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MORNING.[Ad Hoc Committee on Legislative Affairs on May 5, 2026.]
IS MAY 5TH, AND THE TIME IS NINE 11.I CALL TO ORDER THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.
OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 5TH, 2025 AD HOC COMMITTEE MEETING.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND AND THE SECOND.
ANY CHANGES? CORRECTIONS? NOPE.
ANYONE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
WELL, WE ONLY HAVE ONE BRIEFING ITEM, BUT IT'S A BIG ONE, SO WE'RE VERY GLAD TO HAVE OUR OWN STAFF HERE TO DO THE PRESENTATION.
AND IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO KICK IT OFF, WE'RE READY TO GO.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ERIC DOMINGUEZ AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS A DIRECTOR WITH THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES, MS. ALEXANDER RENT CLIFFORD SPARKS, FELISE STAFFORD AS WELL.
SO TODAY WE ARE GIVING A PRESENTATION, AN OVERVIEW OF THE, UH, AGENDA IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS, AS WELL AS PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FRAMEWORK, AND ALSO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE NEXT STEPS WITH KEY DATES AND ACTIONS' LIKE TO HAND IT OFF TO MY COLLEAGUE, ALEX.
UM, TO BEGIN THIS PRESENTATION, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO HELP FRAME TODAY'S DISCUSSION.
WE KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS FROM YOUR TIME ON THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT WE'LL TAKE A MOMENT TO WALK THROUGH IT.
SO BEFORE EACH LE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THE CITY COUNCIL SETS BOTH, UM, ADOPTS BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
THESE DOCUMENTS OUTLINE THE CITY'S PRIORITIES AND GUIDE HOW WE ENGAGE THROUGHOUT THE SESSIONS.
THEY SERVE SEVERAL IMPORTANT PURPOSES.
FIRST, THEY HELP US DEVELOP AND ADVANCE OUR OWN LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS THAT SUPPORT THE CITY'S GOALS.
SECOND, THEY GUIDE HOW WE RESPOND TO LEGISLATION FILED BY OTHERS, ENSURING THAT OUR PRIORITIES REMAIN CONSISTENT, AND THEY ALSO HELP US PURSUE STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
FINALLY, THEY KEEP OUR COMMUNICATION COORDINATED WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PARTNER AGENCIES.
AND ONCE THE LEGISLATIVE IS, ONCE THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS ADOPTED, WE SHARE IT WITH OUR STATE, FEDERAL, AND REGIONAL PARTNERS.
AND JUST A QUICK BACKGROUND OVER THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING OVER THE PAST DECADE OR SO.
UH, AS WE ALL KNOW, THE LEGISLATURE TYPICALLY MEETS FOR 140 DAYS, UH, BUT DURING THE 80TH LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS ONTO CURRENT, WE'VE SEEN A PROLIFERATION IN SPECIAL SESSIONS, WHICH MEANS THAT THAT'S MORE TIME FOR THEM TO PASS LEGISLATION, MORE TIME FOR EITHER THEM TO GET THINGS DONE OR FOR US TO GET THINGS DONE AS WELL.
AND THE OPPOSITE COULD ALSO BE TRUE.
UH, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY THROUGH, UM, AS A NEW FOUND, UH, SET OF RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THE CITY, IS JUST THAT IT'S NOT LOOKING JUST LIKE A PART-TIME LEGISLATURE ANYMORE.
THAT'S ALMOST BECOMING A FULL-TIME LEGISLATURE IN THE PAST DECADE.
UH, SO I ONLY BRING THAT UP JUST TO SAY THAT THIS IS A NEW DYNAMIC THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH, BUT IT IS A DYNAMIC NONETHELESS.
UH, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE OTHER KEY THING I WANNA PULL YOUR, UM, EYES TO ON THE SLIDE IS JUST THE NUMBER OF BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED.
IT'S NOT JUST THE NUMBER OF BILLS THAT AFFECT US, BUT JUST THE NUMBER OF BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED.
AND WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF BILLS THAT ARE FILED THAT CREATES A VEHICLE THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY HELP OR HARM US.
AND AS THOSE BILLS MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS, THE NUMBER OF COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTES THE NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS, THOSE BECOME VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND THAT MEANS THAT'S MORE WORK ON OUR PLATE, WHICH PUTS A STRAIN ON OUR CURRENT, UM, RELATIONSHIPS AND STRAIN ON OUR CURRENT, UH, WORKFORCE THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THE CITY.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO, UM, FELICE TO DO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO NOW SHIFTING TO THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A QUICK LOOK, LOOK AT HOW CONGRESS OPERATES AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR OUR WORK.
WE'RE CURRENTLY ABOUT 243 DAYS OUT FROM THE SWEARING IN OF THE 120TH CONGRESS NEXT YEAR.
UNLIKE THE STATE, CONGRESS WORKS ON A TWO YEAR CYCLE WITH TWO SESSIONS.
AND PRI FEDERAL PRIORITIES TEND TO SHIFT OVER THAT TIME BECAUSE OF THAT, FEDERAL WORK IS ONGOING AND REQUIRES CONSISTENT ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, PRIORITIES ARE OFTEN SHAPED BY THE ADMINISTRATION GOALS, REAUTHORIZATION CYCLES, AND WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SUCH AS MAJOR EVENTS, MOST MAJOR LEGISLATIVE OUTCOMES ARE PASSED THROUGH ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS
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BILLS.SO IT'S VERY RARE TO SEE A STANDALONE PIECE OF LEGISLATION PASSED IF IT'S NOT TIED TO SOMETHING LIKE THE FEDERAL BUDGET.
UM, LOOKING AT RECENT RESULTS DURING THE 119 CONGRESS, EIGHT OF THE CITY'S TOP 10 FEDERAL PRIORITIES WERE ADDRESSED THROUGH, UM, WRITING LETTERS TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS, SUBMITTING COMMENTS TO FEDERAL AGENCIES AND FUNDING EFFORTS.
ON THE FUNDING SIDE, WE SECURED ABOUT 8 MILLION IN COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING IN FY FISCAL YEAR 24 ACROSS SIX CITY PROJECTS, AND APPROXIMATELY 15 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 2026 ACROSS 17 PROJECTS.
UM, WANTED TO KNOW THAT RIGHT AFTER THIS BRIEFING, WE WILL HOST A CHECK PRESENTATION WITH ONE OF OUR CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THAT FISCAL YEAR 2026 FUNDING.
AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT FISCAL YEAR 2025 ISN'T LISTED.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID OPERATE UNDER A FULL YEAR CONTINUING RESOLUTION THAT YEAR, WHICH LIMITED OUR, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO GET FEDERAL FUNDING.
AND NOW LOOKING AHEAD AT CONGRESS IS WORKING ON FISCAL YEAR 2027.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 18 FUNDING REQUESTS IN THE PIPELINE, AND WE SHARED THAT LATEST UPDATE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL IN A ON APRIL 24 VIA MEMO.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR DOMINGUEZ.
WELL, WE, AT THIS TIME, WE ARE ENGAGING IN ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL IMPORTANT STEPS IN THE PROCESS, WHICH IS THE OPEN CALL FOR, UH, LEGISLATIVE PROPOSED ITEMS. AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITHIN THE REVIEW, APPROVAL AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS, WE CAN CERTAINLY ENGAGE AND COLLABORATE AND MAKE SURE TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH YOU AND THE COMMITTEE.
AND ON THIS SLIDE, WE HAVE OUR PREVIOUS GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
UH, THESE ARE THE OVERARCHING PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE BEEN BENEFICIAL HERE TO THE CITY.
UM, AND THESE FOUR HAVE REALLY BEEN THE ONES THAT WE'VE COALESCED AROUND OVER THE PAST DECADE OR SO, AS THE LEGISLATURE HAS CHANGED ITS ATTITUDE, UH, HERE IN THE STATE.
AND AS WE'VE CONTINUED TO GROW HERE IN THE STATE, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW THE LEGISLATURE'S VERY PROUD OF, UH, THAT WE DO HERE AT THE CITY IS, UH, THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DIVISION.
UM, I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO HELP BRING HERE.
UM, EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THEY'VE BEEN VERY ADVERSARIAL TOWARDS US AT TIMES, THEY'VE ALSO BEEN VERY HELPFUL TOWARDS US, AND THEY CAN CONTINUE TO BE A GOOD PARTNER.
SO I JUST WANNA STRESS THAT, YES, UH, THEY HAVE BEEN TOUGH ON US, BUT THEY'VE BEEN FAIR TO US IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL.
UH, BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, THESE GUIDING PRINCIPLES ARE SOMETHING THAT WILL, THAT WE, UM, AS A LEGISLATIVE BODY HAVE COALESCED AROUND.
AND IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES OR CONCERNS, NOW WILL DEFINITELY BE THE TIME TO BRING THAT UP.
UH, BUT THESE HAVE, THESE HAVE BEEN THINGS THAT HAVE WORKED WELL FOR US IN THE PAST, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGES AT THIS TIME.
NOW, AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, THIS IS ALSO THE TIME THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, AND I SAW LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
WELL, AS WE GO THROUGH THOSE PRIORITIES, THESE ARE THE FIVE THINGS THAT I HOPE THAT YOU CONSIDER AS WE LOOK FORWARD AND AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE THESE THINGS AND AS THEY WORK THEIR WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE COMMITTEES AND THEN WORK THEIR WAY UP TO THE FULL COUNCIL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE BIG THING BEING JUST, WE, WE JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS LOOKING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE BROAD SWEEPING CHANGES IN PARTICULAR, UM, TO HOW THE WAY WE ARE ABLE TO CONDUCT BUSINESS HERE LOCALLY.
UM, THAT'S JUST BEEN THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS US IN THE PAST.
UM, FROM ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, I DON'T SEE THEM CHANGING ANYTIME SOON.
SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND.
NOW, DOES THAT MEAN THAT I THINK WE SHOULDN'T SUGGEST THINGS AND MAKE SUGGESTIONS TOWARD THEM OR CONTINUE TO MEET WITH THEM? NO, NOT AT ALL.
BUT JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT THAT IS WHERE THEY'RE AT AND UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.
UH, THE POLITICAL CLIMATE, UH, IN UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH THAT THE POLITICAL CLIMATE JUST IS WHAT IT IS.
UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES COME IN ALL THE TIME.
LEGISLATION POPS UP ON US ALL THE TIME.
BILLS CATCH FIRE ON US ALL THE TIME.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, LAST SESSION WE HAD A BILL THAT CAUGHT FIRE ON US, UH, PROBABLY LAST TWO WEEKS OF SESSION.
UH, IT WOULD'VE TANKED OUR ABILITY TO FINISH OUR, UH, CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL PROJECT OR THE, THE CONVENTION CENTER REDO PROJECT.
UM, IT WAS A VERY TENSE SITUATION.
IT CAME DOWN TO THE LAST SECOND TO THE LAST DAY, AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WEREN'T EXPECTING, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH AND WE TURNED ON A DIME.
LUCKILY, THE COMMITTEE, THE CHAIR, MYSELF, THE LOBBY TEAM, OGA, WE WERE ALL READY FOR IT, UH, JUST FROM OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES.
BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO HAVE TO REMAIN VIGILANT ON.
BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANNA STRESS THAT UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES COME UP ALL THE TIME, AND ALL OF YOU WILL BE CALLED UPON BY THE STRENGTH OF YOUR RELATIONSHIPS, ESPECIALLY NOW MORE THAN EVER, TO TALK WITH MEMBERS, TO MEET WITH MEMBERS, TO HAVE THOSE SATURDAY NIGHT CONVERSATIONS
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WITH MEMBERS, UH, TO BE, TO STRESS TO THEM THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR LEGISLATION THAT THEY'RE PUSHING, UH, THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE AT THE TIME.AS WE AS, LIKE I SAID, AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, PROCESS, ONE OF, ONE OF THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THIS TIME AROUND IS IN 2025, WE HAVE FOUR BLOCKS OF, UH, BASICALLY A LITMUS TEST.
IF I, IF I COULD USE THAT TERMINOLOGY.
AND THE REASON BEING IS BECAUSE AS YOU SEE, THE PURSUIT IS THE ONE THAT CARRIED OVER AS WELL AS MONITOR.
BUT PURSUE IS ONE OF THOSE ONES THAT WE ACTIVELY GO AFTER.
BUT I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU ACTIVELY GO AFTER SOMETHING, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS MEAN THAT WE TAKE A BILL TO A MEMBER TO GET THEM TO PUSH IT FOR US.
SOMETIMES IT IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN BILL FILING STARTS, YOU SEE A BILL THAT CLOSELY MODELS SOMETHING TO WHAT WE WANT, AND WE SIMPLY TAG IT ONTO TAG OUR INTEREST ONTO THAT BILL SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, HAVE AN EASIER TIME OF GETTING ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
THE EXAMPLE I'LL GIVE IS WHEN THE, UM, WE, WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH PAPER TAGS HERE.
UH, THERE WAS A MEMBER OVER IN FORT WORTH THAT HAD A BILL ON PAPER TAGS.
AND SO IT MADE MORE SENSE AS HIM, HIM BEING A CHAIRMAN, HIM BEING INVOLVED IN LEADERSHIP, WE KNEW THAT IF WE JUST SIMPLY WENT TO HIM, GOT OUR CONCERNS ADDRESSED, HE WAS ABLE TO PUSH IT.
THAT PARTICULAR ITEM GOT PUSHED THROUGH WITH EASE AS OPPOSED TO US HAVING A COMPETING BILL WITH HIS TRYING TO GET DONE.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN PURSUING.
IT DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN THAT WE HAVE A BILL OUT THERE.
SOMETIMES IT MIGHT BE SOMEONE ELSE'S BILL THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING.
AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE, I THINK, IS THAT WE GET THE ITEM ACCOMPLISHED AND GET IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
THE OTHER THING IS WITH MONITOR, UM, MONITOR REALLY ENCOMPASSES THE OTHER THREE BLOCKS THAT YOU SEE IN 2025, THE SUPPORT MONITORING POSE, WHENEVER YOU'RE MONITOR, WHENEVER WE ARE MONITORING SOMETHING.
JUST SPEAKING FROM STAFF'S POINT OF VIEW, THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, A BILL MAY START OFF AS A SOFT SUPPORT OR A HARD, UH, AGAINST, OR EVEN A SOFT AGAINST, BUT IT COULD CHANGE AS AMENDMENTS GET TAGGED ON, IT COULD CHANGE AS COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTES HAPPEN.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT DYNAMIC THAT HAPPENS ALL THROUGHOUT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE FELT LIKE MONITOR WAS MORE APROPOS WAY OF DESCRIBING THAT BECAUSE JUST SOMETHING COULD BE, YOU KNOW, TOTALLY ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US 90% OF THE WAY THROUGH SESSION, AND THEN THE LAST 10%, IT GETS TOTALLY OUT OF HAND AND WE HAVE TO KILL IT OR ACT OR ACTIVELY GO AFTER IT.
SO, SO I JUST WANT TO, WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE, THAT THAT'S THE WAY WE WERE LOOKING AT IT.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE TIME FOR ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT THAT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, EXCUSE ME, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO, UH, ERIC FOR THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, UH, PART OF THE LEADING THE CITY PRIORITIES ON THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS, UM, IS WITH OF COURSE, AS WE KNOW WITH THE STATE BEING THE 140 DAY LEGISLATIVE SESSION, UM, WE OUTLINED A PART OF THE PROCESS OF NOT ONLY COORDINATING, DEVELOPING, MONITORING, TRACKING, UM, THE PROPOSED TRACKING OF RULEMAKING AND BILLS, BUT ALSO PROVIDING REGULAR UPDATES, UH, TO THE MAYOR OF CITY COUNCIL, UH, OTHER SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO INCLUDING THAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH TESTIMONY AND INPUT AS WELL CERTAINLY HAND IT ON TO FELICE TO PROVIDE THE FEDERAL OVERVIEW.
SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE AND FELICE, CAN YOU JUST MOVE THAT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER? THANK YOU.
IS THAT BETTER? YEAH, IT, IT, IT JUST REALLY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE HOW CLOSE CLIFFORD'S BASE IS TO WHERE IT, THERE YOU GO.
AS OUTLINED HERE ON THE NEXT TWO SLIDES, WE'RE ENTERING A PHASE WE'LL STAFF WHERE WE'LL BE REFINING THEIR PRIORITIES, UM, ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY, WITH COMMITTEES, AND PREPARING THEIR FINAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AHEAD OF THE UPCOMING SESSION.
IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE PROPOSED TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE ISSUED TO KEEP US ON TRACK.
AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS, YOUR INPUT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT.
WITH THE, UM, DEADLINE NOW BEING EXTENDED TO THE MAY 8TH DATE, OUR TEAM WILL STILL BE COLLECTING THE SUBMISSIONS FROM DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AS WELL AS STAFF, SO THAT WE ARE ENSURING, UM, THOSE SUBMISSIONS ARE, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GRABBING ALL OF THOSE ADDITIONAL PRIORITIES.
IN THE NEXT SLIDE, WE ARE SHOWCASING THE FURTHER ACTIONS, YOUR FEEDBACK TODAY AS WELL AS THE SUBMISSIONS THAT WE RECEIVE WILL DIRECTLY SHAPE AND REFINE, UM,
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HOW WE BRING FORWARD THE FINAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.AND WE WANNA ENSURE THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT ONLY STRATEGICALLY, UM, STRATEGICALLY IN ALIGNMENT, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HEARING DIRECTLY FOR THE NEEDS OF YOUR COMMUNITIES AND YOUR DISTRICTS.
AND WITH THAT, WE WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AND DIRECTION.
YOU DID YOUR FIRST BRIEFING FOR US.
SO, UM, OFFICIALLY WELCOME AS OUR DIRECTOR AND GREAT JOB.
UM, AND I GUESS I WOULD SAY EVEN WELCOME BACK, RIGHT? SO YOU HAD BEEN AT THE CITY, NOW YOU'RE BACK AND WE'RE, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU.
UM, THANK YOU FOR CALLING OUT THAT THE DEADLINE, UM, IS NOW MAY 8TH FOR COM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYOR TO SUBMIT AS WELL AS CITY STAFF.
AND THEN I'M CORRECT IN THAT YOU'RE GONNA ATTEND EITHER THE MAYOR JUNE MEETING FOR ALL THE STANDING COMMITTEES TO GO THROUGH WHAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD.
WE'LL PROBABLY GRAB, UM, ITEMS FROM THE LAST SESSION THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT, THAT ARE STILL RELEVANT, UM, AS WELL AS OF COURSE THE NEW ITEMS. AND, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE MAYOR WAS VERY THOUGHTFUL IN PUTTING THE COMMITTEE TOGETHER.
UM, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON'S NOT HERE, BUT EVEN WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WEST, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS, UM, ALMOST EVERY STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIR.
SO, UM, YOUR, YOUR, UH, INTENTION OF PUTTING THIS ITEM FOR MAY JUNE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THE IDEA WOULD THEN BE THAT AFTER IT COMES TO THE COMMITTEES, WE'LL RECONVENE WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, SEE WHAT WE CAN DISTILL IT DOWN TO.
AS MENTIONED IN THE MEMO SENT OUT, WE'RE REALLY HOPING THAT WE CAN GET DOWN TO A TOP 10 LIST OF THE PURSUE ITEMS. AND WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT EVEN AS WE TRY TO SEPARATE IT OUT LAST TIME, WHEN YOU GIVE A EVEN A ONE PAGER AND IT'S GOT SO MUCH TEXT, I MEAN, WE'RE JUST SEEING THEIR FACES GLAZE OVER AND THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, JUST TELL ME THE THREE YOU CARE ABOUT.
WELL, WE CARE ABOUT MORE THAN THREE.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S NO WAY WE DON'T CARE ABOUT MORE THAN THREE.
SO I THINK IF WE CAN GET IT TO 10, WE CAN KEEP THEIR INTERESTS AT LEAST THROUGH NUMBER SEVEN.
UM, WE'LL COME UP SOME JOKES FOR THE, FOR THE LAST THREE TO KEEP THEM AMUSED.
UM, AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS REALLY WHAT SEEMS TO POP UP BECAUSE INDIVIDUAL LEGISLATORS HAVE THEIR OWN AGENDA, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE TOTALLY GONNA SUPPORT AND WE'RE GONNA PUT A LOT OF EFFORT BEHIND SUPPORTING IT, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA OPPOSE AND WE'RE GONNA PUT A LOT OF EFFORT BEHIND IT OR SOME OF THOSE, IT'S KIND OF IN A GRAY AREA.
AND, UM, AND THAT'S WHY THOSE REALLY OVERARCHING IDEAS OF WHAT DO WE WANNA SAY? THESE ARE KIND OF THE FUNDAMENTAL THOUGHTS THAT WE HAVE.
SO I WILL JUST SAY THAT WHEN WE SEE ITEMS POSTED FOR A COMMITTEE HEARING, SOMETIMES IT'S THINGS WE'VE NEVER EVEN TALKED ABOUT.
LIKE PEOPLE ARE PRETTY CREATIVE DOWN THERE AND
AND WE DO GO BACK TO, OKAY, BUT THE OVERARCHING THEME IS LOCAL CONTROL, RIGHT? AND THIS WILL TAKE AWAY OUR ABILITY TO MAKE A DECISION.
AND SO THOSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER.
AND AS CLIFFORD MENTIONED, THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME.
WE HAVEN'T CHANGED THEM, BUT I WOULD WELCOME YOU LOOKING AT IT.
IT'S PAGE SEVEN AND YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, WE SHOULD DO IT.
I WILL SAY, I THINK IT'S PUT US IN A GOOD SITUATION TO BE ABLE TO EVALUATE REALLY EVERYTHING THAT'S COME UP HAS REALLY BEEN ABLE TO BE ADDRESSED BY THESE KIND GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
UM, CLIFFORD ON SLIDE EIGHT, THIS IS THE CONSIDERATION SLIDE.
UM, WE'RE ALREADY HEARING A LOT FROM FOLKS, UM, BOTH IN THE HOUSE AND THE STATE SENATE, THAT THIS IS GONNA BE A DIFFERENT KIND OF SESSION.
AND LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE ON THE TABLE.
LIKE THIS IS ALL ABOUT CITY GOVERNMENT AT THIS POINT, AND I MEAN SOME COUNTY, BUT I THINK REALLY THEY'RE LOOKING AT CITIES AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT BIG CITIES AND THAT'S US.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA SHARE ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE PLAYING A LOT OF DEFENSE.
I I TRULY BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA BE PLAYING DEFENSE MORE SO THAN WE HAVE IN PREVIOUS SESSIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A RECENT TPPF CONFERENCE THAT THEY HAD WHERE THEY HAD A LOT OF THE LEADERSHIP, UH, GIVING SPEECHES AND UH, INTERVIEWS AND THEY CLEARLY STATED THAT, YOU KNOW, REGULATING CITIES, WHETHER IT WAS THROUGH PROPERTY TAXES REFORM OR WHETHER, WHETHER IT WAS THROUGH, UH, REGULATION REFORM, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE DEFINITELY GOING TO DO THIS SESSION BEFORE THEY LEFT, WHETHER IT WAS THROUGH THE REGULAR SESSION OF SPECIAL SESSIONS.
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AND THEY WERE PRETTY ADAMANT ABOUT THAT.AND THEY SAID THAT THEY FELT PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THAT AND THEY ALREADY HAD THEIR CHAIRMAN PICKED OUT FOR WHO WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SHEPHERD THOSE BILLS THROUGH.
AND JUST AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, TYPICALLY WHEN A CHAIRMAN HAS A BILL OF THAT MAGNITUDE, IT MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CHANGE OR TO DO ANYTHING ELSE TO IT, WHICH MEANS IT'S PRETTY MUCH GONNA GET OUT OF THE CHAMBER IN ONE FASHION OR ANOTHER.
AND SO, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, TO THE CHAIR WOMAN'S POINT, UH, WE'RE DEFINITELY ON THE MENU.
WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST, BUT WE'VE JUST STARTED TO MOVE UP THE MENU TO A, A HIGH DEGREE.
UH, MAINLY JUST BECAUSE THEY FELT LIKE SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT THEY PUT IN PLACE HAVEN'T HAD THE OVERALL EFFECT THAT THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD.
AND SO THEY'RE RAMPING UP THEIR EFFORTS AS SUCH.
SO I'M GONNA JUST SAY THAT, UM, GIVEN THE ELECTION RESULTS THAT WE SAW ACROSS NORTH TEXAS, UM, ON SATURDAY IN TERMS OF BOND ELECTIONS, UM, PEOPLE AT THE STATE LEVEL ARE KIND OF OUTRAGED AND THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT I'M HEARING IS THEY ARE SO INTENT ON TRYING TO GET A LOWER PROPERTY TAX BILL FOR FOLKS AND WHAT THEY SEE PEOPLE VOTED TO INCREASE THEIR, THEIR PROPERTY TAX BILL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT CHANGES THINGS, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT, ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE HEARING FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS, I NEED A LOWER PROPERTY TAX BILL.
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP TO VOTE.
MAYBE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS, BUT I THINK THAT JUST POURED SOME GASOLINE ON SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS IS WHAT I'M HEARING OVER THE WEEKEND.
I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE CHAIRMAN OF WAYS AND MEANS, UM, YET ABOUT THAT, BUT I IMAGINE THAT'S SOME, DEFINITELY SOME CONVERSATIONS THAT THEY'RE HAVING, UH, IN AUSTIN OR AT HOME, HOWEVER YOU WANNA LOOK AT IT.
UM, I'D LOVE TO HEAR, UM, FROM THE COMMITTEE, ESPECIALLY ABOUT SLIDE NINE, ABOUT GOING TO THE PURSUIT IN THE MONITOR.
AND WHAT I WOULD ENVISION IS THE PURSUE ARE THE KIND OF THE TOP 10 LISTS WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT OF THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA REALLY ACTIVELY SAY, WE NEED THIS FOR THE CITY.
AND THEN THE MONITOR IS GONNA BE THE, THE GREAT BIG BODY OF THESE ARE THE THINGS WE'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE AND SEE IF WE CAN GET SOMEBODY TO PICK IT UP OR IF THEY'RE NATURALLY GONNA DO IT ANYHOW, OR IF WE CAN HELP TWEAK ANOTHER BILL.
UM, AND ALSO THINGS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE OVERLOOK THE FEDERAL SIDE OF THINGS 'CAUSE WE'RE HYPER-FOCUSED ON THE STATE AND WE HAVE MORE RELATIONSHIPS AT THE STATE.
UM, MAYBE WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE MORE CONTROL AT THE STATE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S TRUE, BUT WE DO HAVE WONDERFUL PARTNERS ON THE FEDERAL SIDE AS WELL THAT ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING US, UM, BOTH WITH FUNDING AND POLICY.
SO, UM, IF YOU ONLY SUBMITTED THINGS THAT ARE STATE ORIENTED, YOU KNOW, YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO, UM, ADD THINGS THAT ARE FEDERAL.
AND THEN, UH, I ASKED YOU THAT QUESTION.
SO THOSE WERE JUST THE THINGS THAT I WANTED, MAKE SURE THAT I JUST ADDED IN TO WHAT YOU SAID.
GREAT PRESENTATION, BUT REALLY WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM THE COMMITTEE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO START WITH KATHY, 'CAUSE I CAN SEE SHE'S GOT A BUNCH OF NOTES OVER HERE.
UM, MOSTLY I JUST, UM, HAVE QUESTIONS THAT I THINK ARE PROBABLY JUST INDIVIDUAL TO ME.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE IN WALKING ME THROUGH THIS.
UM, DISTINGUISH AGAIN, FOR ME THE DIFFERENCE OR, OR WHY WE'VE, UM, THIS IS THE SLIDE NINE WHERE WE'VE MOVED FROM FOUR PARTS OF A FRAMEWORK TO A TWO-PART FRAMEWORK.
UM, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME WE DO SUPPORT DIFFERENT, UM, LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS AND, UM, AND THE PAPER TAGS WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
SO WE'LL JUST PUT, WE'LL JUST PUT THOSE, THOSE THAT WE'RE NOT ACTIVELY PURSUING, WE'LL JUST FALL UNDER MONITOR, BUT MONITOR DOESN'T MEAN MAYBE JUST MONITOR IT MEANS AT SOME POINT WE COULD STEP IN AND PURSUE.
I'M JUST, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF, UM, LIKE, UM, MUD TO ME.
SO AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE MIGHT BE A BILL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, THAT DOESN'T MAKE THE TOP 10 LIST, IF I CAN JUST GO WITH THE EXAMPLE OF THE CHAIR USED.
AND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT ANOTHER MEMBER IN A DIFFERENT PART OF THE STATE IS PURSUING.
AND SO WE COULD ALWAYS GO WORK WITH THAT MEMBER, YOU KNOW, HELP THEM PUSH IT, HELP MAKE CHANGES TO IT, TO MAKE IT MORE TOWARDS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND THAT MEANS THAT YOU COULD STILL COME DOWN AND TESTIFY, YOU COULD STILL COME DOWN AND WORK THE QUOTE UNQUOTE PIT WITH THE MEMBERS IN IT
[00:25:01]
TO HELP THEM BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS A GOOD PIECE OF LEGISLATION.AND THE OPPOSITE COULD BE TRUE.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE YOU DOWN THERE OPPOSING SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US.
AND, UH, AGAIN, LIKE THE EXAMPLE I USED, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE A BILL THAT WE SUPPORT THAT GOES ROGUE ON US THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN IT TURNS BAD AND WE MIGHT NEED YOU THERE TO SAY, HEY LOOK, IF YOU GUYS DON'T TURN THIS AROUND, LIKE, WE CAN'T SUPPORT THIS ANYMORE.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE REALLY MOVING TOWARDS MONITOR IS REALLY, UM, WE FEEL IS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THE FLUIDITY OF SESSION, YOU JUST NEVER KNOW IN THE FLUIDITY OF A BILL BECOMING, UH, OR BEING ONE STATE VERSUS ANOTHER.
SO IT'S TO TAKE OUT ALL THE THINKING AND JUST SAY, LOOK, WE'RE MONITORING THIS.
IT STILL GIVES YOU THE FLEXIBILITY OF ALL THE OTHER THREE BOXES TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IT, BE AGAINST IT, OR JUST WATCH IT GO THROUGH.
IF IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT AND IT'S GOT THE SUPPORT THAT IT WANTS, THEN SOMETIMES IT'S BEST TO JUST LEAVE IT ALONE AND LET IT LET IT DO ITS THING.
SO IT'S, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHAT'S BEST AT THAT TIME.
SO I CHAIR PARKS TRAILS IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND, AND I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH OUR CHAIR.
WE SHOULD HAVE A TOP 10 OR PERHAPS LESS THAN 10, RIGHT? WE DO NEED TO FOCUS IN, BUT LET'S JUST SAY, AND I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF THE PRIORITIES REGARDING GREEN SPACE AND PARKS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES MIGHT NOT MAKE IT TO THAT LIST.
SO THEREFORE WE WILL MAYBE SUPPORT THOSE INITIATIVES.
BUT I, I QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT SOMEBODY ELSE, SOME OTHER CITY OR OTHER, UM, SMALLER RURAL AREA WILL PUT TOGETHER AN INITIATIVE ON THAT, THAT WE COULD THEN GET BEHIND AND SUPPORT IT.
I THINK IT MIGHT TAKE LEADERSHIP FROM US TO, TO, UH, ARTICULATE SOMETHING THERE.
SO, UM, WHEREAS I UNDERSTAND WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTA HONE IN ON WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT AND PROPERTY TAXES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE GOING TO BE, UM, AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR FOCUS.
BUT I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO QUALITY OF LIFE AND TO OUR RESIDENTS.
SO I JUST WORRY A LITTLE BIT THAT IF I'M, IF SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT, UM, I CAN ARTICULATE FROM MY COMMITTEE MIGHT END UP ON MONITOR, BUT IF NOBODY IS OUT THERE DOING ANYTHING, THERE'S NOTHING TO MONITOR AND WE COULD GET LOST.
SO I GUESS I'M JUST GONNA ASK THAT MAYBE THERE COULD BE A, A SUBSET OF MONITOR THAT LOOKS MORE LIKE SUPPORT
UM, SO THAT SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT I BELIEVE ARE IMPORTANT AND I BELIEVE MY COMMITTEE AND MANY PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE ARE IMPORTANT, DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PICK UP AND ADVOCATE FOR AND NOT JUST TO MONITOR, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
NO, THAT, AND THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.
AND, AND LEMME JUST SAY THIS, 'CAUSE AGAIN, WE WERE TRYING TO BE CONCISE ABOUT THINGS, BUT ANYTIME WE HAVE A BILL OUT THERE THAT'S MOVING THAT IS, THAT DOES HAVE SOME MOMENTUM, UH, DURING SESSION AND LET'S, LET'S GO EVEN FURTHER BACK THAN THAT BEFORE IT EVEN GETS MOMENTUM.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US AND IT'S ON THE MONITOR, YES WE DO GO SEE IF THERE'S OTHER COALITIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
I MEET WITH OTHER CITIES REGULARLY TO SEE WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE AND WHAT, WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND IF THEY TELL ME THAT, HEY, THERE'S FIVE THINGS ON OUR MONITOR LIST THAT THEY REALLY LIKE THAT THEY'RE PUSHING AND IT'S SOMETHING HUGE, IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR THEM, THEN WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD GET BEHIND THEM AND SAY, HEY, LOOK, AS YOU CONTINUE TO PUSH THIS, HERE ARE THE ITEMS WHERE OUR STUFF DOESN'T OVERLAP AND THAT WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE IN THIS, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS DO THIS AND YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE FULLY BEHIND YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
WE'LL COME TESTIFY AT THE HEARINGS.
WE'LL, YOU KNOW, COME STAND WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, AS YOU TALK TO MEMBERS AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
THE SAME ACTIVITY THAT WE WOULD DO FOR A PURSUE CATEGORY, WE WOULD GIVE IT THAT SAME ATTENTION.
IF IT'S, AS LONG AS IT'S MOVING, IF IT'S NOT MOVING, THE LEGISLATURE DETERMINES THAT IT IS JUST NOT GONNA GO ANYWHERE, THEN OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO READ THE TEA LEAVES.
BUT IF IT'S MOVING, NO, WE TREAT IT AS IF IT'S A MAJOR DEAL BECAUSE LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, IT CAN MOVE 90% OF THE WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THAT LAST 10%, IT GOES TOTALLY ROGUE.
AND WE NEED TO KNOW THAT BEFORE IT GOES ROGUE.
AND THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT WE CARE ABOUT THIS BILL BEFORE IT GOES ROGUE.
NOW IF IT MAKES IT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE WAY AND IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT, GREAT, THEN WE'RE GOOD.
WE'VE DONE OUR ADVOCACY WORK, WE'VE WORKED WITH OTHER, UM, INTERESTS AND WE'VE GOTTEN IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
SO, SO I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, BUT THAT'S, IT WAS NOT OUR INTENTION TO NOT PAY AS MUCH ATTENTION TO THE MONITOR LIST.
IT'S JUST WE, AS THE CHAIR SAID, THERE'S JUST CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT AS THE CITY OF DALLAS IS LIKE, HEY, WE REALLY NEED TO GET THESE THINGS DONE.
NOW AS OTHER THINGS START TO COME TO THE FOREFRONT, YES, WE ARE GOING TO SUPPORT THOSE LIKE WITH THE FULL FLEDGE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS' SHIELD.
SO, AND IF YOU DON'T MIND ME ADDING JUST THIS IN, UM SURE.
FOR THE, FOR THE PURSUIT, THE TOP 10 LIST.
[00:30:01]
YOU HAVE THAT MEETING AND THE LEGISLATOR SAYS, OKAY, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THIS SESSION? RIGHT? AND IT'S LIKE, HERE'S OUR TOP 10 LIST, RIGHT? BUT THE, THE MONITOR SIDE, I MEAN 9,000 BILLS FILED, THERE'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT FITS WITH WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.AND THEN WE'RE GONNA TRACK THEM.
SO YOU CAN SEE WE TRACKED 1400 BILLS, UM, BASED ON WHAT'S IN THE MONITOR.
SO IF YOU HAVE ONE THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, ALL TRAILS SHOULD BE, I DON'T KNOW, UM, A RUBBER SURFACE, RIGHT? AND THERE'S ANY KIND OF BILL ABOUT A TRAIL, THEN IT'S GONNA START GETTING TRACKED BECAUSE WE HAVE IT IN THE MONITOR ABOUT THE SUB, YOU KNOW, THE, WHAT THE, THE SURFACE LEVEL OF THE, OF THE TRAIL IS.
AND YOU KNOW, THEY MAY BE ASKING FOR WOOD CHIP AND WE MAY HAVE SAID RUBBER, BUT NOW WE WANNA GET INVOLVED AND THEN SAY, WELL HAVE YOU CONSIDERED.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET IT ON THE MONITOR BECAUSE THEN IT'LL GET TRACKED AND THEN IT'LL GET THE ATTENTION.
AND IF AS CLIFFORD SAYS, IF IT'S MOVING MEANING, YOU KNOW, JUST 'CAUSE IT GETS FILED DOESN'T MEAN IT'S EVEN GETTING A HEARING
RIGHT? AND SO IF IT'S GONNA GET THAT, THEN WE'RE GONNA PUT EFFORT INTO IT AND IT KIND OF, I WOULDN'T SAY IT MOVES TO PURSUE, BUT IT JUST BECOMES PART OF THE STUFF WE'RE WORKING ON.
AND SO IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S NOT IMPORTANT AND THERE'S LOTS OF IMPORTANT THINGS IN THE MONITOR.
BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THERE'S STRATEGY AND I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY PRIORITIES.
I JUST, UM, I WOULD LIKE US JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR THEN IN OUR MONITOR CATEGORY, UM, AND LIST OUT WHAT WE ARE SUPPORTING AND ALSO WHAT WE'RE OPPOSING.
I MEAN, I THINK THE MONITOR HAS BOTH SIDES, SO IF WE COULD JUST BE VERY CLEAR AND COMMUNICATING THAT, UM, SO THAT WE CAN, AND THEN HELP, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMITTEE CHAIRS KNOW WHO TO GO TO, TO, TO TRACK TO SEE WHO'S TRACKING THAT WITHIN, UM, THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS SO THAT WE, I CAN FIND OUT HOW, OR IS THERE ANY PROGRESS OR, OR IS THERE ANY INTEREST OR HAVE, DO WE HAVE OTHER CITIES WHO ARE FOCUSED ON THIS? UM, SO THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT, UM, WHEN WE PUT, WHEN WE WORK ON OUR CATEGORIES, LET'S BE, UM, GOOD AT ARTICULATING WHAT'S IN MONITOR.
SO, AND IT MIGHT BE THAT WITHIN MONITOR WE LOOK AT, UM, YOU KNOW, A SUBHEADING OF PURSUE AND SUPPORT, UH, MAYBE NOT PURSUE, I'M SORRY, SUPPORT AND OPPOSE AND MAYBE EVEN A THIRD THING.
UM, AND THEN ASSUMING THAT YOU ARE LEADING THE EFFORT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PARKS ITEMS, UM, THERE'S DIFFERENT COALITIONS THAT ARE WORKING ON THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEY WILL PROBABLY PUT THAT ON THEIR AGENDA AND IF THEY FIND TRACTION.
SO WE WORK WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT ARE, UM, PURSUING ESPECIALLY OVERLAPPING INTERESTS.
I JUST WANNA ADVOCATE FOR THE CONCERNS OF MY COMMITTEE AND THE PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW THOSE, UM, CONCERNS AND WILL BE HELPING US ARTICULATE WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING THIS MORNING.
SO, UH, JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT THE FRAMEWORK CHANGE.
I DIDN'T HEAR CLIFFORD, YOU SAYING THAT THE REDUCTION OF FOUR FRAMEWORK BOXES TO TWO IS A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE IN THE WAY THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM WILL GO ABOUT LOBBYING THE LEGISLATURE.
IS THAT NOT TRUE? IT WILL NOT BE A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE.
SO WHO SEES THIS FRAMEWORK? UH, THIS IS REALLY MAINLY FOR US.
SO NO ONE OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL? CORRECT.
SO, UM, I I I DON'T SEE THIS AS A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE BECAUSE HE'S DESCRIBED MONITORING AS INCLUDING IDENTIFYING BILLS THAT, OR ISSUES THAT WE WOULD SUPPORT OR OPPOSE.
SO I, I DON'T THINK IT'S WORTH WRING OUR HANDS OVER THIS CHANGE BECAUSE IT'S NOT A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE.
ON SLIDE FOUR, YOU IDENTIFY THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE, IN FACT A SURGE IN NUMBER OF BILLS FILED IN THE LAST TWO LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
IF WE CONTINUE ON THAT SAME CURVE, WE'LL SEE 10,000 FILED THIS SESSION.
AND MY QUESTION IS, AT SOME POINT, DOESN'T IT HIT A LIMIT OF THE NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT THE LEGISLATURE CAN CONSIDER SERIOUSLY IN ANY ONE SESSION SUCH THAT AS THE NUMBER OF BILLS INCREASES, DOES THAT CREATE A LOT OF CHAFF AMONGST THE WHEAT THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO FOCUS ON KEY ISSUES PERHAPS TO OUR BENEFIT Y YES, TO ALL THE ABOVE.
UM, AND, AND LET ME JUST SAY THIS,
[00:35:01]
IT, IT'S, THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IS LIKE A PIPELINE.THE MORE BILLS YOU SHOVE THROUGH IT, THE LESS THAT TYPICALLY GET THROUGH.
UM, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT LEADERSHIP ALSO HAS THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO GET DONE.
SO THOSE ARE GONNA GET THROUGH THE PIPELINE, THE SMOOTHEST.
AND A LOT OF TIMES IN MY TENURE, I'VE SEEN BILLS FILE JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SAKE OF FILING 'EM, JUST TO MAKE A POINT, NOT NECESSARILY TO MOVE.
UM, THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE BIG, YOU KNOW, DROP BETWEEN HOW MANY BILLS ARE FILED AND HOW MANY WE'RE ACTUALLY TRACKING.
'CAUSE A LOT OF STUFF DOESN'T PERTAIN TO US.
A LOT OF STUFF IS JUST THERE FOR MEMENTOS SAKE.
UM, BUT TO YOUR POINT, UH, TO ALL THE POINTS THAT YOU MADE, YES, ALL OF THOSE COULD VERY WELL BE TRUE.
UM, AND, UM, WITH RESPECT TO YOUR ANALYSIS THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL BE ZEROING IN ON, UM, CITIES IN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION LAST SESSION, WE SAW SUPPORT FOR LAND USE REGULATION OR LIBERALIZATION AS I WOULD CALL IT, THROUGH SB EIGHT 40 AND SB 15.
DO YOU SEE A SIMILAR FOCUS IN THIS SESSION ON LAND USE? OR DO YOU SEE IT GOING A DIFFERENT DIRECTION IN TERMS OF, UH, IMPOSING ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON CITY GOVERNMENT? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
IN THE INTERIM CHARGES, THEY CURRENTLY HAVE THEM SET FORTH TO MONITOR AND SEE WHAT IT IS THAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING OUT IN THE UNIVERSE OF TEXAS.
UH, SO DEPENDING ON HOW THE WAY THAT THAT HEARING GOES OR, OR WHAT THE TEXT ASSOCIATION OF BUILDERS SAYS, THE, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL THE ENTITIES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THAT, DEPENDING ON HOW THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, PARTICULAR INTERIM CHARGE GOES, THAT WILL LARGELY DICTATE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
SO I CAN'T SAY DEFINITIVELY THAT THEY'RE DONE, I JUST KNOW THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED OR HAVEN'T ACCOMPLISHED, AND THEY WANT TO SEE IF THEY NEED TO COME BACK AND DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT AT THIS TIME.
WELL, WOULD IT MAKES SENSE FOR US IN THESE EARLY DAYS TO MONITOR WHAT THOSE OTHER LOBBYISTS ARE TALKING ABOUT, DISCUSSING AMONGST THEIR ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE ANTICIPATE WILL GET THE EAR OF THE LEGISLATURE EVEN BEFORE THE START OF BILL FILING? YES.
THE, LIKE I SAID, THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BUILDERS, UM, ALL THOSE TRADE ORGANIZATIONS, UH, THAT I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH, MIGHT EVEN HAVE CONTACT WITH.
I WOULD DEFINITELY KEEP THEM ON SPEED DIAL, FIND OUT IF THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS STANDPOINT, UH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OTHER CITIES ARE GONNA BE OTHER CITIES, BUT IF THEY HAVE ISSUES WITH US AND THE WAY WE'RE DOING THINGS, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO KNOW THAT.
UM, I, TO THE, LIKE I SAID, TO DATE, I HAVEN'T HEARD OR SEEN ANYTHING THAT THEY'VE PUT OUT THAT'S OF CONCERN.
HAVEN'T SEEN ANY NEWS ARTICLES.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, AS OF RIGHT NOW, JUST FROM WHAT LEADERSHIP HAS SAID AND PUTTING THEM IN THE INTERIM CHARGES, IT IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT THEY GO BACK AND JUST RETROSPECTIVELY LOOK AT TO SEE WHAT IT, WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEY PASSED THIS LEGISLATION.
HAS IT MADE THINGS EASIER TO GET PERMITTING DONE? HAS IT MADE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY MORE AFFORDABLE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE? UM, BUT AT THIS TIME THEY JUST HAVEN'T MADE A DETERMINATION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
WELL, I THINK IT WOULD BE CONSTRUCTIVE FOR YOU TO KEEP YOUR EAR TO THE GROUND, UH, AS TO WHAT THESE TRADE ASSOCIATIONS ARE TALKING ABOUT, AND PERHAPS EVEN ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE WITH THEM TO SHOW THAT WE'RE LISTENING TO THEIR CONCERNS AND THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO JUMP TO THE LEGISLATURE TO FORCE SOMETHING DOWN OUR THROATS THAT WE COULD ACCOMMODATE VOLUNTARILY.
SO I'LL JUST SAY WE DO TALK TO THEM.
UM, MOST OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN ARE MAKING THINGS STATEWIDE THOUGH.
SO I THINK THAT YOU WOULD ALREADY HEAR FROM, UM, THE GROUPS ON THE LOCAL LEVEL FOR THINGS THAT THEY WANT, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR STATEWIDE CHANGES.
AND, UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING I'LL SAY WITH THAT IS THAT I LITERALLY HAD A STATE REP SAY TO ME THAT THEY CREATED THE CITIES AND THEY WILL TELL US WHAT RULES THEY, WE WILL HAVE
SO THAT'S THE MINDSET GOING INTO THE SESSION, IS THEY'RE TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT LOCAL CONTROL.
THEY'RE TIRED OF CITIES THINKING THAT THEY, UM, GET TO MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES ON EVERYTHING THAT THEY, THE LEDGE ARE THE ONES WHO SHOULD BE MAKING THE RULES.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A VERY DIFFERENT MINDSET THAN I THINK MOST OF US HAVE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING INTO.
THAT'S THE KIND OF SESSION'S GONNA BE.
AND FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, AND I'M SORRY CHAIR, IF I COULD ADD, THEY BEING THE LEADERSHIP AROUND TEXAS WANTS MORE UNIFORMITY.
THEY WANT, IF, IF YOU CAN BUILD SOMETHING IN DALLAS,
[00:40:01]
THEY WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN DO THE SAME THING IN HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, AUSTIN, ET CETERA.THAT'S MORE WHAT THEY WANT IS UNIFORMITY.
DO YOU ANTICIPATE ANOTHER PUSH TO REDUCE THE CAP ON SALES TAX REVENUE, UH, ON, ON, ON, UH, PROPERTY TAX REVENUE? YES, SIR.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, EVEN THOUGH THEY TRIED TO PUSH IT DOWN, THEY, UH, HAD TO PUSH IT TO A SPECIAL SESSION.
AND EVEN IN THAT SPECIAL SESSION, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GET IT DONE.
BUT THEY BASICALLY TOLD US THAT, UM, THEY WERE BASICALLY HITTING THE PAUSE BUTTON AND THAT THEY WOULD COME BACK NEXT SESSION WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PLAN.
SO I FULLY EXPECT THERE TO BE A MONUMENTAL CHANGE JUST FROM A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION I'M HEARING.
AND YEAH, IT'S, IT'S NOT GONNA BE PRETTY, THAT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PRIORITIES IS TO OPPOSE THAT BECAUSE THAT AFFECTS SO MANY OF OUR OTHER PRIORITIES IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN DO WITH OUR, UH, CITY REVENUE.
HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING IN THE GRAPEVINE YET AS TO WHAT THIS NEW APPROACH WILL BE? EVERY CHAMBER, SO THE GOVERNOR, LIEUTENANT, GOVERNOR, SPEAKER, THEY ALL HAVE THEIR DIFFERENT MATURATIONS OF IT.
UH, OF COURSE, THEY ALL HAVE TO SETTLE ON WHAT IT IS THAT THEY AGREE UPON.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
UM, I KNOW THE CAP, IT, IT WON'T BE THREE POINT A HALF PERCENT ANYMORE.
IT IS DEFINITELY GONNA GO DOWN.
IT'S GONNA BE SOMEWHERE SOUTH OF THAT.
UH, BUT WITH OTHER FURTHER RESTRICTIONS.
'CAUSE AS A CHAIR MENTIONED TOO, WITH THE BOND DEBT, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OVER TIME, I, I WOULD SAY OVER PROBABLY ABOUT PAST 20, 30 YEARS, THEY'VE SEEN A SPIKE IN THAT THE STATE HAS, THEY'VE BEEN WATCHING LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEBT, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT DEBT, EVERYTHING THAT AFFECTS PROPERTY TAXES.
THEY'VE SEEN THAT SPIKE OVER THE YEARS.
AND SO THEY FEEL THAT EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE TO LOWER PROPERTY TAXES, IT GETS OFFSET BY LOCAL DEBT.
AND SO THEY WANNA FIGURE OUT A WAY TO COUNTERACT THAT OR COUNTERBALANCE THAT SO THAT EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO TO LOWER PROPERTY TAX, YOU ACTUALLY FEEL IT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE.
SO I'LL JUST ADD THAT, UM, THAT INCLUDES, UM, WITH THE ELECTION DATES, UH, MAKING SURE BONDS ARE ALWAYS IN NOVEMBER.
UM, THERE'S THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT WITH, UM, REQUIRING DIFFERENT VOTING THRESHOLDS FOR DEBTS AND, AND PROPERTY TAX RATES AND ANY OF THOSE INCREASES.
AND IF THEY'RE GONNA BE, UM, REQUIRED TO BE VOTER APPROVED.
SO, I MEAN, THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS LIKE THAT THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, THE ITEM THAT CLIFFORD WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE VERY ACTIVE ON, UM, LAST SESSION AT THE VERY END WAS, UM, TRYING TO GET AN EXCEPTION FOR THAT THREAT FOR THE, UM, REVENUE INCREASE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE A LOT OF DIFFERENT COALITIONS TALKING ABOUT OUR INCREASE IN PUBLIC SAFETY COSTS BEING MUCH HIGHER THAN WHAT THE THRESHOLD WAS.
AND YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT KILLED IT.
'CAUSE THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY WANT US TO HAVE, UM, APPROPRIATE PUBLIC SAFETY AND TO PAY THEM PROPERLY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST PUTTING US IN A TERRIBLE BIND.
AND SO I DO THINK THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.
AND THAT'S GONNA COME BACK AS A BIG DISCUSSION POINT.
WELCOME TO THE CITY OF DALLAS, ERIC.
UH, CHAIR, UH, I'M GONNA PICK UP WHERE, UH, MY COLLEAGUE, UM, FINISHED ON IN, YOU KNOW, AS A NON, UH, PARTISAN BODY.
I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE COLLABORATING ACROSS THE AISLE WHEN WE GO DOWN TO, TO THE STATE AND TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UH, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO INCREASING COMMUNICATION BOTH WAYS, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THESE CHANGES MIGHT HAPPEN.
I WANT TO BE AT THE FRONT END OF THINGS SO THAT WE KNOW HOW TO BETTER PREPARE OUR BUDGET SO WE KNOW WHAT CHANGES TO IMPLEMENT, UH, WHAT I DON'T WANT TO BE CAUGHT IF IN THE MIDDLE OF A, A BUDGET CYCLE YEAR AND HAVING TO CHANGE THINGS, UH, THAT AREN'T FORECASTED.
SO WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN 'CAUSE WE MIGHT NOT LIKE IT OR WE MIGHT NOT SUPPORT IT, IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE MADE AWARE OF WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
UM, AND, AND I THINK SOME OF THOSE THINGS CAN, SHOULD BE DONE VOLUNTARILY, UM, AT THE FRONT END, EVEN THOUGH IT'S GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED STATEWIDE, UH, AT A LATER DATE.
IF WE CAN MAKE THOSE CHANGES AND BE PREPARED AT THE FOREFRONT, I, I'D RATHER DO THAT THAN HAVING TO CHANGE THINGS MID-YEAR.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE BRIEFING AND THE, UH, UH, LAYING OUT THE AGENDA AND THE FRAMEWORK.
UH, MADAME CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE EXTENSION ON
[00:45:01]
OUR PRIORITIES.UH, I DID SUBMIT MINE, BUT IT'LL GIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP WITH MORE IDEAS AND, AND SEEK FEEDBACK BOTH FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM, UH, MY COLLEAGUES SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A MORE ROBUST, UH, LIST.
I DO AGREE WITH THE, UH, ABOUT HAVING 10.
I THINK THAT THAT'S, UH, THAT'S A GOOD NUMBER.
UM, ON MADAM CHAIR, HAVE YOU DECIDED, UM, HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION WHEN IT COMES, UH, TO TESTIFYING BEFORE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES, UH, ON WHO WILL BE DOING THAT AND, UH, THE BUDGET THAT'S BEING PROPOSED? UM, THANK YOU.
SO I'M JUST GONNA SAY THIS FRAMEWORK, UM, TO, TO KIND OF GO BACK A LITTLE BIT TO COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY'S POINT.
IT WAS ONLY STARTED IN 2025 AND IT WAS STARTED 'CAUSE WE HAD SUCH AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT WE HAD TO BREAK IT UP IN SOME WAY.
AND I THINK IN A, UM, EFFORT TO ACCOMMODATE AS MANY PEOPLE AND AS MANY PRIORITIES AS POSSIBLE, WE CAME UP WITH THIS FOUR ITEM, UM, FRAMEWORK.
THE, SO MOVING TO TWO IS SORT OF BUILDING ON WHAT WAS A GOOD IDEA.
IT JUST WAS A LITTLE BIT MUCH.
AND EVEN THE MATERIALS THAT WE WOULD SHOW, UM, THE LEGISLATORS, LIKE THE ICONS AND COLORS AND SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
I MEAN, THEY JUST WOULD GLAZE OVER.
SO, UM, I'M HOPING WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE AND DIRECT THIS TIME FOR THE, UM, FOR THE TESTIMONY THAT ACTUALLY WORKED OUT REALLY WELL.
AND IT LET ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS RAISE THEIR HAND AND SAY, I WOULD LIKE TO BE HEAVILY INVOLVED, OR, MM, CALL ON ME IF YOU HAVE NOBODY ELSE TO DO IT, AND I'LL BE, I'LL BE YOUR BACKUP.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE GOING FOR US THIS TIME IS THAT BECAUSE WE MOVE THE ELECTION DATE, WE WON'T HAVE FOLKS CAMPAIGNING FOR THEIR OWN CITY COUNCIL SEAT AT THE TIME THAT THE SESSION'S GOING ON.
AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO TESTIFY, UM, AND HAD KIND OF ASSUMED OWNERSHIP OVER AN ISSUE, BUT THEN COULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE THEY HAD, UM, PERSONAL OR CAMPAIGN EVENTS.
SO I THINK THAT'LL FREE SOME FOLKS UP.
UM, THE BUDGET IS AN INTERNAL, UM, FOR, FOR TESTIMONY WHERE THE CITY COUNCIL OR THE CITY STAFF TESTIFIES THAT ACTUALLY IS THEN DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY.
IT'S NOT AN ACTUALLY BUDGETED ITEM.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANNA MENTION, JUST BASED ON SOME OF THIS CONVERSATION THAT'S HAPPENED, IS THAT WE DO HAVE THIS ADVANTAGE AND QUITE A FEW LEGISLATORS ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
AND, UM, IT WAS BROUGHT UP AT TEXAS PUBLIC POLICY FOUNDATION AND EVERYBODY KIND OF WENT, WOW, REALLY? AND NOW IT'S SORT OF SPREADING, WHICH IS THAT WHEN OUR COUNCIL VOTED TO GET RID OF TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING, THEY CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
THEY CAN'T BELIEVE DALLAS DID THAT.
AND SO WE'RE SORT OF IN OUR OWN CATEGORY THAT HAS LIKE A LITTLE HALO OVER IT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE DID THAT.
AND THEY SEE THAT AS BEING FISCALLY PRUDENT.
AND THEY SAY THAT IS MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN WE CONTACT THEM THAN WHEN A LOBBYIST SAYS ANYHOW.
AND THE SECOND THING IS THAT WHEN WE ELIMINATE OUR MEMBERSHIP FOR TEXAS, FOR TML TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, THIS IS A ORGANIZATION THAT HAS NOT ALWAYS WORKED WELL WITH THE REPUBLICANS ESPECIALLY.
AND, UM, THEY AGAIN, FEEL VERY HAPPY THAT WE DID NOT RENEW OUR MEMBERSHIP, ALTHOUGH WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE GOING TO EVENTS AS WE SHOULD, AND IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO LEARN ABOUT ISSUES.
BUT THIS HAS PUT US IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY THAN ALL THE OTHER BIG CITIES, AND THAT'S TO OUR ADVANTAGE.
AND SO AS WE CONSIDER THE NEXT BUDGET, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SLIGHTLY LARGER OGA STAFF, UM, THEY DO TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL, BUT STILL IT'S NOT ANYTHING LIKE SOME OF OUR, OUR, OUR SISTER BIG CITIES.
AND THIS IS, UM, A GOOD THING FOR US.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY WE'RE IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SITUATION ONCE WE KNOW ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE AS PART OF THE PROGRAM, WHETHER IT'S UNDER PURSUE OR MONITOR, THEN, UM, LIKE LAST TIME I'M GONNA START WITH THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND SAY, LOOK, THIS IS IN YOUR AREA, ARE YOU INTERESTED? SO IT, LAST TIME YOU WERE CHAIR OF HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, YOU TESTIFIED A LOT FOR US IN HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOW YOU'RE CHAIR OF ECO, SO I WOULD EXPECT THAT, UM, WE'LL ASK YOU IF THAT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN.
UM, BUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE A DEPTH IN HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS NOW, YOU MAY ALSO BE ON THAT TEAM.
AND WHAT WE'VE DONE TRADITIONALLY
[00:50:01]
IS WE'VE ASKED COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SORT OF OWN AN ISSUE, STAY UP TO DATE ON EVERYTHING HAPPENING.WE'VE ASKED OGA STAFF TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THOSE AREAS SO THAT YOU'RE READY.
BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS THAT MOST OF THESE THINGS ARE BEING FILED AT LIKE THREE O'CLOCK ON A FRIDAY FOR A MONDAY MORNING HEARING.
SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TIME TO LIKE GET UP TO SPEED ON AN ENTIRE ISSUE.
IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING YOU'RE ALREADY WELL VERSED IN.
AND WE WANNA SEND PEOPLE WHO ARE COMFORTABLE TESTIFYING BOTH AS A SPEAKER, BUT ALSO, UM, HAVE BECOME VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE ISSUES.
UM, SO WE, AS WE SAID, THERE'S THOUSANDS OF BILLS THAT ARE GONNA BE FILED.
HOW, WHAT DO Y'ALL USE A CERTAIN TOOL TO MONITOR? HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE MONITORING, UM, ALL THE BILLS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH.
UH, SO CURRENTLY WE USE TELECON.
IT'S A, A SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE THAT ALLOWS US TO TRACK, UM, NOT JUST THE ONES THAT CONCERN US, BUT EVERY BILL OF EVERY TYPE THAT COMES THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, UH, GIVES US ALL TYPES OF ALERTS.
IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO STORE INFORMATION INSIDE OF IT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE USED AT LEAST IF, IF NOT THAT SOFTWARE, SOMETHING SIMILAR TO AT LEAST FOR THE PAST TWO DECADES.
UM, AND THEN JUST HIGHLIGHTING ON, ON PAGE 10, UM, ALEX, THANK YOU FOR, UH, COORDINATING THE, UH, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING THAT, UH, WE'LL HAVE, UH, LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO, TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL.
UH, I THINK, UH, MY COLLEAGUES, UM, PAUL RIDLEY, COUNCILOR RIDLEY KIND OF TAPPED ON ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAXES, UM, AND HOW THAT WOULD PLAY INTO OUR BUDGET.
AND I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M, IT WAS ANSWERED QUE UM, WHERE I CAN KIND OF UNDERSTAND IT, BUT WHAT, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT WHEN IT COMES TO PROPERTY TAXES? BECAUSE I'M HEARING THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO TAKE THAT PROPERTY TAX AWAY AND I KNOW THAT IS A BIG, UH, SOURCE OF OUR FUNDING.
SO COULD YOU KIND OF GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THAT, PLEASE? SURE.
SO JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW IS THE REVENUE CAP IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE USED HISTORICALLY.
IT'S BEEN THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND OUR BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS SEEN AS A PRIORITY.
UM, AT ONE TIME IT WAS AT 8%, NOW IT'S DOWN TO THREE AND A HALF.
THEY'RE LOOKING TO MOVE THAT DOWN SOMEWHERE SOUTH OF THAT.
UM, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE DEPENDING ON WHICH CHAMBER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT'S AT A DIFFERENT NUMBER.
WELL, THAT IS ALL THE REVENUE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE TOWARDS THE MOST, THE MOST CURRENT BUDGET THAT YOU WILL BE EXPERIENCING, RIGHT? UH, NEW GROWTH IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
THAT'S SOMETHING SET ASIDE THAT IS A WHOLE NOTHER REVENUE STREAM BY ITSELF.
BUT THAT IS LIKE THE BIGGEST REVENUE SOURCE THAT WE HAVE FOR PROPERTY TAXES.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I'M HEARING TOO IS THAT IT COULD BE A SPENDING CAP.
AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, NOT REALLY SURE HOW THAT SPENDING CAP WOULD WORK, BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN, I THINK IN ANY OF OUR LIFETIMES.
STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW EXACTLY THAT WOULD WORK, WHETHER IT'S A PERCENTAGE, WHETHER IT'S A FLAT AMOUNT.
AGAIN, NOT REALLY SURE 'CAUSE WE JUST HAVEN'T SEEN THAT, BUT THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE GETTING AT WHEN WE TALKING ABOUT, WHEN WE'RE TALKING TOWARDS THE PROPERTY TAX, THE PROPERTY TAXES THAT WE COLLECT HERE TO BE ABLE TO USE FOR OUR BUDGET.
UM, SO IT'S GOING SOUTH OF THE 3.5, CORRECT? YES SIR.
THE REST, THE OTHER QUESTION I GUESS IS FOR OUR CCFO, UM, WHAT THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS AND CITY MANAGER AND HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT US, UH, TREMENDOUSLY WITH THE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER, WHICH IS WHY I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE BUDGET CHAIR.
UM, AND WHAT, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO ON THE GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE.
UH, THE, THE OTHER CONCERN QUESTION I WANNA KNOW IS WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY? UH, WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT AND HAVING A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, RANDOM GUNFIRE AND ET CETERA.
SO WHAT ARE THEY SAYING STATEWIDE ABOUT FUNDING PUBLIC SAFETY RESOURCES TO PUBLIC SAFETY FOR CITIES? UH, IT'S BEEN PRETTY MUCH A MIXED BAG.
UH, IF I COULD STATE IT LIKE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE INTERIM CHARGES ARE VERY GENERAL AND VERY BROAD, SO THEY HAVEN'T BEEN VERY SPECIFIC.
UM, BILL FILING IS STILL OVER A HUNDRED AND SOME ODD DAYS AWAY.
UM, SO THEY HAVEN'T POINTED TOWARDS ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR, BUT I CAN JUST TELL YOU THIS, THEY'RE DEFINITELY OPEN TO IDEAS.
UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL COMMITTEES, UM, THAT WOULD DEAL WITH PUBLIC SAFETY IN PARTICULAR OR IF THERE WAS FUNDING FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
THERE'S ALSO A COUPLE OTHER, UM, COMMITTEES THAT WE COULD LOOK AT AS WELL.
[00:55:01]
BUT THERE JUST HASN'T BEEN ANYTHING SPECIFIC THAT I'VE SEEN TO THIS POINT OUTSIDE OF JUST THE INTERIM CHARGES.AND LIKE I SAID, THOSE ARE VERY GENERAL AND EVEN WHEN THEY HAVE THOSE INTERIM CHARGE HEARINGS, BECAUSE NO LEGISLATION COMES OUT OF IT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT IS KIND OF A HODGEPODGE OF, YOU KNOW, THEY KIND OF GO ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE THEY LET, LET IT TAKE A LIFE OF ITS OWN.
UM, AND FOR THE MOST PART, ESPECIALLY I WOULD SAY PROBABLY ABOUT THE SIX TO EIGHT LAST PAST SIX TO EIGHT YEARS SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVEN'T BEEN INVITED TO THOSE.
AND BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU, LIKE I'M WORKING THE COMMITTEES TO SAY, HEY LOOK, DO YOU NEED US HERE? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE STUFF TO TALK ABOUT, BUT THAT'S A CHAIRMAN CALL JUST LIKE IT IS HERE.
LIKE, CHAIRMAN DETERMINES WHAT GOES ON, WHO'S INVITED, WHO'S, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING.
I WOULD GUESS TALK OFFLINE 'CAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO'S THE CHAMPION ON STATEWIDE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND HELPING OUR CITIES GET THE RESOURCES NEEDED.
UM, I DO WANNA ASK THE COMMITTEE ONE MORE QUESTION AND THEN WE'LL GO TO, UH, CHAIRMAN WEST.
AND THAT IS, UM, SLIDE 10 WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE UPDATES.
UM, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT THAT GOES INTO PROVIDING THE UPDATES ON WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND I WANTED TO KNOW IF IT'S HELPFUL FOR YOU, USEFUL IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES YOU'D LIKE TO SEE.
UM, IF YOU'RE LIKE, I DON'T REALLY, REALLY NEED TO SEE THIS EVERY WEEK, I'D RATHER JUST SEE IT, YOU KNOW, THIS AMOUNT OF TIME.
OR IF YOU'RE LIKE, NOPE, IT'S PERFECT THE WAY IT IS.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY INPUT ON THAT? WELL, AS QUICKLY AS THINGS MOVE AT THE LEGISLATURE, I THINK WE NEED TO GET UPDATES WEEKLY.
YEAH, CERTAINLY WHEN IT'S IN SESSION.
I MEAN, SOMETIMES EVEN BY THE TIME IT COMES OUT, IT'S LIKE, OH, WELL THAT CHANGED.
UM, SO THAT, THAT IS ACTUALLY THE ANSWER TO THE WHOLE TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING THING IS THAT YEAH, BUT IN AN AFTERNOON THAT BILL COULD HAVE CHANGED THREE TIMES.
AND IF SOMEBODY'S NOT DOWN THERE, AND OF COURSE WE DO HAVE CLIFFORD, THEN YOU JUST DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW IT'S GONNA COME OUT AND YOU AREN'T ABLE TO GIVE YOUR INPUT.
WE HAVE DEVELOPED REALLY GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WHERE THEY ARE CALLING AND SAYING, OKAY, WELL HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT YOU GUYS? AND YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T SEE THAT LAST, WELL, IT, IT HAPPENED DURING THE LAST TERM, BUT THE SESSION BEFORE, I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE GOT AS MANY CALLS LIKE THAT.
AND NOW WHEN THEY'RE EVEN CONSIDERING LIKE BIG FUNDING LIKE THAT, IT'S LIKE, WELL, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO YOUR BUDGET? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO, UM, THINGS OR DO YOU WANNA OPINE ON THAT? YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, I WOULD AGREE THAT WE'VE MADE INROADS IN PLACES THAT WE PREVIOUSLY HADN'T.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TURNOVER IN THE LEGISLATURE ESPECIALLY, OR MORE SPECIFICALLY IN THE, IN THE HOUSE SIDE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE ABOUT AS GOOD OF A JOB AS YOU CAN, KEEPING UP WITH ALL THE TURNOVER, THE CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP, UM, IN THE HOUSE.
THERE'S MORE, YOU KNOW, CHAIRMAN TURNOVER AND COMMITTEE TURNOVER THAN THERE IS IN THE SENATE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST, WE'VE JUST DONE THE BEST WE CAN TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THOSE CHANGES.
AND AS THE CHAIR SAID, YOU KNOW, TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE GETTING THOSE PHONE CALLS BEFORE DECISIONS ARE HAPPENING ABOUT HOW THIS IS GONNA AFFECT YOU GUYS.
SO THAT, THAT WAY WE STAY AT THE, YOU KNOW, FRONT OF THE LINE WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, STATEWIDE SWEEPING CHANGES THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING.
AND EVEN IN THE SENATE NOW, THERE'S QUITE A FEW NEW FACES THAT ARE GONNA BE THERE.
THERE WERE MORE SO THAN IN YEARS PAST.
COUNCIL MEMBER WEST, DID YOU WANNA, CHAIRMAN WEST, DID YOU WANNA SHARE ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON? THANK YOU.
MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
SO, UH, WE'VE TOUCHED ON THE SUBJECT OF OUTSIDE PAID LOBBYISTS.
UM, WE DELETED THEM FROM THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, WHICH I, I'M NOT SURE REALLY, UH, MADE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LOBBYING EFFORTS BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE WAS OUT OF SESSION.
BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE NEED TO OPEN THAT ISSUE FOR THE COMING BUDGET.
AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW YOUR INSIGHT, PARTICULARLY YOU ERIC, ON THE VALUE OF OUTSIDE PAID LOBBYISTS WHO CAN BE THERE 24 7 IN AUSTIN DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND IF WE WILL BE HANDICAPPED IF WE DON'T PUT THAT KIND OF A CONSULTANT INTO OUR BUDGET.
TOUGH QUESTION FOR THE LESS THAN ONE MONTH IN, UH, BUT FULL TRANSPARENCY.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I HAVE THE DIRECTION AS A DIRECT REPORT, UM, OBVIOUSLY FOR MY CHIEF OF STAFF AND CITY MANAGER IS TO DEFINITELY ALIGN TO ENSURE THAT, UM, WHILE IN AUSTIN IT IS A TEAM SPORT.
UM, AND SO OBVIOUSLY WITH, UH, PAID LOBBYISTS, UM, THOSE THAT ARE ADVOCATING ON THE CITY'S BEHALF, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS BOTH A TEAM SPORT ABOUT GETTING ACCESS, UM, MEETING PREPARATION, BILL FILING, UM, GETTING THOSE VOTES
[01:00:01]
THAT ARE NEEDED TO MOVE YOUR ISSUES, UH, THAT YOU DEEM IMPORTANT AND THOSE PRIORITIES THAT YOU SET FORTH AS A COUNCIL, UM, IS BENEFICIAL AS HAVING THOSE STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED.UH, AND SO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THAT, UM, I SEE THE VALUE, UH, OBVIOUSLY AGAIN, BUT WITH THE DIRECTION AND THE OVERSIGHT, THE TRANSPARENCY, UH, AND THE FEEDBACK THAT I RECEIVE FROM MY CITY MANAGER AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL, UM, I CERTAINLY LEAN TO THAT EXPERTISE.
AND CLIFFORD, YOUR PERSPECTIVE, MY PERSPECTIVE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MORE HANDS WE HAVE DOWN IN AUSTIN, THE MORE, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS, THE BETTER.
UM, I MEAN, THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE ME, BUT IF YOU HAVE MORE OF ME, THEN THAT ACTUALLY HELPS THE CITY.
UM, AND CLIFFORD, YOU MENTIONED IN ANOTHER SUBJECT THAT YOU ANTICIPATED THE LEGISLATURE WOULD BE FOCUSED ON REVIEWING PAST LEGISLATION AND ITS EFFECTS, WHETHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, AND PERHAPS ADJUSTING THOSE THAT THEY FEEL HAVEN'T BEEN AS EFFECTIVE AS THEY INTENDED.
DO YOU HAVE ANY RUMBLINGS AS TO WHAT LEGISLATION THAT MIGHT ENTAIL? GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT'S DEFINITELY AROUND SOLVING THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CRISIS.
THAT SEEMS TO BE THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT THEY WANT TO TACKLE BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, TEXAS CONTINUES IS CONTINUING TO GROW.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES COMING HERE, NON FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES COMING IN, AND THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR PEOPLE WITH THEM.
AND SO THOSE PEOPLE NEED A PLACE TO STAY AND THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE BUILDERS ARE ABLE TO GET PERMITS OUT THE DOOR.
THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THEY SEE THINGS, YOU KNOW, GOING UP AND NOT WAITING BY THE WAYSIDE.
I BELIEVE THE MONIKER I KEEP HEARING IS SAYING TIME IS MONEY AND THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE MONEY'S BEING SPENT IN THE RIGHT PLACES.
AND SO IF I HAD TO PUT A PEN ANYWHERE, IT WOULD BE, IT'D BE THAT.
SO DO YOU ANTICIPATE, I'M SORRY, EXCUSE ME.
UH, DO YOU ANTICIPATE ANY EFFORT TO ADJUST SENATE BILL EIGHT 40, WHICH I THINK WILL HAVE A LARGE IMPACT, HAS THERE BEEN ENOUGH TIME FOR THEM TO GET FEEDBACK ABOUT HOW EFFECTIVE IT'S BEEN? I DON'T THINK SO, JUST BECAUSE IT, I BELIEVE IT WENT INTO EFFECT SEPTEMBER 1ST, IF I'M NOT CORRECT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF HALF A YEAR IS ENOUGH TIME TO REALLY HAVE FELT THE EFFECTS AND FOR PEOPLE TO GIVE FEEDBACK AT THIS TIME.
UH, THE HEARING FOR THAT, THE INTERIM HEARING FOR THAT HASN'T EVEN BEEN SET YET.
SO THAT MEANS THAT THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE ENOUGH DATA AT THIS TIME.
SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A KEY INDICATOR THAT THEY'RE NOT READY TO MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR EVEN COME TO THE TABLE AND TALK, OR THAT THE DIFFERENT ASSOCIATIONS AND TRADE ORGANIZATIONS HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GIVE THEM, FEED ENOUGH FEEDBACK TO WHERE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE HAVING A HEARING EITHER.
SO YEAH, I, I WOULD TEND TO AGREE, GIVEN THE LONG LEAD CYCLES FOR CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT, SIX MONTHS IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO GET ANY RELIABLE FEEDBACK ON HOW, UH, EFFECTIVE THAT ORDINANCE HAS BEEN OR THAT STATUTE HAS BEEN GIVEN THEIR EFFORT TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, SO CLIFFORD, YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, UH, MORE FOLKS DOWN IN AUSTIN, UM, CAN BE HELPFUL.
UM, SO OUTSIDE OF LOBBYIST, UH, WHAT IS THE ABILITY OF YOU, US TO PARTNER WITH ADVOCACY GROUPS, NONPROFITS, DEVELOPERS, UH, RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT CAN ALSO GO DOWN AND LOBBY? AND HOW MUCH ARE, UH, ARE REPRESENTATIVES ACTUALLY LISTENING TO WHAT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THAT ARE WHEN THEY COME DOWN TO THE MIC? GREAT QUESTION.
HERE'S THE WAY I WOULD ANSWER THAT.
THERE'S REALLY TWO SIDES TO THIS COIN.
ON ONE HAND, YOU CAN GO DOWN WITH AN ADVOCACY GROUP, BUT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER NOT EVERY ADVOCACY GROUP IS WELCOME IN EVERYONE'S OFFICE.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST THE REALITY.
NOT EVERY, I MEAN, WE'LL TAKE TML FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST HAVEN'T BEEN, YOU KNOW, VERY WELCOMED IN THE CAPITOL OVER THE PAST DECADE OR SO.
UH, SO WALKING IN THERE WITH SOMEONE THAT HAS THAT TYPE OF REPUTATION, EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT BE CLEARLY ALIGNED WITH US, DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET WHAT WE NEED OR MAY NOT HELP US IN THE LONG TERM OR EVEN THE SHORT TERM.
UM, NOW THE OPPOSITE COULD BE TRUE AS WELL.
THERE COULD BE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE CHAIRMAN, THE LEADERSHIP REALLY ENJOY, REALLY LIKE, AND THEY WANT TO HEAR FROM, WELL, OF COURSE NATURALLY THAT WOULD BE A BOON TO US.
BUT YOU KNOW, THAT, SO THAT DOOR SWINGS BOTH WAYS.
IT'S ALL DEPENDING ON THE ADVOCACY GROUPS.
AND, UM, AND I'LL SAY THIS TOO, YOU
[01:05:01]
KNOW, AND I'VE SAID THIS IN EVERY PRESENTATION THAT I'VE DONE, AND I, I'M GLAD YOU GAVE ME OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS PLUG IN, BUT YOU GUYS STILL ARE OUR BIGGEST ADVOCATES.AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT I MEAN TOO, ABOUT THE MORE OF ME IS BECAUSE I'M JUST YOUR MOUTHPIECE, WHATEVER YOU GUYS PASS, WHATEVER YOU GUYS ARE PUSHING, THAT'S WHAT I'M DOWN THERE MAKING SURE THAT THE MEMBERS KNOW AND UNDERSTAND AND ARE AWARE OF.
BUT IT MEANS SOMETHING WHEN YOU GUYS TAKE THE TIME OUTTA YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES TO COME AND SIT DOWN IN THE CAPITOL ON THE BENCHES AS YOU, YOU AND I HAVE SEEN SIT IN THOSE HEARING ROOMS FOR HOURS ON END JUST TO HAVE THAT 10, 15 MINUTE CONVERSATION WITH THE CHAIR, WHICH PROVED VERY ADVANTAGEOUS.
IT DOES TAKE TIME SETTING UP THOSE MEETINGS.
IT DOES TAKE TIME TO MAKE THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.
AND ADVOCACY GROUPS SOMETIMES DO HELP, SOMETIMES THEY HURT, SOMETIMES IT HURTS HAVING YOU DOWN THERE BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT AGREE WITH YOUR LEANING OR, OR YOUR VOTING ON DIFFERENT THINGS.
ME AND THE CHAIRWOMAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ALL THE TIME.
THEY WATCH YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW YOUR NAMES
SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, SO, YOU KNOW, THE DOOR SWINGS BOTH WAYS DEPENDING ON THE PERSON, THE ADVOCACY GROUP.
I, UM, SO FOR SB EIGHT 40, WOULDN'T YOU SAY THAT THAT BILL WAS REALLY DRIVEN BY, UM, FOLKS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR REGION? MOST DEFINITELY.
AND SO I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS WITH, UM, THEIR INTERPRETATION OF HOW THEY THINK IT'S GOING.
AND THEY ARE, UM, MOSTLY DEVELOPERS AND MULTIFAMILY OWNERS, SO THEY HAVE THEIR OWN INTEREST IN THE MARKET.
AND SO THAT'LL, THAT WILL BE AN INTERESTING ONE.
BUT I THINK I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM AND I HAVEN'T HEARD VERY MANY PEOPLE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE, THE REGULAR VOTER WHO SAYS, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WHAT YOU DID.
AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT REALLY BUBBLE UP YET.
AND SO IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT ARE NOW FORMED DO SPEAK UP AND, UM, HOW THAT AFFECTS THINGS.
I ALSO WANNA MENTION THAT, UM, ALL OF THE LEGISLATION IS GENERALLY FOR, UM, OUR NEXT BUDGET, MEANING I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING THAT WOULD IMMEDIATELY CAUSE AN INTERRUPTION IN A CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
SO, UM, WHILE IT'S GOOD TO KNOW WHAT'S COMING ON THE HORIZON, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THAT, UM, INITIAL CONCERN.
IT'S REALLY FOR WHAT IS THE NEXT BUDGET GONNA LOOK LIKE? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE ABOUT BEING NON-PARTISAN AND IT'S MY FAVORITE PART OF SERVING AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IS THAT IT'S A NON-PARTISAN, WE'RE JUST HERE FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS, BUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT STATE AND FEDERAL, IT'S HYPER-PARTISAN RIGHT NOW.
AND, YOU KNOW, TO CLIFFORD'S POINT, IT MATTERS WHO'S GOING TO VISIT WITH US, WHO'S GONNA OPEN A DOOR, WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BE WILLING TO TALK TO US ABOUT AND UM, AND HOW IT'S PRESENTED.
AND SO SOME OF THIS IS JUST VERY STRATEGIC AS OPPOSED TO PROCEDURAL.
AND WE JUST ALWAYS HAVE TO BE READY FOR THAT.
AND IT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TIMES THAT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THE RIGHT PERSON TO TALK TO 'EM, AND I'M THE RIGHT PERSON.
AND IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING MORE TO DO WITH THAN WHO'S RECEIVING THAT MESSAGE.
YOU KNOW, WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE, THE GAME
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR, FOR OUR MEETING TODAY? NO.
WELL THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR HAVING THIS THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION AND WE WILL CONTINUE AND HEAR BACK FROM THE COMMITTEE SOON.
SO WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE END OF JUNE.
AT 10 20, THE MEETING'S ADJOURNED.