUR PARTNERS, UM, HIGHER ED AT ST.
MARY'S, AS WELL AS TEXAS A AND M, UH, UT PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER, UH, IN UT SAN ANTONIO RECEIVED A, A REALLY GOOD AMOUNT OF FUNDING FOR SOME PROJECTS THAT YOU SEE, UH, ON THE PROJECT TITLE ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE COLUMN.
SO, AGAIN, THIS IS A, A, A PROCESS THAT IS, UH, VERY, VERY, UH, DEFINED
[00:35:01]
BY THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES AND IS LED AND SPONSORED BY THE CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS.UM, OUR, OUR TWO SENATORS DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING CYCLES.
SO WE DO RELY A LOT ON OUR HOUSE MEMBERS TO, UM, TRY TO ALIGN WITH THE CRITERIA THAT THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE SUBMIT AND TRY TO IDENTIFY, UM, WHAT ARE ARE THOSE POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT THEY WANNA SUBMIT ON BEHALF OF SAN ANTONIO.
NOW, PIVOTING TO THE BILL AND I R A UPDATE, WE CONTINUE TO KEEP TRACK VERY CLOSELY ON THE BILL AND I R A INFORMATION COMING OUT.
AS YOU KNOW, I R A WAS PASSED LATE IN 22.
UM, THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RELEASED AN UPDATED FORECAST OF GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND WHAT THAT DOES FOR US IS IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT THEIR FORECASTING FOR THE SPRING, THE SUMMER, THE FALL, AND THE WINTER.
AND SO AS WE COORDINATE WITH OUR PARTNERS AND OUR TRANSPORTATION, UH, DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF TAMIKA MONVILLE, WE'RE ABLE TO FORECAST OUT IN THE PROJECT IDENTIFICATION PROCESS AND BE ABLE TO BRING TO YOU, UH, QUICKLY WHEN THOSE NOTICES OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES OPEN UP.
UM, ON THE I R A FRONT, THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF CLEAN ENERGY INNOVATION AND IMPLEMENTATION.
THIS IS ESSENTIALLY GOING TO BE THE TEAM LED BY MR. JOHN PODESTA, TAPPED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN TO LEAD THIS PARTICULAR OFFICE.
HE'S ESSENTIALLY THE EQUIVALENT OF MITCH LANDRY.
Y'ALL REMEMBER THAT HE HAS, UM, A TEAM ALSO OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE THAT LEADS THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW, UH, ROLLOUT OF BILL.
SO, MR. PODESTA WILL BE DOING THE SAME.
HE WAS APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT IN DECEMBER, AND HE'S BUILDING HIS TEAM NOW.
WE'VE ALREADY OUTREACHED TO HIS OFFICE AND WILL BE, UH, DOING SOME MEET AND GREETS AND SOME COORDINATION TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE SAN ANTONIO, UM, ACTIVITY AND PRIORITIES AND COORDINATION HAPPENING HERE ON I R A.
THIS PARTICULAR OFFICE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, WE WANTED TO PUT BEFORE YOU HERE, SOME RECENT AND UPCOMING SAN ANTONIO APPLICATIONS.
YOU'VE HEARD US, UM, MENTION THESE TO YOU BEFORE.
WE'VE GOT THE SAFE STREETS, UH, FOR ALL.
UH, MORE ON THAT IN JUST A LITTLE BIT.
UH, PENDING APPLICATIONS, RAILROAD CROSSING, RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES, THAT'S PORT SAN ANTONIO, AS WELL AS A PLANNING, UH, FROM VIA.
THERE'S ALSO A RECONNECTING PLANNING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT U T S A.
UH, THE AIRPORT, UH, TERMINAL GRANT PROGRAM IS ALSO STILL PENDING, UH, FOR THE GROUND LOAD FACILITY.
AND STINSON, UH, REQUEST AT 45000003.2 MILLION FOR STINSON.
UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET SOME GOOD NEWS SOON.
WE DID HEAR IN DECEMBER THAT MANY OF THESE D O T, UH, GRANT PENDING APPLICATIONS, WE'LL PROBABLY START BEING MADE, UH, TILL PROBABLY FEBRUARY.
DOT'S A LITTLE BIT BEHIND, UH, THEIR NORMAL SCHEDULE.
AND THEN, UM, WITH MORE DETAILS HERE, FORTHCOMING HERE SHORTLY, IS THE BREAK APPLICATION THAT PUBLIC WORKS IN THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAVE BEEN COORDINATING ON, ON A REQUEST FOR 12.9 UH, MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THEN LASTLY, ALSO TO BE SUBMITTED, UM, UNDER E P A IS A RECYCLING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
UH, THESE ARE SMALLER GRANTS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO DO, UM, RESIDENTIAL OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ON RECYCLING EFFORTS.
SO, UM, OUR SOLID WASTE, UH, TEAM IS WORKING ON THIS ONE AS WELL.
SALLY, IF I COULD INTERRUPT REAL QUICK? SURE.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT FOR THE COMMITTEE, ALL OF THESE HAVE COME TO THIS COMMITTEE OR, AND, OR TRANSPORTATION OR ANOTHER COMMITTEE, BUT WE DO, WE'VE DONE THEM, YOU KNOW, IN ONE-OFFS WHEN THERE'S A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE, WE'RE GONNA START PRESENTING TO YOU REGULARLY A STATUS CHECK OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE PUT IN FOR, THAT ARE PENDING OR THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO APPLY FOR, SO THAT YOU HAVE A BROADER PICTURE OF OUR B I L AND I R A PURSUITS.
SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IS INTENDED TO BE.
MOVING ON TO THE FOCUS ON THE BRICK APPLICATION, JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, UM, THIS PARTICULAR GRANT OPPORTUNITY UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE FEMA DIVISION IS PRIMARILY FOR PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS TO IMPROVE RESILIENCY PROJECTS, UM, UH, FOR IN PREPARATION FOR NATURAL DISASTERS AND TO MITIGATE, UH, DAMAGE.
UH, THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW INCLUDED $1 BILLION, UH, FROM F Y 22 TO 26.
THAT'S THAT FIVE YEAR PERIOD, UM, THAT YOU'VE HEARD ME MENTION BEFORE.
UM, ONCE THE APPLICATION, UM, IS SUBMITTED, UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING RIGHT NOW WITH OUR, UH, CONSULTANTS.
WE HAVE FLAGGED THIS FOR OUR DELEGATION, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT, UH, THE CITY TEAMS ARE WORKING ON SUBMISSION FOR THIS.
UM, LIKE MOST OF THESE, UH, GRANTS, THEY'RE HIGHLY OVERSUBSCRIBED.
UH, AND SO WE'LL BE WORKING REALLY, REALLY, UM, AGGRESSIVELY TO GET IN FRONT OF THE AGENCY TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS PARTICULAR GRANT SUBMISSION.
IT WAS CREATED, UM, IN THE 2019
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CYCLE, I BELIEVE.AND, UM, IT WAS PRIMARILY TO ENSURE THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES HAD FUNDING, UM, AHEAD OF NATURAL DISASTERS OR, OR TO BE ABLE TO DO MITIGATION PLANNING.
THIS ALIGNS VERY CLOSELY WITH THE ADMINISTRATION'S GOAL TO TRY AND, UM, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITIES, UH, TO PLAN AND MITIGATE BEFORE NATURAL DISASTERS OR, YOU KNOW, FLOODING EVENTS HAPPEN.
UM, THE GRANT APPLICATION WAS RELEASED, UM, AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
AND, UH, THERE'S, UM, THERE WAS A, A DEADLINE BENCHMARK WITH THE, UH, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, TDO, UM, THEIR GRANTS, A DIRECTORATE.
WE HAD TO PRE-SUBMIT, UM, AN APPLICATION FOR REVIEW TO THEM ON DECEMBER 2ND.
UM, IT WAS, UM, INTENDED FOR THEIR REVIEW AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CRITERIA WAS MET OF HIGHLY TECHNICAL CRITERIA, A LOT OF VARIOUS, UM, REQUIREMENTS TO MEET.
AND ULTIMATELY, THERE WAS, UM, A PARTICULAR PROJECT THAT THEY APPROVED.
THE FINAL DUE DATE, UH, TO, UH, FEMA IS JANUARY 27TH OF THIS MONTH.
THE S A LOOK AT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION.
UH, THE, THE BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS SCORE, UH, 1.0 OR GREATER.
UH, THE PROJECT, UM, NEEDS TO BENEFIT AREAS WITH A SOCIAL VULNERABILITY INDEX, OR SS V I SCORE OF 0.6 OR GREATER.
UH, AND THE PROJECT MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN.
THAT'S A PLAN THAT OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UM, SUBMITS TO THE STATE.
SO THIS PROJECT, UM, NEEDED TO BE INCLUDED IN IN THAT PLAN.
UM, ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION IS BASED ON THE COMMUNITY IMPACT OF THE PROJECT.
YOU'VE HEARD ME MENTION THIS BEFORE, UM, REGARDING THE ADMINISTRATION'S PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE THAT PROJECTS ARE BENEFITING RESIDENTS, THE COMMUNITY, UM, ESPECIALLY AREAS, UM, THAT ARE IMPACTED THE GREATEST.
UH, IT REQUIRES A 25% CASH MATCH, UM, FOR THE PROJECTS.
AND THEN BASED ON GRANT REQUIREMENTS, UM, ONLY ONE PROJECT, UM, WAS DEEMED ELIGIBLE.
AND THIS IS THE CEILING CHANNEL.
UH, SOME PROJECT DETAILS HERE, UH, IT'S A MULTI PHASED PROJECT THAT'S ALWAYS WELCOMED, UH, BY THE AGENCIES BECAUSE IT'S A LOT EASIER TO WORK WITH A MULTI-FACED, UH, PROJECT DEPENDING ON JUST THE YEARS AND THE LAYERS.
AND THEN THE FUNDING FLEXIBILITY THAT COMES WITH A MULTI PHASED PROJECT.
PHASES FOUR TO FIVE, UH, 30.7 MILLION.
UH, THE FUNDING IDENTIFIED IS 17.8 MILLION.
THE PROJECT APPLICATION FUNDING REQUEST IS FOR 12.9 MILLION, AND THE CASH MATCH IS COVERED BY THE 2022 BOND.
THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE CEILING DRAINAGE PROJECT IS INSTALLATION OF A NEW UNDERGROUND, UH, STORM DRAIN SYSTEM, UH, TO HELP WITH FLOODING AND ROAD AND CHANNEL RECONSTRUCTION.
UM, THIS WILL REQUIRE REMOVAL OF UP TO 130 RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES FROM THE FLOODPLAIN.
AND THE PROJECT IS LOCATED, UM, IN COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, MR. CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE.
THIS IS, UM, THE CONCLUSION OF MY PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM, UM, AS WELL AS OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WE'RE AVAILABLE, UM, FOR ANY QUESTIONS NOW.
SO JEFF AND I WERE JUST, UM, WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER, UH, THE, UM, IN COMMENTING THAT JOHN PODESTA IN THE NINETIES WHEN HE WAS CHIEF OF STAFF FOR BILL CLINTON, UM, ENDED UP DEVELOPING A REALLY WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, SECRETARY CISNEROS.
UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, WE, WE MAY HAVE, UH, A CALLING CARD IN THE, UH, IN THE FORM OF THE SECRETARY, UH, WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO BROKER, YOU KNOW, UM, A FACE-TO-FACE AND MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP US ELEVATE OUR ASK.
SO WITH THAT, UM, LET, LET'S JUST GO AROUND THE TABLE AND ABSOLUTELY, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL.
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU, SALLY, FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, I'M TREMENDOUSLY THRILLED THAT A PROJECT IN DISTRICT SEVEN WILL BE SUBMITTED FOR GRANT CONSIDERATION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THIS PROJECT WOULD TAKE PLACE.
UM, REST ASSURED THAT IS NOT WHY IT IS BEING SUBMITTED.
I DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF PULL.
UM, BUT, UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, THIS IS A VERY, UH, CHALLENGED, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD IN, IN MANY WAYS.
IT'S IN THE 7 8 2 2 8 ZIP CODE, WHICH WE SHARE WITH, WITH DISTRICT FIVE.
UM, THIS IS, UM, I'M GONNA BREAK INTO MY CAMPAIGN STUMP SPEECH HERE.
UM, TOTALLY, TOTALLY LEGIT, UM,
UH, WHEN I MOVED BACK TO SAN ANTONIO IN 2015, AND I MOVED BACK INTO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD NEXT DOOR TO MY PARENTS, UM, WE STILL HAD A LOT OF THE SAME FLOODING PROBLEMS, UM, THAT WE HAD HAD WHEN I WAS A KID GROWING UP.
[00:45:01]
AND WE STILL, UH, HAD MANY STREETS WITHOUT SIDEWALKS.AND THE STREETS GET TORN UP REALLY BAD THERE BECAUSE OF THE WATER IN THAT AREA, AND IT'S OVER CLAY SOIL.
UM, AND I REMEMBER MOVING BACK HERE AND SEEING SO MANY OTHER WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENING IN SAN ANTONIO AND WONDERING WHEN WAS IT GOING TO BE OUR TURN TO, UH, TO REAP SOME OF THOSE BENEFITS THAT, THAT THE CITY WAS, WAS HAVING.
AND, UH, FORTUNATELY THIS, THE CITY HAS CONTINUED TO INVEST IN, IN THE CEILING CHANNEL PROJECT.
WE JUST COMPLETED PHASE THREE, BUT PHASES FOUR AND FIVE ARE, ARE ALSO GOING TO BE, UM, CRITICAL.
SO I'M JUST, UH, VERY GLAD TO, TO SEE IT MOVING FORWARD, AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN HELP.
THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN FOR THAT.
UM, I, I'M CURIOUS MORE ABOUT, UH, TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE, UM, AUTISM MOBILE ASSESSMENT THAT I, I GUESS IT'S A BLE, UM, THAT PROGRAM.
I JUST WANNA HEAR MORE ABOUT IT.
UM, SOMETHING THAT WE, I LEARNED IN ARPA, THE THE WAIT, THE WAIT TIME BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC FOR GETTING TESTING FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM OR POTENTIALLY HAVE AUTISM IS LIKE 18 MONTHS, WHICH CAN BE, UM, DEVASTATING TO THEIR, UH, THEIR PROGRESS IN 18 MONTHS, BUT ALSO THE PARENTS WAITING TO SEE IF THEIR CHILDREN HAVE SOMETHING THEY, THAT THEY NEED TO GET 'EM INTO SERVICES FOR.
UM, BUT ALSO THE APARTMENT REHABILITATION, I THINK IT WAS OPPORTUNITY HOME WAS GONNA GET THAT, UM, FUNDING.
SO I'M CURIOUS TO, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THOSE TWO PROGRAMS. UM, WHAT'S, AND THESE ARE, AND THIS IS, UM, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PITCHING TO PUT INTO THE, WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE, A ACCESS TO THIS MONEY.
LEMME CLARIFY THIS, COUNCILWOMAN, THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT THIS FUNDING HAS ALREADY OKAY.
BEEN APPROPRIATED THIS WILL APP INCLUDED IN THE DECEMBER CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATIONS BUDGET.
SO THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE MONEY HAS BEEN APPROVED BY CONGRESS.
UM, THE WAIT TIME WILL, WILL VARY.
UM, EACH OF THE AGENCIES NOW WILL RECEIVE, UM, THESE FUNDING REQUESTS FROM CONGRESS.
AND THEN DEPENDING ON THE AGENCY PROCESS, IT COULD TAKE UP TO THREE MONTHS, SOMETIMES MORE.
BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AND THEN FOR THE TWO REQUESTS FOR OURSELVES FOR THE AIRPORT, UM, AND FOR GUARDIAN HOUSE, WE'LL KEEP A REALLY CLOSE EYE.
UM, THE SPONSORING MEMBER IS CONGRESSMAN CASTRO.
SO HER STAFF IS ALWAYS VERY VIGILANT ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE AGENCY PUSHES OUT, UM, THE AWARD LETTER TO US AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND THE SAME WILL HAPPEN, UM, WITH, WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
THAT IS, WE CAN GET YOU GREAT.
CAN YOU DETAILS ON THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT AS WELL? OKAY.
COUNSEL WANTED ME TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
WE DIDN'T SUBMIT THESE ON BEHALF OF THESE GROUPS.
SO EACH MEMBER OF CONGRESS HAS A SOLICITATION OF, OF EARMARK IDEAS.
I KEEP USING THAT WORD JUST 'CAUSE IT'S EASIER.
UM, AND SO WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THESE, THESE WERE ALL SUBMITTED TO CASTRO'S OFFICE.
WE SUBMITTED SOME, ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF THESE ARE FROM CONGRESSMAN GONZALEZ AND CONGRESSMAN QUAY ARE ALSO, THE BULK ARE FROM CONGRESSMAN CASTRO BECAUSE HE REPRESENTS THE WHOLE CITY.
BUT WHEN THE BUDGET CAME OUT, WE COMBED IT FOR ALL THE SAN ANTONIO RELATED.
COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDS, AND WE WERE PRESENTING THAT TO YOU HERE AS A AWARENESS.
ALL THAT SAID, WE CAN CIRCLE WITH CASTRO'S OFFICE AND, UM, A AND M AND, AND GET MORE INFORMATION ON THAT PROGRAM TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
YEAH, I'D L I'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT.
AND ALSO, I IMAGINE THAT THE APARTMENT RE REHABILITATION, PARDON ME, UM, IS VERY INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS. I KNOW IN, UM, IN DISTRICT SIX AND SEVEN, WE SPECIFICALLY, WE'VE HAD THESE ISSUES WITH, UM, APARTMENT, UM, OWNERS WHO ARE NOT REALLY TAKING CARE OF THE FACILITIES.
I, I ASSUME THAT BECAUSE OPPORTUNITY HOME APPLIED FOR IT, THAT IT WOULD BE, UM, APARTMENTS OWNED BY OPPORTUNITY HOME.
BUT, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND MAYBELY, IT'S A MODEL WE CAN EMULATE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, SO I, I, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION, BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER SLIDE.
AM I RIGHT WHERE YOU WERE THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR? OR ARE THESE ALL ALREADY APPROPRIATED? YEAH, TWO, TWO SLIDES LATER ARE OUR, OUR, OUR CURRENT GRANT SNAPSHOT.
SO THOSE ARE THE I UNDERSTAND CURRENT APPLICATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
THANK YOU, SALLY, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THE COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, PARTICULARLY BY CONGRESSMAN TONY GONZALEZ.
I'M EXCITED FOR THAT ONE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT WAS DURING A B SESSION, UH, WHERE WE WERE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS SHIP, OR IN PLANNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WHERE, UH, I, I WAS ARGUING THAT WE NEEDED TO INVEST IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND OPPORTUNITY HOME.
AND JEFF, JEFF RESPONDED WITH, WELL, TONY GONZALEZ SITS ON THE HOUSING, UH, COMMITTEE OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, RIGHT ON THE APPROPRIATIONS AND, AND THE HOUSING COMMITTEE.
AND, UH, I, I WENT AHEAD AND REACHED OUT AND CONGRESSMAN TONY GONZALEZ SAID, PICK OUT SOME PROPERTIES THAT YOU WANT ME TO TOUR.
SO WE TOURED THE ANO HOMES AND THE ALLONS WITH, UH, THE C E O OF THE THEN SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY.
AND, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE INITIATED THIS CONVERSATION.
AND HE FOLLOWED UP SAYING LIKE, HEY, I CAN'T BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW FOLKS ARE LIVING.
UH, RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC HOUSING IS, UH, A TOOL FOR UPWARD MOBILITY AND MOVING FAMILIES TOWARDS THAT AMERICAN DREAM OF
[00:50:01]
PURCHASING A PROPERTY EVENTUALLY.UM, SO REALLY GRATEFUL FOR HIS TEAM AND HIS LEADERSHIP IN ENSURING THAT WE TAKE CARE OF SAN ANTONIO'S, UH, FAMILIES WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH HOUSING SECURITY.
UM, SO JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE TEAM, UH, FOR JEFF FOR THAT LEAD OF, YOU KNOW,
UM, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, SECURING THAT FUNDING.
ALSO, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE PROJECTS.
REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE DISTRICT SEVEN PROJECT FOR DRAINAGE.
UM, WE KNOW WE HAVE LIKE A BILLION DOLLAR NEED OF DRAINAGE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITY AGAIN, RIGHT WHERE THIS BODY CAN GO UP AND ADVOCATE AND TESTIFY, PLEASE LOOK AT ME AS A TOOL, UM, TO GO AND SUPPORT YOU ALL ON THAT ASK.
UM, THERE'S A PROJECT IN DISTRICT FIVE IN PARTICULAR, IF WE SECURE SOME FUNDING, WE CAN REMOVE UP TO 1,300 PARCELS OUT OF A FLOODPLAIN.
UH, SO PLENTY OF PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT I KNOW TOGETHER WE CAN SECURE THAT FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
SO, UH, REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, SALLY, FOR THE UPDATE.
AND, AND JEFF, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE, I WANNA JUMP ON THE CONGRESSMAN GONZALEZ BANDWAGON.
UM, BECAUSE, UH, EVERY TIME THAT I NEED SOMETHING LIKE HE PICKS UP THE PHONE OR HE WILL REACH OUT, HE'S JUST SO GOOD ABOUT BEING PROACTIVE AND ASKING, WHAT DO YOU ALL NEED? SO I JUST, I, I, SINCE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT CONGRESSMAN, I, I JUST HAD TO SAY THAT.
UM, BUT THEN ALSO ON THE LIST OF COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDS IN 2023, UM, IS THERE, UH, I, I'M, I'M EXCITED THAT, THAT THOSE WERE SUBMITTED.
UM, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY AND THE ONES THAT WE WILL BE SUBMITTING AS THE CITY, I'M, I'M FOCUSING ON THE OTHER ONES.
ARE WE GONNA BE SUBMITTING LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THE OTHER ONES INDIVIDUALLY? LIKE IF PEOPLE ASK US TO, I GUESS I DON'T WANNA COMPETE RIGHT? WITH ARE THERE, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT OUR PROJECTS THAT OTHER ENTITIES ARE GONNA BE SUBMITTING AND ASKING US, AND WILL THAT BE COMPETING WITH THEM? OR HOW DO YOU RECOMMEND WE HANDLE THAT? SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING PROCESS? 'CAUSE I'M ASSUMING THERE'S GONNA BE MORE.
SO, SO WE'RE, WE ARE HEARING THAT THE, UH, HOUSE AND SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES WILL KEEP THIS PROGRAM GOING FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
UM, THERE'S ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE REPUBLICAN LED HOUSE WILL REMOVE THE PROGRAM FROM DOING ANOTHER ROUND IN 2023 FOR F Y 24 FUNDING COUNCILWOMAN, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THAT YET.
THE RUMORS THAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT THE REPUBLICANS WANT TO KEEP THE, UH, PROGRAM RUNNING THE COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, OR AS JEFF CALLED IT, THE EARMARKS CYCLE MM-HMM.
VERSUS THE OPPOSITE WOULD BE THAT ALL THIS MONEY WOULD GO TO THE AGENCIES INSTEAD.
SO IT DOES GIVE THE, UM, INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY LEVERAGE TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY, IMPORTANT PROJECTS FOR, UM, THEIR COMMUNITIES AND, AND BRING THAT BACK.
WE DON'T KNOW THE CRITERIA, SO THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A MEMBER PER MEMBER CAP.
THERE WILL BE CRITERIA ON THE PARTICULAR FUNDING STREAMS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE.
THERE'S USUALLY ONLY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SEVEN OR EIGHT, UH, PROGRAMS THAT THEY OPEN UP.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
IT'LL DEPEND ON, UM, CHAIRWOMAN GRANGER AND THE REST OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE TO BE DETERMINED.
AND I WANTED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, BUT GO AHEAD.
YEAH, NO, MAYBE YOU'RE, GO AHEAD.
WELL, I, UM, YES, TECHNICALLY WE'RE IN COMPETITION WITH LOTS OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
SO, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, IN THE CASE OF CONGRESSMAN CASTRO, HE THREW A TON OF THINGS IN THE BUDGET AND GOT MOST OF THEM.
I GUESS THIS DOESN'T IDENTIFY THE MEMBER HERE, BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE, ARE HIS.
UM, IN PAST YEARS, I THINK MAYBE IT WAS THE PRIOR BUDGET CYCLE WE HAD SUBMITTED IN YEAR MARK TO CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT, AND HE ULTIMATELY COMMUNICATED TO US THAT HE HAD 70 REQUESTS FROM HIS DISTRICT, AND HE WAS EMPHASIZING THOSE FURTHER UP THE CORRIDOR IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
AND SO WE DIDN'T GET ONE THROUGH HIM.
SO THERE, THERE IS A COMPETITION, BUT IT'S REALLY WITH OUR OWN MEMBERS.
AND I THINK YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR MEMBERS TRIED TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYONE.
THE, THE TWO THINGS THAT SALLY HAD ON THE PRIOR SLIDE ABOUT THE, A MILLION AND A HALF FOR ELECTRIC BUSES AND CHARGING STATIONS AT THE AIRPORT AND THE GUARDIAN HOUSE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WERE OUR TWO REQUESTS.
AND THEN THESE ARE ALL THE OTHER ONES THAT WE LEARNED ABOUT AFTER THE, UM, BUDGET CAME OUT.
AND SO, SO THAT'S HELPFUL AND THANK YOU.
I KNOW THAT THE PORTLAND TRAIL IS ON THERE, UH, FOR COMPLETE STREET, SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, I, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT GUIDEBOOK.
AND SO THE REASON THAT I, UM, WAS GOING THROUGH IT AND, AND, UM, I'M SPECIFIC TO PAGE ONE 13, BUT YOU CAN JUST TAKE THAT DOWN AS A MENTAL NOTE FOR LATER TO
[00:55:01]
CHECK ON.UM, BUT THERE'S A PROJECT IN MY DISTRICT, IT'S THROUGH PALO ALTO COLLEGE BECAUSE OF THE COST OF BUILDING, UM, JUST SUPPLIES AND EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON, UM, THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA HAVE A SHORTFALL.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE FIGURING OUT BY THE END OF THE WEEK HOW MUCH, BUT THEY'RE DEFINITELY GONNA HAVE A SHORTFALL.
AND SO I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO POINT THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OR WHERE TO POINT THEM TO THAT.
UM, AND WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT THAT IS THAT IF YOU, UH, MAKE IT A PART OF, OR IF YOU COMMIT, UM, TO REDUCING GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS RIGHT BY 25%, ET CETERA, IT QUALIFIES FOR SOME OF THE PROJECTS.
HOW DO WE WORK WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THAT? RIGHT? SO LIKE WITH, WITH PALO ALTO WHO IS TRYING TO DO THIS, THIS NEW BUILDING, ET CETERA, HOW DO WE PROACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT SAN ANTONIO IS, IS GETTING THE BEST, UM, OR, OR THE MOST MONEY THAT WE CAN? SURE.
SO AT THE TOP LAYERS ESSENTIALLY ARE COMMUNICATION THROUGH THE I G R ROUNDTABLE AT STAFF LEVEL.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THEM IS EVERY TIME THERE'S THE GUIDEBOOK, UH, OPPORTUNITIES COMING OUT OF THE AGENCIES, UM, WE SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH THEM.
WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE THEM THAT IF THERE'S A PARTICULAR PROJECT OR A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY'RE WANTING TO PURSUE, TO LET US KNOW ON HOW WE LEVERAGE RESOURCES.
UH, DEPENDING ON THE PARTNER, UH, SOME OF US HAVE MORE OR LESS INTERACTION WITH THE AGENCIES AND WITH THE WHITE HOUSE.
SO WE CAN BE HELPFUL MANY TIMES, UM, IN CONNECTING THEM WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE AGENCY.
SO WE'LL LOOK, UM, AT THIS PARTICULAR, UH, PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, AND WE CAN DO OUTREACH, UM, TO, UH, THE STAFF AT THE, AT THE COLLEGE TO DETERMINE WHAT WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT EXACTLY.
AND THEY DID SEND OVER, UM, THE GUIDELINE TO THE ARCHITECTS, SO I KNOW THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT IT, BUT THEN, LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE ALSO TRYING, TRYING TO COST IT OUT.
AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION IS ON THE CEILING DRAIN PROJECT, UM, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT MAYBE RESIDENTIAL AREAS, AND WOOD COUNCILMAN CASTILLO MENTIONED EARLIER WITH THE HIGHER DENSITY OR EVEN HIGHER EQUITY SCORES GET PRIORITIZED.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF OLD INFRASTRUCTURE, SO HOW, HOW DO WE DO THAT? UM, GOOD MORNING, COUNCILWOMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
AND LET ME JUST EXPLAIN BASED ON THE CRITERIA FOR THIS GRANT, IN ADDITION TO THE PROJECT BEING AND THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, AND WE HAVE ROUGHLY ABOUT $355 MILLION IN DRAINAGE NEEDS INCLUDED IN OUR CURRENT PLAN, UM, THERE HAS TO BE AN ENGINEERING, UM, UH, REVIEW ALREADY DONE SO WE CAN MEET THE CRITERIA.
THE CEILING CHANNEL PROJECT WAS, UM, THE ONLY PROJECT THAT HAD THAT ENGINEERING, UH, WORK ALREADY DONE AND ALSO MET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PUBLIC WORKS IS GONNA DO IS REVIEW ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN STAR, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THOSE ENGINEERING, UM, STUDIES COMPLETED.
SO WHEN THIS OPPORTUNITY COMES UP, AGAIN, WE HAVE MORE PROJECTS TO, TO APPLY.
UM, THE OTHER POINT THAT I WANNA MAKE, THE, THE LIMIT OF THE APPLICATION WAS $50 MILLION.
SO JUST TO KIND OF SET SOME, SOME, UH, PARAMETERS NEXT TIME THAT WE, THAT WE SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.
UNFORTUNATELY WE COULDN'T SUBMIT EVERYTHING IN THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, BUT WE ARE COMMITTED TO HAVE THAT DONE, TO HAVE MORE PROJECTS READY TO GO.
THAT'S ALL I WAS LOOKING FOR, SO THANK YOU, CHAIR.
UH, GENERAL AYALA, $35 MILLION FOR OUR TWO BASES.
UH, THAT'S A SOMETHING WORTH TAKING A VICTORY LAP OVER.
THE, UH, WHAT WORRIED ME WHEN WE ALL HAD A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, WE HAD OUR, UM, OUR RESIL OUR BIG RESILIENCY MEETING, RIGHT? AND WHAT WORRIED ME ABOUT THAT, UM, IS THAT IT WAS REAL HEAVY ON THE LITTLE R RESILIENCY, RIGHT? WHICH IS THE ADDRESSING, UH, CHRONIC STRESSORS, RIGHT, FOR A CITY AND REALLY LIGHT ON THE BIG R RESILIENCY.
UM, AND I'M, I'M EXCITED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT BIG R RESILIENCY HERE WITH, UH, WITH THESE GRANTS.
UM, A A ANYWAY, UH, THE CITY DC IS COMING UP IN FEBRUARY, AND, UM, JEFF AND SALLY AND I, WE, WE NEED TO MEET WITH, UH, OUR FRIENDS AT THE CHAMBER TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, UM, YOU KNOW, PLACES FOR ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN IN PULLING DOWN SOME OF THESE WINS.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, CAN, CAN YOU AND I MEET OFFLINE TO ABSOLUTELY.
TO, TO GET THAT TEED UP FOR? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, THE CHAMBER ALREADY SENT OUT THE SAVE THE DATES TO ANYBODY THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY REGISTERED.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY SITTING IN YOUR INBOXES.
THEY'RE GOING A LITTLE BIT THROUGH A TRANSITION PERIOD, SO THEY ASSURED US THAT VERY SOON THEY WOULD BE REACHING OUT AND START ESTABLISHING THE ISSUE TEAM MEETINGS.
SO WE'LL PROVIDE YOU THAT INFORMATION.
AND SO THE DATES ARE MARCH 27TH THROUGH 30TH, SORRY TO INTERRUPT, CHAIR.
AND IT, IT ALSO, UM, COINCIDES WITH NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES.
SO I WOULD IMAGINE OUR, YOUR ACCOUNTS COLLEAGUES WILL HAVE A LOT, A LOT GOING ON BETWEEN THOSE TWO, UH, EVENTS AT
[01:00:01]
THE SAME TIME IN DC OKAY.UM, THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF A MEETING, I THINK, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO WITH THAT, THANKS FOR EVERYBODY, UH, WHO SHOWED UP.
AND THANK, UH, FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN YOUR QUESTIONS.