[00:00:07] >> MAYOR JONES: THE TIME IS NOW 2:02 P.M. ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7TH, 2026 AND THE B SESSION IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL. >> CLERK: [ BRIEFING ONLY  ] >> MAYOR JONES: GREAT. THANKS, MADAM CLERK. THIS MEETING IS A BELIEVING FOR THE NTH STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM. ERIK OVER TO YOU. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR. SALLY WILL BE BRIEFING YOU FOR THE 90TH STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WILL BEGIN IN JANUARY. FIRST IN TERMS OF PREPARATION, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS HAS BEEN WORKING WITH ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE IGR COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP THE PROGRAM THAT KIND OF OUTLINES OUR ADVOCACY FOR AUSTIN IN 2027. THIS ITEM DID GO TO THE IGR COMMITTEE ON AUGUST 4TH AND RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS. AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE ENVIRONMENT IN AUSTIN, THE LAST COUPLE OF SESSIONS AND WE ANTICIPATE IN THIS UPCOMING SESSION WILL BE -- CONTINUE TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR CITIES. AND WHILE THERE ARE SOME UNKNOWNS AT THIS POINT BECAUSE OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS, WE FULLY EXPECT THAT MUCH OF THE WORK WE'LL BE DOING WILL BE ON DEFENSE, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON ENSURING THAT HOME RULE CITIES CERTAINLY MAINTAIN THE ABILITY TO GOVERN THEMSELVES. HAVING SAID THAT, THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO SERVE THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY AND SEEK OPPORTUNITIES FOR POLICY CHANGES AS WELL AS FUNDING, AND AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, WE'VE ADDED JUST A QUICK UPDATE TO THE COUNCIL TO THE TIMELINE BECAUSE WE WILL BE -- BEGIN WORKING ON OUR FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND KIND OF WANT TO COVER THAT WITH THE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON, JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT -- THOSE NEXT STEPS. SO WITH THAT SH U'LL TURN IT OVER TO SALLY. >> BASURTO: THANK YOU, ERIK. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SALLY BASURTO, DIRECTOR FOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT BEFORE YOU TODAY, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE 90TH LEGISLATIVE STATE PROGRAM BEGINNING IN 2027. A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND HERE ON THE LANDSCAPE AND THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, AS WELL AS SOME BACK GROUNDED INFORMATION, THE LEGISLATURE MEETS IN ODD-NUMBER YEARS AS YOU KNOW FOR 140 DAYS. THERE ARE 150 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MEMBERS WITH THE SPEAKER PRESIDING AS WELL AS 31 MEMBERS OF THE SENATE WITH THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PRESIDING. HERE'S A LOOK AT THE EVER-CHANGING LEGISLATIVE LANDSCAPE THAT WE ANTICIPATE IN 2027. THERE IS GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT TURNOVER IN BOTH CHAMBERS WITH AT LEAST 24 NEW HOUSE MEMBERS AND FIVE NEW SENATORS, INCLUDING TWO MEMBERS FROM THE SAN ANTONIO DELEGATION REPLACING REPRESENTATIVE LOPEZ IN DISTRICT 125 AND REPRESENTATIVE LUJAN IN DISTRICT 118. THIS TURNOVER AND THESE CHANGES WILL SIGNIFICANTLY RESHAPE THE COMPOSITION OF BOTH CHAMBERS, AS WELL AS COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS THAT WILL COME IN 2027. THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE IS SOME INFORMATION THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU REGARDING SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THE DIRECTION THAT THE STATE LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCED IN THE SUMMER OF 2026. THEY ESSENTIALLY DIRECTED STATE AGENCIES TO CUT SPENDING FROM THEIR PROPOSED BUDGETS BY 3% IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THERE WERE A FEW EDUCATION EXEMPTIONS IN THAT DIRECTION TO THE STATE AGENCIES; HOWEVER, IN THE SAME ANNOUNCEMENT, THEY MADE CLEAR THAT FOR THE NEW LEGISLATIVE SESSION, PROPERTY TAX RELIEF WAS GOING TO BE AT THE TOP OF THEIR PRIORITY LIST. ADDITIONALLY, THEY PLAN TO BUILD ON INVESTMENTS FOR SCHOOLS AND TEACHER SALARIES. IN THE 89TH LEGISLATION, THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR SIGNED A BILL ALLOTTING $4.2 BILLION FOR TEACHER RETENTION [00:05:06] INCREASING SALARIES. HERE'S A LOOK AT SOME OF THE KEY LEGISLATIVE DATES FOR THE 90TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE. ON NOVEMBER 9TH, PREFILING BEGINS. THIS IS THE PERIOD WHERE WE RAMP UP OUR GOVERNMENT EFFORTS IN ORDER TO COORDINATE WITH OUR COSA DEPARTMENTS AND OUR PARTNERS IN THE ANALYSIS OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION THAT IS BEING FILED THROUGH MARCH OF 2027. THIS WILL GIVE US THE FIRST INSIGHT AS TO THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION THAT WILL BEGIN TO BE FILED IN NOVEMBER. JANUARY 12TH IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE SESSION. MARCH 12TH IS THE LAST DAY TO FILE BILLS. THAT IS WHEN WE'LL SEE THE FULL SCOPE OF ALL THE BILLS PROPOSED FOR THIS SESSION. AND THEN WORKING TOWARDS MAY 31ST, THE LAST DAY OF THE SESSION. AND THEN JUNE 30TH IS THE LAST DAY THE GOVERNOR HAS TO VETO ANY BILLS. A LOOK AT THE BACKGROUND FOR THE CITY'S PROPOSED STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM OR THE PURPOSE OF HOW WE ARRIVE AT THE RECOMMENDED STATE PROPOSED PROGRAM. PRIOR TO EACH LEGISLATIVE SESSION, CITY COUNCIL, YOU, ADOPT A STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM THAT ESTABLISHES ESSENTIALLY THE CITY'S POLICY AND FUNDING PRIORITIES. THIS GIVES THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM AND THE CITY DEPARTMENT HEADS AND OUR LIAISONS THE GUIDANCE THAT WE NEED WHILE AS WE ENGAGE TO IDENTIFY, ANALYZE AND ASSESS IN HOW WE ADVOCATE IN SUPPORT OR IN OPPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATION THAT IS BEING FILED. DURING THIS SESSION, WE DO THIS ALL WORKING IN THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY. THIS WORK, OF COURSE, IS ACCOMPLISHED WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP AND IN COORDINATION WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS. THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND, OF COURSE, THE IGR COMMITTEE WITH THE LEAD LEADERSHIP OF CHAIRMAN MCKEE AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE MEMBERS AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS. A SPECIAL NOTE ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE PROGRAM, BY DESIGN THAT SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION STATEMENTS ARE GENERATED IN A GENERAL FORMAT OR IN BROAD STROKES. THAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO PIVOT AND RESPOND ACCORDINGLY. AS NEEDED, OF COURSE, WE WILL REPORT BACK IN A REGULAR CADENCE TO THE IGR COUNCIL COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS THE FULL COUNCIL TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL DIRECTION. HERE IS A LOOK AT THE POLICY OBJECTIVES. SO THE POLICY STATEMENTS IN THE PROGRAM ARE GUIDED BY THE FOLLOWING POLICY OBJECTIVES. AGAIN, THIS HELPS GUIDE OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS. WE AIM TO MAINTAIN THE FISCAL STABILITY MAINTAINING OUR AAA RATING AND TO PRESERVE THE ABILITY TO GENERATE REVENUES TO CONTINUE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. WE AIM TO PRESERVE OUR MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY THAT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE SELF-GOVERNANCE TO ALLOW THE CITY TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS OPPOSE UNFUNDED MANDATES. WE OPPOSE UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT COULD PASS ON ANY FISCAL BURDEN TO TAXPAYERS. CONTINUATION UNDER POLICY OBJECTIVES IS COMMUNITY WELFARE. WE SUPPORT THE GROWTH AND THE ECONOMY AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS WE PROTECT OUR NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY AS PER THE CITY'S RESOLUTION. HERE'S A LOOK IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES ON THE PROPOSED STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM. PLEASE NOTE THAT A FEW SLIDES WILL BE MARKED WITH A SECTION THAT SAYS "NEW" NEXT TO THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE. THESE ARE THE NEW RECOMMENDED SUPPORT AND STATEMENTS IN OPPOSITION THAT WERE NOT PART OF THE PREVIOUS STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM THAT ARE UNIQUE FOR THE 90TH STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM. THESE ARE OUR TOP LEGISLATIVE AND FUNDING PRIORITIES THAT INCLUDE LOCAL AND REGIONAL COORDINATION WITH MANY STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS, AND THAT COORDINATION WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE SESSION AND ONWARD. CPS ENERGY AND SAWS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRO [00:10:09] SECRETARY OUR MEUND MUNICIPALLY OWNED MODEL FOR SAWS, WE WILL POINT TO THE BENEFITS OF THE MOU MODEL, NOT JUST OUR DELEGATION BUT OTHER KEY LEADERSHIP AT THE LEGISLATURE, SUCH AS POINTING TO THE AFFORDABILITY AND REBATE PROGRAMS AND THE INVESTMENTS THAT CPS ENERGY AND THE CITY MAKE IN THE COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, SUPPORT FOR THE DOWNTOWN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, THE VISION HERE IS TO IDENTIFY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES IN SUPPORT OF PROJECTS IN THIS FOOTPRINT IN THE NEAR SURROUNDING AREA TO HELP EXPAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS OF THIS FOOTPRINT. ONWARD TO FLOOD INFRASTRUCTURE, SUPPORT FOR REGIONAL FLOOD RESILIENCE PROJECTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. WE WILL DO THIS IN COORDINATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS SUCH AS THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY, BEXAR COUNTY AND OTHERS. IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE HAVE RAMPED UP OUR EFFORTS IN THIS SPACE, ESPECIALLY, UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE 2025 FLOOD EVENT. THIS SLIDE ALSO INCLUDES SUPPORT FOR THE SOUTH TEXAS PARKWAY. AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE MULTILANE CORRIDOR CONNECTING I-35 AND I-37 IN SUPPORT OF OUR MAJOR MANUFACTURING EMPLOYERS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO. THIS IS LARGELY A BENEFICIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, NOT JUST FOR THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE CITY AND TRULY THE STATE OF TEXAS. HERE ARE THE ISSUE AREAS THAT INCLUDE SOME OF THE MOST CRITICAL NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY. THIS INCLUDES LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND FISCAL STABILITY. OF COURSE, MILITARY CITY USA, AS A STAPLE OF OUR PROGRAM, INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESILIENCE, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY. STARTING OFF WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND FISCAL STABILITY, WE WILL SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS, AS ERIK MENTIONED, IN THIS AREA. THIS SECTION INCLUDES PRESERVATION OF MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS RELATED TO ZONING LAND USE AND ALL THOSE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS THAT OFTEN THE STATE AIMS TO LIMIT FOR LOCAL OFFICIALS. WE WILL OPPOSE NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO OUR MUNICIPAL REVENUE AND OUR ABILITY TO ISSUE DEBT. WE, AGAIN, ANTICIPATE IN THE SNRNT SESSION THAT THERE WILL BE MORE ATTEMPTS TO LIMIT LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY TO ISSUE DEBT. IN 2025, THERE WAS A BILL, HB 19, THAT WOULD HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITED THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX SUPPORTED DEBT THAT THE CITIES COULD ISSUE. WE ANTICIPATE THAT SIMILAR BILLS WILL RETURN IN THE 90TH. IN ADDITION, WE ALSO OPPOSE DISCRIMINATION OF OUR NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE. ONTO MILITARY CITY USA, THIS IS A STAPLE IN OUR PROGRAM, AND WE OPPOSE ANY LEGISLATION THAT UNDERMINES THE CITY'S ABILITY TO PREVENT ENCROACHMENT IN ANY NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD THREATEN NOT ONLY EXISTING, BUT ALSO FUTURE MILITARY MISSIONS IN OUR MILITARY BASIS AND SURROUNDING AREA. WE ALSO SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT BUILDS ON SAN ANTONIO'S MILITARY MISSIONS, ASSETS, CURRENT AND FUTURE, AND WE ALSO SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE 250,000 LIVES OF MILITARIES AND VETERANS THAT CALL SAN ANTONIO HOME. UNDER INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESILIENCE, WE WILL ADVOCATE FOR INCREASED FLOOD MITIGATION INVESTMENTS AS WELL AS TRANSPORTATION CONNECTIVITY AND OTHER WATER AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO ADDRESS THE FUTURE GROWTH OF SAN ANTONIO. IN THE RECENT MONTHS, AND REALLY YEAR, WE HAVE LEANED IN ON PURSUING AGGRESSIVELY GRANT PURSUITS FOR FLOOD-RELATED PROJECTS. IN 2024, WE WERE AWARDED 1.3 MILLION, A COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUEST. THIS IS FEDERAL FUNDING. THIS WAS TO SUPPORT CONCEPCIÓN CREEK IN COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S DISTRICT AND OUR BILL SPONSOR FOR THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST WAS CONGRESSMAN CASTRO. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PENDING GRANTS AS WELL IN THIS AREA. THE FIRST ONE IS A REQUEST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR $6.3 MILLION THAT GOES THROUGH TDUM THROUGH THE STATE FOR THE DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDING, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PROJECT IN THE JUDSON AND LOOKOUT ROAD FOR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS. THIS IS PART OF THE DISASTER DECLARATION FUND, SO IT WAS ESSENTIALLY A ONE-TIME OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR THIS PARTICULAR FUNDING, AND WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT. THERE ARE TWO PENDING FEDERAL GRANTS UNDER THE BUILDING RESILIENT [00:15:04] INFRASTRUCTURE COMMUNITIES GRANT, OR BRIC. WE DECIDED TO ALSO SUBMIT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE JUDSON AND LOOKOUT DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS FOR $6.3 MILLION. THE SECOND GRANT PENDING, WE WORKED IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY FOR A REQUEST OF $10 MILLION, ALSO FOR BRIC. THIS IS ESSENTIALLY FOR FLOOD WARNING SYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL COUNTYWIDE TO COMPLIMENT THE NEXTGEN HIGH WATER ALERT SYSTEM MECHANISMS. ADDITIONALLY, A BIT OF MORE GOOD NEWS. BEXAR COUNTY RECEIVED A LITTLE BIT OVER $1 MILLION FROM THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD FOR OUTDOOR FLASH WARNING SYSTEM. THIS PARTICULAR FUNDING WAS A RESULT OF THE SPECIAL SESSION LEGISLATION THAT PASSED IN 2025 THROUGH SB 3. THIS FUNDING WAS LIMITED TO COUNTIES AND WE'RE REALLY HAPPY THAT THE COUNTY TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT AND RECEIVED A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THIS GRANT PROGRAM. ALSO UNDER INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESILIENCE, WE ADVOCATE SUPPORT FOR RAIL GRADE SEPARATION, BUT ALSO IN THIS SLIDE, I WANTED TO POINT THAT WE ALSO OPPOSE NEGATIVE COMMUNITY IMPACTS FROM DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT, A TOPIC THAT HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY DISCUSSED AT THE CITY COUNCIL A IN MANY OF THE RECENT MONTHS. REGARDING DATA CENTERS, THERE IS A CURRENT STATE DATA CENTER AUDIT THAT THE GOVERNOR CALLED IN AUGUST FOR THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION ANDER AND ERCOT TO CONDUCT A STATEWIDE REVIEW OF THE IMPACT OF DATA CENTERS ON THE ELECTRIC GRID AND IMPACTS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES. ESSENTIALLY MORE THAN 400 DATA CENTERS WILL BE UNDERGOING THIS REVIEW AND ASKED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO DETERMINE THOSE FINDINGS. WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT STUDY OR THAT REVIEW WILL BE COMPLETED IN DECEMBER, SO WE WILL KNOW WHAT THE STATE DETERMINES AND IS ABLE TO FIND. THERE ARE ALSO STATE INTERIM SESSION HEARINGS BEING HEARD DURING THESE INTERIM SESSION MONTHS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE UPDATES TO IGR AND THE FULL COUNCIL. MOVING ON TO RAIL, GREAT NEWS IN THIS SPACE AS WELL. THE SUPPORT STATEMENT IS WE SUPPORT FUNDING FOR CONTINUED RAIL GRADE SEPARATION INITIATIVES AND ENHANCE POLICY IN ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THIS SPACE. IN THE RECENT PAST, WE RECEIVED $5 MILLION FOR A PROJECT WITHIN THE. >> ZAHRA: ZARZAMORA AND THE FRIO RODEO SPACE FROM TXDOT FROM THE RAIL GRADE SEPARATION PROJECT. THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IS SO LARGE THAT IT DOES BEGIN IN COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S DISTRICT, BUT IT ALSO IMP IMPACTS DISTRICTS 3, COME VIAGRAN'S DISTRICT, AND IN DISTRICT FOUR, IN COUNCILMAN MUNGIA'S DISTRICT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WE HAVE A PENDING $750 MILLION GRANT FOR RITTIMAN ROAD GRADE SEPARATION GRANT. THIS WAS SUBMITTED TO TXDOT AND IS ALSO UNDER REVIEW BY DOT AND FRA. RITTIMAN ALSO RECEIVED IN THE PAST 4.8 MILLION FOR FRA DESIGN-RELATED EXPENSES IN 2025. THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IS LOCATED IN CHAIRMAN MCKEE'S DISTRICT, DISTRICT TWO, AND IT ALSO TOUCHES COUNCILMAN WHYTE'S DISTRICT IN DISTRICT 10. ADDITIONALLY IN THIS SLIDE, ALSO A NEW ITEM FOR THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORT FOR OUR LOCAL PARKS. THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW AREAS THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS DOES ALLOCATE FUNDING THROUGH THEIR AGENCY BUDGETS FOR LOCAL DOLLARS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL PARKS AND PURSUIT FOR OPEN-AREA SPACES TO BRING ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO SAN ANTONIO IN THIS SPACE TO RENOVATE AND CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WE RECEIVED EXTENSIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE IGR COMMITTEE IN SUPPORT OF OUR EDUCATION PARTNERS. IN THIS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SECTION, WE ARE PROPOSING A STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF INCREASED INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC AND HIGHER EDUCATION AND POLICIES THAT WOULD IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES AND WORKFORCE READINESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR RESIDENTS. DURING THE LAST IGR MEETING, JULIA GRAZARD OF THE BEXAR COUNTY EDUCATION COALITION PRESENTED HER PRIORITIES TO THE COMMITTEE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMITTEE'S SUPPORT AND EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION IN [00:20:04] THIS SPACE SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING A SUPPORT STATEMENT FOR OUR PUBLIC ED AND HIGHER ED PARTNERS. ADDITIONALLY WE SUPPORT POLICIES AND FUNDING THAT WOULD PROMOTE ADDITIONAL LOCAL JOB CREATION, BUSINESS RECRUITMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, SMALL BUSINESS GROPE AND THE OVERALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE SECOND LARGEST CITY IN TEXAS THAT WE CALL HOME. ADDITIONALLY, WE SUPPORT EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES TO NOT ONLY STRENGTHEN CAREER PATHWAYS, BUT ALSO APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS AND JOBS. THERE ARE EXISTING SPECIFIC HEARINGS THAT ARE BEING HEARD DURING THE LEGISLATURE IN THESE SPACES THAT WE CAN SHARE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON AS THE CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE. A FEW MORE UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WE SUPPORT LEGISLATION TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, A KEY ISSUE FOR THIS COUNCIL, AND IN ACCESS AND IN ALIGNMENT TO OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN OR SHIP, AS WELL AS EFFORTS TO HELP ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS. WE SUPPORT REGIONAL COORDINATION AS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MODEL, WE HAVE WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH NOT ONLY LOCAL PARTNERS, BUT PARTNERS THAT HAVE MUCH LARGER FOOTPRINTS BEYOND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO LIMITS, LIKE AACOG IN THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY. AS PART OF THOSE ADVOCACY EFFORTS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO COORDINATE WITH PARTNERS WHOSE FOOTPRINT EXPANDS BEYOND THE CITY LIMITS AND BEXAR COUNTY. WITH THE CREATION OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS ALLIANCE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THIS IS A CROSSED SECTOR NONPROFIT COALITION THAT UNITES BUSINESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ACADEMIC COMMUNITY LEADERS ACROSS THE CORRIDOR BETWEEN SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN, BRINGING TOGETHER 13 COUNTIES WHICH THEY'RE CALLING A MEGAREGION, WHICH INCORPORATES 120 PLUS MUNICIPALITIES COVERING OVER 500 MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS CORRIDOR. THE COORDINATION WILL NOT ONLY EXTEND TO PLANNING, BUT ALSO ADVOCACY AROUND CRITICAL CHALLENGES, KRUING TRANSPORTATION, WATER, HOUSING, ENERGY, HEALTHCARE, WORKFORCE AND LAND USE, ALL AREAS THAT ARE PART OF THE RECOMMENDED PROGRAM FOR THE 90TH STATE PROGRAM. IN THIS SLIDE UNDER PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, WE ARE PROPOSING SUPPORT LANGUAGE DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY FOR VIOLENT AND NONVIOLENT CRIME PREVENTION IN COORDINATION WITH CHIEF SAN ANTONIO LAMÉ AND SAPD, WE ARE RECOMMENDING LANGUAGE THAT WILL COVER NOT ONLY NONVIOLENT CRIMES THAT INCORPORATE RECENT ISSUES RELATED TO CRYPTOCURRENCY AND FINANCIAL FRAUD AS RELATED UNFORTUNATELY MORE SO WITH THE ELDERLY. THERE ARE -- THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS DURING THE STATE LEGISLATURE AS RECENT AS EARLY IN THE SUMMER, THE CRIMINAL JURISPRUDENCE COMMITTEE HEARD TESTIMONY SPECIFICALLY ON FRAUD, FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION OF THE ELDERLY AND VULNERABLE TEXAS, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THESE DISCUSSIONS AND REPORT BACK AS NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE OUT OF THESE DISCUSSIONS. ONE MORE SLIDE ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY. WE ARE RECOMMENDING LANGUAGE RELATED TO THE CITY'S HEALTHCARE PLAN, SPECIFICALLY THE CLAIMS DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS. IN COORDINATION WITH HUMAN RESOURCES, WE ARE PURSUING STRATEGIES TO CONTROL THE COSTS, PROTECT THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR HEALTH PLAN, AND MAINTAIN AFFORDABLE EMPLOYEE PREMIUMS. CURRENTLY, THESE HEALTHCARE CLAIMS ARE RESOLVED THROUGH THE FEDERAL INDEPENDENT DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS OR IDR. WE ARE ALSO EXPLORING PURSUING PARTICIPATION IN THE STATE'S DIS DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS AND THAT IS PROVING TO BE A POSITIVE PATH FORWARD AS WELL. ONTO PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE AN EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO COORDINATES NOT ONLY WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS, BUT ALSO WITH STATE, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PARTNERS TO ADVANCE THE LEGISLATIVE GOALS OF THIS BODY, THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY. THE CITY SUPPORTS PARTNER AGENDAS AS WELL THAT DO NOT CONFLICT WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S OWN LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AS ESTABLISHED BY CITY COUNCIL. THESE COORDINATION WILL EXTEND, AS I MENTIONED, LOCAL, REGIONAL, STATE, INTO THE NATIONAL LEVELS. NEXT STEP ON THE PROCESS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT WILL OF THE 90TH STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM IS SESSION APPROVAL BY THE COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 29TH. THIS NEXT SLIDE IS A PREVIEW AS THE CITY [00:25:06] MANAGER SAID, REGARDING THE FEDERAL 120TH LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM TIMELINE. AS YOU WILL SEE HERE IN NOVEMBER 2026, JUST NEXT MONTH, WE WILL LAUNCH OUR BRIEFINGS TO THE IGR COUNCIL COMMITTEE FOR THEIR REVIEW, THEIR ANALYSIS, THEIR ASSESSMENT AND DISCUSSION SO THEY CAN PROVIDE US DIRECTION FOR THE NEW FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM. WE ARE AIMING FOR FULL COUNCIL BRIEFING AND APPROVAL IN JANUARY. THERE'S A NEW CONGRESSIONAL SESSION STARTING IN JANUARY 2 AT THE FEDERAL LANDSCAPE. WE ANTICIPATE TURNOVER IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, NEW MEMBERS WITH NEW COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS COMING AS WELL AS NEW MEMBERS TO THE SAN ANTONIO, BEXAR COUNTY DELEGATION. SO AS ANTICIPATED OFTEN IN A NEW SESSION, THE FEDERAL CONGRESS IS OFF TO A SLOW START. THE NEW CONGRESS WILL BEGIN IN JANUARY 3RD, BUT REALLY TECHNICALLY THE WHOLE MONTH OF JANUARY THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS ALLOWING FOR THE NEW MEMBERS TO GET SETTLED. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I JUST WANT TO THANK CHAIRMAN MCKEE, THE COMMITTEE, AND THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MET WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK ON THIS PROGRAM. THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE TODAY OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, SALLY, AND THANK YOU, TEAM, FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK. WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORT. I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ'S LEADERSHIP OF THE EX COMMITTEE. IN CASE IT HELPS ANYONE ELSE, SALLY, YOU AND I TALKED ABILITY IT IN OUR PREBRIEF, BUT, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW WE'RE GOING TO IDENTIFY, MONITOR THOSE THINGS THAT WE MAYBE DIDN'T EXPLICITLY NOTE IN OUR AGENDA, BUT COULD BE OPPORTUNITIES OR WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO THE COUNCIL. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE EXAMPLE, RIGHT, IS MOVING THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION DATE. SO HELP US UNDERSTAND -- MY COLLEAGUES UNDERSTAND HOW WE ANTICIPATE REVIEWING THOSE KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE. >> BASURTO: YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THERE IS A SPECIFIC GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PROCESS WHERE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF BILLS FILED ANYWHERE UPWARDS OF EIGHT, 9,000 BILLS. THE REVIEW PROCESS STARTS WITH THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM, AND THOSE -- THAT IDENTIFICATION EXTENDS TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND ALL THE OTHER RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE PART OF THAT PROCESS. WE ALSO LEAN ON TML, THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE DURING THE SESSION. EVERY MONDAY, THERE IS A STANDING MEETING WITH TML AND OTHER LARGE CITIES, AND THEY ARE ADDITIONAL EYES AND EARS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ANOTHER SAFETY NET, TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY BILLS THAT HAVE ANY TYPE OF POLICY, LEGISLATIVE ORIFICE CAL IMPACT TO CITIES. SO THAT IS THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, AND, OF COURSE, ANY ADDITIONAL TOOLS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY LEADING UP TO THE SESSION, WE WILL DEFINITELY INCORPORATE THOSE WITH THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY MANAGER. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, PLEASE? >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, SALLY. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. AS WE ENTER THE 90TH STATE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, I WANT TO URGE MY COLLEAGUES AND CITY STAFF TO BE PROACTIVE AND ATTENTIVE TO THE INITIATIVES AND PROPOSALS THAT THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WANT TO BRING TO OUR CITY. WE KNOW ONE THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW. BUT I THINK WHAT WE DO IS -- WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT ALL, WE CAN'T BE FOCUSED ON JUST ONE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S GOING, BUT AT ANY TIME, THERE'S GOING TO BE A DOZEN TO TWO DOZEN ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TO FACE THAT IMPACT OUR CITY. SO WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHERE ARE THE AVAILABLE GRANT PROGRAMS, WHAT ARE OUR PARTNERS DOING, AND HOW WE CAN BENEFIT. I THINK THE CRITICAL DATE -- AND THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING -- IS NOVEMBER 6TH, AND WHEN WE HAVE THE PENDING BILLS COMING AND WE'LL HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT OUR STATE LEGISLATION IS LOOKING AT AND WHO -- WHO THEY'RE GOING TO KIND OF TARGET OR FOCUS ON FIRST. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THE STATE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT, SUCH AS THE SOUTH TEXAS PARKWAY ON THERE, THIS IS GOING TO BE KEY AND CONTINUES TO ELEVATE WHAT WE ARE IN SAN ANTONIO TO THIS CITY AND HOW WE CONTRIBUTE -- I MEAN TO THIS STATE AND WHAT WE [00:30:03] CONTRIBUTE ECONOMICALLY, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THAT, AND THEN TAKE THAT TO THE FEDERAL LEVEL. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING COMMUNITY AND I DO APPRECIATE WHAT I'VE SEEN HERE WITH OUR FUNDING PRIORITIES BEING SOUTH TEXAS PARKWAY, DOWNTOWN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, FLOOD INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAWS AND CPS ENERGY AS WE MOVE FORWARD. I THINK THE ONE THING I'M ASKING IS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD -- BECAUSE I KNOW WE ARE EARLY IN THE GAME, IS THAT WE MAKE IT -- WE KEEP IT AS FLEXIBLE AS POSSIBLE FOR US TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS. AND I SEE JULIA GRAZARD HERE WITH THE BEXAR COUNTY EDUCATION COALITION, AND I'M GOING TO LOOK TO THEM TO HELP IN THE LEGISLATION OF WHAT WE DO WITH OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS NEXT. AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE HARLANDALE, SAISD, EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTH SIDE IN MY DISTRICT ALONE. THOSE NEEDS AT THOSE DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS VARY. AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS NOT PUT INTO A CORNER THAT WE CANNOT WORK -- I CANNOT WORK WITH ALL MY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR BODY THAT THEIR SCHOOL BOARD THAT DIRECTS THEIR STAFF AND THEIR LEGISLATIVE, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION AND USE THE COALITION THAT WE DO HAVE AS AN INTERMEDIARY AS WE DO THIS, BECAUSE I WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS THE CITY COMING IN AND SAYING WE THINK WE KNOW BEST FOR YOU, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHEN THERE'S OVER 16 SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE OTHER IS THE NONPROFIT COUNCIL, WHICH I KNOW MANY HAVE MET WITH US BEFORE. THAT IS ANOTHER ENTITY THAT WORKS WITH CITY AND COUNTY RESIDENTS, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THEM ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IN TERMS OF HEALTH, IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH HOMELESSNESS AND OUR HOUSING ADVOCATES, SO I DO WANT TO KEEP THAT FOCUS ON LOCAL CONTROL AS WE HAVE DONE TRADITIONALLY, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE MEANS TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND TO PROTECT THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE. BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO. AND I KNOW WORKING WITH -- AND SALLY, YOU KNOW THIS, TOO, BECAUSE WE'RE UP IN AUSTIN, WORKING WITH THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUES, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD, KNOWING WE'RE GOING TO AGREE IN SOME PLACES AND WE OR NWE'RE NOT GOING TO AGREE, BUT LOOKING AT THAT BIG PICTURE -- AND I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE FIGHTS. I'M COMPLETELY AWARE OF AND UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT BE VERY STRATEGIC ON THE FIGHTS WE DECIDE TO TAKE UP TO AUSTIN THIS YEAR. AND REALLY GETTING AN IDEA OF WHO IS -- WHO'S GOT THE FLOOR AT THE -- AT THE STATE LEVEL IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT. SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK SO FAR. I THINK THE IGR COMMITTEE FOR WORKING, AND I JUST HOPE THAT AS WE GET CLOSER TO MAKING THOSE TRIPS UP TO AUSTIN, THAT WE SEND THE TEAM THAT IS MOST IMPACTFUL AND MOST -- MOST IMPACTFUL AND MOST STRATEGIC TO GET OUR INITIATIVES DONE AND TO PROTECT LOCAL CONTROL. THANK YOU, SALLY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GALVAN, PLEASE? >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU SALLY AND TEAM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK PUTTING THIS WORK TOGETHER. APPRECIATIVE OF THE PREWORK WE DID. I WANT TO REITERATE SOME OF THE THINGS I HEARD FROM MY CONSTITUENTS, FIRST OF ALL, SUPPORTIVE OF THE WHOLE PLAN PROVIDED TODAY, GRATEFUL TO THE EDUCATION, THE IGR AND TO -- I ECHO A LOT OF THINGS THAT COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN MADE ABOUT MAKING SURE WE'RE IN ALLIANCE WITH OUR ISDS, ALONG WITH THE ALAMO COLLEGE DISTRICT AND THE EARLY EDUCATION AS WELL, MAKING SURE WE HAVE HIGH-QUALITY CHILDCARE THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, PARTICULARLY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, BUT ALL THROUGHOUT AS WELL. ONE BIG THING, OF COURSE, DATA CENTERS, OBVIOUSLY WE BOTH TALKED ABOUT IT, WE KNOW IT'S A BIG PRIORITY OF MYSELF IN MY DISTRICT, LARGEST SUPPORT OF THE FOCUS ON LOOKING AT THE IMPACTSES OF RESIDENTIAL COSTS, RIGHT, IN TERMS OF UTILITIES, MAKING SURE THERE'S NO PASSTHROUGH THERE TO OUR RESIDENTS A MUCH AS POSSIBLE. BUT THE OTHER PIECE I THINK IS REALLY CRUCIAL IS THINKING ABOUT PRESERVING OUR LOCAL CONTROL ACROSS THE BOARD BUT PARTICULARLY ON DATA CENTERS AS WE'RE HEARING CHANGES AT THE STATE LEVEL ABOUT RURAL COUNTIES IN PARTICULAR TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE DATA CENTERS IN SOME FORM, SIMILAR TO WHAT CITIES DO, MAKING SURE WE PRESERVE THAT AUTHORITY. I WANT TO SUPPORT THOSE [00:35:03] EFFORTS BUT WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STILL ABLE TO DO THE KIND OF ZONING AND LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CODE REGULATIONS THAT WE HAVE LOCALLY ON HERE. I THINK WE HEAR IT ACROSS PARTY LINES RIGHT NOW, MAYBING SURE THAT LOCAL AUTHORI AUTHORITIES HAVE AUTHORITY. I KNOW IT'S A TOPIC IN MY AREA, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO TAG ME AND MY TEAM IN IF WE CAN BE HELPFUL. THE ONLY THING I WAS GOING TO MENTION, TOO, YOU KNOW, AS MINUTIA AS IT SOUNDS IT'S ONE THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL TO US, CLUSTER MAILBOX CONCERNS, THE STATE CODE RELATED TO THAT, MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST KIND OF PRIORITY HERE, BUT WE TALK ABOUT MAIL THEFT AND THE RESPONSE WE'VE GOTTEN FROM USPS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL DESPITE IT BEING A FEDERAL ISSUE IS COMING DOWN TO THE STATE AND THE LOCAL HOAS TO ADDRESS WITH FEDERAL LAWS CHANGING REQUIRING HOAS TO DREAS AND MAINTAIN CLUSTER MAILBOX BREAK INS YET AT THE SAME TIME STATE SAYS HOA CONTINUE USE THEIR FUNDS TO ADDRESS PROPERTY THEY DON'T OWN. IF THERE'S ANY WAYS WE CAN HELP ADDRESS THAT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHERE I CAN BE HELPFUL. IT'S ONE THAT IS JUST -- WRAPS OUR RESIDENTS UP IN KNOTS, OF COURSE, IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING TO LOSE -- I MEAN HAVE BREAK-INS IN THEIR MAILBOX EVERY SINGLE DAY. IT AFFECTS OUR WORK, TOO, AS WE SEND OUT INFORMATION FROM OUR OFFICE BUT ZONING NOTIFICATION FOR NEARBY ZONING CASES. IT'S IMPACTING OUR LITERAL ABILITY TO GOVERN HERE AND ADDRESS THE KEY ISSUES OUR RESIDENTS ARE ASKING FOR. THOSE ARE LARGE ONES AND SMALL ONES THAT I THINK ARE BIG PRIORITIES FOR OUR DISTRICT BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE PUT THOSE ON THE RADAR AND GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE WORK OF YOUR TEAM AND LOOKING FORWARD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN WHYTE, PLEASE? >> WHYTE: THAP THANKS, MAYOR. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO ME WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR TAXPAYERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE DOING AT THE STATE LEVEL AND WHY IT IMPACTS THEM. AND SO WITH EVERYTHING WE DO, I ASK THAT WE KEEP THE TAXPAYER IN MIND AND, AGAIN, MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC CAN EASILY GET INFORMATION AS TO WHAT BILLS WE'RE SUPPORTING AND WE'RE NOT. SALLY, I KNOW WE TALKED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS ABOUT SOME SORT OF DASHBOARD WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN TRACK WHICH BILLS WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF AND WHICH WE'RE IN OPPOSITION TO. I ASSUME WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR? >> BASURTO: YOU'RE CORRECT, COUNCILMAN WHYTE. AT YOUR REQUEST DURING THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE PUT UP THE DASHBOARD ON THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS WEBSITE THAT DEMONSTRATED ALL THE BILLS THAT WE WERE OPPOSING AND SUPPORTING, AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF THAT DURING THE 90TH. >> WHYTE: OKAY. GREAT. WHILE YOU'RE UP THERE, WE HAD AN ISSUE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHERE I THINK OUR LEGISLATIVE TEAM OPPOSED A TAX RELIEF BILL FOR BUSINESSES, SMALL BUSINESSES RELATED TO THEIR EQUIPMENT. WE DID SO BECAUSE IT WAS THE CITY'S POLICY THAT ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT POTENTIAL REVENUES TO THE CITY, WE WANTED TO OPPOSE THAT. SINCE THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED, I'VE TALKED WITH JEFF COYLE AS WELL ABOUT THIS, HOW ARE WE GOING TO DEAL WITH BILLS THAT MIGHT AFFECT MONEY TO THE CITY, BUT THAT WOULD PROVIDE TAX RELIEF TO BUSINESSES OR RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO? >> BASURTO: COUNCILMAN, AGAIN, YOU'RE CORRECT. WE HAVE HAD THIS DISCUSSION. THIS PARTICULAR BILL WAS A FISCAL IMPACT BILL THAT RANGED, DEPENDING ON THE LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE, ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT 14 -- 13.9 OR $14.2 MILLION AND UPWARDS OF THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE NEGATIVE FISCAL IMPACT TO THE CITY, SO WHAT I CAN COMMIT TO YOU, NOT KNOWING HOW MANY FISCAL IMPACT BILLS WILL BE FILED DURING THE NEW SESSION, WE WILL BE BRINGING THOSE FISCAL IMPACT BILLS IN COORDINATION WITH OUR FINANCE TEAM AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS, LIKE THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO THE IGR COMMITTEE AND THE FULL COUNCIL FOR FURTHER DIRECTION. >> WHYTE: OKAY. GREAT. THAT'S MUCH APPRECIATED THERE. IN TERMS OF LOCAL CONTROL AND ALL OF THAT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE, AGAIN, TO NOTE MY SUPPORT FOR THE REGULATORY CONSISTENCY ACT, 2127, AND ASK YOU, SALLY, OF COURSE, TO PROTECT OUR ABILITY TO GOVERN THE THINGS THAT [00:40:01] ARE CORE TO A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IN THE LIFE OF OUR CITIZENS, BUT IF THERE IS AN AREA WHERE THE STATE HAS -- IS EXERCISING CONTROL THAT, AGAIN, WE DON'T VENTURE OFF AND TRY TO GET INVOLVED INTO THOSE AREAS WHERE WE SHOULDN'T. SUPPORTIVE OF THE SOUTH TEXAS PARKWAY, SUPPORTIVE OF THE DRAINAGE INITIATIVES AS WELL AS THE STATE LEVEL. WE NEED MONEY FOR THAT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE NOW AS WE ALL KNOW. ONE THING I WANT TO MENTION AS WELL IS WHAT ABOUT VAPE SHOPS, SALLY? I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, AGAIN, LAST YEAR, AND I'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS WHERE THERE'S VAPE SHOPS AROUND SCHOOLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN HAVE THE LEGISLATURE LOOK AT? >> BASURTO: COUNCILMAN, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK. A GOOD QUESTION. WE KNOW THAT IT WAS AN EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION DURING THE LEGISLATURE ON PUTTING SOME GUARDRAILS ON THE LOCATION AND, YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY FOR VAPE SHOPS TO DO BUSINESS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. I'LL HAVE TO GO DO SOME RESEARCH, INCLUDING WHAT THE DISCUSSIONS ARE DURING THE INTERIM SESSION AND PROVIDE YOU THAT UPDATE. >> WHYTE: GREAT. AND I'M INTERESTED ON MY COLLEAGUES' THOUGHTS ON THAT AS WELL, TO THE EXTENT THEY HAVE THOSE I IISSUES IN THEIR DISTRICTS. BUT, AGAIN, HAVING VAPE SHOPS NEXT TO SCHOOLS, I THINK, IS CERTAINLY NOT IDEAL AND SOMETHING THAT IF THE LEGISLATURE WANTED TO GET INVOLVED TO HELP PREVENT, I WOULD CERTAINLY WANT US TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AS A SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK, SALLY, FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ, PLEASE? >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU, SALLY, AND JEFF AND YOUR TEAM FOR THIS PRESENTATION. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ME HERE IS ON SLIDE 8, WHICH IS THAT MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY. I THINK THAT IS REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT, THE HEART OF REALLY ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING DURING THIS SESSION, MAKING SURE THAT WE AS A CITY CAN MAKE OUR OWN DECISIONS AND HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY. TO ME, THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS, BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS ARE COMING TO US WITH VERY SPECIFIC NEEDS THAT SOMETIMES ARE IN THOSE BASIC SERVICES BUCKETS AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT, BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR HELP SOMEWHERE. AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS WHERE THEY GO. AND SO I THINK IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY. AND I THINK IT STARTS WITH THAT ABILITY TO PROTECT CPS ENERGY; THAT IS OUR -- A THIRD OF OUR CITY BUDGET, AND GAVE US THE MOST REVENUE IN THIS LAST CYCLE BECAUSE OF WHERE OTHER THINGS HAVE LANDED, BUT THAT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE PROTECT THAT AT ALL COSTS FOR OURSELVES AS A CITY, FOR THE STRENGTH OF OUR CITY, AND FOR THE WELL-BEING OF OUR RESIDENTS. I THINK THAT ALSO GOES INTO HOW WE SAFEGUARD THE LAND AROUND JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO. WE HAVE THAT FIVE-MILE MILITARY OVERLAY DISTRICT, AND I THINK IT'S WORTH DEFENDING, AND MAYBE NECESSARY TO INCREASE INCREASE THAT BUFFER ZONE THAT WE SHOULD RESIST ANY FURTHER EROSION, THAT AUTHORITY THAT WE HAVE IN THE ETJ. ALSO SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO THAT, IN YOUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS FINDING FOR THE CAMP BULLIS BRIDGE PROJECT, WE HAVE PRELIMINARY COST OF THAT AT $23 MILLION, AND BECAUSE OF OUR LIMITED BOND, OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD TAKE UP A BIG CHUNK FOR MY DISTRICT, BUT IF THERE'S ANY ABILITY TO CONNECT THAT WITH ANY STATE DOLLARS, I THINK IF WE CAN BE CREATIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT -- OBVIOUSLY WILL STRENGTHEN THE RESILIENCE OF MILITARY READINESS, BUT AS WELL PROVIDE RELIEF FOR MANY OF THE RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA. AS WELL, SPECIFICALLY I THINK -- AND I MENTIONED THIS IN THE IGR COMMITTEE, AND I WANT TO THANK OUR IGR CHAIR AND MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I THINK WE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB IN GETTING US HERE, AND I THINK WE HAVE ALL REALLY WORKED TOGETHER AND HAVE AN AGREEMENT AMONG US THAT OUR PRIORITIES -- WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE FOR THE CITY AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, BUT SPECIFICALLY ON -- AND I MENTIONED THIS IN IGR, THIS IS ON STATE LAW ALREADY ALLOWS CITIES TO KEEP ALCOHOL SALES 300 FEET AWAYS FROM CHURCHES, SCOOLTS AND PUBLIC HOSPITALS FT I'M ASKING THAT WE CONSIDER EXPANDING THAT DEFINITION OF WHAT SCHOOLS IS TO INCLUDE DAY CARE CENTERS AND CHILDCARE FACILITIES. RIGHT NOW, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THAT, AND I'D LIKE US TO CONSIDER THAT AND HOPEFULLY GET THE SUPPORT OF MY COLLEAGUES TO DO THAT. I ALSO WOULD LIKE US TO THINK ABOUT AND KEEP TABS ON WHAT CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING ON AROUND SHORT-TERM RENTALS. WE HAVE SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN MY DISTRICT AND MOST OF US KNOW THIS, THAT THE SHORT-TERM [00:45:01] RENTALS ARE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITHOUT REQUIRED HOAS. THAT HAPPENS TO BE THREE OF MY LARGEST DISTRICTS, MY TOP THREE LARGEST DISTRICTS IN DISTRICT EIGHT ARE ALSO HAVE VOLUNTARY HOAS. AND SO THE FLOODING OF THOSE SHORT-TERM RENTALS EXIST IN DISTRICT EIGHT OTHER DISTRICTEDS AS IN- WELL, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING I'D LIKE US TO KEEP TABS ON. I KNOW A LOT OF US ARE PROBABLY AT SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBORS TOGETHER EVENTS LAST NIGHT, AND IN MY STOPS, THREE OF THE SIX BROUGHT UP SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND WE KEEP TABS ON IT, WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM, BUT IT IS JUST SOMETHING THAT IS -- IS CONSISTENT ISSUE. SO I'D LOVE FOR US TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO THERE. AND I THINK RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE'RE LIKE A LOT OF OTHER CITIES THAT ARE ARE GOING TO AUSTIN AND ASKING FOR THE SAME THINGS, BUT I THINK NOW IS THE TIME MORE THAN EVER TO JUST TALK ABOUT OUR CITY AND THE STORY OF WHO WE ARE AND THE SUCCESS THAT WE HAVE IN USING PUBLIC DOLLARS AND MANAGING OUR FINANCES. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO TELL MY RESIDENTS WHEN I GET A CHANCE, BUT THAT'S A STORY THAT I THINK WE SHOULD BE TELLING ALL THE TIME, EVEN MORE SO DURING THE LEGISLATIVE CYCLE LIKE THIS. AND SO IF THERE'S ANY WAYS THAT WE CAN SHARE THAT AND KIND OF BEAT THE DRUM ON THAT, PLEASE LET US KNOW, BECAUSE I DO THINK IT IS JUST A VERY IMPORTANT STORY TO TELL AND IT REALLY MAKES US STAND OUT IN A LOT OF WAYS WHEN WE THINK OF OTHER BIG CITIES IN TEXAS. LAST IS ON PURSUING STATE GRANTS. AGAIN, YOU KNOW, BACK TO THE CAMP BULLIS BRIDGE IS MY SPECIFIC EXAMPLE, BUT REALLY ANY OTHER STATE FUNDING BECAUSE OF OUR LIMITED BOND CAPACITY, WE REALLY DO -- I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US ON A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IF THERE'S ANY STATE FUNDING THAT WE CAN FIND THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO US. SO THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS SO FAR. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR YOUR EFFORTS. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ, PLEASE? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, JEFF, SALLY, AND THE ENTIRE TEAM, FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORT. SINCE OUR B SESSION ON THIS ISSUE, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION AT THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE AND COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZALEZ AND I WERE DISCUSSING THIS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, IT MAY BE ONE OF OUR MOST ROBUST AGENDAS TODAY. I APPRECIATE STAFF PRESENTING A PACKAGE THAT I BELIEVE OFFERS A CONSENSUS. I AM THANKFUL TO OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I THINK WE SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING DISTRICT-LEVEL PROJECTS AND PLUGGING IN ALL OF OUR COUNCIL AS THE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS PROGRESS AND AS NEW OPPORTUNITIES BECOME AVAILABLE, AND, OF COURSE, I APPRECIATE COMMITTEE MEMBERS MUNGIA, ALDARETE GAVITO, MEZA GONZALEZ AND SPEARS FOR YOUR ONGOING FEEDBACK OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. WE HAD TO WORK PRETTY QUICKLY TO GET THIS AGENDA TOGETHER WITH STAFF AND I THINK THIS AGENDA IS ALIGNED WITH OUR THOUGHTS. WHAT I DO WANT TO START BY SAYING IS THAT TIMES ARE INCREASINGLY CHALLENGING FOR SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS. IT'S ECONOMIC, IT'S SOCIAL AND IT'S POLITICAL. AND WHETHER IT'S LEGISLATION THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT OUR RIGHT AND ABILITY TO GOVERN OR BUILD -- LEGISLATION THAT'S GOING TO TARGET MARGINALIZED GROUPS OR PROGRAMS AND EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING TO UNDERCUT OUR PUBLIC INCIDENCE TEUGS, WHETHER IT'S ANY OF THOSE THINGS OR ANY OTHER, OUR RESIDENTS EXPECT THAT WE ARE DOING OUR PART IN ADVOCATING IN THEIR BEST INTEREST AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. THAT MEANS THAT OFTEN WE ARE ON THE DEFENSE, AND THAT'S WHERE OUR PRIORITY IS GOING TO BE. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN NOVEMBER, AND SO OUR AGENDA ADDRESSES WHERE I THINK WE ARE CURRENTLY AND PRIORITIZES PROTECTING OUR GOVERNANCE, BUT IT ALSO GIVES US ANOTHER FLEXIBILITY TO PIVOT IF CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE AROUND IF WHAT'S POSSIBLE CHANGES. TRUMP IS ON HIS WAY TO SAN ANTONIO RIGHT NOW, IF HE'S NOT HERE, AND HE'S GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT WAYS TO CRIMINALIZE AND PUNISH IMMIGRANTS, HE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT WAYS TO PUNISH AND CRIMINALIZE THE LBGTQ PLUS COMMUNITY AND ESPECIALLY THE TRANS COMMUNITY FOR GOING WHO THEY ARE. HE'S GOING TO NAME A NUMBER OF UNWISE ECONOMIC POLICIES THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO LIVE. WE DON'T GET CHEAPER EGGS, GAS, WE GET MANUFACTURED CONFLICTS AND ENDLESS BATTLES BE THEY METAPHORICAL OR LITERAL WARS SO WE NEED TO REDIRECT OUR PARTNERS, ALL OF THEM, TO THE ISSUES THAT ARE REALLY, REALLY CHALLENGING OUR RESIDENTS. AND THE REALITY IS THAT TRANS PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN SPORTS IS NOT IT. REDUCING FUNDING FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS NOT IT. ARRESTING AND DETAINING PEOPLE AT CHURCH, SCHOOL OR THE GROCERY STORE IS NOT IT. SO TO THAT END, I HAVE A COUPLE OF EFFORTS I WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE MY [00:50:03] COLLEAGUES IN. FOR ONE, WE'LL BE SCHEDULING A MEETING OF THE IGR COMMITTEE WITH MEMBERS OF OUR DELEGATION TO SPEAK BROADLY ABOUT OUR AGENDA BUT ALSO TO GET THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND PRIORITIES AND FIND SOME SYNERGY. I'LL ALSO WORK TO SCHEDULE SMALLER MEETINGS WITH OUR DELEGATIONS AND THOSE ELECTED IN NOVEMBER WITH THE COUNCIL WHOSE BOUNDARIES OVERLAP, SO EVERY COUNCILMEMBER SHOULD BE A PART OF AT LEAST ONE OR TWO MEETINGS WHERE WE CAN BUILD NEW RELATIONSHIPS, STRENGTHEN OLD ONES AND FIND MORE SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR DELEGATION TO SUPPORT OUR AGENDA AND OUR SHARED CONSTITUENCIES AS WELL AS TO CONVEY ANY INDIVIDUAL MEMBER'S PRIORITY WHERE WE COULDN'T FIND A PLACE IN OUR AGENDA. I WOULD LIKE US TO BE INTENTIONAL IN OUR TRIPS TO AUSTIN WHEN IT'S MOST HELPFUL AND WHEN EACH OF US WILL BE MOST EFFECTIVE. THE WORK OF OUR COMMITTEE IS MUCH LARGER THAN OUR COMMITTEE IS, SO IT WILL CERTAINLY BE A TEAM LIFT FOR ALL OF THE COUNCIL AND 32 THERE'S A ROLE FOR EVERYONE ON THIS BODY TO PLAY. I WOULD LOVE TO COORDINATE REPRESENTATIVES OUTSIDE THE DELEGATION TO SHARE THE SAN ANTONIO STORY AS COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN ALWAYS SAYS, WE MAY BUILD UNEXPECTED ALLIES IF WE CREATE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM. MY HOPE IS THAT THOUGH WE ARE IN TURBULENT TIMES, WE CAN READJUST OUR FOCUS AND ENERGY TOWARDS COLLABORATION AND MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER ON NOT JUST THIS AGENDA BUT ON THE HOST OF OTHER ISSUES THAT WE'LL FACE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. THERE ARE ISSUES THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HAVE LED IN AND HAVE AN ACUTE KNOWLEDGE OF THAT WILL SERVE US WELL AS A BODY WHEN WE ACT AS A COLLECTIVE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO NOT JUST THIS LEGISLATIVE AGENDA BUT MANY, MANY, MORE YEARS OF COLLABORATION WITH ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, PLEASE. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, SALLY, FOR THE PRESENTATION, FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROPOSAL THAT YOU HAVE LAID OUT TO US. A COUPLE OF AREAS THAT I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE AND ESSENTIALLY REITERATING WHAT MY TEAM HAS SHARED WITH YOU DURING OUR BRIEFING IS, OF COURSE, ENSURING THAT WE CONTINUER TO MAINTAIN LOCAL CONTROL. IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE OF CPS ENERGY, RIGHT, WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE, THESE CRITICAL REQUESTS THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS EXPECT ARE FUNDED THROUGH OUR PUBLIC OWNERSHIP OF OUR UTILITIES, SO APPRECIATE THE WORK OF TRACKING THOSE BILLS. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE, AND THEN AS THE S SESSION BEGINS WE'LL HAVE MANY BILLS POP UP THAT WILL SURPRISE US THAT WE'LL EITHER NEED TO OPPOSE OR SUPPORT. SO APPRECIATE HOW FLEXIBLE YOU ARE AS THOSE ITEMS MOVE ALONG. AREAS IN WHICH I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO ASK STAFF FOR SUPPORT AND, AGAIN, WE'VE SHARED THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH A COUPLE OF OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES AROUND STRENGTHENING AND REGULATIONS FOR MRES AND UAPRS BY CLOSING REGULATORY LOOPHOLES AND ESTABLISHING FENCE LINE AIR MONITORING POSTFIRE, SO, AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH A COUPLE OF OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND WE'LL LOOK TO YOU ALL FOR SUPPORT. IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, OF COURSE, BEING GOOD PARTNERS TO THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES FOR THEIR REQUESTS FOR JAIL DIVERSION AND RECOVERY, AND BEING SUPPORTIVE PARTNERS TO BEXAR COUNTY AS WELL IN THAT INITIATIVE, LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AS IT EVOLVES. GRATEFUL TO SEE THE CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AS ONE OF OUR PRIMARY AREAS OF SUPPORT. IN ADDITION TO THAT, SOME OF THE WORK THAT MY TEAM AND I ARE DOING WITH OUR REENTRY ROUND TABLES, WE WILL BE ORGANIZING A FIELD TRIP TO THE STATE CAPITOL TO VISIT AND GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AGAIN AS THE BILLS EVOLVE AND ARE SUBMITTED TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT AS AN FY I, WE HAVE A COALITION OF FOLKS THAT ARE EAGER TO SHARE THEIR STORIES, TALK ABOUT THE VALUE OF PROGRAMS -- EMPLOYERS TO HIGHLIGHT THE VALUE OF HIRING JUSTICE-INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS, SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF IRONS IN THE FIRE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AND, AGAIN, WOULD LIKE A THE SUPPORT OF THE IGR TEAM AS THAT EVOLVES AND WE TAKE OUR TRIPS UP THERE. GRATEFUL AGAIN TO SEE THE CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR FLOOD CONTROL AND OF COURSE FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF CONGRESS JOAQUIN CASTRO INVESTING IN DISTRICT FIVE, OUR SHARED CONSTITUENCY ADDRESSING DRAINAGE. WE KNOW THE WORK STARTS BEFORE THE DISASTER HITS AND, OF COURSE, THAT'S EAR MARKING THESE DOLLARS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT CAN ULTIMATELY SAVE LIVES. SO APPRECIATE THAT FOCUS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE EMPHASIS ON CRYPTOFRAUD. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENTS DURING NATIONAL NIGHT OUT BECAUSE OF OUR EIGHT LINER CCR FOLKS HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND THEY'RE SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF FRAUD FROM CRYPTOCURRENCY TO PHONY FOLKS COMING TO THE DOOR SELLING THEM WATER HEATERS, REMOVING THEIR WELL MAINTAINED WATER HEATER, REPLACING IT, AND NOW THEY HAVE LIKE A [00:55:01] $100,000 LOAN FOR A WATER HEATER THEY DIDN'T NEED. SO, AGAIN, SENIOR PROTECTION IS A HUGE PRIORITY -- I KNOW A SHARED PRIORITY FOR THIS COUNCIL, TO PLEASED TO SEE THAT YOU ALL INTEND TO TACKLE THAT ISSUE WITH THIS UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION. FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE AG GENERAL DARKSZ I'LL BE BRIEF, SHORT, AND I KNOW THINGS EVOLVE. WE'LL BE IN COMMUNICATION. SO THANK YOU, SALARY. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR, PLEASE? >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO THANK THE IGR COMMITTEE AND SALLY AND HER TEAM FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT THEY DID IN PUTTING THIS LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TOGETHER. I KNOW SOME OF US HAVE DIFFERENT PRIORITY IMRAIRS, BUT I THINK YOU GUYS COLLECTIVELY PUT TOGETHER AN AGENDA THAT HIGHLIGHTS SOMETHING FROM EACH ONE OF US, WHICH IS WHAT WE'LL HAVE TO SIMILARLY DO WHEN IT COMES TO THE BOND BECAUSE I THINK THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT. SORRY, SIDE NOTE. SO I WANTED TO FOCUS ON A FEW THINGS THAT I THINK ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AND OBVIOUSLY I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE. I FEEL LIKE Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT AT SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBORS TOGETHER, I ALSO WENT TO SIX AND I ALSO HAD THREE PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT PLACES TELL ME ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES, SO IT'S QUITE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT RESIDENTS TELL US IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN. SO THE TWO -- ONE BIG AREA THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF ALLOCATED FUNDING FOR IS -- STREETS POLICY, OUR VITIONZ ZERO POLICY, WE'RE CONSISTENTLY RANKED IN THE HIGHEST FOR POLICIES. BUT I WOULD LIKE US TO REALLY SEE MORE MOVEMENT ON EXECUTION. THE ONLY WAY WE CAN EXECUTE, THOUGH, IS THROUGH FUNDING. AND SO IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A POLICY, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO ACTUALLY DOLLARS ALLOCATED FOR THOSE PROJECTS, WE DON'T -- WE CAN'T MOVE THEM FORWARD. SO I KNOW THERE'S THE FEDERAL GRANT THAT COMES OUT FOR SAFE STREETS FOR ALL, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT COMES UP FROM THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION REGARDING VISION ZERO AND PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLIST SAFETY THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND DRAW DOWN ON. I KNOW WE HAD THE MARKET STREET CYCLE TRACT THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THERE ARE FOR THAT. IN ADDITION, ANOTHER ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT IS ACTUALLY ALSO UNDER JEFF THAT I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE LIMITEDDED, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT IN THE BUDGET, IS THE RESILIENCY DEPARTMENT. I KNOW WE'VE COMBINED RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY AND AS A RESULT OF CURRENT LEADERSHIP, WE MAY NOT BE SEEING AS MANY DOLLARS ALLOCATED, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES. I KNOW ON THE SLIDES, YOU MENTIONED SOME SUPPORT AROUND FLOOD MITIGATION AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT, BUT ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN FIND TO BUTTRESS OUR RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING OUR CLIMATE NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM, ANY OF THOSE SPECIFIC THINGS, I THINK, WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY SEE THAT WE NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THAT. SO THOSE ARE REALLY FUNDING ISSUES. I WANT TO ECHO WHAT COUNCILWOMAN JUST MENTIONED ABOUT UTILITIES. EVERY TIME I HEAR ANYBODY -- AND WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER UTILITY TOMORROW, BUT -- AND AS MUCH AS WE ARE ADVOCATING AND FIGHTING FOR OUR RESIDENTS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE CHARTS THAT COMPARE THE RATES THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE PAYING IN COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES, WE'RE CONSISTENTLY ON THE LOWER END OF THAT. AND THAT IS TRULY BECAUSE WE HAVE MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY. AS SOMEONE WHO CAME FROM HOUSTON, THE ENERGY RATES ARE OUTLANDISH BECAUSE IT'S NOT THAT WAY. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE PROTECT THAT AT ALL COSTS. I THINK THAT'S LIKE THE NUMBER ONE THING FOR ME IN MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN AUSTIN UNDERSTANDS HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND HOW MUCH THAT WOULD CHANGE THE STATE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CITY. ALSO FOR THE DIVERSION CENTER, I WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR FUNDING THE PILOT THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE WEST SIDE TIRZ, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR THAT ALONG WITH OTHER MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY SUPPORTS. T WE KNOW UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IS THERE AND IS GOING TO BE TRYING TO BE WORKING HOPEFULLY TOWARDS MORE MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THERE'S ANY MORE ABLGHT TO BRING BACK SUPPORT FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH. OF COURSE ANY HOUSING BILLS -- LIKE WE HAD THIS BIG DISCUSSION AROUND THE LAST ONE WHICH WAS 840, I THINK, WHERE IT CAME DOWN FOR MULTIFAMILY, AND I LIKE -- I ALWAYS GET CONFLICTED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE ALWAYS WANT TO SUPPORT MULTIFAMILY, RIGHT? WE WANT TO SUP POORT THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I KNOW SOME OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES FELT LIKE IT DOES TAKE AWAY SOME OF OUR ABILITY TO DO ZONING IN THE AREA, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE MULTIFAMILY AND HOUSING BILLS THAT COME OUT BECAUSE THOSE ARE GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BETTER ABLE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT REACHING OUR SHIP GOALS AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT COMES OUT ON [INDISCERNIBLE] DEVELOPMENT, TOO, I KNOW, AGAIN, THAT'S MOSTLY A FEDERAL ISSUE, BUT BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF ANYTHING COMES OUT FROM THE STATE TO SUPPORT THAT SINCE IT IS ONE OF THE [01:00:03] THINGS THAT IS KIND OF CONTINUED IN THIS ADMINISTRATION. SO I'D LIKE TO KEEP AN EYE OUT ON THAT. AND LASTLY, OF COURSE, OUR EDUCATION PARTNERS ARE HERE. I WANT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT. I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN MADE SOME REALLY GREAT POINTS ON OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, BUT T AT THE END OF THE DAY, I KNOW WHAT'S LISTED HERE IS OUR SPECIFIC CITY PRIORITIES, BUT I WOULD ARGUE THAT OUR PARTNER PRIORITIES ARE ALSO OUR CITY PRIORITIES AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WHEN WE ALL GO UP AND SPEAK, WE GET TO SPEAK ON A WIDE VARIETY OF ISSUES SO THAT THEY -- SO FOLKS WHO ARE SUPPORTING THOSE BILLS, THEY ALWAYS HEAR FROM THE SUPTDS, BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS HEAR FROM CITY COUNCILS. SO WHATEVER OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME UP IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION ACROSS THE BOARD WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, WE WOULD LOVE TO BE SUPPORTERS ON AND CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT COMES OUT OF THE SESSION. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA, PLEASE? >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, SALLY, AND THE TEAM. I KNOW IT'S HARD TO SOMETIMES WRANGLE THIS COUNCIL INTO ONE IDEA OR SET OF GOALS, AND SO I THINK YOU GUYS DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF LISTENING TO US ALL YEAR ROUND AND TRACK THINGS WHEN WE SAY THINGS ON THE DAIS THAT I THINK COULD BE RELEVANT TO THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, SO JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I KNOW IT'S VERY TOUGH WORK. JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS REAL QUICK. I THINK OBVIOUSLY ANY WORK WE CAN DO FOR THE SOUTH TEXAS PARKWAY IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY. IN ADDITION TO CURRENT VOLUME TRAFFIC ON THE SOUTH SIDE, ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF 410. THERE IS NO EAST/WEST CONNECTOR BETWEEN 410 AND 1604 SOUTH AND I THINK FOLKS ARE REALLY SHOCKED WHEN THEY HEAR THAT, BUT TO GET AROUND, YOU'VE GOT TO GO UP, DOWN ONE OF THOSE STREETS ON TO 1604 OR 410, SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ROADWAY FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CITY. THANK YOU FOR ADDING -- WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT IGR, BUT WE ADDED PUBLIC EDUCATION AS A PRIORITY, AND I THINK THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO. IF EVER THERE WAS A LINCHPIN ISSUE, IT CERTAINLY IS EDUCATION, AND SO I KNOW WE HAVE SOME TREMENDOUS PARTNERS HERE WHO ARE STRONG ADVOCATES ON PUBLIC EDUCATION. I THINK WE CAN JUST TAG ON WITH THEM FOR SOME THINGS, BUT MAKING SURE OUR SCHOOLS HAVE THE RESOURCES LOCALLY IS GOING TO SOLVE SO MANY ISSUES IN THE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM FOR OUR COMMUNITY. JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OF COURSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, ANYTHING WITH TXDOT, FLOODING WE DO A GOOD JOB OF MAKING THOSE THINGS HAPPEN HERE, FOLKS LIKE SAMCO AND OBVIOUSLY THE M PO ARE REALLY GOOD PARTNERS. AND ESPECIALLY OUR PARTNERS WITH THE UTILITY, MORE THAN ANY FISCAL EMPHASIS, I THINK ADDING THE EMPHASIS ON THE CREW TEAM, THE RESPONSE AND THE GREAT PARTNERSHIP CPS PROVIDES NOT ONLY TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS, I MEAN, THEY ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SO MANY THINGS, YOU KNOW, IN THE GRID OF TEXAS, SO I THINK JUST WHATEVER COMES ON THAT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HIGHLIGHT ALL THE GOOD THAT CPS DOES FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE CREW TEAM, I THINK, IS REALLY, REALLY UNIQUE IN THAT SENSE. I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OTHER PRIVATE COMPANIES OFFER SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, OSCAR IN MY DISTRICT IS FANTASTIC. HE ACTUALLY HAS GONE AND PROACTIVELY VISITED NONPROFITS ON THE SOUTH SIDE, SAID I'LL BE HERE ON TUESDAYS OF THIS PART OF THE MONTH, AND IS THERE EVERY TIME, RIGHT? HIS BOSS DIDN'T TELL HIM TO DO THAT, THEY JUST HAVE DONE THAT AND THEY GET -- I MEAN, THE DATA THEY HAVE ON HOW MANY RESIDENTS THEY'VE HELPED, HOW MANY BILLS THEY'VE HELPED LOWER I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT FOLKS NEED TO KNOW HAPPENS HERE. SO I ALWAYS WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR WORK. AND THEN EVERYTHING YOU HAVE IN THE PUBLIC HEFLTD IS VERY IMPORTANT, RIGHT? SO MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD HOUSING, THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH MENTAL BED SUPPORT, AS COUNCILWOMAN KAUR MENTION SD GOING TO SOLVE SO MANY OTHER PROBLEMS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO JUST MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE PREPAREDNESS, AS THE WEATHER GETS MORE AND MORE DANGEROUS OVER TIME, MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE RESOURCES LOCALLY AND THAT THE STATE CAN PROVIDE TO US WHEN THOSE THINGS HAPPEN IS VITALLY IMPORTANT. WE SEE THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, ESPECIALLY WITH FLOODING, I THINK, IS A HUGE ISSUE IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE HAVE MUCH MORE FLOODING ISSUES THAN THE BOND WILL EVER SOLVE AT ANY COST. SO I THINK THOSE ARE ALL GOOD. AND I'M SURE YOU'LL BE, YOU KNOW, USING US WHERE YOU CAN, AND WE HAVE DIFFERENT FOLKS UP HERE WHO HAVE DIFFERENT AFFILIATIONS, AND I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL AND STRENGTHENING OUR MESSAGE TO THE STATE, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORKFUL APPRECIATE IT. >> MAYOR JONES: HAS EVERYONE SPOKEN ON THIS ISSUE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY. THANKS, AGAIN, SALLY, THANKS, AGAIN, COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. I WANT TO FOOT STOMP A COUPLE OF POINTS. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE -- I THINK WHEN WE GOT INTO THE SEATS, WE WERE -- THEY WERE ALREADY IN THEIR SPECIAL SESSIONS AND THEY WERE TALKING IN PARTICULAR THE SPECIAL SESSION ON FLOOD INFRASTRUCTURE. AND THE -- IT WAS HELPFUL AND -- WHEN I WENT UP THERE, WHAT WE DID WAS REALLY TRY TO KIND OF MAKE SURE EVERYBODY WAS SINGING FROM THE SAME [01:05:02] SONG SHEET. SO CREATING THAT SONG SHEET ABOUT FLOOD INFRASTRUCTURE AND WHILE EACH OF THE MEMBERS KIND OF SORT OF HAD AN IDEA OF WHAT WERE THE PROJECTS IN THEIR DISTRICT, WHEN WE GAVE THEM THE PRODUCT OF WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE JUST IN THE CITY LIMITS, AND THEN NO KIDDING, GAVE THEM THE TALKING POINT OF THERE ARE 14 FLOOD PROJECTS IN THE CITY -- ON THE STATE'S FLOOD LIST, 14 IN THE CITY LIMITS, TOTALING $411 MILLION, THAT'S NOT -- THAT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT FOLKS HAD THOUGHT OF IN THAT WAY VERSUS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE PROJECTS IN THEIR DISTRICTED, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE SALLY AND TEAM THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE TO CREATE THOSE TALKING POINTS THAT ARE ABOUT THE CITY IMPACT, RIGHT? BECAUSE HAD WE NOT TALKED ABOUT 14 ON THE LIST, IF WE TALKED ABOUT JUST WHAT WAS IN THEIR DISTRICTEDS, THERE'S ONLY FOUR OF THOSE, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, FOUR OF THOSE IN THE TOP 100, RIGHT? SO IF WE -- ARE TALKING ABOUT THE 14 IN THE CITY LIMITS, IT'S MUCH MORE IMPACTFUL WHEN THOSE MEMBERS, WITH THEIR DIFFERENT AFFILIATIONS, ARE IN THOSE DIFFERENT ROOMS BUT ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT SAN ANTONIO AND -- IN THAT PARTICULAR SHOE. SO WHEN ART BREECHED US LAST TIME ON THE BOND, HE MENTIONED THERE ARE 17 OR 18 PROJECTS ON THAT FLOOD LIST. I'D WELCOME AN UPDATED PRODUCT, IF YOU HAVE ONE THAT SHOWS US, IT WOULD BE LEMFUL FOR US. THANK YOU. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ AND AS WE HAD -- AS WE DISCUSSED IN OUR PREBRIEF, I THINK THE PRIORITIES ARE THE SAME. WE UNDERSTAND THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES. MAYBE DIFFERENT BASED ON WHO'S IN THE SEAT AND KIND OF WHAT THE MAKEUP LOOKS LIKE, SO WE, OF COURSE, REMAIN FLEXIBLE. IT'S GOOD TO SEE MATT HERE FROM CPS. OF COURSE, TOP OF MIND FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS PROTECTING CPS, AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT, AS ABLE -- YOU KNOW, THEIR TALKING POINTS AS WE CAN EMPHASIZE THOSE. WHEN WE TALK -- I THINK THE AFFORDABILITY PIECE IS IMPORTANT, AN IMPORTANT TALKING POINT FOR US, BECAUSE THE NUMBERS ARE THE NUMBERS AND THEY DON'T LIE. THE OTHER PIECE, I REALLY WANT US -- OUR DELEGATION TO HELP US CARRY THE WATER ON IS THE TRANSMISSION WORK THAT THE UTILITY DOES, WHICH IS SO, SO CRITICAL TO THE STATE'S OBJECTIVE, SO NOT ONLY ARE WE IMPORTANT, AGAIN, FOR WHAT WE DO HERE LOCALLY, BUT THE TRANSITION WORK THAT WE DO THROUGHOUT THE STATE IS I WOULD ASK THAT WE ALSO, IN PARTICULAR WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PIECE BUT ALSO THOSE THINGS IN THE DEFENSE SPACE, THAT WE LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES OR CREATE THEM WHEN IT COMES TO -- AGAIN, WE HOST TEXAS CYBER COMMAND. WE'VE GOT A GREAT JEWEL IN PORT SAN ANTONIO. SALLY -- AND I SEE THE MILITARY TEAM HERE. TO THE EXTENT WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE WOULD UNIQUELY COMPETE FOR IN A WAY THAT HOUSTON AND DALLAS CAN'T. PLEASE BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THOSE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES. SIMILARLY -- SOMEWHAT RELATED BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY OPPORTUNITIES, WE ALSO WANT TO BE COGNIZANT OF IN PARTICULAR SUPPORTING ANY OF THOSE CONSUMER PROTECTION, CONSUMER ADVOCACY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE -- YOU HEARD SOME OF THE TOPICS HERE ALREADY BUT PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE AS MUCH AWARENESS OF THOSE. TO THE HOUSING PIECE, TO THE EXTENT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES -- MAYBE THIS IS ONE WHERE WE PARTNER WITH OTHER MAJOR CITIES. BUT SUPPORT OF EFFORTS TO INCREASE THE TYPES OF HOUSING SUPPLY THAT ARE VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO DO AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. FOR WHATEVER REASON. EITHER THEY DON'T PENCIL OR WHAT HAVE YOU. FOR THOSE FOLKS, YOU CAN LOOK AT SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE HOUSING REPORT BUT ALSO WE HAVE THOSE CHALLENGED EITHER WITH SPECIAL NEEDS OR VETERANS OR ELDERLY. BUT THOSE KINDS OF HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN SUPPORT. WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN MY PREBRIEF AS WELL BUT JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S EDIFICATION. WHILE WE HAVE PRIORITIES TO SUPPORT, PUBLIC HEALTH, ET CETERA, TO THE EXTENT THERE ARE ALSO OPPORTUNITIES -- AND THIS MAYBE JUST GETS TO KIND OF THE BROADER FUNCTION OF ENSURING THE BUREAUCRACY IS WORKING AS INTENDED. TO THE EXTENT, IF THERE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT, HEY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A REPORTING REQUIREMENT ON, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT MATERNAL MORTALITY REPORT. THE FACT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY HELPFUL PIECE OF INFORMATION AS WE'RE BUILDING THE BUDGET BUT NOW WE KNOW WE WILL NOT RECEIVE THAT UNTIL AFTER NOVEMBER. SIMILARLY, EFFORTS TO ENSURE THERE'S NOT A 210,000 BACKLOG OF MEDICAID APPLICATIONS, TO THE EXTENT [01:10:01] THERE ARE EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THAT AND ENSURE THERE'S INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ENSURES THAT'S NOT THE CASE MOVING FORWARD. KIND OF SIMILARLY IN THAT VEIN, THESE 45,000 BACKLOG APPLICATIONS FOR VOTER REGISTRATION. I SAY ALL THAT, SALLY. I KNOW THERE MAY BE ONE-OFFS BUT ON THE THEME OF, HEY, ARE THE SYSTEMS WORKING AS INTENDED IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC GOOD AND IN THE INTEREST OF CIVIC PARTICIPATION. IT'S HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES -- AT LEAST WHILE I HAVE BEEN IN THIS SEAT. BUT IN PARTICULAR I'M GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTED IF THERE'S ANY LEGISLATION THAT HELPS US HAVE MORE AGENCY IN HOW WE CAN GO AFTER THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR THAT SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM FOR THOSE KIDS. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S A PRIORITY AND WE CAN WEIGH IN APPROPRIATELY. I HAVE SENT A LETTER BUT IF THERE'S EFFORTS ON LEGISLATION UNDERWAY TO MAKE THAT MORE OF A REALITY, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. IN PARTICULAR, AS WELL, NOT ONLY AS PUBLIC EDUCATION NOT FUNDED THE WAY IT NEEDS TO BE BUT WE KNOW OUR KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ARE NOT FUNDED IN THE WAY THEY NEED TO BE. IF THERE ARE EFFORTS WE CAN PARTNER WITH SOME OF THE LARGER CITIES ON THAT SPECIFIC PART OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, PLEASE LET US KNOW. I WOULD -- I WASN'T HERE WHEN YOU DID THIS LAST TIME FOR THE UPDATE. I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL WHEN YOU DO PROVIDE US AN UPDATE, THE DASHBOARD IS VERY HELPFUL. BUT WHEN YOU ARE PROVIDING EFFORTS, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, SALLY, TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE ARE PARTNERING OR THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE TO PARTNER WITH SOME OF THE OTHER BIG-CITY DELEGATIONS AND MUNICIPAL ELECTED LEADERS. I WILL JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'LL ALSO BE COGNIZANT OF OPPORTUNITIES -- AGAIN, IN LIGHT OF CHANGES AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL, TO THE EXTENT EARLIER WE TALKED ABOUT CHANGES THAT MAY HAVE A FISCAL IMPACT. I THINK THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS YOU COULD ARGUE THAT WOULD HAVE A FISCAL IMPACT BASED ON WHAT YOU WANTED TO MEASURE AND BASED ON HOW YOU UNDERSTOOD SOMETHING TO BE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE. BUT TO THE EXTENT WE ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, LOOKING AT THE AIR QUALITY PIECE WITH THE VEHICLE REGISTRATION, RIGHT? I THINK WE WANT TO MAKE SURE --Y I COMMIT TO AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES WILL TOO -- RAISING THOSE TO THE EXTENT WE CAN GIVE METRO HEALTH OR WHOEVER THE ANSWERING ENTITY IS TO HELP US PAINT THAT PICTURE, HOW WE UNDERSTAND IT, HOW WE UNDERSTAND THE FISCAL IMPACTS. WA WE DON'T KNOW BUT WHAT I APPEAR TO BE CHALLENGES. NOT EVERYTHING HAS AN IMMEDIATE COST WE CAN QUANTIFY BUT FRAMING IT IN OUR COMMUNITY, GIVEN THE HIGH RATE OF POVERTY AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES WILL BE IMPORTANT. OKAY. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU, SALLY. ERIK, ANY COMMENTS ON THIS ISSUE? >> WALSH: NO, MA'AM. WE'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AS SALLY MENTIONED, BOTH THROUGH IGR AND THEN WITH REGULAR UPDATES ON OUR A SESSION AGENDA PERIODICALLY, AT LEAST EVERY OTHER WEEK OR EVERY THREE WEEKS. THAT PACE WILL PICK UP AS THEY GET -- AS THE LEGISLATURE GETS TO APRIL AND MAY AND THINGS START [EXECUTIVE SESSION At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session in the C Room to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following:  ] MOVING FASTER. >> MAYOR JONES: WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TAKE US INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE TIME IS NOW 3:16 P.M. ON OCTOBER 7, 2026. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 551.071 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.087. PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.072. AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, ALL PURSUANT TO NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE TIME IS NOW * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.