[Ad Hoc Committee on Legislative Affairs on August 30, 2023]
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IT IS NINE 16, AND I'M GONNA CALL TO ORDER THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.
UM, IN CHAMBERS, WE HAVE QUORUM AND POSSIBLY COUNCIL MEMBERS ADDITIONALLY JOINING ONLINE, BUT CAN'T SEE THEM RIGHT NOW.
UM, APOLOGIZE FOR THE LATE START.
WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE ISSUES THIS MORNING, BUT WE'RE READY TO GO.
AND FIRST OFF IS APPROVAL OF A MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 14TH AGENDA.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECOND, ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SO OUR FIRST BRIEFING ITEM IS A FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, AND CARRIE ROGERS WANT TO TAKE IT AWAY? THANK YOU, CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSON, AND GOOD MORNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
CARRIE ROGERS, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
UH, WITH US THIS MORNING IS LILLIAN MALDEN, OUR SENIOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COORDINATOR WHO HANDLES FEDERAL RELATIONS AS WELL AS DINA NICOLA ROSSI, WHO IS OUR, UH, GRANTS MANAGER IN THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL TEAM MEMBERS BEHIND YOU, AND THEN ALSO ONLINE BECAUSE THIS IS A TEAM LIFT.
RALPH IAN WITH CAPITAL EDGE STRATEGIES, OUR STAFF AUGMENTATION IN DC AND PAUL SCHLESINGER WITH THORN RUN PARTNERS, ONE OF OUR FEDERAL LOBBYISTS.
SO THIS IS JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW.
WE'LL TRUNCATE SINCE WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A LATE START HERE.
UM, MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, LAST YEAR THROUGH EXTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT OUTREACH WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS, THE CITY OF COUNCIL ADOPTED YOUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR THE HUNDRED AND 18TH CONGRESS, UM, FOR FIRST AND SECOND SESSION.
UM, AND SO, UM, THOSE PRIORITIES WERE ADOPTED.
AND THEN WE HAVE BEEN, UM, CONDUCTING EXTENSIVE OUTREACH AND WORKING ON A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES.
SO I'M GONNA TURN THAT OVER TO LILLIAN FOR HER TO HIGHLIGHT JUST A FEW.
SO JUST A FEW OF THE ITEMS UNDER EACH ONE OF OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
UM, SO AS CARRIE MENTIONED, THERE ARE A LOT OF, UM, ITEMS ON THESE LISTS, SO I'M JUST GONNA HIT SOME, UM, TOP LINE HIGHLIGHTS.
BUT, SO IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, SUBMITTED SEVERAL COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUESTS, SOME OF WHICH ARE D P D RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, UM, D P D INVESTIGATION SOFTWARE.
UM, AND WE'VE ALSO REALLY BEEN, UM, TACKLING ADVOCACY TO ADDRESS SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES WITH, UM, EMERGENCY SERVICES VEHICLES, UM, AMBULANCES AND FIRE TRUCKS.
UM, LOOKING AT ECONOMIC AND WORK WORKFORCE INVESTMENT, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON HENSLEY FIELD SHORELINE MODIFICATION, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, UM, HOUSING INSTABILITY, OPPOSING CUTS TO C D B G, AND HOME, REALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY NEEDS.
UH, IF I COULD GET THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT GOVERNANCE.
UM, REALLY OPPOSING THE MASSIVE TELECOM PREEMPTION BILL RECENTLY CAME OUT, UM, LITERALLY SUPPORTING MAXIMUM FUNDING FOR NUTRITION PROGRAMS IN THE FARM BILL, SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, LOOKING AT WHITE ROCK LAKE AUTHORIZATION AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR THAT.
UM, WE HAVE, AS YOU CAN SEE, MANY COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUESTS ON THIS LIST AS WELL.
UM, ARPA, UH, FLEXIBILITY BILLS, UM, AND APPLYING FOR ALL RELEVANT I I J A AND I R A GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, UH, NATURAL RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABILITY, AGAIN, WHITE ROCK LAKE AUTHORIZATION AND FUNDING.
UM, REALLY LOBBYING AGAINST THE UNFAIR TREATMENT OF TEXAS CITIES, UM, TO PREVENT THEM FROM APPLYING FOR THAT FUNDING.
QUALITY OF LIFE SUPPORTING, AGAIN, MAXIMUM FUNDING FOR NUTRITION PROGRAMS. UM, AND ALSO PURSUING I I J A I R A GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, UM, URBAN FORESTRY INVENTORY COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING AS WELL.
THERE ARE COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUESTS IN REALLY ALL OF THESE CATEGORIES.
UM, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
UM, APPLYING FOR JUSTICE, UH, 40 CRITERIA TO I I J A AND I R A APPLICATIONS WHEN APPLICABLE.
UM, AND JUST SOME ADDITIONAL EFFORTS AS WELL.
UM, WE, WE'VE BEEN, AGAIN, ANTICIPATING POTENTIALLY AMENDING THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE SECOND SESSION, UM, CONSISTENTLY DOING OUTREACH WITH DISTRICT AND DC STAFF, UM, TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, REINFORCE OUR POLICY PRIORITIES, UM, POLICY ENGAGEMENT THROUGH NATIONAL AND LOCAL GROUPS SUCH AS NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, DALLAS REGIONAL CHAMBER, THAT'S PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO, YOU KNOW, MEET WITH THE DELEGATIONS FORM RELATIONSHIPS, REALLY REEMPHASIZE THOSE POLICY PRIORITIES.
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UM, WE, YOU KNOW, SUBMIT, UM, NOTICES, UH, SUBMIT COMMENTS ON NOTICES OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING.AND WE'RE ALSO WRITING SUPPORT LETTERS THAT ALIGN WITH OUR POLICY PRIORITIES AS THOSE POLICY DEVELOPMENTS ARE COMING UP.
UM, AND THEN JUST SOME PHOTOS TO KIND OF BREAK UP ALL OF THAT TEXT.
UM, HERE'S SOME, UH,
UM, SO LOTS OF GOOD ENGAGEMENT AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING HAS BEEN GOING ON THERE.
UM, AND I WILL HAND IT OVER TO, UH, RALPH AND PAUL TO KIND OF GIVE MORE OF A NUANCED, UM, FEDERAL UPDATE.
UM, THIS IS, UH, RALPH GARIN WITH CAPITAL EDGE STRATEGIES, UM, AS CARRIE SAID, UM, WASHINGTON STAFF FOR THE, UH, STAFF FOR THE CITY IN WASHINGTON, DC I'M GONNA, UH, GO THROUGH THE NEXT TWO SLIDES AND THEN HAND IT OVER TO, TO PAUL SCHLESINGER.
UM, AND, AND JUST, JUST, THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE SUCCESSES OVER THE PAST YEAR.
I, I THINK THAT FIRST BULLET IS, IS PERHAPS ONE OF THE MORE, MORE NOTABLE SUCCESSES.
UM, I THOUGHT, I THINK THE THREAT, UM, TO, TO THE CITY'S ARPA FUNDS WAS, WAS REAL.
UM, AND, AND AT THE END, THOSE WERE, THOSE WERE NOT RESCINDED.
UM, I THINK, UM, THANKS TO SENATOR CORNYN.
HE, HE WORKED, UM, WITH SENATOR PADILLA FROM CALIFORNIA TO PUSH THROUGH BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO GIVE YOU MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH THOSE ARPA FUNDS GOING FORWARD.
UH, THIS WAS A PRIORITY, PARTICULARLY FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND, AND FOR, FOR SOME OF THE COUNCIL, AND IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY AS, AS YOU'RE GIVING YOUR INTERNATIONAL, UM, STATURE, UM, CREATION OF A SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT FOR CITY AND STATE DIPLOMACY.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY, UM, UNLIKE MOST FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS, THEY'RE THIS, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE EQUIVALENT OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT DID NOT HAVE.
UM, AND, AND THEN PAUL, UM, LED EFFORTS ON, UM, AUTHORIZATION OF THE WHITE ROCK LAKE DREDGING PROCESS, UM, THAT WAS AUTHORIZED IN THE WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2022.
AND THEN THIS LAST BULLET HAS BEEN A TOUGH ONE, UM, BUT, BUT, UM, THE FEMA'S PREEMINENT PRE-DISASTER MITIGATION PROGRAM, THE BRICK PROGRAM, THE BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES PROGRAM, THAT'S, THAT'S A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR ANNUAL PROGRAM THAT FUNDS PRE-DISASTER MITIGATION ACTIVITIES.
UM, ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT PROGRAM IS THAT THE STATE OR CITY ADOPT THE MOST UP-TO-DATE BUILDING CODES.
UM, THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS NOT DONE SO, BUT THE CITY OF DALLAS AND MOST TEXAS CITIES HAVE DONE SO, BUT FEMA ONLY LOOKS AT WHETHER OR NOT THE STATE HAS, UM, THAT'S OF COURSE, INCREDIBLY UNFAIR TO TEXAS CITIES AND HAS LEFT TEXAS CITIES OUT OF THAT PROGRAM.
UM, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.
AND I, I AM TOLD, UM, OF COURSE IT'S NOT REAL UNTIL IT'S IN WRITING, BUT I'M TOLD THAT IN THE NEXT ROUND OF GRANTS, FEMA WILL WE'LL ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
UM, GOING OVER TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND I'M SORRY I'M GOING LONG.
UM, THIS IS, THIS IS, UM, FY 2023 COMMUNITY PROJECT.
YOUR, YOUR HOUSE DELEGATION, UM, UM, TOOK CARE OF DALLAS.
THEY SECURED 8.185 MILLION IN COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, UM, FOR, FOR THE CITY PROJECTS YOU SEE LISTED THERE.
UM, SO IN EACH OF THE, OF THE CITY'S HOUSE MEMBERS, UM, WHO SOUGHT EARMARKS SECURED AT LEAST ONE YEAR MARK FOR THE CITY.
AND THEN, UM, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO, PAUL'S GONNA TALK ABOUT, UM, THIS YEAR'S, UM, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUESTS, AND THEN THE OUTLOOK GOING FORWARD.
UM, RALPH HAD SORT OF THE ENVIABLE JOB OF TALKING ABOUT ALL THE SUCCESSES THAT THE CITY HAS HAD IN WASHINGTON.
UH, THANKS IN LARGE PART, OF COURSE, TO OUR REALLY TERRIFIC CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.
UH, THE LAST SLIDE, UH, THE PREVIOUS SLIDE SHOWED WHAT WE ACTUALLY DID RECEIVE AN APPROPRIATIONS BILLS, UH, THAT WERE ENACTED.
THIS IS THE SORT OF THE STATUS REPORT OF WHERE WE ARE ON, UH, OUR EARMARK REQUEST FOR THIS YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE WE'RE RIGHT ON TRACK.
I THINK LAST YEAR WAS 8 MILLION PLUS.
AND, UM, THIS YEAR WE'RE, WE'RE ON TRACK TO GET SOME SIMILAR AMOUNT.
AND I WITH THE PROJECT'S RIGHT THERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE FOR ONE SECOND, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S MY JOB AFTER, UH, ROUSE'S TALKING ABOUT ALL THE GOOD STUFF TO BE SORT OF MR. DOOM AND GLOOM FOR A MOMENT.
AND THAT IS TO SAY THAT ALL OF THESE APPROPRIATIONS MEASURES THAT ARE GREAT FOR THE CITY AND BRINGING IN
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OVER $8 MILLION FOR PROJECTS THAT WE IDENTIFIED AS PRIORITIES, UH, NONE OF THOSE HAPPEN UNTIL THERE ARE APPROPRIATIONS BUILT, ENACTED.AND OF COURSE, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN READING IN THE NEWSPAPERS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
I'M NOT GONNA GET TOO FAR INTO THE WEEDS OR BELABOR THE MATTER, BUT, YOU KNOW, IN JUNE, UH, THE DEBT LIMIT CEILING WAS EXTENDED, UH, WITH FUNDING LEVELS THAT WERE THOUGHT TO BE AGREED ON BY EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE FOR THE COMING YEAR THAT WERE LEVELS, KIND OF LIKE CURRENT YEAR FUNDING LEVELS, PLUS A LITTLE BIT FOR INFLATION.
UH, SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS, UH, MORE CONSERVATIVE WING OF THE HOUSE REPUBLICANS, UH, SAID THAT, WELL, THOSE AGREED TWO LEVELS WEREN'T THE FUNDING LEVELS.
THEY'RE SIMPLY CAPS, AND THAT THEY WANT TO GO BACK TO THE FISCAL YEAR 22 FUNDING LEVELS, WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIAL CUTS IN SPENDING, UH, AND INDEED IN THE HOUSE.
THAT IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THE, THE BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED FROM THE APPROPRIATIONS, UH, UH, COMMITTEES.
UH, THE SENATE HAS PROBABLY BEEN ACTING IN APPROPRIATIONS IN A MORE BIPARTISAN MANNER THAN IT HAS IN 10 OR 20 YEARS.
THEY'VE AGREED ON SOME INCREASES IN SPENDING FOR THE COMING YEAR IN THE HOUSE.
I WOULD JUST SAY IT'S SO BAD THAT WHEN THEY TRIED TO BRING THE MILITARY CONSTRUCTION VETERAN AFFAIRS BILL OF THE HOUSE FLOOR RIGHT BEFORE RECESS, USUALLY THE EASIEST BILL, THE MOST POPULAR BILL, NOBODY WANTS TO VOTE AGAINST MILIT DOMESTIC MILITARY CONSTRUCTION.
NOBODY WANTS TO VOTE AGAINST VETERAN SPENDING.
UH, THEY COULD NOT GET THE VOTES TO PASS THAT MEASURE.
UM, SO THE HOUSE COMES BACK ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, AND I'LL HAVE FOUR WEEKS BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR TO, UH, FIGURE OUT HOW TO PASS BILLS.
THE SENATE, UH, I'M SORRY, THE SENATE COMES BACK ON THE FIFTH.
THE HOUSE COMES BACK ON THE 12TH.
UH, OF COURSE, CONGRESS VIRTUALLY NEVER PASSES ALL THE APPROPRIATION BILLS BY THE START OF THE FISCAL YEAR, OCTOBER 1ST.
THEY USUALLY DO A CONTINUING RESOLUTION, WHAT YOU HEAR REFERRED TO AS A CR AND, UM, THE FREEDOM CAUCUS AT THE BE, I THINK IT WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RECESS, THE BEGINNING OF THE AUGUST RECESS, UH, WROTE A LETTER SAYING THE THINGS THAT THEY WILL INSIST ON GETTING IN A CR AND WITHOUT WHICH THEY WILL OPPOSE A CR, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY LEAD TO A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
THEY'RE GONNA INSIST ON RE RETURNING FEDERAL SPENDING TO THE F Y 22 LEVELS.
UH, THEY WANT TO INCLUDE, UH, THE, A BORDER SECURITY BILL.
THEY, IN THEIR WORDS, WANT TO ADDRESS WEAPONIZATION OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY, AGAIN, IN THEIR WORDS, WANT TO END WOKE POLICIES IN THE PENTAGON.
AND THEY ARE SAYING NO BLANK CHECK FOR UKRAINE.
UH, IT'S JUST SETTING UP A SCENARIO WHERE SOMETHING'S GONNA HAVE TO GIVE, EITHER THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IS GONNA HAVE TO WORK WITH DEMOCRATS TO, TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS OF FREEDOM CAUCUS VOTES.
UH, BUT, UH, MANY OBSERVERS FEEL LIKE WE'RE HEADING TO AN OCTOBER 1ST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
OBVIOUSLY, IT CAN'T SHUT DOWN FOREVER, ALTHOUGH, I DON'T KNOW, I, I THINK THERE'S SOME THAT WOULDN'T OBJECT.
BUT ALL OF OUR EARMARKS, ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT WERE ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, YOU KNOW, OUR SUBJECT TO, UM, SUBJECT TO GETTING A FINAL AGREEMENT IN THE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS.
AND I WOULD JUST SAY, IF I CAN INTERJECT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF OPTIMISM, UH, THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR SINCE EARMARKS HAVE COME BACK IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS, IF AN EARMARK WAS INCLUDED IN EITHER THE HOUSE BILL OR THE SENATE BILL, IT DID WIND UP IN THE FINAL BILL.
UH, SO UNLESS THAT CHANGES THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF BUDGET CUTS THAT MIGHT OCCUR, UH, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE ARE.
THOSE EARMARKS OUGHT TO HAPPEN IF PAST IS PROLOGUE, WE CAN'T SAY FOR SURE THAT PAST IS PROLOGUE.
I GUESS THAT, I THINK THERE MIGHT BE ONE MORE SLIDE FOR US TO TALK ABOUT REALLY QUICKLY.
UH, THIS IS UNFINISHEDNESS, UH, BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN CONGRESS DOES ADJOURN.
DEPENDS ON WHEN THEY CAN FIGURE OUT A BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THE APPROPRIATIONS MEASURES, UH, YOU HAVE F A A REAUTHORIZATION BILL, UH, YOU HAVE THE BIG, UH, MULTI-YEAR FARM BILL.
YOU HAVE THE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL, WHICH IS NORMALLY, UH, UNLIKE THESE OTHER BILLS,
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AN ANNUAL, UH, BILL, UH, NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM.AND, UH, THOSE ARE THE BIG ONES THAT I THINK THE CITY HAS HAD AN INTEREST IN.
UH, AND WITH THAT, I THINK WE GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND OH, AND THAT WOULD BE DINA, I BELIEVE.
I'M THE MANAGER FOR GRANTS IN THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
SO, JUST TO GIVE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF SORT OF WHAT I'LL BE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT TODAY, UM, WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH JUST HIGH LEVEL SOME OF THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND SOME OF THE ACTIVITY THAT WE'VE DONE DURING F Y 23, SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO OUR FEDERAL FUNDING.
UM, THAT INCLUDES, IT'S ANYTHING, ANYTHING THAT'S FEDERAL IN ORIGIN.
SO THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME PASS THROUGH GRANTS WHERE WE APPLY TO THE STATE, BUT THE GRANTS ARE ACTUALLY, THE MONEY IS ACTUALLY APPROPRIATED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL FIRST.
UM, AND JUST AS A REMINDER, WE ONLY WORK ON COMPETITIVE GRANTS IN OUR OFFICE.
SO YOU WON'T SEE ANYTHING IN HERE ABOUT C D B G, HOMELAND SECURITY, SOME OF THOSE FORMULA FUNDS THAT WE GET, UM, THAT KIND OF FALLS OUTSIDE OF OUR, OUR DIRECTIVE IN OUR OFFICE.
UM, WE DO HAVE LISTED, I PROBABLY WON'T GO THROUGH IT JUST IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, BUT, UH, KIND OF OUR GRANT ACTIVITY, UH, BROKEN OUT BY STRATEGIC PRIORITY, UM, FOR COUNCIL.
AND THEN I'LL KIND OF WRAP UP TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH ALL OF THESE BIG FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE BILLS THAT HAVE COME OUT THAT I KNOW EVERYONE'S VERY INTERESTED IN.
SO WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, METRICS THAT WE TRACK IN THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR OUR GRANTS TEAM.
UM, THE FIRST ONE, AND SOME OF THESE ARE IN THE BUDGET BOOK.
UM, WE DO TRACK THE NUMBER OF NOTIFICATIONS THAT WE SEND TO DEPARTMENTS.
UM, WE HAVE A TARGET OF 120 TO SEND OUT ANNUALLY.
YOU CAN SEE WE'RE JUST A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF THAT THIS YEAR, ABOUT 148 THAT WE'VE SENT OUT.
UM, WHETHER THAT'S DIRECT OR PASS THROUGH.
UM, WE DO HAVE A TARGET OF 50 GRANTS TO SUBMIT ANNUALLY.
UM, THAT'S A PRETTY HEAVY WORKLOAD YOU CAN SEE.
WE ARE, WELL, WELL AHEAD OF THAT.
UM, WE HAVE SUBMITTED, OR WE'RE PROJECTED TO SUBMIT 73 GRANTS RIGHT NOW.
WE COULD ALWAYS PICK UP A COUPLE OF EXTRA IN SEPTEMBER, SO THAT COULD GO UP.
UM, 48 OF THOSE ARE FEDERAL, SO ALMOST AS MANY FEDERAL GRANTS ONLY AS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO ALL YEAR.
DOESN'T COUNT ANY STATE AND PRIVATE.
UM, AND THEN WE DO HAVE A TARGET OF BRINGING IN $50 FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT COUNCIL SPENDS ON OUR SALARIES IN GENERAL FUND, JUST WITH THE GRANTS TEAM.
UM, YOU CAN SEE WE ARE, WELL, WELL AHEAD OF THAT.
YOU GUYS ARE GETTING A GREAT VALUE THIS YEAR.
UM, IF WE COUNT EVERYTHING, WE ARE AT $179 AND 87 CENTS FOR EVERY DOLLAR OUT.
UM, AND IF WE LOOK AT JUST FEDERAL, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT LESS AT ABOUT 111.
UM, SO THIS HAS JUST BEEN A VERY UNUSUALLY BUSY YEAR.
UM, I THINK BETWEEN THE CONGRESSIONAL REQUESTS COMING BACK AND ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDS, WE'VE JUST SEEN A HUGE, HUGE INCREASE IN THE VOLUME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO, AS I SAID, I'M NOT GONNA REALLY GO THROUGH THESE NEXT SLIDES BY STRATEGIC PRIORITY.
UM, THE WAY WE'VE SORT OF BROKEN IT OUT IS YOU CAN SEE THE GRANTS WE'VE BEEN AWARDED THAT WILL INCLUDE THE CONGRESSIONAL REQUESTS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT BY THE LEGISLATIVE TEAM.
THAT REALLY IS THE AREA WHERE YOU SEE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN LEGISLATIVE TEAM AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND FUND DEVELOPMENT THE MOST.
UM, WITH THAT REALLY IS A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES OF OUR OFFICES.
UM, I ALSO HAVE KIND OF THE PENDING APPLICATIONS, THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT UPCOMING.
AND THEN ANYWHERE WHERE WE'VE BEEN A PARTNER ON SOMEONE ELSE'S APPLICATION AND HAVE A MAJOR ROLE IN THEIR APPLICATION OR IN THEIR PROJECT, I'VE ALSO LISTED THOSE AS WELL.
UM, 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE'RE, WE DON'T JUST WORK IN A SILO.
WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AND THROUGH OUR PARTNERS.
AND JUST LOOKING AT STRATEGICALLY WHAT'S THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS WAY TO APPROACH THE GRANTS.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, LILY, I THINK YOU CAN SKIP TO SLIDE 28, I BELIEVE IT IS.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE GRANTS THAT YOU SEE THERE OR ANYTHING ELSE, WE ARE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THOSE DETAILS IF WE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS NOW OR WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH DETAILS AFTER THE FACT.
UM, SO KIND OF JUST TO, TO PUT A, A BUTTON ON IT.
SO AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'VE HAD MAJOR FEDERAL FUNDING BILLS THAT HAVE COME OUT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
A COUPLE OF INITIATIVES OF THAT WE'RE T THAT WE'RE WORKING ON TO TACKLE THAT.
UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT HE WAS FORMING A FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING WORKING GROUP, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE LED BY ALAN COHEN, WHO IS WITH C P A.
AND WE'VE WORKED WITH C P A ON QUITE A FEW GRANTS OVER THE YEARS.
SO THEY'RE VERY TRUSTED PARTNERS OF THE CITY.
UM, WE KNOW THEM PRETTY WELL, UM, STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES OF FORMING EXACTLY WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
UM, BUT REALLY WHAT THAT WORKING GROUP IS GONNA BE LOOKING AT IS, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE ENGAGING NOT JUST WITHIN THE CITY, BUT ALSO OUTSIDE THE CITY WITH OUR OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS STATE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE STATE, UM, NON-PROFITS, COG, ALL OF THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE OUT THERE WHO
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ALSO HAVE AN INTEREST IN THIS WORK.UM, AND THEY'RE REALLY GONNA BE WORKING ON LEVERAGING SOME OF THE DATA THAT THAT IS OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING OUR PROJECTS CORRECTLY.
UM, AND, AND REALLY HOW ARE WE MOVING TOWARDS THE GOALS OF GETTING SOME OF THIS INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING HERE IN DALLAS.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON THOSE COALITIONS OF STAKEHOLDERS, SEEING HOW WE CAN BEST LEVERAGE, AGAIN, NOT JUST IN A SILO AS THE CITY, BUT HOW WE'RE REALLY WORKING WITH EVERYONE COHESIVELY TO BRING AS MANY DOLLARS TO DALLAS AND TO THE REGION AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING NOT JUST OUR FAIR SHARE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING WALKS.
UM, WE WILL BE STAFFING THAT WORKING GROUP IN OUR OFFICE, CHANDLER HILL, WHO IS, WHO IS HERE, AND THE AUDIENCE WILL BE THE POINT PERSON ON THAT.
UM, AND SO AS THAT, AS THAT PROGRESSES, I'M SURE WE'LL KEEP COUNCIL APPRISED OF THE ACTIVITIES.
UM, JUST TO TALK ABOUT, YOU CAN SWITCH TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, JUST TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
'CAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.
WE'RE ABOUT A YEAR INTO THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT.
UM, WE'RE STILL LEARNING A LOT ABOUT THE MONEY THAT'S COMING OUT FROM THOSE PROGRAMS, BUT WE ARE TRACKING THOSE GRANTS REALLY, REALLY CLOSELY.
I THINK WE'RE PURSUING THEM PRETTY AGGRESSIVELY.
UM, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT OUR HAT IN THE RING ON MOST, IF NOT ALL, MOST OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT DO COME OUT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE DO WORK THROUGH OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING STRATEGIC ABOUT HOW WE ARE APPROACHING THE FUNDS AND THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE REGION.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE PARTNER WITH OUR ORGANIZATIONS, UH, COG IN PARTICULAR IS A GOOD PARTNER FOR US ON THESE GRANTS.
SO JUST A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON SO FAR.
UM, WE HAVE STARTED TO SEE SOME MONEY COME IN, UM, THAT REALLY EVERYBODY THINKS WELL, THERE WAS A BILL SIGNED AND THE CHECKBOOK IS OPEN, BUT IT HAS REALLY TAKEN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF TO START SEEING ANY OF THAT MONEY ACTUALLY SHOW UP.
UM, WE'VE RECEIVED A COUPLE OF BROWNFIELDS AWARDS, UM, WON A GRANT AND WON OF A REVOLVING LOAN FUND TO, UM, DO CLEANUPS ASSESSMENTS AND HOPEFULLY REDEVELOP AREAS IN SOUTH DALLAS AND FAIR PARK.
UM, WE HAVE, WE WERE AWARDED 700,000 FOR AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY AND, UH, AFFORDABLE, UH, CONNECTIVITY OUTREACH PROGRAM, UM, WHICH WILL PROVIDE ASSISTED SIGNUPS FOR THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM, GIVING, UM, INTERNET ACCESS AT A REDUCED COST TO LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
UM, AND A, A PRETTY BIG ONE THAT JUST CAME IN.
WE'VE GOT A RAISED GRANT FOR FIVE MILE CREEK TO DO DESIGN AND ENGINEERING.
UM, YOU CAN SEE WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF PENDING APPLICATIONS THAT WE'VE SUBMITTED AND ARE JUST WAITING TO HEAR ON, UM, A COUPLE OF BIG ONES THERE.
YOU KNOW, 28 MILLION FOR SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL.
UM, AND THEN A COUPLE OF TAP APPLICATIONS, TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PROGRAMS THAT ARE PENDING.
AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD, JUST THROUGH THE FALL, WE ARE LOOKING AT SUBMITTING A COUPLE OF RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS GRANTS.
THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT'S BEEN PUSHED OUT BY A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UM, FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT AVENUES.
WE DO HAVE 1.13 MILLION FOR THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION BLOCK GRANT.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY THE ONLY FORMULA GRANT THAT WENT DIRECTLY TO CITIES IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.
UM, SO THAT APPLICATION IS GONNA BE DUE IN THE FALL AND WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS TO DETERMINE, AGAIN, HOW WE'RE MAXIMIZING IT'S A MILLION, IT'S A ONE TIME SHOT, HOW ARE WE MAKING THE MOST OF THAT MONEY THAT WE HAVE? UM, AND THEN WE'LL ALSO BE LOOKING POSSIBLY AT SOME WATER SMART, UH, WATER SMART GRANTS FOR, UM, UH, EFFICIENCY IN OUR WATER SYSTEM AND FOR DROUGHT RESILIENCE.
AND THEN SMART GRANTS, WHICH ARE, UM, TRANSPORTATION GRANTS THAT LOOK AT KIND OF HOW WE'RE INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION IN OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
AND THEN JUST TO FINISH UP, WE DO HAVE, UM, KIND OF OUR PARTNER ACTIVITY.
AGAIN, SOMETIMES WE AREN'T THE BEST APPLICANT AND WE WORK WITH OTHER AGENCIES 'CAUSE THEY ARE THE BEST APPLICANT.
UM, I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT THROUGHOUT HERE.
MOST OF THESE GRANTS ARE REALLY REGIONAL GRANTS.
UM, THE CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT PROGRAM, THAT'S A MILLION THAT WENT TO COG FOR PLANNING.
WE WILL BE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THAT PLANNING PROCESS.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE A PART B OF THAT FUNDING WHERE WE WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY DIRECTLY FOR THE, THE PROJECTS IDENTIFIED IN THAT PLAN.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AHEAD TO APPLYING FOR THAT SORT OF ROUND TWO OR PHASE TWO FUNDING.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN JUST SEE WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF EV GRANTS UP THERE THAT COG SUBMITTED REGIONALLY THAT WE ARE GONNA BE A PART OF.
UM, AGAIN, THE RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES, UH, AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THEN WE ARE ALSO PART OF A STATEWIDE APPLICATION THAT WOULD PUT SOLAR PANELS ON RESIDENTIAL HOMES, UM, IN LOW INCOME AND OTHER ELIGIBLE COMMUNITIES.
UM, THAT'S A STATEWIDE APPLICATION LED BY HARRIS COUNTY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF JUST A VERY QUICK RUN THROUGH WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST YEAR WITH OUR FEDERAL FUNDS.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I BELIEVE I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THREE.
NEXT, LAST COUPLE OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE JUST HIGHLIGHTING WHO THEY SETTING UP, UM, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND, UM, AND THEN MOVING TO OUR LAST SLIDE,
[00:25:03]
WELL, VERY WELL DONE, AND YOU DID IT PRETTY QUICKLY.UM, I WANNA SAY FIRST THANKS TO, UM, RALPH AND PAUL FOR ALL KEEPING US UP TO DATE WITH, YOU KNOW, BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN DC UM, LILLIAN, GREAT PRESENTATION.
AND I KNOW THIS IS JUST A FEDERAL SIDE OF THINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN SUPER INVOLVED WITH.
AND DINA, UH, AS SOMEBODY WHO WROTE GRANTS, I MEAN, KATHY AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER, LIKE, HAVE YOU EVER WRITTEN THAT MANY GRANTS IN A YEAR? I HAVEN'T.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO IT.
YEAH, WE, WE DO HAVE ONE VACANCY RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW WE WERE A TEAM OF THREE, INCLUDING ME.
OFFER IS OUT THE DOOR THOUGH, ON THE FOURTH POSITION.
WELL, UM, I THINK THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN A BUDGET SHOT THERE, BUT, OKAY.
UM, SO ANYHOW, JUST REALLY REMARKABLE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND I WANNA COMPLIMENT YOU BECAUSE, UM, OF ALL THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT, I THINK THAT I FEEL THE CLOSEST TO THAT AND CERTAINLY WE ACCEPT THOSE GRANTS AT COUNCIL, BUT A LOT OF THOSE THINGS I DON'T THINK WE SEE.
UM, AND THEN I DO SEE 'EM ON THE COG SIDE, AND I'M HAPPY IF I CAN EVER HELP YOU ON THAT PART.
SO Y'ALL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ACTIVITY THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING SO FAR, AND THEN WE EVEN HAD OUR LIST, UM, I THINK PAUL GAVE US OF OUR, UH, UPCOMING CHALLENGES AND, AND PROGRAMMATIC ITEMS. SURE.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, HEY, DINA, ALWAYS BEEN A FAN OF THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
UM, JUST A FEW QUESTIONS AND, AND REALLY, UH, SOME OF IT IS REALLY MORE FOR, FOR CLARIFICATION AS WELL.
WHAT IS THE RAISE? WHAT IS THAT? UM, SURE.
I, I HOPE YOU'RE NOT ASKING ME TO TELL YOU THE ACRONYM.
UM, BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE, THAT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR FEDERAL COMPETITIVE TRANSPORTATION GRANTS THAT COMES OUT EVERY YEAR.
UM, IT REALLY INVOLVES BUILDING EQUITY THROUGH OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND HOW WE'RE CONNECTING PEOPLE, UM, WITH JOBS, MEDICAL CARE, RECREATION, YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY HOW WE ARE, UM, BUILDING EQUITY THROUGH THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND CREATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THROUGH, UH, CA TRANSPORTATION CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UH, AND, UH, AND I'M SORRY, RALPH, DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? NO, I WAS JUST GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT SILLY.
AND, AND IT'S, UH, IT'S A REBUILDING AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE WITH SUSTAINABILITY AND EQUITY.
UM, AND, AND THE, THE JOKE IS, IS THAT USED TO BE CALLED BUILD AND THEN BEFORE THAT IT WAS CALLED TIGER AND, AND EVERY PRESIDENT HAS TO HAVE A DIFFERENT NAME FOR THAT GRANT PROGRAM.
AND I WOULD JUST JUST ADD TO THAT, THAT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SUPER COMPETITIVE.
UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE 10% OF THE APPLICATIONS MIGHT GET FUNDED IN THE FACT THAT WE'VE DONE SO WELL IS REALLY A
UH, AND THEN WHAT ABOUT RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES? I SAW THAT ONE AGO.
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES IS A NEW PROGRAM THAT WAS, UM, BORN FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.
IT WAS CREATED FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, UM, AND WHAT THAT PROGRAM DOES, AND THIS YEAR IT'S ALSO BEEN CO RELEASED.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOW RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEY'VE ATTACHED THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS AND EQUITY PROGRAM THAT WAS FUNDED IN THE I R A, THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT.
AND NOW THEY'RE SORT OF TOGETHER ON THE SAME, UH, FUNDING OPPORTUNITY.
SO KIND OF ONE APPLICATION FOR TWO GRANTS.
UM, BUT, BUT BOTH OF THOSE, WHAT THEY LOOK TO DO IS MITIGATE PAST HARMS THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, INTRODUCED INTO OUR COMMUNITIES BY TRANSPORTATION.
YEAH, SO THE VERY CLASSIC RIGHT HERE, WE KEEP SAYING, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THE SOUTHERN GATEWAY PARK IS A POSTER CHILD FOR THAT 35 WAS BUILT, RIPPED APART, AN ACTIVE, UM, AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
AND NOW WE LOOK TO PROGRAMS LIKE THAT TO KNIT THOSE COMMUNITIES BACK TOGETHER, REBUILD THE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THERE, UM, AND, AND REBUILD THAT EQUITY AND, AND INVEST IN THOSE DISINVESTED NEIGHBORHOODS AGAIN.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT BOTH OF THOSE ARE AIMED AT.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN TALK TO ME ABOUT THE NOTIFICATIONS ON SLIDE NINE.
YOU SAID, YOU MENTIONED YOU SENT NOTIFICATIONS TO DEPARTMENTS.
SO IS THAT KIND OF THE TRIGGER FOR THE RESULTS THAT YOU JUST PRESENTED? IS THAT, YEAH, SO IT REALLY WORKS BOTH WAYS.
UM, WE TRY TO COUNT, I TRY TO COUNT ONLY WHAT WE SEND OUT PROACTIVELY TO DEPARTMENTS AND NOT, UM, WHAT THEY BRING INTO ME.
UM, BUT WE TRY TO KEEP A GOOD HANDLE ON WHAT THE PRIORITIES FOR THE CITY ARE, OBVIOUSLY THE PRIORITIES FOR COUNCIL, WE WATCH THE, THE MEETINGS, THE BRIEFINGS, UM, THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES ARE.
BUT WE ALSO MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, WE, WE USED TO DO IT ONCE A YEAR.
WE GOT AWAY FROM IT A LITTLE BIT IN C O D, BUT WE'RE BRINGING THAT BACK.
UM, WE MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENTS ONCE A YEAR TO SAY, WELL, OKAY, WHAT, WHAT
[00:30:01]
DO YOU NEED THAT DIDN'T GET FUNDED THROUGH THE BUDGET? WHERE CAN WE HELP? WHAT, WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? UM, AND THEN AS WE SORT OF DO OUR REGULAR SEARCHES FOR GRANTS, UM, SOMETIMES DEPARTMENTS WILL COME TO US AND SAY, I HAVE A SPECIFIC PROJECT, PLEASE LOOK FOR FUNDING FOR IT.UM, SO WE'LL SORT OF DO THAT PROACTIVELY.
BUT WE, WE SPEND ALL DAY, EVERY DAY JUST LOOKING FOR GRANTS, READING NO FOES, AND SEEING IF WE HAVE A PROJECT THAT'S A GOOD FIT AND IF ALL OF THE OTHER STARS ALIGN FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.
SO YEAH, WE TRY TO, WE TRY TO SEND THOSE NOTIFICATIONS OUT WITH JUST THE HIGH LEVEL INFORMATION SO THAT A DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR CAN GLANCE AT THAT EMAIL AND GIVE ME A REAL QUICK, LET'S LOOK MORE, OR, NO, THIS ISN'T FOR ME.
I SAW THE 1 MILLION FOR THE HENSLEY FIELD SHORELINE, THAT'S MONEY THAT'S ALREADY BEEN RECEIVED OR GRANT MONEY THAT'S ALREADY BEEN RECEIVED.
SO THAT IS ONE OF THE CONGRESSIONAL REQUESTS.
UM, THAT'S FOR PLANNING IT'S REQUEST.
UM, YEAH, I AM, I WILL HAVE TO CHECK ON THAT.
I KNOW WE HAVE RECEIVED THE CONTRACT FROM HUD, THAT'S A HUD E D I, UM, AWARD THAT WE'VE GOTTEN.
I KNOW WE'VE RECEIVED THE CONTRACT.
I AM NOT SURE IF IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL AND EXECUTED YET.
SO WE HAVE THE CONTRACT, WE JUST, I DON'T THINK WE'VE GONE ALL THE WAY DOWN THE ROAD IN GETTING THAT WORK STARTED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, I'M JUST GONNA SAY ONE MORE THING.
YOU KNOW, I, I CALLED YOU OUT FOR GRANTS AND WHAT A GREAT JOB YOU'RE DOING.
AND I'LL JUST SAY EVEN AT THE COG MEETINGS AND R T C MEETINGS, THEY TALK ABOUT HOW DALLAS IS DOING REALLY, REALLY WELL COMPETITIVELY.
AND I KNOW YOU ARE WORKING WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS ON THAT.
BUT I GOTTA GO BACK TO OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND THERE'S JUST SO MUCH ACTIVITY AND SO MUCH YOU'VE DONE.
I DIDN'T WANNA, I DIDN'T WANNA SKIMP ON THAT.
AND SO THANK YOU CARRIE AND YOUR WHOLE TEAM, ESPECIALLY LILLIAN, BUT ALSO, UM, CHAIRMAN ATKINS, UM, GREAT JOB THAT YOU'VE DONE THROUGH THIS SESSION.
AND, UM, AND AGAIN, THANKS TO RALPH AND PAUL WHO'VE BEEN SO IMPORTANT.
OH, I THINK CHAIRMAN ATKINS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? YES.
I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK RALPH AND, AND THANK ALL THE PEOPLE ON THE LEGISL.
UH, I THINK THIS YEAR, UH, GOING FORWARD, IT'S GONNA BE VERY EXCITING, UM, TIME, ESPECIALLY IN DC RIGHT NOW.
UH, I GUESS RALPH, WHAT IS THE LOW HANGING FRUIT, UM, IN DC THAT WE NEED TO PAY, UH, SPECIAL ATTENTION TO? UH, THE LOWEST HANGING FRUIT IS IN THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT.
UM, AND WE OF COURSE ARE GONNA SU UH, AS GINA SAID, WE'RE GONNA PURSUE EVERY, EVERY, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE LAW AND INFLATION REDUCTION ACT GRANT OPPORTUNITY, UM, AGGRESSIVELY.
BUT THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT HAS, UH, 12 SPECIFIC CLEAN ENERGY TAX INCENTIVES THAT, UM, THAT CONGRESS SAID THESE 12 CLEAN ENERGY TAX INCENTIVES, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THEM WHAT THEY CALL DIRECT PAY TAX INCENTIVES.
AND THAT'S, THAT MEANS THAT ENTITIES WITHOUT TAX LIABILITY, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS INCLUDING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES, NONPROFITS, CAN CLAIM THOSE TAX CREDITS AS A DIRECT PAYMENT FROM THE TREASURY.
SO, AND THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY DOWN SIMPLE EXAMPLE, BUT ONE OF THOSE TAX CREDITS IS THE, IS THE, UM, CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT.
SO IF A CITY SPENDS A MILLION DOLLARS TO PUT SOLAR PANELS ON, ON A LIBRARY, UH, YOU CAN CLAIM THE 30% INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT AND GET THAT $300,000 IS A DIRECT PAYMENT FROM THE FEDERAL TREASURY.
UM, AND THOSE, THOSE TAX INCENTIVES ARE AVAILABLE, UM, THROUGH, UH, 2033, MOST OF THEM.
AND, AND THE NICE THING ABOUT THAT IS IT'S NOT, UM, A COMPETITIVE GRANT.
UM, IF YOUR PROJECT MEETS THE CRITERIA, YOU CAN CLAIM THAT TAX INCENTIVE.
UM, SO, SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGER OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S VERY MUCH THE LOW HANGING FRUIT.
IS THERE ANY GRANT THAT COMPETITORS, THAT WE GOTTA MATCH UP WITH OUR, OUR NEIGHBOR, UM, SUBURBS TO, TO BE COMPETITIVE TO, TO, TO TRY TO RECEIVE SOME OF THESE GRANTS AS A REGION? IT DEPENDS ON THE GRANT PROGRAM, BUT IN, IN, IN SOME OF THEM, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THAT THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
AND, UM, AND PREDICTED THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THEY'RE NOT SHY ABOUT TELLING YOU WE, WE LIKE REGIONAL COOPERATION ON THE COMPETITIVE GRANT APPLICATIONS, OR AT LEAST PROJECTS WITH REGIONAL IMPACT.
WELL, IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, LET'S MOVE TO OUR NEXT BRIEFING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIRWOMAN, AND THANK YOU TO THE TEAM.
UM, OUR NEXT BRIEFING IS, UH, AN UPDATE TO THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM THAT WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL.
[00:35:01]
THIS OVER TO LILLIAN.WE UNDERSTAND WE ARE WATCHING THE CLOCK.
UM, SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER LILLIAN, TO GET US STARTED.
YEAH, I WILL, UM, RUN THROUGH THIS QUICKLY, BUT UM, IF I COULD JUST GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, UM, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE 118TH CONGRESS IN OCTOBER, 2022.
AND SO NOW THIS COMMITTEE, UM, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO AMEND THAT PROGRAM FOR THE SECOND CONGRESSIONAL SESSION, UM, AND TO SEND TO FULL COUNSEL FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF, OF THAT PROCESS, UM, HOW CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS THE PROGRAM.
UM, IT, THE PRIORITIES ARE CIRCULATED THROUGH THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP DEPARTMENTS, EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND OF COURSE THAT AGENDA IS COMMUNICATED TO FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICES, UM, AND USES A FRAMEWORK FOR, UM, THE POLICY PRIORITIES THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR, UM, IN CONGRESS.
IF I COULD GET THE NEXT SLIDE, SO THIS IS, UM, THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
YOU ALL HAVE A COPY ON YOUR DESK.
UM, AND IF I COULD GET THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, I'M NOT GONNA RUN THROUGH ALL OF THIS IN THE SAKE OF, UH, FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, WE'LL JUST STAY ON THIS SLIDE, BUT THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF EVER YOU POLICY PRIORITY, UM, AND THE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR.
UM, AND SO I WILL, UM, TURN IT OVER TO ALL OF YOU IF THERE ARE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, UM, THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO FULL COUNSEL FOR CONSIDERATION FOR AMENDMENT OF THAT PROGRAM.
UM, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE LOOK AT ADDING TO THIS PROGRAM? SO THERE ARE TWO ITEMS THAT I JUST WANNA, UM, BRING OUT.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK IT MEANS WE HAVEN'T ALREADY BEEN TALKING ABOUT THESE WITH OUR DELEGATION, BUT IT REALLY HASN'T BEEN, UM, ENUMERATED IN OUR PROGRAM.
AND SO THE FIRST ONE IS, UM, ADVOCATING FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION RECOVERY.
AND, UM, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T ACTUALLY PROVIDE THAT SERVICE, THE IMPACT OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH RESOURCES IS SO GREAT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE CHALLENGE, I THINK, IN OUR AREA.
AND WE SEE THIS, YOU KNOW, WITH HOMELESS POPULATION, BUT FRANKLY WE SEE IT WITH EVERYBODY INCLUDING IN THIS BUILDING.
SO, UM, I DO THINK THAT IT'S A PLACE THAT AS A CITY WE CAN SPEAK UP AND MAKE SURE OUR DELEGATION KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT THAT FUNDING IS TO THE, UM, SUCCESS OF OUR CITY.
UM, THE SECOND ITEM IS ABOUT, UM, AND, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH GINA FOR TALKING ABOUT IT.
UM, IS THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM AND WHILE WE HAVE AT LENGTH TALKED ABOUT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND HAVE A NUMBER OF THINGS HAPPENING WITH THAT, UM, HERE IN DALLAS, THERE'S UM, MULTIPLE THINGS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO BE INVOLVED WITH, UM, WITH THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
ONE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDING CONTINUES.
AND I THINK THAT IS, UM, UP FOR CONSIDERATION.
I KNOW THAT IT'S GOT SOME BIPARTISAN SUPPORT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT, UM, PROGRAM CONTINUES AND IS FULLY FUNDED.
BUT SECOND, THERE'S AN ASPECT OF THAT WHERE MULTI-FAMILY, UM, LANDLORDS DO NOT HAVE TO, THEY THEY'RE ALLOWED TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH AN EXCLUSIVE INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT ESPECIALLY OUR LOW INCOME TENANTS AREN'T ABLE TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THE A C P AND THEY COULD OTHERWISE HAVE FREE INTERNET.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO ASK FOR THAT TO BE MODIFIED.
UM, AND THEN HOPEFULLY EVEN WITH OUR OWN CITY, WE'LL LOOK AT HOW CAN WE, UM, POSSIBLY, UM, PUT TOGETHER AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS IF YOU'RE GETTING SOME KIND OF CITY FUNDING, YOU WILL MAKE AT LEAST ONE OF THE VENDORS THAT'S, UM, AUTHORIZED THROUGH THE A C P AVAILABLE TO YOUR TENANTS.
SO THOSE ARE TWO THAT I KNOW I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT AND WORKING ON, UM, THAT AREN'T SPECIFICALLY LISTED HERE.
AND CHAIRMAN, I WAS GONNA ADD TOO, UM, SPECIFICALLY ON THE MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS, WE'VE LOOKED AT DATA ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THERE WERE, IN THIS PAST THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR, THE LEGISLATURES MEETING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, 1000 MORE BILLS FILED RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH, UM, YEAR OVER YEAR.
UM, SO IT'S CERTAINLY A PRESSING ISSUE, UM, REGARDLESS OF PARTY LINE.
UM, SO I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY FEEDBACK ON EITHER OF THOSE TWO ITEMS FOR OUR COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER AND THEN, UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW WE WOULD BRING THAT FORWARD.
WOULD THAT NEED TO GO TO FULL COUNSEL FOR APPROVAL? YES, MA'AM.
SO WHAT WE WOULD ANTICIPATE IS IF THE COUNCIL, UM, OR EXCUSE ME, THE COMMITTEE DECIDED TO TAKE ACTION, APPROVE THESE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU WOULD THEN REQUEST THAT IT MOVE FORWARD TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION AND ACTION
[00:40:01]
AND DO INDICATE IF THERE'S A DESIRE FOR IT TO GO FOR A BRIEFING AND THEN COUNSEL ACTION.MAY I ASK A QUESTION? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, IF WE DID HAVE AMENDMENTS, UM, THAT OBVIOUSLY NOT NOW BECAUSE THIS IS ALREADY HAPPENING, BUT IF WE HAD AMENDMENTS BEFORE THIS GETS TO FULL COUNSEL, WHEN WOULD THOSE BE DUE TO YOU? UH, IT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO, UH, WHENEVER THE COMMITTEE DESIRED ACTION BY THE FULL COUNCIL.
SO JUST LOOK AHEAD AT THE CITY COUNCIL ACTION DATES AND THEN WE WOULD BACK OUT FROM THERE.
MY ASSUMPTION WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD HAVE ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING PRIOR TO ACTION.
SO YOU CONSIDER AMENDMENTS COMES BACK, YOU TAKE ACTION, THEN IT GOES TO COUNCIL
I'M NOT NECESSARILY THINK, I DON'T HAVE ANY LIKE RIGHT NOW, BUT JUST IN CASE THAT COMES UP, I WANNA BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT.
WE FOR SURE WILL HAVE ANOTHER COMMITTEE MEETING BECAUSE I'M NOT PROPOSING SPECIFIC LANGUAGE, WHICH WE WOULD WANT YOU TO HAVE THAT SPECIFIC LANGUAGE.
AND IN BOTH THOSE INSTANCES, I DO THINK WE HAVE, LIKE I SAID, WEIGHED IN WITH OUR DELEGATION, BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD IT AS A SPECIFIC ITEM AND I THINK WE PROBABLY SHOULD IN MY OPINION.
SO ANY INPUT ON THAT AT THIS POINT? NO, I THINK I'M JUST FOLLOWING UP WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WEST'S QUESTION.
BASICALLY THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF DIG INTO THIS AND IF THERE ARE OTHER ITEMS WE WANTED TO BRING, WE CAN BRING THEM BEFORE.
SO WE'LL SEND OUT A MEMO SAYING, HEY, THIS IS THE DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING.
IF YOU HAVE AN ITEM THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE COMMITTEE CONSIDER FOR ADDITION TO THE FEDERAL PROGRAM, PLEASE HAVE IT TO CARRIE.
UM, BUT PROBABLY YOU'RE ALSO WORKING WITH CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S WORDED PROPERLY.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE THAT ON THE AGENDA, WHAT THOSE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS ARE ON THE STATE SIDE, UM, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT AT OUR LAST MEETING.
UM, WE'RE GONNA ASK COMMITTEE CHAIRS TO ACTUALLY START TALKING ABOUT THIS MAYBE AS EARLY AS OCTOBER BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTA, WE GOTTA ACCELERATE THAT TIMELINE.
SO DEFINITELY BE THINKING ABOUT ANYTHING THAT NEEDS LEGISLATIVE ATTENTION AT THIS POINT.
BUT WE'LL SEND YOU THAT EXACT MEMO ON HERE'S WHAT THE DEADLINE'S GONNA BE FOR THIS, THAT, OR THE OTHER THING.
WELL, WITH THAT, I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE QUICK BRIEFING.
THANK YOU CHAIRWOMAN MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND, UH, THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE JOINED US.
UM, A QUICK UPDATE, UH, ON OUR FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE CONTRACTS.
UM, YOU ALL HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH BOTH CAPITAL EDGE AND, UH, THORN RUN REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH OF THOSE, UH, LOBBYIST TEAMS. UM, SO WE HAVE A SLIDE WE'LL GIVE LINLEY JUST AS I'LL TALK SLOWLY.
UM, OF COURSE, AS A MATTER OF OUR WORK AT BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL LEVEL, WE SECURE LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATES WHO ARE ON THE GROUND, UM, AND IN THE KNOW AND REPORTING BACK TO US ON ACTIVITY AND, UM, ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
UM, SO THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS, UH, TWO FEDERAL LOBBYISTS IN PLACE, CAPITAL EDGE, RALPH, IAN, DEBORAH ON HIS TEAM.
UM, THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF HIS CONTRACT.
RALPH HAS, IF YOU GO BACK TO RALPH FOR A SECOND, CAPITAL EDGE HAS BEEN WITH THE CITY SINCE 1998.
UM, WE HAVE HIS CURRENT CONTRACT, WHICH IS A ONE YEAR.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS A TWO YEAR CONTRACT SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AT THE STATE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING A FEW WEEKS AGO.
UM, ANYBODY WHO KNOWS RALPH AND DEV AND HIS TEAM, THEY HAVE AN ENCYCLOPEDIC KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT'S, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AUSTIN.
A SMALLER FIRM, BUT REALLY VIEWED AS OUR STAFF AUGMENTATION, UM, IN DC AND THEN THE SECOND SLIDE, THORN RUN, UH, PAUL SCHLESINGER AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN WITH THE CITY SINCE 2000.
UM, AND SIMILAR TO THE STATE PROGRAM, IF WE DISCUSS, UM, IF WE DO SIMILAR TO WHAT WE TALKED TO THE STATE PROGRAM, POTENTIALLY A TWO YEAR CONTRACT FOR HIM.
SO WITH THAT, I'M PLEASED TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
AND I THINK YOU JUST MISSPOKE SAYING THEY HAVE AN ENCYCLOPEDIC KNOWLEDGE OF AUSTIN, BUT YOU MEANT DC YES, YES MA'AM.
I'M SORRY, I MEANT DC THAT'S ALRIGHT.
I JUST WANNA, ALTHOUGH THEY ONLY REPRESENT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, SO THEY DO HAVE EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGREE IN AUSTIN AS WELL.
SO REALLY THIS, UM, BRIEFING ITEM IS ON HERE BECAUSE, UM, BOTH OF OUR CONTRACTED, UM, LOBBYISTS, UM, ARE LOOKING FOR AN INCREASE.
THEY HAVE NOT HAD AN INCREASE FROM 2008 AND COMBINED, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UNDER $20,000.
SO SINCE WE ALREADY HAD ONE LITTLE LAUGH ABOUT THE BUDGET, I'LL JUST SAY EVEN I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ADD THIS TO THE BUDGET.
SO, UM, UM, I WILL MAKE AN AMENDMENT, UM, TO DO THAT SO THAT THERE'LL BE AT LEAST ONE AMENDMENT I MAKE THAT'S AN INCREASE.
[00:45:01]
HAVE ALL YOUR LAPS ABOUT THAT.UM, ARE THERE ANY, IS THERE ANY OTHER INPUT ABOUT THE LOBBYIST CONTRACTS? YOU, YOU NEED A SECOND ON YOUR, IS THAT A MOTION? WE'LL NEED A SECOND WHEN WE HAVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE NEED A SECOND JUST TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.
BUT I'LL REMEMBER THIS FOR WHEN WE'RE AT THE HORSE, I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE WERE.
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I'LL TELL YOU, THESE WILL COME TO COUNCIL FOR ACTION AS INDIVIDUAL ITEMS AND YOU HAVE IT IN THE PLANNED FISCAL YEAR 24 BUDGET.
WITH OR WITHOUT THIS INCREASE.
BUT WE HAVE NOTIFIED THE BUDGET OFFICE, UM, TO LET THEM KNOW, TO ANTICIPATE THIS IF THE COUNCIL CHOOSES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONTRACTS.
WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT IS 10 0 1? SO YOU HAVE, WE'VE STARTED LATE BUT WE STILL GOT THROUGH PRETTY MUCH ON TIME.
SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT PRESENTATIONS.
THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO JOINED US REMOTELY.