9. Ordinance extending the La Villita Lease Agreement with B.Link for a one-year renewal term, commencing on September 1, 2025, and expiring on August 31, 2026. Revenue in the amount of $9,308.45 will be deposited into the General Fund. [Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager; John Jacks, Director, Center City Development and Operations Department]

[9. Ordinance extending the La Villita Lease Agreement with B.Link for a one-year renewal term, commencing on September 1, 2025, and expiring on August 31, 2026. Revenue in the amount of $9,308.45 will be deposited into the General Fund. [Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager; John Jacks, Director, Center City Development and Operations Department]]

RECUSAL FROM THE MAYOR. SO CITY CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE CAPTION?

>> CLERK: ITEM NO. 9 IS AN ORDINANCE EXTENDING THE LA VILLITA LEASE AGREEMENT WITH B.

[00:20:08]

LINK FOR A ONE-YEAR RENEWAL TERM COMMENCING ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 AND EXPIRING ON AUGUST 31, 2026. REVENUE IN THE AMOUNT OF $9308.45 WILL BE DEPOSITED INTO

THE GENERAL FUND. >> KAUR: THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. DO WE HAVE A MOTION M ON THIS ITEM? WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY COUNCIL DISCUSSION? I WOULD JUST LIKE, IF THERE'S ANY FOLKS FROM LA VILLITA, WE'RE ALMOST DONE, BUT THIS TIME NEXT YEAR WE'RE GOING TO BE CELEBRATING ON SOUTH ALAMO, SO THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH US THROUGH ALL OF THIS. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. LET'S VOTE.

COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: AYE. YES.

>> KAUR: MOTION CARRIES. >> MAYOR JONES: LET'S GET STARTED WITH ITEM 3.

[ITEM FOR STAFF BRIEFING]

CITY CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION. >> CLERK: ITEM 3 IS A PRESENTATION OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO 2026 PROPOSED AND OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2025. >> WALSH: GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TODAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO LAY OUT TO YOU A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT ENCOMPASSES OUR ANNUAL FINANCIAL SPEND FOR FISCAL YEAR '26 AS WELL AS FISCAL YEAR '27 FROM A BALANCED STANDPOINT. IT IS REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL PRIORITIES AND TODAY IS THE NEXT PHASE OF OUR PROCESS.

IT BEGINS THAT PROCESS OF REVIEW THAT WILL CULMINATE ON SEPTEMBER 18 WHEN THE COUNCIL ADOPTS THE BUDGET. WE WILL HAVE, BEGINNING NEXT TUESDAY, A SERIES OF 12 BUDGET WORK SESSIONS SCHEDULED OVER THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS THAT PROVIDE THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY WITH DETAILED INFORMATION AND WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. WE ALSO HAVE TEN DISTRICT TOWN HALLS SCHEDULED IN EACH OF YOUR DISTRICTS. AND THEN, FINALLY, AT THE END OF THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, COUNCIL WILL BE ASKED TO TAKE A VOTE ON THE STATE REQUIREMENTS TO SET THE PROPOSED CITY PROPERTY TAX RATE AND THE REQUIRED PUBLIC BUDGET HEARINGS, ACCORDING TO STATE LAW. I'LL CUT TO THE CHASE. THE TAX RATE IS NOT CHANGING AND IS STAYING THE SAME. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSED FY26 BUDGET.

THE OVERALL CITY BUDGET ENCOMPASSES RESTRICTED RESTRICTED FUNDS, CAPITAL BUDGET AND GENERAL FUND IS PROPOSED AT $4.04 BILLION. WHICH IS A 2% INCREASE.

OUR GENERAL FUND, WHICH WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN JUNE TALKING ABOUT, IS PROPOSED AT $1.69 BILLION. A 1.6% INCREASE. I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT NUMBER AS WE GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION BUT YOU'LL RECALL DURING THE TRIAL BUDGET CONVERSATIONS AT THE END OF JUNE, OUR PROJECTED EXPENSES IN THE GENERAL FUND WERE 3.5%.

HIGH LEVEL, IN TERMS OF CITY POSITIONS, THE TOTAL IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS 13,723 POSITIONS. IT'S A NET DECREASE OF 116 POSITIONS.

AS WE GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THESE ELEMENTS.

68 CIVILIAN POSITIONS ARE PROPOSED TO BE REDUCED IN THE BUDGET.

121 POSITIONS WERE CHANGES DUE TO GRANTS OR CONTRACT CHANGES. AND WE HAVE 73 NEW POSITIONS BEING ADDED IN OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS. OVERALL WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE PROPOSED BUDGET HAS AN AUTHORIZED STRENGTH OF 2,893 POLICE OFFICERS AND 1,850 FIREFIGHTERS. I SHARED THIS INFORMATION WITH THE COUNCIL ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, EVERY JULY WE WILL GO THROUGH OUR ANNUAL BOND RATING REVIEW AS A CITY. AS I SHARED WITH YOU, WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN OUR TOP-TIER CREDIT STATUS FROM ALL THREE MAJOR RATING AGENCIES THAT REALLY UNDERSCORES -- AND HOPEFULLY YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE SUMMARIES THAT WERE PRODUCED BY THE THREE BOND RATING AGENCIES. THAT REALLY POINT BACK TO HOW WE MANAGE OUR FINANCES, HOW WE PLAN, AND THE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY AND HOW THOSE THINGS ARE IMPACTED AND

[00:25:02]

INTEGRATED. AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR BOND RATING IS OUR CREDIT SCORE AS AN ORGANIZATION. IT ALLOWS US TO BORROW AT A LOWER COST, RESULTING IN MORE MONEY INTO PROJECTS. OUR RATINGS ARE THE HIGHEST OF ANY CITY OUR SIZE IN THIS COUNTRY. WE'RE AAA FROM S&P AND MOODY'S AND AA FROM FITCH.

THIS IS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO DO THIS YEAR AFTER YEAR, REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH PANDEMICS OR THE UPS AND DOWNS OF OUR NATIONAL ECONOMY.

MY HAT'S OFF TO THE FINANCE STAFF LED BY TROY ELLIOTT THAT CONTINUES TO MANAGE THIS AREA OF OUR ORGANIZATION. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND.

MANY OF THESE THINGS YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO CIRCLE BACK TO THE CONVERSATION THAT OCCURRED AT THE END OF JUNE. THE FORECAST IN MAY AND THE TRIAL BUDGET IN JUNE PROJECTED DEFICITS IN OUR GENERAL FUND BOTH IN '26 -- ACTUALLY, THROUGHOUT THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST. BUT OUR JUNE CONVERSATION PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON FY26 AND FY27. ONE OF THE FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT WE HAVE AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS A BIT UNIQUE IS THAT WE BALANCE OUR BUDGET OVER TWO FISCAL YEARS. YOU ALL WILL BE REQUIRED TO ONLY ADOPT ONE YEAR AT A TIME STANDPOINT IT'S A BEST PRACTICE THAT HAS SERVED US WELL IN THE PAST.

OUR REVENUES ARE STILL GROWING BUT AT A SLOWER THAN OUR HISTORICAL GROWTH.

I SHARED WITH YOU AT THE END OF JUNE THAT EXPENSES WERE OUTPACING REVENUE.

SAN ANTONIO WAS NOT UNIQUE IN THE SENSE OF SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE WERE SEEING IN SALES TAX AND, IN SOME CASES, PROPERTY TAXABLE VALUES.

MANY CITIES IN TEXAS HAVE BEEN FEELING THE SAME CHALLENGES. THERE IS AN AIR OF UNCERTAINTY AROUND CONTINUED FEDERAL FUNDING AND PROGRAMS, INITIATIVES, AND EVEN INFRASTRUCTURE AS WE GO FORWARD. AS WE SHARED WITH YOU AT THE END OF THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION DID NEGATIVELY IMPACT SOME OF OUR REVENUE OVER THE NEXT -- BEGINNING THIS YEAR AND IN FISCAL YEAR '27 AND GOING FORWARD. PART OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH YOU AT THE END OF JUNE WAS HOW WE WERE GOING TO APPROACH THIS SUMMER AND THE WORK THAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO BALANCE THE FISCAL YEAR '26 AND LAY OUT A BALANCED PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR '27.

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES WE SHARED WERE THAT WE WERE GOING TO PROTECT ESSENTIAL AND MANDATED SERVICE, CORE SERVICES. WE WERE GOING TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND WE WERE GOING TO AVOID LONG-TERM RISKS AT THE EXPENSE OF CHANGES IN THE BUDGET. IN OTHER WORDS, AVOID TAKING A SHORT-TERM GAIN THAT'S GOING TO COST US MORE DOWN THE ROAD. OUR OBJECTIVES WERE CLEAR.

AND I THINK AS WE WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENTS, AS WE WENT THROUGH THE SUMMER, OUR OBJECTIVES WERE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET OVER TWO YEARS. IT WAS TO REDUCE OUR EXPENDITURE GROWTH. IT WAS TO REDUCE THE STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE THAT WE WERE EXPECTING. IT WAS TO ADDRESS CORE SERVICE AREAS AND ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL PRIORITIES THAT WE SAW THROUGH THE SURVEY AS WELL AS THROUGH YOUR CONVERSATION.

SO THE TRIAL BUDGET PROJECTED DEFICITS OF $21 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR '26 AND $152 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR '27. THE PLAN BEFORE YOU THAT YOU WILL BEGIN GOING INTO DETAILED WORK SESSIONS ON BALANCES IT IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

WE REDUCED SPENDING WITH MINIMAL IMPACT ON ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

WE MADE SURE THAT WE CAPTURED SAVINGS FROM COMPLETED PROJECTS AND UNSPENT BALANCES THAT WERE NOT GOING TO BE SPENT BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. WE MOVED ELIGIBLE PROJECTS FROM OUR OPERATING BUDGET TO THE CAPITAL BUDGET. WE IMPLEMENTED -- AND YOU'LL SEE HERE SHORTLY -- THE CPS REVENUE POLICY THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

AND THEN THAT SPECIFICALLY PERTAINS TO THE CAPTURE OF OFF-SYSTEM SALES REVENUE WITHIN OUR FINANCIAL POLICY. AND WE INCREASED FEES AND FINES TO ADD NEW REVENUE.

HIGH LEVEL. WHAT TRANSPIRED OVER THE SUMMER.

SO THE COMBINED DEFICIT -- PROJECTED DEFICIT OF FISCAL YEAR '26 AND '27 WAS ALMOST $173 MILLION. WHEN WE RECEIVED THE CERTIFIED TAX ROLLS FROM THE BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT AT THE END OF JULY, THEY WERE DIFFERENT THAN THE INFORMATION WE SHARED

[00:30:05]

WITH YOU AT THE END OF JUNE, BASED ON PRELIMINARY INFORMATION.

YOU'LL SEE HERE IN A SLIDE WE SAW ALMOST A 1% DECREASE IN BASE TAXABLE VALUE.

THE CITY HAS NOT BEEN IN THAT POSITION SINCE AFTER THE 2008-2009 RECESSION.

AND THAT RESULTED IN A LITTLE OVER $12 MILLION YEARS. WE HAVE CPS OFF-SYSTEM SALES OF $69.2 MILLION.

WE REVISED OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS BEGINNING THIS FISCAL YEAR, FISCAL YEAR '26 AND FISCAL YEAR '27 THAT'S GENERATED ALMOST $9 MILLION. YOU'LL SEE WE ADJUSTED -- WE'RE PROPOSING TO ADJUSTING FINES AND FEES AT $12 MILLION OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

BUT BY FAR THE MOST ATTENTION THAT WE SPENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER WAS REDUCING OUR EXPENSES BEGINNING THIS FISCAL YEAR AND PROPOSING TO REDUCE EXPENSES IN FISCAL YEAR '26 AND PLANNING FOR '27. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. FISCAL YEAR '27 IS A PLAN AND WHAT I'M PROPOSING TO THE COUNCIL IS THAT OBVIOUSLY YOU ALL WILL ADOPT A FISCAL YEAR '26 BUDGET.

WE WILL MONITOR, AS WE DO OUR QUARTERLY FINANCIAL UPDATES, HOW CONDITIONS ARE FARING, WHAT IS OUR REVENUE AND EXPENSE LOOKING LIKE. AND AS WE SEE ADJUSTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR IN '26, THEN THOSE ARE AREAS THAT WE CAN USE TO MITIGATE ANYTHING THAT IS IN A FISCAL YEAR '27 PLAN. THE FISCAL YEAR '27 PLAN COULD LOOK ENTIRELY DIFFERENT THIS TIME NEXT YEAR. IT'S PROPOSED TO ACT AS A GUARDRAIL FOR US TO MAKE SURE WE'RE LOOKING DOWN ROAD AND NOT JUST AROUND THE FRONT OF US.

SO I MENTIONED TAXABLE VALUES. HERE YOU SEE THE BASE VALUES THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT RESULTED IN ALMOST A 1% DECREASE IN BASE VALUES.

WE HAVE NEW VALUES, THIS IS NEW CONSTRUCTION, BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL, AT 1.76%.

OVERALL, A CHANGE TO THE TAXABLE VALUE GROWTH OF ONLY .86% AS WE GO INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR. YOU'LL SEE ON THE REVENUE THERE IN FISCAL YEAR '25 WE'RE EXPECTED TO COLLECT $471.9 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.

NEXT YEAR, BASED ON THOSE TAXABLE VALUES AND THE DECREASE IN BASE VALUES, THAT AMOUNT IS GOING UP ONLY $500,000. SO PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS RELATIVELY STABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SIZE OF OUR BUDGET. AS I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, AND YOU'LL DEAL WITH THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, THERE IS NO INCREASE PROPOSED IN THE TAX RATE. IT IS THE 33RD CONSECUTIVE YEAR THAT THAT'S BEEN THE CASE.

OUR RATE REMAINS THE SAME AT 54.159 CENTS PER $100 VALUATION.

SO WHERE DID WE LAND IN TERMS OF PROPERTY TAX RELIEF? THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES ALMOST $152 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAX RELIEF IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AREAS.

THERE ARE OVER 255,000 HOMESTEADS IN SAN ANTONIO WITH AN AVERAGE TAXABLE VALUE OF 233 -- ALMOST $234,000. WE HAVE $75.8 MILLION IN HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS AND THAT REFLECTS AT A 20% HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR PROPERTY OWNERS. WE HAVE $48.8 MILLION IN OVER 65 EXEMPTIONS. THAT DIRECTLY IS TIED TO A LITTLE OVER 113,000 SENIORS.

WE HAVE THE SENIOR TAX FREEZE AT $24.3 MILLION. AND THEN $2.3 MILLION FOR DISABLED PERSONS. AND THEN $600,000 FOR CHILDCARE FACILITIES.

THAT'S AN EXEMPTION THE CITY APPROVED LAST YEAR. THIS IS REVENUE THE CITY IS FOREGOING AND LEAVING IN PLACE TO PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF TO HOMEOWNERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SO OVERALL OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES, YOU'LL SEE ON THIS SLIDE ARE PROJECTED TO GROW AT .8% OVERALL FOR THE GENERAL FUND.

AND OUR THREE MAJOR REVENUE SOURCES YOU SEE HERE ARE CONSERVATIVE IN NATURE AND BELOW OUR HISTORICAL AVERAGES. WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT A .1% CHANGE IN PROPERTY TAX.

WE'RE PROPOSING A 2% ADJUSTMENT IN SALES TAX AND 2.8% IN TERMS OF CPS REVENUE.

[00:35:05]

HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE BEEN AT SALES TAX, PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT ABOVE 3%.

OUR ESTIMATE THIS YEAR IS RUNNING AT ABOUT 2.3%. SO 2% IS CONSERVATIVE.

THERE IS CERTAINLY A SENSE OF WAIT AND SEE IN THE ECONOMY. AND WITH INFLATION LOW AND UNEMPLOYMENT LOW, THERE CONTINUES TO BE A HESITANCY TO SPEND SO WE ARE CONSERVATIVELY PROJECTING ONLY 2% NEXT YEAR. SO HIGH LEVEL -- AND WE WILL ROLL THESE INTO THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS THAT BEGIN NEXT TUESDAY. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT AT THE END OF JUNE WAS LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF OUR REVENUE SOURCES, ALL BE IT SMALLER IN TERMS OF IMPACT TO OUR OVERALL BUDGET, BUT THAT WILL IMPACT SOME SERVICES WE PROVIDE. OVERALL, ADJUSTMENTS TO ALARM PERMITS AND RENEWALS FOR COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL. THESE PERMIT ADJUSTMENTS WERE LAST TOUCHED IN 2010, SO IT'S BEEN SOME TIME. A PROPOSED INCREASE IN TRAFFIC AND PARKING FINES.

NEXT TUESDAY YOU'LL HEAR FROM JUDGE OBLEDO AND SHE'LL GO INTO MORE DETAIL.

IMPLEMENTING FOOD INSPECTION FEES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NEW STATE LAW.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SMALLER ACS PERMIT FEES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.

AND CODE COMPLIANCE THAT REALLY ARE FOCUSED ON ADMINISTRATIVE FEES FOR AREAS THAT ARE DEEMED DANGEROUS. VACANT LOTS, ABSENTEE OWNER FEE INCREASES.

AGAIN, MANY OF THESE FEE INCREASES HAVE NOT BEEN ADJUSTED IN SOME TIME.

YOU'LL SEE IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT WAS DELIVERED TO YOU YESTERDAY AS YOU GO THROUGH THE PREPARATION FOR THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS THERE'S A SECTION IN THE BUDGET THAT SHOWS WHAT THAT PERMIT IS NOW, WHAT IS PROPOSED TO BE, AND WHEN IS THE LAST TIME THE CITY ADJUSTED.

SO I MENTIONED THE ALMOST $111 MILLION IN REDUCED SPENDING THAT WE PROPOSED IN TODAY'S BUDGET. LET ME WALK THROUGH KIND OF IN BIG AREAS HOW WE TACKLED THE MATTER AHEAD OF US. I'LL USE A FOOTBALL ANALOGY. WE USED SIX OR SEVEN LINEBACKERS RATHER THAN THREE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED AT THE BUDGET WORK SESSION, WE WERE GOING TO CHECK BETWEEN THE CUSHIONS OF THE SOFA BEFORE WE STARTED LOOKING AT MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO CRITICAL SERVICES.

SO WE DID THAT THROUGH A CRITICAL REVIEW OF BUDGET, OF DEPARTMENT BUDGETS.

SAVINGS FROM UNSPENT FUNDS. COMPLETED PROJECTS. HATS OFF TO THE DEPARTMENTS AS THEY PREPARED PROPOSALS TO BRING FORWARD TO MYSELF AND THE BUDGET TEAM.

THEY WERE THOUGHTFUL. I HAD GIVEN GUIDANCE TO THE DEPARTMENTS TO PREPARE REDUCTIONS IN THE SENSE OF BEING ABLE TO PREPARE FOR THAT CONVERSATION.

POLICE, FIRE, AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES WERE ASKED TO PREPARE A 1% DECREASE IN THEIR BUDGETS. PARKS, PUBLIC WORKS, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND HUMAN SERVICES WERE NOT REQUIRED TO PUT FORTH REDUCTIONS BECAUSE THEY WERE DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE WORKING THROUGH OUR COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEW. ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WERE ASKED TO PREPARE 10% BUDGET REDUCTIONS. AND SO AS WE WENT THROUGH THAT, WE FOUND EFFICIENCIES AND REDUCTIONS. I MENTIONED THE EXPENSES TO CAPITAL. OUR COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWS OF THOSE FOUR DEPARTMENTS REFLECT A NUMBER OF EFFICIENCY ADJUSTMENTS. AND I'LL SUM IT UP -- AND YOU'LL SEE THE DETAILS CERTAINLY IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT AND WE'LL HAVE IT IN THE WORK SESSIONS. NO MAJOR IMPACT TO SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.

BUT I DO THINK THAT IT IS A REQUIRED REVIEW. THE COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWS WILL CONTINUE NEXT YEAR AND WE HAVE -- WE'LL FINALIZE A LIST OF DEPARTMENTS AND FUNCTIONS. I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO ASK THE INNOVATION GROUP TO DO NEXT YEAR IS REALLY FOCUS ON CONSOLIDATIONS WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION IN PREPARATION FOR FISCAL YEAR '27. THE TRIAL BUDGET, AS I LAID IT OUT IN JUNE, INCLUDED A 3% ADJUSTMENT ACROSS THE BOARD FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET TODAY IS PROPOSING 2%. AND SO YOU'LL NOTICE PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANTLY IN THE FISCAL YEAR '27 COLUMN IN OUR PLAN, THERE IS NO ADJUSTMENT PROPOSED

[00:40:02]

OR PLANNED. AND IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION AS WE GO THROUGH FISCAL YEAR '26, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'LL WANT TO ADJUST.

IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE FILL THAT POT AS WE GO THROUGH FISCAL YEAR '26. CRITICAL BUDGET REVIEW. THE BUDGET OFFICE WENT THROUGH EVERY LINE ITEM AND EVERY BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THAT HISTORICAL SPENDING ALIGNED WITH ACTUAL BUDGET. AND IT WAS A VERY WORTHWHILE EXERCISE THAT WE BEGAN DOING LAST SUMMER. WE HAD GOTTEN AWAY FROM THAT AS WE WERE COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE IMPACTS OF THAT. WE REINSTITUTED THAT LAST YEAR AND CERTAINLY SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME AS WE WENT FORWARD INTO THIS PROPOSED BUDGET DOCUMENT.

THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL HERE BEHIND HERE AND THEY'RE INCLUDED -- AND WE WILL GO THROUGH ALL THIS DETAIL AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS.

BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REITERATE THERE IS NO MAJOR IMPACT TO SERVICES AS WE ARE PROPOSING. THE 68 POSITIONS THAT ARE PROPOSED TO BE REDUCED, OF THOSE 68 POSITIONS, 35 OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE FILLED. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WATCHED OR WERE PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD IN OUR MID-YEAR BUDGET AND FORECAST, AT THAT POINT WE STARTED SLOWING THE HIRING OF NON-CRITICAL POSITIONS THROUGH AN INTERNAL PROCESS, KNOWING AND ANTICIPATING THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE IN A POSITION LIKE TODAY WHERE WE WERE PROPOSING TO REDUCE POSITIONS. WE HAVE PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS TO HUMAN RESOURCES AND DUE TO VACANCIES THAT WE DO NEED TO FILL, WE HAVE FOUND POSITIONS FOR THOSE 35 IMPACTED EMPLOYEES.

POSITIONS THAT THEY QUALIFY, THAT THEY HAVE THE EXPERIENCE FOR.

AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE OCCURRING TODAY WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND WE'LL WORK WITH THEM TO TRANSITION OCTOBER 1ST WITHOUT ANY CHANGE IN RANK AS WELL AS PAY.

AS WE TALK ABOUT INVESTMENTS, I'LL PUT BACK UP HERE WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE COUNCIL AS WELL AS THE BUDGET SURVEY IN THE AREAS THAT WERE THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR YOU ALL AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC. AND WE'LL WALK THROUGH EACH OF THESE AREAS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES. I'M GOING TO START WITH EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION.

I JUST MENTIONED THAT BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WITH OVER THE 13,000 EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE WORKING FOR THE CITY, THEY ARE THE DAILY LIFE AND MACHINE THAT MAKE EVERYTHING WORK.

THEY ARE CERTAINLY THE FRONT LINES OF CUSTOMER SERVICE, REGARDLESS OF JOB.

AND I MENTIONED EARLIER WE HAVE A 2% ACROSS THE BOARD FOR CIVILIANS.

AN 8% FOR ADJUSTMENT FOR FIREFIGHTERS EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. AND AN ADJUSTMENT OF 4% FOR POLICE OFFICERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAST YEAR OF THEIR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. OUR SINGLE LARGEST INCREMENTAL INCREASE IN SPEND, AS WE PROPOSE INTO FISCAL YEAR '26 ACROSS OUR $4 BILLION BUDGET, IS $50 MILLION TOWARDS THESE WAGE ADJUSTMENTS. WE ARE INCLUDING AND PROPOSING A 5% INCREASE TO CIVILIAN HEALTHCARE PREMIUMS. PREMIUMS HAVE NOT BEEN INCREASED SINCE 2018 AND WE ACTUALLY REDUCED THEM SLIGHTLY IN 2021. DEPENDING ON THE HEALTHCARE PLAN THAT EMPLOYEES ARE A PART OF, THAT IMPACT WILL BE ANYWHERE FROM TO $32 A MONTH. PREMIUM INCREASES FOR POLICE AND FIRE ARE INCREASING AT 10%, CONSISTENT WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.

SO IN TERMS OF ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES WE HEARD THROUGH THE BUDGET SURVEY IN TERMS OF HOMELESS SERVICES, I'M PROPOSING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HOMELESS SERVICES AND STRATEGY DEPARTMENT. OUR OUTREACH WORK, OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS HAS REALLY BEEN PART OF AN OVERALL SUITE OF RESPONSIBILITIES IN OUR HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT. BUT I'M PROPOSING THAT WE MOVE THESE RESOURCES UNDERNEATH OUR CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER, MARK CARMONA. REALLY NOT TO NECESSARILY FOCUS ON NOT JUST THE DAY-TO-DAY BUT THE STRATEGIC APPROACH THAT I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE TAKE AS WE GO FORWARD. WE HAVE, IN THE BUDGET, AN ADDITIONAL $4.8 MILLION TO

[00:45:04]

CONTINUE THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER. THAT LOW-BARRIER SHELTER WAS INITIALLY FUNDED THROUGH FUNDING FROM ARPA AND IT WAS FUNDED THROUGH THE END OF OCTOBER '25. IT IS A NECESSARY TOOL THAT WE NEED TO HAVE IN THE CONTINUUM OF ENSURING THAT PEOPLE HAVE A PLACE TO GO. BUT IT IS NOT A LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE OPTION FOR US. AND SO PART OF THE STRATEGIC CONVERSATION THAT MARK WILL BE LEADING UP IS HOW DO WE COORDINATE NOT JUST -- I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT INSIDE THE CITY.

I THINK WE DO WELL AND WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER. BUT HOW CAN WE TAKE A COMMUNITY APPROACH TO CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF CARE. I DO ANTICIPATE -- SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT ALREADY. AS WE TALK ABOUT A NEW MUNICIPAL BOND PROGRAM, CERTAINLY YOU ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT POTENTIALLY PUTTING ON THE BALLOT FOR VOTERS TO CONSIDER ANOTHER ALLOCATION IN HOUSING BONDS.

IN MY MIND, AND I'M SURE CERTAINLY IN YOUR MIND, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRANSITIONAL AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT POPULATIONS BUT THEY'RE ALL PART OF THE WHOLE CONTINUUM.

AND MARK IS GOING TO LEAD THAT EFFORT TO PROVIDE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU.

I THINK THERE'S CLEARLY A PATH WHERE WE CAN WORK WITH THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SYSTEM, CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, THE COUNTY AND OTHERS TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE THAT THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER IS PROVIDING FOR US RIGHT NOW. I'M CERTAINLY EXCITED, THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER, WE EXPECT TO SERVE 450 INDIVIDUALS WITH 250 POSITIVE EXITS. A POSITIVE EXIT IS MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS HAVE A PLACE TO GO THAT IS UPWARD. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BATTING AVERAGE IS AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE IN DEALING WITH THAT POPULATION.

TO ADDRESS ENCAMPMENTS, WE ARE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR ENCAMPMENT PROGRAM THAT DON'T REQUIRE CHANGE IN COST. BUT WE'LL COMMIT TO CONTINUE TO VISIT THOSE HIGH-FREQUENCY AREAS, RECURRING SITES WITH AN ANTICIPATED 1300 ABATEMENTS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT YEAR.

WE DO PLAN, AND OUR TARGET IS TO SHELTER 600 UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS AS WE GO INTO NEXT YEAR. AND THAT'S INCLUSIVE OF UTILIZING THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER AS WE WORK THROUGH GOING FORWARD. IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE, I'LL BREAK THIS UP INTO TWO DIFFERENT AREAS. I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT PUBLIC WORKS WAS ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE LOOKED AT DURING OUR COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEW. AND THE COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWS ARE NOT JUST A REVIEW OF THE BUDGET AND EXPENSES, IT'S REALLY LOOKING AT THE INTERNAL PROCESSES OF THE DEPARTMENTS. THROUGH THAT COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEW, AS WELL AS THE KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A CONSULTANT THAT WE HIRED TO LOOK AT HOW WE ARE DELIVERING, MANAGING, COMMUNICATING OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS. I'M PROPOSING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CAPITAL DELIVERY DEPARTMENT, WHICH WOULD BE MADE UP OF 188 INDIVIDUALS THAT CURRENTLY HAVE PARTS OF THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THIS DEPARTMENT'S SOLE FOCUS WILL BE ON DELIVERING, COMMUNICATING, MANAGING, EXECUTING, AND COMPLETING CAPITAL PROJECTS. THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND GO TO BED FOCUSED ON THIS EFFORT. PUBLIC WORKS IS A CRITICAL PART OF WHAT WE DO. IT IS ONE OF OUR CORE SERVICES AND IN TERMS OF MAINTAINING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILDING NEW, IN MY PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION THAT IS TOO MUCH IN THE SIZE OF OUR CITY. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW -- AND I THINK COUNCILWOMAN KAUR MENTIONED YESTERDAY -- THE WORK THE COUNCIL APPROVED EARLIER IN THE YEAR AROUND HOW WE'RE COORDINATING WITH UTILITIES AND LOOKING AROUND THE CORNER ON PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY WITHIN 410 AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE CORE AREAS OF THE CITY, WE NEED TO DO IT BETTER.

WE NEED TO DO IT FASTER. AND AS WE GO FORWARD IN CONTRACTS FOR EXECUTION, WE HAVE CERTAINLY TALKED ABOUT MAKING ADJUSTMENTS AND PROVIDING INCENTIVES AND STIFFER PENALTIES AS IT RELATES TO THE COMPLETION OF WORK. YOU KNOW, OVERALL I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BETTER SERVE US, ESPECIALLY ON THE POTENTIAL CONVERSATION THAT YOU ALL WILL HAVE ABOUT A FUTURE BOND PROGRAM AND ENSURING THAT WE

[00:50:05]

ARE DELIVERING THESE PROJECTS IN A TIMELY MANNER AND COMMUNICATING THEM IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY. MIKE SHANNON, WHO IS CURRENTLY OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WILL BE APPOINTED TODAY TO OVERSEE THAT EFFORT. THE TRANSITION WILL OCCUR OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. BUT THIS ADJUSTMENT IN OUR ORGANIZATION DOES NOT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL COST, IT'S A REALLOCATION OF RESOURCES. LET ME MENTION ONE THING AT THE BOTTOM. I DID TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE BOND PROGRAM.

WE DO HAVE A BUDGET WORK SESSION SCHEDULED LATER ON THIS MONTH.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE DATE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. TO TALK ABOUT OUR DEBT MANAGEMENT PLAN, INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPITAL DELIVERY. AND IT'S WHERE WE'LL ALSO LAY OUT AN OPPORTUNITY TO INITIATE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNCIL AND LOOK FOR SOME DIRECTION FROM YOU ALL AS WE BEGIN THE FISCAL YEAR ON THAT PROCESS, WHICH WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF EFFORT BY YOU ALL, THE STAFF, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY.

OUR CAPITAL BUDGET, I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, IS $1.1 BILLION.

YOU'LL SEE THAT THE LARGEST SEGMENT IN GOING INTO FISCAL YEAR '26 IS ALMOST $650 MILLION TOWARDS THE -- MAINLY THE NEW TERMINAL DEVELOPMENT AS WE GO FORWARD.

THE REMAINING ALLOCATION CONSISTS OF OUR FACILITIES, PARKS, DRAINAGE, CONVENTION CENTER, TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS, NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS.

WE DO INCLUDE -- WE DID INCLUDE $11.4 MILLION IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET TO ADDRESS THE FLOOD DAMAGE ON BEITEL CREEK, OLD O'CONNOR, AND OLD GRISSOM ROAD.

I'M ANTICIPATING THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY IN THE SECOND SPECIAL SESSION, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY WE CONTINUE -- WE NEED TO MAKE REPAIRS.

WE'VE DONE REPAIRS TEMPORARILY AND WE'LL NEED TO START WORKING ON PERMANENT FIXES IN THOSE AREAS THAT WERE DAMAGED IN JUNE. WE ALSO HAVE WITHIN OUR CAPITAL BUDGET $2 MILLION FOR ADDITIONAL STREET LIGHTS. SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE MENTIONED THAT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS IN ACCORDANCE WITH KEEPING UP WITH OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF STREETLIGHTS AND THE STREETLIGHT PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

I KNOW THERE WILL LIKELY BE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AS WE TALK ABOUT POLICE AND CODE COMPLIANCE AROUND STREETLIGHTS. THE OTHER PART OF INFRASTRUCTURE IS OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, WHICH WILL FOCUS ON MAINTAINING INFRASTRUCTURE. OUR TRAFFIC SYSTEMS, SIDEWALKS, STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. AND STILL WILL HAVE ALMOST 700 EMPLOYEES, ONE OF OUR LARGEST DEPARTMENTS. WE ARE SETTING ASIDE MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO HAVE SOMEBODY COME IN AND KICK THE TIRES ON OUR STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS IN JUNE AND I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL OF YOU OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. OUR SYSTEM, OUR FIVE YEAR SMP PROGRAM WAS INITIALLY CREATED OVER 15, 16 YEARS AGO. WE HAVE ACCESS TO BETTER, MORE ROBUST DATA AND I'D LIKE FOR SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND GIVE US RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE. YOU'LL SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES $122 MILLION FOR STREET MAINTENANCE. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS WE'VE SPENT ALMOST $600 MILLION IN STREET MAINTENANCE.

WHAT I WANT TO ENSURE AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO YOU ALL IS THAT WE ARE DOING THAT WORK WHERE IT'S NEEDED AND WE'RE DOING IT THAT IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND I THINK IT'S LONG DUE FOR A LOOK TO SEE HOW WE REVAMP THAT.

THAT WOULD BE A REVIEW THAT WE WOULD DO, SOMEBODY WOULD DO FOR US, AND CERTAINLY WE WOULD BRING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS BACK TO COUNCIL FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.

I THINK A KEY PART OF -- ONE OF YOU ASKED ME THE OTHER DAY WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FIVE-YEAR STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM? NOTHING HAPPENS TO IT. A KEY PART OF ANY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE RECEIVE FROM SOMEBODY ARE NOT JUST RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT TO DO BUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT. BECAUSE CERTAINLY THERE IS INFORMATION OUT THERE, AND WE WANT TO BE FORTHCOMING AND CLEAR WITH THE PUBLIC, ABOUT OUR FINANCIAL PLANS.

I JUST MENTIONED THE $122 MILLION IN STREET MAINTENANCE.

IT'S ALMOST 1500 PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY FOR 416 MILES.

AND THEN $17 MILLION IN NEW SIDEWALK INVESTMENT, BOTH NEW SIDEWALKS AS WELL AS REPAIRING SIDEWALKS THAT ARE PUSHED UP BY ROOTS AND TREES OR CRACKED OR CROOKED OR UNUSABLE.

[00:55:10]

THAT WILL RESULT IN 21 MILES OF NEW SIDEWALKS AND 11 MILES OF REPAIR.

THE NEXT AREA OF FOCUS IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND CERTAINLY AS WE CONTINUE ON OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES $30.4 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND AS WELL AS GRANT FUNDS TO CONTINUE OUR WORK GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR. OF THE GOAL OF THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN , 13,100 WILL BE CONSTRUCTED. OF THE BOND ALLOCATION THE VOTERS APPROVED IN 2022, YOU ALL HAVE APPROVED $127.8 MILLION. WE HAVE, BY FAR A MAJORITY OF THE MONEY OUT IN PRODUCTION RIGHT NOW . PART OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WERE IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SHORED UP AS WE WENT INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND PROPOSED GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR, WAS ENSURING THAT THERE WAS NO CHANGE TO THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO IMPACT AND SERVE IN TWO PRIMARY AREAS: RENTAL ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS MAJOR AND MINOR REPAIRS. AND IN BOTH CASES, IN TERMS OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE, WE MOVED MONEY INTERNALLY FROM THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT THAT NUMBER WILL NOT DECREASE. YOU'LL HEAR FROM VERONICA GARCIA AT HER BUDGET WORK SESSION HOW SHE HAS WORKED TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL EFFICIENCIES, FRANKLY BY WORKING CLOSER WITH OUR NONPROFITS AND BEING ABLE TO DELIVER -- SPECIFICALLY OUR MINOR REPAIR PROJECTS -- IN A MORE EFFICIENT, LESS COSTLY WAY.

WE'LL BE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT NEXT WEDNESDAY AT YOUR BUDGET WORK SESSION.

IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY OPERATING UNDER TIGHT BUDGET CONDITIONS AND BEING MINDFUL OF OUR FINANCIAL POSITION, INVESTING IN CORE SERVICES THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT SO FAR CERTAINLY STILL APPLIES TO POLICE AND FIRE. I AM PROPOSING ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS -- AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE FIREFIGHTERS ON THE NEXT SLIDE. THE PROPOSED PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR '26 IN OUR GENERAL FUND, IS 63.7% COMPARED TO 61.6% IN OUR FY25 BUDGET.

TOTAL COMBINED BETWEEN POLICE AND FIRE, THOSE TWO BUDGETS MAKE UP $1.079 BILLION OF OUR $1.6 BILLION GENERAL FUND BUDGET. IN TERMS OF POLICE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS AT $630.6 MILLION. THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES THE ADDITION OF 53 NEW POLICE OFFICERS, 28 OF WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT DURING BOTH IN OUR MID-YEAR BUDGET AS WELL AS THE JUNE TRIAL BUDGET. THOSE 28 POSITIONS ARE PRIMARILY SUPERVISORY POSITIONS NEEDED AT OUR SOUTH FLORES SUBSTATION SCHEDULED TO OPEN UP IN 2027. WE'LL NEED TO GET THOSE POSITIONS IN THE ACADEMY NEXT SUMMER AND HAVE THEM IN PLACE BY THE TIME THAT BUILDING OPENS.

WE ALSO ARE PROPOSING AN ADDITIONAL 25 POLICE OFFICERS FOR PATROL.

AND THIS CONTINUES US ON OUR MOVE TOWARDS ADJUSTING OUR OFFICER TIME TO 60% PROACTIVE WORK AND 40% ON-CALL. WE HAD A GOAL OVER FIVE YEARS OF ADDING 360 OFFICERS.

AND WITH THESE 25, FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF THIS PLAN, WE'LL HAVE ADDED 190 TOWARDS THAT GOAL. AND CERTAINLY THERE WILL BE A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS. THE POLICE BUDGET WORK SESSION IS ON TUESDAY.

AND THE GOAL IS A GOAL. AND WE DO WHAT WE CAN WITH THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES WE HAVE.

AND I KNOW THERE WILL BE A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT NEXT TUESDAY.

I DO BELIEVE THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE GROWTH IN THE CITY, THAT ENSURING THAT RESPONSE TIMES AND OUR PROACTIVE ABILITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY OF OURS. WE ARE ALSO CONVERTING 65 VACANCIES IN OUR PARK AND AIRPORT POLICE FROM THOSE TWO DIVISIONS INTO POSITIONS WITHIN THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND WE ARE SCHEDULED TO HAVE, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, SIX ACADEMY CLASSES, AND WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR SIX ACADEMY CLASSES AS WE GO INTO FISCAL YEAR '26 WITH A PROJECTED ESTIMATE OF 270 GRADUATES GOING FORWARD.

[01:00:06]

IN TERMS OF FIRE, OUR TOTAL FIRE BUDGET, PROPOSED BUDGET IS $428.5 MILLION IN OUR GENERAL FUND. IT FOCUSES IN REALLY TWO CORE AREAS.

ONE IS INCREASING OUR ENHANCED SQUAD UNIT PROGRAM. WE BEGAN THAT PROGRAM THREE YEARS AGO -- TWO YEARS AGO. AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR ENHANCED SQUADS.

THE ENHANCEMENT ABOUT THIS IS THAT THEY ARE GENERALLY LOCATED AT OUR BUSIEST ENGINE COMPANIES AND ALLOW A SLIGHTLY ADDITIONAL CHANGE IN OUR STAFFING MODEL TO ALLOW A PICKUP TRUCK WITH NECESSARY EQUIPMENT TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCY CALLS. 80% OF THE CALLS -- AND YOU'LL HEAR FROM THE CHIEF ON TUESDAY. 80% OF OUR CALLS ARE MEDICALLY RELATED AND SO THIS ENHANCEMENT ALLOWS THE ENGINE AND THE STAFFING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR MAYBE MORE IMPORTANT OR HIGHER-PRIORITY CALLS. AND WE ADDED THREE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND WE'RE PROPOSING ADDING TWO MORE IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET THAT WOULD BE LOCATED AT FIRE STATION 10 AND AT FIRE STATION 21. SECONDLY, IN TERMS OF PRIORITY FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WAS $1.4 MILLION FOR REALLY TWO DIFFERENT TYPE OF ASSESSMENTS THAT WE NEED TO DO -- OR THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING WE DO. ONE IS FOCUSED ON STAFFING AND EQUIPMENT AND WHAT ARE THE EMERGING TRENDS IN TERMS OF PREPARATION AND TRAINING THAT WE NEED TO DO AS A FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS REALLY AN ASSESSMENT OF OUR FACILITIES. WE HAVE TWO FIRE STATIONS UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN BOTH DISTRICTS 3 AND 4. WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER REPLACEMENT FIRE STATION UNDER CONSTRUCTION HERE WITHIN PROBABLY THE NEXT HALF YEAR, NINE MONTHS IN DISTRICT 3, REPLACING FIRE STATION 21. AND SEVERAL OF YOU ALL HAVE BEEN TO FIRE STATIONS AND THOSE ARE THE ONE FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE, PROPE PROBABLY OTHER THAN THE AIRPORT, THAT ARE USED 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

WE CAN DEVELOP A PLAN TO MAINTAIN, RENOVATE, AND IN SOME CASES REPLACE SOME OF OUR FIRE STAYS. LAYING OUT THAT PLAN ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO YOU HOW DO WE ACCOMPLISH THAT. WE WON'T BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IT ALL AT ONCE BUT THAT TYPE OF ASSESSMENT IS GOING TO BE NECESSARY. MARIA, THE CHIEF, AND I MET WITH JOE JONES AND JAVIER YESTERDAY JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET AND THEY BROUGHT UP THREE, ALBEIT MINOR ISSUES, BUT IMPORTANT TO THE FIRE STATIONS.

THEY ALL HAD TO DEAL WITH SMALLER FACILITY ISSUES. WITH 54 FIRE STATIONS AND LOCATIONS ALL OVER THE CITY, KIND OF REASSESSING WHERE WE'RE AT AND PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN IS OUR RECOMMENDATION. LASTLY, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BORROWS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S DRONES. AND WE'RE SETTING ASIDE MONEY TO ENHANCE THAT CAPABILITY WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THIS INCLUDES PROBABLY WOULD ALSO POTENTIALLY BE A TOPIC OF REVIEW IN TERMS OF NEEDS AND RESOURCES AND EMERGING TRENDS. BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE DRONES NEXT YEAR FOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, MAPPING PERIMETERS, AND IDENTIFYING HOT SPOTS IN ALL KINDS OF ISSUES THAT ARE OUTFITTED TO THOSE DRONES.

ANIMAL CARE SERVICES. THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THERE ARE NO MAJOR REDUCTIONS CERTAINLY IN OUR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES DEPARTMENT. AND WITH THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS APPROVED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT ALL OF OUR MAJOR METRICS ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. JOHN AND THE TEAM AT ANIMAL CARE SERVICES ARE DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE ANIMAL COMMUNITY, AND WITH NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR PERCENTAGE RESPONSE TO CRITICAL CALLS, WHICH WAS EMBARRASSINGLY LOW TWO YEARS AGO AT 44%, WE ARE PROJECTING THIS YEAR TO END AT 83% AND THEN 97% NEXT YEAR. WE ARE IN AN OVERHIRE POSITION AT ANIMAL CARE SERVICES TO ENSURE WE ALWAYS HAVE THOSE POSITIONS FILLED. OUR LIVE RELEASE RATE CONTINUES TO REMAIN HIGH. OUR ADOPTIONS ARE SCHEDULED TO BE UP -- AND I THINK PROBABLY THE ONE THAT IS SOMETIMES OVERLOOKED BUT VERY IMPORTANT. MR. BACHMAN SHOWS UP EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE ON WEDNESDAY AND REMINDS YOU, BUT OUR SPAY AND NEUTER NUMBERS ARE UP THIS YEAR AND PROJECTED TO GO UP NEXT YEAR BY 6.5%. WE OPENED UP THOSE TWO SPAY AND

[01:05:09]

NEUTER CLINICS ON THE EAST AND WEST SIDES EARLIER THIS YEAR AND IT IS A GREAT RESOURCE AND IT IS PROVING TO BE VERY VALUABLE BECAUSE IT'S CLOSER TO THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDES THEM ACCESS TO THOSE FREE OR LOW-COST SPAY OR NEUTERS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM WHERE THEY NEED IT. DELEGATE AGENCIES. THE PROPOSED BUDGET HAS A COMBINED $28.9 MILLION. YOU ALL WILL RECALL THAT WE HAD A CONVERSATION IN THE SPRINGTIME ABOUT THE CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS, WHICH IS OUR SOLICITATION PROCESS TO PROCURE SERVICES FROM NONPROFIT AGENCIES, WHETHER THEY BE HOMELESS SERVICES, SENIOR PROGRAMMING, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING, SAFETY NET SERVICES.

PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT THE COUNCIL HAD IS REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET.

WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF FUNDING IN AGENCIES.

WE HAVE WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS DESIGNATED FUNDING AND COMPETITIVE FUNDING.

DESIGNATED FUNDING FOR US ARE AGENCIES LIKE HAVEN FOR HOPE OR THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT PROVIDE AFTER-SCHOOL CARE. OR THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES. SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY AND ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR OPERATIONS. AND OUR COMPETITIVE FUNDING ARE THOSE AGENCIES WHERE WE ASK YOU ALL TO PRIORITIZE IN A SESSION WHAT ARE THE AREAS OF MOST IMPORTANCE TO YOU AS A BODY.

AND THEN THROUGH THE SOLICITATION, AGENCIES PROPOSE HOW THEY WILL DO THAT SERVICE FOR US OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. THE PROPOSED BUDGET, FOR THOSE COMPETITIVE FUNDING AGENCIES, ONLY INCLUDES FUNDING THROUGH THE END OF MAY. AND BEGINNING NEXT WEEK ON WEDNESDAY WHEN MELODY WOOSLEY PRESENTS HER PROPOSED BUDGET, WE'LL TALK ABOUT DELEGATE AGENCIES AND BEGIN THAT CONVERSATION. DEPENDING ON THAT CONVERSATION, WE MAY NEED TO REVISIT WITH YOU WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE BECAUSE WE WILL NEED TO DO AN RFP THIS FALL FOR FUNDING AFTER THE END OF MAY '26.

DELEGATE AGENCIES IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. TYPICALLY, AGENCIES DON'T SPEND ALL THEIR MONEY WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW.

SO WE ELIMINATED HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF THAT BUDGET IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO ACCOMMODATE FOR ANTICIPATED UNSPENT FUNDS AS WE GO THROUGH NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THOSE COMPETITIVE AGENCIES DOES NOT REFLECT ANY CHANGE TO WHAT THEIR BUDGET IS NOW. AND I'LL HIGHLIGHT THAT PART OF Y'ALL'S CONVERSATION IN THE SPRINGTIME AROUND THESE SERVICES, PART OF THE CONVERSATION WAS UNCERTAINTY ABOUT FEDERAL FUNDING. AND PART OF THE TAKEAWAY FROM THAT MEETING WAS LET'S FIGURE OUT WHERE THE GROUND IS GOING TO SETTLE. LET'S KEEP EVERYBODY THROUGH THE END OF MAY. LET'S HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH THE NEW MAYOR AND COUNCIL IN THE FALL AND RESET OUR FOCUS AS WE GO FORWARD. AND WE'VE INCORPORATED THAT IN THE BUDGET. OUR RESTRICTED FUNDS. THERE'S NO PROPOSED FEE INCREASE TO OUR SOLID WASTE BUDGET. THAT FUND IS A UTILITY FUND AND IT IS ALMOST $161.5 MILLION AND PROVIDES PRACTICALLY DAILY SERVICE TO 380,000 CUSTOMERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WE WILL HAVE A CONTINUED FOCUS ON HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT ABATEMENT AS WELL AS ILLEGAL DUMPING. AND WE WILL REVISIT -- SOME OF YOU WILL RECALL THAT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THE CITY HAD NOT MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT UTILITY RATE. AFTER GOING THROUGH SOME ADJUSTMENTS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, PART OF WHAT WE DO NOW IS LOOK AT THAT RATE EVERY TWO YEARS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PASSING ALONG THE SERVICES THAT CONSISTENTLY ARE HIGHLY RATED BY THE PUBLIC AND CERTAINLY NEEDED. OUR AIRPORT IS EXPECTED TO HAVE A PROPOSED BUDGET OF $169.4 MILLION AND JESUS WILL BE BEFORE YOU IN SEVERAL WEEKS TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

WE ARE EXPECTING A SLIGHT INCREASE IN PASSENGERS THROUGH THIS FISCAL YEAR -- FISCAL YEAR '26. WE HAVE 48 NONSTOP DESTINATIONS, SEVERAL OF THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONCEPTS THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED WILL BEGIN OPENING LATER ON THIS YEAR IN NOVEMBER. WE HAVE A GROUNDBREAKING FOR THE NEW PARKING GARAGE THIS FALL. AND OUR GROWN LOAD FACILITY, THE ADDITIONAL GATING

[01:10:05]

CONSTRUCTION IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN DECEMBER OF 2025. I WAS OUT THERE ON SATURDAY AND CONSTRUCTION IS HAPPENING -- WAS HAPPENING EVEN ON SATURDAY AND WE'RE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS OUT THERE AT THE AIRPORT. IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, ANOTHER ENTERPRISE FUND WE HAD WERE ACCOUNTS FOR ALL THE REVENUES AND EXPENSES TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT-RELATED ACTIVITY. WE HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN RESIDENTIAL PERMITTING BY A LITTLE OVER 16% THIS YEAR. AND A DECREASE IN COMMERCIAL PERMITTING OF 10.5%.

AS WE GO INTO FISCAL YEAR '26, WE ARE PROJECTING A .3% DECREASE IN RESIDENTIAL AND .7% DECREASE IN COMMERCIAL. MUCH OF THIS, AS YOU CAN EXPECT, IS LIKELY TIED TO THE ECONOMY, TARIFF CONVERSATIONS, AND INTEREST RATES. AND SO WE CLOSELY MONITOR THIS ACTIVITY. IN THIS ENTERPRISE FUND, AS REVENUES DECLINE, WE STRATEGICALLY REDUCE OUR EXPENSES TO ENCAPSULATE ALL THAT WORK.

AND WE HAVE BEGUN THAT WORK IN THE SPRINGTIME. WE DO THIS TO BE ABLE TO EBB AND FLOW WITH THE DEMAND. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE INCLUDING IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR CONSIDERATION AS WE GO INTO FISCAL YEAR '27 IS A CONVERSATION AROUND CHANGES TO POTENTIAL REVENUE OR SERVICES. AND THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT I THINK I'D LIKE TO PROBABLY START WITH YOU ALL, APPROPRIATELY SO. GET FEEDBACK FROM YOU AND THEN EXAMINE HOW WE APPROACH THAT AS WE GO INTO FISCAL YEAR '27. I'LL ALSO SAY THAT BUILDING PERMITS ARE ONE OF OUR EARLY WARNING INDICATORS. SO I SHOWED EARLIER THAT WE SAW A 1.6% INCREASE IN TAXABLE VALUES. THAT'S ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION.

SO WITH PERMITTING BEING DOWN THIS YEAR AND NOT ANTICIPATED TO CHANGE ONLY MARGINALLY GOING INTO '26, THOSE ARE LIKELY PRESSURES IN TAXABLE VALUES GOING FORWARD.

LASTLY, OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX IS $108.7 MILLION. THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX PROJECTIONS ARE 2.8% HIGHER THAN OUR FY25 ESTIMATED BUDGET.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET -- AND YOU'LL SEE ON THAT TABLE -- MAINTAINS THE SAME LEVEL OF FUNDING FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO, ARTS AND HISTORY AND PRESERVATION.

THE GENERAL FUND DOES INCLUDE A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR PUBLIC ART MAINTENANCE.

AND IN ORDER TO ADJUST FOR NECESSARY CHANGES IN THE BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE ON THE CHART, WE'RE PROPOSING TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN SPENDING TO BOTH OUR CONVENTION CENTER AND ALAMODOME. PATRICIA WILL BE LAYING THAT OUT TO YOU HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. LASTLY, WE HAVE $162.7 MILLION IN FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS IN OUR PROPOSED BUDGET. AND IT DOES REFLECT CHANGES THAT WE'VE SEEN.

WE'VE HAD $1.4 MILLION IN REDUCTIONS IN METRO HEALTH GRANTS.

AND YOU SAW, LIKELY SAW MY E-MAIL AT THE END OF LAST WEEK.

$27.1MILLION ALLOCATION FOR SOLAR GRANT, WHICH WAS A LARGER EFFORT PRACTICALLY STATEWIDE THAT WAS LED BY HARRIS COUNTY. THE EPA CACELED THAT GRANT LAST WEEK.

WHICH AMOUNTED TO $27.1 MILLION FOR GRANT FUNDS FOR US GOING FORWARD.

IT WAS WORK THAT HAD NOT BEGUN YET AND WAS IN THE PREPARATION PHASES.

UNDOUBTEDLY THERE CONTINUES TO BE SOME UNCERTAINTY AROUND FEDERAL FUNDING AS WE GO FORWARD. I SHARED WITH THE MAYOR THE OTHER DAY THAT I'M PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT -- I'M CONCERNED ABOUT EVERYTHING. BUT I'M PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL CHANGES TO CDBG AND HOME. WE HAVE NOT SEEN THOSE IMPACTS YET AND CERTAINLY AS WE TALK ABOUT OUR FEDERAL INITIATIVES PROGRAM, THAT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE ONE OF OUR CORE AREAS. IT'S A BIG PART OF THE COUNCIL AND PUBLIC'S PRIORITIES MAKING SURE WE'RE MOVING THE NEEDLE FROM AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING STANDPOINT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE MAYOR AND I TALKED ABOUT AND IT WAS A QUESTION THE MAYOR HAD.

WE DO A LOT OF TABLETOP EXERCISES ABOUT FLOODS OR CYBERSECURITY OR THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES. BUT THE MAYOR ASKED ME A GREAT QUESTION.

SHE SAID, DO YOU EVER -- HAVE YOU EVER DONE A TABLETOP ON WHAT HAPPENS IF CDBG GOES AWAY OR HOME OR METRO HEALTH GRANTS FOR IMMUNIZATIONS? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT

[01:15:01]

WE'LL BE CONDUCTING -- AND I THINK BASED ON CONVERSATION WITH THE MAYOR -- THERE ARE OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR ECOSYSTEM THAT ARE EQUALLY IMPACTED, LIKE THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT, BEXAR COUNTY POTENTIALLY, THE NONPROFITS PARTNERS. SO CONVENING A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WE ARE ALL LINKED, THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, IF THERE ARE DECLINES IN POSITIONS AND SERVICES THERE, THAT HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON OUR OUTREACH, OUR EMS UNITS, AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS. SO IT WAS A GREAT IDEA AND QUESTION THAT THE MAYOR HAD THAT REALLY STARTED KIND OF THE NOTION THAT WE NEED TO DO A TABLETOP EXERCISE ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE RANKS IF THERE ARE CHANGES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IN TERMS OF FUNDING.

ONCE YOU ADOPT THE BUDGET, JUST TO PUT A MARKER FOR YOU, WE DO WANT TO REVISIT HOW WE DO THE BUDGET IN THE FUTURE. AND THIS WAS A CONVERSATION THAT BEGAN IN THE SPRING -- ACTUALLY, STARTED LAST FALL THROUGH A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST.

AND CULMINATED IN A PRESENTATION BY PFF TO THE COUNCIL EARLIER THIS YEAR.

REALLY DESIGNED AROUND GIVING THE COUNCIL, UNDER A FOUR-YEAR TERM, A LITTLE BIT MORE LEG ROOM TO BE STRATEGY IN TERMS OF PRIOPRIORITIES AND DEVELOP A HYBRID BUDGET METHODOLOGY THAT INVOLVED OUTCOME-BASED BUDGETING, ZERO-BASED BUDGETING, PRIORITY-BASED BUDGETING. NOT LISTED HERE BUT CERTAINLY NECESSARY, PERFORMANCE-BASED BUDGET. SO ONE OF THE APPROACHES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO REVISIT WITH THE COUNCIL, PARTICULARLY THIS COUNCIL, IS YOUR FEEDBACK ON THAT AND CONVERSATION SO WE CAN ADJUST ACCORDINGLY GOING INTO FISCAL YEAR '27. THE NEXT STEPS ON THE BUDGET PROCESS. OBVIOUSLY, BUDGET WORK SESSIONS START NEXT TUESDAY.

TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. WE HAVE A YOUTH TOWN HALL, WHICH WAS HUGELY SUCCESSFUL LAST YEAR AND WE'RE SCHEDULING TO DO IT THIS YEAR AS WELL. AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY TOWN HALLS IN EACH OF YOUR DISTRICTS. WE HAVE TWO BUDGET AND TAX RATE HEARINGS THAT WILL OCCUR IN SEPTEMBER. AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET WILL BE UP FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR ANY AMENDMENTS OR CHANGES YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE AND ADOPTION ON SEPTEMBER 18TH. OUR BUDGET THIS MORNING WAS UPLOADED ONLINE TO OUR OPEN GOV SYSTEM, WHICH HAS LITERALLY ALL THE INFORMATION CERTAINLY INVITED TO VISIT THAT SITE AND LOOK INTO THE DEPTH OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO. OUR BUDGET WORK SESSIONS BEGIN NEXT WEEK AND RUN THROUGH SEPTEMBER 17TH. AND OUR BUDGET TOWN HALLS ARE LISTED HERE. THEY BEGIN ON AUGUST 18 AND END ON AUGUST 27.

AT THESE WORK SESSIONS WE'LL BE WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT YOU'D LIKE AND THESE WORK SESSIONS WILL CERTAINLY INCLUDE EXECUTIVE STAFF AND MYSELF FOR ANSWERS AND QUESTIONS AND PRESENTATION.

ON THOSE NIGHTS THAT ARE HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY, MARIA AND I WILL DIVVY THOSE UP AND COVER BOTH. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THAT IS THE PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTATION.

I WANT TO THANK THE DEPARTMENTAL STAFF THAT WORKED FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET. I CERTAINLY WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO THE DEPARTMENT EXECUTIVES FOR THEIR WORK AND DILIGENCE, AS WELL AS JUSTINA AND FREDDIE AND THE BUDGET STAFF. TROY AND THE FINANCE TEAM. FINALLY, MY EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM WITH MARIA AND BEN AND THE REST OF THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS.

MANY TIMES THE SUMMER -- SUMMERS ALWAYS ARE LONG AND THIS WAS PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING BECAUSE OF THE MATTER AHEAD OF US. SO THERE WAS A LOT OF TIME SPENT AWAY FROM FAMILIES OVER THE SUMMER. SO I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF

FOR WHAT THEY DID. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: ERIK, THANK YOU. I WANT TO ECHO THIS COUNCIL'S THANKS TO YOUR ENTIRE TEAM THAT DID THAT. TOO MANY TIMES I THINK WE SAW EACH OTHER THERE ON SATURDAYS.

THANK YOU FOR THE VERY HARD WORK TO ENSURE THAT WE COULD CONSIDER THESE THINGS THOUGHTFULLY AND THOROUGHLY. I DO WANT TO REITERATE I THINK THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TABLETOP EXERCISE. I THINK AS MUCH AS WE CAN DO TO HELP OURSELVES UNDERSTAND WHAT

[01:20:05]

ASSUMPTIONS WE ARE MAKING NEEDLESSLY OR MAYBE UNINTENTIONALLY, THAT WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE WE MAY HAVE POTENTIALLY SOME FLEXIBILITY AS WE ENTER INTO A VERY DIFFICULT FISCAL ENVIRONMENT. CERTAINLY, AS I'VE MENTIONED AGAIN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECONCILIATION BILL. IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU KNOW A COVID IS COMING SO HOW DOO WE ESSENTIALLY ENSURE WE'RE BEST PREPARED AND POSTURED TO RESPOND TO THAT, AS WELL AS WE ALSO LOOK AT SOME OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE KNOW WILL COME BEFORE THIS BODY NEXT YEAR, WHICH ARE RATE INCREASE REQUESTS FROM BOTH CPS AND FROM SAWS.

I THINK THAT AS PART OF -- AS PART OF THE TABLETOP, THOSE ALWAYS ILLUMINATE THINGS WE NEED TO BE DOING NOW. I THINK WHAT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL EVEN BEFORE THAT, THOUGH, ERIK, IS IF YOU CAN MAYBE REFRESH THINGS THAT WERE DONE DURING THE TIME OF COVID THAT WE MIGHT ALREADY BE THINKING ABOUT AS WE LOOK TO SHORE UP SOME OF THE CAPABILITIES IN, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DEPARTMENT ADDRESSING OUR UNHOUSED.

THOSE DEPARTMENTS ADDRESSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, ET CETERA.

JUST SO WE KNOW THOSE ARE ALREADY OPTIONS AND MAYBE WE INCLUDE THOSE AS CONSIDERATIONS IN OUR TABLETOP . I KNOW WE WILL TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT.

IF YOU COULD, THOUGH, SPEAK TO OR -- IT WAS ACTUALLY MARIA THAT GAVE ME THE BRIEF.

SO MAYBE IT'S MARIA THAT DOES IT. HOW THIS IS INFORMED BY OR HOW WE MIGHT THINK ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE MEASURES AS PART OF SHAPING THIS BUDGET. I KNOW THERE ARE THINGS WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO.

I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE THINGS WE WOULD LIKE TO DO GIVEN A LONGER TIME HORIZON.

AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S BEING REFRESHED, BUT IF YOU WOULD PLEASE HELP ADDRESS THAT HERE.

>> VILLAGOMEZ: GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE A SET OF PERFORMANCE METRICS. YOU SEE SOME OF THOSE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOCUMENT.

AND THAT IS JUST A SAMPLE OF THOSE METRICS THAT EACH OF OUR DEPARTMENTS COMPILE ON A DAILY BASIS. SO WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT REDUCTIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE BUDGET, THE DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE US THE JUSTIFICATION WHAT ARE THOSE METRICS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THOSE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING. FOR EXAMPLE, ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, THEY HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN AND THEY HAVE CERTAIN METRICS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS, LIKE OUR GETTING TO 100% OF RESPONDING TO OUR CRITICAL GOALS.

SO THAT'S HOW THE DEPARTMENTS ARE TYING THOSE STRATEGIC PLANS FOR THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE THEM AND HOW WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT OUR INITIATIVES ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THOSE GOALS OR POTENTIALLY HOW WE'RE IMPACTING THEM WITH THE DECISIONS WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO YOU ALL.

>> MAYOR JONES: GREAT. THANK YOU, MARIA. >> WALSH: MAYOR, I'LL GIVE YOU ONE OTHER EXAMPLE I THINK IS IMPORTANT. I MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION ABOUT ENSURING THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET DID NOT REDUCE THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT WE COULD HELP WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE. AND BASED ON FUNDING, AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THE METRICS, WE SAW THAT NUMBER WAS DECLINING. SO AS WE DEVELOPED THE BUDGET IN THE SUMMER, TO ME, BASED ON THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU ALL HAD AND FROM THE COMMUNITY SURVEY AND FRANKLY JUST BEING A HUMAN BEING, THAT'S NOT A NUMBER THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO LET GO DOWN. SO WE MADE SOME INTERNAL ADJUSTMENTS TO ENSURE WE WEREN'T TAKING BACKWARDS STEPS. SO WE USED THE METRICS GOING

AND COMING SOMETIMES. AND THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE. >> MAYOR JONES: GREAT.

THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING AGAIN THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, WHICH IS FUND OUR NO-FAIL MISSIONS, MINIMIZE LONG-TERM RISK TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE, AND MINIMIZE ANY LONG-TERM RISKS AS A RESULT OF CHANGES IN THE BUDGET.

AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS, MY DIRECTION WOULD BE TO HELP US UNDERSTAND GEOGRAPHICALLY AND BY CERTAIN MOST VULNERABLE DEMOGRAPHICS THE CHANGES YOU PROPOSED HERE IN THE BUDGET, HOW THAT IS ILLUMINATED IN THOSE CHANGES AND HOW WE MIGHT NEED TO BE CONSIDERATE OF THOSE. WHEN WE -- AS I'VE TALKED ABOUT, WE WANT TO ALSO, THE CITY, WANTS TO BE CONSIDERED AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE. AND I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT 13 MILLION LOOKS LIKE, IF EVERYBODY GETS 2%. WHAT I WOULD ASK THE STAFF TO PROVIDE THE COUNCIL WITH IS WHAT AN ALTERNATIVE VERSION OF THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE KEPT THAT PAY INCREASE PROMISE AND WE WORKED OUR WAY FROM THE BOTTOM UP, WHAT DOES THAT $13.1 MILLION GET US. THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE ANSWER SOME FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE WANT TO HEAR BUT WHAT I THINK IT DOES IS HELP US UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT DOES THAT GET US? MAYBE THAT GETS US EVERYBODY UNDER 45K WORKING FOR THE CITY GETS A PAY RAISE. I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW FAR THAT MONEY GOES IF WE START FROM THE BOTTOM UP VERSUS THE 2% FLAT .

[01:25:15]

ERIK, CAN YOU SPEAK TO A LITTLE BIT, YOU MENTIONED THE CONTINUED KIND OF STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE WE WILL HAVE, BUT HELP US, FRANKLY AS WE SHOULD BE DOING, EVEN A YEAR FROM NOW THE '27 BUDGET MAY LOOK DIFFERENT. WHAT IS A LITTLE SCARY IS WHAT 2030 LOOKS LIKE IF WE DON'T MAKE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.

CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND THIS BUDGET IN THE CONFECTION TEXT -- CONTEXT

OF THAT LONGER TERM CHALLENGE? >> WALSH: IT'S A BEST PRACTICE MANY CITIES DO, AND THE THINGS ABOUT A FORECAST IS THAT IT IS -- IT'S BASED ON HISTORICAL TRENDS AND INFORMATION WE HAVE. AS WE TRANSITION TO THE ACTUAL BUDGET, WE FOCUS ON THE FIRST TWO YEARS. TO YOUR POINT, WE CERTAINLY HAVE BE TO MINDFUL OF CHANGES THAT WILL OCCUR OR PLANS THAT YOU ALL MAY WANT TO DISCUSS. I JUST STOOD UP THERE AND TALKED ABOUT A FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT WOULD LOOK AT THE NEXT FIVE TO TEN YEARS OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF ADJUSTMENT. WHETHER IT'S ANIMAL CARE SERVICES OR POLICE OR FIRE OR ANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS, AT THE END OF THE DAY BEV TO BUTTRESS UP AGAINST I SAID THISE END OF JUNE, WE'LL NEVER -- IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE -- OUR REVENUES ARE NEVER GOING TO MATCH OUR EXPENSES EXACTLY.

AS LONG AS WE'RE WITHIN 1 OR 2%, I THINK THAT'S FISCALLY PRUDENT.

THE GAP WE SHARED AT THE END OF JUNE WAS A 3.5% INCREASE IN EXPENSES, 1% INCREASE IN REVENUE AND A 98 MILLION-DOLLAR GAP IN OUR TRIAL BUDGET.

THAT GAP HAS BEEN NARROWED TREMENDOUSLY, IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, '26.

AND I THINK AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS AND THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNCIL, WE WILL WORK TO GIVE THE COUNCIL MAYBE A RANGE OF IMPACTS THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY SEE BEGINNING IN '28. THAT WAY YOU ALL CAN LOOK

FURTHER DOWN THE HORIZON. >> MAYOR JONES: YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT AND THAT WILL BE HELPFUL. I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME INITIAL DISCUSSION ON REVIEWING CITY-INITIATED TOURS, BUT UNDERSTANDING HOW FAR WE CAN GET WITHOUT MAKING SOME OTHER CHANGES IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT. THE -- I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS AROUND THE UNIT SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE UNHOUSED AS WELL AS THOUGHTFULNESS MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE CAPITAL DELIVERY DEPARTMENT.

DID YOU HAVE AN ASSESSMENT OF HOW THAT HELPS US STAY ON TRACK OR MEET SOME OF THOSE

PROJECTS SOONER THAN EXAMINED? >> WALSH: WELL, OTHER THAN

KNOWING WE NEED TO DO BETTER, NO, I -- >> MAYOR JONES: SO BETTER

THAN THOU. >> WALSH: I THINK THE OUTREACH TEAMS AND THE RELATIONSHIP ON THE HOMELESS SIDE WORK WELL AND NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WELL AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE PUBLIC IN TERMS OF THEIR REQUESTS FOR SERVICE. WHAT I THINK IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT MOVES THE NEEDLE IS A COMMUNITY-WIDE CONVERSATION WITH OTHER PARTNERS ABOUT HOW WE ARE TACKLING THIS COMPREHENSIVELY AND NOT AS INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, MR. CARMONA, NO PRESSURE, BUT PART OF THIS RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND STRATEGIC ADVICE TO ME THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH YOU ALL TO BETTER INFORM YOU ALL AS YOU TALK THROUGH THE HOUSING BOND POTENTIAL IN ANOTHER POTENTIAL MUNICIPAL BOND PROGRAM. AND THERE ARE CLEAR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND 30% AND 50% AMI.

AND THEY ARE VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING OR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING LOOKS LIKE. I THINK WE'LL START TO SEE SOME OF THAT CONVERSATION NEXT WEDNESDAY AT THE BUDGET WORK SESSION ON THE HOMELESS SIDE. THE OUTSIDE CONSULTANT WHO CAME IN CONDUCT CONDUCTED A LOT OF EMPLOYEE FOCUS GROUPS AND PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I RECEIVED FROM THEM WAS THAT THE EMPLOYEES KNEW WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO. THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND THEY HAD JUST AS MANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNICATION, OUR

[01:30:03]

EXECUTION. FRANKLY, I THINK SOMETIMES IT'S MAKING SURE THAT WE SET THE TRAIN ON THE RAIL AND ENSURE THAT RAIL IS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I WAS EXCITED TO HEAR THAT -- AND MARIA SAT IN ON SOME OF THOSE FOCUS GROUPS AND THE EMPLOYEES ARE ENERGIZED BY THIS NEW OPPORTUNITY.

>> MAYOR JONES: THANKS. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.

>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AS I EMPHASIZED DURING THE LAST BUDGET CONVERSATIONS, AS COUNCIL HAS REQUESTS FROM CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS OUR WANTS, IT'S THE CITY MATERIALS THAT -- CITY EMPLOYEES THAT HELP REALIZE THAT. IN TERMS OF THE 2% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT AUDIO] WE CONSIDER THE PREMIUM INCREASES. IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY, IT ESSENTIALLY NULLIFIES THAT 2%. LOOKING AT SOME OF THE FUND REDUCTIONS, I SEE SOME OF THE EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAMS ARE SET -- WHICH ALLOWS EMPLOYEES TO CONFERRING SOME OF THE COSTS, DENTAL APPOINTMENT, I HOPE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN RECONSIDER AND ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE PIECES.

IN TERMS OF THINGS I'D LIKE CLARIFICATION ON AND IF WE COULD GET THIS OFF LINE ARE REGARDING SOME OF THE REDUCTIONS FROM THE GENERAL FUND FOR SOME OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS PIECES. LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE FLASHING STOP SIGNS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THE HIGH PRIORITY AREAS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AND THERE'S FUNDING TO CONTINUE TO TACKLE 326 MORE. BUT BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REDUCTION OF THAT PIECE, I'D LIKE TO SEE A CITYWIDE WHERE THOSE 326 ARE GOING TO BE PLACED. AND ALSO UNDERSTAND, I KNOW MANY OF US HAVE REQUESTING FOR THOSE FLASHING STOP SIGNS, IS IT BECAUSE WE MAY NEED TO INCREASE SUPPORT.

I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE REQUESTS FOLKS HAVE FROM CITY COUNCIL AND ARE THERE ISSUES IN TERMS OF INSTALLING THOSE STOP SIGNS. SAME INVOLVING THE RADAR SIGNS. I SEE THEY ARE STILL FUNDING TO INSTALL SOME, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHERE THOSE ARE SET TO BE INSTALLED BEFORE WE ELIMINATE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT. SAME WITH THE NON-SERVICE ALLEYWAYS IN DISTRICT 5.

PUBLIC WORKS DOES A GREAT JOB, BUT WE'RE LIMITED IN FUNDING IN TACKLING THOSE PIECES. SHIFTING OVER TO HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING, I'M PLEASED TO SEE WITHIN THE DIGIT WE'RE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE IN HOMES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HOME REHAB PROGRAM DESPITE REDUCTION FUNDING.

GRATEFUL FOR VERONICA AND HER TEAM FOR ALWAYS MEETING OUR CONSTITUENTS WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR HOMES TO REHAB OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. BUT I DIDMENT TO SHIFT -- DID WANT TO SHIFT OVER TO FINES AND FEES. WHAT I HEARD FROM DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS DURING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION IS THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY IN TERMS OF VACANT PROPERTIES AND VACANT LOTS.

IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE PROPOSED INCREASES, I THINK THAT WOULD RUN PARALLEL TO WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM COMMUNITY, LIKELY INCREASED FINES.

THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF. WITH THE PROPOSED INCREASES TO TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS, IF WE CAN RECEIVE A HEAT MAP OR DATA DISTRICT BY DISTRICT ON WHERE THOSE CITATIONS ARE ISSUED, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL MOVING FORWARD WITH THE BUDGET DISCUSSION. I DID HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE ENCAMPMENT ABATEMENTS. WITH THE 5 MILLION, IS THAT LABOR FROM A SPECIFIC TEAM OR CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE ALLOCATION OF THE 5 MILLION?

>> YES, COUNCILWOMAN. I'M THE BUDGET DIRECTOR. SO THE MONEY THAT'S ALLOCATED TO THE ENCAMPMENT INCLUDES BOTH THE OUTREACH TEAM FROM THE HOMELESS SERVICES AND STRATEGY DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR SOLID WASTE TO

DO THE ACTUAL CLEANUP. >> CASTILLO: OKAY. THE QUESTION WE GET FROM COMMUNITY IS IS IF THAT 5 MILLION IS SHIFTED TOWARDS INVESTING IN PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, HOW CAN WE GET FOLKS IN THE HOUSING, BUT IN TERMS OF OUTREACH

WORKERS. >> CORRECT. >> CASTILLO: THOSE ARE ALL

[01:35:02]

MY QUESTIONS. I LOOK FORWARD TO JUMPING INTO THE WEEDS OF THINGS.

>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO.

>> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO START BY THANKING JUSTINA AND HER TEAM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK ON THIS BUDGET.

I HOPE YOU ALL GET TO TAKE THE REST YOU NEED AFTER THAT.

I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE ERIC AND BEN AND Y'ALL'S TEAMS TO BE KEEPING OUR BOND RATINGS HIGH. I THINK WE ARE ALL COMFORTABLE WE ARE A WELL-RUN CITY, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL Y'ALL'S EFFORTS THERE.

I WANT TO REITERATE THAT CORE SERVICES ARE MY RESIDENTS AND MY TOP PRIORITY. OBVIOUSLY POLICE, FIRE, INFRASTRUCTURE, ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS. I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE TO FIND EFFICIENCIES, AND I AM DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING EACH DEPARTMENTAL LOOKING FORWARD TO DIGGING IN HERE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR -- THAT I HEAR FROM RESIDENTS IS WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY HERE.

BUT THEY ALSO FEEL LIKE THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. SO I'M NOT ADVOCATING THAT WE SPEND LESS, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE STRATEGIC ON HOW WE SPEND THAT MONEY.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEW HOMELESS SERVICES STRATEGY DEPARTMENT.

ERIK, YOU JUST MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS HOLISTICALLY AS A COMMUNITY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE -- THE LEFT HAND NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RIGHT HAND IS DOING. MAYBE THERE'S AREAS WHERE ADDRESSED AT ALL. BUT ALL I KNOW IS I GET THE FEEDBACK THAT, WOW, THE CITY SPENDS A LOT OF MONEY BUT THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE.

I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE WORK DONE FOR CLEANING UP HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR RESIDENTS ASK FOR A LOT. I ALSO WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTERS. YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST -- LET'S DIVE DEEP INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO THERE.

I ALSO APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON PRIORITIZING ABATEMENTS IN SENSITIVE AREAS SUCH AS DRAINAGE AREAS. WE'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF COUNTIES DEATHS IN A DRAINAGE DITCH, FOR US THEY END UP IN WOODLAWN LAKE AND THAT IS SCARY FOR A LOT OF FOLKS. WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE DRAINAGE CHANNELS IN PARTICULAR FOR CLEANING UP HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS. IN THE MEANTIME, OBVIOUSLY INVESTING IN EFFECTIVE STREET OUTREACH, ACCESSIBLE MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE AND ABUSE TREATMENT, EVICTION PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE IS CRUCIAL.

MOVING ON TO THE CAPITAL DELIVERY PROJECT, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE MIKE SHANNON ON HIS NEW ROLE. CONGRATULATIONS, MIKE. LET'S GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR HIM. [APPLAUSE] I'M STILL MAD THAT I HAVE BUTTER FROM ACS, BUT CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW ROLE.

I KNOW THAT WORKING WITH MIKE IN THE PREVIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND SEEING WHAT HE DID AT ACS, I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS LEADERSHIP HERE.

PUBLIC WORKS, YOU KNOW, I PARTNERED WITH COUNCILMAN DR. KAUR AND CASTILLO ON THE PUBLIC WORKS RESET. THAT WASN'T EASY. THIS IS A CONCERN THAT WE CONSTANTLY HEAR FROM OUR RESIDENTS. YOU KNOW, SEEING 88 POSITIONS VACANT IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, I CAN'T HELP WONDER THAT DIDN'T HAVE AN IMPACT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE CRITICAL POSITIONS ARE FILLED IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. I'M ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY FOR PUBLIC WORKS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MY RESIDENTS LET ME KNOW ABOUT AGAIN AND AGAIN WHERE THEY ARE PLANNING FOR A PROJECT TO START ON XYZ DATE AND IT DOESN'T, TWO WEEKS LATE, AND THAT'S VERY DISRUPTIVE TO THEIR LIVES. ON SLIDE 25, I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I DO WANT US TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE HOW ADDING 65 POLICE OFFICERS INSTEAD OF 25 WILL LOOK LIKE AND SEEING WHERE WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN IN OUR BUDGET. IF WE CAN HAVE THAT INFORMATION BY NEXT WEEK, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. AND I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE MEMO A LITTLE BIT MORE. ALSO TOO, I DO HAVE A QUESTION. CAN YOU ALL FILL ME IN ON THE 65 PARK AND AIRPORT

[01:40:05]

POLICE VACANCIES, WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE? >> VILLAGOMEZ: YES, COUNCILWOMAN. EARLIER IN MAY WE MENTIONED WE WERE GOING TO TRANSITION TRANSFERRED AS PART OF THIS BUDGET PROCESS TO THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT. THOSE WILL BEGIN THE ACADEMY CLASSES AS WE BEGIN THE FISCAL YEAR TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS. WHEN WE PRESENT TO YOU NEXT TUESDAY, THE CHIEF WILLDA ELABORATE ON HIS PLAN ON HOW TO DEPLOY THOSE POSITIONS.

NUMBER TWO, TO ASSURE THERE'S NO GAP IN SERVICES WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING

SAFETY TO BOTH THE AIRPORT AND OUR PARKS. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT BECAUSE I'M PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE GAP IN SERVICE FOR OUR PARKS. A LOT OF RESIDENTS USE OUR PARKS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES, MENTAL HEALTH ACTIVITIES, COMMUNITY GATHERINGS SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO GAPS IN SERVICE. ONE OF THE THINGS I UNDERSTOOD FROM OUR PARK POLICE IS THAT THEY SPEND SO MUCH TIME DRIVING FROM PARK TO PARK. SO ALL THAT TIME DRIVING IS LESS TIME ACTUALLY MONITORING AND BEING AT THE PARKS. I WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE

MAKE THAT MORE EFFICIENT FOR THEM AS WELL. >> VILLAGOMEZ: YES, MA'AM.

>> GAVITO: ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, I KNOW THIS WAS AN ISSUE I PUSHED HARD ON IN MY FIRST TERM, SO LET'S KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING. WE'VE MADE GRADE STRIDES IN THE -- GREAT STRIDES IN THE PASS, LET'S KEEP OUR FOOT ON THE GAS.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION ON DELEGATE AGENCIES AND SEEING WHERE WE CAN POTENTIALLY REDUCE DEPENDLY INDICATION OF SERVICES.

I ALSO WANT US TO EXPLORE HOW WE CAN PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY ON THIS.

I KNOW A LOT OF THESE DELEGATE AGENCIES WORK WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AND SO I THINK THIS IS AN AREA FOR POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP AND SEEING HOW WE CAN WORK EFFECTIVELY TOGETHER WITH THE COUNTY ON THIS. ALSO TOO, AS COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, I ALSO WANTED TO SEE THE NUMBERS ON WHAT A 3% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR EMPLOYEES.

I OFTEN SAY I HAVE THE BEST TEAM AND I KNOW THE POWER OF A GREAT TEAM AND THE CITY TEAM IS AN AMAZING TEAM. SO I WANT US TO PRIORITIZE THAT AND SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. I DID ALSO WANT TO AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO ON THE VACANT BUILDING FINES. THAT'S SOMETHING WE HEAR A LOT OF FROM RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT 7. I DEFINITELY WANT TO EXPLORE THAT AS WELL. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. THANKS.

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

SO I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING GREAT JOB TO THE TEAM ON THE BUDGET PROCESS.

I KNOW IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH GOING INTO A DEFICIT. IT'S NOT AS FUN FOR US EITHER BECAUSE WE HAVE LESS ROOM TO SAY THE PRIORITIES THAT WE SAW THIS LAST YEAR THAT WE REALLY WANT YOU TO FOCUS ON IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO SOME OF THE THINGS ALREADY SAID. THE CONSULTANTS THAT CAME OUT EARLIER THIS YEAR TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGETING PROCESS AND ERIK MENTIONED THIS AND THE MAYOR ALSO DID TOO. I'D LOVE FOR US TO REALLY GET STRONG ON PERFORMANCE BASED AND I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE WILL TALK ABOUT ZERO BASED, BUT HOW DO WE REALLY TRACK TOWARDS OUTCOMES AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES VERSUS JUST OUTPUTS. NOT HOW MUCH WE'RE DOING BUT HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT WE'RE MAKING BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

I THOUGHT THEY DID A GREAT JOB WHEN THEY PRESENTED EARLIER THIS YEAR AND I HOPE THEY WILL FOCUS ON DEPARTMENTS AND TRY TO START DEPARTMENT AT A TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WANT TO TRACK TOWARDS BIG GOAL-WISE. I JUST WANTED TO GET A CLARIFICATION ON THIS COLA. WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE 5%, IS THAT TO EMPLOYEES ARE ARE

WE COVERING THAT. >> WALSH: IT'S AN INCREASE IN THE EMPLOYEE PREMIUM.

DEPENDING ON WHAT PLAN THEY ARE ON AND NUMBER OF DEPENDENTS, IT WOULD HAVE AN 86-CENT IMPACT PER MONTH UP TO $32 IN OUR MOST EXPENSIVE PLAN WITH A FAMILY.

WHEN WE DO THE COMPENSATION H.R. BUDGET WORK SESSION WE'LL LAY THAT OUT AND SOME

OF THE ALTERNATIVES. >> KAUR: I MISUNDERSTOOD THAT.

I THOUGHT WE WERE COVERING THE INCREASE IN THE PREMIUM, SO I WOULD SUPPORT WHAT BOTH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES JUST SAID, LET'S LOOK AT WHAT 3% WOULD BE.

[01:45:03]

IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GIVING A LITTLE BIT BUT TAKING THE SAME BACK FOR PREMIUMS. THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING UP WITH KEY I HAVE SOURCES. I KNOW A HEAT MAP, I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOOD. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE PARKING VIOLATION INCREASE BECAUSE MY DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS HATE WHEN THEIR PARKING VIOLATION IS CHEAPER AND THAT IS CORRECTING AT THE ALAMODOME. SEEING THE INCREASE IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL FOR THAT. THE NEW INSPECTION FEE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE NET BENEFIT IS OR THE NET CHARGE MAYBE IS FOR FNB BUSINESSES BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE HEALTH INSPECTION FEES ARE INCREASE, BUT THEY ALSO GOT A REDUCTION BASED ON STATE LAW CHANGE SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE WHAT THAT IS.

SORRY, I HAVE SOMETHING IN MY FLOAT. WE TALKED ABOUT ILLEGAL DUMPING AND I KNOW SOLID WASTE IS NOT CHANGING IN OUR BUDGET, BUT MANY OF US OFTEN SEE ILLEGAL DUMPING IS A HUGE PROBLEM FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

HAVE WE EXPLORED INCREASING FINES FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING? >> WALSH: THAT WAS NOT ONE OF THE AREAS WE LOOKED AT BUT COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK AT.

JUDGE OBLEDO WILL BE BEFORE YOU AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE US TO

EXPLORE. >> KAUR: I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO EXPLORE THAT AND ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GETTING MORE STRINGENT ON THE CODE FEES AND ACS VIOLATION FEES, THAT WOULD BE GREAT SO WE COULD SEE THE LAYOUT.

IT WAS FASCINATING WHEN YOU SHARE IF YOU GO ONLINE PAYING A TICKET, YOU ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BE PAYING MORE THAN IF YOU GO TO COURT.

I WANT TO SEE THE IMPACT OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR FUNDING THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER.

THAT'S BEEN A DEBATE FOR SOME OF US, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT WORK AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO IT. WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE FOR THE DHS PRESENTATION, COULD WE GET THE ONE THING I DID HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR STREET OUTREACH FOLKS IS NOT EVERYONE IS ACTUALLY ALLOWED IN THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER, THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE BEING PUSHED AWAY. IN MY THOUGHT, IT'S LOW BARRIER, MEANING ANYONE CAN ACTUALLY BE A RESIDENT THERE. SO IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY AND WHY, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT.

I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE THE REACH, BUT I THINK COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO MENTIONED, I KNOW THERE'S ADDITIONAL CAPACITY AT THAT SHELTER AND IT'S GOING TO IT, HOW MANY ADDITIONAL UNHOUSED FOLKS COULD WE SERVE THERE.

I'M GLAD TO SEE FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT IS BEING DONE.

THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT, LONG-TERM IMPACTS FOR SOME OF OUR MACHINE EQUIPMENT, ET CETERA. AND I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THEM BECAUSE THEY EXPLAINED THE SQUAD PROGRAM AND IT'S ACTUALLY VERY COOL.

IT'S A GREAT WAY TO SAVE MONEY AND NOT USE OUR FIRE ENGINES AS MUCH.

COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO TOOK MY EXCITING NEWS ABOUT PUBLIC WORKS.

MIKE, BE CAREFUL, THIS MEANS --M IN PUBLIC WORKS NEXT AND LO AND BEHOLD YOU ARE TOTALLY OUR SWISS ARMY KNIFE SO I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU DO AT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS TEAM. MIKE SAYS HE'S GOING TO DO SOMETHING AND DOES IT ACKNOWLEDGE FOLLOWS UP WITH YOU. IT MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE THE ANSWER, BUT IT'S ABOUT FINDING A WAY TO GET THE WORK DONE.

ONE OF MY PREVIOUS CHIEFS SAID IT'S NOT KNOW, IT'S HOW.

I'M EXCITED TO SEE -- WE'RE GOING TO GET COMMUNICATION TWO WEEKS AHEAD OF TIME FOR EVERY SINGLE PROJECT, ABLE TO GET ALL THE PERFECT DOOR HANGERS AND RIGHT COMMUNICATION FROM CAPITAL PROJECTS. THAT ALSO BEING SAID, DSD, YOU HAVE BIG SHOES TO FILL. WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR DSD ACTUALLY DECREASING, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE FOLKS REVIEWING OUR PERMITS AND ALL OF THEM ARE TRAINED REALLY WELL AND REALLY WELL ALIGNED SO FOLKS GET CLEAR, CONCISE INFORMATION AND THAT THEIR SERVICE IS NOT THAT -- WE CAN'T LET THAT SERVICE DELIVERY DROP BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN SO GOOD IN THAT DEPARTMENT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T GET AFFECTED BY THE REDUCTION.

JUST A ONE CLARIFICATION.

[01:50:05]

OFTENTIMES -- I HAVE NEW STAFF AND SHE DOES INFRASTRUCTURE AND SHE'S LIKE WE NEVER KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO RESIDENTS WHEN THEY ARE LIKE, OH, YEAH, MY STREET IS NOT BEING DONE BUT THE ONE BEHIND ME IS. THAT STREET HAS GOTTEN A SLURRY SEAL. I'M EXCITED TO GET A MAP AND IT'S GOING TO SHOW THE PCI WITH INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY AND IT'S GOING TO SHOW THE LAST TIME -- I'M PUTTING THIS OUT TO IT COMES TO FRUITION. AND IT'S GOING TO SAY THIS IS WHY WE'RE CHOOSING THIS STREET. IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT, I KNOW IT. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND CAN'T WAIT FOR IT TO BE DONE. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO ALSO MENTIONED OUR PUBLIC WORKS AUDIT. ERIK MENTIONED THE NEW DIRECTOR, MIKE FRISBEE -- THAT WAS A JOKE. I HEARD AND DO IT INTERNALLY. SO I'M REQUESTING AND THIS IS GOING TO DOUBLE DOWN IF MY COLLEAGUES WILL, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THAT AUDIT IS.

WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE JUST SOMETHING INTERNAL THAT NEVER GETS RELEASED.

I'M ASKING FOR THAT TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL. >> WALSH: ABSOLUTELY.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC WORKS, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE BEEN RECRUITING FOR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND HOPE TO MAKE A SELECTION BY SEPTEMBER. RAZI'S LAST DAY IS THE END OF SEPTEMBER, SO, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR YEARS AND YEARS, DECADES OF SERVICE, WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT TRANSITION IS AS EASY AS POSSIBLE AND IS FOCUSED PUBLIC WORKS AREA.

>> KAUR: RAZI, YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY HAS BEEN REALLY INCREDIBLE.

TWO REQUESTS IF WE CAN SQUEEZE THEM IN IN THE BUDGET WE DON'T HAVE.

ACS. WE DID THIS CASA OUTREACH PROGRAM WITH FOLKS THAT WENT DOOR TO DOOR AND IT'S THE BEST WAY. I LOVE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING CRITICAL CALLS AND IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT, BUT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TOO. THE WAY WE DO THAT IS BY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS.

WE WERE ABLE TO TALK TO OVER 200 FAMILIES AND WE SAW 125 PETS THAT WERE NOT STERILIZED THAT WE COULD NOW START BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE FAMILIES. A REQUEST TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM ADDITIONALLY. THE SECOND THING, THE STREET LIGHT PROGRAM WAS MENTIONED.

AS I UNDERSTAND THERE IS ABOUT ADDITIONAL CAPACITY THAT THE NEW CONTRACTING TEAM COULD ACTUALLY DO IF THEY WERE RECEIVED MORE FUNDING.

THERE'S 3,000 LIGHTS IN THE GAP ANALYSIS. IF WE WERE TO FUND $15 MILLION EVERY YEAR, WE COULD KNOCK THAT OUT IN TWO YEARS.

IF WE COULD GIVEN AN ADDITIONAL COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

THIS IS JUST THE GAP AND THERE'S A LOT MORE NEED FOR STREET LIGHTS TOO.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.

>> WHYTE: MAN, I GOT TO FOLLOW THAT? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, FIRST OF ALL, TO THE BUDGET TEAM. Y'ALL DO AMAZING, AMAZING WORK. IT'S DIFFICULT, IT'S TEDIOUS, IT'S LONG HOURS, AND SO WE REALLY, REALLY DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO BECAUSE SHE MENTIONED IT EARLIER AND WE DID GET TO RIDE AROUND HER DISTRICT YESTERDAY AND I APPRECIATE THE TOUR AND REALLY A VALUABLE EXERCISE, I THINK, PRIOR TO THE BUDGET.

BECAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, THE ILLEGAL DUMPING, THE VACANT PROPERTIES, THE COUNCILWOMAN WAS ABLE TO SHOW ME YESTERDAY AND SEE THE NEEDS THERE. COUNCILWOMAN, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE --E TAX RATE. THAT WAS A NON-STARTER FOR MOST OF US AND I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THAT. YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID IT A LOT, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A REVENUE PROBLEM, I THINK WE HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM.

WE TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE AND EVERYTHING STAYING FLAT OR LOWER.

FIRST I WILL SAY THAT'S A GOOD THING AND I WANT TO AGAIN APPLAUD MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE THAT WORKED WITH ME TO MAXIMIZE THE PROPERTY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TWO YEARS AGO. I THINK THAT'S VALUABLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND I'M GLAD WE DID IT. WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS GET A HANDLE ON WHERE WE ARE SPENDING OUR MONEY. I WAS HAPPY COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO AGAIN SAID THOSE TWO WORDS, CORE SERVICES. THAT IS WHAT OUR RESIDENTS EXPECT TO BE DELIVERED IN A HIGH-QUALITY MANNER. AND WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR

[01:55:07]

DOLLARS THERE ON THE CORE SERVICES. TO ME, AND I'M GOING TO START RIGHT OFF THE TOP AND -- WELL, LET ME SAY THIS FIRST.

THE BUDGET TEAM DOING THOSE DEPARTMENTAL REVIEWS WHERE WE WENT LINE BY LINE AND TALKED ABOUT THE EXPENSES AND WHAT WE REALLY NEED, THAT IS WADING INTO MY FAVORITE THREE WORDS OF ZERO-BASED BUDGETING. WE FOUND SOME INEFFICIENTSS, DOLLARS WE COULD THEN MOVE TO OTHER AREAS. A REMIND AGAIN, THAT IS WHAT ZERO-BASED BUDGETING IS ALL ABOUT. IT'S NOT ABOUT CUTTING, IT'S ABOUT FINDING THE AREAS WHERE WE'RE SPENDING NEEDLESSLY, WASTEFULLY, REDUNDANTLY AND MOVING IT TO THE PRIORITIES OF OUR CITIZENS.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DISCUSSION ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROCESS. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR, I UNDERSTAND HYBRID PROCESS, WE'RE GOING TO GET SOMEWHERE PROCESS. WITH THAT SAID, WE'VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE EVERYBODY UP HERE, EVERY SINGLE YEAR, EVERY BUDGET CONVERSATION SAYS THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN ADDING THE OFFICERS THAT WE NEED IN THIS BUDGET TO GET TO THE 360 MORE QUICKLY, RIGHT, NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY. TO ME, IT'S NOT, WELL, CAN WE ADD THE FULL 65, SHOULD WE THE ONLY DO THE 25? NO.

IF PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, YOU START WITH ADDING THE 65 OFFICERS LIKE THE PLAN WAS AND THEN YOU BUILD THE REST OF THE BUDGET AROUND IT.

SO I I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED TO ONLY SEE FUNDING FOR AN ADDITIONAL 25 NEW OFFICERS IN THIS BUDGET. AND IN THAT LIGHT, SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE SIGNED A MEMORANDUM, ERIK, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO SEND YOU LATER TODAY, AND MARIA WE TALKED ABOUT IT THE OTHER DAY AND I MENTIONED THIS WOULD BE COMING, JUST TO ASK YOU IF WE WERE TO GO FROM THE 25 TO THE 65, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? WHERE WOULD WE MOVE THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO ACCOMMODATE THE FUNDING OF THOSE ADDITIONAL 40 OFFICERS. SO APPRECATE YOU GUYS IN ADVANCE LOOKING INTO THAT BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE STICK TO THE PLAN. BECAUSE, AGAIN, EVERYBODY WILL REMEMBER THE PLAN HERE IS TO HAVE MORE OFFICERS ON PATROL RATHER THAN ON CALL. WE'VE SEEN WHAT THE STUDIES SHOW. WHEN WE PUT MORE OFFICERS ON THE GROUND, PARTICULARLY IN THE HIGH-CRIME AREAS, CRIME GOES DOWN. AND THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT, I DON'T THINK TO ANYBODY UP HERE, THAN KEEPING OUR RESIDENTS SAFE AND KEEPING THEIR PROPERTY SAFE AS WELL. THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER.

I AM GOING TO RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE IN DISTRICT 1.

$4.8 MILLION FOR THIS LOW-BARRIER SHELTER. AS THE CITY MANAGER STATED, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WITH ARPA MONEY. IT'S NOW RUN OUT AND THIS WAS MY FEAR, THAT NOW WE WOULD TAKE MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND DO THAT.

I THINK IT WAS SAID THAT THIS IS GOING TO SERVE, YOU KNOW, 450 PEOPLE.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OCCUPANCY THE HOTEL HAS HAD OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT $4.8 MILLION FOR 450 PEOPLE, SOME WOULD SAY, MARC, THAT'S JUST A LITTLE OVER $10,000 A PERSON, AND SO ISN'T THIS A GOOD INVESTMENT? THE ISSUE HERE IS THOUGH COULD THAT $4.8 MILLION BE SPENT IN A DIFFERENT MANNER. ONE OF THE WAYS, WE COULD ADD THE 40 OFFICERS TO THE BUDGET WITH SOME OF THAT MONEY, RIGHT? SO WOULD WE RATHER USE THAT MONEY KEEPING PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE, KEEPING THEIR PROPERTY SAFE, OR DO WE WANT TO DO THIS LOW-BARRIER SHELTER. I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ON IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY WANT TO DO. I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHO IS BEING HOUSED AT THIS LOW-BARRIER SHELTER. ARE THESE SAN ANTON SIO RESIDENTS I THINK IS A QUESTION THAT I RAISED LAST YEAR THAT I THINK WE STILL NEED TO SORT THROUGH

[02:00:05]

BECAUSE, AGAIN, SAN ANTONIO TAX DOLLARS NEED TO BE SPENT ON SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.

DELEGATE AGENCIES. $28.9 MILLION. VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION I THINK YOU SAID IN THE FALL OR NEXT YEAR.

>> WALSH: STARTING NEXT WEDNESDAY. >> WHYTE: EVEN BETTER.

THE DAYS OF EVERY GROUP COMING TO US EVERY YEAR, 250,000 FOR YOU, 500,000 FOR YOU, $750,000 FOR YOU, THOSE DAYS HAVE TO STOP. WE NEED TO REQUIRE THESE DELEGATE AGENCIES TO SHOW US WHAT THEY'VE BEEN RECEIVING AND HOW THAT MONEY HAS HAD AN IMPACT. WHEW IS THE RETURN ON -- WHAT IS THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR THE CITY AND IF THEY ARE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO WITH THAT MONEY, WHAT RESULTS CAN WE EXPECT. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO DOLE OUT MONEY TO ALL THESE DIFFERENT AGENCIES EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

I WANT TO ECHO MY COLLEAGUES' SENTIMENTS ON THE 3%, SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR EMPLOYEES. YOU GUYS WORK SO HARD, COUNCIL STAFF WORKS SO HARD AND IT HUTS ME WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT 3%. I CERTAINLY ECHO MY COLLEAGUES' SENTIMENTS THERE. MIKE, AGAIN, EVERYBODY UP HERE HAS ALREADY SAID IT, YOU'RE THE MAN. CONGRATULATIONS ON THE NEW SPOT. I KNOW IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT GREAT FOR YOU AS WELL AS FOR THE CITY AND THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO. RAZI, I'M GLAD SUKH MENTIONED IT. YOU HAVE BEEN A REAL JOY TO WORK WITH OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. EVERY SINGLE TIME I'VE CALLED AND NEEDED SOMETHING, YOU'VE FOUND A WAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND MAKE IT HAPPEN QUICKLY.

AND WHAT A -- WHAT A TOUGH JOB YOU HAVE HAD. IT'S A HUGE DEPARTMENT AND SO MUCH GOING ON AND YOU WORK SO HARD AND YOU ALWAYS DO IT WITH A SMILE AND IN A MANNER THAT I KNOW THAT ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES REALLY RESPECT AND APPRECIATE, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR NOW.

I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THESE BRIEFINGS COMING UP OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AND HEARING FROM MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT WHAT THEIR DISTRICTS NEED AND REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS, AND I'M GOING TO SAY IT TODAY AND PROBABLY TEN MORE TIMES, BUT I'M GOING TO KEEP DOING IT.

OUR JOB WHEN WE SPEND OUR CITIZENS' TAX DOLLARS IS TO DETERMINE HOW WE CAN MOST DIRECTLY AND POSITIVELY IMPACT OUR RESIDENTS' DAY TO DAY LIVES, AND I HOPE WE KEEP THAT IN MIND IN OUR DISCUSSIONS THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS.

>> SPEARS: I KNOW THIS IS A LOT OF WORK AND EFFORT AND I THINK YOU LAID A GREAT FOUNDATION FOR US TO WORK FROM. I DO BELIEVE OUR BUDGET DISCUSSION DOES NEED TO GO BACK TO BASICS, AND THIS MEANS FOCUSING ALSO ON OUR CORE SERVICES, WHICH A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE SAYING THEY TOO CARE THE MOST ABOUT THESE CORE SERVICES IMPACT THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OUR RESIDENTS AND THEY MUST BE AND REMAIN THE TOP PRIORITY. AS SAN ANTONIO IS GROWING, WE HAVE A GREATER DEMAND FOR OUR CENTRAL SERVICES. I WANT THE 100 OFFICERS STILL. TO ME THE 65 IS THE FLOOR. WE NEED 100.

LET'S GET THE 100. AND SO I'M ASKING THAT WE LOOK AT INCREASING OUR POLICE RECRUITMENT NUMBERS AND EXPEDITE GETTING TO THAT GOAL AS THE 60% OF PROACTIVE PATROL OFFICERS. I ALSO WANT TO SEE THAT WE ARE ADDING ADDITIONAL SQUADS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THESE ARE INVESTMENTS THAT KEEP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE AND CONNECTED AND THRIVING, AND WHAT MY RESIDENTS ARE ASKING FOR AND QUITE FRANKLY DESERVE. THAT BEING SAID, OUR PERSONNEL ARE WHO MAKE THESE SERVICES POSSIBLE. EVERY MILE OF THE STREETS THAT ARE PAVED, EVERY 911 CALL ANSWERED, EVERY CODE ENFORCEMENT VICTIM AND EVERY PARK MAINTAINED DEPEND ON THE COMMITMENT OF OUR EMPLOYEES. THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR CITY ARE INVALUABLE AND I IS SUPPORT WE FIND A WAY TO KEEP THE COLA ADJUSTMENT AT THE 3%. COST OF LIVING INCREASE THAT

[02:05:02]

DOES NOT KEEP PACE WITH INFLATION MEANS OUR EMPLOYEES ARE EXECUTIVELY EARNING LESS YEAR OVER YEAR TO MAINTAIN THE CITY -- EFFECTIVELY.

THEY ARE DOING SO MUCH TO SERVE ALL OF US. ARPA DOLLARS, THESE DOLLARS WERE MEANT TO BE SPENT ON ONE-TIME EXPENSES AND NOT MAINTAIN PROGRAMS AND I'M ASKING WE REVIEW AND REPAIRER REGARDING ANY PROGRAMS RELIANT ON ARPA DOLLARS. FURTHER, HOW CAN WE REDIRECT OUR DOLLARS TO CORE SERVICES IN A MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY REALIZING THIS MAY MEAN WE REWORK PROGRAMS AND THAT RELY ON ARPA FUNDS OR WE FIND ARE INEFFICIENT AND INFECT I OFFER. I DO WANT TO ECHO WHAT A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE ALREADY SAYING WHICH IS THE NEED -- HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED AND EMPHASIZE THAT WE NEED TO COLLABORATE WITH THE COUNTY, OTHER SUBURBAN CITIES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WITH TAX DOLLARS AND REDUCE REDUNDANCIES.

THIS IS GOING TO BE KEY MOVING FORWARD. LET'S SEE.

THAT BEING AID, AGAIN, WE DO NEED TO BE CAREFUL STEWARDS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS.

MANAGING OUR SPENDING DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO CUT VITAL SERVICES.

WE'RE JUST ASKING TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT EVERY PROGRAM TO ENSURE OUR DOLLARS ARE GOING WHERE THEY HAVE THE MOST IMPACT. I DO HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN DIVE INTO AS WE ARE MOVING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.

I SEE THE AIRPORT HAS A HUGE CHUNK OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET THIS CAREER.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TRACKING HOW THOSE IMPROVEMENTS TURN INTO MORE JOBS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR SAN ANTONIO. OUR BUDGET, IT'S RELYING ON SHIFTING ELIGIBLE COSTS TO CAPITAL FUNDS. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT OVERLOADING THE CAPITAL BUDGET AND CREATING LONG-TERM DEBT OBLIGATIONS FOR SHORT-TERM OPERATION NEEDS. THEN I WANTED TO ASK HAVE WE RECEIVED FROM GREATER SATX INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL ECONOMIC IMPACTS FROM BUSINESSES THAT ARE COMING TO SAN ANTONIO OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, AND CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE ANY POTENTIAL RELIEF. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I'M HIGHLIGHTING.

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING ON THAT? >> WALSH: WE WILL INCORPORATE YOUR QUESTIONS INTO THE WORK SESSIONS BOTH ON THE AIRPORT AND ECONOMIC IMPACT AND THEN IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT POTENTIAL WE SEE

GENERALLY OVER THE NEXT 12 TO 24 MONTHS. >> SPEARS: THAT'S ALL HAVE I FOR NOW. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BUDGET SESSIONS.

>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER ANGUIANO. >> CASTILLO ANGUIANO: I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE STAFF. I KNOW WHEN I GOT THAT TO FINISH IT IN MY TWO MONTHS. I'VE WITHIN WORKING WITH COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ ON SOME BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND TOMORROW I WILL SEND A MEMO, ONE OF THE TOOLS IS INNERCITY TIRZ WHICH ALLOWS INVESTMENT IN UNDER SERVED PARTS OF TOWN AND IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, DESIGNS, LAND ACQUISITIONS. I REQUEST WE PRIORITIZE AS LAST YEAR AND APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES' SUPPORT INCLUDING ITEMS FOR PRE-AUTHORIZATION. I DO WANT TO TRANSITION TO THE CITY EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION. I WANT TO ECHO MY COLLEAGUES WITH THE 3% COLA FOR THE EMPLOYEES. WE WANT TO ENSURE THE RETENTION AND MAKE SURE OUR TEAM HAS THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED TO DO THE HIGH-QUALITY WORK.

AND THEN I DO WANT TO DIG INTO THE HOMELESS SERVICES. SINCE THIS IS BASICALLY MY EXPERTISE. SO ARE WE MAINTAINING OUR INVESTMENT IN SERVICES TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS? THE THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE ALSO GOING TO BE MOVED INTO

[02:10:01]

THAT DEPARTMENT? >> WALSH: NO, SIR, IT'S NOT.

NO, IT WILL STILL BE HOUSED WITHIN THE HOUSING -- NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING

SERVICES. >> CASTILLO ANGUIANO: OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. AND THEN ALSO I GUESS I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE PLAN WAS FOR ENCAMPMENT SWEEPS AND WHERE WE ARE PLANNING ON PLACING HOUSES. I KNOW WE CAN'T PICK THEM UP AND MOVE THEM WITHOUT A PLAN IN PLACE AND I NOTICE THERE'S ONLY 28 DETOX BEDS AVAILABLE IN THE COUNTY AND MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK INTO INVESTING MORE OR RELOCATING TO SOME OF THE MONEY WE GIVE TO NON-PROFITS. NOT A LOT OF FOLKS WANT TO GO TO HAVEN FOR VARIOUS ARENAS AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO FORCEFULLY PICK THESE FOLKS UP WITHOUT THEIR APPROVAL.

I'D BE REALLY INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THAT. I DON'T THINK ENCAMPMENT SWEEPS ARE HELPFUL AND ONLY CAUSE HARM IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

THIS IS THE COMMUNITY THAT I WORK WITH AND I SEE IT FIRSTHAND THAT PROPERTY SEIZURE CAN STRIP PEOPLE OF NECESSITIES LIKE TENTS, HYGIENE BAGS AND MEDICATION AND BIRTH CERTIFICATES. THOSE OFTEN THESE ITEMS ARE DAMAGED OR LOST WHICH CAN BE DEVASTATING AND TRAUMATIZING AND SWEEPS DISRUPT SOCIAL NETWORKS LEAVING INDIVIDUALS NOR VULNERABLE AND ISOLATED AND MAKE ONE'S MENTAL HEALTH WORSE.

LACK OF ACCESS TO WATER OR USE THE RESTROOM OR SHOWER WHICH CAN CAUSE INFECTION US DISEASES AND SOMETIMES LEADING TO DEATH. LAW ENFORCEMENT IS OFTEN MORE HOSTILE TOWARDS OUR OWN HOUSE. I'VE WITNESSED IT.

I DON'T THINK THAT -- I THINK SWEEPS ARE NOT -- OR ARE A WASTE OF CITY MONEY AND THAT I DON'T THINK THAT THIS ADDRESSES THE ROOT CAUSE OF HOMELESSNESS LIKE A LAMB OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND I KNOW THEY ARE ALSO COSTLY.

I DID SOME DEEP DIVING AND FOUND THE AVERAGE COST OF SWEEPS WAS 1600 TO 6,000 ACROSS DIFFERENT CITIES IN THE NATION. I GUESS I WANTED TO SEE IF WE KNOW WHAT THE AVERAGE COST WAS ENCAMPMENT SWEEPS OR CAN WE PROVIDE THAT?

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WE'LL PROVIDE THAT. THAT WORK SESSION IS NEXT WEDNESDAY. WE'LL INCLUDE THAT AVERAGE COST.

>> CASTILLO ANGUIANO: AWESOME. PERFECT.

DO WE KNOW IF CURRENT OUTREACH WORKERS RECEIVE HAZARDOUS PAY? THEY WORK SUPER HARD AND DO A LOT OF WORK THAT'S TRAUMATIC INFORMED AND IT'S MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY DRAINING AND WE HAVE A HIGH TURNOVER THAT IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO FOLKS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ABILITY TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS FOR CONDITIONS. WE NEED TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY FOLKS WHO CAN BUILD THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOLKS LIVING ON THE STREETS AND THOSE ARE RELATIONSHIPS WE CAN BUILD TRUST AND HELP MORE PEOPLE FEEL SAFE TO ACCEPT ACCEPTANCE.

I DID WANT TO TRANSITION TO POLICE CHANGES. I KNOW THAT IS A LITTLE TOUGH TO GET INTO BECAUSE I KNOW THAT CONSIDERING THE POLICE BUDGET IT'S DIFFICULT TO CUT BACK, BUT I WANT TO LOOK AT REDUCING OUR INVESTMENT HERE.

EVERY TIME WE HIRE NEW OFFICERS WE LOCK OURSELVES IN AND WHEN RESIDENTS RESPOND TO SURVEYS, WE NEED TO MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN CRIME REDUCTION AND POLICY RESPONSE TIME AFTER THE CRIME OCCURS. IF WE ARE CONCERNED WITH MAINTAINING REDUCTION IN CRIME, WE NEED TO CONTINUE OUR INCREASE INVESTMENT IN THE INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICE WHICH WORKS TO BRING BEFORE THE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO REDUCING CRIME IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS DO WE KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE OUR INVESTMENT IN THIS DEPARTMENT.

>> VILLAGOMEZ: COUNCILMAN, WE FOR THE OFFICE OF INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SAFETY, WE TRANSITIONED A POSITION OVER THE YEAR, SO YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE OF ONE PERSONNEL IN THE OFFICE. THAT'S THE CHANGE THAT WE HAVE.

>> CASTILLO ANGUIANO: AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. I DO WANT TO LASTLY ECHO COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO ON THE ABSENTEE PROPERTY FEE. I WANTED TO SEE IF THERE'S A MAX FEE THAT WE CAN CHARGE.

[02:15:02]

>> VILLAGOMEZ: COUNCILMAN, WHAT YOU WILL SEE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET WE'RE INCREASING THE REGISTRATION FEE. AND COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO ASKED ABOUT THE FINE AND WE'VE COVER THAT NEXT WEEK. 500 IS THE MAXIMUM BY STATE

LAW SO WE CAN GO UP TO THAT AMOUNT. >> CASTILLO ANGUIANO: AWESOME. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT'S ALL THE NOTES THAT I HAVE FOR TODAY. THANK YOU, REALLY APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION.

>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK PREPARING THIS. THERE WERE SO MANY TIMES I PASSED BY AND SAW CARS LATE AT NIGHT. FOR ACS, WE DID HAVE CRITICAL RESPONSE TIME WHICH IS PRETTY HIGH AND I'M HOPING WE SEE THE NON-CRITICAL CALL SECTION.

THAT'S A LOT OUR RESIDENTS ARE STILL ASKING ABOUT. WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE THE ACL POSITION. I THINK IT WAS DISTRICTS 1-5 HAD A SPECIFIC ANIMAL CARE OFFICER. I THINK THOSE HAVE BEEN REASSIGNED TO COVER THE CRITICAL CALL LOAD, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT I WANT A TIME LINE WHEN WE EXPECT THOSE TO COME BACK TO OUR DISTRICT. ALSO ECHO THE COMMENTS ON CIVILIAN COMPENSATION.

I WAS AT AT AN HOA MEETING LAST NIGHT AND THERE WAS AN EMPLOYEE WHO SAID YOU GUYS GIVE US 2% AND HEALTH CARE IS GOING 5%. UP TO 3%.

I'LL ALSO ECHO THE PERSONIFIED HEALTH BENEFITS INCLUSION.

A LOT OF OUR EMPLOYEES DO EXTRA STEPS DURING THE DAY JUST TO GET UP TO A CERTAIN LEVEL TO ADD SOMETHING TO THEIR HSA ACCOUNT. I THINK THAT'S BENEFICIAL FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I DO SUPPORT THE TWO EXTRA SQUADS FOR SUPPORT AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE TWO STATIONS YOU TALKED ABOUT

ADDING THAT TO. >> WALSH: FIRE STATION 10 AND 21.

FIRE STATION 10 IS OVER THERE BY LITTLE FLOWER CHURCH AND FIRE STATION 21 IS DOWN HERE OFF SOUTH FLORES AND WILL BE -- WE'LL HAVE A NEW FIRE STATION A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE STREET IN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.

>> MUNGIA: THAT'S GREAT. LAST FISCAL YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO GET AN EXTRA SQUAD FOR THE SOUTH SIDE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S MAINTAINED.

D4 DOES DOES NOT HAVE A HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW SO PEOPLE'S EMERGENCY LINE IS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I ALSO AGREE WITH THE STREET LIGHT GAP.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHERE WE ARE ON THAT STATUS. ALSO LOOKING AT THE PROCEDURES FOR RIGHT-OF-WAY AUTHORITY BECAUSE THE ELECTRICAL LIGHTING NECESSITIED RIGHT-OF-WAY ENTRY FOR TRENCHING, THE SOLAR LIGHTS DO NOT.

THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS WE DO NOT REQUIRE SIGNATURES FOR SO THAT COULD BE A FASTER PROCESS IF WE'RE STILL USING VERSUS WHAT WE COULD DO WITH THE NEW SYSTEM.

I'LL STRESS WITH THAT LIGHT GAP AS MANY LIGHTS AS IT HAS IN IT WAS EVALUATED UNDER THE CURRENT UDC PROCESS WHICH I WOULD A A -- ALASKA WHICH WILL MEAN AUDIO] THERE WILL BE MORE LIGHTS IN THE FUTURE NEEDED BASED ON THAT.

AND THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, DOES IT INCLUDE CIP FUNDING FOR EACH DISTRICT THAT WE

TYPICALLY GET? >> WALSH: NO, SIR, IT DOES NOT.

>> MUNGIA: I WANT MY COLLEAGUES TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE WE ALL UTILIZE THAT AND I KNOW THAT'S A DEBT, YOU KNOW, FUNDING. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO MANY OF US. AND ON PUBLIC WORKS, I HAVE TO SAY, AGAIN, THANK YOU TO RAZI. I THINK YOU ARE PROBABLY THE HAPPIEST PERSON IN THE ROOM RIGHT NOW BASED ON YOUR TIME. LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, MIKE. WHEN IT COMES TO THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER, I WOULD SAY TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE CONCERN ABOUT THAT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY LOOK INTO IT. WHEN IT COMES TO LOW-BARRIER SHELTER, THAT IS 100% ZERO INCOME GOING INTO THAT DEVELOPMENT WHICH IS WHY IT COSTS SO MUCH TO DO THAT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS, 30 TO 60% AMI, THERE IS STILL INCOME. FOR HOMELESS SHELTERS THERE IS NO INCOME COMING INTO THAT. THAT'S WHY THOSE PROJECTS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO DO AND I THINK WE SHOULD DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH.

[02:20:01]

MOST OF THIS IS CONCENTRATED IN THE CENTER CITY AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE FOLKS IN MY DISTRICT AT THE EDGE OF THE CITY BORDERING THE COUNTY, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO GO DOWNTOWN TO THE HOTEL HERE, RIGHT, SO WE HAVE TO KIND OF LOOK AT SOME MOBILITY WHEN IT COMES TO SHELTERS. AND I THINK THERE'S SOME GOOD IDEAS ON THAT.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE POLICE, WHICH A FEW FOLKS HAVE MENTIONED, THE 60/40 PLAN IS WHAT'S INFORMING THE GROWTH OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY.

I KNOW THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS PASSED PROBABLY THE LAST COUNCIL.

TECHNICALLY THERE'S SIX NEW PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T HAD THE BENEFIT TO SEE THAT PLAN OR THE DETAILS OF THAT OR WHAT'S BEEN DONE SINCE THAT'S BEEN ENACTED.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE PROACTIVE PLAN THAT UTSA DID THAT WE'VE BEEN UNDERGOING, IT HAS BEEN, IN MY UNDERSTANDING, THAT THE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN DOING THE WORK AT THOSE HOT SPOTS HAVE BEEN SAFFE OFFICERS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE CORE TEAM. AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH CARE, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, UNFORTUNATELY TRAGEDIES THAT CONTINUE TO ENSURE WITH FOLKS EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISES, THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND GOES HAND TO HAND WITH THE WORK ON OUR HOMELESS OUTREACH, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT. LAST NIGHT AT THE HOA MEETING, SOMEONE BROUGHT UP THE SAPD EXPLORER PROGRAM. THEY STATED PARENTS HAVE COVERED COSTS FOR THE PROGRAM BUT THE CITY HAS NOT COVERED THEIR COSTS. I HOPE THAT'S NOT GOING AWAY OR IF IT IS WE NEED TO KNOW MORE TO EXPLORE THAT A LITTLE MORE.

THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FOR NOW. >> MAYOR JONES:

COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU TO THE CITY MANAGER, YOUR TEAM AND ALL CITY DEPARTMENT LEADERS AND STAFF MEMBERS WHO DID EXCRUCIATING WORK THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

A COUPLE TIMES WHEN I WAS COMING IN AND MARIA AND I WERE GOING TO OPPOSITE WAY, BUT IT SPEAKS TO THE WORK WE'RE DOING. I FEEL SILLY FOR JUMPING IN AFTER COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA MONK BECAUSE A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS I ECHO.

MAKE SURE YOU ADD ME ON THOSE SAME PIECES. I WANTED TO MENTION MY FOCUS GOING INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS OVERALL AND FUTURE BUDGETS AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE CAN. I HAVE QUITE A BIT OF CONCERNS ABOUT METRO HEALTH, I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON THE CULTURAL CHANGES. THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS THE HOMELESS SERVICE DEPARTMENT. CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT THE BUDGET IS FOR THE DEPARTMENT? THE SLIDE HAD 30 MILLION,

14.96, AND PAGE 44 WHERE IT SHOWS 44 MILLION. >> THE TOTAL 34.4 MILLION INCLUDES BOTH GENERAL FUND, THE HOMELESS SERVICES AND STRATEGY DEPARTMENT, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES SOLID WASTE FUNDING FOR THEIR ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS AND CODES AND PARK.

IT INCLUDES THAT TOTAL INVESTMENT. ON THE HOMELESS BUDGET, THE TOTAL HOMELESS BUDGET IS ON PAGE -- FOR THE DEPARTMENT IS ABOUT $26.1 MILLION AND THAT INCLUDES THE GENERAL FUND AS WELL AS DELICATE AGENCIES AND THE FUNDING FOR

THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER. >> GALVAN: DOCUMENTS ABOUT OUTREACH WORKERS, IS THAT JUST THE 4 MILLION WHERE THE OUTREACH WORKERS? I'M CONFUSED WHAT THE DEPARTMENT IS SPECIFICALLY WORKING ON COMPARED TO THE DELEGATE AGENCIES PIECE

COMPARED TO THE LOW-BARRIER LOWR SHELTER. >> WALSH: YOU ARE LOOKING

FOR IT TO BE BROKEN OUT. >> GALVAN: YES. >> WALSH: THE 30 MILLION IS THE DIRECT INVESTMENT REGARDLESS OF SOURCE. WE'LL TAKE -- WE CAN EMAIL THIS TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON. WE'LL TAKE THE PORTION THAT'S IN THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE AND BREAK IT OUT BETWEEN OUTREACH, THE NON-PROFIT SUPPORT, THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER, THAT'S MAKING UP THAT 20-SOME-MILLION DOLLARS.

>> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WAS A BIT CONCERNED ABOUT IF THE SCALE INVESTMENT FOR HOMELESS SERVICES STRATEGY FOR THE -- IS $4 MILLION, I

[02:25:05]

THINK WE'RE IN DEEP TROUBLE ACTUALLY ADDRESSING THIS PIECE.

MORE GOING FOR ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS THAN ADDRESSING ROOT CAUSES.

I UNDERSTAND -- AS WELL AS OUR DEPARTMENTS, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR GEMS INVESTMENTS INTO THE OUTREACH AND CASE MANAGEMENT IS THERE.

SOMETHING I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON WITH THAT IS DEFINITELY THE OUTREACH WORKER POSITIONS. I KNOW WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS AT ADDING MORE POSITIONS, BUT REPRESENTING OVER 100,000 PEOPLE, ONE OUTREACH WORKER FOR DHS, HOMELESS OUTREACH, I THINK THAT'S A CONCERN. GIVEN THE GEOGRAPHIC SIZE OF THE DISTRICTS, DISTRICT 3, 4, 5, 6, GOING FROM OLD HIGHWAY 90 TO OLD ALAMO RANCH IS NOT THAT PIECE OF IT. IT'S ONE THING TO DO THE OUTREACH, CONNECT, FIND THE FOLKS ON THE STREETS, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES TO STAY LIFE, BUT THE CASE MANAGERS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE GOING THROUGH EACH OF THE STEPS. I WANT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE A BIT MORE.

AND HONESTLY FIGURE OUT -- I THINK WE HAD SOME STRATEGIC PLANS IN THE PAST HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THESE PIECES AND I WANT TO DO A REFRESH WITH THE NEW COLLEAGUES, NEW COUNCILMEMBERS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE INTERNAL AND EXTE CAN -- ESPECIALLY WITH THE HOUSING BOND, I THINK WE NEED A LARGER HOUSING BOND.

THE WORK-AROUND HEALTH CARE, THE WORK AROUND REHABILITATION CENTERS, EVEN JUSTICE RELATED PIECES, THINKING ABOUT -- RECIDIVISM.

NOW WE'RE ADDRESSING ALL OF THESE NOT ONLY WITH THE GENERAL FUND, BUT ALSO THE FULL COUNCIL A BETTER UNDERSTANDING WHERE WHERE WE GETTING AT WITH THIS, WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES WITH THIS FUNDING. AND, OF COURSE, THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER TOO. I'M GRATEFUL I WILL SAY DESPITE WHAT SOUNDS TO BE CRITIQUES, I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS DEPARTMENT BE CREATED BECAUSE I THINK IT'S WORTH US TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON THIS ISSUE. I THINK THAT ALSO COMES WITH THE THOUGHTS OF WHAT CAN WE DO. SO I WANT TO PUT THOSE PIECES OUT THERE AND I'M EXCITED TO GET INTO THAT WORK SESSION.

SOMETHING ELSE I WANTED TO LOOK AT WITH PUBLIC WORKS, IT'S A BIT -- IT'S A COUPLE THINGS. I WAS A BIT ALARMED ON THE TRAFFIC CALMING WHEN I SAW IT IN THE BUDGET DOLLARS, ONLY A MILLION DOLLARS. I KNOW THERE'S OTHER FUNDING INCLUDING THE CIP FUNDING. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S ALSO ALLOCATED IN HERE SOMEWHERE. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE -- I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE, THIS COULD BE OFF LINE, ABOUT HOW OUR DISTRICT CAN SUPPORT COMPLETE STREET EFFORTS TOO. SOME OF THOSE PIECES ARE ALREADY HAPPENING, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BIGGER INVESTMENT SO WE COULD HAVE A DEFECATED FUND TOWARDS THE EFFORTS SINCE THEY ARE ALL CONNECTED AND THEY DON'T -- I WOULD LIKE NOT BUTT HEADS TOO MUCH WITH NEW INFRASTRUCTURE WORK, LIKE WITH NEW CAPITAL DELIVERY DEPARTMENT. THE C.P.S. ENERGY POLICY, I KNOW MAYBE ASKING TO DO ANOTHER CONVERSATION, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE RETURN OF DOLLARS WE ARE GIVING BACK TO CPS. HERE WE HAVE A CLAUSE THAT SAYS IF WE HAVE DEFICITS WE'LL BE FOCUS THAT MONEY BACK INTO OUR BUDGETS, BUT WHETHER WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT POLICY ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT 2030 AND THESE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. STORMWATER FEE, SOMETHING I WANTED TO SHOW HOT -- WANTED

TO THROUGH OUT THERE, DID WE -- >> WALSH: WE DID NOT. THAT IS POTENTIAL DISCUSSION AS WE TALK ABOUT SO WE'RE GOING TO COME TO YOU ON THAT DAY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPITAL AND THROW THAT OUT THERE. THE STORMWATER FEE IS A

POTENTIAL SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR DEBT. >> GALVAN: GREAT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I REALLY WANT TO LOOK INTO ESPECIALLY IMPERVIOUS COVER, A REDUCTION IN IMPERVIOUS COVER. IF IT HELPS WITH OUR DRAINAGE PIECES ACROSS THE BOARD, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FIGURE OUT WAYS TO DO THAT,

[02:30:04]

NOT TOO MUCH OF A BURDEN ON RESIDENTS OR NON-RESIDENTIAL RATEPAYERS.

THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THAT.

AS WELL AS THE MAYOR'S PIECE ON LOOKING AT A SCALED VIEW ON IT.

I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE TAKING A LOOK AND EVALUATING OUR OPTIONS, EVEN THE 2% TOO TO SEE WHAT DOES THAT MONEY LOOK LIKE IF WE SCALE THE COLA ACROSS THE BOARD.

ADDED DOLLAR AMOUNTS IN THE PRESENTATION ABOUT THAT, SEEING WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, DIFFERENT PAY SCALES, PAY CHANGES.

IT HELPED PUT IN PERSPECTIVE WHAT -- ERIK, YOU MENTIONED THE KIND OF COSTS.

JUST SEEING THOSE NUMBERS WOULD BE HELPFUL THAN THE PERCENTAGES SOMETIMES.

ONE OTHER PIECE WAS THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF. I MENTIONED THIS IN MY BUDGET GOAL SETTING COMMENTS. IF THERE'S ANY DATA BEFORE WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT APPROACHES, IS THERE ANY DATA ON THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR RECIPIENTS OF TAX EXEMPTIONS. IF THERE'S NOT CURRENTLY, I

WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT. >> WALSH: WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK ABOUT THAT, COUNCILMAN.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION. WE COULD MAKE SOME -- WE'VE GOT THE -- PROBABLY THE ASSESSED VALUATION OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS AND WE COULD PROBABLY GET WITH THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT TO GEO LOCATE IT SO WE'LL LOOK INTO

THAT. >> GALVAN: I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THESE KIND OF RELIEF EFFORTS THAT ARE MORE TARGETED FOR FOLKS WHO DESPERATELY NEED IT, THE RISING COST OF LIVING AND TAX VALUATIONS. I'LL SAVE THAT ONE FOR LATER. I SPENT MOST OF MY -- I WANT TO MENTION MY SUPPORT.

I MENTIONED THE PUBLIC WORKS CHANGES, VERY EXCITED FOR THAT.

THE FOCUS ON VACANT LOT AND BUILDING FEES, SOMETHING I REALLY WANT TO SEE DONE.

THE FIRE SUPPORT AS WELL WITH SQUAD UNITS. FIRE STATION 44 WILL BE GETTING SOME OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS. THAT'S EXCITING AS WELL.

IF NOT LET ME KNOW. ACS, GLAD TO SEE THERE'S MORE SUPPORT AND CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THAT DEPARTMENT. IT'S VERY MUCH NEEDED. I WANT THE MENTION THE DEDICATED OFFICERS WITHIN ACS. IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY AFFECT DISTRICT 6, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A WAY WE COULD LOOK AT DISTRICT 5, 6 WEST SIDE PIECE OF IT. THERE'S A LOT OF ACS ISSUES, EDGE PART OF MY DISTRICT AND 410 THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO FIGURE A WAY WE CAN DO THAT.

IT DOESN'T JUST STOP AT THE DISTRICT 5 BORDERLINE BUT GOES AGAINST COMMERCE.

SUPPORT COUNCILMEMBER KAUR'S POINT ON THE -- EXCITE TO GET BACK OUT THERE.

MY STAFF ARE REMINDING ME WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE READY TO GO, BUT I'M MORE THAN EXCITED TO HELP OUT. OF COURSE WITH THE STREET LIGHTING PIECE, MAKING SURE WE ARE IDENTIFYING WAYS WE CAN IDENTIFY FUNDS FOR STREET LIGHTING.

I THINK I GOT ALL MY COMMENTS IN. >> MAYOR JONES:

COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? ALL RIGHT. AS WE PREPARE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET CYCLE, I WANT TO ENSURE WE MAKE SURE WE 2026 BUDGET CYCLE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ENTER THIS WITH THE -- GIVEN THE CURRENT BUDGET DEFICIT, WE MUST CONFRONT THE FISCAL REALITIES AND MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT REMAINS PRIORITIES OR SHOULD BE SCALED BACK.

REQUIRES TOUGH CHOICES AND THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATIONS. I WANT TO THANK CITY MANAGER ERIK WALSH, MARIA VILLAGÓMEZ AND JUSTINA AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR PROVIDING THE POLICY DIRECTION. WE ALSO HAVE TIME THROUGH OUR BUDGET WORK SESSIONS.

I WILL HAVE ONE OF THE FIRST TOWN HALLS MONDAY, AUGUST 18 AT SOUTHSDE LIONS AT 6:00 P.M. TO DISCUSSION PRIORITIES. -- TO DISCUSS PRIORITIES.

[02:35:07]

YOU CAN COME BACK TO ME. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES:

COUNCILMEMBER, CAN YOU HEAR US? >> VIAGRAN: YEAH, I CAN HEAR YOU.

HAS IDENTIFIED REDUNDANCIES AND CUT BACK WHERE NECESSARY WITHOUT AFFECTING CITY SERVICES. I ECHO THE VULNERABLE POPULATION AND AVOIDING LONG-TERM RISK. I KNOW THAT AS WE BEGIN THIS 30-DAY REVIEW, I WANT TO SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS ON BEHALF OF MY RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT 8. IS THAT IS FIRST AND FOREMOST WE ENSURE CORE MUNICIPAL SERVICES, POLICE, FIRE, INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING ARE FULLY FUNDED, STAFFED AND ACCESSIBLE TO RESIDENTS WITHOUT ANY INCREASE IN OUR TAX RATE.

SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS OR A FEW QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.

THE REVAMPING ON THE STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, WILL THAT CONTINUE TO COME BACK

TO FULL COUNCIL? >> WALSH: ABSOLUTELY. WE'LL SOLICIT, WE'LL DO THE REPORT AND THEN RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CONSULTANT OR THE -- WHOEVER

WE RELOOK ON WE'LL COME BACK TO FULL COUNCIL. >> GONZALEZ: DOES THE INCREASE IN PERSONNEL INCLUDE MORE PERSONNEL FOR HEAVY SQUAD UNITS?

>> WALSH: THE TWO GLUE THE ADDITION OF 12 NEW FIRE POSITIONS TO GO ALONG WITH

SIX AT EACH OF THE ENHANCED SQUADS. >> GONZALEZ: I THINK YOU MENTIONED THE FUNDING TO COVER SOME OF THOSE SMALLER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.

>> WALSH: WE HAVE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM THAT KEEPS UP WITH ALL MUNICIPAL, INCLUDING THE FIRE STATIONS. THE EXAMPLE I GAVE WITH THE NUMBER OF FACILITIES WE HAVE AND SQUARE FOOTAGE WE'RE KIBBLE RESPONSIBLE FOR, HOW WE CAN PRIORITIZE AND IDENTIFY THOSE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE IN THE FIRE STATIONS.

OR THE CONSULTANT MAY COME BACK AND SAY STOP SPENDING MONEY ON THAT OLD BUILDING,

YOU NEED TO REPLACE IT. >> GONZALEZ: I KNOW 37 IS RIGHT ON MY WAY HOME EVERY DAY SO WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GET MUCH NEEDED DRAIN WORK THERE.

>> WALSH: AND SOME SEWAGE LIFT STATION WORK THERE. >> GONZALEZ: THERE WAS TALK ABOUT FENCING AROUND THE FIRE HOUSE ON FIRE HOUSE 34.

>> WALSH: 34 AND 35. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU. I WANTED TO 'EM COULD DISTRICT 1'S -- ECHO DISTRICT 1'S POINT, MAKING SURE THE HIRING FREEZE DON'T DELAY PERMITTING AND SUPPORTING HER INTEREST IN LOOKING AT ANY OF THOSE FINE INCREASES FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING. WE WANT A SAFE COMMUNITY BUT ALSO A CLEAN COMMUNITY. I KNOW THAT'S WHAT DISTRICT 8 RESIDENTS ARE LOOKING FOR.

AS FAR AS THE TABLETOP EXERCISE, THE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, WILL COUNCIL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW OR RECOMMEND ANY STAKEHOLDERS TO THAT GROUP?

>>>> WALSH: YES, MA'AM, WE NEED TO FRAME OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHO IS INVOLVED AND LAY OUT A POTENTIAL SCOPE, PROPOSED SCOPE.

AND CERTAINLY I WOULD ENVISION COUNCIL WEIGHING IN ON THAT.

FRANKLY I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH ED AT DHS TO GET THEIR THOUGHTS ON

WHAT WOULD BE MOST PRODUCTIVE FOR ALL OF US. >> GONZALEZ: I THINK I ALSO WANT TO SUPPORT, KNOWING OUR PROFESSIONAL DEPARTMENTS WILL BE MOST IMPACTED, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I SUPPORT THE CIVILIAN COMPENSATION INCREASE TO 3%.

MIKE MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE MENTIONED. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF MAINTAINING FUNDING TO DELEGATE AGENCIES. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT -- MIKE SHANNON, YOU'VE BEEN WELCOMED A NUMBER OF TIMES.

I WELCOME YOU TO DISTRICT 8 TO SHARE NEWS ABOUT YOUR NEW ROLE.

DISTRICT 8 RESIDENTS WILL BE EXCITED TO HEAR WE HAVE A DEPARTMENT THAT IS FOCUSED ON DELIVERY TIME, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND WE TALK ABOUT THOSE BIG CAPITAL PROJECTS AND BOND PROJECTS THAT ARE SO VALUABLE TO OUR

[02:40:02]

COMMUNITY. CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT. LET'S SEE.

I WANT TO -- LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THERE'S ALSO SOME U.T. HEALTH APPROACHED US ABOUT -- WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. U.T. HEALTH APPROACHED US ABOUT A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR WELLNESS AND TRANSITIONAL CARE CLINICS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN -- THEY'VE MENTIONED THIS TO YOU AT ALL, BUT RELATED TO OUR FIRST RESPOND ERS MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT.

>> WALSH: NO, MA'AM, BUT WE CAN FOLLOW UP. >> GONZALEZ: WE CAN TALK OFF LINE ABOUT THAT ONE. I THINK THAT'S IT. FOR ME IT'S REALLY -- WE'VE STATED THIS BEFORE, WE ARE LIVING IN UNPRECEDENTED TIMES.

WE'RE SEEING CUTS EVERYWHERE IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS, IN JOBS, IN SOCIAL SERVICES WHICH REAFFIRMS MY BELIEF THAT EVERYTHING STARTS AND ENDS WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE WORK WE DO HERE EVERY DAY FOR OUR RESIDENTS. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES OVER THIS NEXT 30 DAYS TO BRING A BUDGET THAT -- BRING BACK A BUDGET AND APPROVE A BUDGET THAT PROTECTS AND STRENGTHENS OUR ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT MAKE SURE WE KEEP RESIDENTS SAFE, CLEAN AND CONNECTED.

THANKS YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.

>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANTED TO CHIME BACK? OFTENTIMES WITH MANY OF THE DELEGATE AGENCIES, PARTICULARLY AROUND HOMELESS SERVICES IN DISTRICT 5, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE CITY AS WELL AS THE COUNTY AND IN TERMS OF SERVICES BEING PROVIDED TO SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS VERSUS FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTRIBUTION AND EXPECTATION WE SHOULD HAVE FROM THE COUNTY AS WELL IN PROVIDING SERVICES. SO I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF VALUE IN THAT COORDINATE EFFORT. I KNOW OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS DO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, BUT I THINK A MORE ROBUST AGENDA IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE WOULD BE OF VALUE. IN TERMS OF ILLEGAL DUMPING, MY UNDERSTANDING WE HAD SET ASIDE FUNDING FOR MONITORS. DO WE KNOW WHEN THOSE ARE TESTED TO BE PUT OUT? EVEN WITH THE INCREASED FINES AND FEES, WE NEED TO ENSURE THESE FEES DON'T REMAIN UNCOLLECTED. ONE, DO WE KNOW WHERE THOSE TRAILERS ARE AND WHEN CAN WE ANTICIPATE THEM BEING PUT THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO HOW WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT ADDITIONAL FINES AND FEES. IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY, I SHARE A SIMILAR POINT COUNCILMAN MUNGIA RAISED. IF THAT'S NOT -- AUDIO] I HAVE CONCERNS GIVEN THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS AND THROUGH THE UTSA PLAN. THAT'S MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT PICKING PIECES.

I'M NOT SURE, BUT IS THIS A POLICY DISCUSSION OR BUDGET DISCUSSION IN TERMS OF INCREASING THE H.O.T. CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY'S ART DEPARTMENT?

>> WALSH: IT'S MORE OF A BUDGET CONVERSATION, COUNCILWOMAN, YES, MA'AM.

>> CASTILLO: THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS FOR US TO REEVALUATE THE H.O.T. CONTRIBUTION TO THE ART AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT.

WE ARE A CITY THAT'S GROWING, CONTINUING TO INCORPORATE PIECES OF THE COUNTY INTO THE CITY AND THE DESIRE FOR MORE ART PIECES. THAT'S A HUGE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO OUR CITY, IT CREATES JOB AND WE NEED TO ENSURE OUR ARTS DEPARTMENT IS ADEQUATELY FUND 9. WHAT I HERE THROUGHOUT THE CITY THEY WANT MORE SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS DEPARTMENT. I'M HOPEFUL THERE'S SUPPORT FOR THAT.

THEN, OF COURSE, THE CIP FUNDING, THIS IS A BUCKET OF FUNDING IN DISTRICT 5 AROUND NEWLY REDISTRICTED AREA, FAILED STREETS, SIDEWALK GAPS.

IT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE INCORPORATED INTO THE BUDGET WITH UPCOMING CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE IT'S ALLOWED US TO MEET SO MANY NEEDS FROM PROVIDING SHADE STRUCTURES AT OUR PARKS FOR KIDS AS WELL AS IMPROVING THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS IF WE DON'T SEE IT IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET. IT'S ESSENTIALLY TELLING OUR CONSTITUENTS EXPENSES ARE GOING UP BUT SIDEWALK IS BEING PUSHED BACK.

I'M HOPE WE CAN IMPLEMENT CIP FUNDING BACK INTO THE BUDGETED.

IN TERMS OF THE POINTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE RAISED AROUND HOMELESS SERVICES AND OUTREACH WORKERS, THIS IS SOMETHING WE SEE EVIDENT WHETHER IT'S THE PROJECT

[02:45:01]

MARVEL OR THE BUDGET SURVEY, HOMELESSNESS IS A PRIORITY. GLAD TO SEE MARK CARMONA WILL BE TRACKING THAT INFORMATION. IT'S ALSO ABOUT HAVING THE WORKERS TO CONDUCT THAT AND CONNECT FOLKS TO THE HOUSING THAT WE ALSO NEED TO INVEST IN. JUST WANTED TO ENSURE WE'RE NOT BURDENING OUR OUTREACH WORKERS WHICH EACH OF US ONLY HAVE ONE OF AND IT'S ONE OF THE TOP REQUESTED ITEMS IN OUR DISTRICT, THAT THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED AND THE HOUSING NECESSARY. THOSE ARE THE -- OH, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS IN TERMS OF WHERE WE SHOULD BE INVESTING PUBLIC SAFETY.

NO MATTER WHAT DISTRICT 5 NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SAFETY CONCERNS ARE PRIMARILY AROUND ENCAMPMENTS.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE LOOK INTO WHAT THAT PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN IS AND HOW DO WE TIE IT BACK TO THE BUDGET WHICH IS SUPPORTING OUR OUTREACH WORKERS AND SUPPORTING THE HOUSING COMPONENT. IT'S OUR SAFFE OFFICERS AND

MAKING SURE THE HOUSING COMPONENT IS TAKEN CARE OF. >> MAYOR JONES:

COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS. >> SPEARS: D9 IS OFTEN LEFT OUT OF THIS CONVERSATION SURROUNDING OMELESSNESS, BUT WE DO IS A POCKETS OF NEED IN DISTRICT 9. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A POINT IN TIME HEAT MAP FOR DISTRICT 9 BROKEN DOWN BY DEMOGRAPHICS TO ADDRESS DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE FACING HOUSING INSECURITY, LIKE OUR ELDERLY AND VETERANS, AND HOW WE CAN BEST ADDRESS THEIR SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT COME UP ON HOW THEY BECOME UNHOUSED.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING IMPACTFUL AND EFFICIENT WITH OUR SPENDING.

IT'S CLEAR WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON THIS AND IT'S CLEARLY AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TO ALL OF US, BUT IT'S COMPLICATED. AND WE NEED TO CONSIDER HOW WE'RE SPENDING THESE DOLLARS. ARE WE JUST THROWING MONEY AT THE PROBLEM AND WE'RE NOT REALLY SOLVING ANYTHING? I LOOK FORWARD TO DIVING DEEP INTO THIS AND REALLY WANT DISTRICT 9 TO BE AT THE TABLE.

I WANT TO ECHO CONCERNS ABOUT THE CIP BEING LEFT OUT OF THE BUDGET.

IT SIMPLY HAS TO GO BACK IN. THIS BRINGS UP A POINT I'VE TALKED ABOUT MANY TIMES ON DEFERRED MAINTENANCE. MAINTAINING OUR ASSETS IS MUCH CHEAPER THAN FULL REPLACEMENTS. IT'S ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND I THINK CIP IS A VEHICLE FOR US TO DELIVER CORE SERVICES FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS.

THE LAST THING IS I JUST WANT TO REMIND MY DISTRICT THAT OUR TOWN HALL WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 6:30 AT THE WALKER SENIOR CENTER, SO MAKE TIME AND COME BECAUSE WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR VOICES. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: YES, REAL BRIEFLY, COUNCILMAN ANGUIANO, DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THE TIRZ ISSUE IN YOUR DISTRICT. THE AS WELL. AND THEN I'LL ECHO COUNCILMAN MUNGIA AND MY COLLEAGUES ON THE CIP. THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT BECAUSE I THINK EACH DISTRICT CERTAINLY NEEDS SOME CIP DOLLARS. THANKS.

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

ALSO JUST CHIMING BACK IN FOR SUPPORT, ECHOING THE INNERCITY TIRZ REQUEST.

ONE OF THE THINGS IS REALLY GET SOME MORE LAND BANKING DOWN SO THEY CAN CONTINUE THAT DEVELOPMENT. SUPPORT THAT WORK AND ALSO SOME OF THE GREAT AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING THEY ARE DOING TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.

AS THE WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS. IT'S A PORTION OF IT BUT NOT THE WHOLE THING. A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS I WANTED TO MENTION.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, FOR FLAGGING THE FLASHING STOP SIGNS AND RADAR FEEDBACK SIGNS WERE BEING ELIMINATED. I SAW THAT 700K IN IT AND THOUGHT IT WAS BUDGETED AND DID NOT REALIZE THAT WAS IN THE BUDGET REDUCTION

[02:50:04]

SECTION. RAZI, WE NOTICE THE PRODUCTION PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET US THE TERRIBLES. BUT I WAS OUT LOS ANGELES HEIGHTS LAST WEEK AND THEY WERE CHEERING ME ON, THEY ARE LIKE YOU GOT US TWO FLASHING STOP SIGNS. THE COMMUNITY LOVES THESE. WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS TO GIVING OUT SPEEDING TICKETS SO WE HAVE TO THINK MORE INNOVATIVE WAYS. ALL OF MY RESIDENTS TELLS ME, AND SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE FOLKS ARE SPEEDING WAY FASTER THAN THEY ARE, BUT PEOPLE ARE SPEEDING THROUGH OUR RESIDENTIAL STREETS. WE CAN'T HAVE A POLICE OFFICER POSTED AT EVERY INTERSECTION. I COULD POTENTIALLY GIVE 20 LOCATIONS AND I'M SURE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES COULD TOO, SO PLEASE, LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN BRING THAT BACK IN. THE CIP DOLLARS, THANK YOU ALL FOR FLAGGING THAT.

I UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO PUT $10 MILLION INTO CIP BECAUSE IT'S NOT EQUITABLE. IT'S JUST DIVIDING IT EQUALLY.

HOWEVER, IF WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO HAVE A SIDEWALK PLAN BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. WHEN PEOPLE SAY WHAT IS THE THING THAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT, I FEEL LIKE I'M PICKING WINNERS AND LOSERS WITH SIDEWALKS.

WE ESTIMATE COST IT OUT AND IT'S 3 OR $400,000 FOR ONE TO TWO BLOCKS OF SIDEWALK AND I ONLY GET A MILLION SO I'M PICKING TWO OR THREE WINNERS A YEAR.

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EVERY SITUATION, QUART MILE TO A SCHOOL, TENTH OF A MILE TO A BUS STOP, LIKE I'VE LOOKED AT ALL OF THOSE DATA POINTS AND WE STILL HAVE OVER 300 PROJECTS. ERIK TELLS ME YOU GOT TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS, BUT WE NEED A SIDEWALK PLAN. IF WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS OUT, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR SIDEWALK PLAN IS GOING TO BE. I DON'T WANT TO BE THE ONE MAKING THE DECISION, BUT I NEED SOMEONE TO SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ENSURE EVERY RESIDENT IN THE CITY HAS ACCESS TO SIDEWALKS. THE ONES THAT WANT THEM.

SOME OF THE SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOODS CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE THEM.

>> WALSH: I DID MENTION DURING THE PRESENTATION, YOU WILL RECALL WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO DEVELOP THAT SIDEWALK PLAN AND WE STARTED AT THE CORE CITY, THEN WITHIN 410 AND OUTSIDE 410. THERE'S $17 MILLION IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET TO ADD SIDEWALKS. I JUST DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO HEAR THAT SIDEWALKS IS RELIANT UPON THE CIP BY COUNCIL DISTRICT. WE HAVE $17 MILLION THIS THE BUDGET. BUT CERTAINLY IS THERE IS -- IT ISN'T ENOUGH AND IT'S ABOUT PRIORITIZING. THE SIDEWALK PLAN AND THE 17 MILKER THAT'S GOING TO GET DEPLOYED BASED ON ACCESS TO SCHOOLS, BUS STOPS, HOSPITALS AND THOSE PRIORITY AREAS TO MAKE SURE THOSE CONNECTIONS ARE THERE. BUT HEARING YOU LOUD AND CLEAR AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE COVER THAT IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PRESENTATION.

>> KAUR: IS THAT BEING DONE WITH HOW MUCH IT WILL COST FOR ALL OF THAT?

>> WALSH: I SUSPECT THAT COULD BE POTENTIALLY A CONVERSATION IN OUR

MUNICIPAL BOND PROGRAM. >> KAUR: I UNDERSTAND AN ANALYSIS, BUT WHAT'S THE COST, WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH TO BUDGET FOR THAT.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I DIDN'T GET TO SHOUT OUT MARK FOR LEADING THIS NEW DEPARTMENT. REALLY THINK ABOUT THIS ABOUT A HOUSING SOLUTION.

I AGREE WITH CONCLUSION'S COMMENTS ON THAT AND JUST WANTED TO SAY I'M LOOKING

FORWARD TO SEEING THAT WORK MOVING FORWARD. >> MUNGIA: JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS. A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS TOOK THE TIME TO DO A BUDGET SURVEY AND PART OF THAT SURVEY INCLUDED, YOU KNOW, TOP DEPARTMENTS WITH THE GREATEST NEED AND THE GREATEST IMPROVEMENT REQUESTED. I HOPE WHEN WE DIVE INTO THIS WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE ON THAT SURVEY AND OUTLINE SOME THINGS WE'RE DOING TO IMPROVE SERVICES THERE. I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO RESIDENTS THAT WE SAW THAT INFORMATION AND JUST DECIDED TO PUT THAT ASIDE AND CONTINUE ON. THIS WAS FUNDING LAST FISCAL YEAR AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR THE CHEST NONPROFIT. IS THAT STILL INCLUDED THIS FISCAL YEAR? AS LONG AS YOU SAID YES. OKAY .

WHEN IT COMES TO ANOTHER POINT ON HOMELESSNESS, MARK, I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU MLR.

[02:55:04]

THERE WAS A CCR THAT I WROTE AS A STAFFER TO TALKED ABOUT WORKING WITH RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS TO DO WORK WITH HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF FOLKS OUT THERE THAT WANT TO HELP. IT'S MY ARGUMENT THAT THEY ARE EXEMPT FROM ZONING LAWS AND ZONING RULES SO THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE TROUBLE OF ZONING BATTLES FOR HOMELESS SHELTERS. OF COURSE WHEN IT COMES TO FLASHING STOP SIGNS, WE HAVE TO DO MORE. I HAVE SENT OUT A LOT OF NAMP MEMOS FOR FLASHING STOP SIGNS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THEN THE CITY-WIDE PROGRAM IS TEN PER DISTRICT OR WAS. THAT IS TEN INDIVIDUAL STOP SIGNS, NOT TEN LOCATIONS.

SO IF YOU HAVE A FOUR-WAY INTERSECTION, THAT'S FOUR, NOT ONE LOCATION.

JUST A GOOD POINT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER

ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO ALSO REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR CIP BUDGET. YOU KNOW, AS COUNCILWOMAN KAUR POINTED OUT, SO SIDEWALKS KEEP ME UP AT NIGHT TOO. THEY'RE SO COSTLY BUT THEY'RE SO NEEDED. THERE WAS A STORY THAT I SAW THIS MORNING -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS ON KSAT OR KENS BUT IT IS ABOUT KIDS BIKING TO SCHOOL.

IT TOUCHES ON COUNCILMAN GALVAN'S POINT. ALL OF THIS IS INTERTWINED.

IT'S IMPERATIVE WE HAVE OUR CIP BUDGET BECAUSE THAT IS HOW WE DELIVER ON THESE CRUCIAL PROJECTS FOR OUR RESIDENTS. I JUST WANTED TO ECHO MY SENTIMENTS THERE.

THANKS. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN.

>> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANTED TO CHIME BACK IN FOR SOME PIECES OF SUPPORT.

DEFINITELY THE FLASHING STOP SIGNS, I WANT TO SUPPORT THAT TOO.

AND ALSO I REALLY WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR THE PIECE ON INCREASING THE HOT PIECE TOWARDS MORE ARTS AND CULTURE. IT IS SOMETHING I MISSED IN MY FIRST TEN MINUTES. I HAVE AN IDEA I WANT TO RUN BY STAFF SOON WITH A CCR ABOUT AN OFFICE OF MUSIC AND FILM TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THE LOCAL FILM AND MUSIC IN OUR CITY. THAT IS A POLICY CONVERSATION, THERE WILL BE MORE WITH THAT.

I KNOW THE CITY CLERK IS DOING STUFF WITH THAT TOO. THAT'S FUN AND HAS SOME GOOD PIECES THERE TO CONTINUE THAT WORK. THE LAST THING I WANTED TO MENTION WAS SOMETHING I PROMISED AT MY LAST ACS HEADQUARTERS VISIT.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M SHOUTING OUT THE MARKETING TEAM AT ACS TO CONTINUE WHAT THEY'RE DOING. MAKING SURE WE'RE GIVING THE SERVICES OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY, WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. THEY ARE INCREDIBLY CREATIVE AND IT'S SOMETHING MY TEAM ASPIRES TO AS WELL AS MYSELF TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MARKETING THINGS WE DO AS CITY COUNCIL.

BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE I FULFILLED THAT PROMISE TO THE FOLKS I TALKED TO THERE.

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: GREAT. HAVE ALL MEMBERS THAT WANTED TO SPEAK SPOKEN? OKAY. GREAT.

I THINK YOU HEARD TODAY, ERIK, QUITE A BIT OF INTEREST IN PLUSSING UP SOME SERVICES, WHETHER THEY BE CORE OR NOT CORE. I WOULD REITERATE TO MY COLLEAGUES -- LET ME SAY THANKS AGAIN TO ALL THE HARD WORK. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, ACTUALLY, NOT ONLY IN THESE SESSIONS BUT ALSO AS PART OF OUR ONGOING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS TO SET OURSELVES UP FOR SUCCESS, NOT ONLY OURSELVES UP FOR SUCCESS BUT CERTAINLY THE COUNCIL THAT WILL SIT IN THIS SEAT IN FIVE, TEN YEARS FROM NOW WHEN WE LOOK AT THINGS LIKE NOT ONLY THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT OF CITY-INITIATED TIRZ OR WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES THAT WE PROVIDE FOR PRIVATE ENTITIES. AND CERTAINLY AS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SPURS AND THINGS LIKE REVENUE SHARING, ALL OF THOSE THINGS WHICH WOULD GO TO HELP STRENGTHEN OUR GENERAL FUND. SO WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COPS OR A SIDEWALK PLAN OR THE ARTS, WE CAN HELP NOT ONLY -- AGAIN, BE COGNIZANT OF WAYS WE CAN STRENGTHEN THAT. I LOOK FORWARD TO THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION WITH MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT POTENTIAL OFFSETS GIVEN WHERE WE ARE, THE HARD WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE. THERE'S FRANKLY NOT A LOT OF GIVE.

ERIK, DO YOU HAVE THE COUNCIL DIRECTION THAT YOU NEED? >> WALSH: YES, MA'AM.

WE'RE GOING TO BE READY ON TUESDAY. >> MAYOR JONES: LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 4, WHICH IS FOR ACTION. CITY CLERK, PLEASE READ THE

CAPTION. >> CLERK: ITEM NO. 4 IS AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE CITY'S PROPOSED MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION TAX RATE AT 33.009 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE

[03:00:13]

VALUATION AS RECOMMENDED IN THE FY2026 PROPOSED BUDGET. THERE IS NO INCREASE IN THE

CITY'S PROPERTY TAX RATE. >> MAYOR JONES: MADAME CLERK, DO WE HAVETH MEMBERS OF THE

PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? >> CLERK: WE HAVE ONE MEMBER

SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. JACK FINGER. >> MAYOR JONES: MR. FINGER,

YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES . >> WALSH: WE ALREADY GAVE THE PRESENTATION.

>> MAYOR JONES: NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO SPEAK, SIR, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO.

THREE MINUTES. >> MADAME MAYOR, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER AND I, ON HEARING THE EARLIER CONVERSATIONS AND UPON HEARING THE -- LOOKING AT THE BACK-UP DOCUMENTS, I DECIDED I WOULD USE SOME AUDIO-VISUALS HERE TO KIND OF HELP ME OFFER MY REMARKS HERE.

THIS IS WHAT YOU SAW A LITTLE BIT EARLIER. TAXABLE PROPERTY VALUES THERE.

IF YOU LOOK TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF THAT PAGE IT SAYS CITY'S RATE REMAINS.

WE HAD HEARD RUMORS THAT IT WAS -- WE WERE GOING TO GET A TAX CUT.

VERY MINUSCULE BUT 0001% OR SOMETHING. NO, WE COULD NOT EVEN GET THAT FROM YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL . NOW, IF YOU LOOK FURTHER UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT PAGE IN YELLOW IT SAYS BASE VALUES ESTIMATE -- FISCAL YEAR 2025. THAT MEANS THAT THE AVERAGE PROPERTY TAX OWNER, HIS PROPERTY TAX BILL INCREASED ABOUT 2% OR 3%, 2.67%.

LATER ON FOR THE FUTURE YOUR EXPERTS ARE PREDICTING THAT IN PARENTHESES, WHEN IT SAYS IN PARENTHESES, 0.9%. SOMEBODY IS EXPECTING A RECESSION.

ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO MOVE OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND HAVE VACANT HOUSING AROUND? YES, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE BEING FACED WITH. IN OTHER WORDS, OUR TAX BILLS HAVE INCREASED EVEN THOUGH YOU ADVERTISED NO NEW TAXES THERE. TURN THE NEXT PAGE.

NOW YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, WELL, JACK, WE GIVE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, BUT NOT REALLY.

IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, THOSE VARIOUS CATEGORIES, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS, OVER AGE 65, DISABLED PERSONS, CHILDCARE. THOSE ARE JUST A VERY SMALL FRACTION -- FACTIONS OF THE BIG REVENUE THAT YOU HAVE. THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER, WE DON'T GET ANYTHING DECENT.

WE REALLY, IF YOU REALLY WANTED TO GIVE US A DECENT TAX CUT, IT WOULD BE MORE THAN JUST A .000. IT WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE A 10% TAX CUT TO COMPENSATE FOR ALL THE TAX INCREASES WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST 10, 20 YEARS OR SO.

CONTINUE TO THE NEXT PAGE, MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN. YEAH.

AND IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GIVE US SOMETHING GOOD, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US BACK OUR CPS TAX MONEY THAT ESSENTIALLY GOES TO THE CITY? OR EVEN BETTER THAN THAT, GIVE US OUR SALES TAX REBATE. SHUCKS, WHY NOT? HUH? THIS IS HOW WE, THE TAXPAYER, GET MONEY TO PUT BACK IN OUR POCKETS TO SPEND THINGS FOR THE

CITY, WHICH YOU WILL IN TURN GET MORE MONEY FROM. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU.

IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL? SECOND? IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE ITEM 4. I KNOW THIS WAS DISCUSSED WITH ITEM 3 BUT IS THERE ANY FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION? THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 4.

PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 5, WHICH

[5. Ordinance setting the date, time, and place for two Budget Public Hearings and two Ad Valorem Tax Rate Public Hearings. [Erik Walsh, City Manager]]

IS FOR ACTION. MADAME CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION.

>> CLERK: ITEM 5 IS AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE DATE, TIME, AND PLACE FOR TWO BUDGET PUBLIC HEARINGS AND TWO AD VALOREM TAX RATE PUBLIC HEARINGS.

>> MAYOR JONES: DO WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM?

[03:05:03]

>> CLERK: THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. >> MAYOR JONES: IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL? I KNOW THIS WAS DISCUSSED WITH ITEM 3 BUT IS THERE ANY FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION? OKAY.

IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE ITEM 5. THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 5.

PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. THE NEXT ITEM IS CITY MANAGER'S

[City Manager's Report]

REPORT. ERIK, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT TODAY?

>> WALSH: YES, MA'AM. TWO ITEMS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL.

THIS SUMMER HERE RECENTLY METRO HEALTH RECEIVED TWO NATIONAL AWARDS FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY AND CITY HEALTH OFFICIALS . ONE IN THE MODEL PRACTICE AWARD, SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE DEPARTMENT'S INITIATIVE AROUND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. THE SECOND WAS A PROMISING PRACTICE AWARD , WHICH FOCUSED ON METRO HEALTH'S WORK WITH THE RESOURCE CENTER AT VIA CORONADO AND WAS EARNED FOR ITS COMMUNITY-DRIVEN APPROACH TO ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY IN SAN ASAN ANTONIO . THOSE SUBMISSIONS UNDERGO A RIGOROUS PROCESS AND PEER EVALUATION. I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE DR. JACOB AND THE ENTIRE METRO HEALTH TEAM FOR THEIR RECOGNITION. LASTLY, MAYOR, JUST A REMINDER FOR THE COUNCIL, THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR OUR PRE-K 4 SA SCHOOLS IS MONDAY, AUGUST 18.

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AT ONE OF OUR PRE-K CENTERS, IT'S PRETTY AMAZING TO SEE NEARLY 2,000 STUDENTS SHOW UP FOR THE FIRST TIME.