Oct 02, 2024 City Council B Session

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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. WELL, IT'S A NATURAL LULL. I'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

IT'S 2:05 P.M. ON OCTOBER 2ND, 2024. WE'LL CALL OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU READ

THE ROLL? >> CLERK:

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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. TODAY WE'RE GOING OVER OUR 89TH STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, SO TO GET US STARTED, LET ME TURN IT OVER TO CITY

MANAGER ERIK WALSH. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. AS THE MAYOR JUST MENTIONED TODAY'S MEETING IS A BRIEFING BY SALLY BBAR SUE TO.

THE LEGISLATURE WILL CONVENE, IN PREPARATION OF THAT EVENT, STAFF DEVELOPS AND ULTIMATELY THE COUNCIL DEVELOPS A LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM THAT GUIDES OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS IN AUSTIN, ADVOCACY AND DEFENSE EFFORTS IN AUSTIN. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL SESSIONS, THE ENVIRONMENT AT THE CAPITOL HAS BEEN CHALLENGING FOR CITIES, AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY EFFORTS TO LIMIT THE AUTHORITIES OF HOME RULE CITIES.

AND MOST OF THE WORK DURING THE FIVE MONTHS OF THE SESSION ARE FOCUSED ON PRESERVING THE COUNCIL'S ABILITY TO SET POLICY, ENACT ORDINANCES TO BEST SERVE THE COMMUNITY'S UNIQUE NEEDS.

HAVING SAID THAT, THERE ARE ALWAYS UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT PRESENT THEMSELVES AND SALLY WILL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THEM TODAY. THE PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS INTENDED TO SERVE THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY AND IS GUIDED BY THIS BODY'S INPUT AND ULTIMATE APPROVAL. AFTER TODAY'S BRIEFING, I'M SURE WE'LL GET A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL.

OUR INTENT IS TO BRING IT BACK TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL LATER ON THIS MONTH AHEAD OF THE START OF BILL FILING IN NOVEMBER AND IN COORDINATION WITH THE NORMAL THINGS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST WHICH ARE ENGAGING WITH OUR LOCAL DELEGATION. SO WITH THAT CONTEXT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO WALTER FOR THE PRESENTATION.

WALTER, YOU READY? ALL RIGHT. NO, NO, WE'RE GOING TO LET SALLY HANDLE THE -- I WAS MAKING SURE WALTER WAS PAYING ATTENTION.

SO, SALLY? >> BASURTO: THANK YOU, ÚERIK, FOR BREAKING THE ICE. THAT WOKE WALTER UP NICELY.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS. IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE BEFORE YOU TODAY TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LAY OUT OUR DRAFT 89TH SESSION STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM. BEFORE I GET STARTED, BEFORE SPECIAL NOTE OF SOME MOVEMENT THAT WILL BE HAPPENING THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING FOR THE NEW LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THE LEGISLATURE IS COMPRISED OF 31 SENATORS AND 150 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

OF SPECIAL NOTE, IT WAS REPORTED IN THE SUMMER THAT DUE TO VARIOUS RETIREMENT DECISIONS FROM SEVERAL MEMBERS, AS WELL AS SOME LOST REELECTIONS, WE ARE ANTICIPATING AND PREPARING FOR A NEW BENCH OF TEXAS LEGISLATORS THAT WE WILL BE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO ENGAGE THE NEW MEMBERS AND THEIR STAFF. WE ANTICIPATE THAT SOME OF THESE MEMBERS WILL LAND ON KEY COMMITTEES WITH JURISDICTIONS OF CITY BILLS, SO IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO ENGAGE IN THAT OUTREACH. OKAY.

SO THE STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM IS A MULTILAYERED MULTIMONTH PROCESS.

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ULTIMATELY, WE REQUEST THE CITY COUNCIL'S APPROVAL, WHICH WILL HAPPEN TOWARDS THE END OF THIS MONTH. AND ULTIMATELY TO GET US STARTED IN FULL MODE FOR THE STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN JANUARY OF 2025. OF SPECIAL NOTE, OUR ONGOING OUTREACH TO OUR DELEGATION, OUR STATE AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS IS AN A TO Z PROCESS.

WE DO THAT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF THE SESSION AND ALL THROUGHOUT THE SESSION.

WE COULDN'T DO OUR WORK FROM THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PERSPECTIVE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT AND THE EXPERTISE OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. AS YOU SEE HERE, THERE ARE VARIOUS LEVELS OF PARTNERSHIPS AND OUTREACH.

THE CITY COUNCIL IS FRONT AND CENTER. WE PRESENTED TWO PRESENTATIONS AND HAD TWO ROBUST DISCUSSIONS DURING THE IGR COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND THERE WERE SOME EDITS AND SOME UPDATES MADE TO THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WILL SEE MOMENTARILY. AS I SAID EARLIER, THE EXPERTISE IN THE PARTNERSHIP OVER THE COSA DEPARTMENTS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US, AS WELL AS THE INFLUENCE AND THE FEEDBACK OF OUR DELEGATION MEMBERS, NOT ON THE PROGRAM -- JUST ON THE PROGRAM, BUT ALSO DURING THE STATE SESSION. WE HAVE COUNTERPARTS THAT ARE INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS -- THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH ACROSS THE CITY AND ACROSS THE STATE THAT EXTEND TO STATE TRADE ORGANIZATIONS, KEY COMMITTEES HAVE VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT HAVE JURISDICTION OVER CITY-RELATED BILLS. HERE ARE A LIST, A NONININCLUDESIVE LIST OF MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. SOME OF THEM ARE JOINING US HERE TODAY AND SOME OF THEM ARE LISTENING VIRTUALLY.

I JUST WANT TO SEND THEM A SHOUTOUT AND A THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY IN ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADVOCATE ALONG WITH THEM. OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS AND OUR COLLABORATION DURING THE SESSION EXTENDS WIDE AND DEEP, MUCH THANKS TO THE WORK AND THE EXPERTISE IN THE VARIOUS AREAS THAT FALL OUTSIDE THE CITY JURISDICTION.

I WILL NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST.

THIS LIST WILL EXPAND FURTHER WITH ANY EMERGING ITEMS THAT ARISE DURING THE LEGISLATURE. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO PUT BEFORE YOU THE STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM PRINCIPLES. OUR PROGRAM IS GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLES THAT YOU SEE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU.

THE PROGRAM AIMS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF RESIDENTS AND THE QUALITY THROUGH THE ABILITY OF OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO MAKE THOSE POLICY AND FUNDING DECISIONS. YOU ARE THE BODY CLOSEST TO THE COMMUNITY, AND YOU HAVE THE PULSE OF THE NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF OUR RESIDENTS.

THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM ADVOCATES IN AUSTIN DURING THE LEGISLATURE ON BEHALF OF THE SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES, OF QUALITY SERVICES, TO THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY. AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DON'T DO THAT ALONE. WE DO THAT IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR PARTNERS, STAKEHOLDERS AND WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS.

HERE IS THE STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM STRUCTURE.

IT IS COMPRISED OF FIVE PILLARS, INITIATIVES, PROTECTION OF COMMUNITY INTERESTS, COMMUNITY DEVELOP LT, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESILIENCY. THE PROGRAM IS STRATEGICALLY, BY DESIGN, PREPARED TO BE A BROAD AND GENERAL PROGRAM TO ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM AND OUR DEPARTMENTS TO BE ABLE TO BE NIMBLE AND BE ABLE TO PIVOT ACCORDINGLY AS WE ARE DOING OUR ASSESSMENT AND OUR ANALYSIS OF OUR BILLS. SO BY DESIGN, YOU WILL NOTE THAT THE LANGUAGE IN THE PROGRAM IS RECOMMENDED TO REMAIN WITH BROAD STROKES. THE INITIATIVE SECTION INCLUDES THE EAST/WEST BUSINESS CORRIDOR. WE ARE RECOMMENDING SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EAST/WEST ROADWAY BETWEEN HIGHWAY 35 AND HIGHWAY 37 ACROSS THE SOUTHERN REGION OF SAN ANTONIO, PROVIDING ACCESS TO MAJOR

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IMPROVEMENTS ARE NEEDED TO ENHANCE ACCESS AND CONNECTIVITY TO THE MAJOR EMPLOYERS IN SUPPORT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROWTH THAT HAS BEEN VERY ROBUST IN THIS PART OF THE CITY. IT'S SEEING AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT THAT'S HAVE BEEN GREATLY SUPPORTED BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT AND LEADERSHIP IN AUSTIN. WE LOOK FORWARD TO COORDINATING WITH THEM FURTHER IN THIS PROJECT. WE ANTICIPATE THAT IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, THERE WILL BE AT LEAST 2,000 MORE JOBS IN THE AREA THAT WILL REQUIRE THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE BUSINESS AND RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY IN THIS AREA. ON TO PROTECTION OF COMMUNITY INTERESTS, THIS IS THE CITY'S OVERARCHING LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE VOICE OF OUR RESIDENTS AS EXPRESSED IN THE CITY'S CHARTER AND OTHER VOTER-APPROVED AMENDMENTS.

WE AIM TO MAINTAIN A FISCALLY SOUND AND WELL-MANAGED ORGANIZATION TO ALLOW FOR THE CONTINUATION OF QUALITY SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESSES. THESE PARTICULAR ISSUES UNDER THE PROTECTION OF COMMUNITY INTERESTS, LOCAL GOVERNANCE, MILITARY CITY AND MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITIES ARE AN AREA WHERE THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM SPENDS A GREAT DEAL OF TIME AND EFFORT MAKING SURE THAT YOU SECURE AND MAINTAIN YOUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE LOCAL AND FUNDING DECISIONS. PROTECTIONS UNDER LOCAL GOV GOVERNANCE EXTEND TO DEVELOPMENT IN MAKING SURE YOU'RE ABLE TO RETAIN THE ABILITY TO MAKE THOSE LOCAL DECISIONS FOR PERMITTING AND OTHER AREAS THAT FALL UNDER THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY. UNDER MILITARY CITY USA IN COORDINATION WITH GENERAL AYALA WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR MILITARY PARTNERS DURING THE LEGISLATURE TO ENSURE PROTECTION FOR MILITARY MISSIONS, OPPOSE ENCROACHMENT AND MUNICIPAL MLY OWNED UTILITIES IS AN AREA DURING THE LEGISLATURE THAT SOMETIMES COMES UP NOT POSITIVELY. LAST SESSION THERE WAS A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE IMPACTED GROSSLY THE GENERAL FUND OF BUDGET OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DUE TO PROPOSALS TO REDUCE UTILITIES PAYMENTS TO MUNICIPALLY OWNED MODELED ACROSS THE STATE. FOR THESE THREE ISSUES UNDER THIS PILLAR, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME DOING ADVOCACY UNDER THIS UMBRELLA. SPECIFICALLY, WE ARE RECOMMENDING SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT MAINTAINS LOCAL AUTHORITY FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN SAN ANTONIO TO PROTECT OUR EXISTING ORDINANCES AND CREATE NEW ONES.

ADDITIONALLY, OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE CITY'S INTEREST AND RESULT IN LOSS OF REVENUE OR OUR INABILITY TO GENERATE NEW REVENUES, AS WELL AS OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ERODE MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE DEVELOPMENT RELATED REGULATIONS.

LASTLY ON THIS LIST IS PROPOSED LEGISLATION THAT IS DISCRIMINATORY AND UNDERMINES THE CITY'S NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE.

AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, WE ARE RECOMMENDING SUPPORT, INCREASED SUPPORT FOR FUNDING FOR DEAAG. TO DATE, THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY HAS SUCCESSFULLY RECEIVED $33 MILLION IN DEAAG FUNDING. THIS IS A CARRYOVER ITEM THAT WE ALWAYS SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS TO SUPPORT OUR MILITARY PARTNERS. WE OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT UNDERMINE'S THE CITY'S ABILITY TO STAIB, THE TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD MISSION READINESS AS WELL AS SUPPORT FACING ACTIONS THAT WOULD INCREASE A NUMBER OF THE DOD'S TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD MILITARY MISSIONS IN SUPPORT OF OUR SAN ANTONIO REGION.

ONTO MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITIES AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS A CARRYOVER ITEM RECOMMENDING SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT PROTECTS OUR MOU MODEL FOR CPS AND SAWS. UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS PREPARED FOR GROWTH IN A WAY THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE COMMUNITY'S VISION. THIS VISION INCLUDES INVESTMENTS IN STRONG LOCAL ECONOMY, INCREASING STABLE HOUSING FOR RESIDENTS IN AN EDUCATED AND TRAINED WORKFORCE. UNDER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUE, WE SUPPORT ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN MAKING SURE THAT THE STATE TOOLS IN ORDER TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY STRONGER TO BE

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AS YOU WILL SEE HERE, WE SUPPORT THE CONTINUATION OF LOCAL AND STATE INCENTIVES TO SUPPLEMENT THE LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES TO RETAIN OUR CURRENT EMPLOYERS AND COMPETE FOR MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS AND CONVENTIONS. IN ADDITION, SUPPORT ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE ARTS AND FILM INDUSTRY. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY THE TEXAS MOVING IMAGE INDUSTRY INCENTIVE PROGRAM.

AGAIN, A TOOL UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLBOX.

UNDER HOUSING STABILITY, WE SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT HELPS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO INCREASE AFFORDABILITY, QUALITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND CHOICE IN HOUSING. WE KNOW THAT ACCESS TO HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE IMPORTANT ISSUES TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO THE COMMUNITY, SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THE COUNCIL-APPROVED SHIP POLICY HOUSING FRAMEWORK. LAST SESSION, THE LEGISLATURE PASSED APPROXIMATELY $18 BILLION WORTH IN PROPERTY TAX RELIEF. WE ARE CLOSELY MONITORING INTERIM SESSION DISCUSSIONS IN THIS SPACE, AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT THESE DISCUSSIONS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE NEW LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THIS, OF COURSE, INCLUDES SUPPORT FOR LEGISLATION THAT PROVIDES SUSTAINABLE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF TO SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS. UNDER THE B WORKFORCE FRONT, WE RECOMMEND, SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT INVEST IN EDUCATIONAL, JOB PLACEMENT PROGRAMS AND INCREASE ACCESS TO CHILDCARE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OUR GROWING WORKFORCE. WE KNOW THAT ACCESS TO CHILDCARE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY FOR INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING IN WORKFORCE TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS. IN 2023 DURING THE LEGISLATURE, THERE WERE SEVERAL BILLS THAT WERE FILED THAT WERE PROMPTING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THESE TYPE OF WORKFORCE BILLS.

IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A PROPERTY TAX RELIEF BILL FOR CHILDCARE CENTER PROVIDERS THAT DID PASS. THERE WAS A JOINT RESOLUTION THAT DID PASS BY 65% IN NOVEMBER OF 2023. AS YOU WILL RECALL, EARLIER THIS YEAR, THIS CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE CHILDCARE TAX EXEMPTION FOR 100% EXEMPTION OF PROPERTY TAX FOR CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.

UNDER PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, WE SUPPORT LEGISLATION TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT ALL PEOPLE THRIVE IN A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT. THIS INCLUDES HEALTHCARE NUTRITION AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION. THIS IS A VERY ROBUST PILLAR FOR -- THERE'S FIVE ITEMS LISTED HERE. THE FIRST ONE IS SUPPORT FUNDING TO EXPAND SAN ANTONIO PSYCHIATRIC AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM AND FACILITIES TO IMPROVE ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE LOCAL CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING, NOT JUST LOCALLY, BUT ALSO AT THE STATE LEVEL.

WE ARE TRACKING THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN SPECIFIC INTERIM CHARGES AND OTHER DISCUSSION PANELS AT THE STATE LEVEL IN COORDINATION WITH OTHER LARGE CITIES. WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A NEED ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE WHEN THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE HAPPENING DURING THE LEGISLATURE.

IN ADDITION, WE SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT IMPROVES ACCESS TO NOT JUST HEALTHCARE, BUT ALSO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR ALL SAN ANTONIANS. IN ADDITION, WE SUPPORT ADDITIONAL ACCESS AND FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT FOOD ASSISTANCE, INCREASED ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOODS AND TO PROMOTE FOOD SECURITY. ALSO ON THIS LIST IS SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT ENCOURAGES RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP AND IMPROVES THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND WELFARE OF OUR RESIDENTS.

WE HAVE STARTED PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR DELEGATIONS SPECIFICALLY REPRESENTATIVE LIZ CAMPOS.

WE HAVE CONFIRMED THAT SHE WILL REFILE A BILL, PERHAPS NOT EXACTLY THE SAME. THEY REACHED OUT TO US, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY'S INVOLVED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE TRY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE DURING THE LEGISLATION.

UNDER VIOLENCE PREVENTION, WE ARE PROPOSING SUPPORT EFFORTS TO PREVENT AND MITIGATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND TARGETED VIOLENCE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF ALL SAN ANTONIANS.

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ADDITIONALLY, SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE FIREARM SAFETY PRACTICES AND ADDITIONAL RESOWRSZS TO HELP AID IN PREVENTION OF GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. DURING ONE OF THE IGR COMMITTEE MEETINGS, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT CONCERNS REGARDING FIREARM INCIDENTS IN SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IN COLLABORATION WITH SAPD, WE ARE PROPOSING THIS SUPPORT LANGUAGE. THIS LANGUAGE WOULD ALSO INCLUDE TO AIM AT IDENTIFYING POSSIBLE RESOURCES FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

UNDER INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESILIENCY, WE ARE AIMING TO EXPAND ACCESS TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESILIENCY OPPORTUNITIES IN DIGITAL INCLUSION, TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AS WELL AS PREPARING FOR THE IMPACTS OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS AND NATURAL DISASTERS. THIS INCLUDES DIGITAL INCLUSION, OF COURSE, BROADBAND, TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESILIENCY.

DIGITAL INCLUSION IS ANOTHER CARRYOVER ITEM SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT ENSURES AND FUNDS CONNECTIVITY AND AFFORDABILITY BROADBAND SERVICE FOR ALL SAN ANTONIANS. AS YOU MAY RECALL, THE STATE LAUNCHED THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE WHICH IS IN FULL GEAR. WE TRACK THEIR ACTIVITIES AND THEIR RESOURCES VERY CLOSELY. WE PARTICIPATE IN MONTHLY LOCAL GOVERNMENT ROUND TABLE IN DISCUSSION BRIEFING THAT'S THEY HAVE EVERY MONTH.

IN ADDITION, WE'RE COORDINATING WITH OUR DIGITAL INCLUSION AND BROADBAND PARTNERS SUCH AS SA DIGITAL CONNECT AND OTHER COLLEGE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WILL PURSUE STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE. ONTO TRANSPORTATION, SUPPORT LEGISLATION AND FUNDING TO MEET THE GROWING NEEDS OF SAN ANTONIO. SAN ANTONIO'S GROWTH IS EXPLODING.

WE ANTICIPATE OUR POPULATION TO GROW IN THE YEARS TO COME, AND WE AIM TO WORK WITH NOT JUST OUR TXDOT PARTNERS, BUT ALSO WITH THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION TO HELP BRING THOSE FUNDS TO SAN ANTONIO TO HELP REDUCE CONGESTION AND ADDRESS THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN SAN ANTONIO. ADDITIONALLY, SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT WOULDEN HAND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, THIS INCLUDES OUR VISION ZERO INITIATIVES.

. WE SILL YENSY, SUPPORT REJ STATION THAT PROVIDES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE TO PREPARE AGAINST EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS AND NATURAL DI DISASTERS. WE'RE TRACKING AND MONITORING THE DISCUSSIONS DURING THE INTERIM SESSION. THIS IS AN AREA THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS IS LOOKING AT CLOSELY. THE STATE HAS SEEN VARIOUS EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEAMS IN SAN ANTONIO ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH STATE AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD FOR POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AGAINST THESE NATURAL DISASTERS. LASTLY, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO INFORM YOU THAT WE ARE TRACKING CLOSELY THREE SPECIFIC COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUESTS, THE CCRS LISTED HERE INCLUDE THE BYOB ESTABLISHMENTS BY COUNCILMAN MANNY PELAEZ, THE SECOND ONE IS A COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY MEASURES FOR LOOSE AND DANGEROUS DOGS BY COUNCILMEMBER MARIE THAT ALDARETE GAVITO AND LASTLY, THE BUILDING REGULATIONS ENHANCING ANTIVAPING TRENDS AND HABITS BY COUNCILMAN JOHN COURAGE. WE WILL TRACK AS THESE 3CCRS UNFOLD WITHIN THE PROCESS AND WE WILL REMAIN FLEXIBLE TO DETERMINE WITH YOUR GUIDANCE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO ACT DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND INCLUDE IN OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.

LASTLY, WHERE ARE WE GOING NEXT? SO AFTER THIS BRIEFING FOR P SESSIO B SESSION, WE'RE AIMING TO BRING THE STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM TO YOU BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH FOR YOUR COLLECTIVE APPROVAL TO READY FOR THE NOVEMBER 11TH BILL-FILING SEASON SO THAT WE'RE READY TO GO JANUARY 14TH OF 2025. MAYOR, COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, IT IS MY PRIVILEGE NOW TO RECOGNIZE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN TRANSPIRING THROUGH MANY, MANY MONTHS. SOME OF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY HELLO TO SOME OF OUR STATE CONSULTANTS FROM AUSTIN.

THEY ARE AN EXTENSION OF US. THEY ARE IN SUPPORT OF

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IF YOU WILL INDULGE ME. JESSE AND SIERRA WITH ANCIRA STRATEGIC PARTNERS, WHICH INCLUDE TEAM MEMBERS CAROLYN SAY GETTER, COLBY NICKELS AND JOE VALENZUELA, MARK RODRIGUEZ AS WELL AS RUSTY KELLY AND CAROL MCGRAW WHICH COULDN'T JOIN US TODAY. THEY ARE WITH BLACKRIDGE, AND ALSO SNAP PER CARR, BRANDON AND LINDLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND THEIR EXPERTISE DURING THE SESSION.

AND LASTLY, BUT ABSOLUTELY NOT LEAST, THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM, WHICH ARE RIGHT HERE AND PROVIDE US SO MUCH SUPPORT.

THERE ARE OVER 8,000 BILLS THAT WERE FILED DURING THE 2023 STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND ALMOST A QUARTER OF THOSE BILLS COULD HAVE HAD AN IMPACT ON CITIES. THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM, WHICH INCLUDES NADIA ISLAM, CHRISTINE WRIGHT, EDUARDO AND SARA, THEY WILL BE SPOONS IN COORDINATION WITH OUR CITY DEPARTMENT LIAISONS TO DO THOSE ANALYSIS ACTION ITEMS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CATCHING EVERY SINGLE BILL THAT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR RESIDENTS. MAYOR, COUNCIL, THIS PRESENTATION. THERE ARE A LOT OF DEPARTMENT HEADS HERE, WHICH ARE THE TRUE EXPERTS BEHIND THESE ISSUES.

THANK YOU, AGAIN, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND WE ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANY

QUESTIONS. >> WALSH: JUST REAL QUICK, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, SALLY, FOR THE PRESENTATION. JUST A COUPLE OF MORE DETAILS THAT I THINK ARE PROBABLY PERTINENT TO THE COUNCIL'S CONVERSATION.

ONE, REMINDER, THAT THIS IS KIND OF A BROAD HEADING CATEGORY PLAN.

REALLY TO PREPARE US FOR NOVEMBER 11TH WHEN BILLS START BEING FILED SO THAT WE ARE PREPARED AS AN ORGANIZATION. AS SALLY MENTIONED, ALL THE DEPARTMENT LIAISONS ARE PREPARED TO OPERATE UNDER THE COUNCIL-APPROVED PLAN. AND THEN -- AND THEN AS SUCH, ACTIVITY THROUGH THE IGR COMMITTEE AND THE FULL CITY COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO REACT.

TWO, I'LL REMIND YOU ALL, IT FEELS LIKE IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.

LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, BUT WE'RE GOING TO START GETTING INTO THE HABIT OF THE REGULAR UPDATES, BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE AND WE'LL WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THAT REGULAR TEMPO WITH YOU ALL.

AT THIS POINT, YOU SAW IN THE PRESENTATION THERE'S ONE INITIATIVE THAT'S BEEN OUTLINED, AND IT IS THE EAST/WEST CORRIDOR THERE, SOUTH OF 410 FROM 35 TO 37 AND NO DOUBT THAT HAS BEEN, I THINK, INITIALLY DISCUSSED BY THE CITY IN 2019, 2020. AND, YOU KNOW, I LIKEN IT TO DESCRIBING IT AS A WURZBACH PARKWAY TYPE ROAD ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE.

REALLY TO FACILITATE THAT EAST/WEST TRAFFIC FOR NOT ONLY CONTINUED GROWTH OF RESIDENTIAL, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS EXPANSION DOWN THERE. FOURTHLY, I KNOW CPS IS WORKING ON A POLICY PAPER REGARDING ANY ASSISTANCE THAT THEY MAY NEED FROM THE CITY REGARDING LARGE POWER USERS. AND THAT'S IN DEVELOPMENT.

THAT WILL CERTAINLY COME TO THE COUNCIL. I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL TO CONTINUED ECONOMIC GROWTH IN SAN ANTONIO, AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT IS -- AS THAT GETS FULLY DEVELOPED, WE'LL BE SURE TO BR BRING IT HERE TO THE COUNCIL. AND THEN IF WE CAN GO TO THE CCR SLIDE THERE TOWARDS THE END THAT HIGHLIGHTED THE THREE CCRS.

I WANTED TO PROVIDE THE COUNCIL A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT REGARDING THE CCR FROM COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO. WHILE THEY'RE BRINGING IT UP, COUNCILWOMAN'S CCR WHICH WAS SCHEDULED TO COME TO PUBLIC SAFETY IN OCTOBER, THE COUNCILWOMAN AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF RELATED ITEMS, MAINLY ENHANCED PENALTIES FOR OWNERS OF AGGRESSIVE OR DANGEROUS DOGS, AND INCLUDING THAT WITHIN THE PUBLIC SAFETY CONVERSATION AND USING THE CCR AS THE VEHICLE TO DO THAT. AND THEN TO ALSO BRING TO THE COMMITTEE, AND THE COUNCILWOMAN AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE THE SAME IRRESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS OVER AND OVER AGAIN BEING IN A POSITION WHERE THEY HAVE ANIMALS THAT ARE AGGRESSIVELY

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AND THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT IS PROBABLY MORE ON THE STATE LEVEL, BUT WE -- THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN -- SINCE THE CCR. WE WANT TO COORDINATE WITH THE COUNCILWOMAN.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ADD THESE TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY CONVERSATION IN OCTOBER, AND UNDOUBTEDLY SOME OF THEM MAY HAVE SOME IMPACT ON OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE POSITION. SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT TO THAT ONE THAT I THINK THERE WILL BE MORE CONVERSATION THAT WE'LL BE HAVING.

THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, ERIK.

AND THANK YOU ALSO SALLY FOR THE PRESENTATION. BEFORE WE GET INTO THE CONVERSATION, I DO WANT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS STAFF AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR ADVOCATES THAT WE CONTRACT WITH DURING THE STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. WE ALSO HAVE FEDERAL ADVOCATES AS WELL. SALLY, YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS LAST SESSION WE HAD 8,000 BILLS FILED, A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT, WHICH WAS A RECORD SET. AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TWO YEARS WE SET NEW RECORDS. IT WOULD BE FAR EASIER IF THEY MET EVERY 140 YEARS FOR TWO DAYS INSTEAD OF THE OPPOSITE, BUT THAT IS WHAT IT IS.

SO I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SAN ANTONIO TEAM THAT KEEP US INFORMED. A LARGE NUMBER -- I WOULD SAY EVEN THE MAJORITY, IF THEY'RE NOT DIRECTLY AFFECTING CITIES ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, THEY'RE INDIRECTLY AFFECTING CITIES, SO WE DO HAVE A STAKE IN THE OUTCOME OF THESE LEGISLATION, SO THEY ARE THE EYES AND EARS AND IN MANY CASES, DEPENDING ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA, THEY ARE ALSO THE VOICE OF THE CITY, AND THOSE 140 DAYS SOMETIMES GET EXTENDED. THEY DID SEVERAL TIMES LAST SESSION, BUT THOSE 140 DAYS ARE ACTION-PACKED.

AND -- MORNING, NOON AND NIGHT. SO YOU DO GREAT WORK FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, ALL OF YOU. WE ARE PART OF THE TEAM AS WELL, SO I DO EXPECT COUNCIL TO BE ENGAGED AS WELL AS OUR CITY STAFF WHEN THE OCCASION MERITS IT, BUT THIS IS WHERE IT ALL STARTS IN TERMS OF THE PRIORITIES OF OUR CITY. AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER NOW TO OUR IGR CHAIRMAN, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ --

AUDIO] >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

NOBODY'S GOING TO BE SURPRISED, RIGHT, TO FIND OUT THAT THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS GOING TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE LAST FEW LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS WHERE IT HAS BECOME A FULL-CONTACT SPORTS FOR CITIES TO GO UP THERE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T DO TOO MUCH DAMAGE TO OUR ABILITY TO MANAGE OUR OWN AFFAIRS. AND IT'S -- I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO PAINT THE PICTURE FOR Y'ALL AS IT RELATES TO WHAT SALLY AND THE TEAM DO. SARA, EDUARDO, NADIA CHRISTINE, SALLY, THEY LEAVE THEIR FAMILIES HERE, AND THEY GO AND THEY SPEND DAY AND NIGHT UP THERE WALKING THE HALLS OF THE LEGISLATURE WORKING BREAKFASTS, LUNCHES AND DINNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY UP THERE FORGETS SAN ANTONIO AS THEY'RE DRAFTING POLICY, OR ALTERNATIVELY, THAT NOBODY DOES TOO MUCH DAMAGE TO SAN ANTONIO AS THEY'RE OUT THERE FIGHTING THEIR CULTURE WARS OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH BY ERODING A CITY'S ABILITY TO MANAGE ITS OWN AFFAIRS. THAT IS -- THAT'S REALLY THANKLESS WORK SOMETIMES, BECAUSE YOU ALSO NOT JUST FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT ALL DAY LONG, BUT THIS TEAM ALSO HAS TO SIT BACK AND WATCH ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS BE DEFEATED SOMETIMES, RIGHT? MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, BUT THEN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU GUYS PULL OUT A WIN THAT ALLOWS US TO KEEP MANAGING THIS HOME RULE CITY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED US. THE OTHER THING THAT WE DO IS WE WORK VERY, VERY CLOSELY WITH THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE. NOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, IT'S A COLLECTION OF NETWORK OF CITIES, HUNDREDS OF CITIES IN TEXAS, THAT ALL GET TOGETHER AND DEVELOP A POLICY POSITION. THE WAY WE ARE TODAY, THAT APPLIES TO ALL TEXAS CITIES, RIGHT? AND THAT POLICY POSITION IS VERY, VERY BROAD.

IF YOU READ IT, IT'S -- IT'S DETAILED INTO -- AS TO WHY AND HOW THEY ARRIVED AT THE POLICY POSITION, BUT THE POSITION ITSELF IS VERY BROAD. AND THE REASON IT'S VERY BROAD IS BECAUSE THE SITUATION IN AUSTIN IS VERY FLUID ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, AND SO WE HAVE ALSO IN PAST YEARS HAD TO, ON THE FLY, ADJUST OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA WITH EMERGENCY MEETINGS JUST TO BE ABLE TO REACT TO NEW BILLS THAT ARE FILED OVERNIGHT AND THAT SEEM TO GROW LEGS VERY, VERY QUICKLY.

AND SO YOUR -- MANY OF YOU WILL NOTICE THAT OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA HAS BEEN PAINTED WITH VERY BROAD STROKES. I WILL REASSURE YOU THAT -- IN THE BACKGROUND AND ALL THE CONTEXT THAT INFORMS THESE BROAD

[00:35:04]

LASTLY, I WANT TO TELL YOU THERE ARE VERY, VERY& REAL AND CONCRETE OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE TO HAVE -- OPPORTUNITIES, OF COURSE, IS TO GO AND TESTIFY. AND SO MY CHALLENGE TO THE IGR TEAM IS TO PLEASE RECRUIT YOUR CITY COUNCILMEMBERS TO GO AND REPRESENT THEIR CONSTITUENTS AT THESE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, RIGHT? TWO, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU PUT CAPITOL VISITS ON THEIR CALENDARS SO THAT THEY CAN HELP YOU GO AND TWIST ARMS, RIGHT, AND TELL THE STORY OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. THREE, I ENCOURAGE MY COUNCILMEMBERS TO NOT FORGET THAT OUR DELEGATES IN AUSTIN, OUR REPS AND OUR SENATORS, ARE VERY EAGER TO SPEAK TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS, BECAUSE THEY'RE THEIR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL, AND ALL OF US HAVE TOWN HALLS AND NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, I KNOW THAT OUR -- SENATOR MENENDEZ, TREY MARTINEZ FISHER, BARBARA HAWK KINS, ET CETERA, THEY ALWAYS JUMP AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO CONSTITUENTS F YOU'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY OPEN FOR THEM, PLEASE HELP US HELP THEM TO MAKE SURE THE MESSAGE GETS ACROSS. AND LASTLY ON THE WAY OUT TODAY, I INVITE YOU TO GIVE OUR IGR TEAM A FIST BUMP AND WISH THEM WELL. THEY NEED ALL OF THE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT THEY CAN POSSIBLY GET BECAUSE IT'S HARD.

THEY LEAVE IT ALL ON THE FIELD. THEY COME BACK BLOODIED AND BRUISED AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF YOU GUYS.

I LEARN A LOT BY WATCHING YOU AND I CERTAINLY DON'T ENVY YOU AS WE SEND YOU OFF TO GO DO BATTLE ON BEHALF OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ.

COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, SALLY AND FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO. I KNOW Y'ALL ARE GEARING UP FOR A MARATHON, AND BE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR COMFY SHOES AND COFFEE READY. I DO WANT TO ALSO STATE THAT I'M VERY HONORED WHEN I GO -- GET TO GO TO AUSTIN AND TESTIFY, SO I'D BE VERY HAPPY TO DO THAT IN ANY OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU THINK I WOULD BE HELPFUL IN. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CORRIDOR. I THINK YOU SAID, ERIK, IT'S FROM 35 TO 37, SOUTH

OF 410; IS THAT CORRECT? >> WALSH: YES, MA'AM. >> HAVRDA: SO IS THIS ADDING A NEW ROADWAY OR ARE YOU ADDING TO AN EXISTING ONE?

>> WALSH: NO, THE CONCEPT ORIGINATED -- AND I THINK THE CITY'S INITIAL CONVERSATIONS STARTED IN 2019 WHEN NAVASTAR LOCATED DOWN IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CITY. AND THERE WAS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FLOW OF MATERIALS AND GOODS AND SUPPLIES AND EMPLOYEES. THE ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE THAT FAR SOUTH, THERE'S NO -- THERE'S LITERALLY NO ROAD, THERE'S NOT EVEN A FARM-TO-MARKET ROAD THAT GOES EAST/WEST. THERE ARE A LOT OF NORTH/SOUTH CORRIDORS.

AND SO WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT PUTS ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON THOSE EXISTING CORRIDORS FOR LARGE EMPLOYERS LIKE TOYOTA, YOU HAVE JBC WHICH WILL BE UNDER DEVELOPMENT, YOU'VE GOT NAVA STAR DOWN THERE.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF THEM. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT

GROWING RESIDENTIAL AREAS. >> HAVRDA: UH-HUH.

>> WALSH: AND SO THE CONCEPT DURING -- THAT THE COUNCIL HAD DISCUSSIONS THEY HAD IN 2019, 2020, WAS WORKING WITH TXDOT TO DEVELOP A WURZBACH PARKWAY TYPE OF ROAD THAT FACILITATED TRAFFIC FOR ALL TO THE MAJOR HIGHWAYS, MUCH LIKE WURZBACH PARKWAY DID 15 YEARS AGO.

AND THAT'S WHERE -- THAT'S WHERE IT BEGAN. UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK, COVID HAPPENED AND EVERYBODY FORGOT 2020 AND 2021, AND WE HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE DEVELOPMENT IN THAT PART OF THE CITY, AND SO IT'S REENGAGING BACK TO THAT ORIGINAL PRIORITY. I THINK IT'S ALWAYS PROBABLY BEEN PART OF OUR PLAN. I KNOW THERE'S -- I DON'T KNOW -- I THINK IT'S KIND OF DROPPED OFF OF THE MPO LIST.

>> HAVRDA: OKAY. >> WALSH: BUT IT'S REALLY A TXDOT ROAD.

IT'S NOT -- I DON'T THINK IT ORIGINALLY WAS CONTEMPLATED AS A CITY

ROAD. IT'S A TXDOT PROJECT. >> HAVRDA: WE CAN STILL MAYBE TALK ABOUT PUTTING IT BACK ON THE MPO LIST, JUST TO FIGURE OUT

ADDITIONAL FUNDING. >> WALSH: YEAH. >> HAVRDA: MY ONLY CONCERN -- AND CONCERN IS TOO STRONG A WORD. BUT I WANT TO INTRODUCE THAT BROOKS IS ALSO VYING FOR SOME OF THAT SAME MONEY, SO WE WOULDN'T WANT TO BE TOO COMPETITIVE WITH BROOKS, MAYBE IT'S THE SAME PLAN

[00:40:03]

THAT WE BRING TOGETHER SOMEHOW. >> WALSH: OKAY.

>> HAVRDA: I JUST REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TRY TO WORK WITH MPO

TO FIND -- >> WALSH: YES, UNDOUBTEDLY.

THE FUNDING OF WURZBACH PARKWAY WAS -- I THINK THE CITY DID SOME OF THE RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION, BUT THE STATE FUNDED THE ENTIRE STRETCH.

>> HAVRDA: OKAY. >> WALSH: THAT TYPE OF -- IT WOULDN'T BE -- IDEALLY -- IDEALLY, IT WOULDN'T BE THE MPO HAVING TO DECIDE WHAT'S NOT DONE IN EXCHANGE, MUCH LIKE WURZBACH, THE STATE FUNDED IT.

ALL WE DID AS A CITY WAS FUND SOME RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITIONS.

>> HAVRDA: OKAY. GREAT. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AT THE STATE LEVEL TO SUPPORT THE VA? I THINK THAT WOULD BE VALUABLE, I DON'T KNOW IF THE GENERAL MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT, BUT THERE WAS A PUSH FOR A WHILE TO PRIVATIZE VA, AND THE VA EMPLOYEES ARE STILL WORKING ON THAT, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL HAPPEN. SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO, ADD TO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR VAS

ARE -- CONTINUE TO BE PUBLICLY OWNED. >> YES, THANK YOU.

I SPOKE TO HER YESTERDAY, ACTUALLY THE DIRECTOR OF THE VA, AND I DON'T THINK IN THE NEAR TERM THERE'S ANY ISSUE OF BEING PRIVATIZED.

AND I THINK AS A VA USER AND QUARTER OF A MILLION VETERANS IN THIS CITY, A LOT OF THEM THAT USE THE VA, WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT THE WAY IT IS. BUT, YEAH, THERE'S LOBBYING THAT WE CAN DO -- NOT LOBBYING, BUT ADVOCACY THAT WE CAN DO, JUST LIKE WE DID WHEN BAMC WAS THREATENED A FEW YEARS AGO AND JUST LIKE WE DO FOR OTHER MILITARY ISSUES. IF THAT COMES UP, IF THAT SURFACE, SHE KNOWS TO CALL US, AND WHAT WE'LL DO IS ENGAGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE

THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE OUR VOICE HEARD. >> HAVRDA: OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, GENERAL. ON THE TOPIC OF UTILITIES, HAVE WE HEARD OF ANY THREATS, BILLS INTRODUCED THAT MIGHT

THREATEN OUR RESILIENCY PLANS? >> COUNCILWOMAN, WE HOPE NOT, BUT THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. ONCE BILL FILING STARTS, WE WILL TRACK AND HOPEFULLY NOT IDENTIFY ANY SIMILAR BILLS LIKE 1110 THAT WE WERE TRACKING AND FIGHTING LAST SESSION.

>> HAVRDA: OKAY. I GUESS THAT'S A -- WE KNOW KIND OF THE PLAN FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND THEY -- IT RARELY LOOKS THE SAME AT THE FINISH LINE THAT IT DOES IN THE BEGINNING BECAUSE OF BILLS THAT WILL POP UP. SO MY -- MY REQUEST IS THAT WE LOOK OUT FOR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT THREATEN OUR RESILIENCY PLANS.

OBVIOUSLY, LIKE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND IN MENTAL HEALTH THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ON. AND THAT'S IT.

THANKS SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. COUNCILMEMBER

MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.

AS A MEMBER OF THE IGR COMMITTEE, I'M HAPPY TO HAVE HAD SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE FEEDBACK ON THE STATE OF THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, AND FOR THE MOST PART, I'M FINE WITH IT. THERE'S AREAS I FEEL WE COULD DO MORE, BUT OVERALL IT'S A FINE AGENDA CONSISTENT WITH EVERY OTHER LEGISLATIVE AGENDA WE'VE EVER PASSED.

OUR PRIORITIES ARE ALL THERE AND THAT'S GOOD. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SEVERAL MAJOR AREAS OF FOCUS FOR OUR STATE'S LEADERSHIP THAT WE DON'T ADDRESS, AND SO I'M SURE THAT THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO GET WHAT WE WANT IS THROUGH A COLLAPSE AND WEAKENING OF OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM, THE FURTHER CRIMINALIZATION AND EXPLOITATION OF OUR IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS AND GREATER ATTACKS ON THE LGBTQI PLUS COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY THE TRANS COMMITTEE. I WANT TO EXPRESS A BIT OF FRUSTRATION AND I HOPE THAT OUR COLLEAGUES HELP ME OUT ON THIS AND ARE LISTENING WHEN I SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE. AT OUR MOST RECENT IGR COMMUNITY, I MENTIONED HOW IMPORTANT IT WOULD BE WITH THE LGBTQI. SO IN THE FOLLOW-UP SESSION WITH SALLY SHE MENTIONED SOME ADDED LANGUAGE THAT WE WOULD OPPOSE SOME OF THESE. I ASKED IF WE COULD EXPLICITLY MENTION THINGS PROPOSE DISCRIM THAT TEAR TOIR ON THE BUSINESS OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, VETERAN STATUS, DISABILITY, FAMILIA STATUS, NATIONAL ORIGIN OR AGE, NOTHING NEW, NOT CHANGING ANYTHING ABOUT THE CITY'S PRIORITY, BUT THE RESPONSE WAS ESSENTIALLY NO. IF WE NAME THE LGBTQI OR PROTECTED CLASSES IT MAY HARM OUR ABILITY TO ADVOCATE ON OTHER ISSUES. I APPRECIATE THAT THE INCLUDED LANGUAGE IS A TINY STEP FORWARD. I DO STILL THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE'RE COWARDLY FROM AN OPPORTUNITY TO OUTWARDLY AND OPENLY SUPPORT A COMMUNITY AND MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN UNDER ATTACK IN EVERY SINGLE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN RECENT HISTORY.

MY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS LANGUAGE AND SPECIFICITY IS AN EFFORT TO PREVENT OUR CITY FROM BEING A TARGET FROM GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S BUT I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE HAVE BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A TARGET UNTIL WE HAVE

[00:45:04]

YOU NAMED TO US AT IGR LAST WEEK SEVERAL LGBTQI STAKEHOLDERS AT THAT LAST COMMITTEE MEETING BUT THEY'RE NOT EVEN LISTED IN THE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS SECTION OF THE PRESENTATION, WE COULD HAVE NAMED HRC, THRIVE, THE FOOD CENTER JUST AS WE DID OTHERS. THIS IS A GENERAL PROBLEM I HAVE, WE ALSO DON'T INCLUDE THE LGBTQI PLUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OR STAKEHOLDERS WHEN WE TRAVEL FOR SA TO D.C. IT'S WEAK AND THAT'S NOT THE MESSAGE I WANT TO SEND TO MEMBERS OF MY COMMUNITY SO I WOULD ASK THE COLLEAGUES IF WHETHER WE'RE WILLING TO HOLD A COMMUNITY OUT TO DRY.

I'M SEEING WEAK MOVEMENT, BUT IT'S ALSO DISAPPOINTING TO SEE US SIT BY AS OTHER GROUPS INCLUDING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ARE ATTACKED. THAT'S MY PROBLEM, IF IT'S NOT FIXED BY THE TIME WE VOTE ON IT AT AN A SESSION I WILL PROBABLY BE VOTING NO OUT OF

FRUSTRATION AND ANGER. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE?

>> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR THE HARD WORK AND OUR LEGISLATIVE TEAM FOR PUTTING THE PRESENTATION TOGETHER.

I FOR THE MOST PART AM OKAY WITH THE AGENDA, BUT I DO HAVE -- I DO HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS. FIRST OF ALL, THINK TRANSPARENCY, AS I ALWAYS SAY, IS EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS ALREADY EXISTS, BUT IF IT DOESN'T, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT.

IS THERE SOMEWHERE ONLINE, DASHBOARD OR WHATEVER THE HECK YOU WANT TO CALL IT, WHERE THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO FOLLOW IN REALTIME EACH AND EVERY BILL THAT OUR TEAM IS ADVOCATING FOR OR AGAINST?

>> BASURTO: COUNCILMAN WHYTE, IN REALTIME, THAT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT.

THERE ARE PUBLIC -- TEXAS WHERE WHEN WE REGISTER IN OPPOSITION OR IN SUPPORT, THAT IS

PUBLIC INFORMATION. >> WHYTE: YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING ON OUR -- ON OUR SITE WHERE RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CAN GO ONLINE AND SEE WHICH BILLS OUR CITY IS ADVOCATING FOR OR AGAINST.

I DON'T -- I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD BE TOO DIFFICULT.

IS IT? >> BASURTO: WHAT I WILL ADD IS THAT A PART OF OUR PRESENTATION IS NOT JUST TO THE IGR COMMITTEE, BUT TO THE FULL COUNCIL, I PROVIDE VERY ROBUST UPDATES ON THE SPECIFIC BILLS THAT WE ARE OPPOSING AND SUPPORTING AND ANY EMERGING BILLS, AND SO I EXPLAIN THAT AND THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE UPLOADED ONTO THE CITY'S WEBSITE AS WELL.

>> WHYTE: AND I APPRECIATE THE UPDATES THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET.

BUT CAN WE GET A COMMITMENT THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A SINGULAR LOCATION WHERE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO SAY I WANT TO SEE WHAT OUR CITY LEADERSHIP IS ADVOCATING FOR OR AGAINST, AND THEY CAN CLICK ON THE WEB PAGE AND SEE, OKAY, HB BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, AND HAVE A LINK TO THE BILL AND THAT'S WHAT OUR CITY IS FIGHTING FOR OR TRYING TO PREVENT.

I MEAN, CAN WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> WALSH: COUNCILMAN, LET ME JUMP IN. LET US -- LET US FIGURE OUT THE LOGISTICS OF THAT. I MEAN, THE FACT THAT THERE'S 8,000 OF THEM AND THERE'S A MILLION DIFFERENT TRACKS, I'M -- I'M NOT CERTAIN WE CAN.

AND I DON'T WANT TO COMMIT TO SOMETHING I DON'T THINK IS POSSIBLE, BUT I THINK -- I THINK YOUR POINT IS YOU WANT THE AVERAGE CITIZEN OF SAN ANTONIO TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A VIEW INTO THE MULTITUDE OF THINGS WE'RE DEALING WITH AND HOW WE'RE DEALING WITH THEM, RIGHT?

>> WHYTE: YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S THERE -- IT'S THEIR MONEY, RIGHT? IT'S THEIR TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP FUND THIS, SO I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT OUR ADVOCATES ARE PUSHING FOR OR AGAINST.

>> WALSH: I'M NOT DEBATING. I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.

>> WHYTE: YES. >> WALSH: LET US TALK TO OUR CONSULTANTS AND SEE

IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO. >> WHYTE: AWESOME.

THANK YOU. NEXT WHEN WE GOT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY

[00:50:03]

SO IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT IN TERMS OF ADVOCATING FOR STRICTER

PENALTIES FOR SOME OF THESE PROPERTY CRIMES? >> BASURTO: COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU. AFTER OUR DISCUSSION, WE REACHED OUT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND SAPD, AND THE INFORMATION THAT I RECEIVED FROM THEM IS THAT THEY COLLECTIVELY AGREE THAT THE EXISTING PENAL CODE ALREADY ADDRESSES THIS FULLY. THERE'S A VERY LOW BAR FOR THIS PARTICULAR CRIMINAL MISCHIEF INCIDENCE, WHICH IS $100 FOR CLASS C MISDEMEANORS. AND DEPENDING ON THE PROPERTY DAMAGE, IT AUTOMATICALLY WOULD TRIGGER ABOVE $100 ADDITIONAL -- IT WOULD TRIGGER TO A CLASS B MISDEMEANOR WITH POSSIBLY UP TO SIX MONTHS IN JAIL. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HERE AS WELL AS MUNICIPAL COURT, AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM

FURTHER. >> SEGOVIA: IF I COULD, COUNCILMAN, CLARIFY WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE -- WE JUST CONFIRMED THAT FOR A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR, WE'RE LIMITED BY STATE LAW THAT CAN ONLY BE A $500 FINE. WE WANT TO INCREASE THOSE FINES AND STILL KEEP IT A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR, WE WOULD REQUIRE A LEGISLATIVE CHANGE.

THAT WAS THE INPUT WE PROVIDED. >> WHYTE: MY POINT IS FOR SOME OF THESE CLASS CS, IT'S EITHER THE FINE, BUT THERE'S NO TYPE OF

DETENTION OF THE PERSON OR INCARCERATION, RIGHT? >> SEGOVIA: THAT'S

CORRECT. >> WHYTE: SO WE WOULD NEED SOME SORT OF

LEGISLATIVE CHANGE TO MAKE THE -- >> SEGOVIA: CORRECT.

>> WHYTE: SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT POSSIBLY ADVOCATING FOR A CHANGE IN THAT REGARD. NEXT ONTO THE COUNCILMAN COURAGE'S CCR, WHICH, YOU KNOW, ANDY, YOUR TEAM AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS AGO OR SO, THIS ISSUE OF VAPE SHOPS AND THEIR PROXIMITY TO SCHOOLS. AND WE'VE GOT THAT SITUATION IN DISTRICT 10 AND I THANK COUNCILMAN COURAGE FOR HIS CCR. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED THAT THESE SHOPS ARE POPPING UP OR ALREADY EXISTS AROUND SCHOOLS.

I THINK THIS IS A THREAT TO OUR YOUTH AND THIS IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF THING THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT PREVENTING. SO I SAW UP THERE, YES, YOU'RE TRACKING THE CCR, BUT DOES THAT MEAN WE'RE GOING TO ACTIVELY TRY TO

DO SOMETHING IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION? >> WALSH: I THINK THE IDEA OF ADDING THOSE CCRS IS THAT THOSE ARE GOING THROUGH THE COMMITTEES, THEN THEY'RE LIKELY TO RESULT IN SOMETHING WE BRING BACK TO THE COUNCIL

TO ADD TO THIS AGENDA. >> WHYTE: OKAY. SO IF IT MAKES IT THROUGH, WE'RE GOING TO ADD IT IN TIME FOR NEXT YEAR'S AGENDA.

>> WALSH: YES, SIR. >> WHYTE: OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

GREAT. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WILL BE A GREAT BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY. LASTLY -- I GUESS AND FOLLOWING SOME OF THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES, LISTEN, I'M ALL FOR LOCAL CONTROL BECAUSE IT'S TRUE, WE ARE THE -- WE ARE THE CLOSEST FORM OF GOVERNMENT TO OUR CITIZENS AND WE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH AND WE'RE THE ONES CHARGED WITH FINDING SOLUTIONS TO A LOT OF THESE ISSUES TO HELP ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS. BUT U'LL TELL YOU THAT I ALSO HEAR FROM MY CITIZENS ALL THE TIME, MY RESIDENTS, ABOUT CITIES GOING TOO FAR AND CITIES TRYING TO ACT ON ISSUES THAT FRANKLY ARE NOT IN THE PURVIEW OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. AND WE'VE SEEN IT IN THE PAST HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, PAID SICK LEAVE IS SOMETHING THAT COMES TO MIND THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL TRIED TO ENACT THAT WAS STRUCK DOWN BY OUR COURTS AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAD HB 2127 THAT WAS PUT INTO EFFECT. IT'S BEEN IN ECT N

[00:55:05]

AND FINALLY, AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, BUT IT IS MY HOPE, AND I HAVE THE COMMITMENT FROM OUR LEGISLATIVE TEAM AND I'VE TALKED WITH JEFF ABOUT IT AS WELL, THAT WE ARE GOING TO ENSURE THAT WHATEVER WE DO UP AT THE LEGISLATURE, NONE OF IT IS GOING TO BE POLITICAL. WE NEED TO ADVOCATE FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS AND POLITICS SHOULD HAVE NO PLACE IN OUR SAN ANTONIO

LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER ALDARETE

GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I WANT TO THANK SALLY AND JEFF AND THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM.

I THINK COUNCILMAN PELAEZ SUMMARIZED IT PERFECTLY. Y'ALL GIVE UP SO MUCH OF Y'ALL'S TIME AND IT IS A LOT OF WORK. AND SO I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS. I'M ALSO HAPPY AND PROUD TO SERVE ON THE IGR COMMITTEE UNDER COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US PREVIEW THIS AND GIVE SOME INPUT ON WHAT -- ON WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS GOING TO BE.

I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN WHYTE ON A DASHBOARD. I'M FAMILIAR WITH THOSE WEBSITES THAT TRACK BILLS. I THINK IT'S PROBABLY JUST AN EASY -- YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK TO CRAIG ABOUT THIS CODE FIX WHERE WE CAN JUST PULL THOSE BILLS THAT SAN ANTONIO NOW HAS A POSITION ON.

AND THEN I THINK THAT RESIDENTS MIGHT LIKE TO SEE THAT.

I DON'T KNOW, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO ROLL OUT A SITE.

I DON'T SEE IT AS TOO HEAVY OF DEVELOPMENT WORK AND THEN SEE HOW MUCH OUR RESIDENTS WOULD WANT TO SEE THAT. PROS AND CONS.

MAKE THEY WANT US TAKING MORE POT POSITIONS ON DIFFERENT ISSUES.

I WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT SA DIGITAL CONNECTS IS ALIVE AND PUSHING, AND SO REALLY WANTED TO CONTINUE THEIR EFFORTS TO GET ALL RESIRESIDENTS CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET. I WAS ALSO GLAD TO SEE -- AND THANK YOU FOR INCORPORATING OUR FEEDBACK -- ON THE VIOLENT CRIME PREVENTION, SPECIFICALLY TO CURB GUN VIOLENCE AND IRRESPONSIBLE FIREARM USE. I WAS PROUD TO PARTNER WITH COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, WE JUST ROLLED OUT A CCR THAT AIMS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WHILE EFFORTS AT THE CITY LEVEL ARE IMPACTFUL, WE NEED SUPPORT FROM THE STATE AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU FOR INCORPORATING THAT FEEDBACK.

I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THE EMPHASIS ON HOUSING INITIATIVES AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF. WE KNOW THAT THESE ARE THINGS AT THE FOREFRONT OF RESIDENTS' MINDS. I DID HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ON SLIDE 15.

CAN YOU REMIND US WHAT PROGRESS WAS MADE ON PROPERTY TAX RELIEF IN

THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION? >> BASURTO: YES, COUNCILWOMAN, LET ME GET TO THAT SLIDE. ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS NOT THE CORRECT SLIDE. IT'S ACTUALLY HOUSING

STABILITY. >> GAVITO: YEAH, IT WAS THE HOUSING --

>> BASURTO: YES, THAT'S CORRECT. SO I MENTIONED THE $18 BILLION INVESTMENT ON PROPERTY TAX RELIEF THAT TRANSPIRED OVER THE LEGISLATURE. THAT INCLUDED A 20% APPRAISAL CAP ON RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. IT ALSO INCLUDED THE

RAISED HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR RESIDENTS. >> GAVITO: THAT'S RIGHT.

>> BASURTO: -- FROM 40,000 TO 100,000, AND THEN THIRDLY, A SCHOOL TAX COMPRESSION TO LOWER THE SCHOOL PROPERTY TAXES.

SO I DO RECALL -- AND I DON'T REMEMBER -- I BELIEVE IT'S THROUGH 2026, THE 20% APPRAISAL CAP ON RESIDENTIAL IS A TEMPORARY CAP.

>> GAVITO: OKAY. >> BASURTO: BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS TRANSPIRING RIGHT NOW, AND THERE ARE SOME DISCUSSIONS HAPPENING THAT WE BELIEVE THE CONVERSATION WILL CONTINUE DURING THE NEW

SESSION. >> GAVITO: OKAY. TEMPORARY UNTIL W

WHEN. >> BASURTO: I BELIEVE IT'S 2026 FOR THE CAP.

WE'LL MAKE SURE. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION. I WAS ALSO RELIEVED AND HAPPY THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE PUSHING AT THE STATE LEVEL TO ADDRESS LOOSE AND DANGEROUS DOGS LIKE CITY MANAGER ERIK WALSH MENTIONED. YOU KNOW, WE ROLLED OUT

[01:00:01]

IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN PRIORITIZE TO LOOK INTO? >> BASURTO: COUNCILWOMAN, THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY. THERE IS A NEW TXDOT SAN ANTONIO REGION OFFICE DISTRICT ENGINEER, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM, SO THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING I CAN RAISE TO HIM, FIND OUT WHAT TOOLS THEY HAVE IN THEIR TOOLBOX AND THEN REPORT BACK TO YOU HOW WE CAN EASE SOME OF THOSE

BURDENS. >> GAVITO: YEAH, WE HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH TXDOT, TOO, AND THEY'RE VERY MUCH LIKE, WELL, WE FOCUS ON THE ROADS, THE ASPHALT AND THE ROADS AND STUFF, AND SO WE JUST WANT TO WORK WITH THEM TO BROADEN THEIR SCOPE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEIR WORK HAS REAL LIFE IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND OUR RESIDENTS AS WELL.

>> BASURTO: LET US WORK ON IT. >> GAVITO: AWESOME.

THANK YOU. OVERALL, YOU KNOW, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER WITH YOU ALL IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CITY. SO THANKS SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.

>> MAYOR PRO TEM: THANK YOU. NEXT UP, COUNCILWOMAN

CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, A MAYOR PRO TEM.

THANK YOU, SALLY, TO THE ENTIREGOV FT AFFAIRS TEAM.

IN TURNS OF THE EAST/WEST BUSINESS CORRIDOR, WOULD THAT REMAIN A TXDOT ROAD,

OR WOULD IT BE A TXDOT ROAD? >> WALSH: IDEALLY, YES,

MA'AM. >> CASTILLO: AND I UNDERSTAND A CONCEPT HASN'T BEEN DEVELOPED YET, BUT -- AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND TXDOT IS OFTEN NOT IN FAVOR OF SUPPORT OF THOSE AMENITIES, BUT I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO INTEGRATE THEM INTO THE PLAN AND THEN HOPE FOR THE BEST, BECAUSE IT'S WHAT I HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS WITH MANY OF THESE TXDOT ROADS, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH YOU ALL HAVE TO NAVIGATE WITHIN. IN TERMS OF THE HOUSING COMPONENT, I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE THAT THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. IN TERMS OF WORKFORCE, I AM -- MY EXPECTATION WOULD BE IF THERE'S ANY BILL FILED THAT PUTS THE RIGHT OF WORKERS TO ORGANIZE THEIR WORKPLACE AT RISK, THAT WE OPPOSE THAT BILL.

IN OUR CONVERSATION WITH SALLY, WHAT I SHARED WAS SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THAT THE CITY OPPOSE ANY BILL THAT IS SUPPORTIVE FOR VOUCHERS OR PUTS OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AT RISK. WITHIN 20/23, FOUR OUT OF THE FIVE SCHOOLS IN DISTRICT FIVE EXPERIENCED SCHOOL CLOSURES AND ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WAS PRIMARILY STATE FUNDING. WE KNOW THE IMPACT THAT VOUCHERS HAVE ON OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND MANY OF THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE NOW OPERATING FROM A DEFICIT BUDGET, SO MY EXPECTATION WOULD BE THAT WE SUPPORT THE SAN ANTONIO ALLIANCE, NORTH SIDE AFT AND OUR TEACHER'S UNIONS THAT ARE OPPOSING MANY OF THESE BILLS.

I UNDERSTAND BROAD STROKES, THE BILLS STILL NEED TO BE FILED, WOE CAN'T HAVE EVERYTHING LAID OUT HERE BUT THAT WOULD BE MY HOPE AND EXPECTATION. I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE THAT COUNCILWOMAN ALDARETE GAVITO, HER CCR IS GOING TO BE RUNNING PARALLEL TO THIS AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT THE GOVERNOR DOES NOT VETO THE IMPORTANT BILL THAT MRS. CAM POS FILED.

IN TERMS OF COUNCILMAN COURAGE'S CCR REGARDING VAPING, IF A BILL IS FILED AROUND REGULATION FOR STORES THAT OPERATE -- OR SELL RATHER VAPES, I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HEAR FROM DISTRICT FIVE CONSTITUENTS ABOUT, WHETHER IT'S THE ADVERTISEMENT OF VAPING NEAR SCHOOLS OR ACCESS TO SHOPS THAT SELL VAPES, IT'S A CONCERN AND SOMETHING WE RECEIVE A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT WITH QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS GIVEN THE ACCESSIBILITY AND THE PROXIMITY TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M REALLY EXCITED. I'M ALWAYS DOWN FOR A GOOD FIGHT AND I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD ONE, AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS A REALLY GOOD TEAM, SO I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE LONG DAYS AND

[01:05:06]

IN TERMS OF ANY BILLS TO HELP KEEP FOLKS AND INCARCERATE FOLKS, IF MY COLLEAGUE WANTS MORE INKARS RAITION, LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT MOVING THE COUNTY JAIL TO DISTRICT 10. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. MAIRPZ THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.

COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE? >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE ALL HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND THE CITY HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. WE DO THAT IN A LOT OF WAYS. WE DO THAT INDIVIDUALLY AS COUNCILMEMBERS WHEN WE MEET IN SESSIONS LIKE THIS AND WE TALK ABOUT AND THEN MAKE DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THE LIVES OF EVERYBODY WHO LIVES IN SAN ANTONIO, NOT JUST THE PEOPLE IN OUR OWN DISTRICT. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE, WHEN THEY MEET AND THEY ADVOCATE NOT JUST FOR THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND THEIR LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT, BUT THEY KEEP IN MIND THAT THE DECISIONS THEY AND THEY NEED TO BE OPEN MINDED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LEGISLATION THEY PASS DOESN'T SIMPLY SUPPORT A SPECIAL INTEREST OR CERTAIN GROUP. BUT THAT IT REALLY BENEFITS ALL OF US IN TEXAS AS THEY MEET EVERY TWO YEARS AND MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT OUR PLAN, THREE THINGS I REALLY DIDN'T HEAR MUCH ABOUT, WHICH I THINK SHOULD BE PART OF OUR PLANS. OUR STAND ON EDUCATION, OUR STAND ON HEALTHCARE, AND OUR STAND ON ENERGY. AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION HAD A SURPLUS OF OVER $30 BILLION.

MOST OF THAT HAS BEEN LEFT IN A BANK SOMEWHERE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

THIS SESSION THERE COULD BE $40 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE OVER AND ABOVE THE PRIOR BUDGET. WE CAN'T NOT PUT THAT FUNDING TO WORK TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF EVERYBODY IN SAN ANTONIO AND EVERYBODY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

UNDERFUNDING, PUBLIC EDUCATION LEADS TO RISING JOBLESSNESS.

PEOPLE CAN'T GET A GOOD JOB BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET A GOOD EDUCATION.

IT LEADS TO GROWING POVERTY. IT LEADS TO A HOUSING CRISIS WHERE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A GOOD JOB BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET A COMPLETE EDUCATION. IT LEADS TO HOMELESSNESS, WHICH WE SPEND IN THIS COMMUNITY ABOUT $75 MILLION A YEAR BETWEEN ALL OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFITS, CITY-COUNTY ON FIGHTING HOMELESSNESS. AND IT LEADS TO INCREASED CRIME BECAUSE IF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A JOB, THEY'RE GOING TO FIND OTHER WAYS OF SUPPORTING THEMSELVES. SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE, AS PART OF OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, A COMPLETE COMMITMENT TO FULL FUNDING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION THROUGHOUT THIS STATE. AND I JUST DON'T HEAR US SPEAKING LOUDLY ENOUGH ABOUT THAT. HEALTHCARE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE UNDERFUNDED HEALTHCARE IN THIS STATE. WE RECENTLY REDUCED THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN ON MEDICAID IN THIS STATE. THAT MEANS MORE CHILDREN DO NOT HAVE THE HEALTHCARE THEY NEED AND THAT LEADS TO FURTHER PROBLEMS FOR FAMILIES. AND ALSO ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE REFUSED TO EXPAND MEDICAID.

AND A FEW YEARS AGO IF THE STATE HAD AGREED TO EXPAND MEDICAID, THEY WOULD HAVE RECEIVED $10 BILLION AND WOULD HAVE HAD TO PUT IN $1 BILLION AS THEIR SHARE.

A 10:1 RETURN AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR IMPROVING HEALTHCARE AND WE COMPLETELY

[01:10:08]

IT'S THE OTHER NONPROFITS THAT ARE COMMITTED TO PUBLIC HEALTH THAT HAVE TO PICK UP THIS TAB WHEN THE STATE CAN DO IT AND CAN MULTIPLY THEIR INVESTMENT BY TEN IF THEY WOULD DO IT. AND I THINK WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND EMPHASIZE THAT AS WELL IN OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA BECAUSE THE CITY PICKS UP THE DIFFERENCE IN THESE THINGS. AND THEN ENERGY. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN ON THE PRECIPICE OF PROBLEMS IN OUR ENERGY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF SUMMERS AND I THINK ALL OF US AGREE WE SHOULDN'T BE FACING THAT KIND OF A DILEMMA.

YET WE HEAR RECENTLY THAT SAN ANTONIO IS AT THE CRUX OF A TRANSMISSION CRISIS IN BRINGING ENERGY INTO AND GETTING IT OUT OF SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE THE STATE HAS NOT INVESTED IN IMPROVING THE TRANSMISSION CAPABILITIES FOR THE GRID IN THE STATE. AGAIN, WE HAVE BILLIONS SITTING AROUND BUT WE HAVE INVESTED SOME MONEY IN ENERGY BUT IT'S GONE INTO THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY'S FAVORITE SOURCES OF ENERGY. IT HAS NOT GONE INTO DEVELOPING MORE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, WHICH IS CHEAPER AND VERY RELIABLE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE NOT INVESTING IN THESE THINGS, IT'S US AND IT'S THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO SUFFER AND WHO SUFFER WHEN OUR ENERGY GOES OUT. AND WE GET CRITICIZED BECAUSE WE'RE CREATING MORE ENERGY, WE'RE GOING OUT AND BUYING THINGS AND WE HEAR WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT CPS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THEY EXPECT US TO PAY FOR THE EXPANDING OF THE TRANSMISSION AROUND THIS AREA BUT THE STATE LEGISLATURE ISN'T DOING ENOUGH IN THAT AREA. AND THEN ALSO IN ENERGY, WE ARE BRINGING IN THESE ENERGY-HOG DATA CENTERS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE USUALLY SAY WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A BUSINESS IN HERE. WELL, WE DO WHEN THEY CREATE JOBS. BUT THESE DATA CENTERS, ESPECIALLY THE BITCOIN MINING CENTERS ARE NOT CREATING JOBS. SIX OR SEVEN RUN A HUGE FACTORY THAT USE ENOUGH ENERGY FOR 20,000 HOMES. THAT MAKES NO SENSE AND WE NEED TO SPEAK TO THAT IN OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA SO THE STATE, HOPEFULLY, WILL GIVE IT SOME KIND OF CONSIDERATION. ON THESE KINDS OF FACTORS IF THE STATE DOESN'T DO ITS JOB WE END UP DOING IT FOR THEM AND THAT PUTS IT ON THE BACK OF THE SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS AND IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE ON OUR BACK WHEN THE CITY AND THE STATE SITS ON BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND REFUSES TO PUT THOSE TO WORK FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE STATE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THOSE ITEMS CONSIDERED IN

OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK THANK YOU, PASTOR. WELL SAID. WE'LL GO NOW TO

COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND SO THANK YOU TO SALLY AND ALL OF THE TEAM, NADIA, JEFF, AND CHRISTINE, AND EDUARDO AND SARAH. I'M GLAD YOU GO TO AUSTIN A WHOLE LOT BECAUSE I ACTUALLY HATE GOING TO AUSTIN BUT I'LL GO IF YOU NEED ME TO. I ALWAYS WILL.

I'M SO GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. I DO -- I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL HAVE PRESENTED TODAY. I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH IT.

I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, LIKE ERIK SAID, TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION ON THE EAST/WEST CORRIDOR. AND SO I HAVE A FEW RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT ORIGINALLY AS A KELLY PARKWAY.

THEY SAID UP TO 20 YEARS THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS.

AND SO EVERY TIME THAT I HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM THEY BRING UP THE KELLY PARKWAY. SO THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN CALLING IT FOR ALL OF THIS TIME. AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO IT AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF WE COULD BRING THEM IN AND START A CONVERSATION SO YOU ALL CAN HEAR FROM THEM WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITIES IN MY AREA IN REGARD TO THIS AND WHAT THEIR BIG HOPES AND DREAMS WERE.

AND SO I'D LOVE TO ASK THAT, AS AN OPPORTUNITY. I THINK WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO ENGAGE TEXAS A&M SAN ANTONIO. CHANCELLOR SHARPE HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE. I THANKED HIM FOR THE SUPPORT THAT HE IS WORKING ON WITHIN OUR AREA. AND SO HE HAS INVESTED HEAVILY INTO TEXAS A&M SAN

[01:15:07]

AND SO I KNOW THAT WE'RE VERY DIFFERENT. HE'S AN AGGIE.

I'M A LONGHORN BUT THIS IS A WONDERFUL WAY TO BRIDGE THAT AND TO WORK TOGETHER FOR OUR RESIDENTS. AND I ALSO -- THE MAYOR AND I WERE AT THE ALAMO YESTERDAY AND THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SAID HE WAS READY TO WRITE A CHECK TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND ERIK WALSH WAS THERE TOO. ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO CASH IN ON THAT PROMISE, I THINK WE HAVE IT RECORDED SOMEWHERE. I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT. SO ANYTHING WE COULD WORK WITH THE STATE ON I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE WIN-WIN SITUATIONS WITH JCB.

I KNOW REPRESENTATIVE LUJAN RIGHT NOW IS ONE OF THE FAVORITES AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE REFERENCE -- OR THAT WE USE THAT AS WELL. SO JUST A LITTLE PLUG FOR THE SOUTHSIDE WITH SOME PEOPLE FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW.

ACCESS TO CHILDCARE. I APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON THAT AS WELL.

IT'S ONE OF THESE THINGS THAT CONTINUES TO BE NEEDED. I SAW REPRESENTATIVE BERNAL MENTION YESTERDAY AT THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEPARTMENT THAT CHILDCARE IS IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF THE PARTY. FOOD INSECURITY, I APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON THAT. I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY SINCE SHE GOT ON COUNCIL ON FFOOD INSECURITY.

I THINK SHE WOULD BE A GREAT REPRESENTATIVE ON THAT FRONT.

THE LEGACY BILL, I THINK REPRESENTATIVE BERNAL SEVERAL TIMES HAS BROUGHT THAT UP. I BROUGHT THAT UP AT THE IGR COMMITTEE.

I ASKED ABOUT EXEMPTIONS THAT MIGHT ASSIST LONGTIME HOMEOWNERS AND SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO PARTNER WITH REPRESENTATIVE BERNAL WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO ME.

I DO HAVE A QUESTION. DO ANY OF OUR LOBBYISTS ALREADY HAVE A TOOL THAT TRACKS DAILY? FROM WHAT I REMEMBER -- AND I USED TO SIT IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND I USED TO HAVE TO TRACK ALL SORTS OF BILLS BECAUSE I WORKED FOR AJ AND HE OVERSAW GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS. AND SO I HAD TO GET UPDATED.

BUT THEY WERE SO SLOW TO UPDATE BACK THEN. BUT IT'S TEN-PLUS YEARS LATER. I'M SURE THERE'S UPDATES NOW DAILY.

I HOPE, RIGHT? BUT I KNOW THAT SOME BILLS MOVE SO FAST THAT IT COULD CHANGE FROM AN HOUR TO THE NEXT. AND SO IS THERE ALREADY -- ARE OUR LOBBYISTS PAYING FOR A FANCY TOOL? I WOULD IMAGINE IT COSTS A

LOT OF MONEY TO IMPLEMENT THAT SORT OF A TOOL. >> BASURTO: THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND I WISH WE HAD A GREAT RESPONSE. I KNOW THE TOOLS WE USE STATEWIDE, WHICH INCLUDES OTHER LARGE CITIES AND OTHER PARTNERS, THAT I'M SURE OUR CONSULTANTS AND THEIR STAFF USE. THEY'RE LIMITED AND THE ONES WE UTILIZE AREN'T IN REALTIME EITHER BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE ENTERED MANUALLY.

WE HAVE TO GO TO THE THINKING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DEVELOP. AGAIN, LIKE THE CITY MANAGER SAID, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY PROMISES BECAUSE THE THOUSANDS OF BILLS WE HAVE TO SORT THROUGH WOULD BE AN INSURMOUNTABLE TASK TO MANUALLY DO THAT AT THE SAME

TIME WE'RE DOING OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS. >> GARCIA: SURE.

AND I KNOW SOME OF OUR PARTNERS USE TELECON. TELECON NOW HAS AN AI FEATURE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE GOTTEN TO USE THAT YET.

I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS USED WITH THE PREVIOUS BUT I THINK THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO ACTUALLY PUSH OUT. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S

SOMETHING VERY HELPFUL. >> COYLE: WE USE TELECON STILL.

IT IS NOT PUBLIC-FACING. IT'S VERY COMPLEX, BY DESIGN, LANGUAGE CHANGES TO COMPARE ONE BILL TO THE NEXT. IT'S GREAT FOR OUR TEAM AND I THINK ALL OF OUR CONSULTANTS USE IT. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD SERVE A PURPOSE FOR A RESIDENT TRYING TO FIND AN ANSWER.

PLUS IT'S A PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE. >> GARCIA: THE TELECON AI MIGHT MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER. YEAH, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES I WAS WONDERING IF ANYBODY ALREADY PAYS FOR THAT, RIGHT? I KNOW SOME OF THE OTHER SERVICES LITERALLY COMPARE THE BILL, ALMOST LIKE A REDLINED VERSION OF THE BILL. BUT IF SOMEBODY IS ALREADY PAYING FOR IT I WOULD HATE FOR US TO HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.

AND I WOULD HATE FOR US TO HAVE TO USE A SYSTEM, LIKE THE ONE FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE

[01:20:04]

OH, I DID WANT TO ADD OR ECHO COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I SEE A WHOLE LOT OF HARM IN ADDING SOME OF THE CLASSES SPECIFICALLY TO THAT LANGUAGE. BUT THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.

>> VIAGRAN: CHAIR, I WOULD ASK THAT WE ONLY HAVE ONE MEETING AND STOP THE

MULTIPLE MEETINGS GOING ON CURRENTLY IN THE CHAMBERS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. WE HAVE THE BODY AT A QUORUM SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO TAKE

YOUR TIME, COUNCILMEMBER. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT. I'LL NEED AN EXTRA TEN MINUTES UNTIL I CAN GET THE CITY MANAGER IN HIS SEAT SO I CAN SHARE MY CONCERNS.

THANK YOU. AND MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE. WELL, WELCOME TO THE 89TH STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY COMPLICATED.

WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT GOING ON, BOTH AT THE LEVEL OF LOCAL VERSUS STATE, AS WE LIKE TO SAY. AND ALSO AT THE LEVEL THAT A PARTY WITHIN ITSELF, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WILL AGAIN GO ROUNDS AND WE'LL HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT IGR COMMITTEE DID, THE MAYOR DID, AND THE FACT THAT WE WORKED SO HARD TO GET TO THOSE POINTS.

I KNOW THERE'S DISAPPOINTMENTS FOR PEOPLE THAT THERE IS QUESTIONS FOR PEOPLE. BUT I DO THINK THAT A PRIORITY IS -- I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE EAST/WEST CORRIDOR IS A PRIORITY. I THINK AS WE LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE DOCKS, WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE COMMERCE HERE, WE DO NEED -- IN ORDER FOR THIS STATE AND THIS CITY TO BE COMPETITIVE, THIS EAST/WEST CORRIDOR IS KEY AS WE MOVE FROM OUR DIFFERENT BORDER ENTRIES AND ACROSS THE STATE. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO AND KIND OF GET AN EASY WORK ON. AS WE KNOW, THERE'S COMMERCIAL AND THERE'S RESIDENTIAL GOING IN THERE AND THERE'S A KEY IN INFRASTRUCTURE. THE OTHER IS I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT. AND WHAT WE CAN DO OPERATIONALLY FROM THAT EAST/WEST CORRIDOR TO GET MORE CONNECTIVITY TO THAT PART OF TOWN. LET'S MAKE SURE WE LOOK INTO THAT AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT THERE. THE ONE THING THAT I'M HEARING AND I WANT US TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT IN TERMS OF THIS DASHBOARD. ONE, IF WE'RE SAYING -- AND THIS IS ALL POLITICAL. IT'S STATE. IT'S FEDERAL.

ANY DASHBOARD THAT THE CITY WILL PUT UP WILL BE LOOKED AT AS LEANING TOWARDS ONE PARTY OR THE OTHER. SO WHAT I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE OR BE PART OF IS THAT IF OUR STAKEHOLDERS, LIKE THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, LIKE THE NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVANCY ASSOCIATION, LIKE THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY , IF THEY HAD A TRACKING MECHANISM THAT WE COULD JUST LINK OUR RESIDENTS TO SO THAT THEY COULD -- SO OUR RESIDENTS COULD REALLY FOLLOW THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE TAKING A STAND ON OR WE'RE MONITORING. SO THE OTHER THING IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GO OUT INTO OUR DISTRICTS AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF TAKING A STANCE.

WHAT WE'RE SITTING THERE ACTIVELY MOVING FORWARD AND WHAT WE ARE JUST MONITORING, IF THAT'S THE CASE. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS FOR ANDY .

CAN WE, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, SPEAK ON AN ISSUE, GO UP AND TESTIFY OR SPEAK ON AN ISSUE THAT HAS NOT BEEN LAID OUT ON THIS, OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA?

>> SEGOVIA: THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN. WE HAVE HAD THAT SITUATION BEFORE. OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S GOING TO GO TESTIFY COORDINATE THAT WITH THE TEAM.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE HAD COUNCIL MEMBERS GO AND TESTIFY AS INDIVIDUALS AND HIGHLIGHT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY'RE SPEAKING AS INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THE COUNCIL HAS

[01:25:03]

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THERE WAS A SLIDE WITH OUR DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE ON THERE AND THE CITY MAY NOT WANT TO -- AND THIS IS JUST A HYPOTHETICAL IN TERMS OF LEGISLATION. IF WE HAD A STAKEHOLDER OUT THERE THAT SAID, HEY, WE WANT TO PASS LEGISLATION THAT SAYS IF YOU DISCHARGE A WEAPON WITHIN A COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, YOU GET A WORST SENTENCE OR YOU GET YOUR GUN REMOVED.

AND THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY SOMETHING THE CITY DECIDED ON.

YOU WOULD WANT ME TO COME AND COORDINATE THAT WITH THE TEAM BEFORE -- AND MAKE IT

CLEAR I'M GOING UP AS AN INDIVIDUAL? >> SEGOVIA: THAT'S CORRECT, COUNCILWOMAN. I THINK COORDINATION WOULD BE THE BEST, JUST SO THE MESSAGING IS CLEAR, BOTH TO THE COMMITTEE THAT YOU'RE TESTIFYING TO AND FRANKLY TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE WOULD JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE TALKING AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, CONSISTENT WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, THAT THE COUNCIL ULTIMATELY PASSED.

>> VIAGRAN: I THINK THIS SESSION WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT MORE OF THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING HERE THAT WERE TEACHERS, BOTH PRIVATE SCHOOL AND PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS. YOU DO HAVE PEOPLE SITTING DAIS THAT FEEL VERY PASSIONATELY ON CERTAIN ISSUES THAT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR. BUT MAYBE A STAKEHOLDER IN THIS CITY IS.

THE OTHER IS THE SA DIGITAL CONNECTS AND WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON THERE.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CONNECTIVITY, I THINK IT HITS SO MUCH WIDER THAN JUST THE BROADBAND DEPARTMENT AT THE STATE LEVEL. BUT WE HAVE HAD SUCH A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AND REALLY COORDINATING WITH THEM ABOUT HOW THIS REALLY CAN EXPAND INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES WE PROVIDE. JUST THE FAMILY VIOLENCE INFORMATION THAT WE GET OUT THERE. AND THEN THE DIFFERENT MEDIA PLATFORMS. I KNOW THAT HOUSE BILL 18, IN TERMS OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS REGULATED FOR MINORS. WE HAVE ALL SEEN THE TIKTOK COMMERCIALS THAT SAY PARENTAL CONTROL. I THINK THESE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND SEE. THE OTHER THING IS IN TERMS OF HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY, I THINK THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT AND THE NEED IN TERMS OF IF WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THE STATE PROVIDES US WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY, TO BRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR SINGLE MOTHERS AND THOSE LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL THAT WE NEED TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND ALSO MONITOR ANY BILLS THAT MIGHT BE SWAYING THAT WAY. SO THE LAST KIND OF QUESTION I HAVE ON THE EAST/WEST CORRIDOR. I THINK THIS IS AMAZING AND IT'S TIMELY.

TRANSPORTATION AMENITIES. ARE WE INCLUDING VIA IN THIS CONVERSATION?

HAVE WE GOTTEN THEIR INPUT TO BE PART OF THIS? >> BASURTO: COUNCILWOMAN, THE DISCUSSIONS FOR THIS TREMENDOUS PROJECT WILL INCLUDE A WIDE ARRAY OF TRANSPORTATION STAKEHOLDERS. VIA WILL BE ONE OF THEM. WE'LL HAVE CONVERSATIONS AGAIN WITH MANY ARRAY OF TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS AND PARTNERS THAT ARE NOT IN THE

TRANSPORTATION REALM. SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES. >> VIAGRAN: AND I THINK THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE THERE IS WHERE AUSTIN AND OTHER CITIES ARE TRYING TO CREATE AROUND EXISTING, WE CAN BUILD TOO TO HAVE THAT GREEN SPACE IN THERE.

AS MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE MENTIONED VISION ZERO AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND THE ATTENTION. I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MATTER AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON HOW WE MOVE THIS FORWARD.

AND I REALLY NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO OUR HOMEWORK ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE PART

OF TEXAS AND OUR TEXAS STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, SALLY SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

HAVE Y'ALL ALREADY DONE AN ANALYSIS OF LAST -- I KNOW YOU DID THE ANALYSIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION BUT HAVE YOU STARTED PITCHING FOLKS THAT HAD BILLS

AUDIO]. >> CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN?

>> KAUR: BILLS THAT WE SPOTTED IN THE LAST SESSION THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH.

[01:30:05]

HAVE WE STARTED TALKING TO FOLKS? >> A FEW .

A GOOD EXAMPLE WOULD BE THE DANGEROUS DOGS BILL FILED AND VETOED BY REP CAMPOS.

THERE ARE BILLS THAT ARE PART OF THE ISSUES INCLUDED IN OUR PROGRAM RIGHT NOW.

AS SOON AS THE COUNCIL APPROVES THE PROGRAM, THAT GIVES US THE FULL GREEN LIGHT TO START ENGAGING FULLY OUR DELEGATION MEMBERS AND REALLY LOOKING

SPECIFICALLY AT THOSE ISSUES. >> KAUR: AWESOME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE ITEMS. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR PARTNERS FOR COMING, NOT ONLY THE ONES IN AUSTIN BUT ALSO OUR LOCAL PARTNERS. WE HAVE FOLKS HERE FROM ALAMO COLLEGES, BEXAR COUNTY EDUCATION COALITION, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW MY COUNCIL MEMBER COLLEAGUE MENTIONED SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND I CHALLENGE YOU WHAT WE CAN DO FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION IN POTENTIALLY EXIST IN TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO CREATE MORE SOLUTIONS THERE THAT WOULD HELP SCHOOL DISTRICTS REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW THEY CAN USE SPACE AND HOW WE CAN CREATE MORE WORKFORCE HOUSING, MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

ALSO, UNDERNEATH THE HEALTHCARE AND NUTRITION COMPONENT, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO PROACTIVELY IDENTIFY AREAS OR FACILITIES THAT WE COULD SUPPORT FOR FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE'RE PRESENTING OPTIONS AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY THERE. WITHIN THE PUBLIC SAFETY ARENA, IF THERE'S A WAY TO INCREASE PENALTIES FOR FOLKS SELLING DRUGS TO THE HOUSE LESS AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT, EVEN SOME OF OUR BUSINESSES THAT DO THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT . LASTLY, IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ARE REALLY HURTING.

I KNOW THERE'S NOT A LOT THAT OUR STATE CAN DO BUT THERE IS SOME CONSUMER PROTECTIONS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. THINGS THAT CONSUMERS GET BUT SMALL BUSINESSES DON'T. LIKE TAXES OR BANK OVERDRAFT FEES, ET CETERA.

THINKING OF UNIQUE WAYS TO REALLY SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.

YOU ALL HAVE DONE GREAT WORK ON THE OVERALL CATEGORIES AND I KNOW COUNCILMAN PELAEZ MENTIONED IT FEELS FRUSTRATING AT THIS STAGE BECAUSE THEY ARE SO GENERIC AND WE WANT TO GET INTO THE DETAILS. BUT OVERALL CATEGORIES WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT SET MOVING FORWARD AND IT'S BEEN GREAT TO BE ON THE IGR COMMITTEE.

I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES SHARED THAT POLITICS DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A PLACE IN THIS AGENDA BUT UNFORTUNATELY POLITICS THINKS IT HAS A PLACE ON WHAT I CAN DO WITH MY BODY SO IT DOES HAVE A PLACE IN THE AGENDA AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO MOVING FORWARD.

I DISAGREE WITH THAT AND AGREE THAT WE SHOULD ACTUALLY CALL OUT RACE, RELIGION, AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION FOR OUR NON-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE, LIKE COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ MENTIONED.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. I'LL GO TO OUR SECOND ROUND HERE. COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA.

>> HAVRDA: THANKS, MAYOR. I WANTED TO TALK QUICKLY ABOUT TRANSPORTATION.

LAST WEEK I TRAVELED TO AUSTIN AND MET WITH A FEW OF THE TXDOT COMMISSIONERS.

AND THEY WANTED TO TALK A LOT ABOUT TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.

IS THERE ANYTHING WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT'S COMING UP IN TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT OR ANY ADVOCACY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT?

>> BASURTO: TRANS-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT IS NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN

OUR AGENDA, COUNCILWOMAN. >> HAVRDA: I GUESS IF IT DOES COME UP -- GO AHEAD.

>> WALSH: WE HAVE AN UPDATE TO COUNCIL COMING ON THE 16TH OR 17TH OF THIS

MONTH. JUST IN TIME. >> THERE'S A B SESSION

SCHEDULED FOR THE 16TH. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU. I WANT TO ASK PLAINLY WHY

DIDN'T WE INCLUDE LGBTQ+ LANGUAGE IN THIS AGENDA? >> COYLE: SIMPLY BECAUSE EVERY ONE OF THE CLASSES MENTIONED IS IN THE NON-DISCRIMINATION

ORDINANCE, WHICH IS MENTIONED BY THE PROGRAM. >> HAVRDA: CAN WE STATE THAT WE'LL OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT TARGETS LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AND OTHER

CLASSES PROTECTED BY OUR LAST NDO? >> BASURTO: LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION WE DID OPPOSE LEGISLATION. UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THEM PASSED THROUGH SO WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THE LANGUAGE THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING PROPOSED WILL GIVE US THE ABILITY TO OPPOSE LEGISLATION ONCE AGAIN IN

2025. >> WALSH: I THINK YOUR QUESTION IS A LITTLE BIT MORE DIRECT. YES. THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY IS TO GET FEEDBACK. BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK WITH ANOTHER DRAFT.

THE ANSWER IS YES. >> HAVRDA: OKAY. SO COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NAMED AS STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR AGENDA.

[01:35:04]

THAT SAME LANGUAGE. >> WALSH: YEAH, WE CAN CERTAINLY LET THE CHAMBERS KNOW. WE DON'T ORGANIZE THAT BUT I TOOK NOTE OF WHAT THE COUNCILMAN SAID AND IT IS MULTIPLE CHAMBERS INVOLVED. WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW

WHAT THE COUNCIL'S INPUT IS. >> HAVRDA: AS FAR AS OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS AS WE GO

FORWARD WE CAN DO THAT. >> WALSH: SURE. >> HAVRDA: THAT'S ALL.

THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO

HAVRDA. COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: THANKS.

JUST THREE THINGS. WE HAVE HEARD THE WORD "POSITIONS ON BILLS" SEVERAL TIMES. SALLY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT MOST OF THE TIME WHEN WE'RE UP THERE OUR POSITIONS ON THE BILLS ARE NOT CONCRETE UNTIL THE FINAL VERSION OF THE BILL IS BEING SUBMITTED FOR A VOTE.

AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE WE COULD BE AGAINST OR FOR THE BILL, DEPENDING ON WHAT DRAFT OF THE BILL WE'RE LOOKING ON AT ONE PARTICULAR DAY.

MANY OF THESE BILLS HAVE FIVE DRAFTS. THEY HAVE HEARINGS AND THEN THEY GET MARKED UP. AND SO WE'VE ALL BEEN IN THE ROOM WHERE ONE DAY IT'S A GREAT BILL. THE NEXT DAY IT'S A TERRIBLE BILL AND THE DAY AFTER THAT IT'S A GREAT BILL AND SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO CATEGORIZE THESE WITH SOME SORT OF BINARY CHOICE, RIGHT, WHICH IS FOR OR AGAINST.

AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE WOULD FACE IN TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC, BY WAY OF A DASHBOARD, KNOWS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. THE SIMPLEST WAY TO ACHIEVE THIS TRANSPARENCY IS TO DO WHAT I THINK WE ALREADY DO. UNLIKE ANY OTHER POLICY INITIATIVE THIS COUNCIL TAKES, THIS IS THE ONLY ISSUE THAT EVERY TWO YEARS REQUIRES US TO MEET WEEKLY.

AND, YOU KNOW, OUR LEGISLATIVE TEAM AND OUR IGR COMMITTEE, WE MEET VERY, VERY REGULAR BECAUSE THESE BILLS ARE BEING DRAFTED AND MARKED UP REALTIME AND BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING FILED. SOME DAYS WE'LL JUST GET SURPRISED OUT OF LEFT FIELD WITH SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES ALL-HANDS-ON-DECK. AND I THINK THE BEST WAY TO SERVE THE PUBLIC IS FOR US, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, TO REMIND THEM BY WAY OF OUR NEWSLETTERS, OUR E-MAIL BLASTS, AT TOWN HALLS THAT EVERY ONE OF THESE IGR MEETINGS IS TELEVISED AND SAVED FOR POSTERITY ON YOUTUBE AND TVSA.

ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE DONE IN THE PAST IS INCLUDE THIS IN YOUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TOPIC IN YOUR NEWSLETTERS. IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT WE DID AS FAR AS, YOU AS FU KNOW, LAYING A SIDEWALK OR CLEANING UP A PARK OR WHATEVER OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE DO. AND SO I WOULD INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO HELP SALLY AND HER TEAM WITH THAT TRANSPARENCY COMPONENT.

LASTLY, 100% OF WHAT WE DO IN THIS ROOM, IN THIS BUILDING IS POLITICAL.

I MEAN, THE WORD IS POLICY, RIGHT? SO 100% OF WHAT WE DO IN AUSTIN IS POLITICAL. 100% OF WHAT WE DO IN D.C. IS POLITICAL.

AND 100% OF WHAT THEY DO UP THERE IS POLITICAL. AND BY THAT WE MEAN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US IS ADVOCATING, AGITATING, OPPOSING, SCREAMING, YELLING, AND TWISTING ARMS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE SERVING OUR CONSTITUENTS.

THAT IS IN AND OF ITSELF THE VERY DEFINITION OF POLITICS. LET'S NOT BE NAIVE AND THINK WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE GOING UP THERE AND TALKING ABOUT ISSUES THAT ARE POLITICAL.

THAT'S LITERALLY WHAT WE ARE DOING. THE SECOND THING IS, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE NAIVE FOR US TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO GO TO AUSTIN AND LET, YOU KNOW, AND ADVOCATE. WE HAVE AN ENTIRE DEPARTMENT ADVOCATING TO AFFECT CHANGE AT THE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL. BUT WHAT HAPPENS IN AUSTIN IMPACTS US.

SO THERE IS NO CLEAR DELINEATION BETWEEN STATE JURISDICTION, FEDERAL JURISDICTION. WE ARE LITERALLY UP THERE MAKING SURE THAT AS THEY EXERCISE THEIR JURISDICTION THAT WE DON'T GET STEAMROLLED.

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. IN FACT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK OUR CONSTITUENTS EXPECT US TO DO, WHICH IS TO MAKE SURE THAT AUSTIN DOESN'T IGNORE MILITARY CITY, USA AND THAT W'RE NOT LEFT BEHIND AND THAT OUR STORY IS TOLD AS OFTEN AND AS LOUDLY AS POSSIBLE.

I THINK WE GOT THE RIGHT TEAM FOR THAT. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AFTER THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION YOU GUYS ALL DESERVE AT LEAST ONE DAY OFF SO THAT WE CAN GET YOU GUYS BACK TO WORK TO PREPARE FOR THE ONE AFTER THAT.

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, Y'ALL. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THERE WAS ONE THING I WANTED TO COMMENT ON AND I WAS

[01:40:04]

I THINK WE JUST NEED TO MAKE THAT AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. WE'VE HELPED DAYCARE CENTERS GET A TAX BREAK BUT IT'S NOT ALL OF THEM. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THERE ARE HUNDREDS THAT WERE EXCLUDED. SO I HOPE WE TRY AND FIND ANY OTHER PROPOSALS THAT IS GOING TO INCREASE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CHILDCARE AND EARLY LEARNING CENTERS TO GET A TAX BREAK SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES. AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT.

WITH THAT, I SAY AMEN. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.

COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. I DO WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR AND PLAIN. IT'S VERY SIMPLE WHAT I'M ASKING FOR AND AT THIS POINT IT FEELS SILLY THAT I HAVE TO ASK FOR IT SO MANY TIMES.

WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY GONE AND WE HAVE OPPOSED OR WE'VE SUPPORTED -- IF WE HAVE OPPOSED ANTI-LGBT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHY CAN'T WE JUST SAY THAT? WHY CAN'T WE SAY WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT, NAME THE COMMUNITIES WE ARE GOING TO PROTECT. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A SECRET TO ANY OF THE STATE LEGISLATORS OR THE GOVERNOR OR ANY OF THE POWERS THAT BE.

THAT ADVOCACY IN AND OF ITSELF IS GOING TO DO WHAT WE'RE WORRIED, EXPLICITLY STATING IT IS GOING TO DO. THAT ADVOCACY IS GOING TO MAKE IT CHALLENGING TO ACCOMPLISH OUR GOALS AS A CITY AT THE STATE, OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.

I SEE NO HARM IN INCLUDING PROTECTED CLASSES AND NAMING THEM BY NAME AND MAKING IT CLEAR THAT SAN ANTONIO IS A CITY THAT VALUES ALL OF ITS RESIDENTS AND IS GOING TO GO OUT OF ITS WAY TO PROTECT THE MOST MARGINALIZED. SECOND -- AND I'M HAPPY COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN BROUGHT THIS UP. REGARDING OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY AT THE STATE, I WANT TO BE CLEAR ANY ADVOCACY I DO, WHETHER IT'S IN SUPPORT OF THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA OR EVEN IF IT RUNS OPPOSED TO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THAT WE APPROVE AS A COUNCIL, I WAS ELECTED BY MY CONSTITUENCY TO REPRESENT 150,000 PEOPLE. IF ANY OF OUR DISTRICTS BROKE OFF AND BECAME ITS OWN CITY, WE WOULD BE THE 21ST LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE. AND I'M NOT GOING TO LET THAT GO. I'M NOT GOING TO GO, JALEN THE TEACHER.

NO, I'M A COUNCIL MEMBER. I WAS ELECTED BY MY CONSTITUENCY.

I WOULD FIND IT VERY CHALLENGING TO NOT DO THAT. THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.

COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: YEAH, BRIEFLY. I USED THE WORD NO PLACE FOR POLITICS IN THIS AGENDA BUT MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE SAID PARTISANSHIP.

MAYBE THAT IS THE BETTER WORD. BECAUSE LET'S BE CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. IF WE'RE UP THERE TALKING ABOUT MUNICIPAL ISSUES: STREETS, SIDEWALKS, PUBLIC SAFETY, ET CETERA, THOSE ARE NOT PARTISAN POLITICAL ISSUES. AND THAT'S WHAT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON. RIGHT? TO THE COUNCILWOMAN'S COMMENT EARLIER, IF WE'RE UP THERE TALKING ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, WE'RE MOVING INTO PERHAPS THE MOST PARTISAN POLITICAL ISSUE THAT'S OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT CITY GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN. AND THIS LEADS ME AGAIN BACK TO THIS DASHBOARD.

IT'S ALL THE MORE REASON THAT THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. OUR CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE PAYING FOR AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE PAYING FOR FOLKS TO GO UP TO AUSTIN TO ADVOCATE ON A PARTISAN POLITICAL ISSUE. AND SO, AGAIN, TRUST IN OUR CITY GOVERNMENT IST EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. TRUST IN OUR CITY GOVERNMENT, I WOULD ARGUE, RIGHT NOW IS NOT AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.

WE NEED TO HAVE A PLACE AND WE HAVE SMART, SMART FOLKS HERE AT THE CITY THAT CAN FIND A WAY TO CREATE A WEBPAGE WHERE PEOPLE CAN CLICK ON AND WE CAN CATEGORIZE THE BILLS IN SOME CERTAIN WAY AND THEY CAN SEE WHAT THE CITY IS FIGHTING

FOR OR AGAINST. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE

[01:45:05]

INTEND TO DEFEND. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO STATE AGAIN THAT I WOULD BE IN SUPPORT WITH COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ'S MENTION. I THINK IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO GO NON-DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SOME OF THE CONVERSATION I HEARD TODAY. IF WOMEN CAN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT THEIR BODIES, YEAH, WE NEED TO BE EXPLICIT ON WHO WE WANT NON-DISCRIMINATION TO GO AGAINST. THE OTHER THING IS, AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY REGARDING A DASHBOARD, I THINK IT ONLY HELPS ME IN THAT IT EMPHASIZES THE DIGITAL DIVIDE THAT WE HAVE HERE BETWEEN THE SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST SIDE OF TOWN AND THE NORTH SIDE. I THINK IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GO OUT INTO THEIR COMMUNITY. WE CAN GET A WEEKLY UPDATE FROM SALLY AND THE TEAM ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN OUR SESSIONS.

AND I THINK IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY, EITHER THROUGH A NEWSLETTER OR THROUGH A MEETING OR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHERE THE CITY STANDS ON THIS. I WOULD NOT BE IN SUPPORT OF SPENDING ANY MONEY ON A DASHBOARD WHEN WE COULD GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND DO THAT.

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? OKAY.

WELL, I JUST WANT TO REFLECT ON A FEW THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD TODAY.

FIRST, I'LL JUST SAY THAT ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, WHICH IS A CONSENSUS DOCUMENT. CLEARLY THERE ARE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ON SOME OF THESE FINER DETAILS. AND MAYBE SOME BROAD STROKES TOO. BUT THIS IS A CONSENSUS DOCUMENT THAT IS MEANT TO REPRESENT THE ENTIRE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND I SAY THAT FOR TWO REASONS. NUMBER ONE IS WE WANT TO ARTICULATE IN A WAY THAT MAKES THE JOB OF OUR TEAM EASIER, NOT HARDER. SO I CAN SYMPATHIZE WITH THE IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WALK INTO THE DOOR OF THE LEGISLATURE AND IMMEDIATELY, BECAUSE WE'RE AN URBAN COMMUNITY, A BIG CITY, WE HAVE A TARGET ON OUR BACK.

THAT'S JUST THE WAY THINGS ARE. THAT'S POLITICALLY HOW IT'S ALIGNED AND HAS BEEN, FRANKLY, FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS.

THAT'S ALREADY A LITTLE BIT OF A HANDICAP WHEN IT COMES TO ADVOCACY FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND OUR CONSTITUENTS. THE OTHER REASON I SAY THAT IS I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION. AND YOU DO REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS. BUT WHEN YOU GO UP AND ADVOCATE ON A POSITION, ON A BILL, YOU ARE -- IF YOU ARE REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE CITY THEN YOU NEED TO STICK TO THE CONSENSUS DOCUMENT. IF YOU'RE REPRESENTING YOURSELF AND PERHAPS IF YOU WANT TO ASSERT YOU'RE REPRESENTING YOUR CONSTITUENTS THAT ELECTED YOU, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DEVIATE FROM THAT. I WOULD SAY WHEN WE WANT TO HAVE A VOICE AT THE LEGISLATURE AS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IT IS WHAT WE ADOPT AS A BODY. SO ON SOME OF THE FINER POINTS, FIRST ON COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THINGS HE SAID.

I THINK I MADE THAT POINT. SOME OF THEM ARE VERY HIGH LEVEL.

IN FACT, SOME OF THEM ARE ONLY GOING TO BE SETTLED BY NOVEMBER ELECTIONS, FRANKLY.

I ALSO AGREE THAT THE LEGISLATURE DID NOT HANDLE A SURPLUS VERY WELL, CONSIDERING ALL THE LEVELS OF CRISES WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THE DIMINISHING FUNDING AND PARITY AT PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE SPECIFIC PIECES OF LEGISLATION -- AND COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO BROUGHT UP VOUCHERS -- THAT I THINK IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE FOR OUR CITY TO SPEAK OUT ON, PROVIDED WE CAN HAVE A DEBATE AND REACH A CONSENSUS ABOUT. IN MY MIND THERE IS ROOM IN OUR LEGISLATIVE PROCESS TO DEBATE SPECIFIC PIECES OF LEGISLATION OR SPECIFIC LEGISLATIVE MOVES.

IF WE WERE TO TAKE A POSITION ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IN MY VIEW IT WOULD COME AS A RESOLUTION, NOT JUST A SPECIFIC BILL. THERE IS ROOM FOR THAT DEBATE HERE. WE DON'T TRY TO HAVE TO JAM EVERY SINGLE THING WE CAN THINK OF INTO THIS LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. SECOND THING I WOULD SAY IS WITH RESPECT TO WHAT COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ WAS PRESENTING, I HAVE ALSO AGREED -- IN FACT, I REMEMBER HAVING TO USE ROBERT'S RULES TO TRY TO GET THIS LANGUAGE INTO OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA SO THAT WE COULD JUST SAY NON-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE IN OUR PREVIOUS LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. I THINK IT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO.

[01:50:02]

IF THE INTENT IS TO REFLECT WHAT IS ALREADY ADOPTED BY THIS COUNCIL, WHICH IS A NON-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE, BY ARTICULATING THE CLASSES, I SEE NO HARM IN THAT. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, AGAIN, WHEN IT COMES TO THE SPECIFIC PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE ISSUE, IT'S ALREADY BEEN STATED WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A POSITION ON THAT.

AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE ANYBODY'S JOB HARDER. I THINK OUR POSITION IS FAIRLY WELL KNOWN. IF IT'S JUST A MATTER OF MORE SPECIFICALLY ARTICULATING WHAT OUR NDO SAYS, I'M OKAY WITH THAT. AND WE CAN HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS OFFLINE OR PERHAPS AT THE NEXT AGENDA MEETING, IF WE'D LIKE ON THAT. THAT'S ALL FROM ME. IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, THE TIME IS 3:55 P.. WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[EXECUTIVE SESSION At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session in the Presidio Conference Room to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following:  ]

THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.072. AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING CITY, PREPAREDNESS PURSUANT TO THEY'RE READY TO GO. GOOD AFTERNOON, THE TIME IS 4:43 P.M. ON OCTOBER 2ND, 2024. CITY COUNCIL HAS RECONVENE FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.