[1. 20-6492 State Legislative Program for the 87th State Legislative Session [Jeff Coyle, Director, Government & Public Affairs]]
[00:00:06]
HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER VILLA GRANT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RACHA GARCIA HERE.
HERE, CHAIR, YOU HAVE A FULL QUORUM.
UH, SO THE, UH, THERE IS NO MINUTES TO, UH, TO APPROVE.
TODAY WE'RE JUST GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR, UM, FOR OUR EFFORTS IN AUSTIN.
JUST AS A DAY OF REMINDER TODAY IS, UH, DAY OF THE DEAD, BUT ACCORDING TO MY CALENDAR, IT'S ALSO NATIONAL DEVILED EGG DAY.
AND TOMORROW, ASIDE FROM BEING ELECTION DAY IS NATIONAL SANDWICH DAY.
AND SO, UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN PERRY CELEBRATES BOTH OF THOSE.
UM, AND SO I'M, UH, UH, I'M EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU GOT FOR US, JEFF, TAKE IT AWAY.
WELL, AS YOU KNOW, WELL, WE HAVE A STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, UH, LOOMING ON THE HORIZON BEGINNING IN EARLY JANUARY.
SO THIS IS OUR, UH, BIANNUAL CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, THE, THE POSITIONS THAT, UH, WE ARE PROPOSING THE CITY TAKE ON ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR RESIDENTS AND CONSTITUENTS.
WE, UH, POSTED THE AGENDA PUBLICLY AT THE END OF LAST WEEK, I BELIEVE LATE THURSDAY, UH, AND PROVIDED IT TO EACH OF YOU AS WELL.
SO FOR THOSE WATCHING, UM, OUT IN THE PUBLIC, YOU CAN REVIEW OUR, OUR DRAFT AGENDA ON THE WEBSITE.
AND I'M GONNA WALK THROUGH A, UM, A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THEM.
SO, UH, EDUARDO, IF YOU'LL, YOU'LL BRING THEM UP.
SO THIS IS OUR, UH, PROPOSED STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION PROGRAM, MEANING OUR AGENDA HEADING INTO THE SESSION THAT BEGINS IN JANUARY.
THIS IS ESSENTIALLY, UH, THE, THE GUIDE THAT THE, UH, THAT YOU, UH, GIVE STAFF AND OUR CONSULTANTS, UH, TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, UH, AT, AT THE LEGISLATURE, AT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, AND THE STATE AGENCIES.
AND ESSENTIALLY, WE DON'T GO UP THERE, UH, WITHOUT, UH, THE DIRECTION OF OUR ELECTED, UH, POLICY MAKERS ON THE COUNCIL.
AND IN THAT SENSE, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST TRANSPARENT ADVOCACY EFFORTS THAT YOU WILL FIND AT THE CAPITOL.
MOST COMPANIES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS DON'T GO THROUGH PUBLIC MEETINGS TALKING ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.
AS A QUICK, UH, TIMELINE HERE, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE WORKING AGAINST NOVEMBER 9TH IS WHEN PRE-FILING BEGINS.
THE SESSION ITSELF DOESN'T START THEN, BUT THAT MEANS MEMBERS CAN START FILING BILLS, UH, NOVEMBER 9TH, SO ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AWAY.
THE SESSION ITSELF STARTS JANUARY 12TH.
UH, THE END OF THE FILING PERIOD IS MARCH 21ST, SO NO BILLS CAN BE FILED, FILED AFTER THAT DATE.
AND THAT'S ABOUT MIDDLE OF THE SESSION.
THE, UH, THE FULL LEGISLATURE, UH, ADJOURNS ON WHAT'S CALLED SIGNY DIE ON MAY 31ST, AND THEN THERE'S A THREE WEEK PERIOD THAT THE GOVERNOR CAN SIGN OR VETO BILLS THAT HAVE PASSED THE LEGISLATURE.
SO, OUR PROGRAM IS BROKEN UP IN THREE CATEGORIES, PRIORITIES, PROTECTION OF COMMUNITY INTEREST, WHICH IS SORT OF SOME OMNIBUS LANGUAGE.
AND I, I WANNA NOTE, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN PERRY ASKED A GOOD QUESTION OF US BEFORE TODAY'S MEETING ABOUT PRIORITIES.
IN THE PAST, WE HAVE CATEGORIZED THE ISSUES BY OUR TOP PRIORITIES, THEN SOME SMALLER BILLS THAT REQUIRE US TO FILE AND FIND A SPONSOR AND ALL THAT CALLED INITIATIVES.
AND THEN WE USUALLY HAVE A BIG SECTION OF ENDORSEMENTS, UH, THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT THE LEAD ON, BUT, UH, ISSUES THAT THE CITY SUPPORTS OR OPPOSE.
WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT IN THE STRUCTURE OF THIS PROGRAM.
WE PUT IT ALL IN ONE BUCKET OF PRIORITIES.
AND I THINK HOPEFULLY YOU'LL SEE WHY, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE ITEMS THAT THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE ENDORSEMENTS ARE VERY HIGH PRIORITIES FOR THIS CITY COUNCIL, SUCH AS HOUSING AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND SO FORTH.
SO IF YOU AS A BODY, UH, AS A COMMITTEE DECIDE THAT YOU WANNA EMPHASIZE AND PRIORITIZE SOME ITEMS OVER OTHERS, WE'RE HAPPY TO MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
BUT FOR NOW, WE'VE GOT A LIST OF ABOUT 15 OR 17 ITEMS THAT ARE ALL IN THIS CATEGORY OF CITY PRIORITIES.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH EACH ONE AND LISTEN, THESE ARE, THESE ARE BUSY SLIDES WITH A LOT OF LANGUAGE, AND THAT'S INTENTIONAL.
WE WANTED YOU TO SEE EXACTLY THE LANGUAGE IN THE DRAFT PROGRAM.
UH, SO THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE WRITTEN TODAY.
AND IF THERE ARE LANGUAGE TWEAKS AND ADJUSTMENTS YOU WANNA SEE, WE WANNA, WE'RE HAPPY TO MAKE THEM.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T JUST, UH, QUICKLY GLOSS OVER TOPICS, BUT RATHER GIVE YOU THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE IN THE AGENDA.
SO THE FIRST ONE HAS TO DO WITH AN INCREASING POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
[00:05:01]
AND TRANSPARENCY.THERE'S GONNA BE A VERY BIG POLICE REFORM DISCUSSION AT THE LEGISLATURE.
UH, WHAT WE BELIEVE WE'VE, UH, THE ITEMS WE'VE GOT HERE CAN FALL UNDER A CHARACTERIZATION OF MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AND MORE TRANSPARENCY AROUND OFFICERS MISCONDUCT.
AND WE THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE'S A DISTINCTION HERE BETWEEN OFFICERS WHO ARE DOING THEIR JOBS EVERY DAY AND NOT MISBEHAVING, AND, AND THOSE WHO DO, UH, ENGAGE IN MISCONDUCT THAT WARRANTS SOME SORT OF, UH, DISCIPLINE.
THAT'S WHAT THE FIRST THREE BULLETS HERE ARE FOCUSED ON.
SO THE FIRST BULLET IS, UM, PERMITTING THE RELEASE OF ALL DISCIPLINARY RECORDS, NOT JUST THOSE RESULTING IN SUSPENSION.
RIGHT NOW, STATE LAW DEFINES FINAL DISCIPLINE AS, UH, ONE DAY SUSPENSION OR GREATER.
SO WHENEVER AN OFFICER HAS BEEN COUNSELED, HAS RECEIVED A WRITTEN REP REPRIMAND, OR SOMETHING THAT FALLS SHORT OF BEING SUSPENDED, UH, OR FOR EXAMPLE, AN OFFICER WHO IS UNDER INVESTIGATION AND MAY WELL, UH, HAVE BEEN FIRED, BUT LEAVES THE DEPARTMENT, THOSE TYPES OF RECORDS ARE NOT PUBLICLY RELEASABLE UNDER THE OPEN RECORDS ACT.
AND WE FEEL LIKE FOR TRANSPARENCY'S SAKE, UM, WE SHOULD, THE, THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE FULL PICTURE, GOOD, BAD, AND OTHERWISE.
SECONDLY IS THE, UH, 180 DAY, UH, RULE RIGHT NOW, UH, AT THE CHIEF HAS 180 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT, UH, THAT HE MUST DISCIPLINE.
UH, AND IF YOU RECALL, THE, UH, THE OFFICER WITH THE, THE FECES SANDWICH LAST YEAR, UH, ADMITTED THAT HE DID IT, BUT ARGUED THAT IT WAS MORE THAN 180 DAYS AGO, AND AN ARBITRATOR OVERTURNED THAT INITIAL FILE FIRING, UH, HE WAS LATER FIRED FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
WE THINK THE LAW SHOULD BE CHANGED TO 100 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE INFRACTION.
SO IT BECOMES A, I'M SORRY, FROM, UH, DISCOVERING THE MISCONDUCT.
SO IT'S BECOMES A DISCOVERY ITEM THAT ONCE THE CHIEF BECOMES AWARE OF THE ACT, UH, THE INCIDENT, THERE ARE 180 DAYS, UH, THAT THE CHIEF MUST, UH, DISCIPLINE, UH, UH, OR CANNOT AFTER THAT.
THE THIRD ITEM HAS TO DO WITH ARBITRATION.
YOU ALL KNOW VERY WELL ABOUT THE NUMBER OF TERMINATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN OVERTURNED BY AN ARBITRATOR.
UH, WE WANT TO CREATE SOME STANDARDS AROUND THAT APPEAL PROCESS SO THAT IF AN OFFICER IS FIRED AND AND APPEALS TO AN ARBITRATOR, THE ARBITRATOR WILL ONLY RULE ON WHETHER THE FACTS WERE SUSTAINED, WHETHER THE BURDEN OF PROOF WAS MET, BUT NOT THE LEVEL OF DISCIPLINE.
IN OTHER WORDS, AN ARBITRATOR WE BELIEVE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SAY, THE CHIEF FIRED THIS PERSON, BUT WE DISAGREE.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE IT TO A 15 DAY SUSPENSION AND PUT THE OFFICER BACK ON THE FORCE, WHICH AS YOU KNOW, HAS HAPPENED, UH, MULTIPLE TIMES.
AND THEN THIS FOURTH ITEM, UH, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO DO WITH MISCONDUCT, BUT IT ALSO DOESN'T AFFECT CURRENT OFFICERS ON THE FORCE.
AND IT HAS TO DO WITH ENCOURAGING OFFICERS TO LIVE IN THE CITY IN WHICH THEY SERVE TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN FROM THE PUBLIC LISTENING SESSIONS THIS SUMMER.
WHAT WE'RE ESSENTIALLY ASKING FOR IS TO AWARD MORE POINTS IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR CANDIDATES WANTING TO GO INTO THE POLICE ACADEMY AWARD, MORE POINTS FOR THOSE WHO ARE FROM SAN ANTONIO, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE HOMEGROWN OFFICERS, SO TO SPEAK.
WE DO HAVE A CURRENT HOUSING INCENTIVE PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL FOR OFFICERS ALREADY ON THE FOREST, WHERE WE'LL HELP, UH, THEM BUY HOMES WITHIN THE CITY, UH, TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY THEY SERVE.
SO, I WON'T TAKE AS LONG ON ALL THE SLIDES, BUT THIS HAS BEEN ONE THAT'S BEEN A BIG DISCUSSION FOR MANY MONTHS, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WENT THROUGH THAT IN GREAT DETAIL.
SECOND ONE HAS TO DO WITH AN ITEM THAT WE'VE REALLY NOT ENGAGED AT THE LEGISLATURE IN PAST SESSIONS, AND THAT'S PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND, UH, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, UH, IT'S A PRIORITY, UH, IN OUR DRAFT AGENDA THIS YEAR.
UH, SEVERAL ITEMS. THE FIRST IS AN INCREASE IN STATE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES, UH, ALONG A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS. ESSENTIALLY, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH HAS BEEN UNDERFUNDED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND, AND WE WANT TO JOIN A COALITION OF ENTITIES ENCOURAGING THE STATE TO INVEST IN A HEALTHY WORKFORCE AND COMMUNITY.
UM, SECONDLY, UH, ANOTHER ITEM THAT WE HAVEN'T TAKEN A POSITION ON, BUT IS REALLY GAINING TRACTION FROM, FRANKLY, MEMBERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL AISLE.
AND THAT IS THE STATE FINALLY EXPANDING MEDICAID TO PROVIDE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ABOUT 1.5 MILLION LOW INCOME TEXANS WHO DON'T HAVE IT TODAY.
FOR A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, WE, WE TAKE BASE IN TEXAS, WE OFFER BASICALLY THE LOWEST LEVELS OF MEDICAID, ONLY A FEW CATEGORIES, AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE, ARE LEFT WITHOUT INSURANCE, AND WE'RE LEAVING LITERALLY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF FEDERAL MONEY ON THE TABLE, UM, THAT WOULD OTHERWISE, UH, BE USED TO ENSURE THOSE.
[00:10:01]
WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF MEMBERS TALKING ABOUT IT BEING TIMED TO EXPAND MEDICAID.MANY OTHER, UH, MORE CONSERVATIVE STATES HAVE DONE IT IN RECENT YEARS.
AND, UH, AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE PANDEMIC, WE'RE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THIS AS A PRIORITY.
UM, WE'RE RECOMMENDING SUPPORT FOR COMPLETING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW SAN ANTONIO STATE HOSPITAL.
THAT'S THE MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITAL ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
UM, AND WE'RE ONE OF A NUMBER OF, OF GROUPS, UH, SUGGESTING THAT BE AN IMPORTANT THING.
AND THEN TO ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S, UH, UH, LOCAL STRATEGIES AND STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STATE PLAN THAT INCLUDES TRAUMA-INFORMED PRACTICES AS PART OF A WAY OF DEALING WITH PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES.
IF THERE WAS A BILL FILED BY, UH, THE, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS IN THE HOUSE LAST YEAR, TAN PARKER LAST SESSION, I SHOULD SAY.
BRIDGER AND HER TEAM AT METRO HEALTH HAVE ENCOURAGED US SUPPORT THAT THIS SESSION AS WELL.
THIS ITEM, ENSURING ACCESS TO INFORMATION REALLY IS ABOUT CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF WAYS THAT WE MIGHT GET THERE, WHETHER IT'S FUNDING TO HELP OFFSET, UH, COSTS FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT, WHETHER IT'S FUNDING TO HELP COMPANIES EXPAND INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO SERVE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT AREN'T GETTING IT.
UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE'RE ESSENTIALLY ASKING FOR IS LEGISLATION THAT HELPS ENSURE AVAILABILITY, CONNECTABILITY AND, UH, CONNECTIVITY AND AFFORDABILITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.
UH, CRAIG'S ON THE CALL HERE AND CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME 50 AREAS WITHIN THE CITY THAT, THAT DO NOT HAVE HIGH QUALITY BROADBAND.
WE EXPECT A VERY BIG CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS, THAT THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW IS FOCUSED MOSTLY ON RURAL TEXAS, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE, SURE, THESE URBAN POCKETS ARE NOT FORGOTTEN IN THAT CONVERSATION.
UH, SIMILARLY, THERE WAS A, A LETTER ASSIGNED BY, UH, MORE THAN 80 MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE, UH, ASKING FOR, ASKING THE GOVERNOR FOR A STATEWIDE BROADBAND PLAN.
AND ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS IS THAT WHEN LOCAL ENTITIES APPLY FOR FEDERAL FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, ONE OF THE CRITERIA IS OFTEN WHETHER THERE IS A STATE BROADBAND PLAN.
AND SO THE ARGUMENT IS WE'RE STARTING OUT AT A DISADVANTAGE IN PURSUING FEDERAL MONEY BY NOT HAVING A STATE PLAN, WHICH ULTIMATELY RESULTS IN POINTS ON AN APPLICATION PROCESS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, THIS IS THE SORT OF CATCHALL, UH, LOCAL DECISION MAKING, LOCAL CONTROL ARGUMENT THAT WE TALK ABOUT EVERY SESSION, BUT WE'VE RECHARACTERIZED IT AS PRESERVING THE VOICE OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.
I THINK AS YOU, HOPEFULLY AS YOU LOOK THROUGH THIS AGENDA, YOU WILL SEE AN AGENDA THAT IS NOT, UH, LOBBYING AGAINST THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS, BUT RATHER BEING THEIR VOICE AT THE CAPITOL.
AND IF THE CITY ISN'T DOING IT IN MANY CASES, WHO IS, UH, AND SO WE WANT TO PRESERVE THAT VOICE.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU AS THE, AS THE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, CONTINUE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO PASS ORDINANCES THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE'VE ADDED TO THAT, UH, THE ABILITY TO ISSUE ORDERS THAT ADDRESS EMERGENCIES.
UM, THE REALITY WITH THE CURRENT GOVERNOR'S ORDER IS THAT IT PREEMPTS CITIES.
SO THAT QUESTION IS SORT OF BEEN ANSWERED, BUT, UM, AS THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE, UH, CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE A GOVERNOR HAS NOT PREEMPTED LOCAL, UH, DECISION MAKING, AND WE WANNA ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF A, IN A FUTURE EMERGENCY, WHETHER IT BE A NATURAL DISASTER OR ANOTHER PANDEMIC.
UM, AND THIS IS WHERE WE GET INTO ITEMS THAT TYPICALLY MIGHT FALL UNDER ENDORSEMENTS, BUT AS YOU'LL SEE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HIGH PRIORITY TOPICS.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE'VE WORKED WITH THE LOCAL COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO IDENTIFY THREE AREAS, UH, THAT WE'D LIKE TO WORK ON AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THE FIRST IS FUNDING FOR A NUMBER OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS. ACTUALLY, I SHOULD SAY, BY THE WAY, THESE THREE ITEMS CAME TO US FROM THE TEXAS FAMILY VIOLENCE COUNCIL, THE STATEWIDE ADVOCACY GROUP.
AND WE'VE HAD AT LEAST TWO DISCUSSIONS AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL LOCALLY ABOUT THESE THREE TOPICS.
AND I THINK THERE'S GENERAL AGREEMENT.
SO THE FIRST IS FUNDING FOR STATE PROGRAMS. THE SECOND IS CLOSING INFORMATION GAPS, UH, AROUND THE CONDITIONS OF BONDS.
SO IF SOMEONE IS CHARGED WITH FAMILY VIOLENCE AND RELEASED ON BOND, UH, WE WANNA ENSURE THE STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT THE VICTIM KNOWS WHAT THOSE CONDITIONS ARE, AND THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS IT IN THEIR CRIMINAL DATABASES, UH, UH, SHOULD THEY ENCOUNTER THIS INDIVIDUAL AT ANOTHER DATE.
THE THIRD ITEM IS FACILITATING THE SAFE TRANSFER OF FIREARMS. THERE'S ALREADY A LAW THAT SAYS IF YOU'VE BEEN CHARGED WITH FAMILY VIOLENCE, YOU CANNOT HAVE
[00:15:01]
A GUN.UH, BUT IN MANY CASES, THE PROCESSES FOR CAPTURING THOSE WEAPONS, SEIZING THOSE WEAPONS, UH, ARE LACKING.
OUR COMMISSION IS WORKING ON IT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL WITH THE JUDGES AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, BUT THERE WAS LEGISLATION FILED LAST SESSION THAT WOULD, UH, RE REQUIRE ESSENTIALLY A LOCAL PROCESS FOR DOING IT.
AND, AND WE THINK THAT MAKES SENSE AND, AND, UH, AND WOULD WANNA SEE THE STATEWIDE LAW CONFORM WITH, UH, THE EFFORTS LOCALLY.
THERE'S A LOT OF TEXT HERE, BUT THESE ARE BASICALLY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES.
ANY LEGISLATION THAT PROMOTES ECONOMIC RECOVERY FOR RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES, UH, THAT INVESTS IN WORKFORCE TRAINING, UH, THAT ENSURES THAT SAN ANTONIO CONTINUES TO BE VIABLE AS A PLACE FOR ATTRACTING BUSINESSES AND, AND MAJOR CONVENTIONS AND EVENTS.
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE LOCAL AND STATE INCENTIVES FOR LOCAL DEVELOP, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ARE PROTECTED.
THAT'S THE CHAPTERS THREE 12 AND THREE 13 AT THE STATE LAW THAT ALLOW FOR ABATEMENTS AND SO FORTH AS PART OF THE RECRUITMENT PACKAGE.
AND FINALLY, UH, POSE ANY LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HARM THE MAJOR EVENTS REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM.
THAT'S THE STATE PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS THE CITY TO BE REIMBURSED FOR INVESTMENTS MADE THAT DRAW MAJOR EVENTS TO THE STATE, LIKE THE NCAA FINAL FOUR, UH, FOR EXAMPLE.
UH, THIS IS OUR EDUCATION CATEGORY.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN THAT ALL THE GAINS MADE LAST SESSION TO FUND PUBLIC EDUCATION THROUGH HB THREE MIGHT BE IN JEOPARDY WITH A TIGHT BUDGET.
SO WE WANNA ENSURE THAT THOSE FUNDING SOURCES ARE PROTECTED AND MAINTAINED.
OUR HIGHER ED COMMUNITY HAS ASKED THAT WE SUPPORT ENHANCED FORMULA FUNDING, UH, AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL FOR TUITION REVENUE BONDS.
THAT'S HOW HIGHER ED INSTITUTIONS BUILD THEIR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN LAST SESSION.
IT MAY BE A TALL ASK IN A, UM, TIGHT BUDGET SESSION, BUT NONETHELESS, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR HIGHER ED PARTNERS.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN PERRY ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT THIS.
I'M GLAD HE DID, 'CAUSE IT GOT, UH, GAVE ME A CHANCE TO GET CLEAR WITH OUR PRE-K FOR ESSAY FOLKS, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.
UH, IT'S ACTUALLY LESS ABOUT EXPANDING STATE FUNDING FOR, FOR PRE-K AS IT IS PROTECTING THE STATE FUNDING THAT WAS GAINED LAST SESSION, THAT, UH, FUNDING LAST SESSION DID NOT EXPAND THE NUMBER OF KIDS SERVED, BUT IT EXPANDED, EXPANDED THE PROGRAMS FROM HALF DAY TO FULL DAY.
AND, AND THEN WE'RE USING PRE-K FUNDING TO EXPAND SOME OF THE ELIGIBILITY SO THAT MORE KIDS ARE SERVED.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE IN A TIGHT BUDGET, THEY DON'T GO BACKWARDS AND HAVE THE STAKE GO BACK TO ONLY FUNDING HALF DAY AND, AND KIDS, UH, NOT RECEIVING THAT HIGH QUALITY PRE-K PROGRAM.
SO IT'S A DEFENSIVE POSITION AS MUCH AS ANYTHING.
THERE'S A WHOLE SERIES OF THINGS THAT FALL UNDER THIS.
SO IT'S VERY GENERAL LANGUAGE.
UH, SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IS A TARGETED TAX POLICY.
THERE WERE BILLS FILED LAST SESSION THAT, UH, WOULD HELP LEGACY HOMEOWNERS STAY IN THEIR HOMES, UH, BY FREEZING PROPERTY TAXES AFTER THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS AND HAVE SEEN A CERTAIN, UH, PERCENTAGE OF PROP, UH, PROPERTY TAX GROWTH.
WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY'LL BE FILED AGAIN, BUT THIS IS ALL IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE HOUSING POLICY FRAMEWORK, UH, THAT WE HAVE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL ABOUT, UH, LEGISLATION THAT HELPS PROTECT HOME OWNERSHIP AND ENCOURAGE HOME OWNERSHIP.
THE ITEM ON THE RIGHT ABOUT THE HOMELESS IS THE ONE THAT WAS DISCUSSED DURING THE BUDGET THIS SUMMER.
UH, COUNCILMAN TREVINO AND THE CITY CLERK HAVE BOTH PUSHED FOR AN EXPANSION UPON A BILL THAT PASSED LAST SESSION THAT ALLOWS US TO WAIVE THE FEES FOR BIRTH CERTIFICATES IF SOMEONE IS A HOMELESS, UH, YOUTH OR FOSTER CHILD.
AND THIS, UH, STATEMENT HERE WOULD EXPAND THAT TO COVER ALL HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS SEEKING A BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
THE FUNDING, UH, UH, WE COLLECT LOCALLY BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED TO, IT'S 22, A $22 FEE, UH, THAT WE'D LIKE THE ABILITY UNDER STATE LAW TO WAIVE, UH, IF SOMEONE IS HOMELESS.
THIS PRIVACY ITEM IS SOMETHING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT A YEAR OR SO AGO.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, WE GET A LOT OF OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE, UH, BEEN SUBJECT TO UTILITY CUTOFFS OR HAVE RECEIVED UTILITY ASSISTANCE, UH, AND VERY OFTEN, THEREBY PREDATORY COMPANIES SEEKING TO, UH, SEIZE ON SOMEONE WHO IS IN A TOUGH FINANCIAL POSITION.
UH, C P S ENERGY IS CURRENTLY ABLE TO, TO PROTECT THAT INFORMATION AND NOT RELEASE IT BECAUSE OF THE COMPETITIVE ENERGY MARKET THAT THEY FALL WITHIN.
UH, SAWS DOESN'T HAVE THAT PROTECTION.
AND SO THE MAYOR HAS ASKED, UH,
[00:20:01]
REPRESENTATIVE BERNAL HAS BEEN TALKING AND, AND OTHERS ABOUT, UH, EXEMPTING FROM THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT, PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE RECEIVING UTILITY ASSISTANCE.WE ADDED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE'VE SERVED WITH HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
I WILL SAY THAT THE STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING FOR EMERGENCIES ALLOWS US TO PROTECT THAT PRIVATE INFORMATION LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY INFORMATION, TAXPAYER ID INFORMATION.
UM, SO, SO THAT'S, WE'RE NOT HAVING TO RELEASE THAT SORT OF THING, BUT WE DO HAVE TO RELEASE NAMES AND ADDRESSES AND, UH, AND I, WE WILL SEE WHERE THIS LEGISLATION GOES.
BUT THE ABILITY TO POTENTIALLY PROTECT INDIVIDUALS' PRIVATE INFORMATION IS, IS THE CORE OF THIS.
WE THINK SAWS WILL LEAD THIS EFFORT AND, AND, UH, AND WE'LL WORK WITH THEM, UH, PROVIDED YOU APPROVE IT.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS A GENERAL STATEMENT ABOUT PROTECTING OUR, OUR MUNICIPAL UTILITIES.
UH, THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE HERE WITH A MUNICIPALLY OWNED ENERGY AND WATER UTILITY FROM ANY THREATS AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
AND I'M GETTING NEAR THE END HERE.
UM, SUPPORT FOR MILITARY CITY U SS A, INCLUDING FUNDING FOR DAG, UH, WHICH WE HAVE, UH, BENEFITED FROM TREMENDOUSLY IN SAN ANTONIO IN RECENT YEARS.
UH, AND THEN OPPOSING LEGISLATION THAT UNDERMINES OUR ABILITY TO PROTECT OUR BASES THROUGH, THROUGH DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS TO ENSURE COMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE BASES.
WE DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WILL NECESSARILY COME UP AGAIN, BUT IT CERTAINLY HAS IN PAST SESSIONS.
AND, UH, THE J B S A CONTINUES TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF US, UM, UH, ENSURING COMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT AROUND THEIR FACILITIES.
UM, THE, UH, THIS WILL BE A REDISTRICTING SESSION, WHETHER IT HAPPENS IN THE REGULAR SESSION OR IN A SPECIAL SESSION, WE DON'T KNOW.
THE CENSUS DATA IS DUE FROM THE STATE, I'M SORRY, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THE STATE IN APRIL.
UH, AND SO THIS IS A VERY GENERAL STATEMENT THAT WE SUPPORT A DATA-DRIVEN PROCESS, NOT A POLITICAL ONE THAT, UH, PROVIDES FAIR AND EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATION FOR THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY.
SO HOW THAT SHAKES OUT, WE DON'T KNOW, BUT WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO INCLUDE IN HERE.
UH, THIS ENHANCED GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY IS A REQUEST FROM THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
THEY'RE ONE OF THE ONLY MUNICIPAL COURTS IN THE STATE THAT CAN'T ELECTRONICALLY RECORD THEIR HEARINGS.
THAT MUST HIRE A LIVE COURT REPORTER.
SO, UH, FOR A COST SAVINGS AND EFFICIENCY MEASURE, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THE SAME ABILITY THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES DO OTHER MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEMS DO TO USE ELECTRONIC RECORDING WHEN IT MAKES SENSE.
UM, THIS IS, THESE ARE ABOUT TRANSPORTATION RELATED PROPS.
ONE IN SEVEN ARE THE FUNDING STREAMS THAT WERE PASSED BY VOTERS STATEWIDE SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
THERE'S SOME CONCERN THAT THOSE REVENUE STREAMS MAY BE DIVERTED WITH THE STATE, UH, FACING A TOUGH BUDGET YEAR, AND WE DO NOT WANNA SEE THAT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FUNDS CONTINUE TO GO TO TRANSPORTATION AND THE STATE HIGHWAY FUND.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, ANY LEGISLATION THAT HELPS US FURTHER VISION ZERO, UH, THE POSSIBILITY OF ALLOWING CITIES TO REDUCE SPEED LIMITS ON LOCAL STREETS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR ANY OTHER BILLS THAT WOULD ENHANCE, UH, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, IS THE LAST OF OUR SPECIFIC ISSUES.
UM, THE FIRE AND POLICE PENSION FUND HAS BROUGHT, UH, TO US, AGAIN, A PACKAGE OF LEGISLATIVE FIXES.
OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS REVIEWED THEM AND, AND DETERMINED THEY'RE ALL CLEANUP FIXES.
THEY DO NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE, UH, ACTUARIAL PERFORMANCE OF THE FUND.
THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY A, IT'S ESSENTIALLY A RETREAD OF LAST SESSION'S BILL, WHICH, UM, UH, BLEW UP AT THE LEGISLATURE WHEN THE FIRE UNION, UH, DEMANDED THAT THERE BE ENHANCED DEATH BENEFITS IN THE BILL, UH, WHICH WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE FIRE POLICE PENSION FUND HAD AGREED TO.
AND SO THEY ULTIMATELY PULLED IT DOWN.
THEY, THEY BELIEVE, THEY'VE TOLD US THAT THEY DON'T ANTICIPATE, UH, SIMILAR, UH, CONFLICT THIS TIME.
AND SO THEY'VE BROUGHT FORWARD A, A SIMILAR BILL THAT OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS, UH, BLESSED.
UH, TWO BIG CATCHALL CATEGORIES.
THIS IS BASICALLY STANDARD LANGUAGE THAT, UH, GIVES US THE, THE, UH, DIRECTION TO, UH, SUPPORT OR OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT CLEARLY BENEFITS OR HURTS THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY.
SPECIFICALLY LEGISLATION THAT UNDERMINES THE ABILITY OF THE CITY TO GOVERN ITSELF.
UH, LEGISLATION THAT MANDATES COSTS TO CITIES, UH, THAT RESULTS IN REVENUE LOSS, UH, OR DIMINISHES THE AUTHORITY OF THE CITY TO OPERATE IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WE ALL SERVE.
I WILL SAY THESE ARE ITEMS THAT STAFF DOES NOT GO UP AND FIGHT ON ITS OWN AND MAKE DECISIONS ON ITS OWN.
THESE ARE THE TYPES OF ITEMS THAT WE ARE OFTEN
[00:25:01]
BACK IN FRONT OF YOU EVERY OTHER WEEK OR SO DURING THE SESSION, UH, REPORTING ON BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED AND, AND, UH, AND SEEKING DIRECTION ON, UH, WHAT ON POSITIONS WE SHOULD TAKE.FINALLY, UH, NEXT SLIDE IS OUR PARTNERSHIPS.
UH, AND THIS IS A STATEMENT THAT SO LONG AS THEIR ISSUES DON'T CONFLICT WITH OURS, WHICH THEY RARELY DO, UH, WE WILL COORDINATE AND WORK WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS TO HELP THEM ADVANCE THEIR AGENDAS.
WE'VE GOT MOST OF THE MAJOR PUBLIC ENTITIES LISTED HERE, AS WELL AS LOCAL CHAMBERS, UH, LOCAL, SMALL BUSINESS MAJOR EMPLOYERS AND NON-PROFITS.
UH, WE HAD A, UM, INTERGOVERNMENTAL ROUND TABLE ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO WITH MANY OF THESE PARTNERS, AND, AND EACH OF US TALKED THROUGH OUR ITEMS, UH, BUT MANY OF THEM HAVE NOT APPROVED THEIR AGENDAS YET.
AND SO THIS IS THE LANGUAGE THAT ESSENTIALLY SAYS, WE WILL, WE WILL WORK WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS AGAIN, PROVIDED THAT THERE ARE ISSUES DON'T CONFLICT WITH, UH, WITH THE CITIES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S THE LAST SLIDE, CORRECT, EDUARDO? UM, SO I KNOW IT WAS A LOT, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WENT THROUGH IT IN DETAIL AND, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM YOU.
UM, OUR COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ADRIANNA GARCIA ROCHA HAS TO, UH, A HARD STOP COMING UP SOON.
SO WHY DON'T WE TAKE HER QUESTIONS FIRST.
YOU CHAIR AND I READ THROUGH IT.
I, UM, AM THANKFUL FOR THE HEALTH, EVERYTHING HEALTH RELATED.
I'M, I'M APPRECIATIVE OF, UM, DIGITAL DIVIDE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SPECIFICALLY THE, UM, TRANSFER, SAFE TRANSFER OF FIREARMS FROM THOSE, UH, CHARGED WITH FAMILY VIOLENCE OFFENSES AND MILITARY CITY AND MILITARY CITY U S A.
UM, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL HAVE, UM, FOCUSED ON THE, UM, FOR INSTANCE, POLICE OFFICERS, UH, GETTING SOME ADDITIONAL POINTS, UH, FOR LIVING WHERE THEY SERVE.
UM, I DIDN'T SEE, OR, AND MAYBE I MISSED IT MUCH ON AVIATION.
IS THERE, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH MAYBE OUR, OUR AVIATION FOLKS ON? WE, UH, WE DID NOT GET ANY, UH, UH, RE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE AVIATION DEPARTMENT.
AND, AND THAT'S PRIMARILY BECAUSE, UM, THE AIRPORT IS ALMOST ENTIRELY FEDERALLY REGULATED.
THERE IS A STATE ASSOCIATION WE WORK WITH.
IN THE PAST, WE'VE DEALT WITH ISSUES LIKE, UH, HOW UBER AND LYFT, UH, CAN SERVE THE AIRPORT, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THOSE ARE FEDERAL ITEMS. CARLOS, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT, OR DID THAT
MOST OF THE ISSUES ARE FEDERAL, ALTHOUGH THERE IS THAT STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION, AND WE, AND WE CAN ALWAYS, IF THEY HAVE INITIATIVES, WE CAN ALIGN WITH THOSE AND BRING 'EM BACK TO I G R COMMITTEE.
AND I KNOW THAT JEFF SENT ME A LIST OF ALL OF THE, UH, FOLKS THAT WE WORK WITH ON AVIATION ISSUES AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL.
AND, AND I GUESS THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING.
UM, AND THEN I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT, UM, MEANINGFUL PROPERTY, UH, TAX RELIEF.
IT WAS IN OUR 86, BUT I DIDN'T SEE IT IN THE 87TH, UNLESS I MISSED IT, OR UNLESS IT FALLS UNDER ONE OF THOSE CATCHALLS.
NO, I THINK, UH, LARGELY THE PROPERTY TAX ISSUE WAS ADDRESSED WITH SB TWO LAST SESSION, THE 3.5% REVENUE CAP.
UM, UH, WE DO MENTION IT AS PART OF HOUSING IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO HELP CERTAIN HOMEOWNERS IN, IN, UH, IN NEED.
I'M NOT, I'LL TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I'M NOT SURE, UH, WHAT, IF ANY, THE PROPERTY TAX ISSUE WILL TAKE THIS SESSION.
IT VERY WELL COULD BE, UH, A PRIORITY AGAIN FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS, BUT, UM, BUT WE, WE DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT.
SO I THINK IN LAST TIMES, YOU ALL HAD FLEXIBILITY FOR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS TO PROVIDE TARGETED TAX RELIEF.
AND SO, UM, I I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF THERE WAS GONNA BE SOME ADDITIONAL PUSH OF WE'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THAT JUST YET.
THAT'S WHAT WE MEAN UNDER THE TAX POLICY ITEM HOUSING.
UM, WHAT WE FOUND THOUGH, IS THAT THE, UH, THE, THE, THE STATE, FOR BETTER OR WORSE, I WOULD ARGUE WORSE, PERHAPS, HAS NOT WANTED US TO, UH, BE ABLE TO TARGET RELIEF TO CERTAIN HOMEOWNERS BASED ON, UH, NEEDS.
THEY'VE, THEY WANTED ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, FIXES.
AND SO SB TWO CAPPED EVERYBODY, AND THEN HB THREE PUT, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDING INTO EDUCATION.
SO THE TWO WERE INTENDED TO ADDRESS THE PROPERTY TAX ISSUE, UH, LAST SESSION.
AND THEN I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, I YOU MENTIONED THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND, AND WE HAVE IT UNDER PARTNERSHIPS.
AND SO, UM, I, I WOULD LIKE, MAYBE OFFLINE, I'VE BEEN HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS AND IN FACT, FACT, I HAVE A CONVERSATION TODAY WITH ONE OF OUR SUPERINTENDENTS, AND I HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF OUR, UM, SCHOOL BOARD OF THE EDUCATION, UH, REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT SOME, UM, WORK POLICIES, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WITH COVID.
UH, SOME, SOME KIDS ARE WORKING ADDITIONAL HOURS, ET CETERA.
AND SO, UM, BUT, BUT THAT'LL BE OFFLINE BECAUSE IT'LL TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER, JEFF.
[00:30:01]
THEN, LIKE I SAID, I HAVE A, A CONVERSATION WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT TODAY.I'VE BEEN TALKING TO A COUPLE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN I HAVE A QUESTION, UH, ON, UM, I TALKED TO, UH, THE CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TO, UM, COUNCILMAN, UH, CAVEDA.
AND I WAS ASKING IF THERE WAS, UM, IF, IF THERE, IF SHE KNEW IF THERE WAS ANY MOVEMENT ON ADDING, UM, ETHNICITY AS A SELF IDENTIFIER ON TEXAS DRIVER'S LICENSES.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHO I WOULD GO TO ABOUT DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THAT, BUT, UM, I, I WANTED TO MAYBE ASK THAT OF YOU AND MAYBE YOU CAN POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE AND MAYBE THERE'S A REALLY GOOD REASON WHY IT WASN'T.
UH, BUT ANYWAY, I, I WAS LOOKING AT OPTING INTO LIKE A, A SELF-IDENTIFICATION TYPE THING, SO, UM, JEFF, MAYBE WE CAN FOLLOW UP OFFLINE ON THAT AS WELL.
WELL, I THINK WE CAN WORK WITH OUR CONSULTANTS AND, AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AROUND THAT ITEM.
I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, ANYONE ELSE ON THE CALL DOES EITHER, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO DIG INTO THAT AND, AND GET BACK TO YOU.
I HAD ALSO, UM, MENTIONED JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, UM, WE WERE, UH, APPROACHED ABOUT, UM, ADULT CHANGING STATIONS, UM, SPECIFICALLY, AND, AND WE WERE WORKING AT THE, THE LOCAL LEVEL, BUT ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO FOCUS, AND I DIDN'T SEE THIS ON, ON THE PROGRAM ON FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES, UM, AS YOU'RE AWARE, ONE IN SEVEN, UH, FOLKS IN SAN ANTONIO HAS A DISABILITY, ONE IN FOUR IN DISTRICT FOUR HAS A DISABILITY.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF, IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN, UM, BUILD THAT IN SOMEHOW, OR, OR MAYBE IT'S UNDER THE VULNERABLE RESIDENCE PART.
UH, BUT I ONLY SEE PERSONAL INFORMATION, UM, AND, AND THAT'S SEEMS TO BE MORE TARGETED AT PRIVACY.
BUT, UM, I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT, MAYBE IT'S IN ONE OF THESE ADDITIONAL ENDORSEMENTS OR, OR SOMETHING, BUT I WANTED TO ASK THE QUESTION OF YOU AS WELL.
WE'LL, WE'LL DO SOME RESEARCH ON THAT AS WELL.
AND, UM, JEFF, I THINK THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS, AND THANK YOU CHAIR FOR ALLOWING ME TO GO FIRST.
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
UM, I WANT TO, UH, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE ANY GENERAL CONCERNS AT THIS POINT.
UH, I, I WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND, UH, UH, LOOK AT HOW SOME OF THESE ARE WORDED.
I THINK IT COULD BE, UH, UH, SMOOTH OUT A LITTLE BIT, UM, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THERE, THERE, THERE ARE SOME, UH, KIND OF SHARP STATEMENTS IN THERE THAT I THINK THAT CAN BE, UH, UM, MADE A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND WE'LL GET THOSE COMMENTS BACK TO YOU.
UH, THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THE, UH, PROPERTY TAX ISSUE, WHICH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA WAS TALKING ABOUT, THE, UH, UM, UH, JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WE DID APPROVE OF STATE EXEMPTION AT THE CITY LEVEL, AND I DIDN'T PUSH FOR AN EXPANSION OF THAT THIS LAST YEAR, BUT WE DO HAVE THAT CAPABILITY WITHIN OUR CITY TO, UM, IMPROVE ON HOMEOWNERS, UM, TAXES, PROPERTY TAXES.
AND, UH, SINCE WE DID HAVE THE ISSUE WITH THE REDUCED BUDGET THIS, THIS YEAR FOR 2021, I DIDN'T BRING THAT UP, BUT DEPENDING ON HOW OUR FORECAST IS FOR THIS NEXT YEAR IN 2022, I'M GOING TO, UM, UH, RECOMMEND THAT WE INCREASE THAT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TO, UH, ALLOW FOR MORE, UH, RELIEF TO THOSE, THOSE FOLKS OUT THERE THAT ARE GETTING HIT YEAR AFTER YEAR WITH PROPERTY TAX INCREASES.
SO, JUST, JUST A NOTE ABOUT THAT, BUT OVERALL GOOD.
UM, I'LL, I'LL BE GETTING YOU BACK SOME SPECIFIC COMMENTS HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
AND WHEN IS THIS GOING TO BE SESSION AND, AND LAY THIS OUT, WHAT THE, WHAT THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS IS NOW? SURE.
WE, UM, WE PRESENT, UH, THIS TO THE FULL COUNCIL AT A SESSION ON WEDNESDAY THIS WEEK, NOVEMBER 4TH.
UM, AND, AND, AND THAT'S INTENTIONALLY SCHEDULED AS WELL BECAUSE WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A ELECTION, UH, UH, DAY AFTER ELECTION RECAP IN TERMS OF WHAT IT HAS, UH, MEANT FOR, UH, STATE MAKEUP AND FEDERAL MAKEUP, UH, AS IT RELATES TO TEXAS.
UM, AND THEN WE ARE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR A FULL COUNCIL APPROVAL A WEEK FROM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH.
UH, THERE ARE NO, UH, OTHER A SESSIONS IN NOVEMBER BECAUSE OF N L C AND THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY AND SO FORTH.
AND SO WITH BILL FILING STARTING NOVEMBER 9TH, WE, WE WANTED TO TRY TO GET AS CLOSE TO THAT DATE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT THAT CAN ALWAYS CHANGE IF,
[00:35:01]
IF THERE, IF THERE NEEDS TO BE A, A CHANGE FOR IT AND TIMING.UM, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN, THE LAST TIME I WAS ON I G R I TALKED ABOUT A PROPOSAL OF, YOU KNOW, GETTING TOGETHER WITH ALL OF OUR, UH, LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES AND SITTING DOWN BEFORE WE GET TO THIS POINT TO GET THEIR VIEWS AND SHARE OUR VIEWS BEFORE THIS WHOLE PROCESS GETS STARTED.
AND, UM, I WOULD'VE LIKED TO SEEN THAT, UH, AGAIN THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS, BUT I WOULD STILL LIKE TO TARGET THAT TO GET THIS PROCESS GOING.
UM, MUCH MORE IN ADVANCE OF WAITING TO THIS POINT BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTS.
UM, UH, AGAIN, I STILL THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET A FEEL FROM OUR REPRESENTATIVES, LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE, HOW THEY MIX WITH OUR PRIORITIES, AND THEN MOVE TOGETHER WITH SOME KIND OF, UM, JOINTNESS OR AGREEMENTS WITH OUR LOCAL FOLKS, YOU KNOW, SITTING DOWN AT A TABLE AND, UH, DISCUSSING THESE THINGS, UM, ON WHICH DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO IN AND HOW WE CAN HELP THEM AND HOW THEY CAN HELP US.
SO WOULD REALLY LIKE TO TARGET THAT THIS NEXT TIME.
I KNOW IT'S TOO LATE NOW, BUT, UH, WOULD SURE LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH IS IN ANOTHER TWO YEARS.
SO WE GOT TWO MORE YEARS AFTER THIS TO, TO WORK ON THAT.
UM, I'LL EXPLAIN HOW WE DID IT THIS TIME.
UM, WE, WE HAVE DONE OF COURSE, UH, UH, NUMEROUS, UH, VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH SOME OF THE DELEGATION, MOSTLY FOCUSED ON COVID AND SOME OTHER ITEMS. UH, THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER WE SCHEDULED A, UH, FULL, UH, BRIEFING WITH OUR DELEGATION STAFFS.
SO ALL THE OFFICES OF OUR, OF OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION WE'RE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A, A RUN THROUGH OF THIS DRAFT.
UH, SO THEY HAVE ALL SEEN THIS AND, AND GIVEN US FEEDBACK, UH, NO, NO MAJOR ISSUES AT ALL.
WHAT WE FOUND IS, UH, OFFICES WANTING TO TAKE ON CERTAIN BILLS.
SENATOR SINI, FOR EXAMPLE, RAISED THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE FEE AS A, SOMETHING THEIR OFFICE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE.
UM, UH, SO, SO WE HAVE HAD THAT BRIEFING WITH THEIR OFFICES.
OUR INTENT WAS TO HAVE THE BRIEFING WITH THE MEMBERS THEMSELVES.
UH, ONCE WE'VE GOT AN AGENDA APPROVED, UH, AGAIN, UH, TIMING IS FLEXIBLE.
SO WE, WE CAN DO IT HOWEVER THIS COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO DO IT.
BUT, BUT IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT OUR DELEGATION OFFICES HAVE ALL BEEN MADE AWARE OF WHAT ITEMS WE'RE PROPOSING HERE.
SO THERE WON'T BE ANY, ANY SURPRISES.
YEAH, WE, UH, THE LAST TIME I WAS ON I G R, WE DID GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS, UM, WITH OUR, NOT ALL OF 'EM SHOWED UP, BUT SOME OF 'EM DID.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY VALUABLE AND I'D LIKE TO GET BACK INTO THAT, THAT, UH, UH, PROCESS OF THE FACE-TO-FACE WITH OUR DELEGATION TO GO THROUGH THESE THINGS AND, AND SO IS VALUABLE TO GET THAT PROSPECT OF INFORMATION AND SEE WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND THEY CAN HEAR WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM.
SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO GET THAT GOING AGAIN AND MUCH EARLIER IN THE PROCESS.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN VIA THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, I THINK I JUST WANNA JUMP OFF FROM THERE.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? I WAS HERE.
SORRY MY COMPUTER WASN'T UNMUTED, UM, DURING ROLL CALL.
SO I THINK I WANNA JUMP OFF FROM THERE BECAUSE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE MET WITH OUR STATE REPS.
UM, EVERY YEAR I'VE BEEN IN I G R, WE HAD HAD EITHER A BREAKFAST OR A BRIEFING WITH, UM, OUR I G R TEAM FOR, FOR MANY YEARS.
AND I, UH, THANK YOU ALL AND I KNOW IT'S KIND OF A CRAZY TIME.
'CAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS AN ELECTION RIGHT BEFORE THE ALLEGED SESSION BEGINS AS WELL.
SO THAT DOES HAVE, UM, ISSUE ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR AGENDA.
AND THANK YOU BECAUSE WHAT I DID HEAR AS WELL, JEFF, IS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING AND THAT, UH, REPRESENTATIVE RNA, UM, HAS HAD SOME BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT AND WE KNOW WHAT HE'S LOOKING AT AS WELL.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, AGREE.
I KNOW PO UH, POLICE AND, AND THAT IS A PRIORITY FOR US AS OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY TOO, THE TRANSPARENCY AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY.
BUT I ALSO WOULD SAY, UM, EQUITY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES TOO.
AND THE WAY THE TAXES ARE PUT TOGETHER AT THE STATE LEVEL IS WHAT IS REALLY TYING OUR HANDS
[00:40:01]
AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND NOT ALLOWING US TO DO THAT TARGETED RELIEF THAT WE NEED TO AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.AND THEN WHEN OUR CHIEF APPRAISER TELLS US THAT HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE OUR PROPERTY APPRAISALS BECAUSE HE'S BEING TOLD TO AT THE STATE LEVEL, UH, BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET, THE BALANCE BUDGET FOR TWO YEARS, THERE'S AN ISSUE, THERE'S AN A SERIOUS ISSUE AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO WAIT AND IT MUST BE ADDRESSED AT THE STATE LEVEL.
AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF RESIDENTS AND A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS AND RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE IN ALL OF THIS COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL WHO WILL DEFINITELY BE ON BOARD IF WE ARE PUTTING EVEN A, A, A GOOD COALITION TOGETHER TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AT THE STATE.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, THAT YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE ALWAYS HAVE IN THE REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BEAR COUNTY COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT HERE.
SO PUT THAT IN YOUR HAT AND THINK ABOUT IT.
SO ANYHOW, UM, NEXT, UH, THE PREVENTION AND THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SUPPORT VICTIMS, ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE SOMETHING STATEWIDE WHERE WE, UM, KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENED MAYBE IN A DIFFERENT COUNTY THAN IN OUR COUNTY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD WITH AND ABSOLUTELY WITH PROTECTING PRIVACY, UM, CRITICAL, CRITICAL FOR, UM, THOSE THAT ARE BEING TARGETED, UH, BY, UH, UNSCRUPULOUS, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING AFTER RESIDENTS WHO'VE HAD THEIR, UM, UTILITIES CUT OFF FOR A MOMENT.
UM, ABSOLUTELY EXPANDING, UH, MEDICAID.
I THINK THIS HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY, UM, HELPFUL.
AND I WOULD LIKE, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE POINTED, UH, WORDING IF POSSIBLE ON CERTAIN THINGS.
UH, IN PARTICULAR, I WOULD LOVE MORE POINTED AND, SORRY, MORE POINTED IN TARGETING WORDING WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FAIR REPRESENTATION AND ABOUT THE REDISTRICTING.
IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE COULD MAKE IT STRONGER THAT TO SAY THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE EITHER RACIALLY CHARGED, UM, AS WELL, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT.
MAYBE THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE CAN HAVE WITH OUR LARGER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
BUT CHAIR, I WANTED TO DEFINITELY, UH, JUST PUT THAT OUT THERE.
AND, UM, SO WHEN WE'RE HEARING, UH, CONVERSATIONS FROM THE GOVERNOR SAYING THAT HE WILL NOT HELP WITH FUNDING OR HE WILL KIND OF RETALIATE IF LOCAL CITIES, IF CITIES QUOTE UNQUOTE DEFUND OR ET CETERA, WE HAVE OUR DEFENSE IN HERE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LOCAL CONTROL.
CORRECT, JEFF? THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD ABSOLUTELY BE ONE OF THOSE ITEMS THAT IS THE STATE, UH, UH, TAKING AWAY THE AUTHORITY OF THE LOCAL ELECTED BODY TO MAKE DECISIONS.
SO YES, THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD RELY ON TO OPPOSE THAT.
AND THEN DO WE KNOW OF ANY OF OUR LOCAL DELEGATION WHO'VE, WHO ARE READY FOR BILL FILINGS AND WHAT THEY ARE? UM, YES.
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SEVERAL OF THEIR OFFICES.
I'M A LITTLE BIT RELUCTANT TO SORT OF ANNOUNCE THAT IN A PUBLIC MEETING.
'CAUSE I THINK MEMBERS WANT TO KEEP THEIR CARDS CLOSE TO THE VEST.
BUT, UH, THERE, THERE ARE ONLY A COUPLE OF OUR ITEMS HERE THAT ACTUALLY REF REQUIRE A BILL TO BE FILED.
A LOT OF THEM WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN FORCES WITH OTHERS AND SO FORTH.
UM, AND WE'VE ALREADY SORT OF LINED UP POTENTIAL SPONSORS FOR THOSE CONTINGENT UPON APPROVAL FROM YOU ALL.
WE DON'T WANNA MOVE FORWARD UNTIL WE KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE, THE PROGRAM.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IF WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE FILING, THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS ALSO ALIGNED AND WILL NOT BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE CITY'S INTEREST.
AND THEN CHAIR, I KNOW A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN CRIER WAS I G R CHAIR WHEN IT WAS ALLEGED SESSION, I THINK WE MET EVERY FRIDAY BECAUSE DURING THE SESSION THINGS CAME UP AND PICKED UP, ESPECIALLY CLOSER TO THE END OF THE SESSION, HONESTLY, AND WONDERING, SO WE JUST MET MORE OFTEN, WONDERING IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE, UM, CONTEMPLATING AS WELL AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THOSE ARE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.
UM, SO WE ARE, UH, JEFF, THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO NEED TO TALK ABOUT IS SCHEDULING WITH THE REST OF, OF THE FOLKS.
BUT IT'S EVERY WEDNESDAY, RIGHT? THAT'S THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEEN DONE.
UH, PAST COUPLE SESSIONS WE'VE
[00:45:01]
DONE EVERY, EVERY WEDNESDAY.UM, WHERE, AND, AND IF CHRISTINE OR I OR BOTH OF US ARE NOT IN PERSON, WE WERE CALLING IN AND GIVING A QUICK RECAP OF WHERE THINGS WERE.
AND THEN, UH, TYPICALLY, UH, IT IS UP SORT OF UP TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE AGENDA, BUT I THINK WE'VE DONE A, UH, AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE PER MONTH BRIEFING TO THE FULL COUNCIL.
UH, AND THERE WILL BE MANY ITEMS THAT COME UP THAT ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY CALL, YOU KNOW, ADDRESSED BY THE AGENDA FOR EVEN JUST IN THE POLICE REFORM CONVERSATION.
THERE ARE GONNA BE MANY, MANY THINGS FLOATED OUT THERE, SOME THAT MAY BE HELPFUL, SOME THAT MAY BE NOT.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU ALL WITH THOSE FOR, FOR DIRECTION ON, ON WHERE WE NEED TO GO ON ITEMS. GREAT.
WELL, DURING THIS, UH, MEETING, JEFF, I THINK YOU HEARD THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S NO OPPOSITION TO THE, WHAT LAID OUT IN THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
THERE IS SOME CONCERNS ABOUT POLISHING UP, UH, SOME, SOME THE WAY THAT SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE WORDED.
IF YOU MIND VISITING WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN
UH, I DO KNOW THAT WE'VE GOTTA PRESENT WITH THE B SESSION AND THEN FROM B SESSION IT'S GONNA BE KICKED UP TO A AND SO THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM TODAY, FOLKS, AND WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, ASKING THAT, UM, SAVE FOR THOSE DETAILS, UH, THAT SOMEBODY MAKES A MOTION.
AND THE SECOND SO THAT WE CAN ADVANCE THIS TO, UH, THE FULL COUNCIL CHAIR, MOVE TO APPROVE TO THE SESSIONS FOR CONVERSATION.
SECOND, FROM COUNCILWOMAN VIA, UH, FROM COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA ROCHA.
UM, THERE, UH, I'M SORRY, I'VE JUST, I JUST HAD A, A BRAIN CRAMP.
UH, SO WE'RE, UH, WE'RE NOW GONNA VOTE.
THIS HAS MOVED UP TO B SESSION.
JEFF, THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
WE'LL BE A BUSY, UH, BUSY 2021 FOR ALL OF US.
THAT BRINGS US TO AN END OF, UH, YET ANOTHER I G R MEETING.