[Ad Hoc Committee on Legislative Affairs on May 7, 2024.]
[00:00:07]
WELCOME TO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.
TODAY IS MAY 7TH, THE TIME IS NINE 20.
AND, UH, APOLOGIZE IF THE MEETING'S STARTING A LITTLE BIT LATE, BUT WE'RE READY TO GET GOING.
AND SO, UM, WE ONLY HAVE ONE BRIEFING ITEM.
SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA START FIRST WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE DECEMBER 11TH, 2023 MEETING.
IS THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE.
AND A SECOND, ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
SO FOR OUR VERY FIRST BRIEFING ITEM, UH, WE HAVE CARRIE ROGERS AND STAFF TO PRESENT.
AND SO CARRIE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE IT AWAY, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UH, GOOD MORNING, AS YOU SAID, I AM CARRIE ROGERS, AND I'M SO PLEASED TO SERVE AS YOUR DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
I HAVE WITH US THIS MORNING, UM, ALEX ARIA, WHO IS OUR FEDERAL RELATIONS COORDINATOR, AND LINLEY DERIAN, WHO'S OUR STATE RELATIONS COORDINATOR.
AND I DO ALSO WANNA NOTE ONLINE THAT OUR, UH, FEDERAL TEAM, UH, ON THE GROUND STAFF IN IN WASHINGTON ARE ONLINE AS WELL.
RALPH GARAN AND PAUL SCHLESSINGER ARE BOTH, UM, I BELIEVE ONLINE.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN OVER THE START OF THE PRESENTATION TO LINLEY.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UM, SO AS CARRIE MENTIONED TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE BRIEFLY REVIEWING THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, UM, AND WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD.
UM, CARRIE WILL THEN GO OVER THE 2025 FEDERAL PRIORITIES SUBMITTED FOR CONSIDERATION, AND THEN ALEX WILL GIVE US, UM, A FEDERAL UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN DC.
SO THIS SLIDE, UM, GIVES YOU A VISUAL OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, KINDA WHERE WE STARTED, WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
SO BEGINNING IN THE FALL OF 2023, OUR OFFICE SENT OUT A CALL, UM, FOR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
THESE ARE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE, UM, TO ALL OF COUNCIL TO STAFF, UM, DIRECTORS FOR THEM TO SUBMIT THEIR PROPOSED PRIORITIES FOR CONSIDERATION.
UM, WE ALSO ENGAGE WITH OUR EX EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS.
I'LL GO OVER THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD A WIDE RANGE OF PRIORITIES BEING SUBMITTED FOR CONSIDERATION ONCE WE COMPILED ALL THE PRIORITIES.
UM, THEY WERE EACH VETTED THROUGH ALL EIGHT COMMITTEES.
UM, EACH COMMITTEE CHAIR APPROVED THE FINAL LIST THAT WAS SENT, AND THAT A WILL BE YOU GUYS WILL SEE TODAY.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL GATHER YOUR FEEDBACK TODAY.
AND DEPENDING ON WHAT THE WILL OF THE BODY IS TODAY, IF ANOTHER AD HOC COMMITTEE MEETING IS NEEDED, WE CAN DO THAT FOR A SECOND REVIEW.
UM, BUT IF THESE ARE APPROVED TODAY, WE'LL THEN GO TO FULL COUNSEL FOR ADOPTION.
UM, THEN FINE AFTER THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS ARE ADOPTED, UM, THESE WILL THEN BE USED AS OUR GUIDE, UM, FOR GC AND AUSTIN, UM, AS WE GO DOWN THROUGHOUT THE SESSIONS AND CONGRESS AS, UM, TO HELP OUR LEGISLATORS AND OUR DELEGATION KNOW WHAT THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, WHAT OUR PRIOR PRIORITIES ARE AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR OUT OF CONGRESS AND SESSION.
SO, AS I MENTIONED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, WE ALSO ENGAGE WITH OUR EX EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS.
SO ON THIS LIST YOU'LL SEE MANY, BUT NOT LIMITED TO ALL OF 'EM.
OUR, UM, OFFICE, WE HAVE VARIOUS CONTACT GROUPS, UM, THE SCHOOLS, THE CHAMBERS, UM, COUNTIES, ELECTED OFFICIALS, UM, SO SOME OF THEM JUST, UH, OFF THE TOP OF THE HEAD, DALLAS REGIONAL CHAMBER, BLACK CHAMBER, UM, HOUSING FORWARD, ALL OF OUR LOCAL ISDS AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AS WELL.
WE SENT OUT A CALL FOR THEM TO SUBMIT PRIORITIES, UM, TRUCK HOUSING, UM, ALL THESE VARIOUS DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE THAT WE, AGAIN, GOT THAT WIDE RANGE OF WHAT THE CITY AS A WHOLE WAS LOOKING FOR.
SO, OTHER METHODS, UM, OF COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH.
UM, WE SENT OUT BILINGUAL INFOGRAPHICS, UM, TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL, UM, WITH OUR CONTACT INFORMATION, UM, FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO SEND IN PRIORITIES AS WELL.
WE HAD A LITTLE QR CODE THAT WOULD TAKE THEM TO OUR WEBSITE, UM, AND ALLOW THEM TO SUBMIT PRIORITIES AS WELL WITH THE HELP OF COMM ON THAT.
UM, AND ONCE THESE PROGRAMS ARE ADOPTED, KIND LOOKING AHEAD FOR NEXT STEPS, UM, IF IT'S, IF COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, IF IT'S REQUESTED, UM, OUR OFFICE WILL HELP PUT TOGETHER, UM, TOWN HALLS MEETINGS WITH, UM, THE CHAMBERS, UM, ALL THE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS I MENTIONED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
UM, AS WELL AS, UM, HOSTING THOSE TELE-TOWN HALLS AS A WAY TO GET YOUR AND YOUR STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED WITH THIS AS WELL, UM, TO REALLY ALLOW THEM TO SEE, UM, KIND OF WHAT WE'RE GOING DOWN TO DC WITH, UM, TO REALLY ALL HAVE US ON THE SAME PAGE ALIGNED ON THESE PRIORITIES.
SO WE HAVE OUR STAKEHOLDERS, BUT WE KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL THAT WE WANNA ENGAGE IF REQUESTED BY YOU GUYS.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO CARRIE TO REVIEW THE FEDERAL PRIORITIES THAT HAVE BEEN SET FOR CONSIDERATION.
[00:05:01]
FOR DETERMINING OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, UM, THERE ARE VARIOUS CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE GO THROUGH.UM, ONE OF THOSE IS OF COURSE, WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES, YOUR POLICY PRIORITIES FOR THE CITY COUNCIL? AND THEN BALANCING THOSE ASKS BETWEEN THE NEEDS, THE WANTS, AND THE NICE TO HAVES.
SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE FEEL LIKE AS A BODY THAT WE MUST ADDRESS, UM, WHETHER IT'S IN THE LEGISLATURE OR IN CONGRESS.
UM, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD GET THOSE ACROSS THE GOAL LINE.
UM, AND THEN THERE ARE THINGS THAT JUST WOULD BE, UM, IDEAL.
SO NEEDS, WANTS, AND NICE TO HAVES.
THAT'S HOW WE, UM, BALANCE OUR ASK.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PRIORITIES, WE'RE TRYING TO CONSIDER THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.
SO IF THERE WERE A PARTICULAR ITEM THAT YOU WANTED TO ADVANCE, BUT MAYBE IT WASN'T THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE IN DC FOR US TO PURSUE THOSE ITEMS, THEN WE MIGHT, UM, UH, RECOMMEND THAT THOSE COME FORWARD AT A FUTURE CONGRESSIONAL SESSION.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S ALWAYS THE UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, AND I GET ASKED ABOUT THIS ONE A LOT.
IF THERE'S SOME, UM, I USUALLY USE LIKE A NATURAL DISASTER OR SOME MAJOR CRISIS THAT COMES UP RIGHT BEFORE A SESSION OR DURING SESSION THAT MAY THEN TAKE THEIR ATTENTION AWAY TO THAT PARTICULAR ITEM, AND THEN THEREFORE DRAWING ATTENTION AWAY FROM WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE.
SO IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WE DON'T KNOW THAT COULD HAPPEN, BUT, UM, THE WORLD WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE BRING THESE PRIORITIES FORWARD.
SO AFTER WE LOOKED IN TOTALITY AT THE PRIORITIES THAT WE'RE SUBMITTED THROUGH COUNSEL, UM, THROUGH THE COMMITTEES AND WHAT WE RECEIVED THROUGH STAKEHOLDERS, AND I BELIEVE WE BROUGHT A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, THOSE ITEMS KIND OF AT A HIGH LEVEL.
BACK IN DECEMBER WHEN WE LOOKED AT THOSE, WE SAW FOUR OVERARCHING THEMES.
UM, WE SAW FOUR OVERARCHING THEMES ACROSS ALL OF THESE PRIORITIES, MAINTAINING LOCAL CONTROL, OF COURSE, AND PRESERVING THE TOOLS TO RESPOND TO OUR COMMUNITY HERE.
WE MUST MAINTAIN THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE HERE THAT BEST SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE WANNA, OF COURSE, PROMOTE A BUSINESS FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT AND ATTRACT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO GROW OUR TAX BASE AND GROW OUR TALENT.
UM, WE OF COURSE ALSO WANNA PURSUE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
I KNOW OUR FRIENDS FROM DPD ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US TODAY.
UM, BUT PURSUE, UM, TOOLS AND FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ALSO FOR NATURAL RESOURCES.
AND THEN ALSO WE WANNA SUPPORT OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, UM, AND OPPOSE ANY LEGISLATION THAT WOULD EX, UH, ERODE THOSE EXISTING PROTECTIONS FOR OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
SO ACROSS, UM, SO THESE BASICALLY BOIL DOWN 133
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA DIG INTO THOSE THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO YOU ALL, AS COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, SUBMITTED LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES TO US.
AND THROUGH WORKING WITH THE CHAIR, UM, WE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT CATEGORIZING THOSE BY THE COMMITTEE THAT MAY RECEIVE THEM IN DC OR WHEN YOU GET TO STATE PRIORITIES THAT THE STAFF THEN WILL GO THROUGH HOW THOSE ARE, UM, PAIRED WITH COMMITTEES IN AUSTIN.
UM, BUT FOR, UM, MS. STEWART'S COMMITTEE IN PARTICULAR, UM, SUPPORT FUNDING FOR PARKS, TRAILS, AND PLAYGROUNDS, THIS WAS IN OUR PROGRAM LAST YEAR.
UM, A KEY ITEM, A PRIORITY OF MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, SUPPORTING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY PRO PROJECTS.
WE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF ITEMS OUT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE AND BOILED THOSE DOWN TO GENERAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY, UM, AND THEN ENSURE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.
UM, SO THAT IS, UH, PARTS, TRAILS AND ENVIRONMENT.
WE WANNA SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT PROMOTES JOB CREATION AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT, AND THAT INCLUDES STRENGTHENING OUR WORKFORCE PIPELINE AND OF COURSE, PRIORITIZING BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, WHICH IS SEEN MORE AND MORE AS A BASIC UTILITY, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND EQUITY, EXPANDING FUNDING AND ELIGIBILITY FOR OUR SNAP AND WIC PROGRAMS. AND YOU MAY HAVE SEEN A LOT IN THE HEADLINES RECENTLY, UM, WITH MEDICAID ENROLLMENT AND, UM, THE APPLICABILITY TO OUR WIC AND SNAP RECIPIENTS.
AND SO WE WANNA CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE FUNDING, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR FAMILIES WHO ARE IMPACTED IN RECEIVING THOSE SERVICES.
UM, AND THEN SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT PROTECTS WORKPLACE SAFETY ETHICS ONTO PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, OF COURSE WE WANNA SUPPORT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
WE, UM, ARE BRINGING FORWARD SOME ITEMS RELATED TO SUPPORTING TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, BOTH VICTIMS AND ABUSERS.
UM, ALSO INCREASED FUNDING FOR REENTRY SERVICES, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE STATE PROGRAM AS WELL.
UM, INCREASED FUNDING FOR U OSSI.
[00:10:01]
A BIT OF ATTENTION AS THE CITY OF DALLAS IS GONNA BE HOSTING SEVERAL FIFA GAMES, UM, IN TWO YEARS.AND U OSSI HELPS BRING FUNDING FORWARD FOR THOSE HIGH URBAN THREATS THAT COULD BE COMING TO A COMMUNITY.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT FUNDING AND THEN ALWAYS INCREASE, UM, FUNDING FOR, UM, SUPPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
AGAIN, GOING BACK TO OUR VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, QUALITY OF LIFE, ARTS AND CULTURE.
UM, SUPPORT MAKING ACCESSIBLE HARM REDUCTION STRATEGIES TO COMBAT, COMBAT THE ONGOING OPIOID EPIDEMIC.
UM, AND THAT INCLUDES WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, DECRIMINALIZING FENTANYL TESTING STRIPS, WHICH, UH, THERE IS NOW A BILL, BIPARTISAN BILL AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO PURSUE THAT.
UM, AUTHORED BY SENATOR CORNYN, UM, PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF OUR VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND ENSURE, UM, AND EXPAND MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTHCARE AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS FOR OUR RESIDENTS, TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART, WE WANNA SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT ENHANCES THE SAFETY MOBILITY OF OUR RESIDENTS, AND THAT INCLUDES IMPROVING OUR WATER AND STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ALSO ENHANCING AND FUNDING OUR MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT PROMOTES HOUSING, AFFORDABILITY, STABILITY, AND PRESERVATION.
WE WANT TO, UM, EXPAND THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM TO INCLUDE BLIGHT REMEDIATION, IMPROVE THE POINT IN TIME PROCESS, UM, WHICH YOU ALL KNOW IS AN ANNUAL, UH, COUNT OF OUR, UM, UNSHELTERED POPULATION HERE IN DALLAS AS A FEDERAL INITIATIVE.
AND THEN EXPAND FUNDING HOUSING PROGRAMS FOR CDBG AND HOME.
I BELIEVE YOU ALL RECEIVED A BRIEFING ON THAT.
UH, LAST WEEK AT THE CITY COUNCIL.
GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PROTECT THE PRIVACY AND SECURITY OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DATA.
UM, PRIVACY OF DATA IS AN ONGOING, UM, AND GROWING FOCUS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE CITY OF DALLAS IS NO DIFFERENT.
UM, ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, YOU SEE AN INCREASED FOCUS ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
AND SO FUNDING INITIATIVES THAT MAY, UM, ACCESS AI TO IMPROVE AND MAKE MORE EFFICIENT OUR PROGRAMS, UM, AND PROCESSES HERE.
AND THEN MAINTAINING TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR OUR MUNICIPAL BONDS.
UM, WE GET A BENEFIT BY THAT TAX EXEMPTION WHEN WE GO OUT AND ISSUE DEBT IN THE MARKET, AND WE WANNA CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THAT EXEMPTION.
NOW, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO ALEXANDRA TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR FEDERAL PROGRAMS, UNLESS YOU WANNA STOP THERE AND TAKE, TAKE UP THE ITEMS, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA SAY, FIRST OFF, I THINK YOU'VE DONE A REALLY EXCELLENT JOB.
I LOVE, UM, I, I KNOW WE HAVE GONE BACK AND FORTH ON WORDING ON REALLY PARING DOWN THE NUMBER OF ITEMS, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE, UM, BOILED THEM DOWN TO THE ESSENCE OF WHAT THE POLICY ISSUES ARE THAT WE NEED AND ALSO TRANSLATED IT INTO ITEMS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE FOR OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO THEN IMPLEMENT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE AT.
SO I JUST WANNA COMPLIMENT ALL OF YOU, ALEX, YOU'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB, LYNN LEE, YOU'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB, CARRIE, YOU'VE MANAGED THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
SO LEMME JUST START WITH THAT.
BUT WHAT I'M HOPING IS THAT THE COMMITTEE COULD WEIGH IN AND SAY, IF THIS IS HITTING THE NEED, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE MISSED, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S IN THERE THAT THEY WISH IT WASN'T, AND IF WE CAN MAYBE GET THAT FEEDBACK NOW, WOULD THAT BE ALL RIGHT? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO DISCUSS THE FUNDING PROGRAMS. THANK YOU.
UM, SO WITH THAT, WHAT, UH, COMMITTEE FEEDBACK, UM, DO WE HAVE? CHAIRMAN NVAS, DID YOU WANNA GO FIRST? NO, NO COMMENTS.
SO I'LL START WITH, UH, WHERE'D IT GO? OH, UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THIS IS REALLY JUST A COMMENT, JUST I'M, I'M PLEASED TO SEE, UM, OUR EFFORTS GOING TOWARDS REENTRY AND DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
SO REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THOSE.
THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT I SAW, AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, UH, BUT GIVEN ALL OF THE, UH, EFFORTS AND PERHAPS THIS IS SOMETHING I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT, BUT GIVEN ALL THE EFFORTS AGAINST KIND OF ALL OF OUR DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION PROGRAMS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE PUT FORWARD OR WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT SOMETHING TO KIND OF CONTINUE TO SUPPORT EQUITY, UM, AT THE STATE, UH, LEVEL, AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
SO THE COMMENT IS ONLY JUST THAT THIS IS ONLY FOR THE FEDERAL PROGRAM.
WE'LL HAVE A SEPARATE MEETING TO JUST GO OVER OUR STATE PROGRAM,
[00:15:01]
UM, THAT IS ALREADY SCHEDULED, I BELIEVE, THE END OF THIS MONTH.OH, I SEE STATE SHARON STEWART.
UM, SO UNDER TRANSPORTATION, ONE OF THE ISSUES, UM, I SEE IS CONNECTIVITY JUST CONNECTING DIFFERENT PARTS OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'M ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S JUST A VERY BROAD CATEGORY THAT WOULD YES, MA'AM.
AND YOU'LL SEE IN OUR PROGRAM, AND WE DID THIS, UM, IN PRIOR YEARS AS WELL, WE WANNA KEEP IT AT SOME LEVEL, UM, TO PROVIDE SOME FLEXIBILITY.
UM, IN CASE THERE'S SOMETHING PERHAPS THAT WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE, BUT THAT WOULD REFLECT WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES ARE IN WASHINGTON.
UM, BUT YOUR POINT IS AS WELL TAKEN ON, UM, EMPHASIZING CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN OUR, ARE YOU SAYING EMPHASIZING CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN OUR MOBILITY ELEMENTS, IF YOU WILL? UH, YES.
I MEAN THERE'S, UH, CONNECTIVITY CAN BE APPLIED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WE'RE PUTTING IN A NEW BRIDGE AT SKILLMAN AND LBJ AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT CONNECTS TO, UM, SIDEWALKS AND TRAILS AND, UM, MOBILITY TO SAY THE HIGH SCHOOL TO THE LIBRARIES SO THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING A BARRIER, BUT WE'RE CREATING SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA CONNECT.
AND SO IT'S NOT, AND AND I THINK THAT WOULD, YOU COULD PICK THAT THOUGHT PROCESS UP AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT DISTRICTS AND DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND JUST MAKING SURE WE DON'T, WE DON'T CREATE BARRIERS WITH OUR NEW INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND HOW TO KEEP PEOPLE CONNECTED.
SO I'M HEARING THAT TRANSLATE AS NOT CREATING MOBILITY ISLANDS, IF YOU WILL, THAT IT'S GETTING THEM SOMEWHERE FROM POINT A TO POINT B.
SO, BUT I, I THINK YOUR YES MA'AM.
I THINK IT'S, YOUR LANGUAGE IS BROAD ENOUGH TO, TO INCORPORATE THAT.
SO I GUESS THE COMMITTEE QUESTION AT THIS POINT IS IF THIS IS THE PROGRAM PRESENTED, UM, DO YOU NEED TO SEE THIS AGAIN? YOU KNOW, WE'VE CLEARLY GONE, UM, WE'VE SET A NEW STANDARD OF, OF INCLUSIVITY IN PARTNERS IN THE BROADER COMMUNITY.
UM, WENT TO EVERY SINGLE COMMITTEE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MEMOS WERE SENT TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT IT'S A LOT.
UM, AND SO ARE, ARE WE KIND OF READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS OR DO YOU WANNA CONSIDER IT AGAIN AND COME BACK AND HAVE ANOTHER MEETING? WE CAN POSSIBLY ADD IT ON TO THE END OF THE MONTH WHEN WE'RE DOING THE STATE PRESENTATION IF YOU WANNA CONSIDER IT FURTHER.
OR IF YOU SAY, WOW, WE'VE SEEN THIS ENOUGH TIMES, WE'RE READY TO, TO SAY WE'D LIKE TO MOVE IT TO FULL COUNCIL.
THAT'S ALSO AN OPTION FOR YOU.
CHAIRMAN, I'M SORRY, MAYOR PRO TEM.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, LOOKING AT THIS AND, AND I THINK, UH, AND THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR, FOR THE WORK AND, AND EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING FOR THE FEDERAL.
I, I THINK THAT SOMETIME THAT WHEN WE LOCALLY TRY TO MATCH THAT FEDERAL WITH, WITH RALPH, YOU KNOW, I THINK SOMETHING THAT THERE IS A MOVING TARGETS 'CAUSE SOMETHING, THINGS CHANGE AND SOMETIMES WE GET, UH, AHEAD OF THE GAME AND, AND, AND WE GET TO GET TO DC THINGS DON'T CHANGE.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO AT LEAST KIND OF SAVE SOME ENERGY OR SOME REMARK BACK HERE AT HOME AND, AND GET WITH RALPH SAID, RALPH, WHAT IS CHANGING AT THE CAPITOL? WHAT IS CHANGING IN THE WHITE HOUSE? I MEAN, DO WE NEED TO, TO REBOOT OR RE EDIT? YOU KNOW WHAT OUR LEGISLATIVE HERE BECAUSE IT'S NOT MATCHING UP.
YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE, UH, GOING TO ONE SENATOR VERSUS ANOTHER SENATOR WITH A REPUBLICAN TO THE DEMOCRAT BECAUSE STUFF CHANGED THERE.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES WE TAKE OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THERE AND THE PERSON THINK WHO MIGHT BE IN CHARGE IS NOT THE PERSON WE NEED TO TALK TO.
WE NEED, WE MIGHT NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO, TO STAY KIND, IBLE, UH, AND I KNOW YOU DO A GOOD DEAL WITH THAT.
UH, CHAIRMAN, MINISTER, PEEL IT.
WE GOTTA BE ABLE TO PEEL IT ANYTIME.
UM, ALL OF THIS WE HAVE, UM, CERTAINLY DONE IN CONSULTATION WITH RALPH AND HIS TEAM.
UM, RALPH, IF YOU WANTED TO CHIME IN ABOUT HOW WELL YOU THINK THIS LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM WOULD MATCH, UM, OUR ABILITY TO ADVOCATE IN DC YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO SO.
YOU DO HAVE TO TURN YOUR CAMERA ON THOUGH, IF YOU'RE GONNA DO IT
UM, YEAH, I, I THINK, UM, I THINK MR. ATKINS HIT, HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S ALWAYS, THAT'S ALWAYS THE, THE CHALLENGE, UM,
[00:20:01]
IS IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T WANNA GET TOO INTO THE WEEDS BECAUSE AS HE SAID, A YOU COULD, THAT COULD BECOME OBSOLETE AND DATED.UM, AND B IT JUST BECOMES THIS, THIS OVERWHELMING DOCUMENT.
UM, AND I THINK, I THINK WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS, IS IS BROAD ENOUGH, UM, TO COVER ANY EVENTUALITIES AND TO COVER DIFFERENT MESSAGING WITH DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND DIFFERENT ISSUES.
SO, SO I THINK THIS IS REALLY WELL DONE.
I'LL ALSO ADD CHAIRWOMAN, UM, THAT OUR TEAM MEETS REGULARLY WITH BOTH RALPH AND PAUL TO GET THE TEMPERATURE ON THE GROUND AND SO ON.
WELL I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO MOVE IT FORWARD IF YOU'RE PREPARED TO DO THAT.
OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DELAY TO THE END OF THE MONTH, WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL.
I SAID MOTION TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
THERE'S A MOTION, MOVE IT FORWARD AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT? NO, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
UM, SO NOW IF WE CAN MOVE TO OUR NEXT PART OF THIS ITEM, UM, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO ALEX TO, TO PICK US UP FROM HERE.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH FISCAL YEAR.
WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH FISCAL YEAR 2024 APPROPRIATIONS.
ABOUT AS CLOSE AS IT'S GOING TO GET
UM, SO HERE IS A LIST OF OUR FY 22 AND FOUR COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUESTS, ALSO KNOWN AS EARMARKS.
UM, THESE ARE ESSENTIALLY DISCRETIONARY FUNDING REQUESTS.
UM, THESE WERE ALL SIGNED INTO LAW LAW IN MARCH OF 2024.
UM, THESE WERE SUBMITTED BY OUR OFFICE.
SO THESE REQUESTS WERE SUBMITTED IN MARCH, 2023 TO, UM, OUR DALLAS CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE.
AND EACH CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE SELECTED ABOUT 15, UM, TO ADVANCE TO THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
AND, UM, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS WAS SIGNED INTO LAWA IN MARCH OF 2024.
USUALLY THIS PROCESS HAPPENS MUCH EARLIER AND CLOSER TO THE BEGINNING OF FY 24, WHICH IS ACTUALLY OCTOBER 1ST.
UM, BUT CONGRESS HAD A DIFFICULT SESSION, UM, AND THEY DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, GET IT APPROVED UNTIL MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
UM, SO THIS IS THE SECOND HALF OF THE LIST.
UM, THE ONES THAT ARE IN BOLD ARE THE CITY OF DALLAS REQUEST, AND THE OTHER ONES ARE JUST REQUESTS THAT WERE IN THE DALLAS REGION.
SO THE CITY RECEIVED ABOUT 6 MILLION, UM, FOR FY 2024.
UM, AS CONGRESS SHIFTS THEIR ATTENTION TO THEIR FY 2025 BUDGET, THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE MADE THEIR ANNUAL CALL FOR EARMARK REQUESTS.
AND HERE ARE THE LIST OF PROJECTS THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS SUBMITTED THIS ROUND TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.
WE ALSO SENT A FRIDAY MEMO WITH THIS INFORMATION LAST WEEK.
UM, SO NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO CALL YOUR CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS AND ADVOCATE FOR THESE PROJECTS.
AND OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR WORK.
IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS, UM, THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS HAS PROVIDED TALKING POINTS TO EACH COUNCIL OFFICE.
UM, BUT WE'RE, UH, WE CAN RESEND THOSE AT YOUR REQUEST.
UM, OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS WILL DECIDE WHICH PROJECTS TO ADVANCE TO THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION.
AGAIN, HERE'S THE SECOND HALF OF THE FY 25 COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUEST.
IN TOTAL, WE SUBMITTED 33 APPLICATIONS WITH A TOTAL OF ABOUT 91 MILLION.
SOME OF THESE WE TOOK ON AS A RESULT, UM, OF A CHANGE IN THE CRITERIA FOR COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUEST.
UM, IT WILL BE A WHILE UNTIL WE HEAR BACK, UM, WHICH ONES GOT SELECTED AND FUNDED, BUT FINGERS CROSSED THAT CONGRESS WILL MEET THE OCTOBER 1ST DEADLINE THIS YEAR.
NEXT WE WANTED TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT.
UM, IT'S ALSO KNOWN AS THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW THAT WENT INTO EFFECT IN 20 22, 1 0.2 TRILLION FOR TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING.
AND 550 BILLION OF THAT FIGURE WENT TOWARDS NEW INVESTMENT AND PROGRAMS. SO THAT 57, 567 0.5 BILLION EXPANDED FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION
[00:25:01]
PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE, YOU KNOW, RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES AND SAFE STREETS FOR ALL PROGRAMS. ON THE LEFT, WE HAVE A PICTURE OF SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG VISITING DALLAS TO ANNOUNCE THE 80 MILLION RECONNECTING COMMUNITY GRANT, WHICH FUNDED THREE PEDESTRIAN, THREE PEDESTRIAN CAPS IN DALLAS AND A PORTION WENT TO MCKINNEY.UM, SO THIS IS KIND OF THAT, UM, CONNECTING PORTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART MENTIONED EARLIER.
UM, THESE ARE SOME PROGRAMS THAT ASSIST WITH THAT.
TEXAS AS A STATE HAS GENERALLY DONE VERY WELL AS A RESULT OF INCREASED TRANSPORTATION FUNDING.
AND AT THE END OF THIS POWERPOINT WE HAVE AN APPENDIX WITH ALL OF THE AWARDS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN THE NORTH TEXAS REGION.
SO IN TOTAL, TEXAS IS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE ABOUT 27.5 BILLION FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES AND ABOUT 3.4 BILLION FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT OVER THE FIVE YEARS, UM, OF THE BILL.
UM, AND HERE'S ANOTHER PICTURE OF ANOTHER GRANT THAT WAS RECEIVED.
UM, THE SAFE STREETS FOR ALL GRANT, WHICH 21 MILLION OF THAT WENT TO THE MLK UM, BOULEVARD FOR, UM, PEDESTRIAN ENHANCEMENTS.
HERE WE HAVE A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT IS TO COME IN THE FOLLOWING MONTHS ON THE FEDERAL SIDE, IT IS A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR.
SO THE NOVEMBER ELECTION WILL BE, UM, SPIRITED.
UM, DURING ELECTION YEARS, POLICY MAKING HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY DIFFICULT, DIFFICULT FOR CONGRESS.
AND OF COURSE ON JANUARY 20TH, 2025, THE PRESIDENT WILL BE INAUGURATED.
AFTER THAT OTHER FORMALITIES WILL TAKE PLACE, UM, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE WILL BE APPOINTED, UM, REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY LEADERS WILL BE CHOSEN RESPECTIVELY.
UM, AND THIS LAST SLIDE IS, UM, SOME INTERNAL KEY DATES AND WE'LL UPDATE THIS BASED ON THE CONVERSATION, UM, THAT THE COMMITTEE HAD TODAY.
UM, FOR NEXT STEPS, UM, THE COMMITTEE DECIDED TO ADVANCE THE, THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FORWARD TO FULL COUNCIL.
UM, SO AFTER THOSE ARE ULTIMATELY ADOPTED, WE PLAN TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND JUST EDUCATE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA REITERATE SOMETHING YOU SAID, WHICH IS YOU ARE WELCOME, UM, BOTH AS LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE FULL COUNCIL.
EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER IS WELCOME TO CALL ANY OF OUR FEDERAL, UM, DELEGATION AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT THESE SPECIFIC ITEMS. LIKE WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT.
AND EVERYBODY'S INDIVIDUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL THESE PEOPLE IS VALUABLE.
THE THE IMPORTANT THING, OF COURSE, IS THAT WE'RE UNIFIED AND THAT WE'RE UNIFIED ON THE CITY'S PRIORITIES, NOT ON MAYBE OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL PRIORITIES.
AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US HAS OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS ON THINGS, BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO STAND TOGETHER AND UNIFY AROUND WHAT WE ALL AGREE ON AS, AS A BODY.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I FULLY ENCOURAGE ANYBODY ON COUNCIL, BUT ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, AS A LEGISLATIVE CHAIR, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBER, YOU ARE ESPECIALLY ENCOURAGED TO MAKE THAT OUTREACH, DEVELOP YOUR OWN RELATIONSHIP WITH, UM, FOLKS AND, UM, AND HELP US ADVOCATE FOR THESE ITEMS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS SECOND SECTION ABOUT THE, THE EARMARKS, ABOUT, UM, THE TIMELINE ON WHERE WE'RE AT ON THE FEDERAL SIDE? NOPE.
WE START A LITTLE BIT LATE, BUT LOOK HOW FAST WE TOOK CARE OF BUSINESS
WELL THAT IS THE CONCLUSION OR DO YOU HAVE ANY SUMMARY REMARKS OR YOU'RE GOOD TO GO? WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
OKAY, WELL I'LL JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE, WE MEET EVERY WEEK, UM, TO GO THROUGH LEGISLATIVE AND STATE ITEMS. WE'RE PREPARING EVERYTHING FOR THE STATE SIDE, WHICH I THINK IS IN REALLY, REALLY GOOD SHAPE AND AGAIN, HAS HAD A LOT OF WORK TO GET IT TO THIS POINT.
SO, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE END OF THE MONTH WHERE WE'LL DO THIS AGAIN WITH A STATE FOCUS.
IT'S NOW NINE 50 AND THE MEETING'S ADJOURNED.