* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. UH, TIME IS 5:01 PM [1. 20-5074 Public Hearings on the City's 2020 Ad Valorem Tax Rate for the FY 2021 Proposed Budget. [Erik Walsh, City Manager; Scott Huizenga, Director, Management & Budget]] ON THIS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2020. UM, WE DO HAVE A BUDGET AND TAX RATE PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN RIGHT NOW. UH, SO MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD READ, UH, THE CAPTION ON THE AGENDA, PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CITY'S 2020 AT VERUM TAX RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 PROPOSED BUDGET. ALRIGHT, MARIA, UH, DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ON, UH, NO MAYOR, THERE IS NO PRESENTATION. OKAY. ALRIGHT. SO THE FIRST OF THE TWO COMBINED F Y 2021 BUDGET AND 2020 TAX RATE PUBLIC HEARINGS IS HEREBY OPENED. ANYONE WHO WANTS TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS MAY DO SO. HOWEVER, COMMENTS MUST BE LIMITED TO MATTERS ABOUT THE BUDGET OR THE TAX RATE. IF THE SPEAKER STARTS DISCUSSING ANY OTHER SUBJECT OR TOPIC, THEY WILL BE INTERRUPTED AND THE SPEAKER'S AUDIO CONNECTION TO THE MEETING WILL BE TERMINATED. UM, SO WE DO HAVE, UM, I THINK ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL NOW BECAUSE I THINK WE DO HAVE, UH, THEM CONNECTED AND UH, SO KAYLA MIRANDA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. HELLO, MY NAME IS KAY MIRANDA AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE COURT. UM, I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH, UH, ISSUES AND RESIDENT ISSUES. UM, I WILL EXPRESS AGAIN AS I HAVE SO MANY TIMES BEFORE THE NEED FOR FUNDS TO BE MOVED INTO HOUSING AND EMERGENCY SERVICES RATHER THAN OTHER AREAS THAT ARE NOT NEEDED USE FORCE. UM, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF FOOD ON THE SIDE OF TOWN, UM, AND A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS GET HARASSED UNNECESSARILY AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT PUTTING MORE FUNDS TO THEM HELP SAN ANTONIO. I THINK IT'S GONNA HURT IT. I BELIEVE THAT THE FUNDS SHOULD BE MOVED TOWARDS CITIZENS, THEIR HOMES, WHETHER IT'S EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU MS. MIRANDA. UM, THAT IS ALL THE CITIZENS THAT WE HAVE, UH, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE PUBLIC HEARING. UH, SO, UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND, UM, CLOSE THIS HEARING ON THE BUDGET. I'M SORRY, MAYOR, I HAVE THREE COMMENTS TO READ IF THAT'S OKAY. OKAY. ON THE PUBLIC HEARING, THOSE ARE POSTED ONLINE? YES, SIR. OKAY. YEAH, IF YOU COULD JUST READ, UH, THE WEBSITE WHERE THEY CAN, UH, READ THOSE LI COMMENTS. OKAY. JUST LIKE THE WEBSITE OR READ THE COMMENTS? YES, BECAUSE THEY'RE POSTED ONLINE. OKAY. YES SIR. THAT'S ON THE WWW.SANANTONIO.GOV/AGENDAS ON THE UM, SYSTEM. THANK YOU MA'AM. ALRIGHT. THE SECOND OF THE TWO COMBINED PUBLIC BUDGET AND TAX PUBLIC HEARINGS WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2020, BEGINNING AT 9:00 AM THE SECOND COMBINED BUDGET AND TAX RATE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE CONDUCTED BY VIDEO CONFERENCE TO PROTECT THE HELL OF THE PUBLIC AND LIMIT THE POTENTIAL SPREAD OF COVID 19. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR TAX YEAR 2020 AT ITS MEETING ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2020, WHICH WILL BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND WILL BE CONDUCTED VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE. HAVING HEARD ALL COMMENTS FROM THOSE CITIZENS WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THE BUDGET AND TAX RATE, THE FIRST OF THE TWO COMBINED FY 2021 BUDGET AND 2020 TAX RATE PUBLIC HEARINGS IS HEREBY CLOSED. AND AS NOTED AGAIN, UM, COMMENTS SUBMITTED ONLINE ARE POSTED PUBLICLY AS THE, UH, CLERK READ. ALRIGHT, [2. 20-5109 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 are given up to three minutes to speak, and groups are given up to nine minutes.] NOW WE DO HAVE A, UH, AS SOON AS TO BE HEARD PUBLIC HEARING, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THAT NOW. THE TIME IS 5:06 PM UH, WE HAVE, UM, SEVERAL CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. I KNOW WE HAD A NUMBER OF COMMENTS SUBMITTED ONLINE AS WELL. UH, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE, UH, THE SPEAKERS TO SPEAK LIVE HERE, UH, IN ORDER, AND I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT SEVERAL ALREADY CONNECTED. I'LL CALL THE FIRST NAME TO SPEAK AND THEN THE NEXT NAME, IF YOU CAN BE READY, UH, FOR YOUR TIME. UH, THE FIRST PERSON CONNECTED IS JAMES JUSTICE. UM, MR. JUSTICE, ARE YOU CONNECTED? [00:05:04] OKAY. STEVEN STIEG. MR. STIEG WILL BE FOLLOWED BY GAGE WILLIAMS. HELLO, UH, MY NAME IS STEVE VERSTEEG. I LIVE AT 1 0 5 RENO STREET. GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL. WHY IS THE CITY NOT PROVIDING INCENTIVES FOR EQUITY AND DEVELOPMENT? WHEN WALTER STREET WAS REDONE FROM I 35 TO FORT SAM EIGHT YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A PLAN. THE EAST SIDE OF WALTERS WOULD BE MIXED USE AND THE WEST SIDE OF WALTERS WOULD BE PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL. ON THE EAST SIDE, WE HAVE THREE COMPLETELY VACANT BLOCKS. WE HAVE C TWO COMMERCIAL LINING, THE EAST SIDE OF WALTERS ALL THE WAY, WAY TO THE BASE, ALL OF IT. VACANT DOMINION HOLDINGS AND WALTERS STREET PARTNERS OWN ALL OF THAT VACANT PROPERTY. THESE COMPANIES ARE WAITING FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE SUBSIDIZED SO THEY CAN MAXIMIZE THEIR PROFITS, PROFITS FOR OWNERS AND INVESTORS OUTSIDE DISTRICT TWO. SO VACANT LAND SITS THERE BECAUSE OF GREED, BUT THE GREED DOESN'T STOP. THEN OUTSIDE DEVELOPERS COME IN AND SAY, LET'S SHIP AWAY AT THIS OTHER SIDE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RESIDENTIAL. LET'S TAKE OUT A STREET AND MAKE A COMMERCIAL CORNER AS LARGE AS A SCHOOL A BLOCK AWAY. LET'S IGNORE THE FACT THAT BY CITY DESIGN A WIDEN WALTER STREET, THERE ARE NO CURB CUTS ON THE WET SIDE. LET'S IGNORE THE FACT THAT A 15 FOOT WIDE PATH WAS CREATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF WALTERS. STRETCHING FROM THE ACCESS ROAD TO THE FRONT OF THE LARGE COMMERCIAL, PAST THE FRONT OF THE LARGE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY ALL THE WAY TO THE BASE, A PATH TO BE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE FRIENDLY ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE. LET'S IGNORE THE BRICK AND METAL WALLS EACH HUNDREDS OF FEET LONG THAT RUN NEXT TO THAT PASS AND THE PARTWAY IN FRONT OF THIS LARGE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THAT'S PROPOSED DURING A CITYWIDE HOUSING CRISIS. LET'S IGNORE THAT. NINE AFFORDABLE HOMES ARE LOST OUT OF OUR HOUSING STOCK. TO MAKE THIS LARGE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, LET'S GIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS TO IGNORE THE GOVERNMENT HILL NEIGHBORHOOD. THE PLAN, LET'S GIVE REZONING CATERING TO DEVELOPERS FROM OUTSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM DALLAS WHO ARE NOT FACES OF EQUITY. LET'S FORGET ABOUT THE NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE INVESTED AND DEVELOPED THEIR OWN HOMES. RE-APPROVED HER PROPERTY. LORENZO INVESTED TO MOVE HIS FAMILY INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. DORA FIXED UP HER CHILDHOOD HOME AFTER HER PARENTS PASSED AWAY. YOLANDA AND MIGUEL KEEP THEIR PROPERTY NEAT AND TIDY. JOSE CONSTANTLY FIXING UP HIS PROPERTY SO HIS DAUGHTER WILL HAVE SOMETHING IN YEARS TO COME. CONSUELA, ROXANNE, RUTH, AND BETTY ALL TAKING PRIDE IN THEIR HOMES. BETTY WHO MOVED OUT OF SUDDEN HOMES GOVERNMENT HOUSING ALMOST 40 YEARS AGO WITH THE HELP OF GORDON HARTMAN, DID WE DO THAT? INVESTING IN OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE IGNORED BY THE CITY AND OUR DISTRICT TWO LEADERS DID WE REINVEST IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ONLY TO HAVE THE CITY HAND OVER RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TO COMMERCIAL DEVELOPERS AND INCENTIVIZE HOMES BEING DESTROYED AND GENERATE UNSAFE TRAFFIC IN OUR SCHOOL ZONE? DON'T BE A PARTY TO THIS INEQUITY. DO NOT VOTE FOR APPROVAL OF DISTRICT TWO ZONING CASE ONE 13. IF ANYONE ON THIS COUNCIL VOTES FOR THIS, WE ARE OWED YOUR EXPLANATION DURING DISCUSSION AND TO HAVE IT PUT ON RECORD WHY YOU ARE KILLING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN FAVOR OF OUTSIDERS, IN FAVOR OF PERPETUATING INEQUITY. HAVE A SAFE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. CHEERS. THANK YOU MR. . UH, GAGE WILLIAMS, FOLLOWED BY DORA EZ. HI, CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES, WE HEAR YOU. HELLO. AWESOME. ALL RIGHT, SO I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO DEFUND SS A P D AND REDISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS AND SERVICES THAT ACTUALLY HELP THE HARDWORKING PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO. WE NEED TO REBUILD OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT GENTRIFY HISTORIC COMMUNITIES. WE NEED TO FUND OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SHOW OUR TEACHERS WHO NEED, I REMIND YOU, PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE EVERY DAY THAT WE VALUE THEIR WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE NEED TO SHUT DOWN EVICTION COURT AND ENSURE ALL SAN HAVE A HOME, INCLUDING THE ONES THAT DIDN'T HAVE ONE BEFORE. I'M A PART OF, IF NOT ONE OF, IF NOT THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER VOTING DEMOGRAPHIC. THERE ARE ENTIRE NON-PROFITS DEDICATED TO TRYING TO GET ME TO VOTE. AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT ME AND MY LIKE-MINDED PEERS WILL NOT BE PLACATED BY A STREET BEING RENAMED. WE WANT REAL MATERIAL CHANGE. WE WANT TO SEE SS A P D DEFUNDED. WE WANNA SEE THOSE FUNDS PUT BACK INTO SERVICES THAT SAN ANTONIO NEEDS BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE WANT EVICTION COURTS TO BE CLOSED AND TO ENSURE THAT ALL SAN ANTONIONS HAVE A HOME, INCLUDING THOSE THAT Y'ALL FORGOT ABOUT BECAUSE WE HAVE IT. WE WANT POLICE TAKEN OUT OF SCHOOLS BECAUSE WHEN A STUDENT IS HAVING A PANIC ATTACK, THE LAST THING THEY NEED IS TO BE BODY SLAMMED. WE WANT JUSTICE FOR DAMIEN DANIEL'S, MARQUEE JONES AND CHARLES ROUNDTREE AND FOR ALL THOSE MURDERED, ASSAULTED AND OTHERWISE ABUSED BY SS A P D IN THE BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE BY SHERIFF SALAZAR, CHIEF MCMANUS. AND BY YOU DUE TO YOUR INACTION, YOU TOLD US TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE. SO YOU BETTER LISTEN. HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE LEFT [00:10:01] MR. WILLIAMS? I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT, GO AHEAD. ALL RIGHT. AND UH, THIS ONE KIND OF GOES DIRECTLY OUT THE SHERIFF SALAZAR 'CAUSE THAT'S ON NEWS REPORTS WHERE HE, HE DESCRIBED DAMIEN DANIELS AS THE SUSPECT. HE WAS NOT A SUSPECT, HE WAS A VICTIM OF HIS DEPUTY WHO MURDERED HIM. POLICE HAVE NO BUSINESS DOING WELLNESS CHECKUPS. IF THEY'RE GONNA KILL MENTALLY ILL, WE CLAIM TO BE MILITARY CITY U S A, BUT WE CAN'T GIVE PROPER MEDICAL HELP, PROPER MENTAL HEALTH HELP TO OUR VETERANS WHO COME BACK FROM WAR AND SAID, WE SEND A POLICE OFFICER OVER THERE TO INSTIGATE A SITUATION TO KILL HIM. NEED. I REMIND YOU, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT BODY CAM FOOTAGE, SO WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. HE IS NOT THE SUSPECT. SHERIFF SALAZAR, YOU NEED TO SAY HIS NAME. DAMIAN LAMAR. DANIEL, YOUR DEPUTY MURDERED HIM AND YOU NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. WILLIAMS. DORA PEREZ, FOLLOWED BY KAREN . CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. CAN HEAR. CAN YOU HEAR YOU? OKAY. HELLO, MY NAME IS DORA PEREZ. I RECEIVED SEVERAL LETTERS FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ZONING DIVISION THAT TWO PROPERTIES IN MY EAST SIDE GOVERNMENT HILL NEIGHBORHOOD IS REQUESTING A REZONE CHANGE FROM AN R SIX TO A C TWO COMMERCIAL. ONE PROPERTY IS ONLY 58 FEET FROM MY HOME AND THE OTHER PROPERTY 200 FEET, WHICH I OPPOSE. WE, THE NEIGHBORS ARE TRYING OUR HARDEST TO SAVE OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD FROM A C TWO COMMERCIAL REZONING. HAVING TO GO THROUGH ALL THE PLANNING PROCESS AND ALL THE ZONING PROCESS AND TAKE PROCESS AND TAKING ADVICE, UH, FROM OUR, OUR COMMISSIONERS TO MEET WITH OUR D TWO REPRESENTATIVE. AND WE DID SEVERAL TIMES ASKING HER FOR ADVICE HELP AND HER SUPPORT, TAKING HER ADVICE, UH, THAT WE, THE NEIGHBORS SHOULD MEET AND TALK WITH THE APPLICANTS TO COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF COMPROMISE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS. WE DID REACH OUT TO THE APPLICANT SEVERAL TIMES TO DISCUSS AND TO WORK TOGETHER ON A COMPROMISE. THE APPLICANTS AGREE TO MEET WITH US. AFTER SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS AND LOTS OF EMAILS AND SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS FOR A COMPROMISE, WE REALIZE THAT THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN A COMPROMISE PERIOD. THEY WANT THE MOST MONEY THEY CAN GET WITH A C TWO REZONING. ON AUGUST 17, ONE OF TWO REZONING CASES WENT BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, ALL THE HARD WORK ALL THE TIME, ALL THE SPEECHES, ALL THE MEETINGS, AND TRYING TO GET A COMPROMISE GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE REZONING PROCESS. AND FOR WHAT, JUST TO HEAR. OUR D TWO CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE JADA SULLIVAN, OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR VOTED IN FAVOR OF A C TWO COMMERCIAL ZONING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WHAT A LET DOWN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS NEIGHBORHOOD RES, I'M SORRY, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE SAME RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN ZONED COMMERCIAL. AND WHY IS IT BECAUSE AN ORDER TO WIN OUR CASE, WE HAVE TO HAVE A SELLER. WE HAVE TO BE THE SELLER, A BUSINESS, A DEVELOPER, OR IS IT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LAWYER REPRESENTING US OR A REAL ESTATE BROKER BACKING US? OR IS IT BECAUSE WE ARE A HISPANIC NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE DON'T MATTER US AS HOMEOWNERS AND THE 200 FEET THE MOST IMPACTED NEIGHBORS HAS, HAS NO VOICE OR SAY SO IN 16 DAYS? IN 16 DAYS ON SEPTEMBER 17, A THIRD C TWO REZONING CASE IS COMING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL TO CHANGE THE SAME GOVERNMENT HILL R SIX NEIGHBORHOODS TO A C TWO COMMERCIAL. AGAIN. THIS TIME I HOPE WE CAN GET A REPRESENTATIVE TO LISTEN TO OUR MATTER AND STOP VOTING IN FAVOR OF COMMERCIAL ZONING. STOP CHIPPING AWAY OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND DON'T KILL GOVERNMENT HILL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU MS. PEREZ. KAREN ALAMAS, FOLLOWED BY JIM CORONA MORRIS. WITH ALL THE TURMOIL HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY, WE NEED MORE POLICE PRESENCE, NOT LESS. A LARGE PORTION OF OUR BUDGET COMES FROM TOURISM. OUR CITY HAS WORKED HARD THE LAST 20 YEARS TO SHOWCASE SAN ANTONIO AS A TOURIST AND CONVENTION TOWNS, WE WILL LOSE MANY VISITORS IF OUR CITY IS NOT DEEMED SAFE AND SECURE. FURTHERMORE, WITH THE NOW CURRENT ATTITUDE THAT RESISTING ARREST IS ACCEPTABLE, WE NEED MORE POLICE RESPONDING TO CALLS IN ORDER TO LOWER THE POTENTIAL NEED FOR THE USE OF FORCE. WE ARE ASKING OFFICERS TO USE LESS FORCE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY ARE BEING TARGETED MORE AND MORE. IF YOU WANT LESS FORCE USED, THEN MORE OFFICERS ARE NEEDED ON CALLS. IT IS APPALLING TO ME THAT THERE IS ANY CONSIDERATION OF REPEALING 1 43 AND 1 74 AT THIS TIME. THE MEDIA HAS SENSATIONALIZED A FEW QUESTIONABLE INSTANCES IN OTHER STATES WHERE ALL THE FACTS ARE NOT EVEN KNOWN YET. THE MEDIA HAS PERPETUATED THE FALSEHOOD THAT POLICE OFFICERS ARE TARGETING MINORITIES WHEN CLEARLY STATISTICS SHOW THAT IT'S NOT TRUE. IN REALITY, THE LAW ABIDING ABIDING CITIZENS [00:15:01] IN THE HIGH CRIME NEIGHBORHOODS PREFER MORE POLICE PRESENCE PRESENCE. RIGHT NOW OUR OFFICERS ARE GETTING TRIED AND CONVICTED BY THE MEDIA INSTEAD OF BY DUE PROCESS. AFTER ALL THE FACTS ARE PRESENTED, IT IS NOW THAT OFFICERS NEED THE STRONGEST CIVIL SERVICE PROTECTION AND ANY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS POSSIBLE. RIGHT NOW, THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE ACADEMY IS ONE OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AND TOUGHEST ACADEMIES TO GET ACCEPTED INTO. IF THE CITY DEFUND OR DISMANTLES THEIR CIVIL SERVICE PROTECTION AND OR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS. MORE AND MORE WILL REALIZE THE LOW PAYING JOB OF POLICE OFFICER IS NOT WORTH THE RISK OF THE ALREADY OCCURRING HIGHER RATES OF POLICE INJURIES, DEATHS AND UNJUST PROSECUTIONS. THERE WILL BE SO FEW WILLING TO ENROLL THAT S A P D WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO SELECT TO BE SELECTIVE AND SELECT ONLY THE TOP TIER APPLICANTS IN THE END. DURING THIS TIME OF INFLAMMATORY ANTI-POLICE ENVIRONMENT, PLACING 1 4 3 AND 1 7 4 TO BE VOTED ON WOULD ONLY DELIVER AN OUTCOME BASED ON SENSATIONALIZED MEDIA OPINIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT ONE MORE THING BEFORE I CLOSE. I FEEL IT IS NECESSARY FOR OUR LEADERS TO PROMOTE AND SET AN EXAMPLE FOR OUR CITIZENS SUCH, SUCH THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS DESERVE RESPECT. THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO DO A VERY THANKLESS JOB. AND YOU AS CITY LEADERS SHOULD PROMOTE, ACTUALLY DEMAND RESPECT FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. NOT ONLY HAS RESISTING ARREST BECOME ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR, BUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAS DECIDED IT COMPLETELY ACCEPTABLE TO BECOME COMBATIVE. WHEN AN OFFICER MERELY ASKS FOR INFORMATION IN CLOSING, I THINK IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ANY OF US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TRYING TO SERVE AND PROTECT WITH A TARGET ON YOUR BACK SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU WEAR A BADGE. THANK YOU. MS. ALAMAS. UH, JIM CORONA MORRIS FOLLOWED BY BRANDON MALLS. GOOD AFTERNOON. I WAS, UM, ABLE TO, I WOULD, I'M REQUESTING TO COMBINE, UH, BOTH MY TIME AS WELL AS NDA THOMAS WHO IS REQUESTED TO SPEAK AS WELL. UM, ANAND, ARE YOU THERE? YEAH, I'M HERE. OKAY. UM, I'M, I'M YIELDING MY TIME TO GEM. GREAT. OKAY. GEM, YOU HAVE SIX MINUTES. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE FACTS TO CONSIDERED BEFORE SPEAKING TO THE SPECIFICS FOR SAN ANTONIO AFTER SLAVERY WAS ABOLISHED, THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE THE POOR WHITES AND THREE BLACKS WERE RISING UP TOGETHER AGAINST THE RICH, RICH PLANTATION OWNERS SEEING THAT THE RICH MINORITY WERE OUTNUMBERED AND THEREFORE IN JEOPARDY OF LOSING THEIR WEALTH AND POWER. AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY ABOUT CLASSISM WAS SPUN INTO RACIST SUPERIORITY SO THAT EVEN THOUGH THESE PLANTATION OWNERS CONSIDERED POOR WHITE PEOPLE JUST AS DISPENSABLE AS THE BLACKS, AS LONG AS WE STAYED DIVIDED BASED ON OUR RACE AND FOUGHT AMONGST EACH OTHER, THE WEALTHY ELITE REMAINED IN POWER AND ABLE TO OPPRESS THE MASSES. THE RICH MINORITY THROUGHOUT OUR NATION'S HISTORY HAS USED THE INSTITUTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PROTECT RICH WHITE MEN AND THEIR INTERESTS, AND THEN CAPITALIZED ON THE 13TH AMENDMENT TO KEEP BIPO OPPRESSED WHILE ALSO KILLING AND OPPRESSING MANY IN THE POOR WHITE COMMUNITIES THAT WERE FOOLED INTO THINKING THAT THEIR LACK OF MELANIN SOMEHOW MADE THEM SUPERIOR TO THE BIPOD COUNTERPARTS. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THIS IS VERY TIMELY. FOR SEPTEMBER AFTER SEPTEMBER 11TH, WE HAD A SMALL MINORITY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS SELL US ON THE LIE OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND SEND OUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND LOVED ONES INTO AN UNWINNABLE WAR SO THE RICH MINORITY COULD MAKE BILLIONS OFF CONTRACTS LIKE DICK CHENEY DID WITH HALLIBURTON. THESE ARE OUR FAMILY MEMBERS THAT DIED OR CAME BACK DISMEMBERED AND TRAUMATIZED ONLY TO BE LEFT WITH A BA SYSTEM THAT IS OVERWHELMED AND ILL-EQUIPPED TO ADDRESS ALL OF OUR VET NEEDS, LEAVING MANY OF THEM VULNERABLE TO HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL ILLNESS AND OR THREAT TO THEIR LOVED ONES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THEY ORIGINALLY FOUGHT FOR. CURRENTLY THERE IS $101 MILLION OF THE PROPOSED POLICE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR THAT HAS, DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. IF YOU WERE TO REALLOCATE THESE FUNDS INTO PUBLIC HEALTH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SENIOR AND NEW SERVICES, LIKE WE VOTED IN THAT COMMUNITY SURVEY AT THE TOP THREE, NOT ONLY WOULD YOU BE EMPOWERING THE COMMUNITIES IN A WAY THAT WOULD MAKE THEM SAFER AND INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF THE RESIDENTS YOU HAVE SWORN TO REPRESENT, YOU WOULD ALSO BE HELPING YOU ALREADY OVERSTRETCHED LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT IS TRYING TO MOVE PAST THEIR RACIST AND OPPRESSIVE ORIGINS. WE HAVE SEEN VIDEO AFTER VIDEO WHERE COPS HAVE BECOME A THREAT TO TOO MANY OF THE CITIZENS THEY HAVE SWORN TO PROTECT BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO ENFORCE A PUNISHMENT SYSTEM THAT WAS NEVER MEANT TO REHABILITATE NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS. IT WAS MEANT TO PENALIZE PEOPLE WHO ARE LACKING THE [00:20:01] RESOURCES THEY NEED TO OVERCOME SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION BUILT INTO SEGREGATION, CLASSISM AND WHITE NATIONALIST FOUNDATIONS. THE CITY HAS ALREADY FROZEN HIRING AND IS CONSIDERING FURLOUGHS FOR CITY STAFF, YET THEY ARE INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE POLICE. WHY NOT ASK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO GO ON A HIRING FREEZE TO HELP THE CITY DURING THIS ONGOING PANDEMIC AS WELL? WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO FIRE ANYONE, JUST DON'T HIRE ANYONE NEW. ONCE VETERAN OFFICERS RETIRE, INSTEAD OF ONLY TRYING TO FIX THINGS FROM WITHIN, WHICH ONLY FUNNELS MORE RESOURCES TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, WE ARE CALLING FOR A REDUCTION IN COMMUNITIES. RELIANCE ON THE POLICE FOR A NUMBER OF SERVICES. SAN ANTONIO HAS THE ABILITY TO DO THIS WITH SERVICES LIKE MONITORING THE HOMELESS, TOWING RESPONSIBILITIES IN MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, DISCIPLINING STUDENTS RESPONDING TO OUTBURSTS BY PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, RESPONDING TO MINOR COMPLAINTS WITH THOSE, UH, THAT PASS COUNTERFEIT BILLS, SPENDING MORE MONEY ON AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS AND YOUTH COUNSELORS INSTEAD OF MORE MONEY ON GANG ENFORCEMENT AND INVESTING IN VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION PROGRAMS LIKE STANDUP ESSAY AND FOSTERING THE DEVELOPMENT OF GRASSROOTS MOVEMENTS THAT MENTOR YOUTH ON VIOLENCE LIKE GROAN IN PHILADELPHIA. POLICE DEPARTMENTS INCUR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS PER YEAR IN EXCESS PERSONAL COSTS BY SWORN PERSONNEL TO PERFORM ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND OTHER NON-POLICE FUNCTIONS. THESE TASKS COULD BE DONE BY CITIZENS WHICH COULD HELP OUR OWN CITIZENS FIND MORE JOBS AND REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE SIZE OF THE POLICE FORCE EVERY YEAR. ADDITIONALLY, HIRING CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WITH GREATER EXPERTISE AND FUNCTIONS CURRENTLY BEING PERFORMED BY SWORN PERSONNEL CAN IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY AND LESSEN THE BURDEN ON AN ALREADY OVERSTRETCHED OFFICER FORCE. VICTIM ADVOCACY IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THIS AND CAN BE MOVED TO COMMUNITY GROUPS AND OR THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. I SAW THE BODY CAM FOR THE INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE OFF WOODSTONE DRIVE WHERE COPS DETAINED AN INNOCENT BLACK MAN AND THEN WERE READY TO PRESS CHARGES AFTER FORCING HIM INTO THEIR POLICE VEHICLE WHILE ALSO DOING A HORRENDOUS JOB OF RE-TRAUMATIZING THE VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THAT INCIDENT BY ASKING HER TO REPEAT HER STORY OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO NEW POLICE OFFICERS, WHICH GOES AGAINST ALL CURRENT TRAUMA-INFORMED INTERVENTION AND INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES. THE ID RECOVERY PROGRAM CAN GO TO A MUNICIPAL SERVICE OR HUMAN HEALTH AND SERVICES AS WELL. THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN PROPOSED BY A COUNCILMAN TREVINO OF DISTRICT ONE AND SPECIAL EVENTS SUCH AS NATIONAL NINE OUT COULD ALSO BE HANDLED BY DEPARTMENTS OUTSIDE OF OUR PD AND REDUCE THEIR UNNECESSARY ADMIN COSTS. MANY OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE IDENTITIES THAT WERE ONCE TARGETED BY THE PATRIARCHAL AND WHITE NATIONALIST FOUNDATIONS OUR CITY WAS FOUNDED ON. I AM ASKING YOU TO BE FORWARD THINKING AND MOVE PAST THE IDEA THAT MORE LAW ENFORCEMENT IS GOING TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS. IT IS AS MISINFORMED AS WE ALL WERE WHEN DICK CHENEY SOLD OUR NATION ON A LIE. THAT WAR WAS GOING TO BRING DEMOCRACY TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND KEEP US SAFE BACK HERE IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS. SO PLEASE HELP US MAKE SAN ANTONIO SAFER AND DON'T BE A DICK CHENEY. THAT IS MY TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. CORONA MORRIS. UH, BRANDON MOLES FOLLOWED BY LORENZO ORTIZ. YES, I THINK IT'S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER. THIS PAST WEEK HAS SHOWN US THAT WE NEED TO DEFUND THE POLICE. THEY CLEARLY HAVE SHOWN THEY'RE NOT CAPABLE OF DEALING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MENTALLY ILL OR WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AT THIS TIME. WE AREN'T INVESTING IN THAT EITHER. DESPITE THE FACT THAT Y'ALL ASKED US WHAT OUR PRIORITIES WERE, OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY WAS HEALTH AND SERVICES. Y'ALL INVESTED MAYBE 20 MILLION IN Y'ALL'S PROPOSED BUDGET COMPARED TO NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS PUBLIC SAFETY AT ALMOST 500 MILLION. YOU ASKED FOR OUR PRIORITIES. WE ASKED FOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. AGAIN, THE SAME ANSWER, 5 MILLION, 10 MILLION WHILE YOU GIVE 500 MILLION TO THE POLICE WHO HAVE JUST PROVEN AGAIN THIS WEEK BY KILLING SERGEANT DAMIEN DANIEL, A MAN WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY AND WAS STRUGGLING DUE TO LOSSES OF HIS GETTING HIS FAMILY ALREADY, HIS WHOLE FAMILY SERVED AND WE COULDN'T TAKE CARE OF HIM. MR. TU, FOR SIMPLY EXERCISING AGAIN, ANOTHER PERSON WHO'S SERVED AT THE PYRAMID OF OUR COUNTRY AND OUR CITY EXERCISING AS ANY PERSON SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO, HAVING TO SPEND TWO DAYS IN JAIL AND THEN THIS HAVE A SLAP IN THE FACE BY SAYING THE OFFICERS WANTED TO NOT CHARGE HIM NOW THEY WANTED TO RELEASE THE CHARGES. WHAT IF THEY WANTED TO RELEASE THE CHARGES? THEY NEVER WOULD'VE ARRESTED HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE. THEY NEVER WOULD'VE PUT HIM THROUGH THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE. HAVE HIM SPENT TWO DAYS IN JAIL. OUR SENIOR [00:25:01] CITIZENS ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW. THEY'VE BEEN LOCKED AWAY BECAUSE OUR SENIOR CENTERS ARE CLOSED. WE'RE NOT INVESTING IN THEM, BUT MAYBE A MILLION OR TWO, COUPLE MILLION YEAR 8 MILLION I THINK TOTAL FOR THE CITY. 500 MILLION AGAIN TO THE POLICE, ONE OR 2 MILLION TO TRANSPORTATION, 500 MILLION TO THE POLICE. WHEN YOU ADD UP ALL THE MONEY IT TAKES TO RUN A CITY FOR OUR CITY BUDGET, IT IS BARELY OVER HALF OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY GIVEN TO THE POLICE. THEY HAVE SHOWN THAT THEY'RE NOT CAPABLE OF HANDLING THEMSELVES IN ANY RESPECTABLE MANNER. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PART, THE SECOND PART, PROTECT AND SERVE. THEY DO NOT SERVE THE COMMUNITY. THEY HARASS THE COMMUNITY. THEY PEPPER SPRAY ILLEGALLY PROTESTORS AND OTHER COPS WHO SAY THAT IT IS AN ILLEGAL ACT AT THAT COP DID AND BY AND DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. WE HAVE NO TRUST IN THE POLICE. WE ASK TO DEFUND AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL PLEASE US. THAT IS MERELY STEP ONE FOR GETTING TO A BETTER PUBLIC HEALTH BASIS AND WELLNESS PROGRAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. MOLES. LORENZO ORTIZ, FOLLOWED BY JOLIE DELGADO. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME'S LORENZO ORTIZ. I'M A HOMEOWNER IN ONE OF THE OLDEST COMMUNITIES IN SAN ANTONIO GOVERNMENT HILL. AND WE THE MOST IMPACTED HOMEOWNERS OF GOVERNMENT HILL WITH LIGHT ARE CONCERNS HEARD THE PROCESS, THE PROCESS WE HAVE TAKEN. WE WERE TOLD TO FILL OUT OPPOSITION NOTICES AND WITH OVER 50 HOMEOWNERS IN OPPOSITION, WE TURNED THEM IN. WE WENT TO DEVELOPMENT ZONE, UH, AND ZONING COMMISSIONS AND BOTH ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONS AGREED THAT C TWO WAS TOO HARSH FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND TURNED DOWN C TWO. WE MET WITH JADA SULLIVAN, OUR CITY COUNCILWOMAN, ALONG WITH CATHERINE WITH THE CITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND TALKED ABOUT DEED RESTRICTIONS. CATHERINE STATED THAT SAN ANTONIO WOULD NOT ENFORCE DEEDS DURING THE CONVERSATION. MS. SULLIVAN STATED THAT SHE WOULD GO FOR C ONE. WHAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT IS GOING ON OR GOING TO BE BUILT ON THE PROPERTY IS TRULY UNKNOWN. THERE'S NO KNOWLEDGE, THERE'S NO FANS, NO COMMUNICATIONS, NO STARBUCKS TO BE THE MOST IMPACTED HOMEOWNERS HAVE DONE WHAT IS ASKED FROM OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS. PLEASE CONSIDER THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WERE APPOINTED BY THE CITY TO DO A JOB THAT BEST FITS THE NEEDS OF SAN ANTONIO. T TWO IS NOT THE ANSWER AND WE SHOULD ALL HAVE QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO WHAT IS TRULY GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN DISTRICT TWO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. ORTIZ. MORE THAN ONE. YOLI DELGADO FOLLOWED BY DEMI ENRIQUEZ. IS YOLI THERE? OKAY, MOVE TO DEMI ENRIQUEZ, FOLLOWED BY JORDAN PARKS. DANNY, ARE YOU CONNECTED? OKAY, WE'LL MOVE TO JORDAN PARK. I'M HERE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY. AWESOME. UM, I'D LIKE TO START MY COMMENT BY STATING THAT SAN ANTONIO IS ONE CITY, ONE COMMUNITY. SO I'M ADDRESSING MY STATEMENT TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, NOT JUST MY OWN BECAUSE I'M NOT ONLY BLACK IN DISTRICT TWO OR A MOTHER IN DISTRICT FOUR, BUT I'M A BLACK MOTHER IN EVERY DISTRICT, ON EVERY STREET IN BOULEVARD, NO MATTER WHERE I LAY MY HEAD. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M CALLING ON CITY COUNCIL, THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER TO DEFUND THE OVERINFLATED POLICE BUDGET AND TO INVEST OUR TAX DOLLARS INTO OUR COMMUNITY. WE'VE DEFUNDED EVERYTHING THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO FUNCTION SUCCESSFULLY LONG TERM. OUR EDUCATION AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT HELP MOLD OUR YOUTH AND PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR OUR KIDS TO DECOMPRESS AFTERSCHOOL WHILE WE WORK ARE PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE PRE PEAK OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND OUR HOUSING, OVER 1200 FAMILIES AND 360 PLUS CHILDREN ARE AT RISK OF BEING HOMELESS BY THE YEARS END. AND I FIND IT BAFFLING THAT OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY MANAGER ARE EVEN CONTEMPLATING WHERE THEY SHOULD ALLOCATE FUNDING AS IF THEY DON'T LIVE IN THE CITY AND SEE THE DAILY STRUGGLES THAT WE FACE. DEFUNDING THE POLICE IS NOT ONLY LOGICAL, LOGICAL, SEEING THAT WE'VE TAKEN BUDGET CUTS AS A CITY AND THEY'RE THE LARGEST CONSUMER OF OUR TAX DOLLARS. BUT IT'S NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT OUR CITY'S CHILDREN, SENIORS, AND IMMUNOCOMPROMISED ARE PROPERLY PRIORITIZED AND NOT ADDED TO THE GROWING BODY COUNT OF COVID. AND NOT TO MENTION THE DEFUNDING SS A P D WILL HELP SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE THE [00:30:01] AMOUNT OF BLACK BODIES DROPPED BY OUR VERY FLAWED LAW ENFORCEMENT. DEFUND. THE POLICE RECONSTRUCT OUR CITY'S PRIORITIES, WHICH IN TURN WILL SAVE OUR CHILDREN AND PROTECT BLACK LIVES. THE VALUE OF THE LIVES OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT AND SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN UP FOR DEBATE OR NEGOTIATION. AND THAT'S WHAT I FEEL IS HAPPENING WHEN IT COMES TO THIS BUDGET. I'D ALSO LIKE TO STATE THAT INCREASING POLICE PRESENCE DOES NOT AND HAVE NEVER DECREASED CRIME AND TO COMBAT A RESIDENT'S EARLIER STATEMENT. THERE'S ALSO ZERO STATISTICS THAT SUPPORT THAT THE INCREASE OF POLICE PRESENCE SOMEHOW DECREASES CITIZENS RESISTING UNLAWFUL ARREST. DEFUNDING POLICE ALSO DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE CRIME RATE AN OFFICER'S PAY OR INABILITY TO PAY FOR HIS LAUNDRY SERVICE HAS NEVER MADE ME WANT TO COMMIT A CRIME. FINDING THE POLICE OR DEFUNDING THE POLICE, I'M SORRY, FUNDING THE POLICE SIMPLY BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY THINGS HAVE BEEN IS A DISSERVICE TO THE CITIZENS. AND MAKE ME QUESTION WHY EACH OF YOU RAN TO BECOME A CITY OFFICIAL. WAS IT NOT TO INVOKE CHANGE AND ELEVATE THE CITY AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO HIRE SUCCESSES AND COMFORT, DEFUND THE POLICE AND REINVEST IN THE COMMUNITY WITH MORE RESOURCES. THERE WILL BE LESS CRIME THAT IS FACT AND EASILY RESEARCHABLE IF YOU'RE WILLING TO DO THE WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. PARKS. MADAM CLERK, IS THAT UH, EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP FOR THE CALL-INS? YES, MAYOR. AND WE HAVE RECEIVED 854 PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING THAT WERE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY AND ARE A AVAILABLE ON THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S WEBSITE@WWW.SANANTONIO.GOV. AND THEIR COMMENTS WILL ALSO BE DISTRIBUTED TO CITY COUNCIL AND THEIR STAFF. THANK YOU MAYOR. ALRIGHT, THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP. THANK YOU EVERYONE. HAVE A GREAT EVENING. SEE YOU TOMORROW. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.