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THE TIME IS NOW 5:01 PM UM, I'LL OPEN THIS PUBLIC HEARING IN JUST A MOMENT, BUT CAN WE GO AHEAD AND GET A, UM, UH, ROLL FROM THE CLERK, PLEASE? COUNCIL MEMBER TIO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
[1. 20-4368 Public Hearing for the $22,350,369 FY 2021 Action Plan and Budget for the four federal grant programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) which include the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program. [Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager; Veronica R. Soto, Director, Neighborhood and Housing Services Department]]
FOR THE CITY'S FY 2021 HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ACTION PLAN AND BUDGET IS NOW OPEN.UH, TIO, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE CAPTION PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE $22,350,360 $69 FISCAL YEAR 2021 ACTION PLAN AND BUDGET FOR THE FOUR FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS FUNDED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HUD, WHICH INCLUDES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, GRANT, C D B G, HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, HOME ENERGY SOLUTIONS GRANT, E S G, AND HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS
ALL, ALL PERSONS WISHING TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS MAY DO SO.
COMMENTS MUST BE LIMITED TO MATTERS RELATING TO THE HUD ACTION PLAN AND BUDGET.
EACH PERSON WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND EACH GROUP WILL HAVE UP TO NINE MINUTES TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS.
UH, THERE'S NO STAFF PRESENTATION, UH, FOR THIS ITEM AND SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START, UH, WITH THE MEMBERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN ORDER.
UM, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE SEVERAL CALLBACKS.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A LIST IN FRONT OF ME.
JUDGE, THE CALLBACKS ARE READY, SIR.
WHAT'S, CAN YOU GO AHEAD AND ANNOUNCE THE FIRST NAME, JOHN, AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONNECT WITH THAT PERSON.
HELLO, MS. CASTILLO, YOU, UH, HAVE BEFORE.
HELLO, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF MULTIPLE EMERGENCIES AND THE WORKING PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO NEED ASSISTANCE AND MEANINGFUL ACTION.
NOW, WHEN WE EXAMINED THE GROWING RACIAL DISPARITIES, THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP IN PARTICULAR AND RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY OF PROPERTY OWNERSHIP AS A TOOL OF WEALTH BUILDING, WE UNDERSTAND HOW BATHING TO ACT AND MITIGATE HOUSING DISPLACEMENT PERPETUATES POVERTY.
BASED UPON JANUARY, 2020 THROUGH AUGUST, 2020, BUILDING STANDARDS FOR DATA DISTRICT FIVE ACCOUNT FOR 43% OF B F C CASES, THESE NUMBERS REVEALED THE NEED TO ALLOCATE MORE THAN TO PROPOSE 2.5 MILLION TOWARDS THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM AND THE NEED FOR MORE FUNDING FOR OWNER-OCCUPIED REHAB PROGRAMS. MULTIPLE CASE STUDIES, INCLUDING SAN ANTONIO'S OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION OPPORTUNITY AT RISK STUDY, HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF HOME REHABILITATION PROGRAMS IN MITIGATING DISPLACEMENT AND MINIMIZING THE DEMOLITION OF OUR MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCKS.
THE STEERING OF POST COMPLIANCE OFFICERS TOWARDS DISTRICT FIVE IS IN PART DUE TO CD BG FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED FOR TARGETED CODE ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
BLOCK FUNDS SHOULD BE USED TO IMPROVE HOUSING CONDITIONS RATHER THAN POLICING POVERTY AND ISSUING FINES.
AS OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BECOME DESTABILIZED AND VULNERABLE TO CAPITALISM, WE MUST EXAMINE SAN ANTONIO'S HOUSING SYSTEM PIPELINE THAT HAS 152 UNITS AT 30% A M I AND 2,786 UNITS AT 60.
BETWEEN 80% A M I SET TO BE DEVELOPED WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE MUST, WE MUST MEET HOUSING NEEDS AND ADDRESS WHERE WE NEED IT THE MOST.
AND ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION, SAN ANTONIO'S HOUSING STOCK HAS 38 UNITS FOR EVERY A HUNDRED FAMILIES AT 30% A M I, ALONG WITH A YEARS LONG WAITING LIST FOR PUBLIC HOUSING.
I BELIEVE THAT IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING RACIAL AND ECONOMIC INEQUALITY IN SAN ANTONIO, WE MUST DIVEST THE $96 MILLION THAT ARE NOT TIED TO THE SAPO CONTRACT AND INVEST IN SAFE AND PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OUR METRO HEALTH SYSTEM AND OTHER PREVENTATIVE MEASURES THAT UPLIFT OUR COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE DESPITE THE INCREASE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN DISTRICT FIVE, UM, FAILING TO PROTECT, PRESERVE, AND PRODUCE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING
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IS AUTHORIZING THE DISINVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY WEALTH OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE.OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SANDY ARM.
MY NAME IS SAND MENEZ AND I SUPPORT ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR HOME OWNERSHIP WHEN IT IS USED TO SUPPORT GREAT PROGRAMS LIKE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, BECAUSE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO SHOULD KNOW THE MONEY WILL BE WELL SPENT, AND IT IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM THERE IS.
MORE FAMILIES DESERVE TO BE HOMEOWNERS, AND I HOPE THE CITY HELPS WITH THAT THROUGH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY BECAUSE THEY REALLY DO GOOD WORK.
MY NAME IS, IS CHRIS GARZA, AND I SUPPORT THE HOUSING FUNDING LISTED AND SPECIFICALLY SUPPORT THE AMOUNT OF HOME OWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FUNDS.
BECAUSE OUR CITY NEEDS MORE QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, THE CITY SHOULD CONTINUE TO WORK WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY ON THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THEY HAVE THE MOST EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS. HOW DO I KNOW? I AM ONE OF MANY HOMEOWNERS WHO TAKE PRIDE IN THE OPPORTUNITY? HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HAS GIVEN ME WITH THEIR HELP, I HAVE PROVED THAT FAMILIES LIKE MINE CAN WORK HARD TO ACHIEVE A BRIGHT AND SUCCESSFUL FUTURE IN HOME OWNERSHIP.
I CONTINUE MY LIFE AS A HOME, AS A HOMEOWNER IN CREATING HOME AND CREATE A HOME AND A SAFE PLACE FOR MY CHILDREN.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, AS A HOMEOWNER, I CAN SHOW MY CHILDREN THAT DREAMS CAN COME TRUE.
MS. VINNO IS GABRIELLE TREVINO ON THE LINE? OKAY.
UH, WE'LL MOVE TO YVETTE FALCON.
MICHAEL TAYLOR IS NEXT TO, OKAY.
MS. FALCON, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? OKAY.
WE'LL MOVE, UH, TO MICHAEL TAYLOR.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
UM, THIS IS MICHAEL TAYLOR WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, AND I WANTED TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR 1.625 MILLION IN C D B G, UH, 1.25 MILLION IN HOME FUNDS, UH, FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOME OWNERSHIP AND ALSO THE 300,000 FOR CHOTO OPERATING EXPENSES.
UM, THE PANDEMIC HAS SHOWN THE IMPORTANCE OF AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP.
HOMEOWNERS HAVE THE FINANCIAL STABILITY AND THE LEGAL PROTECTIONS THAT WILL HELP THEM OVERCOME REDUCTIONS IN INCOME OR EVEN JOB LOSSES.
AND HOME OWNERSHIP IS THE BEST PERMANENT SOLUTION FOR SO MANY FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE COST BURDENED OR LIVING IN SUBSTANDARD OR OVERCROWDED CONDITIONS.
STUDIES HAVE SHOWN WE NEED TO BUILD THOUSANDS OF NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO MEET THE DEMAND OF THE CURRENT AND FUTURE POPULATION HABITAT'S.
HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM IS PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE BECAUSE IT IS, BECAUSE IT IS NOT A A HANDOUT PROGRAM.
EACH HABITAT HOMEOWNER CONTRIBUTES AT LEAST 300 HOURS OF SWEAT EQUITY TO BUILD THEIR HOME AND THE HOMES OF THEIR NEIGHBORS, SO THEY'RE WELL PREPARED FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP THAT IS A PART OF HOMEOWNERSHIP.
LAST YEAR, THE FAMILIES THAT BECAME HOMEOWNERS EARNED AN AVERAGE OF JUST OVER 33,000 PER YEAR.
THAT'S 54% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
AND JUST YESTERDAY WE CLOSED ON HOUSE NUMBER 1,155 IN SAN ANTONIO, AND THIS FAMILY'S GONNA BE PAYING LESS THAN 625 PER MONTH.
WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITION FOR FUNDS, BUT NOW MORE THAN EVER, WE NEED THE CITY'S CONTINUED AND CONSISTENT SUPPORT FOR AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP.
WITH THE SUPPORT HABITAT WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY HOMES THAT ARE AFFORDABLE FOR HARDWORKING LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST THE TIME AND RESOURCES INTO COACHING OUR FAMILIES SO THEY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL HOMEOWNERS AND USE HOME OWNERSHIP AS A FOUNDATION THAT WILL OPEN ALL KINDS OF DOORS FOR PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN.
WE HIGHLY VALUE OUR GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
UM, WE HAVE YVETTE ALCON BACK ON THE LINE.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY YIELDING MY TIME ON THIS TOPIC.
I THINK WE HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR
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THE, UH, FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC HEARING AS WELL, SO WE'LL KEEP YOU THERE.UM, JORDAN PARKS? YES, UH, GEORGE, UH, MS. PARKS, ARE YOU THERE? YES, I AM.
DO YOU HAVE, UH, COMMENTS ON THE HUD UH, PUBLIC HEARING ON THE HUD ACTION PLAN? MS. PARKS? I WAS ACTUALLY YIELDING MY TIME AS WELL ON THIS ONE.
I THINK WE, UM, WE HAVE YOU, UH, LISTED ON THE GENERAL PUBLIC HEARING AS WELL, SO WE'LL KEEP YOU THERE.
UM, DEANNA ORGA S OKAY, WE'LL GO TO RICH ACOSTA.
UM, IN RECEIVING THIS BUDGET, UH, REVIEWING THIS BUDGET PRO, UH, PROPOSAL, WE, UH, WANT YOU ALL TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING, ACCORDING TO THE U D C TO BE CONSIDERED MIXED INCOME PROJECT.
TO RECEIVE FUNDS ZERO TWO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, INCENTIVE PROJECTS, 10% OF THE UNITS NEED TO BE SET ASIDE FOR 80% A M I OR BELOW, WHICH COULD BE A FAMILY OF FOUR MAKING $57,000 A YEAR AFFORDING $1,425 A MONTH IN RENT OR A MORTGAGE OVER 200,000 FOR, UH, VERY LOW INCOME BEING 50% A M I OR BELOW.
UH, THE SET ASIDE WOULD ONLY HAVE TO BE 5%, AND THAT WOULD BE A FAMILY OF BEING, UH, A FAMILY OF FOUR OF 30, MAKING $36,000 A YEAR OF $4,900 A MONTH IN RENT OR A MORTGAGE OVER $125,000 THROUGH THE SA FISCAL YEAR 20, UH, SINGLE FAMILY NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM THAT'S SET ASIDE FOR 120% A M I PROJECT, UH, UH, A M I OR BELOW PROJECT, WHICH A FAMILY OF FOUR THERE IS $85,000 YEARLY WITH A FOUR, UH, $42,125 A MONTH IN RENT, OR A $300,000 MORTGAGE.
UH, I'M SAYING ALL THIS STUFF IS TO REALLY POINT OUT THAT THE, WHEN, WHEN THESE ARE OUR LIMITATIONS THAT ARE SET IN OUR U D C ARE IN OUR CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS. AND SO THESE GRANTS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING AHEAD AND ALLOWING TO GO THROUGH, THERE NEEDS TO BE A GREAT, UH, CONSIDERATION TO WHERE THE FOCUS OF THESE FUNDINGS ARE GOING TO GO WHEN ACTUALLY PRODUCING MORE PRO, UM, UH, UNITS FOR RENTALS AND, UH, FOR HOUSES.
WHEN WE LOOK AT 30% A M I, THE ACTUAL NEED, THAT IS A FAMILY OF FOUR, WHICH MAKES $21,000 A YEAR OF $4,525 A MONTH IN RENT OR A MORTGAGE OF 70 OVER $75,000.
IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, UH, REAL ESTATE, UH, REALTOR'S, UH, M L S SYSTEM, THERE'S OVER 1,300, UH, RENTALS.
NONE OF WHICH, UH, FOR TWO BEDROOM OR MORE, UM, IS AVAILABLE FOR SOMEBODY THAT CAN ONLY AFFORD A $525 A MONTH IN RENT, NOR IS THIS, UH, AVAILABLE ON APARTMENTS.COM.
AGAIN, THE POINT OF SAYING ALL THIS IS NOT TO TAKE AWAY THE HARD WORK THAT N H S D AND THEIR STAFF DOES OR ANYTHING, BUT JUST TO POINT OUT THAT OUR TAXPAYER FUNDS ARE GOING TO BE USED TO DEVELOP MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MORE, UH, UH, HOMES TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
PLEASE ENSURE THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON WHAT IS ACTUALLY NEEDED.
30% A M I IF YOU LOOK AT THE INCOME-BASED PROPERTIES THAT ARE OUT THERE, UM, THERE'S OVER, UM, TWO THOU.
THERE'S ABOUT ROUGHLY 2000 APARTMENTS IN BEXAR COUNTY, AND THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 40, LESS THAN 40 INCOME BASED APARTMENTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO, AND IF YOU CALL THOSE, UH, UH, INCOME BASED APARTMENTS, THEY'RE ALL FULL.
AND HAVE A SIX MONTHS WAITING LIST.
UM, I THINK SIERRA BILLINGTON HAS DROPPED.
MS. BILLINGTON, ARE YOU THERE? OKAY, WE'LL GO TO NATALIE GRIFFITH.
MY NAME IS NATALIE GRIFFITH AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, I'M HERE AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF OVER 200 FAMILIES THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO US IN THE LAST SIX WEEKS ALONE, SEEKING AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
UH, WE SUPPORT THE FUNDING RECOMMENDATION FOR HOME OWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND CHOTO OPERATING AS LISTED IN THE AGENDA
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ITEM.UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO THANK THE CITY FOR CONTINUING ITS SUPPORT OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND PARTICULARLY HOME OWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT MORE FAMILIES HAVE THE OPTION OF AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP.
HOME OWNERSHIP SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO JUST THE PRIVILEGED FEW THAT HAVE IT.
NOW, MORE SAN ANTONIO CITIZENS WANT AND DESERVE THE STABILITY, STRENGTH, AND SELF-RELIANCE THAN HOME OWNERSHIP PROVIDES.
UM, ALSO BEFORE THE CITY MOVES FORWARD IN THE FUNDING PROCESS, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE CITY TO REVISIT ITS GRANT APPLICATION UNDERWRITING PROCESS WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING IT LESS ADVERSARIAL.
UM, THAT SAID, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO AN EXTEND A THANK YOU TO YOU ALL OUR CITY OFFICIALS, THE CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, LAURIE HOUSTON, VERONICA SOTO, AND THE N H S C TEAM, AND EVERYONE ELSE AT THE CITY WHO HAS WORKED ON ALL OF THE VARIOUS COVID ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND THAT COVID HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. UM, I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE HEARD LOTS OF CRITICISMS ABOUT THINGS THAT WENT WRONG OR COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER, AND THAT'S ALWAYS THE CASE.
UM, BUT I THINK ALL TOO OFTEN WE FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE.
IF YOU REALLY STEP BACK AND LOOK AT HOW THE PROGRAMS WERE CREATED OUT OF THIN AIR AND THEN THE HERCULEAN EFFORT THAT CITY STAFF MADE TO QUICKLY IMPLEMENT THEM, AND THEN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HELP THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDED, YOU REALLY HAVE TO SEE ALL THE AMAZING GOOD THAT HAS HAPPENED FROM THEM IN THE STRESSFUL AND WORRISOME PANDEMIC TIME.
I THINK IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO ACKNOWLEDGE, RECOGNIZE, AND EVEN CELEBRATE THE GOOD.
AND THE CITY HAS DONE SO MUCH GOOD AND THE EFFORT AND INTENTIONS OF CITY STAFF REALLY WERE REMARKABLE.
SO I OFFER A HELP, A HEARTFELT THANK YOU, UH, FOR THAT.
UM, AMANDA HERNANDEZ HAS DROPPED, UH, VICTOR JOHNSON, UH, HAS ALSO DROPPED.
UH, IF, IF THAT IS NOT THE CASE, PLEASE SPEAK UP.
UM, WE'LL MOVE NOW TO CRYSTAL HAYWOOD.
WE'RE SUPPOSED SPEAKING ON THE NEXT ONE.
UH, IS THAT YOU, MS. HAY? MS. HAYWOOD? YES.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SPEAKING ON THE NEXT ONE.
WE HAD YOU SIGNED UP FOR BOTH, SO WE'LL TAKE YOU AT THE NEXT ITEM.
UM, ARE THERE ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS? THERE ARE, SIR.
UM, NOT ON THIS ITEM, ON THE, THIS ITEM, I BELIEVE, UM, THERE ARE NO, UH, ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, UM, ON THIS HEARING.
SO HAVING HEARD ALL COMMENTS FOR THOSE PERSONS WISHING TO BE HEARD AT THIS TIME, THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, FOR THE HUD ACTION PLAN IS NOW CLOSED.
CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THIS ITEM AT THE AUGUST 13TH, 2020 CITY COUNCIL MEETING, STARTING NO EARLIER THAN 9:00 AM WE'LL NOW MOVE ON
[2. 20-4649 Public Comment is your opportunity to address your City of San Antonio elected officials directly about issues that are important to you and your community. To sign-up to speak, please go to www.sanantonio.gov/agenda and click on the eComment link for instructions. Members of the public can sign up online to speak before the San Antonio City Council. Members of the public are given up to three (3) minutes to speak, and groups are given up to nine (9) minutes.]
TO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND OUR REGULAR CITIZENS TO BE HEARD SESSION, AND WE DO HAVE, UH, SEVERAL CITIZENS IN THE QUEUE TO BE SPEAKING ON THE LINE, AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH OUR WRITTEN COMMENTS AS WELL.UH, I'LL, I'LL CALL THE FIRST PERSON ON THE LIST, UH, TO GO AHEAD AND SPEAK, AND THEN I'LL CALL THE NEXT PERSON IN ORDER, UH, IF YOU COULD BE PREPARED TO COME ON THE LINE.
I'LL START WITH JASMINE GONZALEZ, FOLLOWED BY ROGER FISHER.
I BELIEVE JASMINE HAS DROPPED.
UM, SO WE'LL GO TO ROGER FISHER AND MR. FISHER, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JORDAN PARKS.
I HAVE LIVED IN OUR CITY MY ENTIRE LIFE, 73 YEARS.
THE ONLY CONSERVATIVE ON THE COUNCIL IS NOT INCLUDED IN MY COMMENTS TODAY.
FIFTH COUNCIL AND MAYOR ARE THE WORST I'VE WITNESSED.
BY LAW OF YOU'RE PUBLIC SERVANTS TO ALL OF THE TAXPAYERS, YOUR NEGLIGENT ACTIONS SHOULD NEVER BE ENFORCED ON ALL OF OUR TAXPAYERS.
THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS SHOULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN OUR CITY.
YOU'RE IRRESPONSIBLE ACTS AS DISREGARDED.
THE RIOTS, LOOTING AND BURNINGS OF OTHER CITIES.
YOU DELIBERATELY NEGLECTED, FAILED THE ADVICE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EXPERTS.
YOU ENCOURAGED AND PARTICIPATED IN ITS PROTEST KNOWING THAT OUR TAXPAYER LIVES AND BUSINESSES WOULD BE DESTROYED.
YOUR NEGLECT AND MALICIOUS ACTIONS CONTRIBUTED IN THE SPIKES OF THE CHINESE VIRUS, YOUR HYPOCRITES.
YOU MAKE ENFORCEMENTS ON OUR TAXPAYERS, AND YOUR ACTIONS ARE THE OPPOSITE.
YOU DELIBERATELY FAILED TO PROTECT OUR TAXPAYERS PARKS AND
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HISTORY MONUMENTS.YOUR NEGLIGENT ACTIONS HAS OPENED THE DOOR FOR NUMEROUS LAWSUITS AGAINST OUR CITY, THE LEADERS OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTERS, AND THE F B I HAS LABELED THE PROTESTS AS ANTI-GOVERNMENT, CITY, COUNTY, STATE, AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENT.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO END THIS BY SAYING THAT YOU HAVE REALLY DIVIDED THIS COUNTRY AND ALL THE OTHER CITIES THAT HAS THE, THE LEFT WING, UH, ACTIONS OF GOVERNMENT.
THIS IS GONNA YOU SETTING A PRESIDENT THAT THE, THE LATINOS, THE WHITES, THE CHINESE, ALL OF THE OTHER ETHNICS ARE GONNA BE LINED UP PROTESTING AGAINST RACES BECAUSE EVERY ETHNIC IN OUR SOCIETY HAS BEEN A RACIST AGAINST GUEST.
AND YOU CAN THANK YOUR, UH, COLLEAGUES FOR THIS AND IF YOU WANT ANY OTHER COMMENTS, I'LL BE GLAD TO COME IN PERSON AND, UH, THANK YOU MR. GO AHEAD MR. FISHER.
DO YOU STILL HAVE 30 SECONDS? OKAY.
I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DONE THIS IN PERSON FOR I CAN, I LIKE TO SEE THE PEOPLE THAT I'M TALKING TO AND MAKING COMMENTS TO.
SO I WISH YOU'D GET ON WITH A COME OUTTA YOUR CLOSETS AND START COMING TO THE MEETINGS LIKE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
AND, UH, LET THE PUBLIC FACE YOU AND YOU FACE THE PUBLIC.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. FISHER.
UH, WE'LL GO NOW TO JORDAN PARKS.
MS. PARKS, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY STEVEN
DO I START NOW? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
ON MAY 8TH, 1968, BOBBY JOE PHILLIPS WAS BRUTALLY BEATEN TO DEATH IN FRONT OF HIS OWN HOME BY SAP'S OWN OFFICER AX, HIS DEATH.
MUCH LIKE THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD SPARKED A REVOLT AGAINST THE THEN CORRUPT POLICE DEPARTMENT BY ITS CITIZENS.
THE CITIZENS LAUNCHED A CITYWIDE RIOT, AND IN APRIL OF 1969, THE CITY COMPROMISED AND AGREED TO THE DEMAND BY THE CITY TO FORM A CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD.
OUR PREDECESSORS THOUGHT THAT THIS COMPROMISE WAS A START OF CHANGE IN PROGRESSION FOR THEIR DESCENDANTS.
THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE MAKING A MARK ON HISTORY AND CREATING A WORLD WHERE THEIR CHILDREN DIDN'T HAVE TO FEAR WALKING THEIR STREETS BECAUSE LEGAL GANGS IN UNIFORM WERE HARASSING.
I MEAN, PATROLLING THEM, BOBBY JOE PHILLIPS WAS MY COUSIN.
I NEVER GOT THE PLEASURE TO MEET OR EXPERIENCE THE MAN THAT HE WAS, AND HE'LL NEVER GET TO EMBRACE THE GREATNESS THAT I HAVE.
FIRST, BECAUSE AT 28 YEARS OF AGE, OFFICER COMAC AND FIVE OF HIS PEERS DECIDED THAT HIS LIFE WAS NO LONGER NECESSARY.
THAT MADE A DECISION FOR MY FAMILY THAT TOOK A BROTHER, A COUSIN, A SON, A FATHER FIGURE FROM OUR BLOODLINE AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND STAINED OUR STREETS WITH OUR BLOOD.
BOBBY'S DEATH WAS RULED A HOMICIDE.
HIS HIS CAUSE OF DEATH WAS BLOOD FORCE TRAUMA TO HIS HEAD AND A BROKEN NECK FROM THE COUNTLESS BLOW HE TOOK TO HIS CROWN.
FROM NIGHT SIX, OFFICER KOMACK AND HIS PEERS WERE FOUND NOT AT FAULT BY THE POLICE AND FIRE COMMISSION.
AND THOSE THAT ARE STILL ALIVE WALK OUR STREETS FREELY AND HONORABLY AS RETIREES.
MY QUESTION TO CITY COUNCIL, THE DA AND CHIEF MCMANUS IS, AND THE MAYOR IS WHAT IS THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON MURDER? BECAUSE YOUR FAMILY'S WORLD MAY STILL BE INTACT, BUT MINE LOST A PIECE OF THEMSELVES THAT DAY AND WITH NO CLOSURE, NO COURT CASE, AND NO ONE TO STAND FOR THEM.
THE RECOVERY PROCESS IS STILL IN FULL EFFECT 52 YEARS LATER.
POLICE VIOLENCE IS FAR FROM NEW.
IT IS NOT UNCOMMON, AN UNCOMMON TOPIC OR AN UNHEARD OF CONCEPT, BUT IT'S CONTINUOUSLY IGNORED BECAUSE THE WHITES MAJORITY HAVE YET TO BE AFFECTED BY ITS MARGINALIZED AND HIGHLY CRIMINALIZED AS MUCH AS THE MARGINALIZED AND HIGHLY CRIMINALIZED MINORITY COMMUNITIES.
SEEING THAT THIS LOCAL AND VERY FLAW SYSTEMS FOUNDATION IS BUILT ON THE TAXPAYERS FINANCES, EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY.
SEEING THAT THIS VERY FLAW SYSTEMS FOUNDATION IS BUILT ON THE TAX DOLLARS OF THE RESIDENTS THAT THEY ABUSE AND NEGLECT MURDER AND MODERN DAY LYNCH.
WE AS THE OVERLOOKED POPULATION OF SAN ANTONIO, WE AS THE SCREAMING BUT UNHEARD.
WE AS THE PRESENT, BUT UNSEEN, CALL FOR JUSTICE IN AN UNJUST WORLD WHERE, WHICH MAY SEEM IMPOSSIBLE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WITH WILL AS A COMMUNITY, WE CAN FIND A WAY TO ENSURE THAT ALL LIVES FEEL SAFE IN THIS CITY.
I AM CALLING ON MY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, NO SPECIFIC DISTRICTS.
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CALLING ON EACH OF YOU FROM ONE TWO PINS TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF REALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THESE FLAWED AND UNSTABLE POLICE FORCE AND THE UNJUST UNION AND SYSTEM THAT PROTECTS THEM AND PUTS THAT MONEY INTO PUBLIC HEALTH.SEEING THAT WE'RE IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC EDUCATION, SEEING THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS RIDDLED SOME FAMILIES UNABLE OR FEARFUL OF SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL.
THESE FAMILIES ARE DEPENDING ON YOU TO PROVIDE THEIR CHILDREN WITH RESOURCES SO THAT ALL CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO SUCCESS.
MR. TI, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ANANDA THOMAS.
I'M STEVE OR STEVE, 1 0 5 RENO.
I'M CALLING TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOMETHING.
MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE FREQUENTLY TRAPPED IN A CONVERSATION WITH ME ABOUT THE BOOK I'M LISTENING TO.
LUCKILY, FOR EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT WARN PEACE, I'M LISTENING TO GIVE AND TAKE BY ADAM GRANT.
MOST PEOPLE ARE GIVERS IN THEIR PERSONAL LIFE, BUT WHEN PEOPLE GO TO WORK AND TRANSACT BUSINESS, THEY AVOID BEING GIVERS.
THEY BECOME TAKERS AND MATCHERS.
MATCHERS WANT TO BALANCE A BALANCE OF GOOD AND TAKE.
IT'S BAD TO BE A GIVER PROFESSIONALLY BECAUSE GOT NICE GUYS FINISHED LAST.
RIGHT? ACTUALLY, THAT'S PARTLY TRUE OF THE THREE STYLES MATCH YOUR GIVER AND TAKER.
THE MOST LIKELY TO BE LEAST SUCCESSFUL IS A GIVER.
HOWEVER, THE MOST LIKELY TO BE MOST SUCCESSFUL IS ALSO A GIVER.
MATCHERS AND TAKERS ARE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE, FIGHTING IT OUT.
LAST WEEK I TALKED ABOUT THE U D C AND I'VE LOST PLENTY OF SLEEP OVER THIS.
WHY? BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS OVERRUN WITH MATCHERS AND TAKERS.
TRY GETTING A GOOD LAND USE ATTORNEY.
IF YOU AREN'T A DEVELOPER WON'T HAPPEN.
WHY? BECAUSE THEY WILL BE PERCEIVED AS GIVERS.
DO YOU EVER THINK WHEN YOU WATCH A THOMAS J. HENRY COMMERCIAL THAT HE'S A GIVER? THAT I AM NOT HALFWAY THROUGH THE BOOK, BUT I'M THINKING HE MIGHT HAVE MISSED SOMETHING HERE.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCCESS MIGHT NOT BE AS MUCH ABOUT HOW, HOW YOU GIVE, BUT HOW YOU MATCH.
IF YOU MATCH LIKE AN ACCOUNTANT AND IT JUST ADD UP TO GIVING AND TAKING, THAT MAY NOT BE FAIR.
SO HERE WE ARE IN A PANDEMIC AND A RACISM CRISIS.
IF, IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT REPARATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU ARE MATCHING AND YOU ARE MATCHING RIGHTS, NOT MATCHING EQUITY.
I THINK THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCCESS AND FAILURE ON THIS TOPIC.
MY GRANDFATHER ALWAYS SAID, PEOPLE JUST NEED TO PULL THEMSELVES UP BY THEIR BOOTSTRAPS.
BUT WHAT IF YOU WERE NOT BORN WITH BOOTS? SO FOR U D C PROCESSES, WHY CAN'T WE MATCH SOME EQUITY? FOR INSTANCE, RIGHT HERE IN THIS CHAMBER, MAYOR, ME AND MY NEIGHBORS COMMENTED ON THE ONLY THING YOU'VE EVER VOTED ON THAT VERY IMMEDIATELY AND DIRECTLY IMPACTED ME.
SO EVEN THOUGH YOU HEARD OUR MESSAGE AND YOU SAID COUNSEL NEEDED TO BE CAREFUL WHEN IT WAS A MOTION THE OTHER WAY YOU WERE NOT CAREFUL AND VOTE, VOTED FOR IT, YOU WERE MATCHING, THEN YOU WERE MATCHING RESPECT FOR WHO MOTIONED TO GIVE THE SAME RESPECT BACK.
YOU WERE MATCHING, GIVE AND TAKE.
YOU ARE NOT MATCHING EQUITY, EQUITY FOR ALL THE CITIZENS THAT ELECTED YOU.
ANANDA THOMAS, FOLLOWED BY JACOB TUCKER.
I AM CALLING TODAY TO PUSH CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR ONE, THE PUBLIC HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THEIR TOP PRIORITIES FOR THE BUDGET ARE TO REALLOCATE MONEY FROM THE SS A P D INTO HEALTHCARE AND HOUSING.
YOU RECEIVED A RECORD BREAK IN 23,000 RESPONDENTS TO THE SPEAKUP SURVEY WITH THE SAME CLEAR MESSAGING.
YET THIS NEWLY PROPOSED BUDGET DOES NOT REFLECT PUBLIC OPINION ONE BIT, A SLAP IN OUR FACE, OUR POLICE BUDGET IS OVERINFLATED.
THIS FEE ALLOCATED $479 MILLION FOR POLICE LAST YEAR COMPARED TO A MEASLY $55 MILLION ON HEALTHCARE, HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING COMBINED.
THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF STUDIES THAT EXIST PROVING THAT THE ANSWER TO LESS CRIME AND SAFER COMMUNITIES IS INVESTING INTO YOUR COMMUNITY TO FIGHT POVERTY, NOT OVER-POLICING.
WE NEED TO REALLOCATE FUNDS FROM THE POLICE BUDGET BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY SO WE CAN STOP PUTTING A BANDAID ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE AT ITS CORE BY RAISING OUR DISENFRANCHISED COMMUNITIES OUT OF POVERTY.
TWO, IT IS TIME FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO BE BOLD IN THEIR C B A NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE POLICE ASSOCIATION.
68% OF SAN ANTONIANS IN A RECENT SURVEY STATED THEY FOUND POLICE UNIONS TO BE A BARRIER TO HOLDING POLICE OFFICERS, POLICE OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR MISCONDUCT.
THE ARBITRATION PROCESS IS CLEARLY COSTLY TO TAXPAYERS AND INJUST.
IT HAS CREATED A SYSTEM WHERE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR OWN CHIEF IS FIRED FOR UP COSTS.
APPEALS TO DISCIPLINARY DECISIONS SHOULD GO SOLELY BACK TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, AS IS ALREADY SET UP IN
[00:30:01]
THE CURRENT C B A UNDER CHAPTER 1 43 0.1015.ONCE AGAIN, THERE IS ALREADY A PROCESS FOR APPEAL TO DISCIPLINARY DECISIONS THAT DOES NOT BRING IN COSTLY OUTSIDE ARBITRATORS.
FURTHER COUNSEL NEEDS TO IMPLEMENT PROCESSES TO ALLOW FOR INCREASED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY NEGOTIATIONS RELATED TO CO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
AS STIPULATED UNDER CHAPTER 1 74 0.108.
FOR TOO LONG, SAN ANTONIO HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A STRONG VOICE IN THEIR OWN PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS.
FINALLY, I AM CALLING ON COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR TO RECOGNIZE THAT BOTH CHAPTERS 1 43 AND 1 74 WERE ADOPTED BY LESS THAN 2% OF SAN ANTONIO AT A TIME WHEN SAN ANTONIO VOTERS WERE DISENFRANCHISED FOR THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
AND THEREFORE MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE PETITION FOR A BALLOT MEASURE GIVING ELIGIBLE SAN ANTONIO VO VOTERS A VOICE AND A CHOICE ON THE LAWS THAT GOVERN THEIR OWN PUBLIC SAFETY.
THANK YOU, MS. THOMAS JACOB TUCKER, FOLLOWED BY JAMES DOMAN.
I'M SUPPOSED TO, UH, HAVE NINE MINUTES.
I'M WITH PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION ALONG WITH GAGE WILLIAMS PEOPLE.
TUCKER, UM, UH, MR. WILLIAMS, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? AND WHO, WHO ARE THE THREE PEOPLE GIVING YOU TIME? MR. TUCKER? IT'S MYSELF.
UM, I DON'T HAVE MS. TUCKER SIGNED UP.
WE DON'T HAVE YOU ON THE LIST, UH, MS. TUCKER.
I, I, WE ARE THE PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION.
WE ARE COMMENTING TODAY REGARDING YOUR MISPLACED BUDGETING PRIORITIES DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
THE FACT THAT THIS CONVERSATION IS NECESSARY SHOWS THE DEGRADATION OF DEMOCRACY AND HOW THE VOICES OF THE RICH AND WELL-CONNECTED ARE PRIVILEGED OVER THE VOICES OF THE POOR AND WORKING CLASS.
IN FACT, WHEN YOU ALL VOTED TO APPROVE YOUR PLAN FOR THE CARES ACT MONEY, WE TOLD YOU THERE NEEDED TO BE TWO MAIN PRIORITIES.
EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE, AND AN IMMEDIATE JOBS PROGRAM FOR THE UNEMPLOYED, WHICH PUTS PEOPLE TO WORK IN AREAS WHICH HELP COMMUNITY SAFETY.
IN THE FACE OF THE PANDEMIC, YOU IGNORED US PREPARING THE PREFERRING TO FIND JOB TRAINING FOR EMPLOYMENT YEARS FROM NOW LIKE HOTEL MANAGEMENT AND OTHER MISGUIDED PRIORITIES.
NOW, AFTER A WAGE OF, UH, AFTER A DEVASTATING WAVE OF COVID HAS LEFT US ALL AFFECTED WITH SICKNESS AND LOSS OF LOVED ONES, WE ARE BACK HERE.
ONE EXAMPLE WE GAVE FOR IMMEDIATE JOBS IS TO EMPLOY THE UNEMPLOYED LIKE MYSELF IN SCHOOLS TO HELP WITH DISINFECTING SOCIAL DISTANCING AND ODD JOBS.
WE KNEW THAT THE TEACHERS AND STAFF, UH, WOULD BE EXTRA TAXED WITH DEALING WITH THE NEW PROCEDURES PUT IN PLACE TO LEAD THEM IN THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE DISINFECTING SOCIAL DISTANCING, MASK WEARING AND MORE WHILE PERFORMING THEIR NORMAL EDUCATIONAL WORK IS TO PUT TOO MUCH STRESS AND WORK ON THEM.
IT'S AN ABUSE OF POWER AND LABOR CONDITIONS.
IT ALSO PUTS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AT RISK, AS DOES OPENING SCHOOLS.
ACCORDING TO ARBITRARY CALENDAR DATES, NOT HEALTH METRICS.
TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF WERE OVERWORKED BEFORE NOW THEY'RE EXPECTED TO DO EVEN MORE.
YESTERDAY, S A I SS A I S D SENT A LETTER TO STAFF SAYING ADMINISTRATORS WILL NEED TO UTILIZE STAFF MEMBERS.
THIS IS QUOTE QUOTE, WE'LL NEED TO UTILIZE STAFF MEMBERS IN VARIOUS ROLES REGARDLESS OF THE EMPLOYEE'S POSITION, UNQUOTE.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE SORT OF, UH, THE SUPPORT WE UNEMPLOYED WOULD LOVE TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITIES THAT YOU AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD RATHER MAKE STAFF DO THIS.
THIS TYPE OF FLEXIBILITY IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BUT AN EXCUSE TO DEMAND MORE WORK FOR.
IT'S SHAMEFUL IF YOU DON'T THINK TEACHERS AND SCHOOL STAFF ARE OVERWORKED ALREADY.
YOU DO NOT KNOW TEACHERS AND STAFF.
WE ARE NOT KIDDING, AND WE ARE PUTTING IT ON RECORD.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY LIKELY TO END UP TRAGEDY SOMEWHERE IN OUR CITY.
HOWEVER, IF YOU PUT ONE ADDITIONAL JACK OF ALL TRADES WORKER ON 100 CAMPUSES AND S A I FEE FOR $20 AN HOUR COMPENSATION, THAT WOULD COST ROUGHLY $3 MILLION FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR.
IS THIS REALLY UNAFFORDABLE? WHEN YOU FUND SS A P D WITH 480 PLUS DOLLARS? OUR PROPOSAL WOULD GREATLY HELP PREVENT AN OUTBREAK IN OUR SCHOOLS WHILE TAKING A BIT OFF THE PLATE OF OUR TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF.
IT IS TROUBLING THAT WE DO NOT CONSIDER TAKING THE VIOLENT POLICE OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS, BUT CAN CANNOT INCREASE THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY-MINDED, CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED SUPPORT STAFF DURING A PANDEMIC.
BUT ALSO NOTE THAT THIS WOULD HELP SAVE OFF THE ECONOMIC AND SUBSEQUENT HOUSING CRISIS.
SO WAIT, WHY ARE WE IN THIS SITUATION? THERE ARE MANY COUNTRIES WHERE THE PANDEMIC HAS NOT BEEN AS DEVASTATING AS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND MANY COUNTRIES THAT ARE NOT STARING
[00:35:01]
DOWN HOUSING CRISES.FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, OUR PANDEMIC AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IS A MATTER OF POLITICAL CHOICES, SPECIFICALLY ONES THAT HAVE HOLLOWED OUT OUR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THROUGH PRIVATIZATION AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS SET UP A SYSTEM IN WHICH FINANCIAL LEACHES SUCK UP TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR INVESTMENT AND MONEY FOR SERVICES FROM US.
THIS WEB OF TAKING FROM THE PEOPLE AND GIVING THE CORPORATIONS IS VISIBLE IN ALL ASPECTS OF OUR SOCIETY, INCLUDING THE MILITARY AND PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX PRIVATE EDUCATION, THE GENTRIFICATION DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND SO ON.
THEY HAVE TERRORIZED PRO POOR WORKING CLASS BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES FOR THEIR ENTIRE EXISTENCE.
BUT WHEN THE PEOPLE DEMAND A CHANGE, POLICYMAKERS SUGGEST NOT DEFUNDING LIKE THEY DO WITH OUR SCHOOLS, THAT ACTUALLY INCREASING FUNDING FOR SENSITIVITY TRAINING OR BODY CAMERAS BOUGHT FROM CORPORATIONS WHO PROFIT FROM IT.
THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS WITH
TAKE THEIR GUNS AWAY, GET THEM OFF OUR STREETS.
THEY'RE DANGEROUS CRIMINALS WHO REFUSE TO FOLLOW THE LAW AND HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.
WHAT OTHER PUBLIC UN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS IS THIS ACCEPTABLE? BUT YOU ARE LOOKING TO GIVE THEM $8 MILLION MORE FOR WHAT THE PEOPLE HAVE SEEN.
MONEY FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE.
IT JUST NEVER COMES DOWN TO US.
WALL STREET PAID TRILLIONS, OUR EMPLOYERS BILLIONS, AND YET OUR ECONOMY IS IN, IS STILL IN SHAMBLES AND THE PANDEMIC RAGES ON.
DID YOU KNOW THAT NATIONALLY, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF WAGE THEFT FROM EMPLOYERS IS GREAT VALUE OF PETTY THEFT BY THE POOR? BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT DOES NOT ENFORCE WAGE THEFT.
THEY ENFORCE EVICTIONS AND FORECLOSURES UPON PEOPLE WHO HAVE FALLEN BEHIND BECAUSE OF GOVERNMENT INCOMPETENCE AND MALICE, POLICE VIOLENCE OBSERVED FOR THE POOR, THE BLACK AND GROUND, THE PICKET LINES, THE PROTESTS.
IN SHORT, THE PEOPLE TRYING TO SURVIVE AS THE HORRORS.
WE SEE SOCIETY AROUND THIS ARE REVEALED.
WE ASK OURSELVES, HOW COULD IT BE? HOW COULD IT HAVE POSSIBLY BECOME LIKE THIS? SOCIALISTS INFORM YOU ABOUT HOW THIS SYSTEM WORKS, AND MANY PEOPLE AND POLICY MAKERS DON'T LIKE IT.
SO YOU ASK THE RICH, THE WEALTHY ALWAYS HAVE THAT ANSWER AND TYPICALLY INCLUDES SOMETHING LIKE GIVING TO THEIR FOUNDATION FOR GIVING THEM FOUNDATION MONEY FOR A STUDY, THEN THEIR COMPANY FOR IMPLEMENTATION, AND YET MORE TO FIX THE PROBLEMS THAT WILL ARISE BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER A SOLUTION IN THE FIRST PLACE.
TAKE VISTA RIDGE, THE MOST EXPENSIVE PUBLIC PROJECT IN SAN ANTONIO HISTORY, COST $3.2 BILLION AND RAISE THE RATES WHO LIVE HERE IN ORDER TO HELP DEVELOPERS SELL REAL ESTATE CHEAPER TO RESIDENTS WHO DON'T.
WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR DEMOCRATIC EN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE VISTA PROJECT.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD THIS DEMOCRATIC SAY BECAUSE IT IS INDEFENSIBLE AND MASSIVELY UNPOPULAR.
AT THE CORE OF ALL THIS IS THE QUESTION IS DEMOCRACY.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE THIS HAS EVER BEEN A DECISION MAKING PROCESS BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE.
I CHALLENGE YOU TO NAME A TIME IN US HISTORY WHEN THAT WAS TRUE FOR ALL OF OUR PEOPLE.
SO OUR BELIEF IS THAT OUR POLICY MAKERS FALL IN THE LONG HISTORY OF COLLABORATING WITH THE RICH TO PRESENT A BARRAGES OF DEMOCRACY.
WE DON'T THINK YOU CAN HELP US.
EVEN IF YOU WANT TO, YOUR MASTERS ALL AROUND YOU WON'T ALLOW IT.
HISTORY REVEALS THAT THIS IS A CRISIS THAT WILL GO ONE OF THREE WAYS.
FASCIST TAKEOVER, SOCIALIST REVOLUTION, AND RESPONDING TO THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF PEOPLE.
SOCIALISTS UNDERSTAND THAT PREVIOUSLY IMPOSSIBLE THINGS CAN HAPPEN WHEN RICH FOLK GET SCARED.
THAT CAN MEAN CONCENTRATION OF CANCER.
MOVE NOW TO JAMES DYKEMAN, FOLLOWED BY YVETTE FALCON.
IS JAMES DYKEMAN ON THE LINE? OKAY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME THERE, MAYOR? UH, YEAH.
UH, IS THIS MR. DYKEMAN? THIS IS MR. DYKEMAN.
I'M THE DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT CHAIR OF PRECINCT 3 1 6 1 IN DISTRICT NINE.
UH, I WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RESOLUTION ON CHAPTER 1 43 AND 1 74 PRESENTED TODAY TO THE COUNCIL.
IT'S CLEAR THAT SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS CARE ABOUT THEIR POLICE FORCE.
80% OF THEM SUPPORT OFFICERS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION LOVES TO REMIND US OF THIS POINT.
WHAT THEY NEGLECT TO MENTION IS THAT 68% OF SAN ANTONIO ALSO AGREE THAT THE S A P O A HAS BEEN A BARRIER TO HOLDING OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR MISCONDUCT.
MY OWN RESEARCH WITH FIXED SS A P D INTO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AGENDAS, THE DISCIPLINARY SUSPENSION RECORDS AND THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND ARBITRATION DOCUMENTS PROVIDED SO FAR BY CASE A SA EXPRESS NEWS AND THE CITY CONFIRMED THAT OUTCOMES OF 39 TERMINATIONS OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
THE DATA IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND AND THERE HASN'T BEEN CONSISTENCY ON IT.
A THIRD OF ALL THESE TERMINATIONS LEAD TO ARBITRATIONS OR MORE THAN HALF
[00:40:01]
END IN SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS.THE S A P O A SAYS THAT THESE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS REPRESENT THE WILL OF THE CITY AND THE CHIEF, THE CHIEF IS CLEAR THAT THESE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS ARE NOT THE DESIRED OUTCOMES OF TERMINATIONS, BUT ARE THE BEST OPTION TO SAVE TAXPAYER MONEY AND ENSURE LEGITIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR MISCONDUCT IN THE FACE OF A COSTLY AND UNJUST ARBITRATION PROCESS.
OVER HALF OF OFFICERS THAT GO THROUGH ARBITRATIONS DEFINED UNDER THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT IN CHAPTER 1 74 AND CHAPTER 1 43 ARE RETURNED TO THE FORCE WITH BACK PAY AND REDUCE SUSPENSIONS.
ALL OF THIS IS PAID FOR BY THE TAXPAYER THAT LEAVES THREE OUT OF EVERY FOUR TERMINATED OFFICERS BEING RETURNED TO THE FORCE.
THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY HERE.
NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OFFICER EMMANUEL KEITH WHO THREATENED HIS MISTRESS WHEN HE TOLD HER, I COULD JUST STRING YOU UP AND SHAKE THE LIFE OUT OF YOU.
I COULD REALLY CHOKE THE LIFE OUT OF YOU.
NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OFFICER MATTHEW BELGER, WHO CHALLENGED AN ALREADY ARRESTED INDIVIDUAL TO A FIST FIGHT.
NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OFFICER TIM GARCIA WHO TOLD THE MAN HE WAS ARRESTING HIM BECAUSE HE WAS A F*****G N-WORD.
BUT IF YOU DO THESE THINGS, IT WILL COST YOU YOUR JOB.
NOT THAT YOU WILL GET A SLAP ON THE WRIST AND MONEY BACK.
AND IN UNDERSTANDING THAT IF THAT'S NOT FINAL, THEN IT LESSENS THE CONCERN OR FEAR OF LOSING THEIR JOBS.
I PUSH THE SAN ANTONIO MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE RESOLUTIONS ON CHAPTER 1 43 AND 1 74, NOT ONLY TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY ARE REPEALED, BUT ALSO FIND WAYS TO EMPOWER CITIZENS TO HAVE A VOICE, THE NEGOTIATING TABLE FOR THE C B A, AND ALSO TO GIVE POWER AWAY FROM ARBITRATORS AND TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, AND ALSO TO ITS CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD.
THANK YOU MR. DECKMAN, YVETTE FALCON.
MS. FALCON, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY VICTOR JOHNSON.
AM I SPEAKING ALONGSIDE MY GROUP? DO I HAVE MY NINE MINUTES? UH, WHO IS IN YOUR GROUP, MS. FALCON? UM, LET ME PULL THAT UP.
IT WAS SUBMITTED BEFOREHAND TO THE CITY COURT.
WE JUST NEED THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UH, TO BE SIGNED UP AND PRESENT.
UH, SO IF YOU GIMME THEIR NAMES, I'LL CHECK TO SEE IF THEY'RE HERE.
I CAN TRY, BUT BECAUSE THIS ISN'T AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE ROUTE, MY PHONE DOESN'T USE WIFI WHILE I'M ON IT.
SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING CITY COUNCILORS SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT.
THIS IS GOING THE VIRTUAL ROUTE, BUT I'LL SEE IF I CAN SET UP, WE HAVE EVERYONE ON THE LIST.
UM, WE HAVE THE LIST, SO IF YOU JUST TELL ME WHO IS ON THE LIST WITH YOU, WE CAN CHECK TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE PRESENT.
CAN YOU, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT SINCE YOU HAVE THE LIST, YOU CAN CALL AUSTIN THE NAME? UH, I, I NEED YOU TO TELL ME WHO IS ON, WHO IS IN YOUR GROUP, MS. FALCON.
THEN I CAN JUST, I CAN JUST MOVE FORWARD WITH MY TIME.
UH, GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOUR THREE MINUTES THEN.
I'D LIKE TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THIS VIRTUAL COUNSEL DOES NOT WITHHOLD THE STANDARDS OF TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS THAT BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN THE 2020 OPEN MEETINGS ACT HANDBOOK, THIS CLEARLY STATES THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE PRESERVING A RIGHT TO SPEAK TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS BEFORE GOVERNMENTAL DECISIONS ARE MADE.
THIS IS NOT AN ACCESSIBLE OR ACCEPTABLE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE OFFICIALS THAT GOVERN US.
OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS WERE NOT MADE PUBLIC WHEN WE NEEDED THEM TO BE HEARD THE MOST.
I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THESE SO-CALLED TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WERE ANYTHING BUT AN INTENTIONAL ATTEMPT TO IGNORE PUBLIC OPINION.
I'VE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE ALL WEEK, AND IT'S YET TO BE EXPLAINED TO ME WHY SS WAS ABLE TO SPEAK UNINTERRUPTED ON PREVIOUSLY SECURED PROFILES AS PART OF THE MEETING, BUT WE STRUGGLED TO NOT HAVE OUR TURN SKIPPED WHILE WE WERE ON THE OTHER LINE TRYING TO TELL YOU WE WERE THERE.
THE ONLY OPTIONS WE'RE GIVEN ARE ONLINE AND VIRTUAL OPTIONS THAT COMPLETELY DISREGARD THE VOICES OF THOSE OF US WHO CAN'T AFFORD A WORKING PHONE OR WIFI OR TV AND A LAPTOP TO SCREEN A MEETING ON.
ALTERNATIVELY, CITIZENS CAN VISIT THE MUNICIPAL PLAZA DOWNTOWN TO SUBMIT A PUBLIC E COMMENT TO THE CITY KIOSK.
BUT WHAT GOOD IS THE PUBLIC COMMENT IF IT GETS DISREGARDED AND UNREAD? LIKE THE 352 COMMENTS THAT WERE LEFT UNREAD AT LAST WEEK'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING? I JUST WANNA END BY SAYING THAT IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THIS.
IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE THE TIME AND THE ENERGY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THIS CALL.
AND IF OUR CITY OFFICIALS AREN'T GOING USE THEIR POSITIONS TO UPLIFT THOSE OF US WHO ARE UNDERPRIVILEGED, THEN Y'ALL ARE FILLING OUR ENTIRE CITY.
I BELIEVE MS. VICTOR JOHNSON DROPPED OFF.
UH, MR. CLARK, UH, IF YOU'RE THERE, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JIM CORONA.
I'M, I'M RIGHT HERE, BUT I'M ACTUALLY WITH VICTOR JOHNSON, SO I'M GONNA GIVE HIM THE PHONE SO HE CAN HAVE HIS THREE MINUTES AND THEN I'LL DO MINE OR, OKAY.
[00:45:01]
UH, MR. JOHNSON, UM, ARE YOU, YOU TOGETHER IN GROUP? I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU'ALL SIX MINUTES.UM, MR. JOHNSON, MR. CLARK, IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND GIVE YOUR COMMENTS.
MR. CLARK, UH, MR. JOHNSON, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO HAVE YOU MAKE COMMENTS.
UH, WE CAN'T ALLOW FOR AMPLIFIED MUSIC DURING THE COMMENT PERIOD, SO I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT BACK ON, BUT IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR STATEMENTS, OTHERWISE, I'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT PERSON.
THIS IS CHERYL CLARK AND, UH, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SAY.
ONE IS THAT WE ARE AT A
WE HAVE INSUFFICIENT FUNDS FOR MEDICAL DURING THE PANDEMIC.
WE HAVE INSUFFICIENT FUNDS FOR MEDICAL AID TO LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE INSUFFICIENT FUNDS FOR EDUCATION SO THAT OUR CHILDREN CAN HAVE A PROSPEROUS INSTEAD OF A PROSPEROUS FUTURE INSTEAD OF FALLING BEHIND OR CONTINUING TO PLAY CATCH UP.
THERE ARE INSUFFICIENT FUNDS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR HOMELESS SITUATION OR ASSIST OUR ELDERLY COMMUNITIES, BUT WE DO HAVE $489 MILLION TO CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE THE INFLATION OF AN ALREADY OVERINFLATED BUDGET.
I JOINED THE CRIES OF MY COMMUNITY IN DEMANDING THAT THIS CITY REPROGRAM ITS BUDGET TO BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I ASK THAT ALL OF YOU OPEN YOUR HEARTS AND DO THE SAME.
OKAY, WE'LL MOVE TO JIM CORONA MORRIS, FOLLOWED BY NATHANIEL HILL BRANDAND.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? UM, IS THAT, IS THAT YOU MR. CORONA MORRIS? YES, SIR.
AND THEN YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY NATHANIEL HILL BRANDAND.
IF YOU WERE TO INVEST 86% OF THE CITY'S BUDGET INTO HOUSING AND HEALTHCARE, YOU WOULD NOT NEED ANYWHERE NEAR THE BUDGET THE CITY MANAGER HAS PROPOSED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
YOU SAID IT IN YOUR ORIGINAL BUDGET PROPOSAL MEETING LAST WEEK.
YOU CANNOT ARREST THESE PROBLEMS AWAY.
HAVING AN OLD WHITE MAN AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ASK FOR MORE COPS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE FOR THE OUTDATED MEASURES USED TO IMPRISON MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
INSTEAD, WE SHOULD BE ADVOCATING FOR WRAPAROUND SERVICES, HOUSING, AND HEALTHCARE THAT WOULD'VE PREVENTED THEM FROM EVER BECOMING A THREAT TO ANYONE ELSE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS BROKEN UP FAMILIES AND DOUBLED DOWN ON THE TRAUMA OUR COMMUNITIES FACE.
JUST LIKE THE WAR ON DRUGS HAS LARGELY BEEN SHOWN TO TARGET THE DISENFRANCHISED, A STRONG POLICE PRESENCE HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEMS OUR COMMUNITIES ARE FACING.
EVEN IF YOU STATE YOU BACK, THE BLUE DO SO BY REDUCING THE RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF RESPONSIBILITIES COPS, COPS ARE TASKED WITH AND REALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS INTO THE COMMUNITY, ALONG WITH THE ABUSE OF THE POWER THE COPS HAVE SHOWN TO CITIZENS, BOTH HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AS WELL AS ACROSS THE NATION.
THE STRESS OF POLICE WORK HAS ALSO SHOWN STATISTICALLY HIGHER RATES IN SUICIDE, DIVORCE, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
INSTEAD, WHY NOT EMPLOY PEOPLE BETTER EQUIPPED TO USE MEASURES LIKE HARM REDUCTION AND REHABILITATION VERSUS PUNITIVE AND TOO OFTEN LETHAL MEASURES? THIS COULD HELP MAKE THIS CITY SAFER, BOTH POLICE AS WELL AS ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY HAVE SWORN TO PROTECT.
[00:50:01]
I'M CALLING ON THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO DO THE FOLLOWING.RECOGNIZE THAT BOTH CHAPTERS 1 43 AND 1 74 WERE ADOPTED BY LESS THAN 2% OF THE POPULATION IN SAN ANTONIO AT A TIME WHEN SAN ANTONIO VOTERS WERE DISENFRANCHISED.
AND THEREFORE, SUPPORT THE PETITION FOR A BALLOT MEASURE, GIVING ELIGIBLE SAN ANTONIO VOTERS A VOICE AND A CHOICE, DEVELOP TRANSITION STRATEGIES TO BE PUT IN PLACE SHOULD THE PUBLIC CHOOSE TO OPT OUT, UH, OF CHAPTERS 1 43 AND 1 74.
AND FOR THE CITY MANAGER AND COUNCIL TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO INCREASE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN PUBLIC SAFETY NEGOTIATIONS BY PROVIDING REGULAR UPDATES AND ALLOWING DELIBERATIONS RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AS STIPULATED UNDER CHAPTER 1 74 0.108.
AS RESIDENT OF DISTRICT DISTRICT SEVEN, I WANT TO THANK MY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, SANDOVAL, ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS SPEAKING UP FOR THESE REFORMS AND PURSUING UPDATES TO THE MEASURES THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE DURING THE JIM CROW ERA.
NATHANIEL BRT, FOLLOWED BY JUSTICE MARTINEZ.
MR. HIL BRANDAND, ARE YOU AVAILABLE? OKAY, WE'LL MOVE TO JUSTICE MARTINEZ.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? UH, UH, IS THAT, UH, MR. MARTINEZ? THIS IS MR. MARTINEZ JUSTICE.
J U S T I C E? YES, I AM A NATIVE SAN ANTONIO.
UH, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ANTONIO DIAZ.
AS I STATED, MY NAME IS JUSTICE MARTINEZ.
I'VE BEEN HERE, I WAS BORN HERE.
UM, I AM ASKING FOR ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM DISTRICTS ONE THROUGH 10, AS WELL AS YOU MAYOR, TO DEFUND THE POLICE AND REALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS INTO HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS AND INTO HEALTH AND EDUCATION.
ME, AS A PERSON WHO VALUES EDUCATION AND WHO HAS BEEN HOMELESS AND WHO HAS TO FIGHT AND FIGHT AND CLIMB HIS WAY UP BACK TO WHERE HE IS RIGHT NOW, IT IS IMPERATIVE AND IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE CARE OF OUR KIDS, OUR CITIZENS, NOT THE ONES THAT ARE JUST WEALTHY AND HAVE HOUSES LIKE THAT, BUT ALL OF OUR DISENFRANCHISED, NEGLECTED, AND SEGREGATED COMMUNITIES, ALL THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN ABANDONED BY THE PEOPLE.
ME AS A TAXPAYER AND ME AS A PERSON WHO GIVES YOU GUYS MONEY, WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU GUYS REALLOCATE THIS INTO THE HOMELESSNESS, INTO HOUSING AND INTO EDUCATION.
AND SINCE WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SEE THAT YOU GUYS PUT IT INTO HEALTHCARE, MENTAL HEALTH, AND TO ALLOW FREE TESTING FOR ALL CITIZENS, WHETHER THEY HAVE INSURANCE OR NOT.
SECOND, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WE DON'T REALLY NEED THE POLICE FORCE ALL THAT MUCH.
NEW YORK BACK IN 2014 AND 2015 HAVE A SLOWDOWN.
AND DURING THAT SLOWDOWN WHERE POLICE OFFICERS REFUSED TO ANSWER CALLS TO THE CITIZENS WHO WERE REPORTING CRIMES, THEY SAW A REDUCTION IN CRIMES AS A RESULT OF NOT BEING PRESSURED OR FEARED BY POLICE.
BUT RATHER THAT WHEN YOU PUT MONEY TOWARDS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL MOVE ON AND RECOVER BECAUSE THAT IS THE WAY YOU PREVENT CRIME.
COPS ARE THERE JUST AFTER THE FACT.
THEY DON'T PREVENT CRIME IN MOST CASES.
THEY, THEY CREATE FEAR AND LIKE ABUSE AND JUST MAKE PEOPLE SO HIGH ON EDGE.
AND IF WE RE REMOVE THOSE FUNDS FROM SPOA, FROM, UH, THE POLICE, AND WE, WE ALLOCATE THEM TOWARDS THE COMMUNITIES AND BUILD THEM UP, THAT WILL CYCLE BACK AND RE FLOURISH OUR ECONOMY.
MONEY NEEDS TO BE TRANSFERRED, MONEY NEEDS TO BE MOVED AROUND.
IT NEEDS TO BE SHARED SO WE CAN GROW AND PROSPER.
AND IF WE NEGLECT THAT, WE'RE JUST DIGGING OURSELVES A DITCH.
ANTONIO DIAZ, FOLLOWED BY DIANNA ORGA.
OKAY, MR. DIAZ, YOU HAVE SIX MINUTES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? GO AHEAD, MS. UM, TO BEGIN WITH BOTH, UH, MS. RIE AND I HAD SIGNED UP FOR THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEY, YOU CALLED HER NAME, BUT SHE WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK AND, UH, MY NAME WASN'T EVEN CALLED.
SO IT SHOWS HOW, HOW BAD THIS SYSTEM IS AS FAR AS, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS OR ACTUAL OFFICIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS WHERE WE, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO SPEAK WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND IT'S, IT'S JUST NOT, NOT WORKING
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TOO MANY KINKS.TOO MANY PEOPLE LEFT OUT, UH, PERSONALLY, MY OWN SELF THIS TIME AROUND AGAIN.
BUT I WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT PUBLIC FUNDING.
THOSE 22 MILLION OR SO, THEY SHOULD BE SPENT IN HAVING MORE PUBLIC HOUSING FOR PEOPLE THAN IS THAT THAT IS BEING USED AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, MEASUREMENT IS, IS TOO HIGH THAT THAT 30% NOT, NOT, NOT EVEN USED.
UH, MOST OF WHAT IS BEING CONSTRUCTED IS, IS WAY, WAY MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC HOUSING BE INCREASED AND THAT THE A M I AT LEAST AT 30% BE ACTUALLY USED WHEN THESE NEW, UH, HOUSES AND AND APARTMENTS ARE, ARE IN PLACE.
THAT WAS WHAT I WANTED TO SAY DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING SESSION AND NOT, AND THAT IT NOT BE USED FOR, UH, POLICING.
NO MORE INCREASES FOR POLICING.
NOW, WHAT I WANNA SAY DURING THIS SECTION IS WE, UH, SEE THAT THE COLUMBUS STATUE IS DOWN AND WE WANTED TO REMAIN PERMANENTLY DOWN AND OUT OF, UH, THE PUBLIC PARK, WHICH IS, AGAIN, IT'S SUPPORTED WITH OUR PUBLIC TAXES.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO SEE IT BACK.
THOSE STREETS THERE, IT USED TO BE A MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN THAT AREA.
PRIOR TO 35 AND I 10 INTERSECTION THERE, I USED TO LIVE ON HALL STREET.
I WENT TO JOHN B. HOOD ELEMENTARY.
MY FATHER WORKED AT THE OLD, UH, WOULD BE GREEN HOSPITAL ON LEONA STREET.
ALL THAT IS BASICALLY ERADICATED GONE.
MOR STREET IS NOW, CONCHO STREET IS NOW, UH, COLUMBUS STREET, WHICH I FIND VERY, VERY OBJECTIONABLE.
SO WHILE THE STATUTE IS GONE, BASICALLY TO KEEP IT SAFE, BECAUSE THE ITALIAN SOCIETY WANTS TO KEEP IT SAFE, I'M GLAD IT'S GONE REGARDLESS OF WHAT REASONING BEHIND IT.
BUT THIS DOES NOT SHOW THAT ANYONE'S HEARTS OPENED UP OR ANYONE'S CONSCIOUSNESS WAS ELEVATED THAT COLUMBUS BROUGHT GENOCIDE AND SLAVERY TO THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.
IT IS JUST TO KEEP THAT STATUE SAFE BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL CLIMATE THAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
ALL THE RIOTING AND ALL THE PROTESTING GOING AROUND THE NATION, STATUES OF COLUMBUS BEING KNOCKED DOWN IN MAJOR CITIES.
THAT'S THE ONLY REASON THAT STATUE IS GONE.
NOT BECAUSE ANYONE'S HEARTS, MINDS CONSCIOUSNESS WERE ELEVATED, OPENED UP IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING RIGHT NOW, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO TAKE IT IN HAND.
THAT SIGN THAT REACHED COLUMBUS STREET SHOULD GO DOWN.
THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE COLUMBUS SOCIETY, THE ITALIAN SOCIETY, NOTHING.
SO AGAIN, I'M PROPOSING IT BE RETURNED TO CONCHO STREET, WHICH WAS THE NAME.
IT WAS WHEN IT WAS A MEXICAN COMMUNITY, A MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN THAT AREA.
SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT TAKING ANYTHING AWAY FROM ANYONE, BUT RATHER RETURNING SOME PRIDE BACK TO THE MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY THAT ONCE WAS THERE.
THE ITALIAN COMMUNITY MAY ONLY OWN THAT HALL BECAUSE THEY DON'T OWN THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT SURROUND COLUMBUS PARK, THAT SURROUND SAN FRANCIS CHURCH THAT SURROUND THEIR ITALIAN SOCIETY CALL.
THERE'S NO ITALIAN COMMUNITY AS THERE IS BASICALLY NO MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
THERE'S ONLY APARTMENTS, AND THOSE APARTMENTS STILL ARE POPULATED IN A MAJORITY OF MEXICAN AMERICANS.
SO I ASK YOU, RETURN CONCHO STREET, JUST TAKE THE PLACARD THAT NAME OFF THAT SAYS COLUMBUS.
WE WANT NO, NO MENTION OF COLUMBUS, AT LEAST NOT SUPPORTED BY OUR PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS IN THAT AREA ANYMORE.
DOES THE COLUMBUS OR ITALIAN SOCIETY WANT TO CONTINUE TO CALL THEMSELVES COLUMBUS SOCIETY? THAT IS UP TO THEM.
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SEE THE FACT THAT THEY, HE WAS A PEDOPHILE, THEY SELECT A SLAVE TRAITOR AND MUCH WORSE GENOCIDAL MURDER OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.IF THEY CANNOT SEE THAT, IF THEY CANNOT OPEN THEIR HEARTS TO THAT, THEIR MINDS TO THAT, THAT IS TOTALLY UP TO THEM.
BUT TO US AS TAXPAYERS OF SAN ANTONIO, WE DEMAND SOME EQUITY.
FINALLY, RETURN CONSCIOUS STREET BACK AND TAKE OFF THAT SIGN THAT SAYS COLUMBUS STREET.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE SIERRA BILLINGTON, FOLLOWED BY CRYSTAL HAYWOOD.
WOULD HELLO? GO AHEAD, MS. BILLINGTON.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? YES, MA'AM, GO AHEAD.
I WANNA, I WAS PROTESTING AND, UH, I WAS HIT BY A VERY AGGRESSIVE DRIVER AND I'M ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY AND IT WAS BASICALLY ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION BECAUSE I'VE BEEN A PART OF THESE PROTESTS AND I'M A PUBLIC FIGURE.
UM, I'VE BEEN GIVEN A RUNAROUND EVER SINCE AND TRYING TO PRESS CHARGES AND AGAINST THIS INDIVIDUAL, AND WITH NO HELP WHATSOEVER, I HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE OFFICER WHO HAS TOLD PERSONALLY SHOWED UP ON SCENE, NO CALL BACK.
AND WHENEVER I DO CALL HIM BACK, HE'S OUT ON PATROL, IS NOT AVAILABLE TO TAKE MY CALL.
AND I'M ALSO NOW IN A MEDICAL EVALUATION BOARD AND RISKING BEING KICKED OUT OF THE MILITARY BECAUSE MY LEG DOES NOT FUNCTION ANYMORE LIKE IT NEEDS TO.
SO WE, UH, DEFUND THE, THE POLICE, IF Y'ALL ARE NOT GONNA BE ABUSED WHEN WE NEED YOU TO BE ABUSED, BECAUSE I'M A FREAKING SERVICE MEMBER AND YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS DON'T EVEN HELP ME WHEN I NEED IT OUT.
AND I FIGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY AND I JUST THINK IT'S CRAP.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
IS, DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS? WELL, SIR, CAN YOU OFFER ME A SIMPLER SOLUTION? I'M SORRY, MA'AM.
THIS IS JUST A, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DEPARTMENT WON'T ACCEPT CALLS TO CITY CALL.
THIS IS ONLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITY COUNCIL TO LISTEN, MA'AM.
SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT NOBODY CAN GIVE ME SOME SORT OF EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT I CAN DO NEXT TO GET MY LIFE BETTER AND TO SAVE MY CAREER? WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOMEBODY FROM STAFF, UH, CONTACT YOU MA'AM, AND GIVE YOU SOME OPTIONS.
OKAY? YOU, YOU GUYS BETTER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, NEXT IS THE MEDIA AND YOU GUYS DON'T WANT THAT ATTENTION.
SEEING THAT YOU GUYS WERE ALREADY OVER, OVER BUDGET.
I HAVE THE LICENSE PLATE, SO IF YOU GUYS CAN GET SOMEONE TO CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY, THAT WILL BE MOST APPRECIATED.
IT'S NOT MY NEXT STEP, IT'S THE MEDIA BECAUSE IT WAS ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION ON AN AMERICAN SERVICE NUMBER.
THANK YOU, MS. BILLINGTON, IF THAT CONCLUDES YOUR COMMENTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CRYSTAL HAYWOOD.
THREE MINUTES MA'AM HAS THE GREATEST DEMONSTRATION FOR FREEDOM IN THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION.
SORRY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CUT THAT OFF.
WE, WE CAN ONLY TAKE, UH, VERBAL, UH, COMMENTS AND NOT RECORDINGS.
I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THE RECORDING, BUT THAT, THOSE ARE THE RULES.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? MS. UH, MS. HAYWOOD, THE LIFE OF THE NEGRO IS STILL
UM, I, I BELIEVE NOW WE'VE GOT, UH, COMMENTS TO BE READ BY, UH, OUR CITY CLERK.
UH, PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAVE 246 COMMENTS.
I EMAILED THE LIST TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AS A TOTAL BODY, AND JOHN IC IS GONNA HELP ME.
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TURNS.JOHN WILL READ 20 AND BACK AND FORTH.
SO THE FIRST COMMENT THAT I HAVE IS BY, UH, ING.
I SUPPORT THE FUNDING ALLOCATION FOR HOME OWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FUNDS.
MORE FAMILIES SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME HOMEOWNERS IF QUALIFIED, AFFORDABLE HOMES LIKE WHAT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROVIDES.
CHARLES
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM DANA FLORES.
I'M CALLING ON THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO DO THE FOLLOWING.
RECOGNIZE THAT BOTH CHAPTERS 1 43 AND 1 74 WERE ADOPTED BY LESS THAN 2% OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND AT THAT TIME, SAN ANTONIO VOTERS WERE DISENFRANCHISED.
AND THEREFORE, SUPPORT THE PETITION FOR A BALLOT MEASURE, GIVING ELIGIBLE SAN ANTONIO VOTERS A VOICE AND A CHOICE, DEVELOP TRANSITION STRATEGIES TO BE PUT INTO PLACE.
SHOULD THE PUBLIC CHOOSE TO OPT OUT OF CHAPTER 1 43 AND 1 74, INCREASE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN PUBLIC SAFETY NEGOTIATIONS RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AS STIPULATED UNDER CHAPTER 1 7 4 DASH ZERO EIGHT.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM GMA ALIMAN SAN ANTONIO NEEDS TO REALLOCATE RESOURCES FROM POLICE FUNDING AND INVEST IN COMMUNITY AID.
USE THE MONEY INSTEAD FOR OTHER RESOURCES.
KILLIN MCINTYRE OF DISTRICT SEVEN RIGHTS ON CALLING ON THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO DO THE FOLLOWING.
RECOGNIZE THAT BOTH CHAPTERS 1 43 AND 1 74 WERE ADOPTED BY LESS THAN 2% OF SAN ANTONIO AT A TIME WHEN SAN ANTONIO VOTERS WERE DISENFRANCHISED.
AND THEREFORE, SUPPORT THE PETITION FOR A BALLOT MEASURE GIVING SAN ELIGIBLE SAN ANTONIO VOTERS A VOICE AND CHOICE, DEVELOP TRANSITION STRATEGIES TO BE PUT IN PLACE SHOULD THE PUBLIC CHOOSE TO OPT OUT OF CHAPTERS 1 43 AND 1 74.
INCREASE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN PUBLIC SAFETY NEGOTIATIONS RELATED TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AS STIPULATED UNDER CHAPTER 1 7 4 0.108.