Sep 15, 2026 City Council Budget Work Session

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>> MAYOR JONES: GOOD AFTERNOON. THE TIME IS NOW 10:83 P.M.

ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2026, AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO BUDGET WORK SESSION IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL.

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AMENDMENTS. OVER TO YOU, ERIK. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR.

WE'LL START OFF WITH RENE AND FREDDIE WILL GIVE THE OTHER BUDGET PRESENTATIONS.

JUSTINA WILL WALK THROUGH THE BUDGET AMENDMENT MEMO THAT WE SENT ON FRIDAY.

AND THEN COUNCIL CONVERSATION. ONE OTHER THING, WE HAVE RECEIVED A COUPLE OF SUGGESTED ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING COPIES OF THAT WE'LL PASS OUT TO THE COUNCIL WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT.

RENE? >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I'M RENE FREDA, AND I'M GOING TO PRESENT THE BUDGET TODAY FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS. I WILL BEGIN WITH AN OVERVIEW OF OUR WORKFORCE AND THEN THE INVESTMENTS WE'RE MAKING IN EMPLOYEES THROUGH COMPENSATION, AND THEN WE'LL TURN TO EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND SOME OF THE SIGNIFICANT COST DRIVERS THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING TODAY. AS WE DISCUSS THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT BEHIND EVERY CITY SERVICE, EVERY PROGRAM, AND EVERY COMMITMENT WE MAKE TO OUR COMMUNITY, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES ARE THE ONES TURNING YOUR PRIORITIES INTO ACTION AND OUR RESOURCES INTO RESULTS.

OUR COSA WORKFORCE INCLUDES 13,746 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS WITH ABOUT 4800 OF THOSE BEING UNIFORMED, AND 8900 BEING CIVILIAN. OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR WORKFORCE CENTERS AROUND PROVIDING A SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT, OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH AND PROMOTION, PROVIDING FAIR AND COMPETITIVE PAY AND BENEFITS. THESE COMMITMENTS ARE REFLECTED IN THE PROPOSED FY27 BUDGET WITH A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN BOTH COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS. TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT FOR THESE INVESTMENTS, THIS SLIDE SHOWS OUR AVERAGE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION FOR FY25, WHICH IS OUR MOST COMPLETE -- MOST RECENT COMPLETED FISCAL YEAR.

OUR AVERAGE BASE COMPENSATION FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WAS AROUND 65,000, WITH THAT GOING TO 81,000 FOR UNIFORMED FIREFIGHTERS AND ABOUT 85,000 FOR POLICE.

BUT BASE COMPENSATION DOES NOT OCCUR THE FULL VALUE OF EMPLOYEE PAY.

WHEN OVERTIME, LEAD BUY BACK, ALLOWANCES AND OTHER PAYS ARE ADDED IN, CASH COMPENSATION IS MUCH HIGHER, AND WHEN WE INCLUDE THE VALUE OF BENEFITS, THAT TOTAL COMPENSATION IS APPROXIMATELY 95,000 FOR OUR CIVILIANS AND 176,000 FOR BOTH OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS. NOW LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE FY27 PROPOSED BUDGET AND ITS CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN EMPLOYEES.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET ADDS NEARLY 49 MILLION IN EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION.

THIS INCLUDES A THREE PERCENT INCREASE FOR CIVILIAN AND LGC EMPLOYEES, ALONG WITH A FOUR PERCENT INCREASE FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND A FIVE PERCENT INCREASE FOR OUR UNIFORMED FIREFIGHTERS, CONSISTENT WITH THEIR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS. IN ADDITION TO THESE ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASES, WE ARE PROPOSING CONTINUING OUR WORK TO ADDRESS SALARY COMPENSATION FOR OUR --

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WHILE THE ADJUSTMENTS WERE NECESSARY, WHILE WE MOVED THEM UP IT CREATED SALARY COMPRESSION, MEANING EMPLOYEES WITH DIFFERENT AND VARYING LEVELS OF TENURE FOUND THEMSELVES MAKING VERY SIMILAR SALARIES. OUR SALARY STRUCTURE IS STRUCTURED ACROSS TWO PAY PLANS, PAY PLAN A, GENERALLY INCLUDES OUR CLERICAL, MAINTENANCE AND SKILLED CRAFT POSITIONS. WITH EMPLOYEES PROGRESSING THROUGH THEIR RANGE BASED ON THE TIME AND POSITION. FOR PAY PLAN B, THIS IS PRIMARILY PROFESSIONAL AND MANAGERIAL EMPLOYEES AND THEY PROGRESS THROUGH THEIR PAY RANGE BASED ON THEIR RELEVANT EXPERIENCE. THIS YEAR IRRELEVANT CONTINUED COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS MEANS FOR PAY PLAN A EMPLOYEES WITH FIVE YEARS WILL BE GUARANTEED THE MIDPOINT OF THEIR RANGE AND EMPLOYEES WITH AT LEAST 10 YEARS WILL BE GUARANTEED THE MAXIMUM OF THEIR RANGE. FOR EMPLOYEES IN PAY PLAN B, EMPLOYEES WITH FIVE TO NINE YEARS OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE WOULD BE GUARANTEED PLACEMENT AT 25% OF THEIR RANGE AND THOSE WITH 10-PLUS YEARS RELEVANT EXPERIENCE WILL BE GUARANTEED TO BE PLACED AT THE MIDPOINT. THESE ADJUSTMENTS RECOGNIZE EXPERIENCE AND TENURE AND CREATE MORE APPROPRIATE DIFFERENTIATION AMONGST THE RANGES. COMPENSATION, HOWEVER, IS ONLY ONE PART OF OUR TOTAL INVESTMENT EMPLOYED. THE OTHER MAJOR EMPLOYMENT IS OUR BENEFITS.

WHILE WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, WE ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE COST OF PROVIDING HEALTHCARE BENEFITS.

BEFORE ASKING EMPLOYEES AND DEPARTMENTS TO ABSORB ADDITIONAL HEALTHCARE COSTS, WE REVIEWED OUR PROGRAMS AND EXPENDITURES TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAVINGS.

STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE, SAVING 525,000 IN THE BENEFITS FUND.

AND THE REDUCTION OF THE BENEFIT VALUE ADVISOR, SAVING AN ADDITIONAL 280,000 IN THE BENEFITS FUND. TOGETHER THESE REDUCTIONS GENERATE APPROXIMATELY 1.25 MILLION IN ANNUAL SAVINGS. HOWEVER, THESE SAVINGS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO OFFSET THE RISING HEALTHCARE COSTS. THE CITY IS SELF-INSURED FOR MEDICAL AND PHARMACY COVERAGE. UNLIKE A FULLY INSURED PLAN WHERE AN INSURER ASSUMES THE CLAIMS RISK IN EXCHANGE FOR A FIXED PREMIUM, THE CITY PAYS THE ACTUAL COST OF OUR MEDICAL CLAIMS. THIS STRUCTURE GIVES US GREATER FLEXIBILITY TO MANAGE OUR COSTS AND DESIGN OUR BENEFITS.

BUT IT ALSO MEANS TO INCREASE THE FINANCIAL IMPACT COMES DIRECTLY BACK TO THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FUND. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING. MEDICAL CLAIMS ARE PROJECTED TO INCREASE FROM 138 MILLION IN FY25 TO APPROXIMATELY 185 MILLION IN FY26, AN INCREASE OF ALMOST 34%.

FOR FY27, WE'RE PROJECTING MEDICAL CLAIMS OF APPROXIMATELY $190 MILLION.

SO WHAT CHANGED? SEVERAL FACTORS ARE CONTRIBUTING TO OUR RISING HEALTHCARE COSTS, BUT ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT HAS BEEN THE RAPID GROWTH AND OUT OF NETWORK CLAIMS INVOLVED IN THE FEDERAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEDURE. IDR RELATED MEDICAL CLAIMS HAVE INCREASED FROM APPROXIMATELY 17 MILLION IN FY25 TO OVER 40 MILLION IN FY26.

THE FEDERAL IDR PROCESS WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE NO SURPRISES ACT IN 2022 AND THE LAW PROVIDED IMPORTANT PROTECTIONS FOR PATIENTS FROM SURPRISE IN UNEXPECTED OUT OF NETWORK MEDICAL BILLS. BUT IT ALSO CREATED A PROCESS THAT ALLOWED ELIGIBLE PROVIDERS TO CHALLENGE THE PAYMENT THEY RECEIVED FROM THE HEALTH PLAN. BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD MAKES THE INITIAL PAYMENT TO THE PROVIDER BASED ON THE MEDIAN CONTRACTED RATE FOR THAT SERVICE IN OUR AREA. AN ELIGIBLE PROVIDER CAN THEN CHALLENGE THAT PAYMENT UP THROUGH IDR. WHERE THE ARBITRATOR ULTIMATELY CHOOSES BETWEEN THE PROVIDER'S REQUESTED AMOUNT AND THE HEALTH PLAN'S OFFER.

NATIONALLY ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR MEDICAID SERVICES, PROVIDERS HAVE PREVAILED IN THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF IDR CASES.

FOR THE CITY THE IMPACT HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT, IDR CLAIMS NOW REPRESENT 24% OF OUR TOTAL MEDICAL CLAIMS EXPENSE. AS AN EXAMPLE, THROUGH IDR WE'VE SEEN ABOUT 110% INCREASE IN THE FACILITY COST FOR FREE-STANDING

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GIVEN THE MAGNITUDE OF THESE INCREASES, WE'RE PURSUING MULTIPLE STRATEGIES, NOT JUST ONE SOLUTION. TO PROTECT THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR BENEFITS FUND. WE'VE INCREASED EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION SO EMPLOYEES UNDERSTAND THE MOST APPROPRIATE AND COST EFFECTIVE PLACES TO GO TO RECEIVE CARE FOR BOTH THEIR EMERGENT AND NON-EMERGENT NEEDS.

WE'RE MAKING TARGETED HEALTH PLAN DESIGN CHANGES TO ENCOURAGE MORE COST EFFECTIVE HEALTH UTILIZATION. WE'VE ENGAGED A THIRD-PARTY CONSULTANT TO CONDUCT A RETROSPECT ACTIVE REVIEW OF PAID CLAIMS TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR COST CONTAINMENT AND RECOVERY. WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING DIRECTLY WITH BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD AND PRESTIGER TO ADDRESS THESE COSTS BEFORE BRINGING PRESTIGE INTO THE BLUE CROSS NETWORK. I'M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE DISCUSSIONS HAVE PRODUCED AN IMPORTANT RESULT.

EFFECTIVE 9-1, PRESTIGE HAS COMMITTED TO NO LONGER CHALLENGE THE CITY'S CLAIMS PAYMENTS THROUGH THE FEDERAL IDR PROCESS. WE EXPECT THAT COMMITMENT TO BRING REIMBURSEMENT TO PRESTIGE PHYSICIANS AND FACILITIES CLOSER TO HISTORIC LEVELS ADJUSTED FOR MEDICAL INFLATION. WHILE THIS IS A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT IT DOESN'T ELIMINATE THE CITY'S GREATER EXPOSURE.

OTHER ELIGIBLE NETWORK PROVIDERS CAN CONTINUE TO USE THE FEDERAL IDR PROCESS.

FOR THAT REASON WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH IGR TO PURSUE POTENTIAL POLICY SOLUTIONS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL. BECAUSE THE ANTICIPATED SAVINGS HAVE NOT YET BEEN REALIZED THEY ARE NOT REFLECTED HERE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. HOWEVER, THE CITY MANAGER WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE AS PART OF HIS YEAR-END REPORT IN DECEMBER. TODAY THE CITY PAYS APPROXIMATELY 89% OF MEDICAL CLAIMS COSTS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, WITH CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES CONTRIBUTING AROUND 11%. FOR FY27 WE'RE RECOMMENDING A COMBINATION OF PREMIUM ADJUSTMENTS AND TARGETED DESIGN PLAN CHANGES.

THESE CHANGES ARE INTENDED TO MAINTAIN COMPETITIVE BENEFITS WHILE MOVING TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE COST SHARE AND ENCOURAGING EMPLOYEES TO MAKE COST EFFECTIVE HEALTHCARE CHOICES. THE PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTS THE BALANCE WE'RE WORKING TO ACHIEVE, REMAINING COMPETITIVE AS AN CAN EMPLOYER, CONTINUING TO INVEST IN OUR EMPLOYEES AND RESPONSIBLY MANAGING RISING COSTS TO ENSURE THAT BENEFITS REMAIN SUSTAINABLE FOR OUR FUTURE.

ULTIMATELY OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE, ONE THAT CAN ATTRACT, RETAIN AND DEVELOP THE TALENT NECESSARY TO DELIVER ON OUR MISSION OF PROVIDING QUALITY CITY SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO FREDDIE TO PRESENT ON ALL OF THE

DEPARTMENTS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS FREDTY MARTINEZ AND I'M THE BUDGET DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

TODAY I'LL BE PRESENTING ON ALL OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS. I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AND STAFF THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED TODAY FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE WITH TODAY'S PRESENTATION AND THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PRESENTATIONS TODAY. THIS BEING THE LAST WORK SESSION WHERE WE'RE PRESENTING DEPARTMENTS WE CAN SHOW YOU THAT UP UNTIL NOW WE'VE PRESENTED 96.1% OF THE $4.4 BILLION FY27 PROPOSED BUDGET.

REMAINING ARE 22 DEPARTMENTS AT 173.4 MILLION, WHICH I WILL GO INTO IN TODAY'S PRESENTATION. I'LL FOCUS ON THIS REMAINING 173.4 MILLION, HOWEVER KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS AS THOSE FUNDS ARE SUPPORTED BY OTHER CITY FUNDS. AS I MENTIONED TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS 22 DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES WHICH INCLUDE OFFICES THAT PROVIDE COMMUNITY SERVICES, OPERATING SUPPORT AND INTERNAL SERVICES TO THE CITY. THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE 22 DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES I'LL BE PRESENTING TODAY DIVIDED BY INTO THE THREE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES I JUST DESCRIBED, SO COMMUNITY SERVICES, OPERATING SUPPORT DEPARTMENT AND INTERNAL SUPPORT.

WE'LL START WITH 311 CUSTOMER SERVICE. SO 311 CONNECTS RESIDENTS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE READY TO ASSIST WITH SERVICE

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DOWNTOWN OPERATIONS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF LA VIETTA AND MARKET SQUARE, PARKING AND RIVERWALK OPERATIONS, THE LEASING OF VARIOUS FACILITIES AND LEASES. THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FY27 TOTALS 37 MILLION, WITH A TOTAL OF 159 POSITIONS. THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY $399,000 IN REDUCTIONS TO INCLUDE THE CLOSURE OF THE HEMISFAIR FOUNTAINS AT THE TOWER OF THE AMERICAS, AS WELL AS FROM THEIR LINE ITEM BUDGET RIGHT SIZING AND THE HIRING FREEZE. WITHIN THE RESTRICTED FUNDS THAT INCLUDES $12.5 MILLION FOR THE PARKING FUND, 2.9 FOR THE MARKET SQUARE FUND, 800,000 FOR THE RIVERWALK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND AND 1.3 MILLION IN THE STAY GARAGE FUND.

THEY ALSO HAVE CAPITAL PROJECTS WITHIN THEIR BUDGET, 6.9 MILLION.

A COUPLE OF THINGS TO HIGHLIGHT THERE, THERE'S 4 MILLION TO CONTINUE REPAIRS AT THE RIVERWALK GATE 3 AND TWO AND A HALF FOR A RIVERWALK SIDEWALK RENOVATIONS. YOU ALSO SEE THERE ON THE SLIDE THAT THERE IS A PROPOSED REFUSE ADJUSTMENT TO EVENT PARKING. THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR A MAXIMUM OR UP TO $30 FOR EACH EVENT FOR PARKING AT ANY OF OUR CITY LOTS AND GARAGES. THAT WOULD PRODUCE ABOUT 763,000 IN NEW REVENUE.

NEXT IS HISTORIC PRESERVATION. SO THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROMOTES SAN ANTONIO'S CULTURAL HERITAGE, THEY DO PROJECT REVIEW AND LOOK AT ARCHEOLOGY, DECONSTRUCTION AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY.

THEY WORK WITH TRADES CERTIFICATION AND CONTRACTORS AND OTHER THINGS. THIS BUDGET INCLUDES A REDUCTION OF ONE CULTURAL HISTORIAN AND REORGANIZES SEVEN POSITIONS. FIVE POSITIONS WOULD GO TO CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR THE VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM AND TWO ARE BEING REORGED TO DOWNTOWN OPERATIONS. IN ADDITION YOU SEE THERE THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 110,000 IN NEW REVENUES INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET AND THIS IS TO RECOVER THE COSTS FOR THE ASSOCIATED WITH THE VARIOUS CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FEES.

UP NEXT IS INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICE. THEY WERE ESTABLISHED IN FY24. THEIR 1.6-MILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET INCLUDES NINE POSITIONS AND THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS TO ADDRESS THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND ALSO TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS. NEXT DEPARTMENT IS THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THEY WORK ON ITEMS SUCH AS SA TOMORROW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, CORRIDOR PLANNING TO SUPPORT AREA RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES, PROMOTING REGIONAL COLLABORATION IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH EXTERNAL ENTITIES AND IMPLEMENTING UPDATED POLICIES RELATED TO ANNEXATION AND GROWTH. THE BUDGET TOTALS 4 MILLION FOR 23 POSITION. IT DOES INCLUDE THE ELIMINATION OF ONE POSITION AND ALSO A REDUCTION FOR THE FUNDING FOR THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR REVITALIZATION PROGRAM AS WELL AS SOME RIGHT-SIZING AND HIRING FREEZE ADJUSTMENTS.

AND THEN THERE IS A SMALL REVENUE ADJUSTMENT TO THE SPECIAL DISTRICT APPLICATION FEE AND THE VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION FEE. NEXT IS RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY. THEY OVERSEE THE COORDINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SA CLIMATE READY PLAN. THEY'RE 5.2-MILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET INCLUDES 2 MILLION IN THE RESILIENCE EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABLEABILITY FUND, 2.8 MILLION FROM THE AUSTIN ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND AND 717,000 IN GRANTS.

IT PROPOSES A REDUCTION OF THREE POSITIONS THAT WE WILL DO IN OUTREACH WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. IN ADDITION, WE SHOULD NOTE THAT -- YOU WILL SEE THIS AGAIN IN THE TRANSFER SLIDE. WE'RE ELIMINATING $2.1 MILLION OF TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE RESE AS THERE'S ADEQUATE FUNDING TO MAINTAIN OPERATIONS. NEXT IS TRANSPORTATION.

WITH A BUDGET OF 10.7 MILLION AND 14 POSITIONS, THEY ARE TASKED WITH WORKING ON SUCH PROGRAMS SUCH AS VISION ZERO, COMPLETE STREETS, THE BIKE NETWORK PLAN, TRANSIT-ORIENTED POLICY GOALS AND NEXT IS WORLD HERITAGE. AND THIS IS OUR LAST COMMUNITY SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO HIGHLIGHT. THE WORLD HERITAGE PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE HERITAGE WORK PLAN AS WELL AS FACILITY PLAN OF THE MISSION MARQUEE PLAZA AND THE SWISH GOVERNOR'S BUDGET. THEIR BUDGET HAS 13 POSITIONS.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET CALLS FOR REDUCING THE GASTRONOMY PROGRAM, IT INCLUDES MARKETING AND ENGAGEMENT AND REDUCES OUTDOOR EXHIBITS AT THE WORLD HERITAGE CENTER FROM TWO TO ONE PER YEAR. IT ALSO HAS RENTAL AND VENDOR FEES FOR THE SPANISH

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AS YOU KNOW THE CITY AUDITOR PREPARES THE ANNUAL AUDIT PLAN AND IDENTIFIES AUDITS FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR YEAR. THEY'RE BUDGET TOTALS 3.5 MILLION. THE CITY CLERK FACILITATES CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, MANAGES MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES AND REGISTERS. RUNS THE PASSPORT OFFICE AND THE CITY TOWER. THEIR FY27 PROPOSED BUDGET IS 9.9 MILLION.

THIS INCLUDES 1.6 MILLION FOR A BOND ELECTION IN FISCAL YEAR 27 AS WELL AS 1 POINT TWO MILLION IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE NEXT YEAR OF THEIR ARCHIVED DIGITIZATION PROJECT. IN ADDITION THERE'S A SMALL REVENUE ADJUSTMENT HERE OF ONE DOLLAR TO THE PRESERVATION FEE TO ALIGN THE BIRTH AND DEATH RECORD FEE. NEXT IS THE CITY MANAGER, LED BY THE CITY MANAGER OVERSEES THE DAILY OPERATIONS OF THE CITY AS WELL AS THE CITY'S OVER 13,800 EMPLOYEES. THEIR BUDGET IS 4.5 MILLION WHICH FUNDS 15 POSITIONS.

THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE REPRESENTS THE CITY IN ALL LEGAL MATTER AND PREPARING DOCUMENTS, CONTRACTS AND LEGAL INSTRUMENTS FOR THE CITY.

THEIR BUDGET TOTALS 24.6, FUNDING 95 POSITIONS. THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES A RIGHT-SIZING REDUCTION AND HIRING FREEZE AND ALSO THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING REORGANIZED WITH THE.

ON TO COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT. THIS COMMUNICATION TEAM HANDLES MEDIA, MARKETING AND MESSAGING FOR THE CITY. THEY HAVE A CREATIVE SERVICES TEAM THAT OVERSEES BRAND MANAGEMENT AND DESIGN FOR THE CITY'S CREATIVE ASSETS. THEY ALSO COMPLETE REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION UNDER THE TEXAS PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT AND PROVIDE THE PUBLIC ACCESS TELEVISION AND LIVE BROADCASTS. THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FY27 IS 9.2 MILLION, INCLUDING FUNDING IN THE GENERAL FUND AND THE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT FUND WHICH PROVIDES CAPITAL RESOURCES FOR THE CITY'S PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNEL.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES ONE REDUCTION OF 68,000 FOR RIGHT-SIZING AND THE HIRING FREEZE. THE FY27 PLAN ALSO INCLUDES THE CONSOLIDATION OF ENGAGEMENT FUNCTIONS THAT IS TO ELIMINATE 28 POSITIONS AND SAVE 3.8 MILLION IN 2028. ON TO GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOCAL, STATE AND MONITORING THOSE ACTIVITIES. PROVIDING GRANT, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO CITY DEPARTMENTS. THEIR TOTAL BUDGET FOR '27 IS PROPOSED AT 1.9 MILLION AND FUNDING SIX POSITIONS. FUNDING THAT'S INCLUDED IN THEIR BUDGET WILL SUPPORT THE 90TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WILL TAKE PLACE BEGINNING IN JANUARY AND THEY EXPECT TO TRACK ABOUT 2500 STATE BILLS THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION. MILITARY AND VETERAN AFFAIRS, THEY COLLABORATE WITH MILITARY PARTNERS TO ENHANCE MISSION READINESS, PROTECT INSTALLATIONS, SUPPORT MILITARY IN ALL PART OF GOVERNMENT AND THEIR FAMILIES.

THEIR BUDGET IS 10.6 MILLION INCLUDING FIVE MILLION FOR THE BUILDING RENOVATION AT JBSA AND THERE IS ONE REDUCTION IN THE HIRING OF OUR HEROES PROGRAM.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL SUPPORT, THIS PROVIDES FUNDING FOR 19 POSITIONS FOR OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OFFICES AS WELL AS FOR THE 99 LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION POSITIONS. FY27 PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 18.3 MILLION. INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS THE FOUR PERCENT SALARY ADJUSTMENT AS REQUIRED FOR THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS.

THERE'S A 40,000-DOLLAR REDUCTION IN SPORT STAFF FOOD AND 25% OR 15,000-DOLLAR REDUCTION IN TRAVEL. BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES, THEY PROVIDE BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND CUSTODIAL SERVICES FOR MOST CITY FACILITIES, AS WELL AS MAINTENANCE AND REPAY OF THE CITY'S FLEET AND THE ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION OF CITY VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT.

THEIR BUDGET TOTALS 86 MILLION COMPOSED OF EQUIPMENT SERVICES AND CITY TOWER FUNDS AS WELL AS ABOUT 7 MILLION IN CAPITAL PROJECTS.

THE FACILITY SERVICES FUND INCLUDES A REDUCTION OF THREE VACANT POSITIONS.

IN THE FY27 CAPITAL PROJECT INCLUDES -- CONTINUED FUNDING FOR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ACROSS CITY FACILITIES OF FIVE MILLION AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL CAPITAL PROJECTS SUCH AS WITH THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM IT WILL FUND THINGS AS VARIOUS FIRE STATION REPAIRS AND UPGRADES.

SOME WORK WILL BE DONE AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT BUILDING AND IMPROVEMENTS TO SEVERAL

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SO THEY INCLUDE OUR CITYWIDE ACCOUNTING SERVICES, FINANCIAL SERVICES.

THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF PROCUREMENT FOR THE CITY. WE HAVE A PUBLIC UTILITIES DIVISION THAT WORKS WITH CPS AND SAWS AS WELL AS OTHER LOCAL UTILITIES, A COMPLIANCE AND RESOLUTION GROUP, THEIR FINANCIAL OPERATIONS.

AND FINALLY OUR PRINT AND MAIL SERVICES. THEIR BUDGET TOTALS 34.6 MILLION, INCLUDES 187 POSITIONS. THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOES ILLUSTRATE THREE VACANT PROCUREMENT SPECIALISTS IN THE PURCHASING FUND WITH NO IMPACT TO SERVICES AS THOSE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN VACANT FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF FEE ADJUSTMENTS HERE, INCLUDING THE DEBT ISSUANCE FEES THAT WOULD CHANGE TO A MINUTE MULL OF 10,000 AND ALSO A CREDIT CARD ADMINISTRATIVE FEE. NEXT IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICE OR ITSD.

THEY'RE RESPONSIBILITY RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURITY FOR ALL CITY SYSTEMS, PUBLIC SAFETY AND COURT SYSTEM, ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS AND SUPPORT ALONG OTHER THINGS.

THEIR BUDGET TOTAL IS 143.5 MILLION FOR 356 POSITIONS.

IT DOES INCLUDE 1 PROGRAM CHANGE MANDATED FOR VARIOUS CONTRACTS, ENTERPRISE CONTRACTS AND -- THAT HAVE INCREASED FROM '26 TO '27. NEXT IS INNOVATION.

SO INNOVATION, THEIR MAIN PROJECTS ARE TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CITY SERVICES AND BUSINESS PROCESS OR OTHERWISE AS WE KNOW AS THE COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWS. THEY ALSO PROVIDE EMPLOYEE TRAINING THROUGH THE INNOVATION ACADEMY. THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET TOTALS 1.6 MILLION AND FUNDS EIGHT POSITIONS. THE PROPOSED BUDGET OVERALL ALSO INCLUDES 4.4 MILLIONS IN SAVINGS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE CBRS FOR THE FIVE DEPARTMENTS INCLUDED IN THE '27 PROPOSED. NEXT IS THE BUDGET OFFICE. WE FACILITATE THE ANNUAL BUDGET OFFICE PRODUCED ALONG WITH FINANCE AND MONTHLY AND QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORTS.

WE APPROVE REQUESTS FOR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION ITEMS AND WORK ON COMPREHENSIVE REVIEWS. OUR FY27 BUDGET IS 3.4 MILLION AND INCLUDES 20 POSITIONS. THEY MANAGE SAFETY PROGRAMS AND OVERSEE THE CITY'S WORKER'S COMPENSATION PROGRAM AND GENERAL AND AUTO LIABILITY PROGRAMS. THEIR '27 PROPOSED BUDGET IS 33.3 MILLION WHICH FUNDS 33 POSITIONS IN THE FUND AS WELL AS IN THE WORKER'S COMPENSATION FUND. IT DOES INCLUDE ONE REDUCTION TO ELIMINATE A RISK MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM SOFTWARE.

THERE'S NO IMPACT TO SERVICES AS ALTERNATE SOFTWARE AND ALTERNATE POLICIES HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED TO ACHIEVE THOSE SAVINGS.

NEXT IS THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET. SO THIS INCLUDES MANY THINGS, I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM, I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THE LARGER ONES. YOU WILL XENON DEPARTMENTAL FUNDS, THE TWO PERCENT SALES TAX COLLECTIONS SO WHAT THE CITY CHARGES FOR THE STATE. WE HAVE 2.6 MILLION FOR I WILL MAINTENANCE AT FACILITIES SUCH AS CITY HALL, AS WELL AS SOME CITY MAINTENANCE. I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE'S A COUPLE OF REDUCTIONS HERE, REDUCING SOME PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS AND ALSO REDUCING WHAT WAS BEING -- WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE 26 BUDGET FOR THE CESAR CHAVEZ MARCH THAT NO LONGER EXISTS. THERE ARE ALSO DUES THAT ARE PAID OUT.

A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES WOULD BE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITY AND THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE. AND THEN FINALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR TRANSFERS.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFERS TO OTHER FUNDS IS APPROXIMATELY 4.7 MILLION. THE LARGEST ONES ARE THE -- THESE ARE MADE UP OF THE 3.1 MILLION THAT'S REQUIRED TO PAY THE ED ED DEBT PAYMENT ANNUALLY.

THERE'S 1.4 MILLION THAT WE TRANSFER TO THE FACILITY SERVICE FUNDS FOR FACILITY MAINTENANCE AND THEN WE FUND TWO POSITIONS AT DSD. A COUPLE OF REDUCTIONS HERE.

AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE'VE REDUCED THE TRANSFER TO THE RESE FUND AS WELL AS A TRANSFER TO THE SOLID WASTE FUND THAT'S NO LONGER REQUIRED.

SO OVERALL $4.7 MILLION FOR THE TRANSFERS COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AT THIS POINT THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

I'LL HAND IT OVER TO JUSTINA TO TALK ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JUSTINA TATE, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. TODAY I WANTED TO PROVIDE A BRIEF BUDGET RECAP AND THEN MOVE INTO AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS AS THEY STAND TODAY. AND FINALLY GO OVER THE GOAL FOR THE DISCUSSION OF TODAY.

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SINCE THAT TIME WE'VE HELD EIGHT BUDGET WORK SESSIONS. THAT ALLOWED THE DEPARTMENTS TO PRESENT THEIR BUDGETS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS WELL AS TO THE PUBLIC.

IN ADDITION TO THOSE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS, WE'VE HOSTED 11 TOWN HALLS.

THIS INCLUDED 10 ACROSS ALL 10 DISTRICTS. AND ALSO INCLUDED ONE FOR A YOUTH TOWN HALL. IN ADDITION TO THESE TOWN HALLS WE HELD TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, ONE ON SEPTEMBER 2ND AND THE OTHER ON SEPTEMBER 10TH. SINCE THAT TIME WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED RESPONSES TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL REGARDING QUESTIONS THAT HAD COME UP THROUGH THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS AND PROVIDED THE TOWN HALL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL.

TODAY WE ARE BEGINNING OUR DISCUSSIONS ON THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS, AND ANY AMENDMENT THAT WOULD CHANGE THE BUDGET WOULD REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENT TO MAINTAIN A BALANCED BUDGET. FISCAL YEAR 2027 WAS A CHALLENGING YEAR, AS WE ENTERED THIS BUDGET PROCESS WE HAD A SHORTFALL OF $158 MILLION THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2028. THE PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTED STRATEGIES TO BALANCE THE BUDGET THAT INCLUDED REDUCING EXPENSES AND INCREASING REVENUES TO MAINTAIN FINANCIAL STABILITY. THE PROPOSED BUDGET BALANCED FISCAL YEAR 2027 AND 2028 AND PROVIDED A STRONG FOUNDATION TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL FINANCIAL CHALLENGES IN FISCAL YEAR 2029.

SO IN ORDER TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, WE INCORPORATED THREE MAIN STRATEGIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 AND FISCAL YEAR 2028. THE FIRST BEING REDUCING EXPENSES, BUT NOT IMPACTING THOSE MANDATED AND PRIORITY SERVICES AND MOVING ELIGIBLE EXPENSES TO THE CAPITAL BUDGET OR OTHER FUNDS. AS YOU MAY RECALL AS PART OF THE GOAL-SETTING SESSION THAT WE HELD IN MAY, THE CITY UNDERWENT AN EXERCISE TO IDENTIFY PROGRAMS WITHIN PUBLIC-FACING GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS AND IDENTIFIED THOSE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT WERE MANDATED, THAT WERE PRIORITY AND THAT WERE OTHER SERVICES. SO THE REDUCTIONS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOCUSED ON THAT OTHER CITY SERVICE CATEGORY. THE SECOND WAS USING THE AVAILABLE PROPERTY TAX CAPACITY, WHICH WAS GENERATED AS A RESULT OF NOT INCREASING TO THE THREE AND A HALF PERCENT THAT WE'RE ALLOWED BY STATE LAW IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 AND 2026. SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET USED THAT UNUSED INCREMENT THAT WAS AVAILABLE. AND FINALLY, IT INCLUDED INCREASES TO FEES TO BETTER ALIGN WITH THE COST OF SERVICE. SO THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS HOW WE BALANCE THE BUDGET. SO THE REDUCTIONS THAT ARE MENTIONED WE IDENTIFIED $95 MILLION OVER TWO YEARS. IN TERMS OF THE PROPERTY TAX CAPACITY, THAT GENERATED ABOUT $90 MILLION IN REVENUES TO HELP US ADDRESS THE PROJECTED DEFICIT IN FISCAL YEAR 2028 AND THEN THE FEE INCREASES. SO WITH THOSE STRATEGIES WE ARE ENDING FISCAL YEAR 2028 IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET AT ABOUT $49 MILLION TO HELP US ADDRESS FINANCIAL CHALLENGES IN FISCAL YEAR 2029. SINCE THE AUGUST 13TH PRESENTATION, CITY COUNCIL HAS MENTIONED POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS OR MORE REVENUES IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A BALANCED BUDGET. LAST FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH, WE PROVIDED MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL WITH A MEMO WHICH INCLUDED THOSE BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT HAD BEEN MENTIONED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS -- COUPLE OF WEEKS. THIS INCLUDED AN AMENDMENT LIST OF ABOUT $65 MILLION OVER THE TWO YEARS. THIS INCLUDES A REDUCTION TO THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE OF ONE PERCENT, AND OVER THOSE TWO YEARS THAT'S EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT $26.8 MILLION.

ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS INCLUDE RESTORING CERTAIN CUTS, BUT ALSO ADDING NEW EXPENSES. SO ALL THOSE AMENDMENTS ARE EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT $65.2 MILLION. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE MEMO THAT WAS PROVIDED ON FRIDAY INCLUDED ADJUSTMENTS -- BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS SUBMITTED BY MAYOR JONES AND AS PART OF THIS MEMO WE PROVIDED POTENTIAL REDUCTIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED AS PART OF ALTERNATIVE A THAT WAS PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 19TH. SO THIS IDENTIFIED ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS THAT

[00:35:01]

IN THE FOURTH ATTACHMENT, THE FOURTH ATTACHMENT IDENTIFIED POTENTIAL NEW REVENUES AND ALSO ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS. I DO WANT TO NOTE AS PART OF THE ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS IT INCLUDED CHANGES TO OUR COMPENSATION INCREASES AND THE AMOUNTS THAT ARE SHOWN IN ATTACHMENT 4 ARE REFLECTIVE JUST OF THE GENERAL FUND. SO THE GOALS FOR TODAY'S DISCUSSION IS TO PRIORITIZE AND NARROW THE LIST OF AMENDMENTS. AND BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED TODAY WE WILL NARROW THAT LIST OF AMENDMENTS FOR TOMORROW'S MEETING. ADDITIONALLY WE'D LIKE TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON ANY ADDITIONAL CUTS OR NEW REVENUES THAT WILL ALLOW US TO BALANCE THE BUDGET IF CITY COUNCIL WISHES TO ADD ANY AMENDMENTS. AS I MENTIONED, WE WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATED MEMO TO CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT THAT PROVIDES -- THAT REFLECTS TODAY'S DISCUSSION AND WILL SET THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE DISCUSSION TOMORROW IN PREPARATION FOR THE BUDGET ADOPTION ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH.

THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ERIK.

>> THANK YOU, JUSTINA. SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT.

WE'VE ALL INCLUDING THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD ON THIS BUDGET.

I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WHEN WE STARTED THE FORECAST, WE HAD A PROJECTED 2.3% INCREASE IN REVENUE LOOKING FORWARD AND A 6.9% INCREASE IN EXPENSES, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY NOT SUSTAINABLE NOR STRUCTURAL. JUSTINA MENTIONED IT, WE WENT THROUGH A DELIBERATIVE EFFORT TO CATEGORIZE EVERYTHING WE DO INTO CITY SERVICES, CITY PRIORITY CITY SERVICES AND ALL OTHER CITY SERVICES.

AND THAT WAS REALLY THE GUIDE OF WHICH WE UTILIZED IN TERMS OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOCUSING ON THAT OTHER CITY SERVICES. AND YOU KNOW, SOME ARE HARDER TO DO THAN OTHERS, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WENT THROUGH THAT EXERCISE WITH THE COUNCIL TO PROVIDE THAT CLARITY AROUND WHAT WE DO AND WHY WE DO IT.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET HAS OUR REVENUE INCREASING AT 5.1% AND OUR EXPENSES ONLY GROWING AT 4.1. SO WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET THE NECESSARY SHIFT FROM A SUSTAINABILITY STANDPOINT AND A STRUCTURAL STANDPOINT, AND I'LL REITERATE WHAT JUSTINA JUST TALKED ABOUT. THE GOAL TODAY, WITHIN ATTACHMENT ONE OF THE MEMO THAT WE SENT YOU ON FRIDAY, WE HAVE $65.2 MILLION IN EXPENDITURE AMENDMENTS. AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE ARE GOALS FOR TODAY, AND THAT'S TO REDUCE THAT LIST TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES BASED ON TODAY'S CONVERSATION AND THEN AS JUSTINA MENTIONED, PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATED LIST TONIGHT SO WE CAN GO BACK THROUGH IT AGAIN TOMORROW AT THE SAME TIME. I AM ALSO LOOKING FOR SOME CLARITY AROUND SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS AROUND OFFSETTING EXPENSES IN OTHER WAYS, AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF THIS. LAST WEEK WE HAD A LONG CONVERSATION.

YOU ALL GAVE ME VERY SPECIFIC DIRECTION AROUND CITY-INITIATED TIRZ.

WE CAN'T DO WHAT YOU DIRECTED US TO DO LAST WEEK AND DIP INTO TIRZ TO OFFSET EXPENSES. WE CAN'T. NOW, IF COUNCIL WANTS TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION THAT WE GOT FROM TIRZ LAST WEEK, THEN THE COUNCIL CAN CHANGE -- YOU CAN CHANGE DIRECTION. I'M LOOKING FOR CLARITY AROUND THE OFFSETTING. AND MY SUGGESTION FOR THE COUNCIL TODAY IS THAT IN ORDER TO FACILITATE, THERE'S DIFFICULT CONVERSATION THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO WEIGH IN ON.

THAT WE GET SOME DIRECT FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL AROUND ATTACHMENT 4 IN THE MEMO BECAUSE THAT WAS -- THOSE ARE THE REVENUE ADJUSTMENTS THAT YOU ALL PROPOSED IN THE WORK SESSIONS AND THEY'RE REAL ACTUAL DOLLARS IF WE DO THAT TOTALS $1.4 MILLION A YEAR, SO $2.8 MILLION OVER TWO YEARS. THAT'S THE ONE BASED ON YOUR FEEDBACK, THAT'S THE ONE SOURCE OF AMENDMENTS THAT WE HAVE FOR SURE.

SO HEARING FROM YOU ABOUT THAT TODAY I THINK WILL BE CRITICAL TO TODAY'S CONVERSATION AND TOMORROW'S. AND THEN LASTLY, I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT -- FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT THURSDAY'S ACTION ITEMS AROUND THE TAX RATE.

SO UNDER STATE LAW THE CHANGING OF THE TAX RATE REQUIRES 60% OF THE COUNCIL

[00:40:05]

IF YOU APPROVE BUDGET, THE ORDINANCES HAVE LANGUAGE IN THERE, HISTORICALLY HAVE HAD LANGUAGES IN THERE THAT SAY THAT THE CITY MANAGER, YOU AUTHORIZE ME TO MAKE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS TO MAINTAIN A BALANCED BUDGET. UNDER THE CITY CHARTER WE HAVE TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET BY SEPTEMBER 27TH. THERE IS NO ROOM FOR AN INTERIM BUDGET. SO IT HAS TO BE BALANCED. SO IN THE CASE WHERE THE BUDGET IS APPROVED BUT THE TAX RATE IS NOT LATER BY SEVEN VOTES THEN IT WOULD FALL UPON ME TO BALANCE THE BUDGET AND INFORM THE COUNCIL THE NEXT WEEK IN ADVANCE OF SEPTEMBER 27TH. CERTAINLY NOT A POSITION THAT I THINK THE CITY HAS EVER BEEN IN, BUT I WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CLARITY SINCE WE'RE INITIATING TODAY'S CONVERSATION. SO AGAIN, MY SUGGESTION IS TO GET SOME DIRECT FEEDBACK FROM YOU INITIALLY ON THE REVENUE AND THE SOURCES OF REVENUE FOR AMENDMENTS SO THAT WE CAN START TO WHITTLE THIS DOWN TO SOMETHING YOU ALL CAN VOTE AND APPROVE ON THURSDAY. THANKS, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR JONES: THANKS, ERIK. THANKS FOR WALKING US THROUGH THAT. I WANT TO FOOT STOMP WHAT YOU JUST SAID SO WE HAVE PERFECT CLARITY. SO IF THERE ARE NOT SEVEN VOTES THEN IT STAYS AT THE

CURRENT RATE, WHICH MEANS NO INCREASE. >> I SHOULD HAVE ADDED THAT, YOU'RE RIGHT. WITHOUT SEVEN VOTES, THE TAX RATE WILL STAY AT THE EXISTING RATE, WHICH TRIGGERS THE NECESSITY FOR AN ADDITIONAL $35 MILLION IN

CUTS, YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR JONES: SO IF THAT'S WHERE WE ARE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO FIND $165 MILLION IN CUTS OVER TWO YEARS AND ESSENTIALLY YOU'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND LET US KNOW HOW YOU DID THAT.

WE'LL HAVE NO SAY IN HOW YOU DO THAT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE

EVERYBODY IS VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE PROCESS. >> YES, MA'AM.

>> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. >> THE 165 IS THE 90 THAT'S ALREADY PROPOSED

AUDIO] >> MAYOR JONES: YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

NO, I WANTED TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THE ACTUAL NUMBER IS, 165 MILLION OVER TWO YEARS. OKAY. THANK YOU.

CLARITY ON THE EMPLOYMENT PIECE, RENE, BEFORE WE GET STARTED ON SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS HERE. I APPRECIATE YOU AND THE GENERAL FUND ON THE COST MITIGATION. CAN YOU BRING THAT SLIDE UP, PLEASE? JUST BECAUSE THERE IS WHERE WE SEE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE, NOT JUST THE NUMBER, BUT REALLY THE VELOCITY. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE EXACT COST -- LIKE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING, IE IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, NEXT THREE YEARS. WE EXPECT THIS TRAJECTORY TO DECREASE BY 30 PERCENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT HELPS US UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COST MITIGATION PIECE LOOKS LIKE. I'M THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE SOME RESOLUTION ON THE PRESTIGE PIECE, BUT I THINK AS MANY WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN EITHER LEGISLATIVELY OR OTHER WAY OR FRANKLY EVEN TECHNOLOGY HELP US UNDERSTAND WHEN OUR BUDGET IS OUT OF WHACK AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN CATCH THAT SO IT'S NOT ANOTHER $40 MILLION. SO CAN YOU PLEASE ELABORATE ON SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN THE COST MITIGATION APPROACH.

>> LIKE HE MENTIONED, THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY REDUCTIONS BASED ON THE COST MITIGATION, BUT WHAT WE'RE ASSUMING IS THAT AT LEAST FOR THE PRESTIGE PORTION OF OUR IDR, THAT IF THEY MAINTAIN THEIR COMMITMENT TO NOT APPEAL THOSE THROUGH THE IDR PROCESS THAT IT WOULD GO BACK TO WHERE WE WERE -- THEY MAKE UP ABOUT ALMOST 90% OF OUR IDR CLAIMS, THAT IT WOULD GO BACK TO WHERE WE WERE IN 2025. FOR THEM IT WAS ABOUT -- TOTAL IDR WAS ABOUT 17 MILLION. AND THEN ADJUST THAT FOR 10 AND A HALF% INFLATION EACH YEAR SINCE THEN. THERE WILL BE A DELAYED IMPACT OF THAT AS WE

[00:45:07]

TO EVALUATE THAT IMPACT AND COME BACK TO YOU. >> I'LL ALSO ADD, MAYOR, THAT JANUARY-FEBRUARY TIME FRAME WE WILL BE RENEGOTIATING WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS ON THEIR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT AND THIS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION TO HELP MITIGATE THAT ORGANIZATION

OF OUR WORKFORCE. >> MAYOR JONES: THANKS, ERIK.

RENE, ON SLIDE 8, AGAIN, WHEN WE LOOK TETRAGENETICTORY HERE, 190 ASSUMES ALMOST A FLAT FROM FY26, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE ACTIVITY PRIOR, WE THINK JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT ALL THE THINGS YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT

ARE GOING TO KEEP US FLAT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR? >> NO.

OUR HOPE IS THAT WHEN THESE NUMBERS WERE DEVELOPED WE DO NOT YET HAVE THAT COMMITMENT FROM PRESTIGE AND SO OUR HOPE IS THAT IT IS GOING TO DECLINE SIGNIFICANTLY.

WE NEED SOME TIME TO EVALUATE THAT. >> MAYOR JONES: MARIA,

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? >> JUST TO CONFIRM WHAT RENE JUST MENTIONED, WHEN WE MADE THE ASSUMPTIONS FOR THE BUDGET, WE WERE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION SO THOSE CHANGES IN HEALTHCARE WERE INCORPORATED. WE ALSO INCORPORATED THE CHANGES THAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES AND INCREASING PREMIUMS AND DEDUCTIBLES AND OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES. SO THOSE WERE INCLUDED. AND ALSO WE MADE SOME ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE -- THE ACTIVITY RELATED TO THE IDR PROCESS WAS NOT GOING TO GET WORSE, BUT IT WAS GOING TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING.

SO THOSE ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE BY EMPLOYEE GROUPS, CIVILIANS, FIRE AND POLICE.

AND THE MITIGATION ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAD, RENE ELABORATED ON, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THOSE AND UPDATE THE COUNCIL AS WE DO OUR QUARTERLY REPORT.

SO WE EXPECT WITH THE CHANGES, ESPECIALLY WITH PRESTIGE COMMITTING NOT TO GO THROUGH THE IDR PROCESS, MEANING THAT THEY WILL NOT BE APPEALING THE PAYMENT THAT WE PROVIDE TO THEM, THAT WILL BE SIGNIFICANT, HOWEVER THERE'S A LAG IN TIME BETWEEN WHEN THOSE CLAIMS OCCURRED AND WHEN WE PAY THEM.

SO WHEN WE COME BACK TO YOU IN DECEMBER WITH A YEAR-END REPORT WE'LL HAVE BETTER INFORMATION TO TELL YOU HOW THAT NUMBER WILL POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE.

WE EXPECT IT TO BE LOWER THAN THE 190. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY.

MAY I ASK -- MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE INNOVATION TEAM, BUT TO THE EXTENT WE'RE USING TECHNOLOGY TO ALSO UNDERSTAND WHEN WE SEE ANOMALIES IN THE FINANCE ACCOUNTING, JUST BECAUSE IN THIS AREA IT ADDS UP SO QUICKLY.

MAYBE THAT'S JUST A FOLLOW-UP FOR -- A FOLLOW-ON CONVERSATION, UNLESS YOU

WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO IT NOW, MARIA. >> ABSOLUTELY.

WE REVIEW OUR FINANCIALS ON A MONTHLY BASIS. WE KNOW VERY TIMELY IF THERE'S AN ANOMALY OR THERE'S INCREASE IN COSTS THAT WE WERE NOT ANTICIPATING.

WE MEET WITH ERIK ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND REPORT TO THE COUNCIL ON A QUARTERLY BASIS OR SOONER IF WE NEED TO. SO WE HAVE THE PROCESSES IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL EXPENSE, AND IN THIS CASE WE DID THAT WITH

EMPLOYEE HEALTHCARE. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. THE PROPOSED REDUCTION OF THE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE GENERAL FUND, THIS TO ME IN 2026 NORMALLY SEEMS LIKE JUST A STANDARD THING THAT YOU PROVIDE TO EMPLOYEES.

WOULD WE BE ESSENTIALLY ONE OF THE ONLY MAJOR CITIES IN TEXAS IF WE DIDN'T PROVIDE SOMETHING LIKE THIS? I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO WHAT THE OTHER CITIES DO, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT SEEMS LIKE A NORMAL THING.

>> IT IS SOMETHING PROVIDED BY THE OTHER MAJOR LARGE TEXAS CITIES, BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING TO IDENTIFY CUTS IN THE BUDGET, TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, WHILE AN IMPORTANT BENEFIT, ONLY ABOUT 200 SOMETHING OF THE ELIGIBLE 8,000 EMPLOYEES TO

[00:50:01]

IT'S PRIMARILY BEING USED FOR ADVANCED DEGREES AND SO DURING A BUDGET LIKE WHAT WE'RE SEEING THIS YEAR PERMANENTLY CUT BUT CAN LOOK BACK AT IT IN FUTURE YEARS, BUT WE THINK IT WILL HAVE

MINIMAL IMPACT ON THE OVERALL WORKFORCE. >> MAYOR JONES: ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT OUR WORKFORCE, 90% OF THE CIVILIANS MAKE UNDER 100K.

THOSE FOLKS WHO USE THE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, I'M GUESSING THEY'RE NOT IN THAT

90%, ARE THEY? HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE. >> THE MAJORITY THAT UTILIZE

IT ARE BETWEEN 50 AND 100. >> MAYOR JONES: THE MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS USING THE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT -- OKAY, THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU TO JUSTINA. IN PARTICULAR THE ENTIRE STAFF THAT HAS WORKED SO HARD, BUT IT'S REALLY BEEN JUSTINA THAT I'VE ENGAGED WITH THE MOST AND HAS BEEN KIND OF SO RESPONSIVE IN PROVIDING THE ANSWERS, SO THANK YOU, AS WELL AS TO THE ENTIRE BUDGET TEAM THAT IS -- WE KNOW THIS IS YOUR SUPER BOWL AND YOU ARE PERFORMING VERY WELL, EVEN THOUGH THE GAME IS NOT AS PRETTY AS WE'D LIKE IT TO BE. SO MY THANKS, OF COURSE, AND TO ERIK AND MARIA.

AS WE LOOK AT THESE BUDGET AMENDMENTS, AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES AND I, WE ARE ALL TRYING TO DO THE BEST WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE SHAPED MY THOUGHTS ON THE AMENDMENTS THAT I HAVE PROPOSED, WHICH IS, ONE, THIS IS A VERY TOUGH ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT AND OBVIOUSLY 158-MILLION-DOLLAR DEFICIT MEANS THAT THERE ARE NO SACRED COWS.

AND WE HAVE TO QUESTION THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT HAVE, FRANKLY, POTENTIALLY LED US TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE NOW. I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT AS WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET, WE ARE COGNIZANT OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AS A RESULT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND AT THE STATE LEVEL, CUTS TO MEDICARE, MEDICAID, CHIP AND SNAP, OF COURSE ON TOP OF INCREASING COSTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO HOW MIGHT WE HELP THE MOST FOLKS, BUT ALSO HOW MIGHT WE HELP THE MOST VULNERABLE THAT ARE RELYING ON SOME OF THE CRITICAL SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED FOR REDUCTION IN THE BUDGET. AND THEN CERTAINLY I THINK AS WE LOOK AT THE AMENDMENTS WHEN ASKING OUR NEIGHBORS TO POTENTIALLY ENDURE AN INCREASE IN THEIR PROPERTY TAXES, THEY ARE OF COURSE ASSUMING THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE INTELLECTUAL EXERCISE TO BE AS JUDICIOUS WITH THE MONEY THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY ENTRUSTED US WITH. SO THAT THEN SPEAKS TO SOME OF THE REALLOCATIONS, I THINK, ARE WORTH CONSIDERING IN THIS BUDGET AND I THINK HELP US EXPLAIN WHAT WE HAVE --E HERE. THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO IT AND WHAT IS LEFT TO DO.

IT'S ALSO BEEN I THINK A REALLY EYE-OPENING, I THINK, OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW WE MIGHT BETTER SPEND SOME OF THESE KIND OF SPECIFIC POT OF MONEY, WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE READY TO WORK MONEY AS WELL AS EVEN THE HOT AND HOW WE MIGHT FREE UP AND PROTECT AS MUCH OF THE RESOURCES IN OUR GENERAL FUND AS POSSIBLE BY UTILIZING SOME OF THOSE. IN SOME INSTANCES SOME OF THE RECIPIENTS MAYBE GET A LITTLE BIT LESS, BUT THAT'S SO WE CAN ACCOMMODATE MORE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE KNOW ARE IMPORTANT AND WE SAY THEY'RE IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE FUND THEM OUT OF THE YOU GENERAL FUND, HOWEVER IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE SOME OF THE FUNDS THAT ARE REALLY RESTRICTED IN THEIR PURPOSE AND LEEWAY TO BE -- TO FUND THOSE THINGS, THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY SPREAD MORE OF THOSE THINGS ACROSS. SO YOU SEE THAT REFLECTED IN MY AMENDMENTS HERE. THERE IS ALSO AS I TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE, WE RECOGNIZE AGAIN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHORE UP THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY ON THE CUSP OF EVICTION.

SO HOW DO WE, ONE -- WHAT IS A HUMANE APPROACH, WHAT IS ALSO AN APPROACH THAT WE UNDERSTAND MINIMIZES LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF PEOPLE, FRANKLY, GOING UNHOUSED OR, FRANKLY, PEOPLE GOING WITHOUT THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE THAT WE KNOW IS IMPORTANT. YOU WILL SEE THOSE IN THE AMENDMENTS THAT I HAVE PUT FORWARD. SO LET ME GIVE YOU SOME OF MY FEEDBACK, ERIK, ON THESE THINGS IN PARTICULAR. THE EASY ONE ON ATTACHMENT 4, ITEMS 1 THROUGH 5, I AGREE. THE OTHER PROPOSALS ON THERE IN TERMS OF TRYING TO REDUCE THE COLA IN ORDER TO FREE UP RESOURCES, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT.

I THINK WE JUST SAW DURING THE STORM THAT IT IS OUR FRONTLINE FOLKS THAT MADE SURE THAT WE GOT THE CITY BACK UP AND RUNNING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

[00:55:03]

THESE ARE THE INVESTMENTS USING THE READY TO WORK MONEY, THIS IN NO WAY IMPACTS CURRENT READY TO WORK RECIPIENTS. WHAT DID THIS DOES IS BRING FORWARD SOME OF THE MONEY FROM THE BACK END SO WE CAN HELP THESE PROGRAMS NOW.

THE GOOD THING IS WE ACTUALLY, I THINK, HELP ACHIEVE SOME OF OUR TALENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES SOONER RATHER THAN LATER AS A RESULT OF THAT.

MY THANKS TO THE TEAM FOR CONFIRMING THAT WE COULD IF ADEQUATELY SCOPED, ALSO UTILIZE READY TO WORK FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE DAY WORKER PILOT WHICH I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH. THIS APPROACH WITH JUST THE READY TO WORK MONEY TAKING OUT OF THOSE THINGS FROM THE GENERAL FUND THAT QUALIFY FREES UP $3.4 MILLION.

AS WELL AS BASED ON WHAT I'VE DESCRIBED IN TOTAL IN '27 AND '28 ALLOCATE $10.5 MILLION EACH FOR FY27 AND FY28. AGAIN, IN PROVEN PROGRAMS THAT HELP PEOPLE ON THEIR WORKFORCE READINESS OBJECTIVES.

THE REALLOCATIONS, I KNOW SOME OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE A BIT OF A CHALLENGE, BUT I DO THINK W HAVE TO CHALLENGE OUR ASSUMPTIONS. I'M IN FULL AGREEMENT WITH HEARD FROM EMPLOYEES ABOUT THEIR UNDERSTANDINGS OF HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT THEIR DAY-TO-DAY WORK, WE HAVE ALSO HEARD FROM THE DAIS, RIGHT, THE WAYS IN WHICH FOLKS UNDERSTAND THOSE RESOURCES AS PROVIDING MORE THAN JUST PUTTING BACK A BOOK ON THE SHELF, BUT RATHER PROVIDE CRITICAL SERVICES IN THOSE COMMUNITIES. AND SO I THINK RESTORING THOSE POSITIONS MAKES SENSE ANDI KNOW THIS ONE WILL ALSO BE CONTROVERSIAL.

BUT I KNOW THAT WE AGREED TO THAT $10 MILLION INVESTMENT SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO STAND UP THAT SCHOOL, UM, BUT I THINK THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE CUTS, IN PARTICULAR TO PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, THAT COULD -- WE COULD RESTORE BY -- BY NOT FULFILLING THAT LAST $2 MILLION.

WE HELP OURSELVES, NOT ONLY THE FOUR VACANT POSITIONS IN METRO HEALTH AS WELL AS THE POSITIONS IN THE MATERNAL MORTALITY HEALTH INITIATIVES, RESTORING THE NUTRITION SITE AT DARNER AND THE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED. SO I THINK THAT, AGAIN, THIS GOES BACK TO EXPLAINING TO THE PEOPLE THAT THIS IS TRYING TO BE AS JUDICIOUS WITH THE RESOURCES ENTRUSTED AND THAT DOES REQUIRE SAYING NO TO CERTAIN THINGS SO THAT WE CAN, AGAIN, INVEST IN THOSE PROGRAMS THAT DO THE MOST -- THE MOST GOOD IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I MEAN, THAT WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THE U.T. SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH ANNUAL BUDGET -- I MEAN U.T. SAN ANTONIO SCHOOLS ANNUAL BUDGET IS $975 MILLION SO THERE'S $2 MILLION CONTRIBUTION I THINK IS MANAGEABLE TO GO WITHOUT. I JUST MENTIONED IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE INVESTMENT IN THE MATERNAL MORTALITY AND MATERNAL HEALTH PROGRAM IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AS IS THE UTILIZING THE $1 MILLION FROM THE MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER. I APPRECIATE THE CONFIRMATION THAT THAT IS ALLOWABLE UNDER LAW. AND THIS WOULD DO -- FUND THE EXACT SAME PROGRAMS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY FUNDED AT THE $500,000 LEVEL, BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN WE'RE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE'S AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS BUT THERE'S ALSO, UNFORTUNATELY, UM -- I WILL JUST CALL IT -- SAY A PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGE IN PARTICULAR FOR -- FOR WOMEN, UM, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT HE'S GOING TO WITH HOLD THE MATERNAL MORTALITY REPORT FOR THE STATE UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION.

AND SO IT'S INCUMBENT ON US I THINK THAT WHERE WE CAN HELP OURSELVES IN THIS CRITICAL AREA THAT WE DO THAT. SO A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE MEDICAID 11 15 WAIVER FUNDS IN 2027-2028. ALL OF THESE ALLOCATIONS ARE NET ZERO FOR THE GENERAL FUND BUT I DO THINK THAT SPEAK TO HELPING FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE BEST UTILIZE THE MONEY THEY'VE ENTRUSTED US WITH. YOU WILL NOTE ON THERE THAT I WON'T GO INTO GREAT DETAIL, BUT I WOULD USE THE HUD -- WE HAVE IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITIES TO RESTORE SOME PROGRAMS. I SEE A LOT OF CHEFS HERE AND WE'RE ONE OF ONLY TWO U.S. CITIES IN THE GASTRONOMY PROGRAM

[01:00:03]

NOW THAT MAY MEAN, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT LESS MONEY FOR CERTAIN THINGS.

WHETHER YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT VISIT SAN ANTONIO AND WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER THINGS. BUT I THINK THAT IT'S ALL IN THAT SAME VEIN AND, AGAIN, IF WE CAN HELP OURSELVES BY PROTECTING THE GENERAL FUND, THEN WE NEED TO DO THAT.

BECAUSE WE CAN'T USE THAT MONEY ON OTHER THINGS. WE CAN'T USE THAT H.O.T. ON SIDEWALKS AND OTHER THINGS BUT WE CAN USE IT ON THE GAS STRONG ME PROGRAM AND WORLD HERITAGE, ETC., ETC. AND AS MENTIONED WITH THE TIRZ, THE PROGRAMS THAT I HAVE IDENTIFIED, IF WE DO WANT TO UTILIZE CITY INITIATED TIRZ BALANCES, THAT HELPS TO FREE UP $2.9 MILLION. AND I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S CLARITY ON THE POINT THAT ERIK JUST MADE. YES, IT WOULD MODIFY SLIGHTLY THE GUIDANCE ON THE CITY-INITIATED TIRZ. BUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS REDUCING OUR PARTICIPATION LEVEL, I.E, WE FOREGO LESS PROPERTY TAXES SO THAT WE CAN FUND THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT, I WOULD ARGUE. BUT WE DO SO THROUGH AVAILABLE POT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MONEY WHICH IS, IN FACT, THE CITY-INITIATED TIRZ. OKAY, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION AND I THINK THAT, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT REALLY JUST ONLY A QUESTION FOR OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT RAISING PROPERTY TAXES OR NOT. I THINK THAT THEY EXPECT US TO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE INTELLECTUAL EXERCISE, CAN EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO HELP OURSELVES. AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEST SERVING, UM, THE MOST VULNERABLE AND HAVE A BUDGET THAT REFLECTS OUR VALUES.

OKAY. SO TO BE VERY CLEAR IN TERMS OF OFFSETTING FROM THE TIRZ, ERIK, WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE REDUCED PARTICIPATION RATE LOOKS LIKE IN ORDER TO COVER WHAT I CALL COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BILLS. COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ,

PLEASE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

IN PREVIOUS YEARS, CIRCUMSTANCES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE COMFORTABLE.

I RECALL THE PROCEDURE WHERE IF SIX OF US SAID THAT WE WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING, EVEN IF WE DIDN'T NECESSARILY PROPOSE A CUT OR A WAY TO FUND IT, ERIK, YOU WOULD MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR THE MOST PART. THAT WILL NOT BE THE CASE THIS YEAR, RIGHT?

>> THIS IS UNLIKE THOSE PAST YEARS WHERE WE GENERALLY HAD AVAILABLE REVENUE TO BE ABLE TO

MAKE AMENDMENTS OUT OF. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. SO JUST BECAUSE SIX OF US SUPPORT SOMETHING OR SAY UP HERE THAT WE WANT SOMETHING TO BE FUNDED OR RESTORED, IF THERE'S

NO MECHANISM TO FUND IT, YOU WON'T DO SO? >> WELL, UNLESS I HEAR FROM THE COUNCIL THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE, THAT'S $1.4 MILLION A YEAR OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS -- THAT MONEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR -- FOR AMENDMENTS.

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WHAT IS THE $1.4 MILLION? >> IT'S ATTACHMENT FOUR ON THE MEMO. THE REVENUE ADJUSTMENTS THAT COUNCIL SUGGESTED DURING THE WORK SESSIONS. BOOTING FEES, AND AN ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENT ON VACANT LOT AND DANGEROUS PREMISE ABATEMENT, ADMINISTRATIVE FEES, CERTAIN PARKING FINE INCREASES AND AN INCREASE IN THE RIVER BARGE TICKET FEE FOR ADULT NON-RESIDENTS.

AND THEN INCREASING OURS THAT OR HAZMAT FEE AT RETAIL GAS STATIONS TO RECOVER OUR COSTS.

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SOUNDS GOOD. I WOULD SUPPORT EACH OF THOSE AND I THINK THAT WILL HOPEFULLY TO HELP SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE LOOKING TO SEE SOME ADDITIONAL RESTORATIONS.

UP HERE LARGELY THOUGH, I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY CONSENSUS OR BROAD SUPPORT FOR ADDITIONAL CUTS.

ALTERNATIVELY I HAVE HEARD REQUESTS TO RESTORE A LOT OF FUNDING AND SO I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR, ERIK, IF WE DO NOT SUPPORT A RATE INCREASE ON THURSDAY, THE PATH FORWARD IS NOT ONLY -- NOT RESTORING THE PROGRAMS AND STAFF THAT WE WANT TO, BUT IT IS ALSO TO REMOVE MANY OF THE PROGRAMS AND EMPLOYEES THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED IN ALTERNATIVE

SCENARIO A. IS THAT AT LEAST -- >> WALSH: GENERALLY, YES.

I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD -- I IF I'M IN THAT POSITION THAT I WOULD JUST TURN AROUND AND GIVE YOUY AND THEIRA BECAUSE THERE'S A COUPLE OF ITEMS ON THERE THAT I WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING REDUCTIONS ON. SO I THINK WE'D HAVE TO GO -- THE STAFF AND I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH AN EXERCISE OF LOOKING TO MINIMIZE IMPACTS AND MAKING PERMANENT RECURRING

ADJUSTMENTS. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: AND ULTIMATELY, EVEN IF YOU DECIDED TO NOT REDUCE SOME OF THOSE ITEMS THAT MAYBE WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS UNACCEPTABLE OR YOU FEEL THAT WOULD HAVE A DISPARATE IMPACT AND THERE'S A LIKELIHOOD THAT WHATEVER YOU DO PROPOSE AS AN ALTERNATE PLAN COULD ALSO BE VIEWED THE SAME WAY BY ANY OF US?

>> WALSH: YES, SURE. ONE OF THE 11, ABSOLUTELY. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.

[01:05:01]

DEBBIE, OR SOMEBODY FROM I.T., COULD PUT THIS ON THE SCREEN? THANK YOU.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I STATED EARLIER, IF WE DO NOT VOTE FOR THE RATE AND WE CEDE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET, ERIK WILL NOT BE RESTORING THESE PROGRAMS AND POSITIONS AND NOT ADDING MORE POLICE OFFICERS AND WE'LL LOOK FOOLISH TO OUR CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GUIDE THE DIRECTION OF THE BUDGET. SO WHAT YOU HAVE HERE THAT IS ABOUT TO BE ON THE SCREEN DOES -- IS A COMPROMISE I FEEL THAT DOES A FEW THINGS.

I'VE IDENTIFIED MORE THAN $2.5 MILLION IN PROGRAMMING THAT I CAN SUPPORT AND GET BOARD APPROVAL FROM THE INNER CITY TIRZ, AND M.L.K., I SUGGEST TWO TIMES.

AND PARTIALLY FUNDS BOTANICAL GARDENS AND LEAVING THE $1.4 MILLION IN THE ELIGIBLE FUND FOR A TOTAL OF $1 MILLION PER YEAR. AND A SOFTER VERSION OF SOME OF THE ERIK'S REDUCTIONS INCLUDING REDUCING SPD'S CALLBACK BUDGET FROM $870,000 TO $570,000 AND REDUCING FIRE OVERTIME FROM $4 MILLION TO $3.5 MILLION. AND THE PAVEMENT MARKINGS FROM 3 1/2 YEARS TO FOUR YEARS.

ETC. AND LASTLY, AS A POTENTIAL REVENUE STREAM, IF WE INCREASED THE LIBRARY FEE FROM $20 TO $25, WE COULD WE ESTIMATE AN ADDITIONAL $250,000 IN REVENUE.

THANKS. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THE REASON THAT I HAVE IMPLEMENTED THESE REDUCTIONS THAT ERIK HAD IDENTIFIED BUT SOFTER VERSIONS IS BECAUSE IF WE DO NOT MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER THESE WILL BE CUT OR REDUCED BY A SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER AMOUNT AND WE WOULD LOSE EVEN MORE STAFF AND DEPARTMENTS. SO WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS A GOOD-FAITH ATTEMPT TO GET BUY-IN AND SUPPORT FOR A BUDGET WITH AS LITTLE NEGATIVE IMPACT AS POSSIBLE.

NO SACRED COWS AND I FEEL LIKE, ONE, I'M DEMONSTRATING A LOAD OF GOOD FAITH BY OFFERING INNER CITY TIRZ DOLLARS THAT COULD BE USED ENTIRELY FOR DISTRICT TWO AND FOR THIS SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC REGION. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT READY-TO-WORK AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A MORE IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ABOUT POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF SHIFTING OUR GENERAL FUND PROGRAMS INTO EITHER OF THESE FUNDS.

I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT BEYOND CONSERVING AS MANY POSITIONS AS POSSIBLE WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT OUR STAFF ARE WELL TAKEN CARE OF.

AND THERE IS NO CONSENSUS AROUND ALTERNATIVE FORM OF COLA SO WE LEAVE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION ALINE AND MAINTAIN 3% ACROSS-THE-BOARD INCREASE. AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT THERE AS A BODY, SO THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE A COMPROMISE TO GET THE LEAST HORRIBLE BUDGET POSSIBLE. I APPRECIATE THE POINT THAT THE MAYOR MADE IN THE VERY BEGINNING THAT THE CHALLENGING TO APPROVE A RATE INCREASE. BUT ULTIMATELY THE ALTERNATIVE IS CATASTROPHIC. WE MAY NOT GET EVERYTHING THAT WE WANT OUT OF THIS BUDGET JUST AS THE MAYOR MAY NOT GET EVERY CUT THAT SHE LOOKED FOR AND TIRZ CONTRIBUTION OR H.O.T. TAX AND NOT EVERYONE WILL GET EVERYTHING THAT THEY WANTED. SO I FEEL THAT OUR BEST MOVE IS TO -- IS FORWARD AS A BODY. AND SO I SUBMIT THAT FOR Y'ALL'S CONSIDERATION AND HOPEFULLY

SUPPORT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ, JUST BASED ON YOUR LINE OF QUESTIONING -- ACTUALLY, THIS IS A QUESTION FOR YOU, ERIK. I THINK THAT FOR FOLKS TO HAVE AS GOOD OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT $165 MILLION MIGHT LOOK LIKE YOU INDICATED THAT THERE MIGHT BE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU MAY HAVE CONSIDERED THAT HAVE NOT CURRENTLY BEEN PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL THAT YOU MIGHT CONSIDER AS TO COVER THE GAP. WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO SEE SOME OF THOSE BY TOMORROW, SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND KIND OF THE FULL RANGE HERE?

>> WALSH: NO, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE IT. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY.

>> WALSH: YEAH, I LOOK AT THAT LIST INTERNALLY AND THINKING I WOULDN'T DO THOSE THINGS IF I HAD TO. BUT WE HAVEN'T NOT GONE THROUGH THAT EXERCISE.

AND HOPE NOT TO GO THROUGH THAT EXERCISE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. BUT WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT.

BEYOND THAT ADDITIONAL -- THAT $75 MILLION THAT WAS ATTACHMENT 3 ON FRIDAY -- ON FRIDAY'S MEMO THAT WE PROVIDED WITH THE FIRST BUDGET WORK SESSION -- WE HAVE DONE NO ADDITIONAL WORK IN THAT AREA. AND I DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR ME, FOR US, TO

PRODUCE THAT TO YOU BEFORE THURSDAY. >> MAYOR JONES: MY CONCERN WITH MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES NOT SEEING THAT LIST IS THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING THE DECISION BASED ON WHAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED BEFORE US. BUT IF YOU ARE ACTUALLY CONSIDERING OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN -- AND SOME OF THOSE MAY MORE FAVORABLE FOR

[01:10:04]

THINGS THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN? >> WALSH: I CAN SHARE WITH YOU TOMORROW THE THINGS THAT -- OFF OF THAT $75 MILLION THAT I WOULDN'T -- PUT IN THAT POSITION THAT I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND OR IMPLEMENT. I WOULD NOT MAKE -- I WOULD NOT MAKE ADJUSTMENTS THROUGH THE TRAFFIC MARKINGS. I WOULD NOT REDUCE THAT.

I WOULD NOT REDUCE MAINTENANCE OF NON-SERVICE ALLEYS. I WOULD NOT REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE PARK STEWARD PROGRAM. I WOULD NOT ELIMINATE, UM, THE VIDAC PROGRAM IN DHS.

SO I CAN GIVE YOU -- THAT'S AN EASIER LIST TO GIVE BECAUSE THERE'S PROBABLY EIGHT OR NINE THINGS THAT I DON'T THINK THAT -- I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE A DIDISPARATE IMPACT.

SO I CAN DO THAT FOR YOU GUYS TOMORROW AND THAT WAY YOU GET A SENSE WHAT I THINK THAT IS OKAY

AND POTENTIALLY DOABLE AND THE THINGS THAT I DON'T. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY.

AND OF THE $75 MILLION THAT YOU HAVE TO GO FIND, THE THINGS THAT YOU JUST OUTLINED, AND OTHER THINGS THAT YOU THINK -- HOW MUCH OF THAT IS GOING TO COVER THE 75?

>> WALSH: WE'LL TOTAL THAT UP FOR YOU GUYS, I DON'T KNOW OFF OF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

>> MAYOR JONES: THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, THANK YOU. BUT WOULD STILL BE OUTSTANDING

THOUGH IS HOW YOU WOULD COVER -- NOT THOSE THINGS, IS THAT RIGHT? >> WALSH: THAT'S THE WORK, YES,

MA'AM. >> MAYOR JONES: GOT IT, THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN WHYTE, PLEASE. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M GOING TO BEGIN BY SAYING THAT, AGAIN, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD WE BE RAISING PROPERTY TAXES ON THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO. ESPECIALLY NOT IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE WE'RE IN NOW.

WHERE EVERYTHING IS SO EXPENSIVE AND THEY'RE FEELING THE ADDED FINANCIAL BURDEN OF THE COST OF LIVING ON A DAILY BASIS. WE SHOULD NOT BE INCREASING THAT BURDEN ON OUR RESIDENTS.

ESPECIALLY NOT FOR THE FOLLOWING THREE REASONS: NUMBER ONE, ERIK, HOW MANY -- HOW MANY DEPARTMENTS

DO WE DO COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWS ON THIS YEAR? >> WALSH: THIS YEAR -- FIVE.

POLICE, FIRE, MUNICIPAL COURT AND LIBRARY AND H.R.. >> WHYTE: AND HOW MANY

DEPARTMENT DOES WE HAVE CITY-WIDE? >> WALSH: 42.

>> WHYTE: SO TO ASK THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO TO PAY MORE IN PROPERTY TAXES WHEN WE HAVE NOT GONE THROUGH THESE COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWS FOR EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT STRIKES ME AS EXTREMELY WRONG. NUMBER TWO: THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET IN 2022 WAS $1.36 BILLION. &-ÚT FOR THIS YEAR I THINK IS $1.76 BILLION.

HOW IN THE WORLD WE'RE SPENDING $400 MILLION ADDITIONAL DOLLARS IN JUST OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, UM, I -- I DO NOT -- I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. AND TO ME THAT IS, UM, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE WITH SPENDING HERE AT CITY HALL.

AND, FINALLY, THE THIRD REASON THAT A PROPERTY TAX HIKE MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE TO ME IS THAT OUR OWN CITY STAFF -- THEIR FINANCIAL FORECAST SAYS THAT EVEN IF WE RAISE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE THIS YEAR, EVEN IF WE RAISE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE NEXT YEAR -- FIVE YEARS FROM NOW WE'RE STILL PROJECTED TO HAVE OVER A $100 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT.

RAISING THE PROPERTY TAX RATE IS SIMPLY A BAND-AID. IT DOES NOT FIX THE STRUCTURAL PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE. AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US TO DO IS TO FIX THE PROBLEM NOW AND NOT JUST KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW SITTING IN HERE IF WE'RE HERE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW AND WE HAVE OVER $100 MILLION DEFICIT AGAIN, WHAT IS COUNCIL GOING TO DO? PROBABLY LOOKING AT ANOTHER PROPERTY TAX RATE HIKE.

AND THAT TO ME IS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE. SO I HAVE PUT FORTH A PLAN THAT IS IN FRONT OF EACH OF YOU TO CLOSE THE BUDGET GAP. ALL $158 MILLION WITHOUT THE NEED FOR A PROPERTY TAX HIKE. IT IS DONE THROUGH A COMBINATION OF STRATEGIC PROGRAM CUTS.

IT'S DONE THROUGH SOME OF THE CITY MANAGERS' PROPOSED CUTS. AND IT'S DONE WITH SOME FEE INCREASES. AND IT'S DONE BY USING A 2% NON-PERSONNEL CUT ACROSS ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS. WHEN YOU ADD IT ALL UP, WE CAN CLOSE THE BUDGET GAP WITHOUT RAISING PROPERTY TAXES ON THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO. SO I KNOW THE CITY MANAGER HAS GIVEN US A PROPOSAL TO DO THAT. I HAVE NOW GIVEN YOU A PROPOSAL. AND I -- I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO AT LEAST CONSIDER THAT PROPOSAL THERE. ERIK, MY QUESTION IS IF THERE'S

[01:15:07]

RIGHT? >> WALSH: COMPLETELY CAPABLE AND WE WILL BE PREPARED.

>> WHYTE: OKAY. I HAVE ALSO PUT A PROPOSAL ON YOUR DESK TO ADD THE 10 ADDITIONAL S.A.F.E. OFFICERS. AGAIN, BACKGROUND -- 2023, WE PAID OVER $100,000 FOR AN OUTSIDE GROUP TO STUDY HOW MANY ADDITIONAL PATROL OFFICERS THAT WE NEED ON THE STREETS OF SAN ANTONIO. THEY SAID 360. WE'VE ONLY FUNDED 200 OF THEM AT THE PRESENT TIME. Y'ALL KNOW -- AND I TALKED TO COUNCILMAN MCGHEE ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY I WANTED 60 ADDITIONAL OFFICERS BUT WE HAD TO COMPROMISE AND GET 40.

I WANTED 40 AGAIN THIS YEAR. I UNDERSTAND THE TOUGH BUDGET TIMES.

I WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO COMPROMISE WITH ME ON THIS. ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, UM, LOVE AND APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THEIR S.A.F.E. OFFICERS DO AND FOR $1.6 MILLION -- EACH OF OUR DISTRICTS CAN GET AN ADDITIONAL S.A.F.E OFFICER. WE ALWAYS SAY PUBLIC SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE. I JUST MET WITH A GROUP OF FIVE CONSTITUENTS YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WHO HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH BREAK-INS AND ALL SORTS OF CRIME THERE IN THE OAK PARK NORTHWOOD AREA. I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE TO CONSIDER THESE FIVE OPTIONS THAT I'VE PUT IN FRONT OF YOU FOR THE ADDITIONAL 10S.A.F.E. OFFICERS AND THERE'S FIVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THERE. AND IT'S A COMBINATION, AGAIN, OF STRATEGIC PROGRAMS AND REDUCTIONS AND FEE ADJUSTMENTS. AND THEN ON THE LAST PAGE ON THE BACK, WE TALK ABOUT REDUCING MONEY FROM EACH OF OUR COUNCIL OFFICES. $50,000 FROM EACH COUNCIL OFFICE AND THE MAYOR, THAT'S $550,000. AND THEN WE'RE LEFT WITH NEEDING ANOTHER MILLION TO GET THOSE 10 S.A.F.E. OFFICERS ON THE STREETS OF SAN ANTONIO. AND SO RESPECTFULLY, COLLEAGUES, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THAT AS WELL. MY COLLEAGUE IN DISTRICT 9 ALSO IS GOING TO BE PRESENTING A PROPOSAL IN A MINUTE AS WELL, REGARDING HER SUGGESTION FOR HOW WE GET SOME OF THESE OFFICERS. I'VE LOOKED AT THAT AND I THINK THAT THERE'S GREAT SUGGESTIONS IN HERE AS WELL. SO WHETHER IT'S DISTRICT 9 PROPOSAL OR WHETHER IT'S MY PROPOSAL ON THE S.A.F.E. OFFICERS, PLEASE LET'S GET AN ADDITIONAL S.A.F.E. OFFICER FOR EACH OF OUR DISTRICTS. TRAVEL EXPENSES, ERIK, I SAW SOMETHING -- OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE THE NEWS STORY LAST WEEK ABOUT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE $250,000 IN TRAVEL EXPENSES.

THERE WAS A SLIDE HERE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN BRING IT UP ON THE TRAVEL EXPENSE BUDGET THAT

WE'RE MAKING SOME ADJUSTMENT THERE, RIGHT? >> WALSH: YES, SIR.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UM, INCLUDED 25% REDUCTION IN TRAVEL THROUGH EVERY DEPARTMENT TO INCLUDE THE MAYOR AND COUNCILS THAT NETTED -- THAT NETTED ABOUT $252,000 IN SAVINGS IN PROPOSED

BUDGET. >> WHYTE: SO OBVIOUSLY THE MATH -- THE $250,000 FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IN THE LAST YEAR, IS THAT A DIFFERENT BUDGET THAN WHAT THIS IS?

>> WALSH: SO -- SO THE 25% REDUCTION IN TRAVEL, ALL DEPARTMENTS, WAS $252,000 IN SAVINGS. IS THAT THE 250 THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?

>> WHYTE: WELL, THIS $15,000 REDUCTION IN TRAVEL IN MAYOR AND COUNCIL OFFICES -- THOSE ARE

SPECIFIC TO EACH COUNCIL OFFICE? >> WALSH: YES, SIR. >> WHYTE: WAS THE $250,000 THAT

THE MAYOR SPENT ON TRAVEL FROM HER COUNCIL OFFICE? >> WALSH: NO -- NO, BECAUSE THERE WAS -- THERE WAS, UM -- UM, ADDITIONAL EXPENSES, UM, IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

>> WHYTE: SO -- >> MAYOR JONES: I'M GOING TO HELP YOU OUT.

HELP YOU OUT. SO THE $250,000 AND THE TRAVEL, ALMOST TWO-THIRDS OF THAT, ALMOST $200,000 OF THAT IS EXECUTIVE PROTECTION THAT IS FACED UNDER SAPD ABOUT A RISK ASSESSMENT THEY MAKE WHAT I NEED HERE LOCALLY AND WHEN I TRAVEL. AS YOU KNOW, THE CHIEF OF POLICE WORKS FOR THE CITY MANAGER. SO IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT EXPENSE -- THEN YOU ARE RIGHT TO BE BRINGING IT UP. BUT TWO-THIRDS -- ALMOST $200,000 OF THAT TRAVEL EXPENSE

IS EXECUTIVE PROTECTION. THANK YOU. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

[01:20:01]

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

AND SO HOW IS THAT ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET? >> WALSH: WELL --

>> WHYTE: THIS COMES -- >> WALSH: TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, IT IS NOT $200,000 IN AIRLINE TICKETS FOR THE EXECUTIVE PROTECTION. YOU ARE PAYING FOR THE TIME,

OVERTIME -- >> WHYTE: THAT'S PART OF THE TWO-THIRDS OF THE BUDGET THAT IS

PUBLIC SAFETY? >> WALSH: YES, BUT THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE TOTAL COST THAT WAS REPORTED LAST WEEK. SO IT'S NOT -- IT'S NOT -- IT'S TRAVEL BUT IT'S ALSO THE

OFFICERS' TIME. >> WHYTE: GOT IT, GOT IT. OKAY.

THANK YOU. LIBRARY. THE CUTS TO THE LIBRARY.

WE ARE NOT CUTTING ANY LIBRARY SERVICES, ARE WE? >> WALSH: NO, SIR.

>> WHYTE: SO THE ONLY CUTS TO THE LIBRARY ARE RELATED TO PERSONNEL AND WHY ARE THOSE CUTS BEING MADE? HOW DID WE ARRIVE AT MAKING THOSE CUT?

>> WALSH: SO THERE'S? LINE ITEM REDUCTIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEW, BUT IF I'M FOLLOWING YOUR LINE OF QUESTIONING, YOU ARE REFERRING TO THE PROPOSAL TO REDUCE AND TO REDISTRIBUTE, UM, STAFFING AT THE BRANCH LIBRARIES; CORRECT?

>> WHYTE: CORRECT. >> WALSH: THIS IS PART OF LAST WEEK'S BUDGET WORK SESSION AND KATE DID A GREAT JOB OF WALKING THROUGH THE ANALYSIS THAT POLICE DEPARTMENT -- THAT INNOVATION WENT THROUGH TO LOOK AT ACTIVITIES FROM THE BRANCH LIBRARIES, WHICH HAS CHANGED.

BEHAVIOR HAS CHANGED. UTILIZATION OF CERTAIN, UM, -- UM, HOW INDIVIDUALS ARE CHECKING OUT MATERIALS. A LOT HAS BEEN DONE SELF-SERVICE AND THROUGH DIGITAL.

AND SO PART OF THAT ANALYSIS RECOMMENDED THE ELIMINATION OF POSITIONS, BUT ALSO THE

REDISTRIBUTION BECAUSE WE HAD DIFFERENT STAFF IN DIFFERENT -- >> WHYTE: SO THE REDUCTION WAS

BASED UPON DECREASED TRAFFIC IN OUR LIBRARIES? >> WALSH: YES, SIR.

>> WHYTE: AND NONE OF THE PEOPLE THOUGH THAT ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS AND THEY HAVE ALL BEEN

OFFERED ANOTHER JOB WITH THE CITY? >> WALSH: THERE'S 14 INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL STAY IN THE SAME JOB IN THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT. AND THERE'S EIGHT THAT WILL BE

PLACED IN DHS WITH NO CHANGE IN PAY. >> WHYTE: AND THE REST OF THE

POSITIONS ELIMINATED WERE ALREADY VACANT? >> WALSH: YES, SIR.

>> WHYTE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: TO BE CLEAR -- I'M SORRY -- FOR THE LIBRARY -- SIR, YES, THANK YOU. THE CLARIFICATION -- THIS IS AN IMPORTANT NUANCE.

HE JUST TALKED ABOUT REDUCED TRAFFIC AT THE LIBRARIES. WHAT THE ANALYSIS WAS ACTUALLY DISCUSSING WAS A CHANGE IN WORK BASED ON THE METRICS THAT YOU ALL REVIEWED.

BUT CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY THE ACCURACY OF THE POINT THAT HE JUST MADE IN TERMS OF REDUCED

TRAFFIC IN THE LIBRARIES? >> YES, SO THE POSITION -- SORRD AFTERNOON.

SO THE REDUCED FOR THE AIDES AND THEY ARE SHELFING AND RE-SHELVING, THAT'S 40% DOWN FROM 2019 THROUGH 2025. FOR THE CIRCULATION ATTENDANTS WHO ARE STAFFING THE SERVICE DESK AND LOOKING AT CHECKING OUT BOOKS, THAT WAS DOWN 62%. SO THERE WERE TWO PRIMARY

METRICS ON THE TRAFFIC THAT ERIK WAS ALLUDING TO. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY.

>> WALSH: AND I THINK TO YOUR POINT, MAYOR, THAT WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE GOING TO THE BRANCH LIBRARY. THEY'RE JUST DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY DECREASING. IT'S THOSE FUNCTIONS WITHIN --

>> MAYOR JONES: YEP. >> WALSH: THAT STAFFING IS TIED TO THAT HAS DECLINED.

>> MAYOR JONES: UNDERSTOOD. SO I WANT TO MAKE THE POINT, YES, THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING TO THE LIBRARY AT THE RATES THAT WE HAD SEEN PREVIOUSLY. THE WORK LOOKS DIFFERENT.

AND BASED ON THE METRICS THAT Y'ALL HAVE LOOKED AT YOU HAVE SEEN A REDUCTION.

AND OTHER POINTS MADE FROM THE DAIS IN TERMS OF THE OTHER SERVICES THAT THE LIBRARY PROVIDES, WERE NOT ACTUALLY PART OF YOUR REVIEW. BUT I THINK THAT SOME OF US SAID

THAT ARE IMPORTANT SERVICES THAT THE LIBRARIES PROVIDE, RIGHT? >> THEY WERE PART OF OUR REVIEW AND WE LOOKED AT A MINIMUM STAFFING MODEL SO THE LIBRARIANS AND THERE'S NO ADJUSTMENT THERE AND THE TRAINING OFFICERS. AND THEY ARE PROVIDING THE MAJORITY OF THOSE OTHER SERVICES THAT YOU ARE DESCRIBING -- THE PROGRAMS, THE DIRECTING, UM, PATRONS THROUGHOUT THE LIBRARY.

SO WE DID LOOK AT IT HOLISTICALLY. THIS IS AREA THAT WE FOUND THAT WAS MOST RELATED TO TRENDS IN BEHAVIOR FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. AND SO THAT'S WHY THIS IS WHERE THE REDUCTIONS WERE MADE IN THE PART-TIME AND SOME FULL-TIME POSITIONS.

>> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. IF I MAY, UM, AND WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS EARLIER -- BUT JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE HEARD DIFFERENT FEEDBACK FROM ACTUAL LIBRARY EMPLOYEES, RIGHT, AND I THINK THAT IS FAIR. AND I THINK THAT KIND OF WHERE YOU STAND IS WHERE YOU SIT.

SO THE CBR THAT YOU ALL DID -- AND, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK -- WAS THERE AN

[01:25:02]

>> YES, MA'AM. WE DID A SURVEY THAT ALL OF THEM ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN.

71% RESPONDED. AND IN SPEAKING TO SOMETHING THAT YOU BROUGHT UP AND I HAVE HEARD OTHERS BRING UP AND THEY DID REPORT 50% THAT THEY WERE DOING CERTAIN THINGS OUTSIDE OF THEIR JOB DESCRIPTIONS. SO WE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT THE MODEL.

YOU KNOW, OVER TIME YOU WANT TO DO MORE. WE GET IT.

YOU ARE PAID TO DO THESE JOBS IN YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION. SO THIS RIGHT-SIZING ISN'T JUST ABOUT REDUCING THE POSITIONS. IT'S ABOUT A LOT HAS CHANGED IN THE LIBRARY -- ESPECIALLY POST-PANDEMIC. AND SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TEAM TO REALLY SHORE THAT IN MOVING FORWARD. AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE CALLING IT THE NEW STAFFING MODEL.

BECAUSE THEY'RE PREPARED TO DO THAT MOVING FORWARD. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY, APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, PLEASE.

>> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AS WE'RE STATING EARLIER I THINK THAT FAILING TO ADOPT A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE WITH THE CUTS THAT WILL HAVE TO COME AFTERWARD IS GOING TO BE PRETTY DETRIMENTAL, ESPECIALLY TO DISTRICTS, I WOULD PROBABLY SAY 1 THROUGH 5. SO I WOULD JUST ASK MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE PREPARED TO VOTE AGAINST THAT TO JUST THINK IF IT DOES FAIL WHAT THOSE CUTS ARE GOING TO MEAN FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND MAYBE SOME FEELING THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY MORE THAN OTHERS. SO THE CURRENT AMENDMENT PROCESS, ERIK, IF I CAN JUST MAKE SURE THAT I'M CORRECT -- THE CURRENT AMENDMENT PROCESS ASSUMES THE PROPERTY TAX

INCREASE; CORRECT? >> WALSH: YES, SIR. EXCEPT ON -- ON ATTACHMENT 1, THE FIRST ITEM WAS A SUGGESTION TO REDUCE THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE TO NOT TWO PENNIES BUT

ON ONE PENNY. >> MUNGIA: ABSOLUTELY. SO I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT AMENDMENTS BROUGHT UP AND I RESPECT THAT AND I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH FOLKS TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. I JUST THINK IF FOLKS ARE GOING TO ULTIMATELY VOTE AGAINST THE TAX INCREASE IT BECOMES MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO FIT THE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR INTO THE BUDGET THAT ASSUMES THE TAX INCREASE. SO WOULD LOVE TO WORK ON THE STAFFING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT IS A LONG-TERM THING THAT WE ALL AGREE ON. BECAUSE I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THE MODEL FOR POLICE STAFFING IS NO LONGER BEING UPHELD BY THIS COUNCIL, FOR MORE THAN ONE REASON.

SO I WOULD JUST PUT THAT OUT THERE. THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO ALSO TO NOT VOTE FOR THE TAX INCREASE, MAKING AMENDMENTS WITHIN THE TAX INCREASE PROPOSAL IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT IN MY MIND TO GET BEHIND. SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT. I DO SUPPORT ATTACHMENT 4 ON THE MEMO, FOR THOSE REVENUE INCREASES. SO 1 THROUGH 5 IS FINE WITH ME. AND I DO THINK THANK COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ FOR SHARING THIS LIST WITH US HERE. SO I DO SUPPORT THE RESTORATIONS AND I THINK THAT THOSE ARE IMPORTANT FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS, INCLUDING THE ONE THAT I HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR FOR SOUTHWEST. AND MOVING ON TO REDUCTIONS WHICH IS JUST AS IMPORTANT, IT'S NICE TO SEE THE $2.6 MILLION INTO INNER CITY TIRZ SO THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO BALANCE SOME OF THE PROGRAMS. ESPECIALLY IF THE PROGRAMS ARE SPECIFIC TO THAT AREA.

I THINK THAT CERTAINLY HELPS TO MAKE ROOM IN THE GENERAL FUND. AND THEN OTHER REDUCTIONS THAT I THINK THAT ARE OKAY TO DO BASED ON THIS, UM, REDUCTION IN OVERTIME IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS. OBVIOUSLY, MAKING SURE THAT IS NOT IMPACTING THE SERVICE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE. BUT I THINK THAT THAT IS IMPORTANT TO DO, TO LOOK AT -- LOOKING AT THE LYFT FUND REDUCTION AND LOOKING AT THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AND THERE'S A WAY TO FUND THAT THROUGH SOMETHING ELSE. AND THE LIBRARY ANALYTIC SOFTWARE. AND SO I THINK THAT ALSO ADJUSTING THE FEE -- POSSIBLY FROM THE LIBRARY FROM $20 TO $25 COULD BE GOOD. AND THEN USING MEDICAID WAIVER TO FUND THE REQUEST FOR REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE EFFORTS, I THINK IS GOOD.

MY QUESTION ON THE C.I.P. THOUGH, UM, YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK ABOUT ADDING THAT INTO THE BOND PROPOSAL. BUT IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE IN ACCEPTING THAT DEBT RIGHT NOW FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR TO RESTORE CIP?

>> WALSH: NO, IT'S ALL COMING OUT OF THE SAME POT. I MEAN, IT'S WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT THE VOTERS TO APPROVE IT, OR IF YOU WANT TO -- IF YOU ALL WANT TO -- WANT TO TAKE IT OUT

OF OUR CAPACITY. >> MUNGIA: SO I THINK WE NEED TO, UM, TO HAVE THAT NOW.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A PROJECT THAT I HAVE IN MY DISTRICT THAT IS RELYING ON CIP FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR. BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE HALF OF MY BALANCE RIGHT NOW.

SO I THINK THAT MOST FOLKS WERE INTERESTED IN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE INCREASED CAPACITY TO THE BOND ANYWAY. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE THAT ADVANCED WITH SOME

[01:30:02]

ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE GOING TO PAY MORE IN PROPERTY TAX. SO SOME OF THE OTHER PROPOSALS AND THE REDUCTIONS THAT I AM SEEING HERE, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE GOOD TO LOOK AT -- THE FIESTA SUBSIDY. THE AMOUNT TO SEGOVIA AND THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANT PROGRAM POSSIBLY. LIFT FUNDS. AND COUNCILMAN WHYTE'S MEMO, I AM CURIOUS WHAT THE GROUND TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS?

THAT'S LISTED AS $3 MIL >> THE GROUND TRANSPORTATION UNIT IN THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT MANAGES AND OVERSEES THE PERMITTING OF ALL TAXIS AND LIMOS AND HORSE CARRIAGES AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES THAT DRIVE AROUND DOWNTOWN. THEY DO THE, UM -- THEY MANAGE

THE PERMIT ISSUANCE AND THE INSPECTIONS. >> MUNGIA: SO, YOU KNOW, THAT ELIMINATION IS ONE THING BUT I ALSO WONDER IF THERE'S A WAY TO SAVE MONEY WHICH WE HAVE TALKED

ABOUT BEFORE -- TO MOVING THAT TO THE TRPGD DEPARTMENT? >> WALSH: NO, IT WON'T SAVE ANY MONEY. BECAUSE YOU'RE MOVING FROM ONE GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENT TO THE

OTHER. >> MUNGIA: SO THE FOLKS THAT WORK ON THAT ARE CIVILIAN?

>> WALSH: YES, THEY ARE. >> MUNGIA: WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN LIEU OF HAVING THAT FOR THOSE PERMITS? IF THAT WAS ELIMINATED, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN?

>> WALSH: I THINK THAT WE'D HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CHAOS ON OUR HANDS IN TERMS OF PERMITTING.

SO I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN GET RID OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND THE INSPECTIONS OF THAT

PROCESS. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU. THAT'S VERY GOOD TO KNOW AS I LOOK AT THIS LIST. OKAY. WELL, I THINK THAT THOSE ARE REALLY GOOD -- AND I DO LIKE AS I SAID THE COUNCILMAN'S LIST HERE WITH THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS AND OBVIOUSLY THERE MIGHT CONTINUE TO BE SOME TWEAKING BASED ON YOUR RECOMMENDATION. BUT I WOULD AGAIN REITERATE THE FAILURE TO ADOPT THE INCREASES IS GOING TO BE PRETTY DETRIMENTAL TO A LOT OF OUR DISTRICTS.

SO I REALLY HOPE THAT FOLKS CAN TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THAT. SO THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

THANK YOU. >> WALSH: MAYOR, ONE ISSUE AND COUNCILMAN MUNGIA JUST RAISED IT AND COUNCILMAN MCKEE-R MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.

BECAUSE I'M LOOKING FOR REVENUE THROUGH AMENDMENTS AND THE COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ HAS A SUGGESTION TO INCREASE THE -- THE LIBRARY FEE FROM $20 TO $25. SO AS YOU ALL GO THROUGH -- REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU MAY FEEL ABOUT THE WHOLE D2, UM, IF I CAN GET SOME INDICATION IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT -- THAT THE COUNCIL IS INTERESTED. BECAUSE THAT WOULD INCREASE OUR AVAILABLE FOR AMENDMENTS FROM $2.MILLION TO $3.8 MILLION OVER TWO YEARS.

>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ, CAN I ASK YOU TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THE EFFORT TO FREE UP GENERAL FUND MONEY EITHER BY MOVING SOME THINGS INTO THE H.O.T. OR BY UTILIZING SOME OF THE READY-TO-WORK MONEY TO FREE THAT UP.

CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT TOO, PLEASE, BECAUSE THAT ADDS CAPACITY FOR THE FUND.

>> WITH THE H.O.T., I SEE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS THAT WOULD HAVE ON THOSE FOLKS THAT MIGHT SEE A REDUCTION IN SPENDING.

SO YOU HAVE ONE OF THE PROPOSALS WAS $100,000 LESS TO AN ENTITY AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THAT ENTITY. SO IF IT IS A PROGRAM THAT THEY MIGHT DO WITH LOW PARTICIPATION, OKAY, THAT'S ONE THING. BUT IF IT'S GOING TO BE ELIMINATION OF SOME STAFFING OR POSITIONS, UM -- I ALSO WANT TO GIVE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE FOLKS AS MUCH OF A HEADS UP AS POSSIBLE. SO I THINK THAT LONG TERM THIS COUNCIL WILL HAVE A DISCUSSION ON CHANGING THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THE H.O.T. TAX AND DOING SOME RFP PROGRESS FOR SOME OF THESE ENTITIES THAT I HAVE ALL COLLECTED THE SAME AMOUNT AND CAPPING THEM OUT FROM 250 OR 150 OR 100 TO CHANGE THAT MAKEP I THINK IS VERY PRODUCTIVE. SO BEFORE WE INSTITUTE THOSE CUTS I WOULD LIKE TO CUTS I WOULD LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE CUTS MEAN FOR THOSE

E >> COUNCILMAN, I'M CRYSTAL JONES WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & CULTURE . WE DO HAVE FOR OUR NON-PROFITS THROUGH OUR ARTS AND CULTURE BUDGET, WE DO HAVE RFA PROCESS. SO IT IS A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS THAT MEETS PARTICULAR GUIDELINES. SO THEY HAVE TO MEET ELIGIBILITY TO BE AN ARTS NON-PROFIT AND PROVIDING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC PROGRAMMING BECAUSE IT USES HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND IT MUST BE ACCESSIBLE TO VISITORS. SO THERE'S A PROGRAM THAT IS A THREE-YEAR FUNDED PROGRAM THAT

[01:35:02]

AND ALL OF THOSE APPLICATIONS AND THE RECOMMENDED AMOUNTS ARE ALSO PUT THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH THE ARTS FUNDING COMMITTEE AND THE SAN ANTONIO ARTS COMMISSION WHO RECOMMENDS THESE RECOMMENDED AMOUNTS FOR THE NON-PROFITS THAT ARE FUNDED CURRENTLY THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

FOR THE AMENDMENTS LISTED WE'D BE LOOKING AT AROUND, UM, A 14.7% CUT TO THE ORGANIZATIONS FUNDED BY THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX THROUGH ARTS AND CULTURE WHICH WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE PERSONNEL AND PROGRAMS, BECAUSE OUR FUNDING IS QUITE, NEW YORK THAT IT PROVIDES OPERATIONAL FUNDING THAT IS ALLOWED TO BE USED FOR PERSONNEL AND EXPENSES TO HAVE THE

OPERATIONS OF THE ORGANIZATION AS A WHOLE. >> MUNGIA: SO I THINK THAT FOR PREPPING THOSE FOLKS, WITH A YEAR'S TIME, VERSUS A WEEK'S TIME IS HELPFUL TO BETTER TO UNDERSTAND THAT IS WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING TO GO. AND MAYBE IT'S A FINANCIAL POLICY AT THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE TO DO 250, MAYBE IT'S A POLICY NOW THAT WE DO 150 CAP, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT GOES FROM THERE.

SO I THINK IS HELPFUL. BUT AS THE NUMBER OF FOLKS, YOU KNOW, DWINDLES FOR POTENTIAL SUPPORT OF THE TAX INCREASE, I THINK THAT MAKING SURE THAT THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO SUPPORT THAT ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH HOW WE'RE DOING THE SPENDING AND THE.

WE WERE ALSO WAITING ON SOME OF THE NUMBERS REGARDING WHAT EXACTLY COULD COME OUT OF THE H.O.T., FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE, OR EVEN THE THREE PROGRAMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SLATED TO BE -- TO BE CUT. TO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH AT THIS POINT ONE FREED UP FROM THE GENERAL FUND IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO APPLY TO SOME OF THESE

OTHER THINGS? >> MAYOR, AS I MENTIONED, WE DON'T HAVE CAPACITY IN THE H.O.T.. IN OUR H.O.T. TAX, OUR 14% -- OUR ARTS FUNDING IS AT 15%.

AND WE'RE PRETTY MUCH THERE. >> MAYOR JONES: YEAH. >> SO WE WOULD NOT HAVE CAPACITY

IN OUR H.O.T. TAX. >> MAYOR JONES: SO THIS IS -- THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY I THINK WE HAVE. AND AS I HAVE DISCUSSED, WHICH IS THAT IF WE -- FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOME OF THE MUSEUMS AND SOME OF THE ENTITIES THAT GET OVER $300,000, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT, IF WE REDUCED THEIR AMOUNT JUST A LITTLE BIT, THEN WE COULD BRING IN THE MLK COMMISSION, FOR EXAMPLE. WE COULD BRING IN SOME OF THE BOOK FESTIVAL.

WE COULD BRING IN SOME, FOR EXAMPLE -- NOW UP TO YOU ALL -- OR THE LAWYERS RATHER, THAT WOULD HELP US TO UNDERSTAND IF THIS CAN COME OUT OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION OR COME OUT OF THE ARTS BUT WE TALKED ABOUT THE WORLD HERITAGE GASTRONOMY PROGRAM AND THE OTHER THINGS THAT COULD VERY CLEARLY -- EITHER A PORTION OF OR ALL OF IT.

AND THEN WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT CUTTING SOME OF THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, IF THAT MEANS, YEAH, SOME OF THESE MUSEUMS GET LESS THAN $350,000 SO WE CAN ACCOUNT FOR SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS.

SO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT EXERCISE. I KNOW THAT WE'RE AT CAPACITY WITH HOW WE SPEND THE MONEY CURRENTLY, BUT WE COULD ACCOUNT FOR MORE PROGRAMS AND THEREBY, FREEING UP MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO INVEST IN THOSE THINGS.

AND THAT AT THIS POINT, BASED ON THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD, THAT POTENTIALLY FREES UP $2.4 MILLION THAT IS EVEN ABSENT THE MONEY FOR WHATEVER COULD BE FUNDED FROM THE WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE. WHICH I WOULD BE VERY SURPRISED IF WE COULDN'T USE H.O.T. ON THAT GIVEN THAT IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON TOURISM AND VISITORS. SO THE -- ON THE LIST OF AMENDMENTS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID ASK FOR IS, UM, NOT ONLY MOVING THOSE ELIGIBLE EXPENSES FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE H.O.T., BUT THEN ASKING YOU ALL FOR WHAT IS AN EQUITABLE AND WHAT IS A FAIR -- WHAT IS A LEGAL PROCESS OR, UM, EQUATION THAT HELPS TO NOT ONLY BRING OVER THOSE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES BUT ALSO HELPS TO ACCOUNT FOR THOSE PROGRAMS IN THAT.

SO I'D STILL LIKE TO SEE THAT SO THAT WE CAN HELP FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE GET THERE.

YOU'RE RIGHT, WE WON'T GET THERE IF WE DO IT EXACTLY THE WAY THAT WE ARE DOING IT NOW.

BUT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE IS THE POINT. >> WALSH: MAYOR, ARE YOU ASKING FOR -- ARE YOU ASKING FOR -- IF THOSE EXPENSES MOVED, WHAT WOULD GET CUT?

>> MAYOR JONES: THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT.

>> WALSH: I KNOW THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT. BUT THE SHORT ANSWER IS GOING TO BE IS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE EVERYBODY. IT'S GOING TO BE THE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE AND THE NON-CULTURALLY SENSITIVE. IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD.

WE CAN'T -- WE CAN'T DO -- WE CAN'T BE INCONSISTENT WITH OUR PROCESS.

[01:40:01]

>> MAYOR JONES: YEAH. >> WALSH: THAT'S PROBABLY WITH THE FINAL ANALYSIS WILL SHOW.

>> MAYOR JONES: RIGHT. AND THAT REFLECTS THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK IN HOW THAT WE DO THIS THAT IS LEGAL AND ALSO TO EXPLAIN TO FOLKS HOW WE HAVE FREED UP AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE IN THE GENERAL FUND BY MOVING OVER ELIGIBLE EXPENSES.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR PLEASE. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR AND THANK YOU AGAIN, CITY STAFF, FOR ALL OF THE WORK AND I KNOW THAT THE NEXT FEW DAYS ARE GOING TO BE FAST AND FURIOUS. SO WE'RE GETTING BUCKLED IN. AS FAR AS THE REVENUE GOES, I SUPPORT ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE INCREASES THAT HAVE COME UP.

AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ONE IS THE BOOTING FEES, I KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW IT IS ONLY A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE. AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO ARE WILLING TO DO BOOTING AT THE RATES THAT WE ARE CHARGING. SO, ONE, I THINK THIS WILL HELP A LOT WITH DOWNTOWN PARKING CURB MANAGEMENT. SO I'M GRATEFUL TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE IN SUPPORT OF INCREASING THAT FEE. AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL PROVE TO BE A CONSERVATIVE AMOUNT OF HOW MUCH REVENUE WILL GAIN FROM THAT.

AND I ALSO SUPPORT THE MEDICAID FEE WAIVER TO BE INCLUDED AS REVENUE AS WELL AS THE CIPD DOLLARS. SO A QUICK QUESTION ON THAT, ERIK.

THE COUNCILMEMBER AND I WERE TALK BEING, IF WE TAKE THE 200K AND MOVE TO THE BOND PROGRAM, THAT IS FREEING UP OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM, RIGHT? AND NOT HELPING WITH GENERAL

FUND AMENDMENT? >> WALSH: YOU TALKING ABOUT THE $200,000 FROM THE PROPOSED

BUDGET FOR EVERYBODY? >> KAUR: YES. >> WALSH: THAT WILL HELP US IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET. THAT'S NOT OUT OF THE OPERATING BUDGET -- NO.

IT'S IN THE CAPITAL SIDE. SO IT WOULD ADD A LITTLE BIT CAPACITY TO THE BOND PROGRAM.

>> KAUR: COULD YOU ALL DO ANY ANALYSIS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING ADDITIONAL FROM PUBLIC WORKS THAT COULD GO TO THE CAPITAL SIDE TO FREE UP A MILLION DOLLARS OF OPERATIONAL

FUNDS IF WE MOVED THAT OVER TO BOND? >> WALSH: THAT'S PART OF THE ANALYSIS THAT WE DID THIS SUMMER AND WE'RE MOVING TO THE DEBT SIDE --

>> KAUR: I HEARD. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? >> WALSH: NO, BECAUSE THE USEFUL

LIFE OF TRAFFIC MARKINGS OR STOP SIGNS WE CAN'T ISSUE DEBT FOR. >> KAUR: SO THAT DOESN'T HELP AS

MUCH WITH AMENDMENT WORK. >> WALSH: WE HAVE SQUEEZED ALL OF THE BLOOD OUT OF THE TURNIP.

>> KAUR: THANK YOU FOR THAT CLAIRE ISKED. SO WITH THAT IT LEAVES US WITH ABOUT $2.4 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027. AND I WANT TO ADDRESS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN COMING -- THAT IS USING THE MILLION DOLLARS OF MEDICAID REPOE FOR WAIVER, THAT'S WHERE THOSE NUMBERS ARE. THESE ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROPOSE TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORT. I KNOW THAT WE TALKED ABOUT SAPD A LOT AND I'M NOT ON THE BOARD FOR SAPPED BUT THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND YOU GO OVER TO CAFÉ COLLEGE AND THEY'RE DOING GREAT SUPPORT FOR THE STUDENTS.

IT IS NOT JUST THE SCHOLARSHIP, IT'S SCHEDULE PLUS. SO IF YOU TAKE OUT WHAT THEY GIVE WHAT YOU GIVE TO ALAMOS PROMISE, IF WE TAKE THAT DOWN IT'S 1.75 IN SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING. THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE A REDUCTION IN SUPPORT FOR UPCOMING YEARS BECAUSE TWO DISTRICTS HAVE DECIDED TO BACK OUT.

SO I THINK WE CAN CHANGE THAT UPCOMING. BUT AS COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA SAID, DOING SOMETHING SO QUICKLY FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT WAS ALREADY PLANNING ON IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT FOR THEM FOR THEIR OPERATIONS WHEN THEY RELY REALLY HEAVY ON THE CITY SUPPORT.

SO I'M REQUESTING FOR THAT TO BE LOOKED AT FOR JUST FISCAL YEAR 2027.

AND I'M MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 2027 ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY 2028.

AND THERE'S ALSO A RESILIENCY POSITION THAT WAS CUT FROM THAT SUPPORTS CLIMATE READY NEIGHBORHOODS AND THIS PROGRAM WAS ALREADY CUT A LITTLE BIT LAST YEAR.

AND I WAS JUST TALKING TO ANOTHER COUNCILMEMBER ABOUT IT AND I FEEL LIKE THIS -- THE DEPARTMENT IS CONSTANTLY ONE OF THE ONES THAT IS GETTING SMALLER AND SMALLER WHEN THE WORK THAT WE SEE NEEDS TO GET BIGGER AND BIGGER. SO THIS RESILIENCY POSITION IS THE ONE THAT SUPPORTS NEIGHBORHOODS IN BECOMING RESILIENT AND CLIMATE-READY NEIGHBORHOODS. I MEAN, WE JUST SAW FROM THE STORM THAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK THAT THIS POSITION WAS ACTUALLY HELPING A LOT OF THE FOLKS IN COMMUNITIES GETTING WHAT THEY NEEDED. SO I AM JUST ADVOCATING FOR THAT ONE TO SEE IF WE COULD PUT THAT ONE BACK IN. AS WELL AS THE CULTURAL HERITAGE HISTORIAN FOR OHP.

SO I GOT CLARITY FROM THE OHP TEAM THAT THIS POSITION WOULD CEASE ALL FUTURE WORK FOR ANY CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT. AND THE CHALLENGE THERE IS THAT THE CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICTS REALLY HELP TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND THEY HELP IN STORYTELLING.

WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY GREAT SUCCESS WORKING ON THE MAIN STREET CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT. AND THE ONE THAT IS IN PROGRESS RIGHT NOW IS IN COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ'S OFFICE AND THEY REALLY WANT SUPPORT FOR, UM, FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT TO EXPAND WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR THE BUSINESSES THERE. SO THAT'S THE OTHER POSITION.

AND AS FAR AS SUPPORTING SOME OF WHAT MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED, I SUPPORT $250,000 FOR THE

[01:45:05]

AND THAT PROGRAM IS AMAZING AND THEY LOVE TO WEAR THE FIESTA MEDALS THAT THEY DO.

AND SUPPORTING THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM -- I WANTED TO JUST THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOUR TEAM DID IN HELPING TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. SO I WAS REALLY CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT MONEY THAT WE WERE REALLOCATING. SO JUST TO UNDERSTAND THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE REALLOCATING FISCAL YEAR 2026 MONEY NOT USED IN MINOR HOME

REHAB? >> THAT'S CORRECT. SO WE'RE REALLOCATING

UNCOMMITTED FUNDS FROM FISCAL YEAR 2026. >> KAUR: SO I TALKED TO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AND I SUPPORTED THE SAWS PLUMBER TO PEOPLE. SO WHAT I REALIZED YESTERDAY IS THAT IT'S NOT THAT PROGRAM THAT IS GOING AND IT'S THE ADDITIONAL HOME REHAB SUPPORT, THAT IS

SUPPORTING THAT PROGRAM, IS THAT RIGHT? >> CORRECT.

SO WE PROVIDE $750,000 FOR THE PLUMBERS-TO-PEOPLE PROGRAM. AND SOME OF THAT MONEY IS NOT COMMITTED. SO WE WOULD REALLOCATE THAT MONEY TO HELP WITH THE STORM

RECOVERY. >> KAUR: YEAH, I WAS JUST TALKING TO SAWS AND WHAT THEY EXPLAINED TO ME IS THAT THESE DOLLARS -- THE PROGRAM JUST STARTED A FEW MONTHS AGO AND WE DIDN'T HAVE IT READY BUT IT WAS, LIKE, IF SOMEONE'S PIPE BREAKS AND THERE'S A HOLE IN THE WALL, THIS PROGRAM WOULD HELP TO SUPPORT WITH THE MINOR HOME REHAB TO FIX THE HOLE IN THE

WALL? >> CORRECT. >> KAUR: UNFORTUNATELY, IT WASN'T REALLOCATED BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE MONEY IN FOR THIS YEAR AND TO REALLOCATE THE DOLDOLLARS FROM THIS YEAR BUT WT BE TAKING MONEY FROM FISCAL YEAR 2027.

WE TALKED ABOUT THAT LAST WEEK IN EXPLORING WHAT TO DO WITH THE MIDTOWN TIRZ AND SOME COLLEAGUES ALREADY MENTIONED SUPPORT FOR THAT. AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME CHEFS HERE AND SOME ARE STILL HERE. IF YOU HAVEN'T GONE TO THE AIRPORT, THEY HAVE SOME AMAZING SPACES. AND I REALLY SUPPORT THE CITY OF GAS STRO GASTRONOMY, AND WE HAVK HARD AND COMMIT TO SUPPORT IT. SO I KNOW THAT THE CHEF AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS PROPOSED TO BE CUT. BUT I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SOME ORGANIZATIONS AND I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THAT GOING IN ANOTHER SPACE.

SO JUST WANT -- THERE'S MORE TO COME ON THAT AND, ERIK, WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

BUT I WANTED CHEFS TO KNOW THAT I AM COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT PROGRAM STAYS.

AND THEN LASTLY, THERE WAS A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS. ONE IS THAT IT'S GOTTEN A LOT OF E-MAIL IN SUPPORT FOR THE MAYOR'S FITNESS COUNCIL. I REALLY LOVE THAT THESE YOUNG KIDS A EVEN HAD ONE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COME TO MY BUDGET TOWN HALL AND WAS ADVOCATING.

I KNOW THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM BUT BECAUSE OF THE NUMBERS FROM THE PROGRAM, IF THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS SUPPORTED BY THE NON-PROFIT COUNCIL WITH THE DELEGATE AGENCIES THAT WE LOVE TO FUND ARE GOING TO -- CAN PICK UP THE PROGRAM FOR US.

AND THEN, LASTLY, I SUPPORT THE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND THAT I MENTIONED USING THE MEDICAID WAIVER AND SUPPORTING THAT AT A MILLION DOLLARS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE PROGRAM. I KNOW THAT DR. JACOB AND DR. RUGALL DO A GREAT JOB OF CONTINUING THAT. I DON'T SUPPORT MOVING THE ARTS ORGANIZATION FUNDING -- THE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS ARE REALLY RELY ON MAKING SURE -- LIKE, THEY ARE PLANNING AHEAD.

AND I THINK THAT, AGAIN, CHANGING THAT FUNDING -- IT'S NOT JUST THE BIG MUSEUMS THAT ARE GETTING CUT AT $350,000, IT'S ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS. IF YOU REMEMBER WHAT WE WENT THROUGH IN THIS LAST FALL WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN GET CULTURALLY SPECIFIC -- THERE'S A SPECIFIC TERM I'M SUPPOSED TO USE -- THAT ONE -- MAKING SURE THAT THOSE GET FUNDED.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THAT. AND ALSO I KNOW THAT THE LIBRARY CONVERSATION IS SUPER CHALLENGING. ESPECIALLY IN A TIME RIGHT NOW WITH -- WITH SCHOOLS CUTTING LIBRARIES AND IT'S REALLY THE ONLY SPACE FOR A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS TO GO AND TO EXPERIENCE. SO I KNOW WHY THAT IS REALLY TOUGH. BUT AT THE SAME TIME NONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS. SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR THE LIBRARY TEAM TO COMMIT TO IS MAKING SURE THAT THERE NEW SERVICE MODEL IS NOT -- LIKE, THAT'S WHY I ASKED LAST WEEK ABOUT HOW WE'RE MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF OUR LIBRARIES AND ENSURING THAT WE -- WE DO NOT REDUCE THE CAPACITY OR SERVICES AT OUR LIBRARIES. I WENT BACK -- I HAD ASKED ABOUT THE REDUCED NUMBERS -- AND I WENT BACK AND I HAD NO IDEA THAT EVEN SAN PEDRO LIBRARY HAD SEEN A 50% DECREASE IN PHYSICAL MATERIALS. AND THE SAME THING -- WE ENDED UP SEEING THE LEAST, WHICH MAKES SENSE BUT EVEN SAN PEDRO AND WEST FALL HAVE SEEN A REALLY BIG DECREASE. SO I REALLY THOUGHT -- IT'S A TOUGH DECISION.

I KNOW THAT EFFICIENCIES ARE REALLY HARD WHEN YOU ARE RE-STAFFING, BUT I'M REALLY GLAD THAT NO ONE IS LOSING THEIR JOB AT THE VERY LEAST. IF WE NEED SOME CHANGES WE CAN MOVE THOSE FOLKS BACK TO THE POSITIONS THAT THEY WERE IN, IF WE NEED TO UPDATE FOR NEXT YEAR.

SO THOSE ARE ALL OF MY REQUESTS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: GO AHEAD,

PLEASE. >> WALSH: COUNCILWOMAN ANY FEEDBACK ON THE

[01:50:02]

MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ LIBRARY FEE? >> KAUR: I SUPPORT THAT. THE COUNTY RESIDENTS CAN HELP TO

SUPPORT SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THAT WE NEED. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER FOR CLARITY, ON THE SAPD SCHOLARSHIPS, WHAT WAS YOUR SOURCE FOR THAT?

DID YOU IDENTIFY ONE? >> KAUR: YEAH, IT WAS THE ADDITIONAL 1.4 THAT WE'RE

GETTING AS A RESULT OF THE REVENUE INCREASES. >> MAYOR JONES: SO, OKAY, THE

GENERAL FUND? >> KAUR: YEAH, THE GENERAL FUND. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY, THANK YOU.

AND KRYSTAL JONES, I THINK THAT I SEE YOU SOMEWHERE. TO BE VERY CLEAR, I TRACK SHE SAID IT THOUGH -- I THINK SHE SAID IT THOUGH BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S THE RIGHT NUMBER. THAT IS, IF WE WANTED TO MAKE SPACE FOR SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT QUALIFIED TO BE FUNDED OUT OF THE ARTS, THEN THAT WOULD SEE ABOUT A 15%

REDUCTION IN EACH OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS, IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? >> THIS IS JUST THE ANALYSIS THAT WAS DONE FOR THE GENERAL FUND AMENDMENTS SUGGESTED THAT ACTUALLY HAD AMOUNTS.

>> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. >> SO FOR, UM -- MLK COMMISSION AND DREAM WEEK -- SO THAT'S JUST

OFF THE ANALYSIS OF THOSE. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY, GOT IT. OKAY.

SO A 15% REDUCTION ON SOME OF THOSE ARTS RECIPIENTS WOULD ALLOW US TO MOVE THOSE ENTITIES

IN, AND THEREBY, FREEING UP $2.4 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND? >> IT WOULD BE DEPENDENT ON LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SUGGESTED BECAUSE THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX

FOR ARTS REQUIRES IT TO BE ARTS PROGRAMMING. >> MAYOR JONES: SURE.

>> WE WOULD HAVE TO DO AN ANALYSIS ON SOME OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS -- DO THEY HAVE THE RECOMMENDED.

EXPENSES. SO WE'D HAVE TO DO THAT ANALYSIS.

>> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. >> WALSH: JUST A RECOMMENDATION, AND KRYSTAL IS TALKING ABOUT A PORTION OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'LL DO THE MATH ON. BECAUSE IT WILL LIKELY BE

GREATER THAN 15%. YEAH. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY, THANK YOU.

COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS PLEASE. >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND A QUICK QUESTION FOR THE LIBRARY. CAN YOU -- WILL THE LIBRARY CARD FEE -- THE $20 ONE OR THE INCREASED ONE THAT COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ IS SUGGESTING -- WOULD THAT DETER PATRONAGE FROM BEXAR COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A FURTHER NEED OF REDUCTIONS IN THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT OVERALL IN THE FUTURE YEARS?

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILWOMAN. WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. BUT WE DON'T REALLY ANTICIPATE A

HUGE DIFFERENCE. >> SPEARS: YOU DON'T ANTICIPATE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

IT'S AT HALF -- YOU'RE ANTICIPATING HALF -- >> CORRECT, CORRECT, YEAH.

>> SPEARS: AND THEN THE SECOND YEAR SOMEWHAT SIMILAR? >> I WOULD SAY SOMEWHAT SIMILAR.

THIS IS SOMETHING, OF COURSE, THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO, LIKE, DETERMINE AFTER -- OR WHEN WE

START THAT PROCESS. >> SPEARS:IS IT AROUND A THIRD OF THE PATRONS ARE OUTSIDE OF

THE COUNTY? >> OF THE LIBRARIES? >> SPEARS: UM-HMM.

>> SO WE HAVE 400,000 LIBRARY CARDS AND OUT OF THOSE 79,000 LIBRARY CARDHOLDERS ARE ABOUT

NON-SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS. >> SPEARS: SO ABOUT A QUARTER. THANK YOU, THAT IS HELPFUL.

RIGHT NOW I'M A LITTLE UNDECIDED ABOUT THE LIBRARY CARD, JUST HONESTLY.

BUT I WILL MAKE A DECISION AND GET BACK TO YOU. AND REGARDING THE, UM, REVENUES ON ATTACHMENT 4, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE. ONE OTHER THING FROM THE PRESENTATIONS. I DO HAVE SOME CONCERN ABOUT RAISING THE HEALTH INSURANCE FEES WITHOUT HAVING A COLA IN PLACE FOR THE EMPLOYEES. I THINK THAT WOULD BE HARD.

THAT WOULD BE HARD FOR ANYONE. SO I HAVE PRESENTED TO YOU TWO OPTIONS THAT ARE ON YOUR DESKS.

AND THE FIRST ONE IS A LITTLE BIT LENGTHIER. AND YOU WILL SEE THAT IT SAVES AROUND, UM, $29 MILLION OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. AND I SPECIFICALLY POINTED THIS OUT BECAUSE I WANTED TO LEAVE SPACE FOR MY COLLEAGUES.

THE ONLY THING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME IS GETTING THESE S.A.F.E OFFICERS.

THIS IS THE ONE ASK THAT I HAVE FOR MY DISTRICT IS TO GET THESE 10 OFFICERS.

BUT I AM VERY WILLING TO WORK WITH EACH OF YOU ON THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU AND TO YOUR DISTRICT. AND I'VE OUTLINED SOME AREAS WHERE I THINK THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, UM, REDUCING SPENDING. SPECIFICALLY THOUGH I POINT YOU TO THE SM THE S.A. TOMORROW PLAG

[01:55:11]

AND IN ADDITION I GAVE YOU THE ONE-PAGER, AND IT HAS A DIFFERENT FUNDING MECHANISM FOR THE OFFICERS. AND IT HAS THE FIESTA SUBSIDY AND THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND THE LIFT FUND. AND THIS IS JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MY DISTRICT.

AND I HOPE THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M COMING FROM ON THIS AND HEAR MY WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH YOU ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT IN YOUR DISTRICT.

AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THESE ITEMS I THINK -- I THINK -- I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T WANT ANY DISTRICT TO BE DIDISPROPORTIONALLY IMPACTED AND NEW ORLEANS NOBODY WANTS THAT AND I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THAT. SO I REALLY TRIED TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE COULD DO THIS WITHOUT BEING WITH A DISPROPORTIONATE FEELING IN ANY DISTRICT. I DO WANT TO REITERATE TOO THOUGH, THAT I AM SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT COUNCILMAN WHYTE PUT FORWARD ON HOW TO KEEP US FROM RAISING OUR TAX RATE.

AND AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AS WELL. I -- MY CONSTITUENTS HAVE FLAT OUT SAID NO, DO NOT RAISE OUR TAXES. PLEASE DO NOT RAISE OUR TAXES.

AND SO I AM SUPPORTIVE OF BOTH OF THOSE OPTIONS. PARTICULARLY I AM -- I LIKED THAT OPTION 5, I WOULD SAY THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S PRESENTED AS WELL SOME OPTIONS FOR THE S.A.F.E. OFFICERS, I THINK THAT IS THE OPTION 5 THAT I THINK THAT IS REALLY GOOD.

BUT ANY OF THEM -- I JUST CAN'T -- I CAN'T TELL YOU ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT THAT THE S.A.F.E.

OFFICERS ARE TO DISTRICT 9 AND OBVIOUSLY DISTRICT 10 AND I THINK TO ALL OF OUR CITY.

BECAUSE WE DO A STUDY AND WE DID PROMISE THAT WE WERE GOING TO EXPAND OUR POLICE FORCE AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. AND I THINK THAT AT THIS POINT IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE NOT TO. SO, UM, I HOPE THAT YOU CAN HEAR THAT AND UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M COMING FROM AND WHY THAT IS SO IMPORTANT. AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT TO BE LOOKING AT REDUCING SPENDING. WE ARE COMING IN HERE AS A NEW COUNCIL PERSON TRYING TO CORRECT SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES FROM PRIOR ADMINISTRATIONS. IT'S A DIFFICULT DECISION, A DIFFICULT POSITION THAT WE'RE IN, BUT IT'S WHAT WE'RE TASKED WITH DOING.

AND IT IS PAINFUL. AND IT IS HARD. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE CAN DO IT. AND I THINK THAT WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO IT IN A WAY THAT OUR RESIDENTS WON'T BE AS AFFECTED AS MAYBE IT'S BEEN PORTRAYED IN DIFFERENT WAYS OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS. AND, UM, AS FAR AS -- I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS COST OF SERVICE ANALYSIS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, ERIK. I THINK THAT WOULD HELP ME IN SOME DECISION-MAKING. LET'S SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE.

DID I HIT ALL OF YOUR POINTS? >> WALSH: YES, JUST ONE CLARIFICATION.

THE COST OF SERVICE THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE ONE RELATED TO THE TIRZ? WE WON'T DO THAT UNTIL FISCAL YEAR 2027, SO THAT WOULD NOT BE PREPARED FOR THIS WEEK BECAUSE

THAT IS GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF EFFORT. >> SPEARS: OKAY.

AND I WOULD SAY TOO ON THE PROPOSAL THAT I PUT BEFORE YOU, I DID PUT ON THERE ABOUT THE CODE OFFICERS AS WELL. AND THERE'S -- IF WE MOVED THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL -- I NEED SOME MORE CODE OFFICERS. SO DOES COUNCILMAN WHYTE. WE SHARE THEM AND WE HAVE FEWER AND WE NEED MORE. SO THERE'S A WAY TO MOVE THEM TO THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND, UM, AND I WOULD ASK -- IS THERE A WAY TO DO A COST OF SERVICE ON THAT PARTICULAR ITEM, ERIK?

>> WALSH: YEAH -- >> SPEARS: THAT ONE ITEM. >> WALSH: THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND COLLECTS REVENUE FROM DEVELOPMENT -- RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL AND THE EXPENSES ARE ALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE INSPECTIONS AND THE PLAN REVIEW, AND THE PERMITTING FOR DEVELOPMENT. SO THE CODE OFFICERS ARE A GENERAL FUND EXPENSE, AND I THINK THAT -- I DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO MOVE THAT EXPENSE TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, UM, BECAUSE CODE IS ABOUT PROPERTY MAINTENANCE.

NOT DEVELOPMENT. >> SPEARS: WELL, I DON'T WANT TO MOVE THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT.

[02:00:03]

DISTRICTS. >> WALSH: WELL, THEN WE'LL NEED TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE STAFFING AT CODE, BUT WE COULD NOT DO THAT THROUGH DEVELOPMENT

SERVICES. >> SPEARS: OKAY. IN ADDITION I HAD A COUPLE OF REVREVENUE SOURCES ON HERE AND S COUNCILWOMAN'S SUGGESTION ON T THE.

THE MAXIMUM COST OF SERVICE LIMITS ON PROPERTY FINES AND THAT WOULD GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL $230,000. AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO BRING IN THE MONEY NEEDED FOR THE S.A.F.E OFFICERS. SO I HOPE THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED ENOUGH OPTIONS FOR YOU TO GET BEHIND US ON AT LEAST ONE OR A MIXTURE OF THIS TO -- TO, UM, TO HELP US TO REACH THESE GOALS.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED TO YOU SOME WAYS THAT WE CAN GENERATE REVENUE, REDUCE SPENDING, AND ALSO TO CREATE SPACE FOR THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU AND YOUR

DISTRICTS. SO THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU.

COUCOUNCILWOMAN. >> I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH ATTACHMENT 4.

I WANT SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT IS PROPOSED AS THE POTENTIAL REVENUE STREAMS REGARDING DISTRICT 2 PROPOSAL AND I AM SUPPORTIVE OF HIS RECOMMENDATION ON INCREASING THE COUNTY LIBRARY FEE. AS WELL AS DISTRICT 7, AND HAS A RECOMMENDATION AS WELL ON EXPLORING INCREASING THE SPEEDING TICKET BASE FINE. I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONSIDER BECAUSE TOO OFTEN WE HAVE TRAFFIC CALMING REQUESTS AND THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURE -- WHETHER IT'S A SPEED HUMP OR A BALLARD, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, IT'S PRETTY EXPENSIVE. SO I THINK THAT ENSURING IF THERE IS A FEE GIVEN THAT IT'S SOMETHING FAIR IN TERMS OF THE INDIVIDUALS COMPLYING WITH THE SPEED LIMIT.

AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WITH THE COUNCILMAN'S RECOMMENDATIONS ON UTILIZING THE INNER CITY TIRZ TO ADDRESS THE ITEMS THAT HE HAS LISTED HERE IS SOMETHING THAT I AM SUPPORTIVE OF AS WELL AS HIS RECOMMENDATION ON THE MIDTOWN TIRZ. I APPRECIATE THE EXERCISE THAT HE LAID OUT HERE AND I THINK THAT IT IS WORTH CONSIDERING. NOW WITH THE REDUCTIONS, THERE ARE SOME AREAS IN WHICH IT'S EXERCISED AGAIN AS WELL, BUT THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT I AM SUPPORTIVE OF IN TERMS OF THE INNER CITY TIRZ AND THE MIDTOWN TIRZ AND INCREASING THE LIBRARY FEE.

LGC EMPLOYEES AND WHAT THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH IS A 3% COST-OF-LIVING ADJUST AND THE LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. SO WITH THOSE POTENTIAL INCREASED REVENUES, MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THOSE ARE RESTORED WITHIN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. WORKING MY WAY THROUGH SOME OF THE ITEMS LAID OUT TODAY, OF COURSE I AM SUPPORTIVE OF IDENTIFYING WAYS TO MAINTAIN THE GASTRONOMY POSITION AS WELL AS THE CULTURAL HISTORIAN. I AM LOOKING AT THE OHP SLIDE WITH THE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS THAT HAS MOVED TWO POSITIONS TO DOWNTOWN OPERATIONS TO SUPPORT THE CHIEF DOWNTOWN OFFICER.

I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT -- THERE IS VALUE IN PROVIDING STAFF FOR THE CHIEF DOWNTOWN OFFICER, HOWEVER, I WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE PROGRAMS AND THE STAFF THAT SUPPORT CITY-WIDE ROLES AREN'T REALLOCATED. AGAIN, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE CULTURAL ZONE AND THE ROAD WITHIN DISTRICT 8. I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ADVOCATING AND E-MAILING OUR OFFICE ON SUPPORTING THAT CULTURAL HISTORIAN. SO I ASK ERIK IF YOU COULD CONSIDER POTENTIALLY ONE POSITION TO THE DOWNTOWN CHIEF -- NOT HOUSING OFFICER -- THE CHIEF DOWNTOWN OFFICER. BUT ENSURING THAT OHP HAS THAT ONE ROLE BECAUSE, AGAIN, THAT IS A CITY-WIDE IMPACT IN TERMS OF CULTURAL HERITAGE. SO I HOPE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN CONSIDER.

MY BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT I HAVE LAID OUT. JUST GOING TO REITERATE THOSE.

AS FOLKS HAVE HIT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CIP AND THESE ARE DOLLARS THAT HAVE GREAT IMPACT FOR CONSTITUENTS IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC CALMING INFRASTRUCTURE AND THESE ARE THE EXPECTATIONS THAT D5 RESIDENTS HAVE OF ME AND AS AN OFFICE THAT RUNS THROUGH OUR DOLLARS PRETTY QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY, WE WOULD FEEL THE IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY IF WE DIDN'T SEE THOSE FUNDS REINSTATED AT $1 MILLION SO I AM HOPEFUL THAT IS WHAT WE CAN SEE. THE FOLKS HAVE HIT ON THE

[02:05:01]

I THINK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY WHICH WAS HIT BY THE STORM, AND SUSTAINABILITY HAS MADE GREAT INVESTMENTS IN THAT COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING ONE STEP FORWARD AND TWO STEPS BACK, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO EXPERIENCE MORE EXTREME HEAT AND COLD WEATHER. SO JUST SOMETHING FOR US TO CONSIDER.

I AM SUPPORTIVE AS I MENTIONED OF SUPPORTING THE REPRODUCTIVE FUND AT A MILLION DOLLARS.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, INCREASING FUNDING FOR THE EMERGENCY STORM HOMEOWNER REPAIR PROGRAM.

I APPRECIATE DR. KAUR'S RECOMMENDATION TO POTENTIALLY MAKE COLA FUNDS THAT WILL BE REALLOCATED THAT AREN'T CURRENTLY ASSIGNED FOR THE PEOPLE.

BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THAT FUND WHOLE. I UNDERSTAND THE IMMEDIATE NEED TO TACKLE THE NEEDS IN RESPONSE TO THE STORM BUT THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT FOLKS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY RELY ON, WITH HAVING SEWAGE GOING IN AND OUT.

IF THEY DO HAVE ISSUE WITHIN THE HOME AND FOR THEIR PIPES. >> WALSH: YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT

THE FY25 FUNDING, RIGHT? >> CASTILLO: YES. AND I APPRECIATE THE CLARYIFICATION ON THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SP POSITIONS WITH TERMSF FOLKS HAVING BEEN REASSIGNED.

BUT I WANT TO CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE -- I'M FORGETTING THE TECHNOLOGY USED, BUT, AGAIN BE, I THINK THAT THERE'S VALUE -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONTRACT LOOKS LIKE FOR THOSE MACHINES -- IF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM OWNS THEM. BUT, AGAIN, IF USING THOSE SYSTEMS TO CHECK OUT BOOKS IS GOING TO POTENTIALLY TO MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT, UM, IT'S ESSENTIALLY TAKING THE JOB OF THE LIBRARIAN -- I'M HESITANT -- BUT MY QUESTION IS, DO WE KNOW IF THERE'S A SUBSCRIPTION OR A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE

SELF-CHECKOUT MACHINES? >> KATHY DONOVAN, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WILL BE ANSWERING THAT

QUESTION. >> YES, KATHY DON LAN, ASSISTANT PUBLIC DIRECTOR.

SO THERE'S A COMPUTER SUBSCRIPTION SO THERE'S AN ANNUAL MAINTENANCE COST FOR THE

SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS OUR CUSTOMERS TO USE THE SELF-CHECK DEVICES. >> CASTILLO: WHAT IS THE

MAINTENANCE COST FOR THAT SYSTEM? >> IT'S ABOUT $200,000 A YEAR.

>> CASTILLO: OKAY. >> AND THAT SYSTEM ALSO IS WHAT ALLOWS US TO DO THE DOOR COUNT

FOR THE BUILDINGS. >> CASTILLO: WITH OUR COMMUNITY SYSTEMS, WHAT SYSTEM DOES WE USE FOR THE DOOR COUNT? BECAUSE I'M THINKING $200,000 IS FOR SALARIES FOR FOUR EMPLOYEES.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD RECONSIDER? >> UNDERSTOOD.

I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED EARLIER -- SO THE SAME SYSTEM THAT IS USED FOR THE SELF-CHECK MACHINES IS THE SYSTEM USED FOR THE STAFF ASSISTED CHECKOUT. SO IT'S OUR CIRCULATION SYSTEM.

>> CASTILLO: UNDERSTOOD. SO IT'S NOT A DIFFERENT SOFTWARE FOR THE SELF-CHECKOUT VERSUS

WHAT THE LIBRARIANS ARE USING AT THE DESK? >> CORRECT.

>> CASTILLO: I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I WANTED TO MOVE BACK TO EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION.

THIS IS MORE OF A POLICY CONVERSATION THAN A BUDGET REQUEST.

BUT CAN SOMEONE REMIND ME OF WHEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A TIMELINE FOR LGC EMPLOYEES

REGARDING TMS? >> LAST TIME -- LAST TIME THAT WE SPOKE, WE WERE GOING TO REGROUP AFTER BUDGET AND COME BACK AND TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL MEETING ON THAT.

>> CASTILLO: HOW SOON AFTER BUDGET, IN OCTOBER OR -- >> YEAH, QUICKLY AFTER BUDGET.

>> CASTILLO: OKAY, SOUNDS GOOD. APPRECIATE THAT. ALL RIGHT.

THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS FOR NOW AND I'LL CIRCLE BACK IN A BIT. THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ, PLEASE.

>> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS AND I MIGHT BE THE ONLY ONE TO ASK ABOUT OTHER DEPARTMENTS BUT I WILL START THERE. JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON SLIDE 23. THE $194,000 FOR THE TWO POSITIONS FOR THE LARS, UM, ARE WE TRANSFERRING THOSE AWAY FROM A GENERAL FUND TO AN ENTERPRISE FUND? AND ARE THERE ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR THOSE POSITIONS?

AND ARE THEY PRIORITY POSITIONS? >> YES WE DID TRANSFER THOSE TO THE ENTERPRISE FUND SO THEY'RE

[02:10:03]

COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND, THE 194. >> WALSH: AND THEY'RE REALLY IN PLACE TO SUPPORT THE LARGER REZONING REQUESTS THAT WE GET FROM COUNCILMEMBERS.

THAT'S WHAT DRIVING THEIR WORKLOAD. IF WE DIDN'T GET THOSE, WE

WOULDN'T NEED THOSE TWO POSITIONS. >> GONZALEZ: IF ONLY.

BUT, I MEAN -- >> WALSH: IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK.

>> GONZALEZ: HOW MANY PER YEAR? >> COUNCILWOMAN WE COULD GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBER BUT AFTER OVER FIVE, RIGHT. AND THERE'S USUALLY A LARGE LAND AREA INVOLVED, RIGHT, AND SPECIFIC OUTREACH TO EACH OF THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THAT BLOCK OF AREA.

SO I'LL GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBER. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY, THANK YOU.

I SUPPORT THE ATTACHMENT 4 RELATED TO THE NEW REVENUE. OR POTENTIAL REVENUE INCREASES.

ALSO SUPPORT INCREASE IN THE SPEEDING TICKET BASE FINE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE AMOUNT TO $200, UP FROM $100, THAT COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO PRESENTED AND I'M SURE THAT SHE WILL DISCUSS THIS. BUT I AGREE WITH THE OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS THAT THE TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES ARE SOMETHING THAT WE HEAR ABOUT ALL OF THE TIME IN OUR DISTRICTS.

AND MY NEIGHBORHOODS ARE LARGE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE BASICALLY LIKE THESE FULL CIRCLES AND FOLKS GO HAULING DOWN -- WHETHER IT'S KYLE SALE AND INSIDE HUNTERS CREEK, AND SO THOSE SPEEDING TICKETS DOWN LOCKHILL AND DOWN HEBNER IS SO THOSE SPEEDING TICKETS I THINK THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ADD TO THAT. FOR ME, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT MAKING THIS TAX INCREASE THE LAST RESORT. WHAT ARE WE DOING -- ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING TO FIND NEW REVENUE. AND THIS IS NOT -- I I DON'T THINK THAT WHEN YOU RUN FOR OFFICE YOU DON'T GET TO PICK THE BUDGET THAT YOU WANT. AND I HAVE SAID THAT BECAUSE NONE OF US WOULD HAVE NOTED THIS BUDGET, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT TO BE HERE THREE YEARS AGO.

BUT THAT WOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN DIFFERENT TIMES. AND I THINK THAT, UM -- I GUESS THAT -- AND WE PUT A SURVEY OUT.

PRIORITIES FOR MY DISTRICT WERE MAINTAINING FUNDING SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE, SENIOR SERVICES, AND LIBRARIES. WHEN WE ASKED RESIDENTS WHAT PROGRAMS THEY BELIEVED THAT COULD SUSTAIN REDUCTIONS BEFORE OTHERS, THEY SAID ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION AND PARK PROGRAMMING, BUT NOT MAINTENANCE.

AND WHEN WE ASKED DISTRICT 8 RESIDENTS WHAT MEASURES THEY WOULD PREFER IF THERE HAD TO BE BUDGET CUTS, AND IN THAT CASE THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US TO PRIORITIZE PUBLIC SAFETY AND DELAYING PROJECTS INSTEAD OF REDUCING SERVICES. SO AN EXAMPLE OF THAT MARKETING AND PARKS -- MARKETING PROGRAM -- CAN SOMEONE ANSWER THE $1.4 MILLION TOTAL FOR THE PARKS MARKETING PROGRAM, AND WHAT THAT ENTAILS? AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT THAN

WHAT HAPPENS IN CNE? >> WALSH: SO COUNCILWOMAN, I SAW HOMER JUST WALK OUT OF THE ROOM.

SO WE'LL -- HE CAN COME BACK IN HERE SO WE'LL COME BACK TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

>> CASTILLO: OKAY. OKAY. >> GONZALEZ: AND I SUPPORT THE REDUCTIONS IN COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ'S ONE-PAGER HERE.

THERE'S A FEW OF THEM THAT I COULD SUPPORT. I AGREE WITH THE LIBRARY FEE INCREASE, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMEMBERS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF.

ON THE MIDTOWN AND INNER CITY -- OR ON THE TIRZ EXAMPLE, CAN YOU EXPLAIN AGAIN WHAT YOUR PROCESS IS -- WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH TOMORROW? OR IF THAT -- HOW DO WE CLOSE THE LOOP ON ANYTHING TIRZ RELATED? WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS EVEN

SOMETHING THAT WE CAN USE. >> WALSH: WELL, I -- I GOT DIRECTIONS, SPECIFIC DIRECTION LAST WEEK ON TWO ITEMS. TO DO CERTAIN THINGS REGARDING BOTH MIDTOWN AND INNER CITY.

AND WE NEED TO DO THAT AND COME BACK TO YOU IN THE FALL LIKE WE SAID THAT WE WOULD.

USING THE TIRZ MONEY TO OFFSET GENERAL FUND EXPENSES IMPACTS THE DIRECTION THAT YOU GUYS GAVE ME LAST WEEK. SO IF Y'ALL ARE OKAY WITH THOSE TIRZ LASTING TO 2060, I THINK THAT THE REALITY IS THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO LAST WEEK'S DIRECTION AND THESE POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS -- IT'S EITHER/OR. I MEAN, THAT'S WHY I'M LOOKING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF CLARITY THERE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE CAPACITY. MIDTOWN, BEN AND TROY TALKED ABOUT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF CAPACITY IN MIDTOWN AND WE NEED TO HAVE THAT DEBT RESERVE.

[02:15:03]

TO BE HONEST YOU WITH, WEST SIDE AND HEMISPHERE AND NORTHEAST DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY.

THEY'RE VERY SMALL BALANCES. SO WOULD REALLY COME OUT OF THE TWO LARGER ONES THAT I THINK THAT POTENTIALLY CONFLICT WITH THE DIRECTION THAT WE GOT LAST WEEK.

AND I'M -- YOU ALL -- YOU ARE FREE TO CHANGE THAT DIRECTION. WE JUST NEED TO BE CERTAIN THAT THERE'S CLARITY, AND IF WE USE THOSE FUNDING MECHANISMS TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT ANALYSIS THAT YOU DIRECTED LAST WEEK. SO I JUST WANT SOME CLARITY THERE. EVENTUALLY BEFORE THURSDAY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT NOW.

BUT EVENTUALLY. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. WITHIN 24 HOURS.

>> WALSH: OKAY, 24 HOURS, I'LL TAKE IT. >> GONZALEZ: I MEAN, NO, I'M NOT

DIRECTING ANYONE TO DO THAT. OR -- >> THERE WAS A QUESTION AS I

UNDERSTAND IT RELATIVE TO OUR MARKETING TEAM. >> GONZALEZ: YEAH.

THE PARKS AND MARKETING PROGRAM, THE $1.4 MILLION, UM, HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN, YOU KNOW, CNE MARKETING FOR PARKS? OR IS THERE A CNE MARKETING FOR PARK?

>> I WOULD SAY THAT CNE DID SUPPORT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. THIS PROGRAM IS SPECIFIC TO THE WORK THAT WE DO. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ENGAGEMENT IN SCHOOLS, HELPING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN PARKS AND ON OUR GREENWAY TRAIL SYSTEM, WE HAVE A TEAM OF INDIVIDUALS, THREE THAT WILL WORK ON COLLATERAL TO HELP TO PROMOTE -- WHETHER IT'S NEW PROGRAMMING ON THE FITNESS SIDE OR SOME SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS. BUT TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS VERY FOCUSED ON PARKS. AND THIS ALSO INCLUDES COORDINATION WITH ANY MEDIA REQUESTS. AND THEN CNE ON AS-NEEDED EFFORT WOULD SUPPORT THAT AS WELL.

>> GONZALEZ: HOW MANY JOBS ARE CONNECTED TO THIS? >> WE HAVE THREE.

>> GONZALEZ: THREE. AND ALL FILLED? >> CORRECT.

>> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU. >> YES. >> GONZALEZ: A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I -- I AM DISAPPOINTED IN THE CONVERSATION THAT WE KEEP HAVING OVER AND OVER AGAIN ABOUT READY-TO-WORK, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WHEN VOTERS APPROVE THESE DOLLARS IT WAS FOR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. WE DID NOT ASK THE VOTERS TO PLUG A DEFICIT HOLE BY ANY MEANS. WHETHER IT'S WORKFORCE RELATED OR NOT, THAT WAS NOT THE PURPOSE OF THAT PROGRAM. AND I -- I FEEL IF WE KEEP BRINGING UP READY-TO-WORK AS AN OPTION, UM, THEN WE -- WE COULD -- YOU COULD SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE THAT HAS GONE TO THE VOTERS. WHETHER IT'S PRE-K FOR S.A. AND VIA AND OUR BOND PROJECTS, I MEAN TO MOVE A BOND PROJECT TO GET A BOND -- IT DOESN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE ONCE THE VOTERS APPROVE IT IT'S ALMOST -- IT'S DONE. AND SO I -- I THINK THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT READY-TO-WORK IN THAT SAME WAY. AND SO I AM NOT SUPPORTIVE OF MOVING ANY MONEY AWAY FROM READY-TO-WORK. AND TO CLARIFY TOO, I THINK THAT IT'S EVERY -- WHAT IS THE NUMBER ON THAT -- FOR EVERY MILLION DOLLARS IS HOW MANY

PARTICIPANTS? >> WALSH: ABOUT 150. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY.

SO TOTAL RIGHT NOW TO PULL OUT OF READY-TO-WORK IS WHAT? >> WALSH: THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL

IS $21 MILLION OVER TWO YEARS. >> MAYOR JONES: 10.5, THAT'S RIGHT.

TO YOUR POINT THOUGH THERE'S NOT ANALYSIS ON ONE-TO-ONE. TO CLARIFY.

SAN ANTONIO FUNDING, THE $2 MILLION, THE FINAL $2 MILLION OF OUR -- OF OUR CONTRACT WITH THEM REGARDING THE COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH. THAT IS A PARTNERSHIP THAT I CAN SEE LASTING -- THAT WILL LAST A LONG TIME FOR US AND THE CITY AS THEIR ONLY PUBLIC -- OR ONE OF OUR ONLY PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES. I THINK THAT RELATIONSHIP IS IMPORTANT.

AND I THINK THAT IT'S FULFILLING THAT CONTRACT THAT IS ALSO NECESSARY.

SO THOSE ARE ALL OF MY COMMENTS FOR NOW. THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. ERIK, FOR CLARITY, HOW MUCH DID WE DIVERT FROM READY-TO-WORK LAST YEAR TO WORK WITH OUR BUDGET CHALLENGE TO FUND ALAMOS PROMISE?

>> THROUGH THE AMENDMENTS WE DID ABOUT $1.9 MILLION. >> MAYOR JONES: 1.9 MILLION.

SO, THANK YOU. SO THERE'S PRECEDENT. THANKS, COUNCILMAN GALVAN,

PLEASE. >> I AM SUPPORTIVE OF ATTACHMENT 4 ON THE POTENTIAL REVENUE

[02:20:09]

CAPACITY NEEDS THERE. BUT OVERALL GRATEFUL FOR PUTTING IT FORWARD.

AND ALSO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR PUTTING THEIR AMENDMENTS AS WELL AND SUPPORTING THE COUNTY SAPL, THE LIBRARY FEE. ON THE REDUCTION LIST WITH THAT MEMO, I AM LARGELY SUPPORTIVE OF THEM. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS MARKINGS ONE AND ALONG WITH THE LIFT FUND LOAN PROGRAM WOULD RATHER SUBSTITUTE THE EDD ONE WITH THE I WERE CITY, EDUCATION OR CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAMS WITHIN EDD TO ADDRESS THAT SAME COST. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO STILL SEE WITHIN THAT ARE RESTORING THE SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING AND RESTORING THE COMMISSION FUNDING, AND REDUCING THE PROPERTY TAX CAMPAIGN AND REDUCING THE A.S.A. PARKS FOUNDATION CONTRIBUTION.

BUT OVERALL IT'S STILL VERY SUPPORTIVE OF A LOT OF IT, BECAUSE IT MAINTAINS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE PRIORITIZE HERE ALONG WITH THINGS THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM MY COMMUNITY THAT THEY PRIORITIZE AND TALKING ABOUT LIBRARY POSITIONS AND THE CENTER WHICH IS CRUCIAL TO MY COMMUNITY. AND OHP POSITIONS AND MANY OTHERS AS WELL THAT I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO SEE PUT TOGETHER HERE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT ON THE MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER, I DON'T KNOW IF CHRISTINE CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION. BUT LOOKING TO UTILIZING THAT RESERVE FUNDING, WHAT WOULD THE IMPACT BE EITHER FOR 2027-2028, FOR THE PROGRAMS THAT METRO HEALTH IS FUNDING CURRENTLY WITH THOSE RESERVES? IF WE USED IT FOR OTHER FUNDING OR OTHER PROGRAMS?

>> SO THE MEDICAID WAIVER IS RESERVES SO THERE'S A FINITE AMOUNT OF PROGRAM.

BASED ON THE PROGRAMS THAT WE INCLUDE IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET WE ANTICIPATE TO SPEND $6.5 MILLION TO $7 MILLION OVER EACH YEAR OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

SO WE DIDN'T PLAN TO EXHAUST THE FUNDS BY FISCAL YEAR 2029. SO THIS WOULD REDUCE THE AMOUNT

THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE YEARS. >> OKAY, GOT IT, AND THOSE ARE

PROGRAMS SUCH AS ORAL HEALTH? >> CORRECT. SO WE'RE FUNDING ORAL HEALTH AND

OUR STAND UP S.A. AND OUR COMMUNITY NUTRITION AND, UM -- >> HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS, THOSE ARE THE FOUR BIG ONES. >> THANK YOU.

I'M HESITANT ON USING THAT RESERVE FUND BECAUSE I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE THOSE PROGRAMS PULLED BACK IN ANY WAY, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WE HAD AN EXTENSIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT AT THE COMMITTEE ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS AND GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE STILL FUNDING THOSE PROGRAMS. WE STILL GO THROUGH THAT IN OUR WORK HERE BUT THAT'S MY HESITATION ON THE MEDICAID RESERVES USED ON OTHER PROGRAMS. BEYOND THAT, APPRECIATIVE, OF COURSE, AGAIN TO MY OTHER COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WHO PUT AMENDMENTS FORWARD AND SUPPORTIVE OF INCREASING NUSABS PROPERTY FINES AND -- AND SO GRATEFUL TO COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WHO PUT THOSE FORWARD.

AND SOME OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I HAD ON -- FOR OHP, UM, THERE'S A FEE THAT WAS LISTED WITHIN THE STUDY SUGGESTING THE COST OF RAISING THE DEMOLITION FEE FROM $75 RESIDENTIAL TO A HIGHER NUMBER. HAS THAT BEEN EVALUATED AT ALL WITHIN THIS BUDGET PROCESS OR

PREVIOUS BUDGET PROCESSES? >> THE DIRECTOR FOR OHP. CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION WITH

DEMOLITION FEES. >> FOR THE DEMOLITION FEES FOR RESIDENTIAL.

I AM ASKING, I GUESS, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT RAISING DEMOLITION FEES WITHIN OHP?

>> THAT IS ASSESSED AT THE TIME OF PERMITTING AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY OHP'S FEE BUT WE CAN

WORK WITH OHP. >> I AM INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WE HAD A STUDY SAYING THAT WE SHOULD INCREASE THEM AND THE COMPARISON WITH THE COST OF SERVICE THERE FOR THAT. AND AS WELL AS WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE DEMOLITION FEES HELP TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT MOVING MATERIALS -- CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS AND OTHER WORK THERE. AS WELL AS UNDERSTANDING A BIT MORE OF WHAT THAT FEE IS GOING TO BE OR WHAT IT COULD BE USED FOR IN THE FUTURE.

>> OKAY. RIGHT NOW THE FEE IS USED TO RECOVER COSTS FOR THE REVIEW.

AND SO THERE'S A REVIEW BY DEMOLITION AND AT THE TIME OF PERMITTING AND BY OHP FOR HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE. SO WE CAN LOOK AT KIND OF THE COST OF BUSINESS TO DO THAT.

>> GOT. >> GOT IT. THANK YOU.

[02:25:01]

JOHN -- >> I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT DEMOLITION FEE IS A PART OF OUR FEE INCREASES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

>> GOT IT. THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN

ADDITIONAL 25% FOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL -- FOR TRAVEL? >> FOR THE TRAVEL BUDGET.

YES. AND ALSO I WANT TO ECHO COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO'S POINT ON THE SUSTAINABILITY FUND. THIS DEPARTMENT DOES A LOT WITH SO LITTLE.

THEY SAVE US MONEY THROUGH OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND AND THEY ARE CONTINUING TO BE A REAL GOOD SHOWCASE OF UTILIZING RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS ACTING UPON THE CRITICAL NEEDS OF OUR CLIMATE. AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS MORE SUSTAINABLE EVERY SINGLE STEP OF THE WAY, INCLUDING OUR CITY SERVICES AND OUR OWN BUILDINGS AND SO HAVE A BIG CONCERN ON PULLING THOSE BACK ANYWAY, AND NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THE REMOVAL -- AND I BELIEVE ON THE SLIDE ITSELF, I DON'T RECALL WHAT SLIDE IT IS. AND THE OTHER DEPARTMENT, SLIDE 9. THE DRASTIC INCREASE IN THE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS, UM, AND THAT ALLOW OUR RESIDENTS ARE VERY INTERESTED IN OR TRYING TO UTILIZE IN SOME WAY.

AND ALONG WITH THE POINT OF REDUCE CAPACITY, AND MANY OF THESE GOALS THAT WE HAVE LAID OUT THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR LARGER ENVIRONMENT. I THINK I THINK WHEN WE TALK IN DISTRICT 6 ABOUT DIFFERENT INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER IT'S IN DRAINAGE OR OUR STREETS AND ROADS AND SIDEWALKS OR ANY OTHER KINDS OF MUNICIPAL THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DO HERE, FINDING WAYS TO UTILIZE OUR DOLLARS TO THE MAXIMUM POTENTIAL WHETHER IT'S ON ACCESSIBILITY OR SUSTAINABILITY OR IT'S ON MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS ARE ABLE TO MOVE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE, THIS IS ONE BIG PART OF THAT.

WE TALK ABOUT ADDRESSING URBAN HEAT ISLAND AND OTHER PIECES THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I JUST SHARE -- I WANT TO VOICE ALL THOSE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE ABOUT MOVING THIS MONEY AWAY FROM A DEPARTMENT THAT'S DOING A WHOLE LOT TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY GENERALLY SAFE.

THE OTHER PART I WANTED TO MENTION OR TOUCH ON, OF COURSE, RESTORING TUITION REIMBURSEMENTS, TUITION LOAN PAYMENTS AS A BENEFIT FOR OUR COSA EMPLOYEES.

I DON'T KNOW WHO CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION ON STUDENT LOAN PAYMENT.

RENE. THE STUDENT LOAN PAYMENT, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES USE

THAT -- THE STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM. >> AT ANY GIVEN TIME THERE'S

ABOUT 7 TO 800 OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR. >> GALVAN: OKAY.

WHAT'S THE FINANCIAL -- HOW MUCH DOES THAT TYPICALLY COVER OR SUPPORT?

>> IT'S $50 A MONTH TOWARDS YOUR STUDENT LOAN. >> GALVAN: OKAY.

GOT IT. THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU.

ON CIVILIAN COMPENSATION INCREASE, OF COURSE SUPPORTIVE OF PROVIDING A COLA IF WE CAN. TRUTHFULLY ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP HEALTHCARE COSTS RISING, THAT'S CRITICAL TO ME AS SOMEONE RAISED BY A SINGLE MOM WITH CHRONIC ASTHMA. IT'S TOUGH WHEN YOU'RE SOMEWHAT ON THE LOWER END AT THE WORKPLACE AND YOUR HEALTH COSTS KEEP GOING UP, YOUR PAY IS NOT GOING UP AT ALL, ESPECIALLY IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM, AND YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY FOR AN INHALER WITH LESS AND LESS COVERAGE. IT'S ENDOMETRIUMIT'S EXTREMELY , IT'S A SEMESTER I DON'T THINK OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES WHICH IS A LARGER ISSUE OF HEALTHCARE OVERALL, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT THE COLA AMOUNT WOULD BE SO HEALTHCARE DOESN'T GO PAST PAY. AND FOR EMPLOYEES EARNING OVER $100,000, WHAT THAT TOTAL COLA COST WOULD LOOK LIKE HE HAVE THERE.

I'LL BUZZ BACK IN FOR THE SECOND ROUND. THANKS, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR JONES: I WANT TO CLARIFY ON THE MEDICAID WAIVER MONEY.

JUSTINA, PLEASE. FLOSS NOTHING IMPACTED BASED ON YOUR CURRENT ALLOCATION FROM FY27 OR FY28 TO BE VERY CLEAR OF MY AMENDMENT, I BELIEVE ALSO COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ'S AMENDMENT DOES THE SAME THING, WHICH IS IT WOULD ADD AN ADDITIONAL MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF SPENDING TO THE REPRODUCTIVE, IN THE REPRODUCTIVE AREA, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE AREA.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE YOUR COMMENT WAS YOU DON'T WANT TO PULL BACK ANYTHING. WE'RE NOT PULLING BACK ANYTHING, WE'RE TAKING FROM THE OUTER YEAR TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT MONEY IN THOSE SPECIFIC SERVICES THAT ARE UNFORTUNATELY WHEN WE SEE AND DR. JACOBS' PRESENTATION, THE EXACT PROGRAMS THAT ARE RECEIVING LESS FUNDING, IF NOT BEING COMPLETELY ELIMINATED, IT IS

[02:30:02]

BACK. OKAY. >> GO AHEAD, JUSTINA.

>> MAYOR JONES: GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. >> SURE.

SO WE WOULD IT WOULD PULL FROM FUTURE YEARS. >> MAYOR JONES: IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY WERE REDUCING IT THIS YEAR AND WE'RE NOT DOING. IT'S TAKING FROM THE OUT YEARS TO PLUS UP IN THOSE

TWO AREAS. COUNCILMAN, GO AHEAD. >> GALVAN: THE REASON I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IT IS PRIMARILY I CAN APPRECIATE AND AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND AS SOMEONE WHO WORKED ON IT PREVIOUSLY.

WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS FUND IN THE OUT YEARS IS IF WE DON'T SEE REVENUES INCREASE IN SOME FORM IN A SUBSTANTIAL WAY IN THE NEXT YEAR OR YEAR AFTER THAT, WHAT WE WILL LIKELY SEE IS A CUT IN OUR ORAL HEALTH PROGRAM WHICH SERVES THOUSANDS OF OUR STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THEY GET DENTAL CARE THEY OTHERWISE WOULD NOT GET AT ALL, AS WELL AS OTHER CRITICAL HEALTH PROGRAMS THAT HELP A LOT OF FOLKS ALL ACROSS THE BOARD. I GET IT WE'RE IN THIS TOUGH MOMENT RIGHT NOW SO I'M NOT KNOCKING THE IDEA IN TERMS OF CAN WE LOOK INTO IT? WE SHOULD, BUT I WANT TO VOICE MY CONCERN ABOUT THAT. EVEN IF IT'S IN THE OUTER YEARS, THAT MEANS IT'S LIKELY TO LOSE MORE AND MORE OF THAT SUPPORT.

HOPEFULLY FUND THESE PROGRAMS ALL TOGETHER AGAIN. SO I THINK WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONES WE'RE OKAY WITH PULLING BACK ON. NOT THOSE PROGRAMS, BUT THE

FUNDS TO PULL FROM. >> MAYOR JONES: I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.

HOW ARE WE PRIORITIZING EACH OF THESE THINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE SEEING CUTS TO SOME OF THE EXACT SAME SERVICE AREAS IN OTHER PARTS OF OUR BUDGET.

COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF. I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN REALLY TOUGH WORK.

I DO WANT TO START OFF REALLY QUICKLY WITH A CONVERSATION I WAS HAVING YESTERDAY WITH MAYOR HARDBERGER AND HE WAS ASKING ME ABOUT THE STATE OF COUNCIL AND OBVIOUSLY HE'S VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH, AND I WAS SAYING SOME OF THE STATE OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS ISN'T HEALTHY, BUT YOU KNOW I'M COMMITTED TO FINDING UNITY AMONGST MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, BUT ALSO UNITY AS A CITY AS A WHOLE. AND DURING THE CONVERSATION, THOUGH, HE REMINDED ME, HE'S LIKE, LOOK, Y'ALL ARE COMING --A BUDGET DEFICIT AND FINANCIAL STRAIN BREAKS UP MARRIAGES, IT BREAKS UP PARTNERSHIPS, IT BREAKS UP BUSINESSES. I'M SAYING ALL THAT TO SAY YES, WE'RE UNDER A HUGE AMOUNT OF STRESS BUT THAT STRESS IS ACTUALLY JUST PART OF IT. WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT. I KNOW ALL MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND THE CITY'S BEST INTENT IN OUR HEARTS, SO THIS IS THE SAUSAGE MAKING, THIS IS THE MESSY MIDDLE, BUT I KNOW THAT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT WE'RE GOING TO BE STRONGER THAN EVER BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, WE NEED EACH OTHER, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, WE NEED EACH OTHER TO GET THINGS DONE AND TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.

THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY TED TALK. SO NOW ON TO THE LOGISTICS OF IT ALL.

I REMAIN COMMITTED TO KNOW PROPERTY TAX RATE INCREASE. I THINK ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT US GOING THROUGH ZERO-BASED BUDGETING ON ALL DEPARTMENTS. TO ME WE NEED TO DO THAT BEFORE WE ASK FOR A SINGLE PENNY FROM OUR RESIDENTS. MY TEAM PUT TOGETHER THIS CHART YESTERDAY OF OUR GENERAL FUND YEAR OVER YEAR GROWTH. AND YOU ARE SEEING A 400-MILLION-DOLLAR INCREASE FROM 2022 TO 2027. OUR GENERAL FUND HAS GROWN $400 MILLION. THAT'S SIGNIFICANT. AND YOU HAVE TO ASK WHY.

YOU HAVE TO ASK HOW CAN WE PULL BACK SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO INCREASE OUR PROPERTY TAXES ON OUR RESIDENTS. COUNCILMAN GALVAN YOU WERE JUST MENTIONING ABOUT SINGLE MOM AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH ASTHMA.

YOU KNOW, WE ALL GO TO NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS SEVERAL NIGHTS A WEEK, AND I THINK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR RESIDENTS AT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, BUT WHO WE'RE NOT HEARING FROM AND WHO WE DO HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IS JUST THAT, THE SINGLE MOM WHO IS TRYING TO MAKE THINGS WORK AND WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE LUXURY OR THE TIME TO GO TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. SO FOR ME I CAN'T FATHOM ADDING TO HER FINANCIAL STRESS BY ADDING A POTENTIAL PROPERTY TAX RATE INCREASE ON HER BILL WHILE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SO MUCH. I'M NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE AGAINST PROPERTY TAX RATE

[02:35:06]

SO GOING ON TO THE AMENDMENTS, ERIK, QUITE FRANKLY I'M NOT FOR ANY OF THE AMENDMENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE ADDING UP TO $65 MILLION, AND THIS IS MOVING US IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. WE NEED TO BE FINDING REDUCTIONS AND NOT ADDITIONS. SO -- I THINK IT'S A REJECTION OF ALL THE HARD WORK THAT CITY STAFF HAS DONE TO FIND THESE REDUCTIONS AND THEN WE JUST KEEP PILING AND TRYING TO ADD MORE.

SO YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST I HAD MENTIONED FOR MORE CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS REMOVING OUR AMENDMENTS FOR HOTEL TAX. I RESPECT THE WORK THAT CITY STAFF HAS DONE AND I DON'T WANT TO UNDO ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE BECAUSE YOU ALL -- AND OUR DIRECTORS KNOW Y'ALL'S BUSINESS 10 TIMES BETTER THAN WE DO. AND YOU ALL HAVE MADE THE PROPER PROPOSALS SO I APPRECIATE THAT. IN REGARDS TO ATTACHMENT 4, I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH ALL OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ON ATTACHMENT 4. I'M ALSO -- I DO WANT TO STATE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE CONSIDER A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING CITY EMPLOYEES TO DO A A WHOLE LOT MORE WITH A WHOLE LOT LESS SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE WELL COMPENSATED AND WELL TAKEN CARE OF. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT WITH THE LIBRARY, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.

I THINK SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ASKED THE QUESTIONS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IS THE LIBRARY IS NOT DOWNSIZING, IT IS RIGHT SIZING. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DETAIL AND THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS NEED TO BE DOING IS LOOKING AT HOW MUCH --E THE INTERACTION AND SEEING WHAT MAKES SENSE TO STAFF. ONCE AGAIN I'M GOING TO SAY THE LIBRARY IS LEADING THE WAY ON THIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR AGAIN NOT DOWNSIZING, RIGHT SIZING. YOU ALL KNOW Y'ALL'S BUSINESS A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN WE DO, AND I THANK YOU FOR MAKING AND I COMMEND YOU MAKING THOSE TOUGH DECISIONS. THEY'RE NOT EASY.

BUT THE FACT THAT YOU ALL MADE THOSE TOUGH DECISIONS, THE FACT THAT YOU ALL LOOKED AT YOUR BUSINESS LIBRARY, THE LIBRARY BUSINESS MODEL, AND MADE THE TOUGH DECISIONS, WE APPRECIATE. AND TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU ALL DID, BUT AGAIN WOULD ASK THAT OUR OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS DO THE SAME.

ON WILLINGON THE DISTRICT 2 PRO, THE ONLY PART I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH -- REALLY THE ONLY PART I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH IS THE REDUCTIONS SO THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. SORRY, I WILL SPECIFY THE REDUCTIONS JUST TO MOVE THE INNER CITY -- ON THE MOVES TO THE INNER CITY TIRZ.

SO THERE WAS A COUPLE OF SECTIONS WAS REDUCTIONS. I'M JUST IN SUPPORT OF THE MOVE TO THE INNER CITY TIRZ ONES. I'M ALSO IN SUPPORT OF -- I'M ALSO IN SUPPORT OF THE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND UNDER THE MEDICAID WAIVER, NOT UNDER THE GENERAL FUND. I'M ALSO IN SUPPORT OF INCREASING THE LIBRARY CARD.

AND I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF THAN COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZÁLEZ ABOUT READY TO WORK. THAT CONVERSATION IS DONE SO LET'S MOVE ON.

AND THEN ALSO TO, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE DID HAVE -- I PUT MY MEMO ON Y'ALL'S DESK, REALLY I THINK IN THE PAST IT WAS $75. IT WAS RAISED JANUARY OF THIS YEAR TO $100. THIS IS THE BASE FINE. I'M ASKING TO INCREASE IT TO $200 BECAUSE, AGAIN, TO ME WE CAN USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISINCENTIVIZE THE NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR THAT'S IMPACTING ALL OF OUR DISTRICT.

SO I'D LOVE SUPPORT ON THAT. I'M ASKING TO MAXIMIZE COST RECOVERY ON FINES RELATED TO VACANT BUILDINGS, VACANT LOTS AND DANGEROUS PREMISES. I KNOW YOU ALL RAISED THE FINES A LITTLE. I'M ASKING TO TURN UP THE VOLUME ON THAT.

LET'S RAISE IT TO THE MAXIMUM LEVEL. I'M ASKING TO MAXIMIZE THE COST RECOVERY IN OTHER VARIOUS FINES AND FEES IF THERE'S WAYS THAT WE CAN AGAIN DISINCENTIVIZE BAD BEHAVIOR, LET'S DO THAT. LET'S USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY -- THIS BUDGETS DEFICIT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON -- FOR US TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL COST SAVINGS

[02:40:05]

BUDGET AND ALL OF THE PHONES AND COMPUTERS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE AND IT'S A LITTLE OVER A 6-MILLION-DOLLAR EXPENSE. SO I'M QUESTIONING HOW WE CAN FURTHER EXPAND THE LIFE-SPAN OF SOME OF THESE DEVICES.

I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY FROM I.T. IS HERE TO DO THAT, BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT, IN HARD TIMES YOU DON'T GET THE NEWEST IPHONE, RIGHT? SO I'M CHECKING IF THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN EXPAND THE LIFE-SPAN OF THESE DEVICES. REALLY QUICK BEFORE I DO THAT, I WOULD ALSO ASK OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS THAT IF THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN EXPAND THE LIFE-SPAN OF SOME OF THEIR RESOURCES, LET'S ABSOLUTELY DO THAT. YOU KNOW, I WILL CAVEAT AND SAY I DON'T WANT US TO TAKE RISKS ON RESOURCES THAT ARE ARE THE ROTC FACING. I WANT THEM TO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THEIR JOBS TO SERVE RESIDENTS. BUT IF THERE ARE WAYS POTENTIALLY IN THE TRAINING ACADEMY THAT WE DON'T NEED THE NEWEST AND GREATEST GADGETS AND STUFF, THEN LET'S LOOK AT HOW WE CAN PINCH THERE.

GO AHEAD, SORRY. >> THANKS, COUNCILWOMAN. MARSHALL RAMSEY, CIO ITS DIRECTOR. WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT EXTENDING THE END OF LIFE OR REPLACEMENT LIFE CYCLE ON A NUMBER OF DEVICES FROM FOUR TO FIVE YEARS SO THAT IS SOMETHING UNDER CONSIDERATION. IT IS LARGELY DRIVEN AT THIS POINT BY A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN PRICING ON MOST OF OUR TECHNOLOGY.

SO THAT OCCURRED EARLIER THIS YEAR UP TO 50% IN SOME CASES.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO MITIGATE THAT INCREASE. WE HAVE TO BALANCE THAT WITH RISK. YOU USED A GOOD WORD THERE. THERE ARE DEVICES THAT WE DON'T WANT TO KEEP ON THE NETWORK AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, THEY'RE NO LONGER SUPPORTED SO THAT DRIVES THAT END OF LIFE REPLACEMENT AS WELL.

>> GAVITO: THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT. I THINK IN GENERAL AS QUICKLY WE HAND OUT DEVICES OR HOW QUICKLY WE DO UPGRADES FOR US TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND CHECK IF IT'S THE RIGHT -- IF IT'S THE RIGHT WAY OR IF THERE ARE WAYS, AGAIN, NOT TO INCREASE THE RISK, BUT TO EXPAND THE LIFE-SPAN IN ANY WAY OF NOT ONLY OUR I.T. EQUIPMENT, BUT AGAIN POLICE AND FIRE EQUIPMENT AS WELL THAT WON'T NEGATIVELY IMPACT OR PUT US AT RISK, THEN LET'S DO THAT. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS FOR

NOW. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN GALVAN.

THANK YOU. -- COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: DO YOU HAVE THE SLIDE THAT I ASKED YOU TO CREATE FOR WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE FOR HOMEOWNERS? COULD YOU PUT IT UP ON THE SCREEN?

>> YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT THE HOMESTEAD VALUES AND THE IMPACT?

>> VIAGRAN: YES. I CAN PUT THAT UP ON THE SCREEN RIGHT HERE.

>> VIAGRAN: VY THAT'S GREAT. I KNOW THEY HAD DONE IT FROM 100,000 TO 500,000. I ASKED HER TO DO IT TO A MILLION.

BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIOIANS TO DO, WE'RE ASKING THEM TO INVEST INTO THE COMMUNITY, INTO THE PEOPLE.

SO I THINK IF YOU LIVE IN A-MILLION-DOLLAR HOME, I THINK $18 A MONTH ISN'T A LOT TO ASK FOR. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SINGLE MOMS OUT THERE LIVE IN-MILLION-DOLLAR HOMES. SO I WANT TO SET ON THAT BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT FOR THE PROPOSED TAX RATE INCREASE, CAN YOU PUT UP THE SLIDE OF HOW MANY CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WE HAVE? IF WE HAVE THIS PROPERTY INCREASE AND WE HAVE THESE EMPLOYEES AND WE DON'T GET THIS SETTLED, HOW MANY POSITIONS WOULD WE LOSE UNDER CIVILIANS IS THE QUESTION I ASKED, IF WE HAVE TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET WITHOUT A TAX INCREASE? DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW MANY POSITIONS WE WOULD HAVE

TO LOSE? >> SURE. AS PART OF THE MEMO THAT WE PROVIDED, IF WE HAD TO COME UP WITH ABOUT $75 MILLION THAT WOULD EQUATE TO ABOUT 171 POSITIONS. AND THAT WAS PROVIDED AS PART OF THAT FRIDAY MEMO.

>> VIAGRAN: 171 POSITIONS. HOW MUCH WOULD YOU GUESS THAT THE MAJORITY WOULD BE FEMALE? I'M GOING TO MOVE ON. THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD

[02:45:02]

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ FOR YOUR PROPOSAL.

I'LL BE LOOKING THROUGH IT AND SEEING WHAT I CAN SUPPORT AS I MOVE FORWARD.

I THINK IT'S GENEROUS OF YOU TO PROVIDE THE TIRZ OF INNER CITY, BUT I WOULD -- ANYTHING THAT COMES FROM INNER CITY TIRZ WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THEIR MONEY BACK AFTER THIS YEAR. IN TERMS OF WHEN WE DO ATTACHMENT 41 THROUGH 5 I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT MONEY GO TO SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION PARTNERS AT LEAST FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 AND WE START WORKING ON WHAT WE'LL DO FOR 2028. I WILL WORK ON THE CITY OF GASTRONOMY THROUGH FUNDING AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE TO TRY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN RESTORE THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S KEY IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY DO AND HOW THEY COMMUNICATE THERE, TO THAT. THE OTHER ONE I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT AND I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN'T FIND FUNDING THROUGH CITY COUNCIL OFFICES IN THE I'LL WORK WITH YOU, ERIK, TO SEE THE FUNDS AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT. I INVITE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WHO PARTICIPATE IN THAT AND SUPPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FUND THAT ALSO. THIS IS A DIFFICULT TIME.

THIS ISN'T THE BUDGET THAT WE WANTED, BUT WE KNEW THAT THE DEFICIT OF COMING AND WE KNEW IT WOULD BE HARD AND WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE TOUGH CHOICES AND WE'RE MAKING TOUGH CHOICES AND DOING THE BEST WE HAVE HERE JUST AS THE COUNCILS BEFORE US DID THE BEST WITH WHAT WE HAD BEFORE. THE CONVERSATION ABOUT POLICE OFFICERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY, OF COURSE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE I HAVE A NEW SUBSTATION COMING ONLINE BUT I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT RIGHT NOW IS IN THE REGION, IN THE METRO REGION, WE HAVE OVER 5,217 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

SO BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT ADDING MORE WITHOUT RAISING THE PROPERTY TAXES, ADDING MORE OFFICERS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THE OFFICERS THAT ARE IN OUR AREA IN OUR REGION. AND THAT'S AN EXTRA 252 -- 252 OFFICERS IN DISTRICT 3 WHEN I COUNT ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGES, THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE COUNTY, ARMY. SO I'M CONVICTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I DO MORE TO SHOW MY APPRECIATION FOR ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES SITTING WITHIN MY DISTRICT AND COMMUNICATING WITH THEM THE PRIORITIES WE HAVE.

I THINK IF I ASK NICELY MY HARLANDALE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICERS WILL DO A DRIVE-THROUGH ON THE NEIGHBORHOODS HERE SOME OF THE ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOLS. SO I REALLY HOPE WE CAN GET TO A POINT TOMORROW WHERE ERIK, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS THAT YOU NEED.

I'LL BE LOOKING AT THE AMENDMENTS PUT THROUGH THE PROPOSED TO, BUT AGAIN AS I MENTIONED, THE CITY OF GASTRONOMY I THINK WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT WITH PUBLIC-PRIVATE, DEIZ Y SEIS, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR FUNDS, AND SAPD SHOULD COME THROUGH WHAT WE DO WITH ATTACHMENT NUMBER 4. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOU'VE EFFORTS ON THIS. THIS IS GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION

TOMORROW. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ ON THE SECOND ROUND. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR, A LOT TO RESPOND TO. COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO AND COUNCILMAN WHYTE ASKED AN INTERESTING QUESTION, WHY OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS THE TIME PERIOD I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL FOR, HAS OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET GONE UP BY $400 MILLION? AND BOY, DO I HAVE AN EASY ANSWER FOR YOU.

IN 2022 MY FIRST BUDGET, COUNCIL APPROVED $859.8 MILLION IN PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING, FIRE AND POLICE, OUT OF 1.36 BILLION. THIS PROPOSED BUDGET IDENTIFIES $1.1469 BILLION IN PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING OUT OF 1.76 BILLION.

287 MILLION OF THAT 400 MILLION IN GROWTH IS PUBLIC SAFETY.

[02:50:02]

IF YOU LOOK AT POLICE, FIRE AND PUBLIC WORKS THAT REPRESENTS 13.376 OUT OF THAT, SURVEY .4%. SO THE REMAINING 33 DEPARTMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY, THOSE ONES MAKE UP 21% OF THE BUDGET'S GROWTH. SIT WITH THAT FOR A SECOND.

SO $400 MILLION, WE'RE CRITIQUING ALMOST EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT OVER THE 21% THAT THEY MAKE UP. SO YOU EITHER FEEL LIKE THAT, THAT 78% FOR THOSE DEPARTMENTS, YOU EITHER FEEL THAT'S IMPORTANT OR YOU DON'T.

THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS AS A CITY HAS GONE UP. IT COSTS MORE MONEY FOR US TO DELIVER CAPITAL PROJECTS, IT COSTS MORE MONEY FOR US TO PURCHASE VEHICLES FOR POLICE AND FIRE. EVERY ONE OF US RAN FOR OFFICE AND RAN FOR CONSTITUENTS THAT THEY WANTS MORE AND BETTER SERVICE, WHETHER THAT'S DSD, PUBLIC WORKS, LIBRARY OR ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT, IT COSTS MORE TO DO MORE.

SO I'M ALSO THINKING ABOUT THE SINGLE MOM THAT COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO MENTIONED AND I WORRY ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO ACCESS SERVICES WHEN WE'RE CUTTING MATERNAL HEALTH PROGRAMS, WHEN WE'RE CUTTING LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND YOUTH PROGRAMS THAT HER CHILDREN MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO TO. THERE ARE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE IS GOING TO MEAN THOSE WITH MORE EXPENSIVE AND MULTIPLE PROPERTIES ARE GOING TO PAY MORE YEARLY. I'LL ALSO SAY THAT AS COUNCILMEMBER OF DISTRICT 2, ONE OF THE DISTRICTS THAT LARGELY USES THESE SERVICES AND HAS A LARGER PROPORTION OF VULNERABLE RESIDENTS, THOSE SAME RESIDENTS THAT ARE COUNTING ON THESE SERVICES THAT WE'RE WANTING TO PROTECT, THEY SAID AT THE TOWN HALL, INCLUDING SINGLE MOMS, AT THE TOWN HALL THEY SAID I WILL PAY A FEW DOLLARS MORE MONTHLY IF IT MEANS THAT THE PROGRAMS THAT I USE AND MY NEIGHBORS USE DON'T GET CUT.

IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT NEED THESE SERVICES, WHO DO NOT RELY ON THEM, BUT WOULD RATHER CALL THE POLICE AND HAVE PEOPLE PICKED UP WHEN THEY RESORT TO DESPERATION, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT BY NOT DOING A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. I ALSO PUT FORTH A PROPOSAL EARLIER AND I DO WANT TO CLARIFY I WANT TO ENSURE THEY'RE NOT LET GO. WHAT I PUT FORTH IS A FULL PLAN THAT IDENTIFIES NOT JUST THOSE POSITIONS BUT A FEW OTHER THINGS I HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO FIND ALL OF THAT ACROSS TWO YEARS.

MY SUPPORT IS CONDITIONAL AND CONTINGENT. WE ARE NOT MOVING ANYTHING FROM TIRZ INTO THESE PROGRAMS IF WE ARE NOT SAVING AS MANY POSITIONS AS POSSIBLE. SO I'M NOT GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF ANY OF THE ITEMS BEING MOVED OUT OF GENERAL FUND TO INNER CITY TIRZ.

THIS IS A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE THAT I HAVE MADE CLEAR IS MY NON-NEGOTIABLE TO VOTE YES ON THE BUDGET, WHICH IS SAVING AS MANY EMPLOYEES AS POSSIBLE. IT WAS A GOOD FAITH EFFORT. IF MY COLLEAGUES JOIN ME IN THAT GOOD FAITH EFFORT, I WILL WORK WITH THE INNER CITY TIRZ BOARD TO GET SUPPORT FOR THAT, BUT IT ULTIMATELY WILL HAVE TO GO TO THEM.

IF MY COLLEAGUES AREN'T THERE, ERIK, LET'S LEAVE EVERYTHING EXACTLY WHERE IT'S AT, INNER CITY TIRZ IS NOT A SCAPEGOAT, NOT FREE MONEY, IT IS MEANT TO BE A TOOL OF EQUITY, WHICH IS WHAT I AIM TO USE IT AS. I'LL ALSO MAKE THE POINT THAT ALL THOSE ITEMS THAT I OUTLINED AS POTENTIALLY BEING FUNDED OUT OF THE INNERTY STIRS, DREAM VOICE, FOR EXAMPLE, IT LARGELY DOES NOT TAKE PLACE IN DISTRICT 2. THOSE ARE CITYWIDE INITIATIVES.

DREAM VOICE AND DREAM WEEK LARGELY TAKE PLACE IN DISTRICT 1.

PEOPLE ASSUME IT'S DISTRICT 2 BECAUSE THEY CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY AND BLACK CULTURE. I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE WILL HAVE TO REORIENT SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS AND SOME EVENTS AND INITIATIVES IN ORDER TO BE FUNDED OUT OF THE INNER CITY TIRZ SO THERE WOULD BE A MAJOR CHANGE TO HOW THESE PROGRAMS ARE OPERATING BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE TO FULFILL THE NEEDS THAT THE INNER CITY TIRZ HAS IDENTIFIED AND THE PROGRAM THAT IT TAKES TO FUND OUT OF THE TIRZ.

THANK YOU, ERIK AND THANK YOU MAYOR. >> JUST A COUPLE OF FOLLOW-UP ITEMS. NUMBER 1, COUNCILMAN, THE 54 FILLED POSITIONS THAT WERE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO BE REDUCED, ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE LANDING IN A SPOT. SO WHEN YOU SAY SAVE FILLED POSITIONS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT, WE ALREADY SAVED THEM. I'LL HAVE RENE COME UP AND SHE'LL RUN THROUGH THE STATS. THOSE INDIVIDUALS ALL HAVE A SPOT, A BIG CHUNK OF THEM WITHIN THE SAME DEPARTMENT, AND NOBODY IS LOSING THEIR

[02:55:05]

AND SO I'M GOING TO PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT ON YOUR NON-NEGOTIABLE.

THAT IS NOT RATE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT PLACES FOR EVERYBODY BECAUSE WE'VE NUMBER IN A HIRING FREEZE. NUMBER TWO, PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, WHATEVER WE DO WHETHER IT'S AT INNER CITY OR MIDTOWN, PRACTICALLY THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT IS NOT THROUGH YOUR SUGGESTION ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO REFOCUS THE PROGRAM FROM D1 INTO D2, WE WILL HAVE TO GO IN THERE AND CHANGE THE ALLOCATION AND THE PERCENTAGE TO LESS THAN 100%. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO IT. WE CAN'T GO INTO THE TIRZ AND CHERRY PICK AND PULL THEM IN, PULL DOLLARS TO GO DO CITYWIDE PROGRAMS BECAUSE THAT'S NOT REALISTIC.

SO PRACTICALLY THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS IF YOU GUYS WANT TO MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS, WE'LL DO THE CALCULATIONS AND COME BACK TO YOU AND SAY IT'S NOT 100%

IN INNER CITY, IT'S 98.2 OR WHATEVER IT ENDS UP BEING. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: MAYOR, IF I MAY, IS IT POSSIBLE TO SAY THIS YEAR -- I THINK I WOULD ASK THIS QUESTION OF JUSTINA AND MARIA. IS IT POSSIBLE TO SAY HEY, THIS YEAR WE HAVE X NUMBER OF INCREMENT. CAN THE BOARD TRANSFER A MILLION DOLLARS TO THE

GENERAL FUND ONE TIME? >> PRACTICALLY WE NEED TO DO THAT IN A CHANGE IN THE PARTICIPATION. WE CAN'T JUST LIKE -- WE CAN'T HAVE THE TIRZ -- THERE ARE SPECIFIC USES FOR TIRZ DOLLARS. AND THERE ARE -- YOUR AMENDMENTS ARE WORTHY ITEMS BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE EASIER, CLEARIER AND PRACTICALLY SENSIBLE TO JUST ADJUST THE RATE. IF THE BOARD OR COUNCIL WANTS TO ADJUST THE RATE BACK TWO YEARS FROM NOW OR THREE YEARS FROM NOW OR SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, THEY CAN DO THAT. BUT THAT'S HOW WE'LL AFFECT 2028 THAT. THAT LEADS ME TO THE THIRD POINT.

IN YOUR PROPOSAL THE MAJORITY OF THE TIRZ DOLLARS IS ONLY FOR ONE YEAR.

AND THAT HELPS A LITTLE BIT. WOULD YOU BE OPEN IF WE LOOK AT THIS FURTHER OF DOING THAT IN TWO YEARS BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING THAT FOR MIDTOWN AND YOU'RE DOING IT FOR LISC. WOULD YOU BE OPEN FOR DOING IT FOR TWO YEARS?

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THE PURPOSE OF DOING IT THE WAY I DID WAS TO IDENTIFY ENOUGH FUNDING TO MEET A NEED FOR TWO YEARS TO BE BALANCED. IF THERE'S NO NEED TO FUND A PROGRAM TWICE OVER TWO YEARS WE COULD GET THAT FUNDING IN ONE YEAR, THAT'S THE WAY

THAT I VIEWED TO. >> THAT'S HELPFUL. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO --

>> THAT'S HELPFUL. I'M GOING TO REPEAT BACK WHAT I THINK YOU SAID.

YOU'RE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS IN ONE YEAR TO COVER TWO YEARS' WORTH OF FUNDING.

>> YES. >> WE'LL LOOK AT THAT. RENE, CAN YOU RECAP FOR THE COUNCIL -- AND SINCE THE BUDGET HAS BEEN PROPOSED, 49 --, IT'S 49 POSITIONS ARE FILLED BECAUSE, FRANKLY, WE'VE HAD SIX PROMOTIONS. SO WE'RE DOWN TO 49 FILLED POSITIONS. RENE, CAN YOU GO THROUGH AND SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL WHERE

THOSE 49 ARE LANDING? >> SO OF THE 49 POSITIONS AS ERIK DESCRIBED, SEVERAL OF THE 54 HAVE ALREADY PROMOTED, RESULTING IN IT ONLY BEING 49.

30 OF THEM ARE REMAINING IN THEIR SAME JOB TITLE. 24 OF THOSE ARE REMAINING IN THEIR SAME JOB TITLE IN THEIR SAME DEPARTMENT. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REDUCTIONS I THINK NOT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT THAT MAY MEAN IT'S JUST A REDIRECTION WITHIN A DEPARTMENT WHERE YOU'RE ELIMINATING A POSITION AND A TITLE WITHIN ONE DIVISION AND JUST TRANSFERRING THAT PERSON WITH THE SAME TITLE, SAME JOB DUTIES TO ANOTHER DIVISION WITHIN THAT SAME DEPARTMENT.

SO A FULL 50% ARE STAYING DOING THE SAME WORK THEY'RE DOING TODAY WITHIN THE SAME

DEPARTMENT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY. THEN STRIKE MY PROPOSAL FROM

THE RECORD. THANK YOU. >> WE WANT TO KEEP THE

PROPOSAL TO LOOK AT IF YOU'RE OPEN TO IT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: NO,

SIR, THANK YOU. >> OKAY. >> MAYOR JONES: THE 171 POSITIONS, I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. THE 171 POSITIONS, IS THAT

IN ADDITION TO THE 101? >> YES. AND THAT 171 IS ONLY IN THAT

SCENARIO A. YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY.

SO NO PROPERTY TAX INCREASE WE WOULD THEN BE AFFECTING

>> I WILL GO OVER TOMORROW WHAT I DON'T THINK ARE DOABLE.

SO IT WOULD BE SOMETHING LESS. >> MAYOR JONES: I WANT TO

[03:00:02]

>> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. JUST TO PUT A FINE POINT ON IT, IF THERE IS NO PROPERTY TAX INCREASE, NOT ONLY ARE WE ELIMINATING THOSE POSITIONS, THERE IS NO COLA

INCREASE FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, CORRECT? >> NO.

NO, THERE IS. THERE IS BECAUSE SCENARIO A ASSUMES WE'RE STILL DOING

EVERYTHING IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY.

TO CAP THAT, THAT COLA WAS WHAT, IF THERE'S NO PROPERTY TAX INCREASE FOR THOSE FOLKS? THREE PERCENT. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR, PLEASE.

>> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON A COUPLE OF FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS. RENE, I'M SORRY, I WILL MAKE YOU REPEAT THIS ONE MORE TIME BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FOLLOW YOUR NUMBERS. 49 ARE STILL -- 49 HAVE NOT RECEIVED PROMOTIONS SO THEY'RE STILL IN POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING CUT.

OF THAT IF YOU HAVE A MAP THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SHOW, LIKE A CHART? I'M A VISUAL PERSON, I'M SORRY. SO 30 ARE SAME JOB TITLE.

>> SAME JOB TITLE. >> KAUR: OF THOSE 30, 24 ARE IN THE SAME DEPARTMENT.

>> YES. >> KAUR: SO THERE'S 19 THAT YOU DID NOT CAPTURE.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THOSE FOLKS AS DISCRETELY AS POSSIBLE?

>> THOSE FOLKS ARE BEING MOVED INTO A LATERAL POSITION.

IT'S ANOTHER JOB TITLE. SOME OF THEM WITHIN THE SAME DEPARTMENT, SOME OF THEM WITHIN ANOTHER DEPARTMENT. SO IT'S A JOB TITLE WITHIN THE SAME SALARY RANGE FOR

WHICH THEY MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS. >> KAUR: I THINK THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE A LITTLE BIT WORRIED ABOUT BECAUSE IF YOU -- IT COULD BE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT JOB THAN WHAT YOU SIGNED UP FOR OR WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO.

IS THERE A WAY TO SEND US A FOLLOW-UP TO SHOW IT'S THE 19 PEOPLE AND WHETHER

THEY'VE ACCEPTED THE NEW JOB THEY'VE BEEN OFFERED? >> WE CAN SHOW YOU WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN OFFERED A POSITION AT. SOME OF THEM MAY NOT HAVE ACCEPTED YET BECAUSE WE'VE GIVEN THEM A FEW DAYS TO THINK THAT OVER.

BUT I DO WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND ATTENTION TRYING TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE MAKE THESE PLACEMENTS THAT IT SOMETHING THAT WE THINK THE EMPLOYEE WILL ENJOY AND THAT THEY WILL FLOURISH IN. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE VACANCIES ACROSS THE CITY, EVERY SINGLE DAY MY STAFF IS LOOKING TO SEE DID SOMEBODY LEAVE EMPLOYMENT, DID IT CREATE A NEW VACANCY, IS THE PLACEMENT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE BEST OR DID ANOTHER VACANCY JUST CREATE A BETTER JOB PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITY? AND IN THE 20 YEARS I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY, I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE TO YOU THE NUMBER OF TIMES I'VE TALKED TO CITY EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE TOLD ME WHEN I GOT REDUCED AND GOT MOVED INTO ANOTHER POSITION, IT WAS SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD TRY AND I'VE MADE A CAREER OUT OF IT AND IT WAS THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAVE EVER HAPPENED TO ME. WE TALKED TO DEPARTMENTS AND SUPERVISORS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE WELCOMING THOSE PEOPLE AND WE'RE SETTING THEM UP FOR SUCCESS.

THAT'S OUR INTENT. >> KAUR: I APPRECIATE THAT.

IF YOU COULD SEND US THAT FOLLOW-UP TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOTHING WE'RE MISSING ON THAT PIECE. AS FAR AS TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, I ACTUALLY SUPPORT IT AT THE 300K LEVEL. THE ONE QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK IS CAN WE PUT A RETENTION TIMELINE ON IT. I HAVE PEOPLE, I HAVE ONE DOING HER MASTER'S, CAN WE SAY IF YOU ACCEPT THE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, YOU

HAVE TO STAY TWO YEARS AFTER YOUR PROGRAM IS COMPLETED? >> OF COURSE WE COULD DO THAT, BUT I ALSO WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT A BENEFIT THAT EXISTS FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES IS PUBLIC STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS, AND THAT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO STAY ON WITH US BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE YOUR STUDENT LOANS FORGIVEN AFTER 10

YEARS OF EMPLOYMENT. >> KAUR: I TOTALLY AGREE. AS YOU MENTIONED, MOST OF THE FOLKS ARE IN THE 50 TO 100K, WITH TUITION MASTER'S PROGRAMS BEING SO EXPENSIVE THAT REIMBURSEMENT REALLY HELPS. ANYWAYS, JUST CURIOUS TO SEE IF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD SUPPORT THAT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE BANG FOR OUR BUCK THERE. THEN FOR THE READY TO WORK.

>> COUNCILMEMBER GONZÁLEZ MADE SOME GOOD POINTS ABOUT READY TO WORK AND HOW THE VOTERS VOTED FOR IT. I KNOW THERE WAS A MONEY ABOUT THE MONEY THAT WAS REALLOCATED LAST YEAR. FROM MY RECOLLECTION THE REASON WE REALLOCATED THAT IS BECAUSE WE WERE FUNDING ALAMOPROMISE TWICE. ERIK, CAN YOU REMIND ME WHAT THE ALAMO COLLEGE. WE CONSOLIDATED THAT BECAUSE IT WAS ALAMO COLLEGES.

>> KAUR: GREAT. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WEREN'T TAKING IT FROM A THING THAT THE VOTERS HAD VOTED ON AND MOVING TO SOMEBODY ELSE, WHICH IS WHAT

[03:05:01]

I KNOW SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE MENTIONED THEY WANT SAEP TO BE CITY ONLY.

IF WE HAVE FUNDING FOR IT, I THINK WE NEED THE REQUIREMENT THAT IT'S ONLY CITY OF SAN ANTONIO STUDENTS THAT ARE RECEIVING THAT BENEFIT.

AND THE LAST THING I WANTED TO ECHO SUPPORT FOR THE UTSA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE SOME OF THE WORK THEY'RE DOING, TALK TO THE FOLKS OVER THERE AND THEY'RE DOING INCREDIBLE WORK. I SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM.

I THINK WE SHOULD STAY TRUE TO THE COMMITMENT WE SET OUT TO THEM AND THE COMMUNITY.

THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. FOR CLARIFICATION, THE ONLY REASON THE PROGRAMS ARE IDENTIFIED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING OUT OF READY TO WORK IS BECAUSE IT'S LEGALLY POSSIBLE AND THE ONLY REASON IT'S LEGALLY POSSIBLE IS BECAUSE THOSE FALL UNDER THE WORDING ON THE BALLOT LANGUAGE.

SO BECAUSE IT IS IN LINE WITH WHAT THE VOTERS APPROVED, THAT'S WHY LEGAL HAS SAID THOSE ARE QUALIFIED RECIPIENTS OF THAT MONEY. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE

THAT YOU'RE CLEAR ON THAT. GO AHEAD. >> KAUR: YES, I UNDERSTAND, MAYOR. THE DIFFERENCE OF WHAT IS LEGALLY POSSIBLE VERSUS WHAT WAS MARKETED TO THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT WAS MARKETED TO THE COMMUNITY

WAS A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. >> MAYOR JONES: AND THESE ARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. THAT'S WHY THEY QUALIFY.

THAT'S WHY LEGAL HAS SAID THEY QUALIFY. THANK YOU.

COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, PLEASE. >> CASTILLO: I WANTED TO CIRCLE BACK IN TO SUPPORT MY SUPPORT FOR COUNCILMAN MUNGIA'S SUPPORT FOR THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM. I APPRECIATE THE COOPERATION ON DISTRICT 1 IS MENTIONING BUT I WOULD ALSO BE SUPPORTIVE IN ENSURING THAT THE APPLICANTS AND RECIPIENTS ARE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO QUALIFY FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP.

I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF CLARIFYING QUESTIONS WITH THE CITY CLERK ROLE IN TERMS OF REDUCTIONS AND RIGHT SIZING. CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT ROLE IF ANY WAS -- HAS BEEN FROZEN IN TERMS OF HIRING? AND I'M INTERESTED IN THIS BECAUSE THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SO MUCH AND IT APPEARS THIS COHORT OF COUNCIL IS PUTTING A LOT QUICKLY IN VERY SHORT NOTICES ON THE CLERK'S PLATE. I WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY AND THE FLEXIBILITY TO ADDRESS THE REQUEST WHETHER IT'S FOR A BALLOT INITIATIVE. WE KNOW AT THE STATE LEVEL THERE'S GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY REQUESTS FOR US TO SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS WITH A BIRTH CERTIFICATES AND PASSPORTS. SO I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT AS WE NAVIGATE THE BUDGET AND CHANGES AT THE STATE AND WITH THE REQUEST OF THIS COUNCIL THAT THE CLERK'S TEAM IS JUST WELL EQUIPPED. I KNOW THAT THEY WILL RESPOND TO ANY REQUESTS, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE APPROPRIATE STAFF TO BE READY AND RESPONSIVE WITHOUT HAVING ABSORBED MORE WORK.

>> SO COUNCILMEMBER, AS FAR AS A CLERK, THAT TURNOVER OR THAT HIRING FREEZE PIECE IN THERE THAT WAS ON THEIR SLIDE, THAT'S JUST BASED OFF --R POSITION, IT'S BASED OFF THE HISTORY OF NATURAL VACANCIES THAT THEY'VE HAD IN THE PAST.

WE WOULD WORK WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE THROUGH THE VACANCY REVIEW COMMITTEE.

IF THEY WERE TO TURN IN A POSITION THAT THEY NEEDED TO HIRE AND HAD A CRITICAL ROLE, WE WOULD REVIEW THAT AND RECOMMEND IT TO THE CITY MANAGER TO BE POSTED.

CASS I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION. AGAIN, I WANTED TO BE SURE AS WE CONTINUE TO -- WHETHER IT'S A THREE-SIGNATURE MEMO, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, THAT FOLKS ARE WELL EQUIPPED TO RESPOND WITHOUT ABSORBING ADDITIONAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU.

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

>> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. REALLY QUICKLY WANTED TO FLATTEN OUT MY COMMENTS HERE THINKING ABOUT ALL THE RESPONSES I'VE HEARD TODAY FROM MY COLLEAGUES. I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK WE'RE DOING ALONG WITH THE CITY STAFF AND THE SUPPORT THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO HELP US GET TO THESE POINT THAT HERE'S THE FINAL ITEMS THAT WE HAVE HERE. I KNOW WE STILL HAVE A COUPLE MORE CONVERSATIONS TO GO AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL GET THERE.

I WANT TO JUST PAINT FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS RESPOND TO SOME COMMENTS MADE.

BUT WHERE WE'RE AT, IT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT. I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, RAISING TAXES AND FEES IS NEVER EASY OR POPULAR. IT SHOULD BE HANDLED DELICATELY, I THINK WE ARE. WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THE COST IS FOR FOLKS WHO EXPERIENCE POVERTY, FOLKS WHO ARE AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR HOMES EVERYDAY, FOLKS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE THAT BUDGET STRETCH IN THEIR PERSONAL LIFE EVERY SINGLE DAY. IT'S ALWAYS FRONT OF MIND FOR US.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACT IS TO A SINGLE MOM, PARTICULARLY THE ONE I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER WAS MY OWN, I THINK ABOUT WHAT A COST LIKE THIS WOULD MEAN TO HER. IT'S FOUR DOLLARS A MONTH IN ADDITION.

WHAT DOES THAT GET HER? IT GETS HER TO TAKE HER KID TO A WELL-MAINTAINED PARK ON A WELL-PAVED ROAD TO A WELL-STAFFED LIBRARY AND SOMETIMES EITHER HERSELF OR

[03:10:04]

IT'S TOUGH, MAN. IT'S TOUGH DOING THIS STUFF. NOT ONLY HERE, BUT IT'S TOUGH FOR FOLKS WHO ARE LOOKING AT US AND SAYING, MAN, I REALLY HOPE THESE PUBLIC SERVICES ARED WELL SO I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TAKING MY KID TO SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE SUBSTANTIAL, THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE QUALITY.

THAT'S OUR JOB HERE. AND WE GET IT, WE'RE AT A CROSSROADS HERE TALKING ABOUT DO WE WANT OUR CITY TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD ON ADDRESSING THESE NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BEEN HERE UPON YEARS, UPON DECADES UPON DECADES OR ARE WE GOING TO PULL BACK ON THAT, ON THAT MISSION OF DELIVERING SERVICES THAT OUR FOLKS DESERVE, STREET SAFETY, QUALITY OF LIFE AND FAIRLY COMPENSATED EMPLOYEES, WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC SAFETY OR NOT. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE NOT SEPARATE. THEY ALL COME TOGETHER HERE IN THIS BUDGET CONVERSATION.

IF YOU'RE IN THE BELIEF THAT OUR GOVERNMENT OR GOVERNMENTS IN GENERAL CAN'T OR SHOULDN'T SOLVE PROBLEMS THE PUBLIC EXPERIENCES, NATURALLY YOU VIEW PUBLIC SERVICES ARE JUST NOT WORTHWHILE. AND WORSE ONES ARE SOMEHOW GOOD FISCAL BUDGETING EFFORTS. AND I QUESTION THEN IF THAT'S YOUR BELIEF WHY ARE YOU IN PUBLIC SERVICE AT ALL IF YOU DON'T WANT TO FUND PUBLIC SERVICES? THAT'S JUST MY CONCERN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WE CAN'T RAISE A PENNY MORE, WE CAN'T LOOK AT ANYTHING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS FUNDING CONTINUES ON SO THAT WAY OUR FOLKS CAN USE THESE SERVICES TO THE BEST AS POSSIBLE.

AND I HOPE THAT THAT THOUGHT STAYS WITH YOU AS YOU GO THROUGH THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY FIRST DIFFICULT ONE. WE WILL HAVE A SECOND ONE TO GET THROUGH. I KNOW I'M COMMITTED, KEEP MY CONTROLLER PLUGGED IN YEAR-ROUND AT OUR COMMUNITIES AND WHETHER IT'S LIBRARY, OUR COMMUNITY CENTER STAFFING, AS WE LOOK AT THE NEXT UPCOMING BUDGET CUTS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH. I HOPE EVERYONE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO PLUG INTO THESE CONVERSATIONS DOES SO OVER THE NEXT YEAR INSTEAD OF AT THE LAST SECOND.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZÁLEZ,

PLEASE. >> GONZÁLEZ: THANK YOU. JUST A QUESTION ON THE WORLD HERITAGE. DO THEY HAVE ANY INPUT ON THE SILK ROAD CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT OR ARE THEY STRICTLY MANAGED BY THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC

PRESERVATION? >> NO. THE CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICTS ARE MANAGED BY THE CULTURAL HISTORIAN AND THAT'S AN OHP POSITION.

>> GONZÁLEZ: SAY THAT AGAIN? >> THEY ARE MANAGED BY THE

CULTURAL HISTORIAN AND THAT'S AN OHP POSITION. >> GONZÁLEZ: OKAY.

AND THE REASON FOR THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OFFICER, I THINK THERE WAS A -- I DON'T KNOW IF THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU. BUT THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OFFICER WAS CUT, IS THAT FROM -- CAN SOMEONE SHARE HOW WE GOT TO THAT DECISION?

>> THAT POSITION PROMOTES A REDUCTION IN THE -- THAT POSITION WAS IN THE OHP BUDGET AND IN DOING THE ANALYSIS OF CITY SERVICES IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THAT ONE IS NOT OBLIGATED BY CITY ORDINANCE SO THAT WAS THE REASON.

>> GONZÁLEZ: IS THAT WORK NO LONGER OR IS OTHER FOLKS PICKING THAT UP? AND I'M SPEAKING JUST BECAUSE OF DISTRICT 8 WE HAVE THE SILK ROAD CORRIDOR, A LOT OF WORK AND COMMUNITY HAS BEEN RALLYING AROUND THIS, BUT I JUST --

>> NO, IT WOULD BE A REDUCTION IN SERVICE AND SO WORK THAT IS SUPPORTED BY THE POSITION FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICTS WOULD BE SUSPENDED UNTIL WE COULD

REFILL IT IN THE FUTURE. >> GONZÁLEZ: DO WE HAVE OTHER CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICTS THAT ARE IMPACTED? OR HOW MANY OF THEM WERE IMPACTED FROM THIS?

>> WE HAVE FIVE AND THEN WE HAVE ONE PENDING. >> GONZÁLEZ: CAN YOU LIST

THE FIVE? >> YES. WE HAVE SILK ROAD, WE HAVE PRIDE, WE HAVE THE HOCKLEY PLACE CEMETERY IN DISTRICT 10, WE HAVE LINCOLN HEIGHTS

IN DISTRICT 2, AND I AM MISSING ONE. >> GONZÁLEZ: IT'S OKAY.

WELL, IF THERE IS -- IF THERE IS A POSSIBILITY JUST BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT HAS OCCURRED IN DISTRICT 8 WITH THAT RIVER BARGE FEE, THAT INCREASE FROM 15 FOR 19, I DON'T KNOW IF INCREASING IT FROM 15 TO 20, THAT EXTRA DOLLAR HELPS WITH THE OFFICER, THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OFFICER, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER

THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THE FIFTH IS OLD HIGHWAY

90. >> GONZÁLEZ: SORRY I PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR? JUST A REAL QUICK FOLLOW-UP, MAYOR. SO COUNCILWOMAN, YOU'RE

[03:15:07]

TALKING ABOUT RATHER THAN 15 FOR 19, 15 TO 20. >> GONZÁLEZ: YES, FOR NON-SAN ANTONIO RIDERS. AND THEN THAT EXTRA DOLLAR COULD HELP BRING BACK THE

CULTURAL HERITAGE OFFICER. >> GOT IT. >> MAYOR JONES:

COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA, PLEASE. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M GLAD IT'S GOING TO STAY IN HOPEFULLY REGARDLESS, I WANT TO ADD MY SUPPORT TO THE COLA ADJUSTMENT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE EMPLOYEES ESPECIALLY AT THREE PERCENT. ERIK, I GOT THIS COPY FROM COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO, AND IT SHOWS THE REVENUE GROWTH AT THE CITY, THE GENERAL FUND, FROM A BASELINE OF 1.36 BILLION IN FISCAL YEAR '22 UP TO THE PROPOSED 1.76 BILLION IN FY27, A 400-MILLION-DOLLAR INCREASE.

DO YOU KNOW OFFHAND KNOW WHERE MOST OF THAT 400-MILLION-DOLLAR INCREASE

HAS GONE OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS? >> OFFHAND, NO, BUT I THINK COUNCILMAN'S MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ ANALYSIS IS PRETTY ACCURATE. THE MAJORITY OF THAT WOULD

BE PUBLIC SAFETY. >> MUNGIA: MY APOLOGIES. I MUST HAVE BEEN GETTING COFFEE WHEN YOU SAID THAT. I WANTED TO POINT THIS OUT. I MADE COPIES FOR EVERYBODY TOO SO WE COULD PASS THEM AROUND. IF YOU CAN BRING UP A MEMO LATER WITH THAT, IT WOULD BE VERY ESPECIALLY HADFUL -- VERY HELPFUL TO EXPLAIN WHERE

THAT'S GONE. >> JUSTINA IS OVER HERE CALCULATING IT ALSO LIKE COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. SO 286 MILLION OF THE 400 MILLION WAS POLICE AND FIRE, BUT WE'LL PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER AND PROVIDE AN EMAIL TONIGHT ON THE $400 MILLION. BUT I THINK THAT COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ ISN'T THAT FAR OFF.

SINCE I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE INNER CITY TIRZ, COUNCILMAN?

NEVER MIND. I TRIED. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: ONLY

IF WE DID EVERY TIRZ. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU. I RECLAIM MY TIME.

ALSO WITH THE -- SHOWING US WHERE THE OTHER PORTION OF THAT $400 MILLION WENT AND THEN I THINK BASED ON THE CONTRACT THAT WE PASSED LAST MONTH MAYBE WHAT IS THE PROJECTED GROWTH WHICH WE DO KNOW, BUT MAYBE ADDING THAT SHOWS WHERE THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET IS GOING WITH IT ALSO BEING 66% OF THE BUDGET.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN PEOPLE SAY OUR BUDGET HAS GROWN BY THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHERE IT'S BEEN GOING. THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR JONES: WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE SECOND ROUND THAT HASN'T? OKAY. I'VE GOT JUST A COUPLE OF FOLLOW-UP ITEMS. ON THE APPROACH, ON THE -- FRANKLY MAKING SOME HEADSPACE FOR THE ARTS, JUSTINA, ONE OF THE APPROACHES I UNDERSTAND AS ERIK MENTIONED, EVERYBODY WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO GET OVER 15%, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IF EACH OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WERE CAPPED AT 250A CULTURAL OR NON-CULTURAL, KIND OF HOW MUCH ALONE, THAT APPROACH ALONE, GETS US? BECAUSE AS WE KNOW SOME OF THE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS REALLY NEED OUR CONTRIBUTION, SOME OF THE LARGER INSTITUTIONS, HOWEVER, EITHER HAVE ASSETS OR HAVE SIGNIFICANT OPERATING BUDGETS ALREADY. I KNOW WE'RE ALSO AWAITING THE PERFORMANCE METRICS ON SOME OF THE OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS, SOME OF THE FOLKS HAVE IDENTIFIED OTHER WAYS TO PAY FOR THOSE AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE GETTING AS A RESULT OF THOSE.

JUST TO LAY FLAT WHERE WE'VE LANDED SO EVERYONE IS CLEAR ON IT, IN TERMS OF ENDING, IT IS POSSIBLE THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY IN CONFLICT, ERIK, THE IDEA OF ENDING THE TIRZ EARLY AND CHANGING THE PARTICIPATION RATES FROM THE TIRZ.

THOSE ARE NOT INCONGRUENT, CORRECT? WE COULD DO BOTH OF THOSE AT

THE SAME TIME? >> IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH MONEY GETS PULLED OUT OF THE TIRZ, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO DO THE ANALYSIS BECAUSE THERE COULD BE AN IMPACT.

I'M DOING THAT BASED OFF OF GUT. I'M NOT DOING IT OFF OF BEN

AND TROY MATH, SO WE NEED TO DO THAT. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY, THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU TO -- AGAIN TO THE STAFF FOR ALL THE HARD WORK. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE VERY THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENTS. I KNOW THERE'S MORE TO COME.

SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS WE WERE PRESENTED LITERALLY AS WE WERE SITTING HERE.

I KNOW WE'LL TAKE SOME TIME AND REVIEW THOSE. SO THANK YOU.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING ALL OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AS WE BUILD THIS BUDGET. I WANT TO REITERATE MY CONCERN IS IF WE DON'T SMARTLY REALLOCATE SOME OF THESE RESOURCES, WE MAY FIND OURSELVES HAVING TO EXPLAIN

[03:20:10]

SO I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE US -- I UNDERSTAND WANTING TO GIVE ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW, A YEAR'S NOTICE AND WHATNOT, BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE CUTS AND AS MANY HAVE MENTIONED THE ECONOMIC PRESSURES THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS UNDER, I THINK WE OWE IT TO PROTECTING THOSE SERVICES THAT AS MENTIONED BEST SERVE THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND IF THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE MUSEUMS GET LESS THAN $300,000 OR IF THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO BRING DOWN VISIT SAN ANTONIO A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE SPACE FOR SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO FUND BECAUSE THEY SHOULD NOT BE -- THOSE SHOULD NOT BE COMPETING WITH SIDEWALKS AND OTHER CORE SERVICES AND OUR GENERAL FUND WHEN WE DON'T HAVE TO. WHEN IT IS SO CLEAR THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TO.

AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLUS UP SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE LEGALLY ABLE TO RECEIVE MONEY FROM, FOR EXAMPLE, READY TO WORK, SOME OF THOSE RECIPIENTS THAT ARE SERVING SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, IN PARTICULAR, ARE OPPORTUNITY YOUTH. AGAIN, MY THANKS, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION THAT WAS REQUESTED, ERIK, SO YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED?

>> I DO. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE-- THANK YOU FOR THE CONVERSATION TODAY. I THINK IT'S REALLY HELPFUL. WE'VE GOT -- WE'LL DO SOME HOMEWORK AFTER THIS. WE'LL SEND TO THE COUNCIL A REVISED LIST, BUT REALLY EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY IS SUGGESTING IS TECHNICALLY STILL ON THE TABLE, BUT WE'LL TAKE THE COMMENTS AND SEE IF IF WE CAN PULL TOGETHER KIND OF A PACKAGE, PLUS EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER AGAIN TOMORROW. BUT I THINK WE GOT WHAT WE NEED.

AND I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION TODAY. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. THE TIME IS NOW 4:24 AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.