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GOOD EVENING.I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER THIS MEETING OF THE CITY OF DALLAS CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.
IT IS 6 31 ON DECEMBER 12TH, 2023.
UH, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, AND THIS MEETING IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
UH, ANY MEMBERS THAT WE'RE GONNA GO TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS, ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC INTERESTED IN SPEAKING TO THIS BODY ARE WELCOME TO SIGN UP ONLINE FOR FUTURE MEETINGS.
TONIGHT, WE HAVE TWO REGISTERED SPEAKERS, I WILL CALL THEM BY NAME, THAT WE EACH HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ON THEIR TOPIC.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS ALBERT MATA, AND AFTER THAT, FOLLOWED BY, UH, MY FRIEND RAMIR LUNA.
I LIVE AT 1 0 5 SOUTH BISHOP AVENUE.
UH, THANK Y'ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
UM, I'VE ACTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL'S MEETINGS SINCE OCTOBER 12TH.
I ACTUALLY FIND THEM VERY INTERESTING AND FUN, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM.
BUT, UH, I WANTED TO SPEAK ON A FEW THINGS.
SO I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT MISSIONS AND VISIONS AND PREAMBLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND I KNOW THERE'S A DISAGREEMENT ON HOW YOU ALL WILL MOVE FORWARD, BUT I WANTED TO PROVIDE, UM, WHAT I THINK WOULD BE MY HOPES FOR WHATEVER THAT KIND OF VISION ENDS UP BEING.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL CAN WORK TOWARDS MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAKE GOVERNMENT REFLECTIVE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
A BIG PART OF YOUR JOB IS TO ITERATE ON, ON GOVERNMENT GOVERNANCE AND DEMOCRACY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A, A GOVERNMENT THAT'S OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE, RIGHT.
UM, AND AS YOU CONSIDER THESE AMENDMENTS, I HOPE YOU CAN PRIORITIZE AMENDMENTS THAT MAKE GOVERNMENT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND MORE RESPONSIVE.
AND DO YOU FIND AND THINK OF MECHANISMS THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SHARING POWER AMONGST, UM, DIFFERENT FACTIONS THAT WE ARE AVOIDING, UH, AND REDUCING THE CAPABILITY FOR SPECIFIC GROUPS TO DOMINATE OTHER GROUPS IN GOVERNMENT.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, I DO THINK THAT THAT IS A REALITY RIGHT NOW IN, IN SOME DISTRICTS, BUT JUST CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS TO FURTHER EMPOWER CITIZENS.
UM, AND I WANNA SPEAK ON A FEW OF THE SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED.
SO I AM FOR MOVING ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER.
I THINK A LOT OF THE BENEFITS, UH, THAT COMMISSIONER DE LA FUENTE, UH, ARE TRUE.
I DO BELIEVE THAT WE WILL SEE AN INCREASE IN VOTER TURNOUTS.
I THINK OVERALL THAT WILL HELP MAKE GOVERNMENT MORE REPRESENTATIVE, UH, IF POSSIBLE.
I THINK, UM, COUNCIL DISTRICTS HAVE ONLY GOTTEN LARGER, WHICH MEANS THERE'S STILL ONE PERSON THAT ARE REPRESENTING MORE PEOPLE, SO PEOPLE ARE GETTING A LITTLE BIT LESS REPRESENTATION.
UM, I AM FOR CHANGING LANGUAGE IN THE CHARTER TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE FROM CHANGING LANGUAGE FROM RESIDENT TO PEOPLE.
UH, I AM FOR, UH, THE RANK CHOICE VOTING AMENDMENT THAT WAS ALSO BROUGHT FORWARD BY COMMISSIONER FUENTE.
I AM AGAINST, UM, CHANGING TERMS TO FOUR YEARS OR THREE YEARS.
I AGREE WITH YOU THAT TWO YEARS IS TOO SHORT.
IT SUCKS FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS, IT SUCKS FOR CANDIDATES, BUT I THINK IT IS GREAT FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF DALLAS BECAUSE IT KEEPS THEIR, THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE TO THEM.
IF A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IS SCARED TO SAY SOMETHING DURING AN ELECTION, THEN I THINK THAT IS GOOD.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING THE ONLY ONE HERE.
UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE RAMIRO LUNA.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF ESTEEM COMMITTEE.
I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO, UH, LISTEN TO OUR TESTIMONY.
AND I KNOW THIS IS A PROCESS THAT'S GONNA BE ONE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, LENGTHY AND THAT IS REQUIRES A LOT OF THOUGHT AND, AND DELIBERATION ON.
AND I WANTED TO TAKE THIS TIME TO FOCUS ON MAINLY THREE AMENDMENTS THAT I'M, UH, WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORTING.
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THE VERY FIRST ONE WAS ONE THAT I HAD, UH, SOME PART IN, UM, PROMOTING AND ADVOCATING AND SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF, UH, JUST TWO YEARS AGO.AND, UH, AND THIS ONE THAT WILL MAKE, UM, THE WORD MORE INCLUSIVE BY ALLOWING, UH, PEOPLE TO SERVE, UH, ON ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
I SAY THAT BY BEING PART OF THE POPULACE THAT IS CONSIDERED PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, UH, AS SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN A PUBLIC SERVANT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I FEEL THAT OUR VOICE IS EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT AS EVERYONE ELSE.
AND, UM, IT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD JUST, UM, SPEAK VOLUMES OF THE WELCOMING CITY.
UM, THE SECOND ONE, I SPEAK MORE ON BEHALF OF, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WHO WORKS AS A POLITICAL OPERATIVE AND WHO'S VOLUNTEERED AND WORKED IN CAMPAIGNS FOR NOW CLOSE TO 20 YEARS.
AND IT IS ONE THAT'S, UH, IN REGARDS TO, UM, MOVING THE MAY ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER.
UM, THERE'S MANY REASONS WHY THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.
UM, TAKE FOR EXAMPLE, HOUSTON, WHO SAW A SIGNIFICANT JUMP INCREASE IN THEIR LAST ELECTIONS.
AND THIS IS DIRECTLY REFLECTIVE OF THE CHANGE THAT WAS DONE MOVING IT FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH NOTING.
UM, AS SOMEBODY WHO'S LIKE SAID, WORKED IN CAMPAIGNS FOR NUMEROUS YEARS, UM, THERE'S THIS THING OF VOTER EXHAUSTION AND THE FACT OF HAVING TO ENGAGE AN ELECTORATE CONSISTENTLY.
AND IT GETS CONFUSING AT TIMES, ESPECIALLY WITH AN ELECTORATE THAT HAS BEEN, UH, LOW VOTER TURNOUT HISTORICALLY, WHENEVER YOU'RE ENGAGE IN A NEW VOTER, THERE'S A SPACE OF EDUCATION AND THINGS YOU WANNA SIMPLIFY THINGS THE MOST.
AND THEN LASTLY, IS JUST THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE THING TO DO, SAVING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
UM, AND NOT ONLY THAT, THE MANPOWER THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE COUNTY TO UPHOLD THESE ELECTIONS CONTINUOUSLY, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE SEEN WITH MY EYES, HOW TIRED THEY GET, THE AMOUNT OF STRAIN THAT IT IS ON, ON THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.
AND JUST LIKE I SAID, FOR THAT IN THE, IN THE FINANCIAL REASON, I THINK ENOUGH IS, IS, IS JUST THE BEST THING FOR THE VOTER.
AND THEN THE, THE LAST THING THAT I'M SUPPORTING IS THE RANK, UH, VOTING.
I THINK THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, AGAIN, JUST FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS, UH, FOR THE BETTERMENT OF DEMOCRACY.
AND I LIKE, AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A COMPLEX ISSUE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT I'M HAVING THE CHANCE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THESE ISSUES.
IS, DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK TO THE COMMISSION? IF NOT, WE WILL CONTINUE ON WITH OUR AGENDA.
UH, THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 5TH MEETING.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVE FOR APPROVAL BY WHO SAID THAT? UM, YOU, UM, AND THEN, UM, SECOND BY, UH, COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION MINUTES? IF NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
SO WE HAVE FOUR PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT, INCLUDING TWO THAT MAY REQUIRE ACTION.
UM, AS USUAL, THIS IS, UH, I ASK COMM, I DON'T USE EACH CHAIR THE MEETING.
IT SAYS, AS USUAL, UM, WE HAVE COMMISSION LIMIT THEIR QUESTIONS TO THREE OR FOUR, THREE TO FIVE MINUTES FOLLOWING WITH, UH, EVERYONE TO GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
ALSO, THERE'LL BE A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS.
IT'LL BE, UH, ONE TO THREE MINUTES.
SO YOU GET FIVE MINUTES AND THEN THREE MINUTES.
UM, ALSO, I THINK WE'RE, IF I THINK WE ARE OKAY NOW WITH THE QUORUM, RIGHT? SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, BE AWARE IF YOU DO GO TO THE RESTROOM OR ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE, UH, ENOUGH PEOPLE HERE TO CONTINUE OUR MEETING.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF THAT, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
UH, CONSIDERATION ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION CALENDAR AMENDMENT, SUBMISSION DEADLINE.
OUR FIRST BRIEFING ITEM RELATES TO THE CONVERSATION WE HAD LAST WEEK, WHICH, WHICH BROS THE IDEA OF MOVING THE AMENDMENT SUBMISSION DEADLINE BACK, FOLLOWING THE BRIEF PRESENTATION FROM JAKE ANDERSON.
WE WILL HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION, AND A POSSIBLE ACTION SHOULD WE DECIDE TO MOVE THE DEADLINE.
UM, I'M JAKE ANDERSON, MANAGER IN THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
UM, I'LL MOVE THROUGH THIS QUICKLY.
UM, I BELIEVE YOU REMEMBER LAST WEEK'S CONVERSATION.
UM, THE COMMISSION EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO EXTEND THE DEADLINES FOR, UM, SUBMISSION OF AMENDMENTS, UM, TO ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK.
SO, LENLEY, IF YOU GO TO SLIDE NUMBER THREE,
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UM, THAT THAT CONVERSATION WAS ON THE TABLE, WE HEARD, HEARD SOME SUGGESTIONS ABOUT DIFFERENT DATES IN JANUARY, UH, SPECIFICALLY JANUARY 19TH AND JANUARY, 2020 SIXTH.UM, I DID WANNA BROACH A CO A COUPLE MINOR CONCERNS, UM, FOR CONSIDERATION, UM, WHICH IS SIMPLY THAT, UM, WE NEED TO HAVE TIME TO ENSURE THAT ANYONE WHO NEEDS TO TESTIFY ON AMENDMENTS IS AVAILABLE, UM, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN SCHEDULE THEM ALL WITHOUT CRAMMING A BUNCH OF AMENDMENTS INTO THE LAST COUPLE MEETINGS.
UM, AND SO WE DO ADVISE AND THINK MAYBE IT'S A GOOD TARGET, UM, TO TARGET AN EARLIER DATE IN JANUARY THAN THE 26TH, SO THAT YOU DON'T LOSE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE A SECOND MEETING IN JANUARY FOR, UM, FOR AMENDMENTS THAT ARE SUBMITTED CLOSER TO THE DEADLINE.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING JUST TO CON THINK ABOUT, UH, LEND IF YOU HIT THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, THERE WAS, AS I MENTIONED, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT EXTENDING TIME FOR ADDITIONAL PUBLIC TOWN HALLS TO RECEIVE INPUT.
UM, THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE ADOPTED CALENDAR.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT, UM, I BELIEVE REQUIRES ACTION TONIGHT.
SO THERE, SO IN EXTENDING THINGS, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE THERE, THERE'S NOTHING THAT YOU HAVE TO DO TONIGHT IN ORDER TO HOLD MORE TOWN HALLS.
HOWEVER, UM, BECAUSE THE DECEMBER 15TH DEADLINE WAS PART OF THE CALENDAR, I MIGHT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU DO NEED TO, UM, MOVE TO EXTEND THAT OFFICIALLY.
UM, AND SO THAT WOULD REQUIRE JUST A MOTION, UM, AND A SIMPLE MAJORITY.
UM, SO IF YOU LINLEY, IF YOU'LL MOVE TO THE LAST SLIDE, UM, COMMISSION YOU, YOU MAY VOTE TO EXTEND THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE, AND YOU MAY SET IT FOR WHATEVER TIME YOU WANT.
UM, IN JANUARY, AS I MENTIONED, THE DISCUSSION, UH, LAST WEEK FOCUSED ON JANUARY 19TH AND JANUARY 26TH.
UM, CHAIR VAUGHT DID ASK ME TO RELAY THAT HIS PREFERENCE WOULD BE, UM, EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER.
UM, THE 19TH BEING, UH, THE LATEST DATE THAT HE FELT COMFORTABLE WITH.
UM, I, I ECHO THAT AS STAFF, AGAIN, FOR THE REASONS THAT I MENTIONED BEFOREHAND.
UM, I THINK IT, IT GIVES US MORE TIME TO, UM, TO PREPARE AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE READY FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND HAVE THE MATERIALS THAT YOU NEED.
UM, AND IT, IT ALLOWS YOU TO USE THAT SECOND DATE IN JANUARY TO TAKE UP, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, OPERATIONAL AMENDMENTS OR FURTHER TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS, UM, THAT MAYBE WEREN'T SUBMITTED BY JANUARY 11TH.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S WHERE WE STAND.
UM, WITH THAT, I CAN TURN BACK OVER TO THE CHAIR FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION DISCUSSION.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT PRECLUDES US FROM, SO AS WE DISCUSSED LAST TIME, I'M, I'M CURIOUS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT PRECLUDES US OF TAKING UP SOME OF, OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE KNOW JUST DON'T FIT WITH WHAT OUR OBJECTIVE IS? SOME THINGS THAT MAYBE ORDINANCES THAT ARE, ARE OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THIS COMMISSION, TAKING THOSE UP BEFOREHAND, LIKE ON THE FIRST OR SECOND MEETING IN JANUARY? UM, NO, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S GONNA BE THE SUBJECT OF OUR, OUR THIRD BRIEFING TONIGHT IS, IS HOW, UM, WE'LL ADVANCE AMENDMENTS, UM, BECAUSE THERE, THERE IS A SUGGESTION FOR THAT.
UM, BUT NO, THERE WOULD, THERE WOULD BE NOTHING TO, TO PRECLUDE YOU FROM DOING THAT.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING TO PRECLUDE US FROM ADDING A MEETING IF WE HAVE SOMETHING WE REALLY WANT TO DISCUSS? UH, YOU MEAN AFTER, AFTER ANY DEADLINE THAT WAS SET? WHAT ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE MEETING MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE NOW SCHEDULED ARE IN PLACE AND CAN'T BE ALTERED? THE THE MEETINGS ABSOLUTELY CAN BE ALTERED.
UM, THAT I, I I WAS UNCLEAR ON THE QUESTION.
I JUST, ARE YOU ASKING IF YOU CAN ADD MORE AMENDMENTS AFTER A DEADLINE? NO, I'M NOT ASKING ABOUT AMENDMENTS.
THE MEETING SCHEDULED CAN BE AMENDED.
UM, THAT, THAT IS IN YOUR PREROGATIVE AS THE, THE COMMISSION.
DO YOU SEE A PROBLEM? I'M SORRY, WAS I NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT, BUT, NO, YOU'RE GOOD.
DID YOU SEE A PROBLEM WITH, UH, THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS SCHEDULED NOW, UH, THAT YOU DON'T THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH IT? UM, I, I DO NOT.
I BELIEVE THERE'S, UM, THERE'S TWO MEETINGS IN JANUARY.
TWO IN FEBRUARY, TWO IN MARCH, AND ONE IN APRIL.
SO SEVEN, SEVEN MEETINGS SCHEDULED IN THE SPRING.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S ABOUT WHAT WAS THE ENTIRE 2014 COMMISSION, UM, MET I THINK FIVE TIMES OR SIX TIMES.
UM, SO I DO, I DO THINK THAT THERE IS AN ABILITY TO FIT YOUR WORK INTO THOSE.
UH, I KNOW THE CHAIR, UH, CHAIR BOT WANTS TO HAVE EVERYTHING DONE BY THAT APRIL 2ND DATE.
BUT SHOULD THERE, SHOULD IT BE NECESSARY? YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY ADD, UM, MEETING DATES, UM, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, AN EXTRA DATE IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY, OR WHETHER YOU WANT TO ADD SOMEONE AT THE END THAT IS POSSIBLE.
OH, AND, UM, THE ATTORNEYS ARE WAVING AT ME, SO YEAH.
AT, AT ANY TIME, THE CALENDAR CAN BE PUT BACK ON YOUR AGENDA FOR THE ENTIRE COMMISSION TO VOTE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL MEETINGS IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME AND YOU NEED, UH, TO ADD MORE TO THE CALENDAR, BUT ALSO THE CHAIR AT HIS DISCRETION CAN ADD SPECIAL MEETINGS.
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JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND.THE CHAIR ON HIS OWN CAN ADD SPECIAL MEETINGS.
COMMISSIONER SALI, THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL.
UH, GIVEN THE SUGGESTION THAT JANUARY THE 26TH MAY START TO CREATE SOME BIT OF AN ISSUE AND BACKLOG, AND THEN DELAYS AND PERHAPS MORE MEETINGS, UH, THOUGH ALSO TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME HAPPY MIDDLE FOR BOTH THE PUBLIC AND ALSO FOR THOSE OF US WHO MAY BE WRAPPING UP, TRYING TO OFFER ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS, MR. CHAIR, I'D MOVE THAT WE ADOPT FRIDAY, JANUARY THE 19TH AS THE NEW DATE THAT EXTENDS THE AMENDMENT SUBMISSION DEADLINE.
SO ALL AMENDMENTS WOULD BE, UH, SUBMITTED BY JANUARY THE 19TH.
ANYONE OVER HERE? I DIDN'T LOOK, COMMISSIONER STEIN, YOU, YOU WERE THE ONE THAT YOU WERE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING ENOUGH TIME TO GO TO THE PUBLIC TO TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT THEY NEED TO DO AND TO BE ABLE, IF THEY WANNA SUBMIT SOMETHING AND TO BE ABLE TO BRING IT BACK HERE.
SO I'D, I'D LOVE TO KNOW YOUR REACTION TO THIS.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE JANUARY 19TH DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION.
WE ALREADY GAVE AN EXTENSION, BUT, UH, I DON'T THINK THE COMMITTEE IS PUTTING OUT ENOUGH EFFORT TO EXPOSE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, WHILE I WAS LOOKING AT LONG STAR POLITICS ON SUNDAY MORNING, OUR CHAIRMAN,
AND, UH, I THINK WE GOT A BUDGET, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
UH, SO MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT WE CAN USE TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT, BECAUSE HAVING MEETINGS AND WELL, PEOPLE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC, THAT'S MY CONCERN.
SO, UH, WE ALREADY PUSHED IT BACK, UH, TO JANUARY THE 19TH.
THAT'S THE CUTOFF DATE FOR SUBMITTING, AND I THINK JANUARY THE 26TH IS ANOTHER DAY THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
SO I'M IN FAVOR OF THE 26TH, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO, UH, IT STUCK ON THAT.
UH, I'M GLAD WE MOVED IT BACK BECAUSE IT'S LIKE WE MEETING IN SECRET, LIKE WE SOME KIND OF CULT OR SOMETHING THAT NOBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO, UH, I'M FOR INFORMING THE, YOU KNOW, THE NEWS DON'T TALK ABOUT US OR NOTHING.
SO WE NEED SOME, WE NEED TO GET OUT.
GO AHEAD AND, AND MR. STEAM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I, I DID JUST WANT TO COMMENT AND GIVE KIND OF, UM, AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE, THE OUTREACH WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE.
AS YOU MENTIONED, WE HAD THE LONE STAR POLITICS INTERVIEW WITH CHAIR VATS, UH, AND THAT WENT WAS ON TV, UM, ON SAT, OR EXCUSE ME, ON SUNDAY.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THAT, UM, IT'S WORTH, WORTH GOING TO WATCH.
HE JUST GAVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW YOU OF, OF YOUR WORK HERE.
UM, I BELIEVE WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD EIGHT TOWN HALLS SO FAR THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICTS.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S SEVERAL, SEVERAL MORE THAT ARE PLANNED.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE ARE PREPARED, UM, BASED ON WHAT THIS COMMISSION DECIDES TONIGHT TO DO A PRESS RELEASE TOMORROW MORNING, UM, ANNOUNCING THAT THE, THE PUSH OF THE AMENDMENT DEADLINE, UM, THAT WOULD COME FROM THE CITY, CITY OF DALLAS, BUT WE GO TO ALL OF OUR PRESS PARTNERS, UM, AND THEY WOULD, THEY, THEY WOULD HAVE THE OPTION OF, OF RUNNING THAT AS A STORY.
UM, SO AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH, WITH THEM.
IN ADDITION, WE WE'RE MEETING WITH SOME DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS, UM, CHAMBERS, UH, CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE EX UM, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF COMMISSIONERS BEING ASKED TO, UM, PRESENT AT THOSE.
UM, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE THOSE TO THE COMMISSION AS THEY COME THROUGH TO, TO SEE IF WE CAN, UH, ENGAGE WITH MORE OF THOSE KINDS OF GROUPS.
UM, I BELIEVE THERE'S, THERE'S TWO OR THREE MORE CHAMBERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN, IN HOSTING COMMISSIONERS OVER THE NEXT, UM, NEXT MONTH OR TWO.
I, I WANNA GO BACK REALLY? ARE YOU, ARE YOU, I WANNA GO BACK REALLY QUICK.
WAS THAT A MOTION COMMISSIONER SISE? YES.
'CAUSE I DID SECOND, THERE WAS A MOTION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON COMMISSIONER SOLE'S MOTION FOR THE 19TH? OKAY.
I GUESS I WAS GONNA ASK, THIS IS MAYBE A, IS THERE A, I I WANT TO, I GUESS, EMPHASIZE IT, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE AS UNANIMOUS AND BUILT CONSENSUS AS POSSIBLE.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE MY, MY POINT HEARD REAL QUICK AND MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW IF THE PROCEDURE HERE WOULD BE TO OFFER AN AMENDMENT, BUT THE AMENDMENT IS GONNA BE TO GO TO THE 26TH, SO IT, YEAH, SO, UH, I JUST, I, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT HAVEN'T DONE ANY TOWN HALLS
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YET.AND WHAT I WANT DO IS MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE TOWN HALLS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND WHENEVER, UM, REPRESENTATIVE AN SPOKE BEFORE US LAST LAST WEEK, HE SAID THAT ONE OF HIS BIGGEST REGRETS WAS HAVING, HAVING THEIR PROCESS NOT BE AS TRANSPARENT AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN.
AND I JUST WANT TO AVOID ANY OF THOSE POSSIBLE PITFALLS.
AND I KNOW THAT OUR REP, OUR, I, I KNOW I, I SPOKE WITH COUNCIL PERSON, BAZ TODAY, BAULA, SORRY, NOT BAZ BAULA TODAY.
AND, UH, WE ARE TRYING TO PLAN ONE FOR THAT WEEKEND IN BETWEEN, SO THE WEEK OF THE 19TH.
UM, AND SO, UH, THAT WOULD BE OUR SECOND TOWN HALL, I THINK WOULD BE ON THE 16TH.
SO I, I JUST KIND OF WANNA LAY ALL THE CARS OUT ON THE TABLE HERE.
THE ONLY, ONLY REASON WHY I THINK THE 26TH MIGHT BE BETTER IS BECAUSE IT, WE'RE COMING OFF A HOLIDAY BREAK, AND IT GIVES US A FULL THREE WEEKS TO CONSIDER ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL, UH, SUBMISSIONS FOR THREE FULL WEEKS AFTER A HOLIDAY BREAK.
UM, COMMISSIONER, THIS IS A QUESTION FOR, UH, MR. ANDERSON AND, AND STAFF.
UM, WHEN YOU SENT AROUND THE MATERIALS AHEAD OF TIME, I NOTICED PRESENTATION THREE, AND YOU KIND OF ADDRESSED IT EARLIER, IS GONNA TOUCH ON YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW WE START VOTING NEXT CALENDAR YEAR.
DO YOU THINK THIS DISCUSSION COULD BENEFIT FROM EVERYONE SEEING THOSE MATERIALS BEFORE WE HAVE A VOTE? I, I BELIEVE IT COULD.
UM, BECAUSE, BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION IS AROUND TWO DATES THAT STRADDLE THE SECOND JANUARY, UM, MEETING OF THIS COMMISSION.
UM, AND SO WHATEVER'S DECIDED HERE WILL AFFECT HOW THAT SECOND MEETING GOES, RIGHT? UM, IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE A DEADLINE BEFORE THE SECOND MEETING, WILL, WILL, WILL KNOW THE ENTIRE BODY OF AMENDMENTS THAT YOU HAVE TO, UM, TO EVALUATE.
WHEREAS IF YOU WAIT UNTIL THE 26TH, UM, YOU MAY NOT STILL, YOU STILL MAY NOT KNOW THAT AT, AT YOUR SECOND JANUARY MEETING.
SO I, I COULD SEE THAT BEING, UM, VALUABLE.
COMMISSIONER ALISE, MR. CHAIR, JUST FOR, FOR FULL CONSIDERATION AND BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID AND TO ALLOW COMMISSION, UH, COMMISSIONERS TO ALSO THINK ABOUT WHAT WAS JUST OFFERED FROM COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL, HERE'S WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE WE DO.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING PRESSING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR VOTE PRIOR TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
I'M ACTUALLY GONNA ASK THAT WE TABLE THIS ITEM AND THAT WE PICK THE MOTION BACK UP OFF THE TABLE AFTER WE FINISH THIS PRESENTATION FROM JAMES.
YOU WANT IS FINE WITH THAT OBJECT? OBJECT AS LONG AS YOU ON VIRTUALLY FINE.
WHAT TIME IS IT NOW? I MEAN, I, I MEAN, I'M, IT'S UP TO THE WILL OF THE BODY.
YOU WANT HIM TO DO IT REALLY QUICK? ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD, JAKE.
SO, UH, LINLEY, IF WE CAN PULL UP THE, UH, NEXT STEPS FOR THE CHARTER AMENDMENT REVIEW PROCESS.
UM, THIS IS A BRIEFING ITEM, UM, WE'VE WORKED ON IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ATTORNEYS AND WITH THE CHAIR.
UM, AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF FILLING IN, UM, THE STRATEGY THAT WE HAVE FOR, FOR MOVING INTO JANUARY.
SO, UM, ON SLIDE TWO, UM, YOU'LL SEE JUST THE AMENDMENT REVIEW FILTERS.
THESE WERE THE THINGS THAT CHAIRMAN AND SHE HAD TALKED ABOUT DURING HIS TIME.
UM, AND JUST TAKE A BRIEF LOOK AT THAT.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE DIVIDING EVERYTHING INTO POLICY, OPERATIONAL AND TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.
UM, BUT HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT FILTERS TO AMENDMENTS.
UM, THAT, THAT YOU CAN APPLY PRIOR TO REVIEW IN JANUARY THAT CAN HELP INFORM, UH, WHAT YOU WANNA DO AS A BODY.
SO WHETHER OR NOT IT COULD RESULT IN LITIGATION OR POTENTIALLY AVOID LITIGATION FOR THE CITY, UM, BY CHANGING THE CHARTER IS ONE FILTER.
UM, WHETHER IT WOULD BE BETTER SERVED THROUGH A CODE REVISION RATHER THAN A CHARTER AMENDMENT, UM, IS ANOTHER FILTER.
AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S SIMPLE AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND BY VOTERS, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, AND MR. AN CHI, UH, DISCUSSED, UM, BEING, BEING THREE, THREE ITEMS THAT THEY WERE CONSIDERING IN 2014.
UM, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UM, SPACE FOR ON OUR SUGGESTED AMENDMENT LIST.
SO IF YOU OPEN UP THE DOCUMENT, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE THAT READY TO BE FILLED IN, ALTHOUGH THAT HAS NOT STARTED YET.
UM, BUT THAT IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU AS YOU'RE, UH, EVALUATING AMENDMENTS.
SO, UH, IF YOU GO TO SLIDE THREE THERE, LINLEY.
UM, SO WHICH, WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND WHAT WE WANNA ASK OF YOU TONIGHT IS TO THINK ABOUT WHAT SOME, WHAT SUBMITTED AMENDMENTS YOU DO NOT WISH TO ENGAGE WITH FURTHER.
BUT WHAT WE REALLY ARE ASKING FOR IS PROCESS, UM, SUGGESTIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE SUGGESTING, UM, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CHAIR AND THE ATTORNEYS, UM, THAT THE COMMISSIONERS REVIEW THE LIST, UM, AS IT AS IT STANDS, UM, PROBABLY ON, ON DECEMBER 15TH FOR THE FIRST ROUND.
UM, AND INDIVIDUALLY SUBMIT YOUR PREFERENCES FOR WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE MOVE FORWARD.
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OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS WILL TALLY UP WHICH AMENDMENTS RECEIVE THE MOST INTEREST BY SIMPLE MAJORITY, UM, AND REPORT BACK TO THE CHAIR AND COMMISSION WHAT AMENDMENTS THE BODY MOST WANTS TO TAKE UP.UM, THE CHAIR CAN REVIEW AND APPROVE THE LIST FOR CONSIDERATION BASED ON YOUR FEEDBACK AND AMENDMENTS, WHICH ARE ADVANCED, WILL THEN BE ADDED TO A PUBLIC SCHEDULE FOR SPRING CONSIDERATION.
UM, SO ON SLIDE FOUR, UM, YOU, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE, WE WOULD BASICALLY SEND OUT THE, THE LIST AS YOU NORMALLY GET IT, BUT WITH A, A COLUMN OF WHETHER OR NOT THE COMMISSION WISHES TO ENGAGE FURTHER, YOU COULD JUST SAY YES OR NO, UM, UH, WHICH OF, AS FAR AS WHICH SUBMITTED AMENDMENT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, IN CONTINUING TO, UM, ENGAGE WITH.
BUT I, I WOULD, I WOULD SAY AND SUGGEST THAT MARKING NO SHOULD ON AN AMENDMENT SHOULD ONLY BE DONE IF YOU ARE POSITIVE THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT OR THINK THE COMMISSION SHOULD ENGAGE IN.
SO, AMENDMENTS, THAT'S, THAT'S ONE I THINK THOSE FILTERS WOULD APPLY BEST IS AMENDMENTS THAT ARE NOT TRULY CHARTER AMENDMENTS, BUT RATHER CODE AMENDMENTS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT SAY NO TO, UM, OR AMENDMENTS THAT YOU, THAT YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE, UM, NEED TO BE IN FRONT OF THIS BODY FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR A PERSONAL POLICY REASON, WHATEVER YOUR REASON IS, I WOULD JUST ADVISE THAT A NO VOTE BE SOMETHING THAT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT CERTAIN.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I WANNA SEE.
IF YOU ARE UNDECIDED OR YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION, UM, WE WOULD ADVISE THAT YOU MARK YES, UM, WHICH IS IN NO WAY SAYING YOU SUPPORT A GIVEN AMENDMENT, BUT JUST THAT IT, IT WOULD THEN HELP US ENSURE THAT WE GOT THE AMENDMENTS IN FRONT OF YOU.
THAT WOULD BE A GOOD USE OF YOUR TIME.
SO ON SLIDE FIVE, UM, YOU SEE THE MEETING SCHEDULE, UM, JANUARY 11TH IS A THURSDAY, IT IS OUR FIRST MEETING BACK.
UM, WE WOULD BEGIN THERE TAKING UP TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.
UM, IF THE, UH, DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTED AMENDMENTS IS PUSHED BACK THERE, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WE WOULD GET SOME TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS AFTER THAT DATE, BUT WE COULD ALWAYS ADD THOSE TO A FUTURE, UM, UH, UH, MEETING DATE.
UM, FOR THE 23RD, WE COULD ADD ANY OTHER TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS THAT CAME THROUGH AND THEN MOVE ON TO OPERATIONAL AMENDMENTS, POTENTIALLY.
UM, CONTINUING OPERATIONAL AMENDMENTS THROUGH FEBRUARY 6TH AND MOVING ON TO POLICY AMENDMENTS, UM, OVER THE NEXT TWO TO THREE MEETINGS, UH, WITH THE 26TH AND THE SECOND, ALSO HAVING TIME FOR THE DRAFT REPORT, UM, AS, UH, AS I MENTIONED CHAIR, CHAIR VASS.
UM, THE GOAL, UH, AS HE STATED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS, THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, UM, IS TO HAVE THE FINAL REPORT ADOPTED IN APRIL, UM, SO THAT IT CAN BE SUBMITTED TO THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL AT THE BEGINNING OF MAY.
UM, AND THIS DOES NOT REFLECT TOWN HALLS THAT I KNOW WILL ALSO BE HELD, UM, IN THE SPRING, BOTH TO RECEIVE INPUT ON POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS, BUT THEN TO BRING THE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING OUT TO, UM, YOUR OUT TO CONSTITUENTS TO, TO HEAR FROM THEM, UM, AS FAR AS WHAT YOU WANNA DO.
SO, UM, UH, LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I COVERED EVERY POINT.
SO I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEND OUT A FINAL LIST OF ALL AMENDMENTS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO US BY DECEMBER 15TH, UM, TO YOU, TO YOU ALL, SO YOU CAN BEGIN THAT WORK.
UM, THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE PROBABLY A SECOND ROUND OF GOING THROUGH AND MARKING WHAT, WHAT'S, UH, WHAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ONCE THAT JANUARY DEADLINE PASSES.
UM, BUT WE WOULD AT LEAST HAVE A STARTING POINT WITH THE CURRENT, YOU KNOW, 50 OR SO AMENDMENTS THAT WE WILL, THAT WE WILL HAVE BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE CHAIR.
ALRIGHT, DISCUSSION, MR. YOUNG? UH, YES, I THINK YOU'VE GOT A, A VERY GOOD PLAN IN PLACE.
THE ONE THING I WOULD RAISE IS THE LIST OF AMENDMENTS THAT, FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER ARE NOT GOING TO BE GIVEN FULL CONSIDERATION.
I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE IN CHAIR VAUGHT AND SUSPECT THAT HIS TAKE ON THAT WOULD BE VERY SIMILAR TO, IF NOT IDENTICAL TO MINE, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE A BETTER PROCESS IF THE CHAIR MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COMMISSION ON THAT SUBJECT AND THAT ON JANUARY 11 WE VOTED WITH OR WITHOUT AMENDMENTS TO APPROVE THE CHAIR'S LIST.
I, UM, WE, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO THAT.
THAT WAY IF IT'S THE COMMISSION'S, UM, THE COMMISSION'S WILL, AND I CAN TALK TO CHAIR BOT ABOUT IT AFTER THIS MEETING AS WELL.
FURTHER DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION.
I, UH, COMMISSIONER, I JUST, I JUST WANNA KNOW WHY, I MEAN, MR. CHAIR, I JUST WANNA KNOW WHY, WHY DO WE, WHY DO WE WANT THE CHAIR TO DO THAT INSTEAD OF US DISCUSSING IT? WELL, UM, I'M NOW, I, MY PROPOSAL IS THAT WE DISCUSS IT.
I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THE CHAIR'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
BUT THAT WE COULD, COULD SAY, WELL, NUMBER 62 REALLY IS IMPORTANT AND WE OUGHT TO REINSTATE IT.
OR NUMBER 46 IS NOT ON YOUR LIST, BUT I REALLY THINK IT'S CODE AMENDMENT.
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SO, SO CHAIR UN, UNLESS THERE'S ANY FURTHER, I I, I CAN PLAN TO BRING THAT BACK TO CHAIR BOTS AND, UM, AND WORK, WORK BASED OFF THAT SUGGESTION FOR JANUARY 11TH.SO BA I MEAN, I'M, I'M OKAY WITH THAT SUGGESTION, BUT HE'LL SEE, OR HE'LL GET A LIST OF ALL OF OUR WORK THAT WE'VE DONE.
IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN? RIGHT? IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT YOU GUYS MEAN, WHERE HE'S STILL GONNA GET THAT, LIKE, WE'RE GONNA GET THE 50 AMENDMENTS, OR WE'RE GONNA GET TO HAVE OUR INPUT, YES OR NO, HAND THAT TO THE COMMISSIONER, I MEAN TO THE CHAIR, AND THEN HE'LL, HE'LL KIND OF DECIDE FROM OUR RECOMMENDATIONS OR OUR SHEETS AND THEN COME UP WITH THE LIST HIMSELF.
IS THAT WHAT, IS THAT WHAT I'M GETTING AT? OR? NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE.
UH, THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH MY REMARKS.
THIS IS NOTICE FOR BRIEFING ONLY, UH, IS THE CONCEPT THAT THE CHAIR WOULD MAKE THE FINAL DECISION ON THIS ITEM? THAT IS CORRECT.
ARE WE GOING BACK TO THE SECOND, OR WAS THE FIRST BRIEFING? I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT NOW.
THE FIRST BRIEFING ON THE CALENDAR MINUTE.
SO, DOES ANYONE HAVE A MOTION? I WANT, I GOT A QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER STEIN, MY QUESTION IS, UH, I'M NOT QUITE UNDERSTANDING.
SO THE CHAIR WILL MAKE THE FINAL DECISION ON WHAT AMENDMENTS WILL GO FORWARD, RIGHT? NOT UNDER, NOT UNDER MY SUGGESTION.
WE WOULD MAKE THAT DECISION ON JANUARY 11TH.
WE WILL LOOK AT EVERY AMENDMENT THEN, RIGHT? WELL, WE, WE WOULD LOOK AT THE CHAIR'S LIST OF AMENDMENTS TO BE NOT CONSIDERED AND EITHER AGREE WITH IT COMPLETELY OR DISAGREE WITH IT COMPLETELY, OR AGREE WITH SOME OF IT AND AMEND OTHER PARTS.
BUT THAT THE FINAL DECISION ON THAT WOULD BE BY THE COMMISSION.
BUT EVERY AMENDMENT WILL BE LOOKED AT, WELL LOOKED AT AS TO WHETHER WE SHOULD TAKE IT UP FURTHER.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
EXCEPT FOR THE ONES THAT ARE WITHDRAWN BY THE APPLICANT.
SO DOES HE, OKAY, WE'RE BACK ON BRIEFING ONE.
DO WE HAVE A COMMISSIONER LOWER? YES, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, COMMISSIONER YOUNG, WITH THAT, WOULD THE, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION HAVE ACCESS TO THE NUMBER OF VOTES THAT, THAT THE DIFFERENT AMENDMENTS RECEIVED? IS YES OR NO? JUST, JUST TO KNOW THE, THE, I INITIALLY THE PLAN WOULD, WOULD BE YES, TO HAVE THE NUMBERS.
WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY RECORD WHO VOTES WHAT, BUT I, I WOULD FURNISH JUST THE, YOU KNOW, NINE COMMISSIONERS WANTED TO SEE THIS ADVANCED.
UM, AND THEN IF THERE WAS FURTHER QUESTIONS, WE COULD PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME IDEA OF THE WEIGHT THAT WENT INTO THOSE VOTES.
UM, COMMISSIONERS DO STEIN, I GOT ONE MORE QUESTION.
UH, WILL EACH ONE THAT'S REFUSED OR NOT LOOKED AT? WELL, WE HAVE A, A REASON WHY, YOU KNOW, POSTED THERE WITH IT FOR THE PERSON THAT PUT THE AMENDMENT IN OR KNOW WHY WE REJECTED OR OVERLOOK IT OR WHATEVER WE DO WITH IT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY ENTITLED WITH SOME KIND OF COMMENT.
WOULD IT BE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WHAT WHAT WE COULD DO IS, UM, I CAN WORK WITH THE CHAIR TO, TO STRUCTURE THAT REPORT BACK TO THE COMMISSION, UM, SO THAT THERE'S A MAYBE A REASON LISTED AS TO WHY, UM, HE RECOMMENDS NOT ADVANCING IT.
UM, AND THEN IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION AROUND THAT REASON, UM, OR YOU WANT TO AMEND THE REASON FOR THAT, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING, SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO DO AT THAT JANUARY 11TH MEETING.
UM, WOULD TO BE CLEAR, MOST OF THESE AS I THINK I UNDERSTAND, IT WOULD BE THEY DON'T BELONG IN THE CHARTER OR THEY ALREADY ARE COVERED IN THE CHARTER.
THEY WON'T BE THE, I WOULD GUESS THE HOT BUTTON ISSUES THAT WE ALL CARE ABOUT AT THE HORSESHOE.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING BEING THROWN OUT ON THIS JANUARY 11TH OR, OR THE 26TH, WHATEVER DATE IS LIKE, JUST THAT WE DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT ANYMORE.
I THINK IDEALLY, THIS, THIS IS JUST A, SO I THINK INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO, WHAT WE'RE REALLY VOTING ON WILL BE REALLY IMPORTANT.
I, I DO THINK THAT IDEALLY THIS IS JUST A FILTER TO SAY, UM, THAT THESE ARE JUST NOT, NOT CHARTER AMENDMENTS OR NOT THINGS THAT THE BODY SHOULD SPEND.
ITS TIME, IT'S VALUABLE AND SHORT TIME, UM, ON AND, UM, THE, THE FOLLOWING MEETINGS WHERE WE HAVE AMENDMENTS SCHEDULED IS REALLY THE TIME TO, TO LITIGATE THOSE AND TO JUST DETERMINE THAT THE MERITS OF A, OF AN AMENDMENT, THIS IS REALLY MORE ABOUT WHETHER OR
[00:35:01]
NOT IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE BODY.FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO, DOES ANYONE HAVE A MOTION ABOUT WHAT DATE THE DEADLINE IS? I, MR. CHAIR? I'D MOVE, UH, AFTER HEARING THE PRESENTATION, IT'S HELPFUL.
I DO UNDERSTAND WHERE COMMISSIONER UH, CAMPBELL IS COMING FROM.
THERE ARE TWO WORDS THAT YOU JUST SAID, WHICH IS VALUABLE AND SHORT.
AND AS I LOOK AT THE TIMELINE OF JUST THE AMENDMENT PROCESS, THIS IS AN EXTREME.
IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF WORK, AND WE HAVE A VERY LIMITED TIMEFRAME COMING OUTTA THE BREAK.
SO I'D LIKE TO KEEP THE MOTION THAT I MADE, WHICH WAS, AND I'LL MOVE, MOVE IT AGAIN TO, UH, EXTEND THE CALENDAR FOR AMENDMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED WITH FRIDAY, JANUARY THE 19TH BEING THE DEADLINE FOR AMENDMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED.
SO, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR JANUARY 19TH.
ANY DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UM, WE ARE, SO WE MOVED AROUND.
YEAH, I BELIEVE WE'RE ON THE MISSION STATEMENT NOW.
SO OUR NEXT ITEM, WE WILL CONTINUE AND DISCUSS FROM LAST WEEK THAT A THAT OF A MISSION STATEMENT FOR THE COMMISSION ITSELF, FOR WHETHER OR NOT WE'D LIKE TO ADOPT ONE, UH, STAFF HAS COME BACK WITH SOME CLARIFICATIONS AND EDITS ON THE FEEDBACK RECEIVED LAST WEEK AND TAKE A OVER JAKE.
SO, UH, THIRD, THIRD BRIEFING.
NOW, UM, WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE MISSION STATEMENT THAT, UH, WAS BROUGHT UP TO THE COMMISSION LAST WEEK.
SO, LINLEY, IF YOU'D GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, WE'RE BRIEFLY GONNA REVISIT WHY THIS MIGHT BE A STEP THE COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO TAKE, BUT, UH, I DO WANNA REFRAME IT.
I THINK LAST WEEK, UM, COMMISSIONER LEMASTER GAVE FEEDBACK THAT, UM, THE V YOU KNOW, VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT ARE DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, THEY MEET, THEY, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE, UH, PHRASES.
AND I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, I USED THEM INTER INTERCHANGEABLY AND THAT CREATED SOME CONFUSION.
SO I, I WANNA CLARIFY THAT QUICKLY.
UM, AND, UH, JUST NOTE THAT I'VE RECEIVED THAT AND INCORPORATED THAT INTO WHAT WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT.
UM, SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, WHY A MISSION STATEMENT? AGAIN, THERE, THERE WAS SOME GUIDANCE THAT CAME FROM SOME OF THE EXPERTS THAT WE TALKED TO, UM, INTERNATIONAL, UH, CITY AND COUNTY COUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE ADVISE HAVING SOME SORT OF OVERARCHING, UM, GOAL THAT YOU'RE WORKING TOWARDS.
UM, HOWEVER, THAT THEY HAD NOT SEEN IT FRAMED AS A MISSION STATEMENT.
SO THIS, THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S, UM, WE'RE NOT AWARE OF OTHER CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSIONS, UM, ACROSS THE COUNTRY DOING.
UM, BUT, UH, JUST A WAY OF APPROACHING IT, UM, AND ESTABLISHING A FRAMEWORK THROUGH WHICH TO VIEW SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS, UM, AND CREATING A DEFINABLE AND MEASURABLE GOAL.
SO, AS AN EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE EVALUATING AN AMENDMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, REGARDING COUNCIL TERM LENGTHS, UM, YOU COULD COMPARE IT TO THE, THE MISSION STATEMENT AND SAY, AND OUR MISSION STATEMENT SAYS X, Y, Z DOES, DOES THIS, UM, AMENDMENT GET US CLOSER TO MEETING X, Y, Z? UM, SO THEN ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, A MISSION VERSUS A VISION STATEMENT, UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE, WE, THESE ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE TERMS, I THINK WE USED THEM INTERCHANGEABLY.
AND I, I'D, I'D JUST LIKE TO CLARIFY.
WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD A MISSION STATEMENT RATHER THAN A VISION STATEMENT.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET TOWARDS, UH, THE COMMISSION'S REASON FOR EXISTENCE AND DESCRIBE ITS PURPOSE, INTENTION, AND OVERALL OBJECTIVES, UM, BY DOING THIS.
UM, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A PROPOSED MISSION STATEMENT.
UM, I PROPOSED IT BASED ON THE, THE CORE VALUES OF THE CITY, UM, AND CITY STAFF THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED, THE FIVE ES, IF YOU WILL.
UM, AND I'VE UPDATED THIS PROPOSAL TO REFLECT TWO BITS OF FEEDBACK.
UM, THE FIRST WAS THAT SOME LANGUAGE WAS UNCLEAR.
UM, I BELIEVE IT ORIGINALLY SAID, USE THE PHRASE CENTER EQUITY.
UM, AND, UH, THAT'S BEEN CHANGED TO PRIORITIZING EQUITY.
UM, AND THE SECOND PIECE OF FEEDBACK WAS THAT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND, UM, TRANSPARENCY WERE NOT AT THE FOREFRONT, BUT WHAT MAYBE SHOULD BE, UM, SO THIS IS THE EDIT I PUT FOR YOU, PUT FORWARD BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, UM, HAVING ATTEMPTED TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS, UM, WHICH WOULD BE THAT THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION'S MISSION IS TO EVALUATE AND AMEND THE CITY CHARTER IN WAYS THAT INCREASE EXCELLENCE WITHIN THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, PRIORITIZE EQUITY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, AND STRENGTHEN DALLAS DALLAS'S COMMITMENT TO ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY.
UM, ALTERNATIVELY, YOU ALSO SAW KIND OF A, A, A MORE GENERAL MISSION STATEMENT, UM, THAT RELATES TO, UM, USING CITY CHARTER TO ADDRESS ORGANIZATION POWERS AND FUNCTIONS AND ESSENTIAL PROCEDURES OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
UM, AND THAT REMAINS AN OPTION.
UM, AND IT'S MEANT TO SERVE AS KINDA A, A BASE FOR YOU TO WORK FROM.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER THIS MISSION STATEMENT WAS EVEN NECESSARY, UM,
[00:40:01]
OR FRUITFUL AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS.UM, WE WERE DIRECTED TO KEEP IT ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS WEEK IN CASE THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED TO, UM, TO CONSIDER, EVALUATE, AMEND.
UM, AND SO THE, THESE TWO OPTIONS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE THE END ALL BE ALL, BUT RATHER JUST A BASELINE FOR YOU TO WORK OFF OF IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU DECIDE TO DO.
BUT THIS IS ALSO NOW THE CHANCE TO SAY WE DON'T WANT A MISSION STATEMENT AND, UM, GET THAT OFF, GET THAT OFF THE TABLE OR TO, UM, TO WORK ON A MISSION STATEMENT SO THAT, THAT YOU HAVE ONE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO WITH THAT CHAIR, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU.
ALRIGHT, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT, UM, DISCUSSION.
I, I, I THINK WE MIGHT, IF, IF WE WANT TO IN, I, I, I THINK OUR DIRECTION WAS TO TALK TO THE CHAIRMAN AND SEE WHAT HE HAD IN MIND.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT HAPPENED OR NOT, BUT IT'S, IF, IF, IF WHAT WE WANNA DO IS COME UP WITH A LIST OF QUESTIONS TO MEASURE OUR DECISION BY AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I THINK, I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME OBVIOUS QUESTIONS THAT COULD BE, I, I THINK GUIDEPOSTS FOR US.
UH, AND NUMBER ONE, NO, NO, NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, DOES THIS CONTRIBUTE TO GOOD GOVERNANCE FOR DALLAS? THAT WOULD BE ONE.
UH, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO COME UP WITH A LIST OF QUESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION IF WE FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO DO THIS.
I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER YOUNG WAS PRETTY ADAMANT ABOUT WE DON'T NEED TO DO THIS.
AND SO I DON'T, I I DON'T KNOW, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, UH, CHAIRMAN SAID, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE COMMISSION, I DON'T, I THINK IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO HAVE A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE ON THAT HOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE DECISIONS THAT STRIKES ME AS A GOOD IDEA.
AND JUST TO RESPOND TO, UM, YOUR QUESTION REGARDING THE CHAIR, UM, I KNOW THAT THE CHAIR WAS THE ONE WHO, WHO DIRECTED US INITIALLY, UM, TOWARDS A MISSION STATEMENT.
I THINK, I THINK THE SPIRIT OF IT, UM, AND I'M, UH, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK TOO FAR FOR HIM TONIGHT.
I DO BELIEVE THE SPIRIT OF IT WAS TO HAVE SOME SORT OF GUIDEPOST, BUT I, I'M, UH, I'M NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT HE WANTS IT TO BE A MISSION STATEMENT OR JUST HAVE THOSE GENERALLY, UM, ULTIMATELY TONIGHT THAT'S, THAT'S FOR YOU ALL TO DECIDE THE PEOPLE SITTING AT THIS HORSESHOE NOW, UM, AND ONLINE NOW.
UM, BUT I, I DO BELIEVE THAT, THAT THE SPIRIT OF IT WAS TO FIND, TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
SO YOU DID NOT, WERE NOT ABLE TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT THIS PART ISSUE.
WE, WE, WE DISCUSSED A MISSION STATEMENT, UM, AND WHETHER, WHETHER OR NOT HE WOULD LIKE ONE, UM, PRIOR TO LAST WEEK'S MEETING.
SO I, I WOULD JUST SAY I THINK WE ALL HAVE CERTAIN GIFTS AROUND THIS HORSESHOE AND I THINK, UM, COMMISSIONER LEMASTER HAS A SPECIFIC EXPERTISE IN THIS SPACE, AND I WOULD CERTAINLY DEFER TO HER, AND I'M HAPPY TO HELP WITH A LIST OF QUESTIONS.
I THINK SOME OF THAT FRAMEWORK IS GOOD.
AND I'LL JUST REITERATE WHAT I SAID LAST TIME, IS I THINK THE BENEFIT OF A MISSION STATEMENT IS ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE IT.
I, I DON'T INCUR LOVE ANY OF THESE OPTIONS, AND I FEEL PARTIALLY THAT IT'S MAYBE NOT THE BEST USE OF TIME, UM, TO DO IT.
SO I'M, I'M PROBABLY NOT IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THE MISSION STATEMENT AT THIS TIME.
HOWEVER, I'D LOVE TO WORK WITH ANYBODY AS WE MOVE FORWARD ABOUT THOSE KIND OF THRESHOLD QUESTIONS THAT MAY BE HELPFUL AS WE PROCESS THROUGH THESE THINGS THAT WE'RE ALL KIND OF BUYING INTO, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO, UM, REPRESENTATIVE CIA KIND OF FIGURING OUT HOW WE COME TOGETHER ON THESE THINGS AND MAKE IT WORK.
I'D LIKE TO SECOND WHAT COMMISSIONER MAGOO SAID.
I, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO THAT SPENDING A LOT OF TIME CRAFTING A STATEMENT MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST USE OF OUR TIME, BUT I DO THINK SOME OF WHAT'S IN THE, THE MORE GENERALIZED OPTION TOO, ARE THE SORT OF, THE GOALS WE'RE LOOKING AT GOOD GOVERNANCE, UH, MORE EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN WHAT WE DO AND TO BETTER SERVE OUR RESIDENTS.
SO MY 2 CENTS WORTH, OKAY, YOU GET TO BE COMMITTEE TOO.
ANYONE ELSE? OH, COMMISSIONER.
YOUR LIGHT ON, YOUR LIGHT'S ON.
I I THOUGHT SOMEBODY ELSE HAD CUT THEIRS ON.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE PURPOSE OF THE MISSION STATEMENT, IT SAYS EMPATHY, ETHICS, EXCELLENCE, ENGAGEMENT AND EQUITY.
AND THAT'S THE GOAL OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TRY TO WORK TOWARDS.
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVING A PROBLEM, UH, MAKING THAT STATEMENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT DIVIDE, UH, WITH MY COMMUNITIES AND OTHER COMMUNITIES.
[00:45:01]
SEEMS TO BE, WHEN IT COME DOWN TO EQUALITY, OPPORTUNITY AND, UH, FAIRNESS.AND I KIND OF DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T MAKE A THIS EVEN COME UP WITH, AS US AS A GROUP COME UP WITH EVEN A SIMPLE STATEMENT, A A MISSION STATEMENT ON WHAT ARE WE HERE FOR, UH, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? YOU KNOW, UH, I KNOW THIS IS MOSTLY OF A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON.
WE WANT TO CHANGE THE ELECTION, UH, DATES AND, UH, THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK ABOUT POWER, MORE POWER TO THE MAYOR AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT, UH, IF WE DON'T MAKE A STATEMENT, WHAT DO THEY SAY TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE, WE WON'T MAKE A STATEMENT ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND WE JUST, JUST TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
OR WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? I'D LIKE TO HEAR SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO SINCE WE CAN'T MAKE A SIMPLE STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.
DON'T HAVE THE EDUCATION BACKGROUND.
I DON'T HAVE A LAWYER'S DEGREE.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN, UH, I'M 69 YEARS OLD.
I DONE SEEN A LOT OF THINGS GO ON, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A 800 POUND GO, REALLY IN THE ROOM THAT DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT, DON'T WANNA MENTION IT, DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS IT.
BUT YET STILL, WE COME TOGETHER AND SAY, WE GOING TO WORK IT OUT AND GET SOME LAWS, YOU KNOW, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
UH, SEE THAT I'M ONE, UH, WHAT IS IT? THREE FIFTHS OF A HUMAN BEING.
I DO MY BEST, BUT I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHAT, IS IT GOING TO HURT TO MAKE A STATEMENT OR WHY IS IT SO HARD TO SIT DOWN AND SAY, WELL, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
'CAUSE I ALREADY KNOW WHAT I'M TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS.
I WANNA SEE LITTLE BLACK KIDS, LITTLE HISPANIC KIDS HAVE A FAIR CHANCE IN THIS CITY.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW Y'ALL PROBABLY SEEN ON THE NEWS WHERE CRAIG WATKINS PASSED TODAY AND HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, BLACK DISTRICT ATTORNEYS IN TEXAS AND TEXAS IS, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS OLD, YOU KNOW, SO, AND I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE THE FIRST MISSION STATEMENT, IF I'M NOT MISUNDERSTANDING.
OTHER PEOPLE OPT OUT OF MAKING MISSION STATEMENTS.
IS THAT TRUE? UH, TO, TO OUR KNOWLEDGE.
UM, CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UM, SOME OF THEM, I, I GAVE SOME EXAMPLES LAST WEEK.
SOME OF THEM ADOPT SOME SORT OF GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UM, WHICH I BELIEVE IS KIND OF THE, THE GOAL WITH THE MISSION STATEMENT.
UM, BUT NONE OF, NONE OF THEM THAT WE'VE SEEN HAVE ADOPTED A MISSION STATEMENT PER SE.
UM, THEY'VE ADOPTED, IF MY, THE EXAMPLE THAT I REMEMBER FROM LAST WEEK WAS THE CITY OF PORTLAND ADOPTED SOME, UM, AGREEMENTS.
SO THEY ADOPTED AN AGREEMENT ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD, UM, CONDUCT THEMSELVES, UH, WITH EACH OTHER, UM, AND WHAT SORT OF THINGS THEY WERE, THERE WAS A LIST OF ITEMS THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IN THEIR CHARTER REVIEW.
IS MY TIME UP, BUT DO I HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES? GO AHEAD.
OH, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK SOME OF Y'ALL KNOW IN HERE ABOUT THE VOTE THAT THEY TOOK, UH, I FORGET WHAT DAY, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, TO PUT A WAREHOUSE OVER ON WHEATLAND ROAD IN THE NO TRUCK ZONE, AND THE PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY DIDN'T WANT IT.
BUT AS I GO BACK AND STATE AGAIN, A PANEL OF ALL EIGHT WHITE MEN MADE THAT DECISION.
NO WOMEN, NO HISPANICS, JUST EIGHT WHITE MEN MADE A DECISION THAT THEY GONNA PUT A WAREHOUSE THERE.
AND THEY, THEY STATEMENT WAS, WE KNOW IT'S NOT RIGHT, BUT WE GOING TO DO IT.
SO MY STATEMENT IS, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO START DOING WHAT'S RIGHT? BECAUSE I SIT THERE FROM 11 O'CLOCK TO 16 IN THAT MEETING AND WATCH THOSE SPEAKERS SPEAK AND BEG THOSE PEOPLE NOT TO DO THIS.
AND MOST OF THE PANEL, BUT ALL THE PANEL WAS ENGINEERS, AND THEY SAID THAT WE KNOW
[00:50:01]
IT'S NOT GOING TO FIT OUR EDUCATION.REALLY, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, IS SAYING, THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT WE GOING TO DO IT.
TO ME, THAT WAS A MISSION STATEMENT.
THEY'RE SAYING, WE GOING TO DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN YOUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE CAN DO IT.
I TAKE OFFENSE TO THAT WHEN WE STRUGGLE TO GET OUR PIECE OF THE PIE TO GET OUR STREETS FIXED, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG THING ABOUT DECK PARKS.
THEY BUILDING DECK PARKS WHERE WE GETTING DECKED, OUR SIDEWALKS, OUR STREETS.
WE HAD TO FIGHT TO GET OUR SCHOOLS REMODELED.
NOT NEW SCHOOLS, BUT REMODELED SCHOOLS.
SO WHEN I LOOK AT THIS EMPATHY, ETHICS, EXCELLENCE, ENGAGEMENT AND EQUITY, THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE COME OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE HERE.
ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION? NOPE.
I'M JUST NOT SURE WHERE TO TAKE IT HERE.
THAT, UH, NO ONE HAS A MOTION.
NO ONE, I MEAN, I, I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
COMMISSIONER STEIN, I THINK WE DO HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT FIGHTS WE'RE GONNA FIGHT.
I JUST AM ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT, WHAT IS THE ROLE OR WHAT, UH, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO PUT IT, BUT THE, THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION'S JOB IS TO MAKE CHANGES IN THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OR THE, UH, THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE, WHAT ELSE OF THE CITY TO MAKE IT RUN BETTER RUN.
AND I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I, I WANNA KEEP LISTING.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGES THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
MAYBE, MAYBE IT'S, UH, CHANGES ON THE MAKEUP OF THE COMMISSIONS OR MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I THINK LET'S KEEP THE IDEAS ON THE TABLE.
I DON'T KNOW WHO APPOINT, WHO APPOINTED THAT COMMISSION.
SO WAS IT A COMMISSION OR A BOARD? IT WAS A BOARD, RIGHT? IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS APPEAL BOARD.
WHAT? I THINK IT WAS A BOARD APPEAL.
THE APPEALS BOARD THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT MADE THE DECISION THAT YOU DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE TRUCKS.
WHAT WILL YOU SAY ABOUT THEM? I'M, YEAH, I SAYING I DON'T KNOW WHO APPOINTS THAT GROUP, BUT LET'S LOOK AT IT, RIGHT? I'M SAYING, BUT DO WE HAVE A CHANCE TO CORRECT THAT KIND OF THING FROM HAPPENING, WHATEVER CAUSED, I MEAN, THE MAY OR WE MAY NOT IN TERMS OF WHAT THE JOB, THE ROLE IS OF THE COMMISSION, AND I, I JUST, I DON'T KNOW HOW, HOW TO ADDRESS IT EXCEPT TO SAY, WELL, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO CORRECT IT.
I'M SAYING THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR IS TO CORRECT THINGS IN THE, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO EVEN TOUCH THAT
WELL, I'M JUST SAYING AT THIS POINT THAT WE CAN'T EVEN MAKE A STATEMENT.
I'M, I'M ASKING YOU TO MAKE A STATEMENT, NOT ASKING YOU TO CHANGE THE LAWS OR WHO, WHO SET THIS COMMITTEE OR THIS APPELLATE BOARD.
AND I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO CHANGE THAT.
I'M ASKING YOU TO LOOK AT IT, BUT TO KNOW THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR ARE, SEE, THE FIRST THING I, IRENE TELL ME HOW TO FIX THAT IN THE GOVERNANCE PIECE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
LET'S, LET'S, THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO KNOW, BUT I'M JUST SAYING I'M WIDE OPEN, BUT TELL ME HOW TO, TELL ME HOW TO FIX IT WITH WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
I'M NOT SAYING IT IS YOUR FAULT.
OH, NO, I MEANT WE COLLECTIVELY, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU.
I MEANT ALL OF US TELL YOU HOW TO FIX IT.
I'M SAYING, I'M SAYING WHAT, HOW DOES THIS FIT INTO THE ROLE OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS TO THE COUNCIL TO PUT ON THE BALLOT FOR NEXT NOVEMBER? WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO, TO DO THE WORK, BECAUSE IT SAYS EMPATHY ETHICS.
SO EVERY EACH ONE OF THOSE HAS TO BE LOOKED AT.
ANYBODY CAN JUMP IN AND HELP ME HERE, BUT, UM, NO, I JUST, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT BOARD WAS THIS A CPC DECISION? I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WHAT YOU WERE IN.
IF, IF I MAY, I, I, I THINK PART OF, UM, WHAT COMMISSIONER STEIN IS STATING IS IT'S JUST AN ALIGNMENT HOW WE'RE GONNA OPERATE WITHIN CORE VALUES.
AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IT'S SO POSSIBLY ADOPTING THE CORE VALUES OF THE CITY OF DALLAS AS WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS OR DISCUSSING AMENDMENTS.
UM, JUST HAVING, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT GUIDING PRINCIPLES OR QUESTION, BUT JUST SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SPEAK TO IS AS WE'RE DISCUSSING AN AMENDMENT, ARE WE APPROACHING IT WITH EMPATHY, ETHICS, EXCELLENCE, ENGAGEMENT
[00:55:01]
AND EQUITY? JUST SOMETHING TO ALIGN WITH AS WE'RE DISCUSSING IS, AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY? COMMISSIONER STEIN AND I, I, I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE AN ALIGNMENT OF VALUES, AND WE, WE HAVE THEM FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE'RE DOING THIS WORK FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO, UM, I I THINK I'M IN ALIGNMENT WITH YOU IN THAT PIECE.
IS THAT HAVING SOMETHING, WE DON'T HAVE TO CREATE A MISSION STATEMENT PER SE, BUT CAN OUR CORE VALUES, AND, AND MAYBE I'M SPEAKING MYSELF INTO, UH, I MEAN MAKING A MOTION RIGHT, TO GUIDE OURSELVES THROUGH THIS, UH, CITY OF DALLAS CORE VALUES AS WE'RE, UM, DISCUSSING, AND COMMISSIONER STEIN, YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT ONE OF THE, UM, STATEMENTS THAT STAFF CAME UP WITH.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DO THAT.
I WAS ASKING IF SOMEONE NEEDED A TO, TO MAKE A MOTION.
LIKE YOU CAN, LIKE THE ONE THAT YOU READ, YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT IT IF YOU WANTED TO.
SEE IF YOU GET A SECOND AND GO AND MOVE ON FROM THERE.
I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT, UH, OPTION.
WILL YOU READ OPTION ONE, MR. STEIN, WILL YOU READ IT? I JUST READ IT.
CITY CORE VALUES, EMPATHY, ETHICS, EXCELLENCE, ENGAGEMENT AND EQUITY.
UH, AND MR. STEIN, JUST TO CLARIFY, DO YOU WANNA ADOPT JUST THOSE FIVE, THE LIST OF FIVE AS, UM, AS, AS KIND OF THE GUIDING, GUIDING PRINCIPLES OR VALUES? OR WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN ADOPTING THE STATEMENT ON THE NEXT SLIDE? UM, THAT INCORPORATES THOSE INTO, UM, A SENTENCE? THIS ONE? THAT'S THE STATEMENT THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THOSE, RIGHT? YEAH.
I WANT TO ADOPT A STATEMENT THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THEM.
DO I HAVE, WAS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, CAN COMMISSIONER, MAY I HEAR THE MOTION? MAY I HEAR THE MOTION? UH, IT'S TO ADOPT.
UM, WILL YOU READ IT, JAKE? YES, SIR.
UM, IT, IT IS TO ADOPT THE, UH, PROPOSED MISSION STATEMENT, OPTION NUMBER ONE, UM, WHICH WOULD STATE TO, TO EVALUATE AND AMEND THE CITY CHARTER IN WAYS THAT INCREASE EXCELLENCE WITHIN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, PRIORITIZE EQUITY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, AND STRENGTHEN DALLAS'S COMMITMENT TO ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THAT STATEMENT.
ANY DISCUSSION? MR. STEIN, DO YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON DISCUSSION? NO.
ANY DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TO ADOPTING THIS STATEMENT, SAY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
THE NEXT ITEM WE HAVE THE CHARTER MEMBER PROPOSAL FOR COUNCIL MAYOR COMPENSATION IS THE FINAL ITEM IS A BRIEFING BY COMMISSIONER YOUNG, PRESENTING HIS PROPOSAL TO ADJUST COUNCIL MEMBER COMPENSATION FLOOR.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
UM, THE SUBJECT OF MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMPENSATION HAS BEEN A CONTENTIOUS ONE SINCE I HAVE BEEN COMING TO CITY HALL.
I THINK MS. LEMASTER AND I, UH, ARE THE VETERANS OF THIS.
WE WERE INVOLVED IN THE CAMPAIGN IN 2001 TO ARE WE OKAY? WE'RE GOOD.
UH, TO, UH, GIVE MEANINGFUL COMPENSATION TO THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR FOR THE FIRST TIME.
PRIOR TO THAT, THE COMPENSATION FOR THE COUNCIL WAS SET AT $50 PER MEETING.
AND SINCE AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS A MEETING PRETTY MUCH EVERY WEEK, AND THAT WAS ABOUT $2,500 A YEAR.
AND THEN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UM, RULED THAT COMMITTEE MEETINGS COUNTED.
AND SO TYPICALLY, A, A COUNCIL MEMBER ATTENDED ONE COMMITTEE MEETING EACH WEEK.
SO THAT DOUBLED THE SALARY TO ROUGHLY THE PRI PRINCELY SUM OF $5,000 A YEAR.
UH, WHICH EVEN IN THOSE DAYS WAS NOT THAT MUCH.
I WAS ON THE 2004 CHARTER COMMISSION AND COULDN'T DRUM UP ANY INTEREST IN CHANGING THE, UH, PROVISION THAT WAS ADOPTED IN 2001, WHICH GAVE THE MAYOR $60,000 A YEAR, AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS 37 5, PROBABLY, UH, NOT ENOUGH TIME AND ENOUGH, UH, WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE WITH THAT SALARY LEVEL.
UH, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE, THE COMMISSION WAS NOT INTERESTED.
[01:00:01]
COMMISSION RECOMMENDED THE PROVISIONS THAT WE HAVE TODAY, UH, WHICH WAS A PHASED IN $60,000 A YEAR FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND $80,000 A YEAR FOR THE MAYOR, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE OPERATING UNDER TODAY.THIS SLIDE SHOWS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UH, LINES, WHICH I'LL EXPLAIN AS WE GO ALONG.
THE ORANGE LINE IS THE HISTORICAL COMPENSATION OF A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
YOU CAN SEE IT RISING FROM ABOUT $5,000 IN THE YEAR 2000 TO 37 5, AND THEN TO 60,000.
CURRENTLY, THE GRAY LINE IS THE SAME, UH, FOR THE MAYOR RISING INITIALLY TO 60,000, AND THEN, UH, LATER ON TO 80,000.
JUST TO PUT THE PERSPECTIVE OF INFLATION INTO THESE NUMBERS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE GREEN LINE, THIS GREEN LINE IS HOW MANY DOLLARS YOU HAD TO GET TO GET THE PURCHASING POWER THAT $60,000 HAD AS OF 2016 WHEN THE CURRENT, UH, SYSTEM WENT INTO EFFECT.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT TO GIVE $60,000 IN 20 $16 THAT HAVE THE PURCHASING POWER THAT A DOLLAR HAD IN 2016 TODAY WOULD COST ABOUT 70, UH, IT'S ABOUT $75,000.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT COUNCIL SALARIES, AND I DIDN'T PUT A SEPARATE GRAPH FOR THE MAYOR, BUT IT WOULD BE THE SAME FOR THE MAYOR.
UH, COUNCIL SALARIES AND THE MAYOR'S SALARY HAVE BEEN FAIRLY, SEVERELY ERODED BY INFLATION, UH, BECAUSE, UH, THEY'VE NOT HAD A RAISE SINCE 2016.
THE CURRENT PROVISION IN THE CHARTER SAYS THAT EFFECTIVE WITH THE JUNE, 2015 ELECTED COUNSEL, EACH MEMBER WOULD RECEIVE 60,000 AND EFFECTIVE ON THE SWEARING IN AS MAYOR OF SOMEBODY NEW, THE MAYOR WOULD RECEIVE 80,000, AND WE'LL COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT THAT.
UH, WHEN WE GET TO, UH, THE EFFECTIVE DATES, THESE ARE THE ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT HAVE LED ME TO OFFER THIS AMENDMENT.
I MENTIONED THE FIRST THAT THE FIXED SALARIES ARE ERODED BY INFLATION.
THE SECOND ITEM IS THAT A CHARTER ELECTION CHANGING COUNCIL AND MAYOR COMPENSATION IS NOT ANYBODY'S IDEA OF FUN.
IT'S NOT FUN FOR THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSIONS THAT HAVE TO CONSIDER IT.
IT'S NOT FUN FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, AND IT'S NOT FUN FOR THOSE CAMPAIGNING IN FAVOR OF IT.
AND SO JUST TO KEEP PACE WITH INFLATION UNDER THE CURRENT SYSTEM MEANS THAT EVERY 10 YEARS OR SO, WE NEED TO PUT A COUNCIL PAY INCREASE BEFORE THE VOTERS OR ELSE SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCE OF COUNCIL SALARIES BEING ERODED BY INFLATION.
AND THAT'S NOT, UH, A PLEASANT PROSPECT FOR ANYBODY THIR, UH, WOULD YOU GO BACK PLEASE? THANK YOU.
THIRDLY, UH, FIXED SALARIES HAVE NO OBJECTIVE BENCHMARK.
WHY ARE WE SETTING IT AT 60,000 INSTEAD OF 6,000 OR 600,000? WE MAY HAVE SOME IDEA OF ROUGHLY WHERE WE WANT TO LAND, BUT THAT IS NOT TIED TO ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN POINT TO OTHER THAN I THINK THAT'S A GOOD COMPROMISE NUMBER.
AND FINALLY, THE QUESTION THAT THE GREEN LINE SHOWED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE ARE THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR CURRENTLY UNDER COMPENSATED.
THEY CERTAINLY ARE RELATIVE TO WHERE THEY WERE IN 2016.
UH, AND THE QUESTION WOULD BE, SHOULD THEY, UM, GET A PAY INCREASE OF SOME KIND NEXT SALARY.
SO HERE'S MY PROPOSAL, WHICH IS TO TIE COUNCIL AND MAYOR'S SALARIES TO THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME AS ADJUSTED ANNUALLY.
THAT IS DETERMINED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE'RE TRYING TO PIN DOWN WHETHER IT'S CURRENTLY THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS OR THE CENSUS BUREAU, BUT IN ANY EVENT, ANNUALLY, UM, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DETERMINES FOR EACH, UH, METROPOLITAN AREA AND FOR EACH CITY, UH, WHAT THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS THE POINT AT WHICH HALF THE PE HALF THE HOUSEHOLDS ARE MAKING MORE THAN THAT AMOUNT, AND HALF THE HOUSEHOLDS ARE MAKING LESS THAN THAT AMOUNT.
[01:05:01]
RATHER THAN THE MEAN, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, THAT BILL GATES OUTWEIGHS ABOUT A THOUSAND, UH, HOUSEHOLDS.THIS IS HALF MAKE MORE, HALF MAKE LESS.
THERE ARE EXAMPLES OF CHARTERS IN TEXAS LARGE CITIES THAT TIE THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR COMPENSATION TO THIS MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME NUMBER.
AND I'LL DISCUSS THOSE IN DETAIL IN A MINUTE.
THE ADVANTAGES TO THIS SYSTEM, FIRST OF ALL, IT AVOIDS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, THE NECESSITY OF GOING TO THE VOTERS EVERY 10 YEARS, EVERY 20 YEARS, EVERY FIVE YEARS, WHATEVER FREQUENCY IS DETERMINED TO ASK THEM TO APPROVE COMPENSATION INCREASES.
SECOND, IT SETS THE COMPENSATION AS THE, AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD, SENDING THE MESSAGE THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE NO WORSE OR NO BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE WORKING HOUSEHOLD.
THIRD, IT ALLOWS THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR TO PROSPER AS THE CITIZEN'S PROSPER.
IF THEY WANT TO GIVE THEMSELVES A PAY INCREASE, THEN ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO GOVERN THE CITY IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE CITY RESIDENTS AND VOTERS PROSPER AND HOUSEHOLDS PROSPER, AND IT MODESTLY INCREASES THE CURRENT COMPENSATION.
WE'LL SEE THE NUMBERS IN A MINUTE.
THE POSSIBLE PERCEIVED DISADVANTAGES IS ARE THAT IT ALLOWS A SALARY INCREASE WITHOUT SPECIFIC VOTER APPROVAL.
AND SOME VOTERS THINK THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT, UH, THAT THAT NOT OCCUR, AND IT MAY BE PERCEIVED BY THOSE WHO THINK THE COUNCIL IS OVERPAID AS AN UNWARRANTED PAY INCREASE.
HERE'S A SURVEY OF WHAT THE SIX LARGEST, UH, CITIES IN DALLAS DO BY WAY OF COMPENSATING THEIR MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AND YOU CAN SEE A VERY, VERY WIDE RANGE FROM 25,000 ON THE BOTTOM END IN FORT WORTH, WHICH RECENTLY REJECTED AN AMENDMENT TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER UP TO 116,000 IN AUSTIN, WHICH VERY CONTROVERSIALLY ADOPTED THAT AMENDMENT OR THAT SALARY LEVEL.
ALL BUT AUSTIN AND HOUSTON, UH, DO THIS BY CHARTER, UH, AUSTIN AND HOUSTON.
IT IS SET BY THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, EITHER SEPARATELY OR WHEN THEY ADOPT THE CITY BUDGET.
UM, BUT, BUT THE OTHER FOUR CITIES DO IT BY CHARTER.
AND IN FIVE OF THE SIX CITIES, UH, THE AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION IS FIXED, UH, WHEREAS ONLY IN EL PASO, TO WHICH WE CAN TURN NOW.
IS IT FLOATING IN 2018, UH, EL PASO PASSED A CHARTER AMENDMENT TO PROVIDE THAT, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES, AS THEY CALL THEM, GET AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO THE EL PASO COUNTY AREA MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
AND THEN ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, THE BASE SALARIES WILL BE REVISED ANNUALLY AND BE SET ACCORDING TO THE ABOVE FORMULA.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEIR COUNCIL AND MAYOR COMPENSATION FLOAT EACH YEAR WITH THE AREA MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
EL PASO IS AN, UH, SORRY, SAN ANTONIO IS ANOTHER PARTIAL EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS MIGHT WORK.
AND THERE, IN A 2015 CHARTER AMENDMENT, THEY SET FIXED SALARIES AND THEY CHOSE THE FIXED SALARIES TO MAKE THEM EQUAL TO THE SAN ANTONIO AREA MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS IT DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF HAVING TO GO BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN TO THE VOTERS AS INFLATION ERODES THE VALUE OF THAT MONEY.
SO, SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME, WHICH MEDIAN INCOME SHOULD WE USE? SHOULD WE USE THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME, WHICH IS DALLAS, FORT WORTH, ARLINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA, THE METROPLEX? IN OTHER WORDS, OR SHOULD WE USE THE CITY OF DALLAS INCOME? THE PROBLEM WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS MEDIAN INCOME IS THAT IT IS BELOW WHAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE CURRENTLY GETTING.
AND I, IT'S HARD TO FIND SOMEBODY WHO, UH, THINKS THE COUNCIL, WHO KNOWS WHAT THE COUNCIL DOES AND HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES, AND WHO THINKS THAT THE COUNCIL IS, IS OVERPAID THE
[01:10:01]
AREA.MEDIAN INCOME ARGUABLY OVER COMPENSATES THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THEY'RE AFTER ALL THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF DALLAS, NOT OF THE PARK CITIES OR SOME AFFLUENT SUBURB, BUT IT DOES REFLECT DALLAS LEADERSHIP IN THE METROPLEX AND THE FACT THAT MANY OF THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE AT THIS HORSESHOE AFFECT THE ENTIRE METROPLEX.
THE COUNTY MEDIAN INCOME IS A CONCEIVABLE CHOICE, BUT IT IS, FIRST OF ALL, HARD TO COME BY.
I COULDN'T FIND A LOT OF DATA ON IT.
AND SECONDLY, IT IS NOT REALLY REFLECTIVE OF DALLAS'S MULTI-COUNTY GEOGRAPHY.
WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF DALLAS IN COLLIN COUNTY, A SMALLER PORTION IN DENTON AND DOESN'T HAVE ANY PEOPLE IN IT.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE, UH, PORTIONS IN KAUFFMAN AND ROCKWALL COUNTIES.
ONCE AGAIN, HERE IS THE HISTORICAL SALARY GRAPH.
THAT'S THE SAME GRAPH YOU SAW EARLIER WITH THE, UH, ORANGE LINE REPRESENTING CURRENT COUNCIL SALARIES.
THE GRAY LINE REPRESENTING THE MAYOR'S SALARY, THE GREEN LINE REPRESENTING HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE TO BUY, $60,000 WORTH OF 2016 GROCERIES.
AND THE YELLOW LINE IS THE, UH, CITY MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
YOU CAN SEE THEY WOULD GET A SLIGHT PAY RAISE, BUT THEY WOULD NOT GET ENOUGH PAY RAISE TO COMPENSATE FOR, UM, THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION.
AND THE BLUE LINE, WHICH IS WHAT I'M PROPOSING, IS THE METROPLEX AREA, MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, WHICH AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, APPROACHES ABOUT $75,000 FOR THE LAST YEAR FOR WHICH THE DATA IS AVAILABLE.
AND WHEN THOSE LINES CUT OFF BEFORE THE END, IT'S BECAUSE THE, THAT'S THE LIMITATION ON AVAILABLE DATA.
SO, I'VE BEEN TALKING MOSTLY ABOUT THE COUNCIL.
THE QUESTION THEN WOULD BE, WHAT SHOULD THE MAYOR MAKE? HE CURRENTLY MAKES A HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN, A HUNDRED THIRTY THREE AND A THIRD PERCENT, UH, $20,000 MORE AGAINST THE $60,000 BASE, UH, OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER SALARY.
THAT SAME NUMBER FOR OTHER CITIES RANGES FROM 116 TO 150%.
AND THEN IN HOUSTON, THE MAYOR MAKES 375%, BUT THE MAYOR IS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE CITY DUE TO THEIR STRONG MAYOR SYSTEM.
AND SO I DON'T VIEW THAT AS, AS REALLY COMPARABLE IN OUR CITY MANAGER COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
SO I'M PROPOSING 135%, THERE'S NO MAGIC TO THAT.
WE COULD GO BACK TO 133 AND A THIRD OR CHANGE THAT TO ANY NUMBER THAT SEEMED TO MAKE SENSE.
ANOTHER ISSUE IS THE PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE.
THE 2014 COMMISSION PROPOSED SOME DELAYED EFFECTIVE DATES THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AFTER AN INTERVENING COUNCIL ELECTION SO THAT THE VOTERS COULD DECIDE, DO I WANT COUNCIL MEMBER X IN THAT POSITION GIVEN THAT I KNOW HOW MUCH THAT PERSON'S GONNA GET PAID? AND THE MAYOR AFTER A TURNOVER IN THE MAYORAL INCUMBENCY.
NOW, THEY DID THAT PERHAPS BECAUSE THE INCUMBENT MAYOR THEN, MIKE RAWLINGS, WAS NOT THEN TERM LIMITED.
AND SO CONCEIVABLY HE COULD GET REELECTED AND GET THE BENEFIT OF THE PAY INCREASE.
AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO PUT THAT TO THE VOTERS.
THE CURRENT MAYOR ERIC JOHNSON, IS TERM LIMITED.
AND SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY SO MUCH ABOUT THAT.
AUSTIN, IN 2022 BY A COUNCIL VOTE, UH, GAVE THEMSELVES A VERY SUBSTANTIAL PAY RAISE.
AND I DON'T LIVE IN AUSTIN, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE CONTROVERSY STILL HASN'T DIED DOWN OVER THAT.
SO WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE, AT LEAST FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES, IS THAT THIS TAKE EFFECT AFTER THE 2025 ELECTION FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THAT WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO WHAT THE COMMISSION DID LAST TIME AROUND AND AFTER 20.
AND IN 2027 FOR THE MAYOR, WE WILL HAVE A NEW MAYOR IN 2027, UH, BECAUSE, UH, MAYOR JOHNSON IS, IS, UH, TERM LIMITED.
AND, UH, MR. CHAIR, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
ANY DISCUSSION, COMMISSIONER STEIN? WELL, UNUSUALLY I AGREE WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER YOUNG BECAUSE
[01:15:01]
SO MANY TIMES, UH, A LOT OF OUR CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE ARE NOT PROFESSIONALS.YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'RE NOT ATTORNEYS.
THEY DON'T OWN MULTIPLE BUSINESS.
THEY'RE NOT, UH, HIGH RANKED, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, IN REAL ESTATE.
SO IT'S BEEN SAID IN THE STUDY THAT THEY WERE EASILY CORRUPTED BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T MAKING ENOUGH MONEY.
SO I AGREE WITH HIM, AND I, I LIKE TO SEE AN INCREASE.
AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WOULD LOOK.
I LIKE TO LOOK WHAT HE GOT TO SAY ABOUT IT, BUT NEED TO BE A, A COLA A COST OF LIVING FOR SO MANY TIMES.
YOU KNOW, AFTER SO MANY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, UH, COVID-19 CHANGED AMERICA AND, UH, GROCERIES IS JUST SKYROCKETED.
UTILITY BILLS, AND I IMAGINE WE GOT SOME PEOPLE ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, EVEN IN THE CITY STAFF MAKE MORE MONEY THAN THE CITY COUNCIL MAKES.
SO, UH, MR. STEIN, WITH RESPECT TO A COLA, THIS FORMULA HAS SOMEWHAT OF A BUILT-IN COLA IN IT, BECAUSE AS THE AREA MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME GOES UP YEAR AFTER YEAR, SO WILL THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR PAY, THEY WILL GET EVERY YEAR FROM NOW INTO ETERNITY.
UNLESS THEY CHANGE THE SYSTEM, THEY WILL GET WHAT THE AVERAGE AREA, MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS.
SO IF MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME GOES UP BY 5% BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN 5% INFLATION, THEY'LL GET THAT SAME 5%, RIGHT? SO I AGREE WITH YOU AND, UH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I COULD SAY, I MEAN, EVEN OUR MAYOR, WHICH I'M NOT, THIS IS NOT WHAT THIS MEETING IS ABOUT.
HIM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS REPORTED HE MADE SIX FIGURES WORKING FOR A LAW FIRM, YOU KNOW, AND BUT THE CITY COUNCIL, THEY, THEY ON THE STREETS, THEY WALKING, THEY GETTING OTHER THINGS DONE.
SO I, I TOTALLY AGREE, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY DO DESERVE A INCREASE OR THEY CAN LIVE COMFORTABLE, YOU KNOW, AND QUIT BEING SCRUTINIZED.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HOLD YOUR SALARY UP IN THE ELECTION.
YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T BE A CITY COUNCIL FOR $60,000 A YEAR MYSELF.
SO, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ELISE.
AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, UH, YOUNG.
I THINK IT'S A REALLY THOUGHTFUL PROPOSAL.
I AGREE WITH THE SPIRIT OF THIS, THE IDEA OF FIGURING OUT A WAY TO TRY TO MAKE SALARIES FOR COUNCIL.
UM, CERTAINLY SALARIES THAT AT THE VERY LEAST, ARE KEEPING UP WITH INFLATION.
AND IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DO IT WHEN YOU TIE IT TO A FIXED NUMBER.
SO IT'S AN EXTREMELY THOUGHTFUL PROPOSAL.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD.
AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'VE TRIED TO APPROACH IT BOTH FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT, BUT THE PRACTICALITY OF THIS IS IT'S ALSO A POLITICAL ISSUE.
AND SO HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE GO ABOUT THINKING ABOUT IT WITH BOTH LENSES? WHAT I WANNA DO IS JUST ASK A FEW QUESTIONS TO HELP ME CONTINUE TO WRAP MY MIND AROUND THE PROPOSAL AND, AND MUCH LIKE, UM, A FEW AMENDMENTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER DE LA ENTENTE, PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS THAT I'VE GOT AS WELL TO WRAP MY MIND AROUND THIS.
THE FIRST ONE, THOUGH, IS JUST A VERY BASIC ONE.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE ACTUAL PROPOSAL, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S A DETAIL THAT I THINK I MISSED THAT YOU, THAT YOU REFERENCED.
SO THE FIRST IS, THE PROPOSAL AS IT STANDS WOULD BE THAT COUNCIL WOULD HAVE THEIR SALARIES TIED TO THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME THAT THE MAYOR WOULD HAVE THEIR SALARY TIED TO THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME PLUS 135%, NO, PLUS 35% PLUS 35%.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION THERE.
THE SECOND QUESTION, AND THIS IS WHERE I THINK I MAY HAVE MISSED SOMETHING, IS THE PROPOSAL TO TIE IT TO THE MEDIAN METRO OR THE MEDIAN CITY.
MY PROPOSAL IS THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD, MEDIAN AREA METROPLEX.
SO THE METROPLEX, UM, I'M HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMISSION DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.
THAT, THAT'S HELPFUL FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND.
DO YOU, YOU MAY NOT HAVE DONE THE MATH ON THIS, THOUGH.
WHAT WOULD, IF WE WERE, IF IT WAS ADOPTED TODAY, WHAT WOULD THE MEDIAN, WHAT WOULD THE COUNCIL'S SALARY BE AND WHAT WOULD THE MAYOR'S SALARY BE? UH, THE LAST DATA I HAVE FOR METROPLEX HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS 2021.
THE 2022 DATA IS NOT QUITE OUT YET, AND THAT WOULD BE 75,975 FOR COUNCIL.
AND THEN, I DON'T HAVE A CALCULATOR ON
[01:20:01]
ME, BUT 135% OF THAT FOR THE MAYOR OKAY.WOULD BE ROUGHLY, UH, I'M REALLY BAD AT MATH, BUT IF ANYBODY ELSE, WELL CLOSE TO A HUNDRED.
SO YEAH, ROUGHLY CLOSE TO A HUNDRED.
UM, THANKS TO COMMISSIONER DE LA FUENTE.
UM, A HUNDRED AND TWO FOUR SIXTY FIVE, A HUNDRED TWO FOUR SIXTY FIVE.
SO THAT'S A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL BUMP, UH, IF WE WERE TO TAKE THE NUMBERS TODAY.
UM, SO NEXT QUESTION I'VE GOT, AND PER, AND YOU'LL HAVE TO FORGIVE ME IF THIS IS AN EXTREMELY NAIVE QUESTION, BUT I'M THINKING ABOUT WHERE THIS SOMETHING THAT PASSED.
IT'S, I MEAN, IT'S, UNLESS ANOTHER CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION YEARS FROM NOW CHANGES IT, IT'S WHAT WE'RE STUCK WITH.
IF, IF MEDIAN, UH, MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, MEDIAN METRO HOUSEHOLD OR AREA HOUSEHOLD INCOME GOES DOWN, WOULD THAT THEN MEAN COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR'S SALARY WOULD GO DOWN WITH IT? YES, IT WOULD.
AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT POLITICALLY IT MEANS THEY'RE SHARING IN EVERYBODY'S SUFFERING.
ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE, THIS IS PERHAPS A RHETORICAL QUESTION, BUT WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT.
WHEN I LOOK AT ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES, SORT OF IN THE, IN THE SORT OF SPIRIT OF EGALITARIANISM, THE IDEA THAT IT WOULD ALLOW COUNCIL IN THE MAYOR TO PROSPER AS CITIZENS PROSPER, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE WITH CITY GOVERNMENT IS THAT IT IS EXTREMELY LIMITED ACTUALLY IN ITS ABILITY TO IMPACT WAGES FOR ITS CITIZENS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IT HAS NO CONTROL OVER THE EDUCATION SYSTEM OF THIS CITY.
AND IF YOU WERE GONNA THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE STRONGEST CORRELATES TO SALARY AND WAGES, ONE OF THE STRONGEST WOULD BE THE QUALITY OF AN EDUCATION SYSTEM.
AN ADDITIONAL EXAMPLE, WHILE IT HAS SOME IMPACT ON THE WORKFORCE, THERE ARE CERTAINLY OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
I COULD GO BACK TO THE EDUCATION, UH, BUT I ACTUALLY SERVE ON THE WORKFORCE BOARD HERE FOR THE COUNTY, WHICH MAKE IT'S A QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL BODY AND SERVES AS AN INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN STATE GOVERNMENT, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND THE WORKFORCE.
THE CITY, THROUGH A LIMITED MEDIUM OF THE MAYOR, BEING ABLE TO APPOINT A FEW PEOPLE TO THAT COMMISSION DOESN'T REALLY HAVE IMPACT ON THE WORKFORCE.
IT, THERE, THERE ARE PORTIONS OF THE WAY THE CITY WORKS WHERE IT WOULD.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I THINK ABOUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD TIE SALARIES COMPLETELY TO THE EGALITARIAN SORT OF THEORY, UM, OR PHILOSOPHY, BECAUSE IT'S TO SOME EXTENT, A LITTLE BIT UNFAIR TO COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTROL A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF POLICY THAT'S INEVITABLY GOING TO IMPACT MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THE ARGUMENT THAT YOU'RE MAKING ADDITIONALLY, AND THIS IS PERHAPS A BIT FARFETCHED, SO YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE ME ON THE HYPERBOLE ON THIS, BUT THINK OF, I'D LIKE TO THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A SECOND.
THE INCENTIVES THAT WE THEN GIVE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR WHEN IT COMES TO POLICY DECISIONS, IF WE KNOW THAT THE ONLY WAY THAT THEY'RE GONNA EVER INCREASE THEIR PAY IS TIED TO HOW WELL CITIZENS ARE DOING, THINK ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF GENTRIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT.
IT BECOMES A LOT EASIER TO GET YOUR SALARY RAISED AND TO CARE A LITTLE LESS ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
IF CERTAINLY THOSE THAT ARE DRAWN THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME DOWN, UH, BECOMES A LOT EASIER TO CARE A LITTLE LESS ABOUT THEM BECAUSE YOU JUST NEED TO GET THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME UP.
THAT'S A STRETCH OF AN ARGUMENT.
AND SO I, I'M, I'M, I'M ACKNOWLEDGING THAT RIGHT FROM THE START WHEN I STATED IT.
BUT I THINK ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE LONG-TERM SORT OF ANCHOR WE'RE TYING TO THIS CONCEPT.
I'M GONNA PAUSE BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE YOU MAY HAVE A, UH, I HAVE A COMMENT ON THAT.
FIRST OF ALL, I AGREE WITH YOU COMPLETELY THAT THERE ARE SEVERE LIMITS ON THE POWER OF THE COUNTABILITY OF THE COUNCIL TO INFLUENCE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.
BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE A GOOD MANY, UH, THE COUNCIL, FOR EXAMPLE, APPOINTS REPRESENTATIVES TO THE AIRPORT BOARD, TO THE DART BOARD.
BOTH OF THOSE HAVE, IN MY OPINION, A, A VERY DIRECT EFFECT ON PROSPERITY AND THE METROPLEX.
I THINK, UH, ONE OF THE MAIN ROLES THAT THE MAYOR TYPICALLY UNDERTAKES IS AS AN ADVOCATE FOR BUSINESS RELOCATIONS AND FOR JOB CREATING DEVELOPMENT, UH, IN THE CITY.
AND ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF THE ME CHOOSING THE MEDIAN RATHER THAN THE MEAN
[01:25:01]
IS THAT YOU ONLY DO AS WELL AS AT LEAST HALF THE HOUSEHOLDS ARE DOING.SO YOU CAN'T SAY, I'M GONNA FOCUS ON PRESTON HOLLOW AND THE WEALTHY PARTS OF LAKEWOOD AND NEGLECT EVERYBODY ELSE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON AT LEAST 50% OF THE HOUSEHOLDS.
AND, UM, YOU CAN DO THAT EITHER WAY.
YOU CAN BRING UP THE TOP HALF, BUT YOU CAN ALSO BRING UP THE BOTTOM HALF.
UH, AND THEN THE FINAL OBSERVATION I WOULD MAKE IS UNDER THE CURRENT SYSTEM, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE NO FINANCIAL INCENTIVE AT ALL TO, TO DO THAT.
NOT THAT THEY DON'T DO IT AS A MATTER OF DOING THEIR JOB AND DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE CITY, BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REWARDING THEM FINANCIALLY FOR DOING IT, RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT DOING THAT.
I APPRECIATE THOSE, THOSE THOUGHTS.
AND MR. CHAIR, YOU CAN CUT ME OFF WHENEVER I'VE HIT WHATEVER THE FIVE.
HOW DID I KNOW THAT YOU WOULD, I SEE YOU'RE WEARING YOUR MAVERICK SHIRT, SO I MAY, I MAY JUST ASK ONE FINAL QUESTION.
SO HERE'S MY, THIS IS ACTUALLY MY FINAL FOR THE TIME BEING.
THIS IS MY FINAL QUESTION, MR. CHAIR.
UM, I'M STILL TRYING TO THINK ABOUT HOW I WANT TO APPROACH THE CONCEPT OF SALARY.
I THINK WE NEED TO APPROACH THE CONCEPT OF SALARY.
'CAUSE I'M STILL WONDERING WHAT THE ACTUAL, HOW, WHAT I THINK THE ACTUAL GOAL OF COUNCIL SALARY SHOULD BE.
WHAT IN, IN THE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT DO WE WANT IT TO BE? IT FEELS LIKE THIS PROPOSAL IS TYING US TO THAT GOAL BEING WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, THE CITY COUNCIL SHARING IN THE PROSPERITY OR THE LACK THEREOF OF THE CITIZENRY IN WHICH IT'S ELECTED TO REPRESENT.
WELL, UM, I SEE ANOTHER ANGLE ON IT, WHICH IS, UH, AND I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER STEIN BROUGHT THIS UP.
IT WOULD NOT BE FINANCIALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO SERVE ON CITY COUNCIL AT $60,000 A YEAR BECAUSE I HAVE OTHER MEANS OF SUPPORT, UH, FOR MANY, SOME, MANY OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT IS NOT.
SO, AND I THINK A SALARY THAT SAYS YOU MAKE WHAT THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD MAKES, UH, OPENS THAT DOOR FOR A LOT MORE PEOPLE.
AND WHAT I, WHAT I'M TRYING TO, WHAT I, WHAT I ULTIMATELY, I'M GONNA HAVE TO MAKE MY OWN DECISION ABOUT, AND I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT IT'S SOMETHING FOR ALL OF US TO CONSIDER, IS IF WE'RE GONNA TIE IT TO MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
BUT WE WANT TO TRY TO PROVIDE PEOPLE, INCLUDING PEOPLE LIKE YOU, WHO I BELIEVE WOULD DO A HECK OF A JOB AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
BUT IT'S NOT FEASIBLE FOR YOU AT THE MOMENT.
IF THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE ARE TYING TO MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER SHOULD JUST BE 100%, OR IF IT MIGHT BE WORTH US CONSIDERING PERHAPS A HIGHER PERCENTAGE THAN A HUNDRED PERCENT THE LOWER THAN THE MAYOR, I WILL WORK MY WAY THROUGH THAT.
BUT I THINK YOU'VE SET A FOUNDATION, CERTAINLY FOR A HEALTHY CONVERSATION, AND THERE'S A LOT OF THOUGHT, UH, THAT'S GONE INTO THIS.
AND THIS WOULD BE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT BUMP FOR COUNCIL DOWN THE ROAD.
I'M, I'M COMPLETELY OPEN TO THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, MY CONCERN IS, AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, WE, WE NEED TO HAVE POLICY IN MIND, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE CAN'T ACHIEVE POLICY WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF A MAJORITY OF THE VOTERS.
AND SO, UH, I WORRY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
AND I THINK IT ALSO, UM, THE POLITICAL ADVANTAGE OF, OF THIS PROPOSAL IS THAT IT SENDS THE MESSAGE THAT THAT COUNCIL, UH, PUTS THEIR PANTS ON ONE LEG AT A TIME, SO TO SPEAK.
THEY ARE NOT BETTER THAN YOU AND ME.
THEY'RE NOT WORSE THAN YOU AND ME.
THEY'RE DOING AN IMPORTANT JOB.
SO ARE ALL THE REST OF US AND THEY'RE GETTING PAID, UH, WHAT EVERYBODY'S GETTING PAID.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR THE PROPOSAL.
UM, I DON'T SEE A LIGHT ON YOUR LIGHT'S ON.
COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL, I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME.
UH, YOU CAN ACTUALLY START MY TIMER ON TIME AS OPPOSED TO COMMISSIONER SISE.
BUT, UH, I WANTED TO FLOAT A COUPLE IDEAS, AND YOU TELL ME AT THIS, IF I'M OFF BASE ON THIS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I DO IN MY CAREER IS ADVOCATE FOR AFFORDABLE PUBLIC HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACROSS DALLAS COUNTY, ACROSS TFW.
IT'S, I'VE BEEN DOING IT NOW FOR ALMOST SEVEN YEARS.
AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST FIGHTS IN THAT IS TRYING TO GET AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNDER, OVER A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF A MI.
TRADITIONALLY IT'S ONLY FOR CERTAIN PERCENTAGES.
UM, IF IT IS TIED, IF THE CITY COUNCIL'S SALARY IS TIED TO THE, TO A, THE AREA MEAN INCOME, WOULD THAT NOT DISINCENTIVIZE HAVING LESS PUBLIC OR LESS
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AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY OF DALLAS? WELL, IF YOU TIED IT TO THE CITY OF DALLAS MEDIAN, IT MIGHT, THIS WOULD TIE IT TO THE METROPLEX MEDIAN.CITY OF DALLAS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, POLICY IS REALLY NOT GOING TO HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE METROPLEX AS A WHOLE, WHICH IS, I THINK, SCHEDULED TO BECOME THE THIRD LARGEST METROPOLITAN AREA.
UH, I THINK IT IS THE FOURTH AND SCHEDULED TO PASS, UH, CHICAGO, UH, WITHIN 20 YEARS.
UH, SO IT WOULD BE SPREAD OVER A LARGER BASE IS, I GUESS THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.
UH, AND A SECOND THING IS, THIS IS JUST WHAT A COUPLE OF PRESENTERS THAT WE'VE HAD, SOME OF THE EXPERTS THAT WE'VE HAD COME TESTIFY, THEY'VE ALLUDED TO THE IDEA THAT SPECIFIC POLICY PRESCRIPTIONS LIKE SALARIES ACROSS CHARTERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES HAVE, UH, PROBABLY SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE WITNESSES SPECIFICALLY SAID THAT THE ISSUES OF SALARIES, IF POSSIBLE, SHOULD BE DECIDED MORE DEMOCRATICALLY BY THE REPRESENTATIVES AROUND THE HORSESHOE.
AND I SEE THAT IN THE PRESENTATION.
YOU HAVE AUSTIN AND HOUSTON THAT HAVE DONE THAT.
THAT HAVE THE SOURCE OF THEIR SALARY INCREASES BEEN DECIDED BY COUNSEL, NOT BY THE CHARTER ITSELF.
WITH A HEAVY INFLUENCE IN HOUSTON BY THE MAYOR WHO PROPOSES THE BUDGET OF COURSE, AS WELL.
THEY HAVE A, THEY HAVE A STRONG MAYOR SYSTEM.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ALLUDING TO? RIGHT.
UH, BUT YOU SEE, THE ONLY OTHER CITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE A STRONG MAYOR THAT HAS THE, THAT HAS COUNCIL DECIDING THEIR SALARY IS AUSTIN, WHICH HAS SU SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED THEIR SALARY.
AND, UH, SO I GUESS I JUST WANNA FLOAT THE IDEA OUT THERE.
I, I THINK IT'S NOT A TERRIBLE IDEA TO HAVE THE DE DIRECT REPRESENTATION PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING ELECTED, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, BE MORE RESPONSIVE THROUGH THE ELECTIONS TO ANY CHANGES IN THEIR OWN SALARY.
'CAUSE YOU ALLUDED TO THAT PERHAPS THAT, THAT THE CONTROVERSY HAS NOT DIED DOWN AFTER THEIR ELECTION OR AFTER THEIR CITY COUNCIL VOTE IN 2022 TO INCREASE THEIR SALARY.
THAT'S WHAT I CAN TELL FROM AFAR.
UH, TO YOUR IDEA, IS THERE ANY NEGATIVES? UH, I I WOULD, I'M, I'M JUST GENUINELY CURIOUS, ARE THERE ANY NEGATIVES TO HAVING THIS REMOVED FROM THE CHARTER COMPLETELY AND HAVE CITY COUNCIL VOTE ON IT? WELL, UM, THIS IS VERY SUBJECTIVE, BUT I HAVE A PHILOSOPHICAL DISIN DISLIKE OR DISINCLINATION FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS SETTING THEIR OWN SALARIES.
UH, I MEAN, EVEN IN, EVEN IN CONGRESS, UH, THE CONGRESS SETS ITS OWN SALARY, BUT THE PRESIDENT, WHICH IS A SEPARATE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT, IS A CHECK AND BALANCE ON THAT.
AND I THINK, UM, I THINK I LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT CONSTRAINS THE COUNCIL FROM ABUSING ITS DISCRETION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I THINK THE COUNCIL ON THE MAYOR SHOULD MAKE THE SAME PAY.
JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE TOO.
COUNCIL AND MAYOR SHOULD MAKE THE SAME PAY.
THERE'S TIMES WHERE WE DO
UM, AND IT DEPENDS ON HOW EVERYONE GOVERNS REALLY, YOU KNOW, MY TIME, UH, ON COUNCIL, I WAS EVERYWHERE.
UM, UM, YOU CAN SAY THAT ESPECIALLY, OR YOU CAN SAY, AS THE DEPUTY MAYOR AND MAYOR PRO, PRETEND THAT I WAS SERVED BOTH, I WAS GIVING SPEECHES ALL OVER THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE TO CONSIDER.
UM, BUT IF IT'S GONNA BE AN INCREASE, MAYBE EVERYBODY JUST MAKES THE SAME.
WE'RE ALL ONE VOTE ON THIS COUNCIL.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D THROW OUT THERE.
I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE COUNCIL CONSIDER, OR THE COMMISSION CONSIDERING THAT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I, I DO, I AM CURIOUS.
I I WOULD LOVE TO ENTERTAIN THE IDEA OF, OF, UH, WHAT MR. UH, I'M SORRY, WHAT? COMMISSIONER SALISE THROUGHOUT THERE ABOUT TYING IT TO MAYBE A DIFFERENT PERCENTAGE OF THE A MI, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY SINCE COVID, AND I'M JUST, AGAIN, I'M SPEAKING FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE OF THIS COMMISSION, BUT RENT PRICES AND HOME PRICES AND TAX PRICES HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING AT BETWEEN 20 AND $2,400 FOR A TWO BEDROOM HOUSE OR FOR, FOR A TWO BEDROOM RENT IN THE CITY OF DALLAS RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS UP, I THINK EIGHT 80 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT SINCE JUST LAST YEAR.
AND FOR A ONE BEDROOM, YOU'RE LOOKING AT $1,600 IS THE AVERAGE.
[01:35:01]
AND IF WE'RE TYING IT TO THE A MI AT 75, THAT'S STILL REALLY CLOSE TO HITTING ONE THIRD OF YOUR MONTHLY SALARY.UH, I PERSONALLY WOULD BE LIKE TO HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE MORE RESPONSIVE AND, AND HAVE DEVOTE ALL OF THEIR TIME TO BEING THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS, TO REPRESENTING THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE REALLY HARD TO DO IF THEY'RE FORCED TO WORK TWO JOBS.
UM, AND SO I DO LIKE EXPLORING THE, THE OPTION OF MAYBE TYING IT TO A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF THE A MI THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, WE GET FOLKS THAT AREN'T FORCED, AREN'T INDEPENDENTLY WEALTHY, THAT COME AND, AND SIT AROUND THE HORSESHOE.
WE GET FOLKS THAT AREN'T FORCED TO RELY ON A SPOUSE'S INCOME.
WE GET FOLKS THAT AREN'T FORCED TO GO WORK A SECOND JOB IN ORDER TO REPRESENT THEIR COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT'S A, A GOOD THING WORTH EXPLORING.
I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO DISCUSSING THAT AS LONG AS WE ALL KEEP THE CORNER OF OUR EYE OUT FOR THE NECESSITY OF GETTING THIS PASSED.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? NO, I DON'T SEE IT.
IS THAT IT? ALRIGHT, SO, UH, WE, OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE THURSDAY, JANUARY THE 11TH.
SO EVERYONE HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAYS, HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I'M SURE WE'LL TALK TO EACH OTHER.
UM, UH, DURING THIS TIME OFF, UM, IT IS 8 0 8 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.