[Call to Order]
[00:00:02]
THE TIME IS 1 0 7, AND I AM CALLING THE AD HOC COMMITTEE OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS TO ORDER.
[MINUTES]
ORDER OF BUSINESS IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[BRIEFING ITEMS]
OUR BRIEFING ITEMS. UH, AND YEAH, LET'S JUST GO AHEAD, GO STRAIGHT INTO IT.GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UH, MY NAME IS ERIC DOMINGUEZ AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE BEFORE YOU.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUES TO MY LEFT.
YES, CLIFFORD SPARKS, STATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, FELICE STAFFORD, LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC POLICY LIAISON.
WELL, TODAY WE ARE PLEASED TO BRING FORWARD THE PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE 90TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE AND THE 120TH US CONGRESS.
THIS PRESENTATION IS A FOLLOW UP TO THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM DISCUSSION WE HAD WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AT THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS BACK IN MAY.
SINCE THAT TIME, OUR OFFICE HAS WORKED WITH THE VARIOUS COUNCIL COMMITTEES TO REVIEW, REFINE THE PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY.
THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAVE INCLUDED INPUT THROUGHOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, FINANCE, TRANSPORTATION, PARKS, TRAILS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT, QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND THE CULTURE, HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS TO BRING THOSE PRIORITIES BACK BEFORE THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS FOLLOWING THAT COMMITTEE LEVEL REVIEW, AND TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM AS A WHOLE FOR YOUR REVIEW, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, FOR YOUR MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOUR INPUT.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT UH, THERE IS SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF INITIATIVES INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED PROGRAM COVERING BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL PRIORITIES.
RATHER THAN READ THROUGH EACH INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE, WE CAN HIGHLIGHT THE MAJOR AREAS AND PROVIDE SOME CONTACTS AROUND THOSE PRIORITIES THAT HAVE EMERGED THROUGHOUT THE COMMITTEE REVIEW.
THE FULL PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM IS INCLUDED IN YOUR MATERIALS FOR REVIEW, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT ON ANY INITIATIVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THIS DISCUSSION.
ULTIMATELY, TODAY'S COMMITTEE MEETING WILL ALLOW US TO RECOGNIZE THE FEEDBACK AND DIRECTION AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO FINALIZING THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR THE UPCOMING SESSIONS.
PLEASE BE MINDFUL THAT THESE ITEMS ARE A GUIDELINE AND CERTAINLY CAN ALSO BE A PRIORITY.
AND WHAT WE ARE HERE TODAY IS TO PROVIDE AND GET YOUR INPUT ON WHAT THOSE SHOULD BE.
HAND IT OVER TO MY LEFT TO FELICE, PROVIDE FURTHER INPUT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, FELICE STAFFORD.
SO ON THIS SLIDE, JUST LIKE, UM, DIRECTOR ERIC HAD INITIATED THAT WE ARE WELL UNDERWAY IN THIS PROCESS AND THE REVIEW, SO WE WANT TO BRING THESE ITEMS BACK FOR YOU FOR ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE MOVING FORWARD IN THIS PROCESS.
ON THE FIRST OR NEXT SLIDE, WE COVER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE PROPOSED PRIORITIES GENERALLY FOCUS ON SUPPORTING THE CONTINUED ECONOMIC GROWTH, UM, WHILE ALSO ADDRESSING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME FROM THE REDEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT LEGISLATIVE, UM, LEGISLATION THAT IS AFFECTING THE GOVERNANCE, OPERATIONS AND AUTHORITY OF DOWNTOWN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT, AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL INCENTIVES AND OTHER MEASURES THAT COULD SUPPORT OFFICE TO HOUSING, UH, CONVERSATIONS AND CONVERSIONS.
WE'LL, OF COURSE, CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND EVALUATE THE LEGISLATION WITH, UH, MUNICIPAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES, INCLUDING PROPOSALS WITH LEGISLATION AFFECTING DATA CENTERS, GIVEN THAT THEY ARE A HIGH PRIORITY RIGHT NOW.
MOVING ON TO FINANCE, THE PRIORITIES LARGELY FOCUSED ON PRESERVING MUNICIPAL FLEXIBILITY, ENSURING THE CITY HAS THE APPROPRIATE TOOLS AND LOCAL SERVICES, UM, AND FUNDS FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
ONE OF THE MAJOR AREAS THAT THE MUNICIPAL REVENUE AUTHORITY IS INCLUDING THE CITY'S POSITION ON THE CURRENT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE CAP AND OTHER AREAS.
THE FINANCE IS ALSO FINANCE COMMITTEE IS ALSO INCLUDING, UH, VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE REVENUES, INCLUDING SCHOOL ZONE SAFETY AND CROSSING GUARDS.
GREATER FLEXIBILITY ON OUR HOUSE, UH, OUR USE OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES, AND WE'RE ALSO SEVERAL.
THERE WERE ALSO SEVERAL SPECIFIC ITEMS, UM, INCLUDING THE POSITION ON THE CITY'S POSITION ON CASINO GAMING EXPANSION AND PROPOSED CHANGES FOR ELECT, UH, ELECTION AND CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD DIRECTORS FOR TRANSPORTATION.
THE TRANSPORTATION PRIORITIES FOCUSED ON INFRASTRUCTURE, INVESTMENT, ROADWAY SAFETY, EMERGING TRANSPORTATION
[00:05:01]
TECHNOLOGIES, AND REGIONAL MOBILITY.ONE OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM INCLUDES SUPPORT FOR FUNDING FOR WATER WASTEWATER, STORM WATER, FLOOD PROTECTION IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS EXPANDING FUNDING FOR TRAILS, BICYCLE SIDEWALKS, FREIGHT FREIGHT CARRY CORRIDORS, AND OTHER TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURES.
FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, THE PROGRAM ADDRESSES LOCAL AUTHORITY ESTABLISHMENT, LIKE SPEED LIMITS, AUTOMATED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, EXCESSIVE VEHICLE EXHAUST NOISE, AND SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD RESPONSIBILITIES AS WELL, OF COURSE, FROM A, UH, REGIONAL PRIORITY RELATED TO DART, WE'RE INCLUDING PROPOSED GOVERNANCE MODELS AND PUBLIC TRANSIT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AMONG DART MEMBER CITIES.
MOVING ON TO PARKS, TRAILS AND ENVIRONMENT, THE PARKS, TRAILS, AND ENVIRONMENT PRIORITIES FOR FOCUS BROAD BROADLY ON EXPANDING ACCESS TO PARKS, GREEN SPACES, STRENGTHENING ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCE, WHILE INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS THE CITY'S LONG-TERM NEEDS.
SO THIS PROPOSED PROGRAM ALSO ADDRESSES URBAN HEAT RESILIENCE, INCLUDING POTENTIAL STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING FOR COOLING INFRASTRUCTURE IN AREAS BOTH VULNERABLE DURING OUR EXTREME HEAT.
I'M VERY EXCITED THAT THE WEATHER HAS STARTED COOLING DOWN HERE.
UM, IN ADDITION, THOSE PRIORITIES RELATED TO PARK AND TRAIL SECURITY, ALTERNATIVE, UH, POWER AND GENERATION FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND WATER RESOURCES, INCLUDING, UH, STORM DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE WITH QUALITY OF LIFE, ARTS AND CULTURE.
THESE PRIORITIES COVER, UH, PRIMARILY OF THREE AREAS.
FIRST, WE ARE SEEKING GRANT AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT LIBRARIES AND LIBRARY SERVICES.
SECOND, WE ARE PROPOSING THE PROGRAM THAT ADDRESSES MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY RELATED TO RESIDENTIAL DENSITY, OCCUPANCY LIMITS, AND EX UH, EXPEDITED NUANCE FOR ENFORCEMENT.
AND LASTLY, THE CITY IS ALSO MONITORING LEGISLATION RELATED TO THE STATE'S LEARNING POD PROTECTION ACT AND POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE, TO THAT LAW FOR HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS, HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS.
THESE PRIORITIES THAT ARE LISTED IN YOUR PACKET COVER SEVERAL AREAS INCLUDING HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND AFFORDABILITY, HOUSING REGULATION, AND HOME OWNERSHIP.
FOR HOMELESSNESS, THE PROGRAM IS INCLUDING PURSUING FUNDING FOR HOMELESSNESS SERVICES AND ADDRESSING COST RECOVERY FOR CERTAIN UNSHELTERED SERVICES, AS WELL AS PURSUING RESOURCES RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
AND FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND AFFORDABILITY, THE PRIORITIES INCLUDE STRENGTHENING AND EXPANDING THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM, REDUCING BARRIERS TO CONDOMINIUM DEVELOPMENT, ENCOURAGING HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, AND ADDRESSING POTENTIAL LIMITS ON TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SOME OF THESE PRIORITIES THAT ARE RELATED TO THE TITLE CLEARANCE, AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL TIFF USAGE FOR SUPPORT LEGACY HOMEOWNERS.
THE PUBLIC SAFETY SECTION INCLUDES THE LARGEST NUMBER OF, WE RECEIVED THE LARGEST NUMBER OF THE PROPOSED PRIORITIES, AND IT COVERS SEVERAL DISTINCT AREAS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY POLICY, INCLUDING FIREARMS AND VIOLENT CRIMES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE CAPACITY AND TECHNOLOGY.
SO THIS WOULD INCLUDE RECRUITMENT, RETENTION INCENTIVES, UH, RETENTION INCENTIVES, EVIDENCE RETENTION REQUIREMENTS, AND EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS, AND FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY TECHNOLOGY, THAT EQUIPMENT, WHICH WILL INCLUDE DRONES AND DRONES, UH, FOR THE FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAMS. SO GIVEN THE BREADTH OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY SECTION ITSELF, WE CAN DEFER TO ANY INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS MORE CLEARLY ON THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT ADDRESSES THOSE ITEMS. AND WE ALSO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE FROM DPD AS WELL.
AND NOW I'LL PASS THIS BACK OVER TO ERIC FOR THAT CHAIR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT STEPS AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I WANNA FIRST THANK THE COMMITTEES THAT HAVE DONE THEIR WORK IN SENDING THESE PRIORITIES FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO REVIEW AND THEN TO TAKE TO FULL COUNSEL FOR ADOPTION.
WE'VE ALREADY HAVE HAD, UH, SEVERAL, UH, INTERIM, UH, HEARINGS, UH, DOWN IN AUSTIN.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR Y'ALL'S COORDINATION.
UM, BUT BEFORE WE DIVE DEEP INTO THESE PRIORITIES, I WANNA START OFF WITH WHAT'S THE FRAMEWORK OF THIS COMMITTEE? WHAT ARE OUR GOALS? WHY, UH, WHAT SHOULD WE BE
[00:10:01]
ADVOCATING FOR? WHO ARE OUR PARTNERS? SHOULD THESE BE PRIORITIES THAT ARE COMING FROM THIS COUNCIL, FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY, FROM STAKEHOLDERS? AND, UM, CLIFFORD AND, AND ERIC, I'VE HAD, UH, THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU GUYS ALREADY.AND SO IF Y'ALL CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND, UM, AND GUIDE US ON WHAT OUR GOALS SHOULD BE.
UM, AND ALSO IF YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW MANY PRIORITIES WE SHOULD ACTUALLY BE EMBARKING UPON AND HOW MANY ARE GONNA BE ACHIEVABLE.
WE KNOW THAT WE'VE GONE DOWN THIS LIST, SOME OF THESE ITEMS HAVE NOT EVER BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD IN A BILL.
SOME OF 'EM HAVE NEVER BEEN HEARD.
AND SO WHAT'S THE ACTUAL LIKELIHOOD OF US PROCEEDING WITH THESE PRIORITIES AND GETTING SOMETHING ACCOMPLISHED DOWN IN AUSTIN? YES, CLIFFORD SPARK, STATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR.
SO, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF MEAT ON THAT BONE, SO I'M GONNA, YOU KNOW, BE BOUNCING AROUND A LITTLE BIT.
SO LET'S JUST START FROM THE TOP.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS, UH, THIS TIME THAT WE HAVE IN COMMITTEE IS OF COURSE, TO FORMULATE THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, THE PRIORITIES THAT THE COUNCIL HAS GIVEN, UH, OR WHITTLED DOWN BASED ON ALL THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN FROM OUTSIDE ENTITIES.
CORRECT? UH, WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM INTERNAL ENTITIES AT THE SAME TIME, MEANING OUR DEPARTMENTS, UH, AND STAFF.
UH, SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS REALLY TO WHITTLE DOWN THOSE PRIORITIES BASED ON WHAT YOU GUYS ARE HEARING, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE EXPERIENCING OUT IN YOUR COMMUNITIES.
WE JUST WENT THROUGH BUDGET, SO I KNOW YOU GOT TONS OF FEEDBACK FROM THAT.
UM, SO THAT SHOULD HELP SHAPE THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES MOVING FORWARD.
UH, THE OTHER, UM, YARDSTICK, IF I COULD USE THAT TERM THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, IS WHAT OUR DALLAS DELEGATION IS ALSO WEIGHING IN ON, UH, THINGS THAT THEY ARE SEEING, HEARING, FEELING DOWN AT THE STATE LEVEL.
AND ALSO, I KNOW IT'S THE FEDERAL PRIORITIES AS WELL, BUT ALSO OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION AS WELL, UH, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR BACK FROM THEM WHAT PRIORITIES THAT THEY FEEL MAY OR MAY NOT GET DONE EACH AND EVERY SESSION, BECAUSE REALISTICALLY THEY ARE THE THERMOMETER FOR US TO SAY, HEY, I KNOW YOU GUYS MAY WANT THIS, BUT REALISTICALLY YOU'RE ONLY GONNA GET THAT.
AND SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, SO THAT WAY WE'RE NOT WASTING OUR TIME IN AUSTIN OR DC ON ITEMS THAT REALLY HAVE NO REALISTIC CHANCE OF GOING ANYWHERE OR PRIORITIES THAT OUR OWN DELEGATION MAY NOT BE WILLING TO PUSH.
I MEAN, 'CAUSE THAT IS A PROBLEM IF YOUR OWN DELEGATION IS NOT WILLING TO GET BEHIND SOMETHING THAT KIND OF TAKES THE AIR OUT OF THE TIRE, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, THE LAST THING I'LL SAY, TOO, WHENEVER YOU ARE LOOKING AT THESE ITEMS, YOU ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE POLITICAL CLIMATE THAT WE'RE IN THE POLITICAL CLIMATE HERE IN TEXAS.
THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN DOMINATING THE LEGISLATURE.
THEIR PRIORITIES HAVE BEEN LARGELY GETTING PASSED.
UM, THEY JUST HAD A REPUBLICAN CONVENTION IN JUNE, I BELIEVE JUNE OR JULY, SOMETIME IN THE SUMMERTIME, WHERE THEY HAD ABOUT 12 OVERARCHING PRIORITIES THAT THEY PASSED THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE.
UH, SOME OF THEM FLY DIRECTLY IN THE FACE OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THEIR PRIORITIES WAS TO NOT DO VISION ZERO ANYMORE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN VERY BIG HERE IN THE CITY.
UH, BANNING TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING, WHICH IS SOMETHING HUGE FOR ALL MUNICIPALITIES.
SO YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH A MULTIPLE, YOU HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH MULTIPLE LENSES TO KIND OF THREAD THE NEEDLE, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, I CAN SAY THAT OVER THE PAST FEW SESSIONS, WE'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF DOING THAT BECAUSE WE'VE KEPT OUR PRIORITIES IN LINE WITH WHAT THE STATE WANTED, UH, WHICH REALLY IS HEAVILY PUBLIC SAFETY ORIENTED.
TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, UH, I KNOW ONE OF THE MAYOR'S PRIORITIES WAS TO GET RID OF, UH, PAPER TAGS, UM, ABOUT A COUPLE OF SESSIONS AGO.
WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY DO THAT.
UM, THE REPUBLICAN ACTUALLY PICKED UP THAT LEGISLATION AND HELPED US CARRY IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
SO WE CONSIDERED THAT A SUCCESS.
UH, NOW THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF MANY, UH, OVER THE PAST THREE SESSIONS, WE'VE PASSED CLOSE TO 40 OR MORE PIECES OF LEGISLATION JUST AS A CITY ALONE, WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE WHEN TYPICALLY OTHER CITIES ARE ONLY CARRYING LESS THAN FIVE A SESSION.
SO I THINK THAT GOES TO SHOW WITH THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE IN THIS COMMITTEE AND THE PAINSTAKING, YOU KNOW, WAY THAT WE GO ABOUT IT, IT ACTUALLY TURNS INTO FRUITFULNESS AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF THINGS DONE.
UM, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL RAMP DOWN MY COMMENTS, BUT THAT'S GENERALLY THE WAY YOU WANT TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THIS.
IF YOU WERE TO RECOMMEND A THRESHOLD OF HOW MANY PRIORITIES WE SHOULD ADVANCE, UM, WHETHER IT'S TO PROCEED POSE OR, OR MONITOR, UM, HOW, HOW MANY PER, UM, DEPARTMENT OR COMMITTEE
[00:15:01]
WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU KIND OF ADVISE ON? SO MY ADVICE WOULD BE OVERALL, WHICH SHOULD BE ON THERE IS SINGLE DIGITS, MEANING THE MAIN PRIORITIES THAT WE PURSUE.UM, I DON'T WANNA GIVE IT A NUMBER, LIKE THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE, BUT IT, IT JUST REALLY NEEDS TO BE SINGLE DIGITS.
AND LEMME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHY I SAY THAT.
YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, WE'RE NOT THE ONLY MUNICIPALITY AT THE TROUGH.
WE'RE NOT THE ONLY INTEREST GROUP THAT'S GOING TO AUSTIN.
THE THE WAY THAT YOU GET LEGISLATION PASSED IS YOU HAVE TO GET A MEMBER TO PICK IT UP.
WELL, THAT MEMBER ALSO HAS A, A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SLOTS OR BILLS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET PASSED EACH SESSION.
SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CONVINCE THEM THAT WHAT WE WANT IS WHAT THEY WANT, AND IT'S BE OFFICIAL FOR BOTH PARTIES.
AND IF THEY BELIEVE SO, GREAT.
IF THEY DON'T BELIEVE SO, NO MATTER IF IT'S OUR TOP PRIORITY OR OUR LAST PRIORITY, IT'S JUST NOT GONNA GET DONE.
BUT IF IT IS A PRIORITY OF THEIRS, THEN WE'RE WORKING WITH SOMETHING THAT THAT SHOULD HELP US MOVE FORWARD.
UM, I THINK THE MORE PRIORITIES WE HAVE, THE MORE PROBLEMATIC IT MAKES IT FOR US, UH, BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON.
UM, AND SOMETIMES THINGS CAN BE LOST IN THE SHUFFLE.
BUT AGAIN, IF THAT'S WHAT THE COMMITTEE WANTS, THEN OF COURSE THAT'S WHAT STAFF WILL ATTEMPT TO DO.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST THE WAY WE GO ABOUT IT.
BUT MY PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE TRY TO KEEP IT IN A SINGLE DIGITS OVERALL.
NOW THAT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE AN APPENDIX OF OTHER THINGS BECAUSE REALISTICALLY, SOMETIMES THINGS POP UP DURING SESSION AND IT BECOMES A PRIORITY FOR US.
SO THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT IF, YOU KNOW, AN ITEM DOESN'T MAKE IT ON THE, I'M JUST GONNA CALL IT TOP 10 LIST, THAT IT DOESN'T BECOME A TOP 10 ITEM.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE LIST IS GONNA BE VERY FLUID, EXTREMELY FLUID.
TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE, OUR CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL LAST SESSION, WHICH WE HAD ALREADY PASSED, WE'D ALREADY WENT TO THE LEGISLATURE AND GOT THAT DONE.
WELL, IT SUDDEN BECAME PRIORITY NUMBER ONE BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO PASS A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE KILLED THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
SO NATURALLY WE HAD TO PUT EVERYTHING ELSE ASIDE TO DEAL WITH THAT SITUATION.
NOW THAT'VE BEEN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, PROBABLY A HOLE OVER HERE NEXT TO CITY HALL THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE WANTED TO SEE.
SO I USE THAT EXAMPLE JUST TO KIND OF ILLUSTRATE THE, THE IMPACT THAT YOU CAN HAVE ON YOUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY AS YOU MOVE THROUGHOUT.
SO JUST BECAUSE IT'S NUMBER ONE NOW DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GONNA BE NUMBER ONE AFTER NOVEMBER.
IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GONNA BE NUMBER ONE IN MAY.
ERIC, UH, DO YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING TO THAT? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I THINK TO ADD TO CLIFFORD, UH, SPARKS, UH, COMMENTS, IT DEFINITELY ADDS WITH THAT APPENDIX IS BECAUSE AS WE KNOW DOWN IN SESSION AND, AND AS WE ARE THERE THROUGH THE JANUARY TO THE END OF SESSION, BILLS ISSUES MOVE FAST.
AND SO BUILDING OUT THAT FRAMEWORK PROVIDES US THE FLEXIBILITY, THE ABILITY TO ADAPT, ABILITY TO MOVE THE, BE THE ABILITY TO SPEAK TO MEMBERS OF OUR DELEGATION ON HOW WE FEEL ON A PARTICULAR ISSUE.
AND LET ME CORRECT MYSELF HOW THE CITY OF DALLAS FEELS ON A PARTICULAR ISSUE, NOT NECESSARILY MYSELF OR CLIFFORD SPARKS, FELICE, ET CETERA.
AND SO THAT REALLY BUILDS OUT THAT GUARDRAIL ON HOW WE CAN CERTAINLY JUST TALK AND MOVE GOOD BILLS FOR THROUGHOUT THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ONLY THING I'LL ADD TO THAT IS I DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO SUBSTANTIALLY NARROW DOWN THE SCOPE OF THE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT TO BE HOLD SOME OFF OR PULL SOME OFF BECAUSE WE DON'T BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO ADVANCE.
UH, 'CAUSE THINGS CAN CHANGE, UM, IN NOVEMBER.
THINGS CAN CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UM, AND WE SHOULD STILL CONTINUE DOING WORK ON THOSE PRIORITIES THAT THIS COUNCIL, THIS CITY FEELS THAT WE SHOULD, UH, CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD WITH.
UH, WITH THAT, I'LL START WITH CHAIR WEST.
THANK YOU CHAIR FOR, UH, REALLY SETTING THIS UP FOR I THINK A GOOD DISCUSSION, UM, BY YOUR QUESTIONS.
AND I'M GONNA PIGGYBACK OFF THOSE AND, AND YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB LAYING THIS OUT.
I HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET WITH, UH, DIRECTOR DOMINGUEZ YESTERDAY TO, 'CAUSE I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD OF THIS AND HOW THIS WAS PRESENTED TO US.
UM, ONE QUESTION, CLIFFORD, YOU, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU ANSWER FROM THE CHAIR, WAS WHAT IS THIS COMMITTEE'S ROLE, UM, BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THIS GOES TO COUNCIL? LIKE WE'RE IN A PERFECT, I HAVEN'T BEEN ON THIS COMMITTEE BEFORE, SO WHAT DO YOU SEE AS OUR ROLE WITH THESE, THESE ITEMS TODAY? UH, YES SIR.
SO THE WAY YOU SHOULD LOOK AT IT IS THIS IS THE TIME NOW THAT WE'VE RECEIVED ALL THIS FEEDBACK TO WHITTLE DOWN BASED ON CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'VE HAD INTERNALLY, WHAT SHOULD BE THE FOCUS OF THIS LEGISLATIVE AD HOC COMMITTEE AND OUR LEGISLATIVE TEAM IN AUSTIN.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR YOU TO WHITTLE THESE ITEMS DOWN OR CATEGORIZE THEM IN A WAY TO WHERE THEY CAN BE, UM, LIKE I SAID, MORE SINGLE DIGITS OR MORE NARROWLY FOCUSED ON, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO GET OUT OF THIS SESSION.
[00:20:01]
IT.WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THIS THERE, IT SEEMED TO BE A LITTLE BIT OVERWHELMING IN THE TERMS OF SHEER NUMBER OF, OF ITEMS. UM, BUT I, AS I DUG INTO THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, A LOT OF THEM ARE REALLY JUST MONITORING AND WHICH I SEE IS YOUR JOB ANYWAY.
THAT'S JUST YOU DOING YOUR JOB MONITORING, UH, LE LEGISLATION RELATED TO MUNICIPAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES NUMBER FOUR ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO I, FOR ME, I'M JUST SAYING THIS FOR THE PUBLIC AND MAYBE MY COLLEAGUES IS IT HELPED ME TO KIND OF START INTERNALLY WHITTLING DOWN, UM, ON THESE ITEMS BY JUST THE MONITORING STUFF, JUST KIND OF ASSUMING THAT'S GONNA BE IN THE APPENDIX AND THAT'S NOT A PRIORITY FOR US.
BUT WHEN YOU SAY WHITTLE IT DOWN TO THE SINGLE DIGITS, UM, AND YOU GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF THE PAPER TAGS ITEM PUSHED BY THE MAYOR, UM, ARE THOSE ITEMS THAT WE WILL PURSUE AGGRESSIVELY AS A CITY? WE WILL TRY TO FIND A CHAMPION FOR, UM, TO FILE THE LEGISLATION? IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO WHEN WE SAY SINGLE DIGITS, SO LESS THAN 10, PREFERABLY FOUR OR FIVE, UM, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE, WE'RE GONNA GO OUT AND TRY TO FIND A RAPHAEL AND CHIA OR A MORGAN MEYER OR SOMEONE TO CARRY THAT FOR US.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, CHAIR, WHAT I'M GONNA RECOMMEND AND IS JUST A, THIS HELPED ME TO FRAME IT.
UM, Y'ALL DON'T HAVE TO ADOPT IT, BUT AS UNDER EACH COMMITTEE I KIND OF LOOKED AT ONE THAT I SAW AS A PRIORITY.
UM, AND, AND AS WE GO THROUGH THESE, I'LL POINT THAT OUT AND WE CAN AGREE OR DISAGREE.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO DO THAT? JUST WALK US THROUGH.
SO LOOKING AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS ON SLIDE NUMBER THREE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ONE THAT STUCK OUT TO ME AS, AS A POSSIBLE, UH, THING THAT DALLAS COULD CHAMPION WOULD BE INCENTIVES FROM THE STATE REGARDING OFFICE TO HOUSING CONVERSIONS.
THAT WOULD BE A HUGE INCENTIVE FOR OUR DOWNTOWN, I THINK IS, AND THAT TIES IN NICELY WITH WHAT WAS JUST ANNOUNCED BY DDI.
I LIKED THAT ONE AND I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH ANY OF THE OTHER FIVE.
DO YOU GUYS WANT TO YEAH, I WAS GONNA, I WAS GONNA SAY, YEAH, IF, IF YOU WANT TO SET IT UP AND THEN WE'LL, SO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FIRST THEN.
WELL, SO, SO YOU LAID OUT NUMBER THREE YEAH.
AND SO I WANT TO GIVE, UH, CHAIR BLAIR AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHIME IN AND I'LL CHIME IN AND THEN WE'LL LET YOU GO TO FINANCE NEXT.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, SO I CAN BE DONE WITH THIS SLIDE, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THE OTHER FIVE.
AND THAT'S NOT THE SAME WITH ALL THE CATEGORIES, BUT THIS ONE, THREE IS PRIORITY.
AND I KIND OF AGREE WITH THAT.
IF WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE TRYING, HOW WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE THE CITY, I THINK THAT SHOULD BE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS GETTING PEOPLE, GETTING AN OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AS DOWNTOWN IS CHANGING, UM, TO GET OFFICE TO HOUSING INCENTIVES WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
UM, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, WHAT I BELIEVE WE SHOULD DO IS THE THINGS THAT ARE MONITOR, JUST IF WE'RE ONLY, IF WE'RE ONLY GONNA MONITOR IT, AND THIS IS WHAT THEY DO ANYHOW, WE, THIS SHOULDN'T EVEN BE ON THE LIST.
IT SHOULD BE ON AN APPENDIX AS SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW IS SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT WE SHOULD BE SEEING IS ANYTHING THAT SAYS OPPOSE OR TO, AND TO SUPPORT.
SO NOT UNLESS WE DISAGREE WITH SOMETHING ON THE LIST TO MONITOR AS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING AGGRESSIVELY TOWARDS.
WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK OF THAT? THAT'S, THAT'S GENERALLY THE CONCEPT.
LIKE IF YOU SEE AN ITEM ON HERE THAT'S CURRENTLY IS MONITOR OR OPPOSE A SUPPORT, YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO CHANGE IT, CHANGE THE DESIGNATION AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, INSTEAD, LET'S PURSUE IT OR LET'S CHANGE THIS.
YOU, YOU AS THE COMMITTEE HAVE THAT ABILITY.
SO THEN I WOULD SAY ON NUMBER THREE, LET YOU TO YEAH.
TO SUPPORT ON NUMBER THREE AND REMOVE IT OFF THE MONITOR LIST.
SUPPORT TO PURSUE ANYTHING THAT MOVES IT FORWARD.
ANY ADJECTIVE THAT MEANS FORWARD MOVEMENT.
SO I'M WITH, I'M WITH YOU ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND IF I DON'T SEE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR, THAT WOULD BE A PRIORITY THAT WE WOULD NEED THE LEGISLATIVE BODY TO, UM, TO LOOK AT.
MY ONLY QUESTION'S GONNA BE DOES MONITOR NECESSARILY EQUAL TO TESTIFY? UM, 'CAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DON'T WANT TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON HAVING TO SEND FOLKS DOWN TO AUSTIN
[00:25:01]
WHEN IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE JUST MONITORING OR ISN'T REALLY.AND I GUESS WE WILL TAKE THOSE CASE BY CASE.
SO LET'S LOOK AT IT IN A BROAD SPECTRUM, BECAUSE WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT THAT SAME FRAMEWORK ON SOMETHING THAT WE SUPPORT.
FOR INSTANCE, UM, GOING BACK TO THE PAPER TAGS BILL, THE PAPER TAGS BILL CAME OUT OF COMMITTEE EXACTLY THE WAY WE WANTED IT.
UH, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE TOLD US THAT WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY NEED TO TESTIFY 'CAUSE IT WAS GONNA PASS.
SO HE DIDN'T WANNA BOG DOWN THE COMMITTEE PROCESS WITH OUR TESTIMONY AS LONG AS WELL AS OTHERS.
SO SOMETIMES YOU DO GET THAT RECOMMENDATION FROM THE LEGISLATURE TO, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT GUYS, THIS IS GOOD.
THIS IS GOOD LEGISLATION, DON'T WORRY ABOUT TESTIFYING.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.
THE SAME THING WITH A MONITOR.
IF THERE'S A MONITOR AND IT'S ON THE SUBJECT MATTER AND IT'S THE WAY WE WANT IT, LIKE IT'S LIKE 95, 90 6% THE WAY WE WANT IT, THEN, THEN WE LITERALLY MONITOR IT ON THE WAY.
'CAUSE THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY ANYTHING TO TESTIFY TO BECAUSE IT'S THE WAY WE WANT IT.
SO, SO YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, BUT THAT ALSO DOESN'T PREVENT US FROM SENDING, UM, WRITTEN TESTIMONY WITHOUT JUST DROPPING A CARD OR JUST, WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO CORRECT.
SO, SO THE WORLD OF THINGS THAT WE COULD DO ONE TESTIFY, THAT'S ALWAYS THE BIGGEST THING.
'CAUSE IT TAKES MORE COORDINATION.
TWO, WE COULD SEND A LETTER OR THREE, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU AND I THE CHAIR ARE DOWN IN AUSTIN, WE CAN DO TOUCH POINTS WITH MEMBERS AND JUST SAY, HEY, LOOK, WE REALLY THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS BILL.
YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE A TWEAK HERE OR THERE THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, THAT TO SEE IF THEY ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT.
BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A FULL FLEDGE EFFORT THAT WE HAVE TO DO BECAUSE IT'S MOVING THE WAY WE WANT IT TO MOVE.
SO IT'S ALL THE STRATEGY, STRATEGY CHANGES DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION, REALLY.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S KEEP MOVING ALONG.
UM, SO GOING TO, THIS ONE'S GONNA BE A LITTLE TRICKIER.
SO GOING ON TO FINANCE, WE'VE GOT SLIDES FOUR, FIVE, AND SIX.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY, UM, THAT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, WHO'S THE CHAIR THERE?
UH, SO YEAH, SO I, I DON'T HAVE, I WANT TO COME BACK TO NUMBER ONE AND, UH, AND TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT THE, THE ONE THAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE, I BELIEVE IT CAME FROM THE CITY MANAGER, AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD ONE, IS, IS ITEM SIX, WHICH IS SUPPORT REMITTANCE OF REVENUES FROM SCHOOL ZONE TRAFFIC, CITATION FEES TO MUNICIPALITIES.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE, THESE ARE I GUESS SPEEDING PARKING FEES.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE FEES COME FROM, BUT, UM, USING THOSE FEES TO BE ABLE THE CITY TO, TO COLLECT THEM AND PUT THEM INTO CHILD SAFETY INITIATIVES.
THE SECOND ONE WAS TRYING TO GET THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ACTUALLY PAY FOR, UM, THE CROSSING GUARDS INSTEAD OF US.
AND I COULD SUPPORT EITHER ONE OF THOSE AS BEING SOMETHING WE CHAMPION.
UM, AND THEN OTHER THAN THAT, I, QUESTION NUMBER ONE, UH, THAT DID COME OUTTA THE COMMITTEE, BUT WHY WE WOULD ACTIVELY OPPOSE LEGISLATION INSTEAD OF JUST MONITOR IT BECAUSE, UM, THERE IS, THERE HAS BEEN NEWS REPORTS THAT THERE'S A LARGE NUMBER OF TEXANS THAT DO SUPPORT, UM, LEGALIZATION OF RESORT CASINOS.
UM, SO I WOULD, I WOULD JUST SAY I'D CONSIDER BEING MORE NEUTRAL ON THAT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I AGREE ON NUMBER ONE.
THESE, WELL, NO, ON, ON THE ITEM NUMBER ONE IN THE FINANCE, UH, JUST TO, TO CHANGE IT FROM OPPOSE TO MONITOR, UM, AND PUT IT IN THE, THE APPENDIX.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, I, I, WELL, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE, THE MUNICIPALITIES BEING ABLE TO DO RECOVERY, I THINK THAT THE CITY AS THIS MUNICIPALITY AS A WHOLE, I DON'T, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IF I, MAYBE I'M MISUNDERSTANDING THE WORDING ON NUMBER FOUR, BUT NUMBER FOUR, UHHUH,
AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT GETTING TRUE COST RECOVERY AND EVERY, AND ALL THE WORK THAT THE CITY DOES FOR OUR, FOR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, ANYBODY.
AND SO I AM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO CHAMPION NUMBER FOUR.
UM, AND I DON'T, I COULD GO WITH ANY OF THOSE OTHERS, BUT NUMBER FOUR IS MY NUMBER ONE IN FINANCE CHAMPION.
WHAT I WOULD, BECAUSE NOW WHAT I, WHAT THE WAY I AM LOOKING AT THIS, UM, CHAIRS
[00:30:01]
IS THAT WE HAVE FINANCE, WE HAVE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE HAVE HOUSING, WE HAVE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, WE HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY.AND IF WE HAVE THREE OR FOUR IN EVERY GROUP, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA EXCEED THE NUMBER THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
SO IF WE HAVE ONE, WE COULD START, WHAT'S THE NUMBER ONE FOR ALL ITEM FOR ALL AREAS, AND THEN LOOK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN, WE CAN BARTER OR TRADE WITH.
I WOULD LIKE TO DROP THIS ONE FROM THIS DI FROM THIS GROUP AND PUT TWO IN THIS GROUP.
KIND OF THAT TYPE OF BACK AND FORTH.
CAN I GET CLARITY? UM, CHAIR BLAIR ON NUMBER FOUR, UH, AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? WELL, IT SAYS, SUPPOSE RESTRICTIONS ON MUNICIPAL UTILITY COST RECOVERY MECHANISM.
WE, FOR COST RECOVERY, WE SUBSIDIZE, IT MAY COST US $25, BUT WE ONLY CHARGE TWO.
AND IF IT CHARGE, IF IT'S $25 FOR US TO DO THE JOB, THEN WE NEED TO, TO, TO GET THE $25 IT TOOK US.
AND EVEN IF IT IS MAYBE SOMETHING MORE.
UM, SO I, I, I WOULD LOVE THAT BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS THAT THE CITY DOES AND WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO CHARGE AND THE FEES THAT IT COST US, UM, ANY FEE THAT YOU LOOK AT, YOU CAN PICK A FEE.
ANY FEE, AND EVERY FEE THAT WE CHARGE ANYBODY IS LESS THAN WHAT IT COST US TO DO THE, DO WHATEVER IT IS THAT FEE IS FOR.
SO I, I THINK I UNDERSTAND, UH, MY QUESTION'S GONNA BE TO STAFF NOW, IS, IS THERE ANY STATE REGULATION THAT'S PREVENTING US FROM CHARGING FULL COST RECOVERY AT DW ANIMAL SERVICES? AND, AND I DON'T THINK THE ANSWER, I DON'T THINK THERE'S RESTRICTIONS ON SELF OPPOSED, UH, I THINK THEY'RE SELF, UH, UH, OPPOSED, I MEAN, THAT WE'RE SETTING THOSE COST RECOVERY RATES.
SO I, I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW THIS GOT ON HERE.
UM, EITHER CHAIR OR, UH, STAFF, IF Y'ALL CAN OPINE ON WHY THIS IS EVEN ON HERE.
AND SO THIS WAS A DEPARTMENT, UM, RECOMMENDATION.
WE CAN CERTAINLY, UH, THROUGH THE FEEDBACK THAT THEY PROVIDED, AND, AND CERTAINLY THIS IS A GOOD EXERCISE IN ITSELF, IS BECAUSE AS WE GET APPROACHED WITH THESE ISSUES ON, ON BILLS THAT COME THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, WE CAN EASILY AGAIN REFER.
SO I, I PAUSED FOR CHIEF STAFF, COREY.
I JUST, UH, SPOKE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY.
SO THEY SAYING, AS LONG AS WE DON'T EXCEED ANY FEES, EXCEED THE COST TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE, BUT IF WE NEED TO GET THE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE A RESPONSE BACK, WE COULD DEFINITELY DO THAT.
AND, AND IF I COULD WEIGH IN AS WELL, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING DOWN AT THE STATE, UM, THAT MAY, IT'S NOT AN ISSUE RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S AN ISSUE THAT THEY ARE BRINGING UP, IS THE DIVERSION OF FEES.
LIKE, MAYBE WE ARE CHARGING THE CORRECT FEE, MAYBE WE AREN'T.
BUT WHEN THAT FEE DOESN'T GO TOWARDS ITS INTENDED PURPOSE, AND IT GOES TOWARDS, UM, OTHER ITEMS IN THE BUDGET, UH, THEY'RE REALLY BIG ON THAT THIS SESSION.
THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THIS FOR TWO SESSIONS NOW, UH, ON MUNICIPALITIES.
SO, UH, AND I'M HEARING THAT THEY WANT TO ACTUALLY BACK OUT ANY UTILITY FEES FROM OUR BUDGET, WHETHER THEY BE INDIRECT COSTS, DIRECT COSTS, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS STIPULATED THAT THEY ACTUALLY WANT TO RESOLVE THIS SESSION, IF I CAN USE THAT.
SO, UM, BUT THAT, AS FAR AS WHAT IT'S DOING AS IT RELATES TO THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, THAT MAY BE THE ONLY THING THAT WE SEE AS A HEADWIND MOVING INTO SESSIONS.
NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SEE NOW, BUT JUST A, A POTENTIAL HEADWIND.
UM, AND I'LL JUST GIVE THE EXAM.
AND SO I GUESS WE NEED TO DEFINITELY HAVE THIS ONE COME BACK TO GET SOME CLARITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA PICK ON, ON WATER DWU.
UM, IF WE ACTUALLY CHARGED WHAT WATER COST TO A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNER, IT WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT VERY COSTLY FOR HOMEOWNERS.
BUT WHAT I DO WANNA LOOK AT IS TIER PRICING FOR THOSE, UM, COMPANIES, THOSE WAREHOUSES THAT ARE CONSUMING HUGE VOLUMES OF WATER, WHICH SHOULD DEFINITELY BE GETTING FULL COST RECOVERY THERE.
UM, BUT I THINK WE JUST GOTTA BALANCE IT AND MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT MAKING IT SO EXPENSIVE WHERE PEOPLE CAN'T TURN THEIR FAUCET
[00:35:01]
ON.AND I, AND TO WEIGH IN, UM, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD PLUG FOR DATA CENTERS AT THIS TIME.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES THAT THE STATE IS DEALING WITH, IT'S GONNA BE A CAMPAIGN ISSUE THIS NOVEMBER.
UM, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE WATER USAGE AND, AND THE STRAIN THAT IT'S GOING TO CAUSE, UM, ON MUNICIPALITIES AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY NEED TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE STATE IS GONNA TAKE UP.
SO WHETHER WE HAVE IT AS A MONITOR, SUPPORT OR OPPOSE, YOU KNOW, I TRULY BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA DEAL WITH THIS AND WE NEED TO HAVE A VERY STRONG OPINION ON HOW THE WAY WE WANT THEM TO MOVE THIS NEXT SESSION.
UM, AND SO I'M GONNA LOOK OVER TO LEGAL ON, YOU KNOW, WE'VE KIND OF JUST BEEN AGREEING ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.
DO WE HAVE TO TAKE ANY SORT OF VOTE OR JUST AS LONG AS THERE IS, UH, CONSENSUS.
CONSENSUS IS OFFICE HELLO, WILLOW SANCHEZ FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND TODAY, YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BE MAKING YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL FOR YOUR SUGGESTED, UM, LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
AND IF YOU ALL, UH, REACH CONSENSUS THROUGH YOUR DISCUSSIONS OR DESIRE TO TAKE A VOTE TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION, THAT'S UP TO YOU ALL.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, SHOULD WE BE DOING THESE ONE AT A TIME, UH, AS VOTES OR CAN SOMEONE JUST KEEP A RUNNING TRACK AND THEN WE JUST ADOPT IT AT THE END? OKAY, WE'LL JUST DOING IT IF YOU WANNA DO A MOTION AT THE END.
THE ONLY, UH, PENDING ONE IS GONNA BE ON DPD ON NUMBER SIX, I BELIEVE, AND GETTING BETTER, BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THOSE FEES ARE.
DO WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM DPD THAT CAN ANSWER THAT? UH, CHIEF, THIS IS AMAD DEGREE CHIEF OF STAFF, CITY MANAGER THAT'S RELATED TO CRO SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY UNDER MUNICIPAL COURT.
SO CHIEF CHOWS WITH SECURITY IS SUPPOSED TO BE COMING DOWN HERE SHORTLY, UH, TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
I MEAN, I JUST WANNA SAY ON NUMBER SEVEN, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I FULLY SUPPORT, UM, AS, UH, WE'RE WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT OUR DSDS AND, AND OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UH, BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS, UH, BUT THEY'RE ALSO, UH, IN THROUGH DESIGN, UH, ARE BEING SAFER, BUT THEY'RE ALSO ADDING EVEN MORE CROSSING GUARDS.
UM, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I, I WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE BEING SMART AND, AND, AND ALSO, UH, WORKING WITH OUR, OUR SCHOOLS, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT TO BE AT ODDS WITH OTHER, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, ENTITIES.
SO I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO, UH, MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE OF THAT WE ARE PURSUING, POSSIBLY PURSUING THIS CHAIR.
YOU, SO, SO I UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE AT ON, ON FINANCE RIGHT NOW.
UM, DID YOU HAVE AN OPINION ON NUMBER ONE THAT YOU WANNA RELAY? I WILL FOLLOW THE WILL OF THE COMMITTEE.
SO WE'RE STILL UNANIMOUS THEN ON FINANCE.
UM, NO ONE COMMENTED ON NUMBER TWO OR THREE.
SO I, UH, I ASSUME WE'RE OKAY ON TWO AND THREE.
UM, TWO IS SUPPORT VOTER APPROVED MUNICIPAL FLEXIBILITY TO EXCEED THE CURRENT 3.5 PROPERTY.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO WAY THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN,
I MEAN, THAT COULD BE IN THE APPENDICES, RIGHT? UH, OPPOSE STATE RESTRICTIONS ON MUNICIPAL REVENUE AUTHORITY.
I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN IF WE'RE GONNA BE REALISTIC AND HONEST HERE.
LET'S JUST PUT IT IN THE APPENDICES.
FOUR IS, HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED AS THE PRIORITY, UM, BY, UH, CHAIR BLAIR.
SO I ASSUME WE'RE OKAY ON THAT, PUTTING THAT IN THE APPENDICES.
UM, AND THEN BETWEEN SIX AND SEVEN, UH, I, I, I'M FINE MAKING SEVEN MY PRIORITY TOO WITH, FOR THE SCHOOL GUARD AS OPPOSED TO SIX.
SO THAT WOULD BE TWO OF US SUPPORTING SEVEN AS THE PRIORITY.
UM, I MEAN, EITHER WAY, LIKE ON THE UTILITY COSTS ARE OUR SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD COSTS, THOSE ARE BOTH COSTS WE'RE ABSORBING AS A CITY THAT WE NEED REIMBURSEMENT FOR.
NO ONE TALKED ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE, AND I, I DON'T THINK THOSE ARE, THIS IS JUST SUPPORT.
SO I THINK THOSE COULD BE IN THE APPENDICES AS WELL.
SO FROM MY END, IF, IF WE HAVE OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED, I MEAN, UNLESS CHAIR BLAIR, UH, OBJECTS NUMBER SEVEN COULD BE THE PRIORITY ON THIS ONE.
YOU OKAY ON THAT? THEN WE CAN MOVE ON.
JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON NUMBER TWO.
UH, DO WE NOT FEEL THAT NUMBER TWO, WE ARE GONNA HAVE, UH, PROBABLY THE DALLAS DELEGATION THAT SUPPORTS THIS ITEM.
AND I MEAN, I THINK OTHER CITIES WOULD WANNA, LARGE CITIES ARE GOING TO
[00:40:01]
PROBABLY PICK THIS ONE UP.UM, AND, AND SO JUST WANNA LOOK SOME GUIDANCE FROM YOU GUYS.
I, I AGREE IT'S GONNA BE CHALLENGING TO, UH, GET THAT, UH, UH, HIGHER, BUT I, I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE MOVEMENT NO MATTER WHAT.
UM, SO WHAT, WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? YES, I AGREE.
I THE WAY, SO THE, THE WORLD IS, IS, AS I LIKE TO PUT IT, IS THAT THE GOVERNOR, LIEUTENANT, GOVERNOR AND SPEAKER, THEY HAVE THREE DIFFERENT PATHS TO FIGURING OUT THE PROPERTY TAX SITUATION.
THEY HAVE BEEN TINKERING WITH PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE PAST FOUR SESSIONS, SO I FULLY EXPECT THEM TO CONTINUE TO TINKER WITH IT.
UM, HOW THEY'RE GONNA DO IT IS ANYBODY'S GUESS.
THE GOVERNOR HAS A PROPOSAL THAT'S RIGHT NOW DOMINATING THE HEADLINES.
UM, WHETHER OR NOT HE HAS THE VOTES IN EITHER CHAMBER TO DO THAT, STILL ANYBODY'S GUESS, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND THE SENATE, THEY DEFINITELY HAVE THEIR VERSION OF A PROPERTY TAX PLAN.
UH, THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED.
AND THE HOUSE HASN'T OFFICIALLY PUT OUT ANYTHING, BUT YOU HEAR THEM SUPPORTING BITS AND PIECES OF EITHER SIDE'S PROPOSAL.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, UNFORTUNATELY I'M HEARING THAT THE PROPERTY TAX CAP IS GOING TO COME DOWN.
IT'S LIKELY NOT GOING TO GO UP.
UH, THERE'S DEFINITELY VOTES IN BOTH CHAMBERS AS WELL AS THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AT A LOWER RATE.
UM, SO YEAH, SO THAT, THAT'S REALLY THE REALITY OF IT AT THE END OF THE DAY.
SO THE PUSH IS GOING TO BE FROM ALL MUNICIPALITIES TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW YOU, THE POLICYMAKERS, THE FLEXIBILITY TO KEEP THAT CAP AS HIGH AS WE CAN KEEP IT.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON, UH, WE DO HAVE DWU, UH, AND I'M NOT SURE IF DWU WAS THE DEPARTMENT THAT, UM, BROUGHT FORWARD TO NUMBER SIX, SUPPORT MAINTENANCE OF REVENUES GENERATED BY SCHOOL ZONE TRAFFIC, CITATIONS, FEES.
SO, UM, CHAIR WEST, UH, DO YOU WANT TO KIND OF RECAP THAT ONE? OH, SURE.
SO RECAP OF THE FINANCE SECTION IS THAT WE WILL RECOMMEND PURSUING NUMBER SEVEN AS OUR ITEM TO CHAMPION FROM THIS CATEGORY.
AND WE ARE REVISING NUMBER ONE TO MONITOR INSTEAD OF OPPOSE LEGISLATION AUTHORIZING CASINO GAMING.
AND WE ARE GONNA PUT THE REST IN THE APPENDICES.
THERE'S, THERE'S SOME COMPLICATED ONES IN HERE, SO I'M GONNA JUST GO DOWN THROUGH IT.
UM, A LOT OF THEM ARE REALLY SUPPORTING BASIC THINGS THAT WE WOULD DO ANYWAY.
LIKE, NUMBER ONE, SUPPORTING FUNDING FOR WATER WASTEWATER, STORM WATER FLOOD PROTECTION.
I SEE THAT AS LIKE A, THAT'S CLIFFORD DOING HIS JOB.
UM, NUMBER TWO'S INTERESTING TO ME.
I THINK IT'S WORTH TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, NUMBER THREE, I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS.
I'M NOT ON TRANSPORTATION, BUT IF THAT'S RED LIGHT CAMERAS, THAT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
UM, IT'S BEEN DEEMED UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
UNLESS THAT'S CHANGED AT THE STATE.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IT'S IS THAT CHANGED? THAT'S NOT, I DON'T, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S RED LIGHT MONITORING.
WHAT IS IT? I BELIEVE WHAT THAT IS, IS THE AU UM, AUTOMATED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGIES WHEN FIRE AND POLICE ARE GOING THROUGH THE STREETS AND THEY HIT A RED LIGHT INSTEAD OF THEM HAVING TO STOP THE LIGHT WOULD, WOULD KIND OF, IT'S TECHNOLOGY THAT'S IN PLACE IN OTHER AREAS.
SO IT WOULD UPGRADE OUR SIGNALING TO SMART SIGNALS TO GET FIRE AND POLICE QUICKER TO A LOCATION OPPOSED TO HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES OPPOSING TRAFFIC MM-HMM
THEY'LL HEAR THE SIRENS, BUT THEY WON'T STOP.
SO FIRE AND POLICE WILL STOP AND ALLOW THEM TO KEEP GOING BECAUSE THEY HAVE A GREEN LIGHT.
AND, AND THE TECHNOLOGY WILL CHANGE THE LIGHTING WHEN THE, WHEN THE TRUCKS AND CARS GO THROUGH THE INTERSECTION.
BUT DO WE NEED TO ASK THE STATE, STATE, WELL, BEFORE WE DO THAT, LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME, SAME PAGE.
AND, AND I KNOW STAFF DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB OF TRACKING AND TAKING NOTES OF WHICH COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE, UM, BROUGHT THESE ISSUES UP AND THEN WRITING NOTES ON WHAT, WHAT THE, UH, THE GOAL WAS.
AND SO CAN YOU GUYS, UH, LET US KNOW ON NUMBER THREE OF, UH, WHAT THE, UH, I GUESS THE CHARGE AND IF I HAVE IT RIGHT,
IF I HAVE IT RIGHT, BUT, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S, BUT THAT'S A VALID, THAT'S A VALID, I'M NOT, AND THAT DOESN'T, I ON TRANSPORTATION, I DON'T KNOW, BUT THAT I, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT I HEARD AND I AM ON TRANSPORTATION.
[00:45:01]
UM, BUT YES, LET'S VERIFY THAT MY, MY, MY MEMORY AND MY REALITY ARE IN SYNC.JUST BRIEFLY, THIS WAS A DEPARTMENT, UM, PROPOSED ITEM, UH, THAT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
UM, IT WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR, UH, THAT OF COURSE, LEANING INTO MADAM CHAIR'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THERE WAS ONLY SO MANY LIMITS.
AND SO, AGAIN, I DEFER, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR DIRECTION ON WHAT SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED AS A GUIDELINE.
SO YES, WE CAN BROADLY ENCOMPASS IT TO SAY, UH, PER THEIR PER DIRECTION THAT IT WAS CAMERAS TO DETECT EXCESSIVE SPEED ON ROADWAYS.
UH, AND SO WITH THE DIRECTION OF BEING MORE BROAD IN NATURE, WE HAD MOVED FORWARD WITH THAT LANGUAGE.
WELL, UM, YEAH, NUMBER FOUR IS SIMILAR TO THE ONE WE JUST SAID AS A PRIORITY FOR FINANCE.
SO I THINK WE COULD INCLUDE THAT.
WE JUST MOVE THAT OVER, TAKE IT OFF TRANSPORTATION AND JUST INCLUDE IT AS A, EITHER REMOVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CROSSING GUARDS OR GIVE US SOME MONEY FOR IT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS FINANCE, WHICH WAS A FIVE PLUS.
SO FOUR IS DUPLICATIVE IN A, IN A WAY, FIVE, SEVEN, AND EIGHT ARE ALL ABOUT SEEKING MONEY AND INCENTIVES.
UM, DO WE EVER LIKE, PROPOSE BILLS THAT SEEK MONEY OR IS IT GENERALLY LIKE A CHANGE IN LEGISLATION? BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE ALWAYS ASKING FOR MONEY ANYWAY,
AND, AND DEPENDING ON WHERE THAT MONEY COMES FROM, WHETHER IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, TURNING THE FAUCET UP ON AN EXISTING REVENUE STREAM, OR IT'S A NEW REVENUE STREAM, THAT LARGELY DICTATES HOW WE TACKLE THAT ISSUE.
SO, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE ASK FOR MONEY FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING FACILITY, OF COURSE THAT'S NEW MONEY.
THERE'S NOT A PIPELINE AT THE STATE THAT HAS THAT.
SO IT WAS MORE OF A DIRECT APPROPRIATION TO THE CITY FOR THAT.
SO IT'S JUST REALLY DEPENDING ON WHERE THE MONEY, IF THERE'S AN EXISTING POT OF MONEY TO TAKE FROM, OR WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE TO CREATE A WHOLE, A WHOLE NEW ONE.
I GUESS AS WE'RE EVALUATING, IF WE'RE GONNA PICK ONE THING TO CHAMPION FROM TRANSPORTATION, IS DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO PURSUE SOMETHING ABOUT SEEKING MORE MONEY? OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WOULD DO ANYWAY THROUGH SEPARATE INITIATIVES? THAT'S PRETTY MUCH SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD DO ANYWAY, BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UM, AND OUR DELEGATION IS ALSO LOOKING FOR THAT AS WELL.
SO WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH OUR DELEGATION.
THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT OUR DELEGATION IS BECAUSE THEY'RE SO SEASONED, THEY KNOW A LOT OF THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, OR THEY KNOW A LOT OF THE PIPELINES THAT THEY SEND MONEY THROUGH.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN, UH, HALLIN PARK, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A NEW REVENUE SOURCE THAT WE HAD TO CREATE, AND THERE'LL BE SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE STREAMS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO CONTINUE WITH THAT.
SO, SO TO THAT POINT, WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO CREATE NEW REVENUE STREAMS OR, OR INCREASE EXISTING REVENUE STREAMS, UH, WITH OUR DELEGATION.
CHAIR, YOU WANNA, UH, DIRECTOR CON CARLY? YEAH.
YOU GOT, SO THE, THE QUESTION IS ON NUMBER THREE, AUTHORIZE THE USE OF AUTOMATED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE ROADWAY SAFETY.
AND IF YOU CAN JUST KIND OF LET US KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
UM, GUS ARDI, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS.
THIS IS A JOINT EFFORT WITH DPD TO TRY TO SEE IF, IF WE CAN, UH, PROMOTE THE USE OF, UH, STATIONARY CAMERAS, UH, TO CONTROL, TO MONITOR, UH, SPEEDING ON, UH, MAJOR CORRIDORS.
AND THE IDEA IS TO TRY TO, UH, UH, PUT FORWARD SOMETHING THAT COULD BE, UH, ACCEPTABLE, UH, WITH A NARROW SCOPE THAT WE CAN PUT IT, SAY, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, ON MAJOR THOROUGHFARES WHERE WE'VE WE'RE SEEING SOME, UH, HIGH SPEEDING AND HAVE THAT, UH, INSTALLED, WHICH WOULD HELP ALSO ON THE PERSONNEL INSTEAD OF HAVING DEDICATE, UH, PERSONNEL, UH, TO MONITOR THAT.
THEN WE CAN DO IT THROUGH, UH, UH, AUTOMATED, UH, CAMERAS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TOP, ONE OF THE TOP THREE CONCERNS I HEAR AT ALMOST EVERY COMMUNITY MEETING IS SPEEDING.
UH, HOW CAN WE, HOW CAN WE GET MORE ENFORCEMENT? HOW CAN WE GET, UH, HOW CAN WE CHANGE ROADWAYS THROUGH DESIGN TO SLOW VEHICLES DOWN? UM, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT, UM, ADDITIONAL, UH, TECHNOLOGY ON, ON OUR ROADWAYS.
AND SO, IS THERE CURRENTLY LIMITATIONS THAT YOU HAVE ON INSTALLING THESE CAMERAS? IS THERE A STATE, UM, IS THERE A STATE, UH, BAN OR PROHIBITION? UH, AND THEN DO YOU KNOW WHAT ANY OR ANY OTHER CITIES DOING THIS CURRENTLY IN TEXAS?
[00:50:02]
CAN I ADD TO YOUR QUESTIONS? UM, AND I, I'M JUST WORRIED ABOUT THE LEGAL, UH, THE ENFORCEMENT OF, I, I LOVE THE CONCEPT.I, AND I HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINTS HE DOES IN MY DISTRICT.
I JUST, THE CONSTITUTIONALITY, HOW, HOW, HOW WILL THESE CAMERAS HOLD UP IN COURT WHEN THE RED LIGHT CAMERAS DIDN'T? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
WELL, AND I AGREE AND I AGREE IF THIS IS FOR THE CONTROL OF SPEEDING.
THE, AND I THOUGHT RED LIGHT CAMERAS AND, AND CAMERAS THAT TRACK YOU THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WAS, WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS A CHALLENGE.
SO IS THIS SOMETHING THERE'S NO WITNESS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO WITNESS TO CALL TO THE STAND.
SO WE ACTUALLY REMOVED THIS FROM OUR PRIORITIES.
UH, THIS WAS A 2025 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY UNDERNEATH CHIEF GARCIA, AND WE SPOKE ABOUT IT WITH THE RED LIGHT CAMERAS BEING PULLED BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT.
WE FELT LIKE IT WAS NOT GONNA GET ANY TRACTION AT THE STATE, SO WE JUST REMOVED IT.
SO WE DON'T BELIEVE IT'S GONNA GET ANY TRACTION, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING A FLOCK TERMINALLY THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING ALSO.
SO, I MEAN, I DON'T SEE ANY REASON TO KEEP THIS ON IF THE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T WISH TO PROCEED WITH IT.
IF, IF, IF DPD UM, HAS PULLED IT AS A PRIORITY, UH, THEN IT, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS, IT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE UTILIZING AS A SUPPORT FOR US, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE IN OPPOSITION OF WHAT DPD WANTS.
SO, SO THE QUESTION'S GONNA BECOME, UH, DO WE MONITOR IT OR DO WE, UM, JUST REMOVE IT AND I'LL, I'LL, UH, I HEARD, UH, CHAIR BLAIR, UH, CHAIR WEST.
NO, I, I THINK YOU SAID IT WELL.
I'M, I, I, CAN YOU STICK AROUND THOUGH, GUS? 'CAUSE WE'RE STILL ON TRANSPORTATION, IF YOU DON'T MIND, CHAIR.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT FIVE, SEVEN, AND EIGHT.
THESE ARE SOMETHING, UH, CLIFFORD AND HIS TEAM TO ANYWAY, 'CAUSE IT'S SEEKING MORE MONEY.
WE ALWAYS NEED MORE MONEY FOR TRANSPORTATION STUFF.
UM, NUMBER SIX, DID THAT COME FROM, THIS IS STRENGTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS, REPORTING AND ENFORCEMENT FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IN EMERGING MOBILITY TECHNOLOGIES.
DID THIS COME FROM STAFF OR IS THIS COUNCIL MEMBER, THIS IS A STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
SO THIS IS LIKE THE WAYMO'S, LIKE IS THAT FEDERAL OR IS THAT STATE? IT, IT'S A STATE, UH, UH, ITEM UNDER THE TRANSPORTATION CODE.
AND THE GOAL IS JUST TO GET LIKE MORE CLARIFICATION ON HOW SO, AND, AND CLIFFORD CAN HELP ME OR ERIC, UM, IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
I THINK THEY HAVE STRENGTHENED THOSE, UH, REQUIREMENTS.
AND I THINK THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF, UH, UH, DM DMV OR DMV DBS, DMV HAVE, UH, CREATED NEW GUIDELINES.
HOWEVER, UH, FROM THE CURRENT OPERATIONS, UH, FROM WHAT WE ARE SEEING SO FAR, THERE ARE SOME POTENTIAL SMALLER GAPS THAT, UH, I THINK THE CURRENT, UH, LEGISLATION MAY, UH, HELP WITH STRENGTHENING SOME OF THESE REPORTING.
AND IF I CAN JUMP IN ANYTHING AROUND AI, UM, RIGHT NOW WE'VE, WE HAVE A SENATOR, SENATOR TAM PARKER.
HE HAS BEEN VERY INFLUENTIAL IN THAT SPACE.
UH, HE FULLY PLANS TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THIS AREA.
UM, WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SEE HIS LATEST ITERATION OF WHAT HE, WHAT IT IS THAT HE IS TRYING TO DO.
BUT HE IS THE AI PERSON HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO, UH, ALL INDICATIONS FROM HIM IS THAT HE WILL BE PUSHING SOMETHING ADDITIONAL.
SO I FEEL STRONGLY THAT WE AT LEAST NEED TO KEEP IT AS A MONITOR BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO TELLING WHERE HE'S GONNA GO WITH IT, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT HE'S GOING TO PUSH SOMETHING OUT OF THE SENATE.
SO THAT'S CHAIR, THAT'S NUMBER SIX.
SO ARE WE OKAY GUYS, JUST CHANGING THAT TO MONITOR? UM, OR, I MEAN, STRENGTHEN DOESN'T BOTHER ME EITHER.
DO YOU GUYS I DON'T CARRY IT AWAY, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, BUT I THINK IT SHOULD BE AN APPENDICES.
IT'S NOT ON THE FRONT APPENDICES.
WE JUST LEAVE IT AS IS THEN? YES.
UH, ESTABLISHED CLEAR STANDARDS AND ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY FOR EXCESSIVE VEHICLE EXHAUST NOISE,
UH, THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT SINCE MY VERY FIRST DAY BEFORE MY FIRST DAY IN OFFICE.
I HEARD IT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL BACK IN 2019.
AND, UH, OH, CLIFF, WE GOT A LOT OF, A LOT OF LOUD CARS.
UH, SO, UH, IT'S GOTTA HAPPEN AT THE STATE.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE ALWAYS HEARD.
UM, HAVE Y'ALL EVER SEEN ANY BILLS AT THE STATE WHERE THEY'VE
[00:55:01]
PURSUED MUFFLER CAPS? LIKE, OR WHERE THEY, THEY THE MUFFLERS CAN'T BE TOO LOUD? YES.I KNOW ENFORCES GONNA BE SUPER HARD, BUT YES, THOSE BILLS DO COME OUT.
UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THERE WERE ANY INTERIM CHARGES AS IT ALSO RELATES TO EXCESSIVE EXHAUST NOISE.
SO THERE WEREN'T ANY, UH, INTERIM CHARGES AS IT RELATES TO THAT.
BUT, UH, I WAS JUST TALKING WITH, UH, WITH OUR DPD REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT HOW, UM, STREET RACING WOULD'VE ENCOMPASSED THIS.
AND THAT WAS SOME LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED A COUPLE OF SESSIONS AGO.
UM, IF, IF MEMORY RECALLS CORRECTLY, THE LOUD PIPES ISSUE WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY TRIED TO TACKLE, BUT THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY GET THAT PART ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT AND SEE WHERE IT LOST ITS STRENGTH, UM, THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BEING PASSED AS A BILL AND WORK WITH THAT BILL AUTHOR TO SAY, HEY, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO TAKE UP THIS SESSION TO, UH, TO DEAL WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM CHAIR WEST? YES, MA'AM.
YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THESE OWNERS OF THESE CARS PAY TO HAVE THEIR EXHAUST, UM, CHANGED IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT SOUND CORRECT.
I'M ALSO, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG BUSINESS IN THE MUFFLER INDUSTRY.
AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A, A CAR THAT YOU'RE USING AS A SHOW CAR, THE IT, THE LOUDER IT IS, THE BETTER THEY LIKE IT.
UM, BUT THEN THAT ALSO, BUT I CAN SEE IF YOU'RE USING IT FOR STREET RACING TO REWORD IT, SO IT'S MORE INDICATIVE OF STREET RACING AND NOT JUST MONITORING THE LOUDNESS OF A CAR BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE VEHICLE O OWNERS ALSO DO A LOT OF RACING AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S CARS THAT BOUNCE UP AND DOWN.
IT'S IT MODIFICATION OF THE CAR OF A, OF A, AN OLDER CAR.
UM, IT, IT, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A SPORT.
AND I'M PROBABLY LOSING COOL POINTS WITH SOME OF MY RESIDENTS BY EVEN TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT I JUST KNOW I'VE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER RESIDENTS THAT ARE TIRED OF HEARING IT.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S GOTTA BE A HAPPY MEDIUM AND WE CAN'T GET IT DONE AT THE CITY.
WE HAVE A, SO JUST, I MEAN, THERE IS SOME STATE STATUTES OUT THERE UNDERNEATH TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE, UM, SPEAKING ON REVVING OF ENGINES.
UM, LIKE EVERY MOTOR VEHICLE MUST HAVE A WORKING WELFARE TO STOP ACCESS FOR UNUSUAL NOISE DRIVERS CANNOT USE MUFFLER CUTOUTS BYPASSES OR SIMILAR DEVICES TO MAKE THE ENGINE LOUDER.
AND THEN EXHIBITION OF SPEED, UH, WHICH CAUSES THE ENGINE TO REV AGGRESSIVELY.
AND, UH, THEY, THEY ALL CAN BE CITED FOR THAT.
SO THERE IS STATE STATUTES OUT THERE THAT DO TOUCH ON THE SPECIFIC REVENUE VENS LIKE THAT.
PROBLEM IF GO, I JUST, IT'S JUST ONE I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST KEEP IN MONITOR.
WELL, YEAH, I, I'LL AGREE WITH THAT IN MONITOR.
UM, BUT EVEN CAR MANUFACTURERS MAKE THEIR CARS, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE EXHAUST IS A LITTLE EXCESSIVE.
UM, BUT MONITOR, BUT, AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO, IF IT EVER COMES UP ON A STATE LEVEL TO EITHER BRING IT FORWARD OR MOVE IT UP OR DOWN WOULD BE SUFFICIENT.
SO I, I DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE A LOT AS WELL.
UM, AND THE ENFORCEMENT'S A LITTLE EASIER, UH, WHERE I DEAL WITH IT, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S CARS THAT ARE, UM, IT'S GRID A LOT, UH, IN, IN THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS.
UM, SO I THINK ENFORCEMENT IS, IS, IS, IS THE KEY.
AND I THINK WE DO HAVE SOME TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX ALREADY, WHETHER IT'S DECIBEL READINGS, WHETHER IT'S, UM, EXCESSIVE NOISE, WHAT MAY, MAY, MAYBE WHAT WE DO AND IS REQUIRING WHEN A VEHICLE IS GOING THROUGH STATE INSPECTIONS.
THAT TO ME WOULD BE A, A, A GOOD WAY TO NOT ALLOW A CAR TO PASS INSPECTION BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE NOISE.
RATHER THAN HAVING DPD TRYING TO MONITOR AND IDENTIFY WHAT VEHICLES IT IS, HOW CAN WE, WHO REVIEWS THE, THE INSPECTION OF VEHICLES? UM, I'M, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S THE STATE.
AND SO WHO WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ADD AS OPPOSED TO BEING PROACTIVE INSTEAD OF REACTIVE TO THE SITUATION? MM-HMM
WE COULD DEFINITELY, UH, TALK TO THE STATE ABOUT THAT.
WE WOULD NEED TO DO SOME RESEARCH TO FIND OUT WHO EXACTLY WE NEED TO, TO TALK TO ABOUT THAT.
[01:00:01]
BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS SOME LEGISLATION, UM, DISABLING STATE INSPECTIONS, I THINK WE'RE STILL COVERED FROM THE CONVERSATION I JUST HAD.SO WE'LL NEED TO, WE'LL NEED TO COME BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
I MEAN, YOU CAN GO AHEAD ON AND, AND MOVE IT FORWARD, BUT WE'LL JUST NEED TO COME BACK TO YOU ON THAT, ON THE SPECIFICITY ON HOW TO TACKLE THAT.
SO I REALLY LIKE THAT, UM, THAT WHOLE CONVERSATION YOU GUYS JUST HAD ON THAT.
SO I WILL INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF THE SUMMARY THAT YOU'LL COME BACK TO US ON THAT.
AND THEN I SHOULD HAVE REALLY STARTED WITH THIS, BUT THE, MY QUESTION ON NUMBER 10 IS DON'T, ARE WE, DO WE HAVE TO GET THIS LEGISLATION DONE TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNANCE MODEL FOR DART? I MEAN, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AT THE STATE THIS YEAR? CORRECT.
UM, WE ARE, WE, WE AS THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, ARE PART OF A COALITION OF THE MEMBER CITIES WITHIN DART THAT ARE LOOKING TO OPEN UP THE STATUTE.
AND SO THIS, UH, PART OF THE COALITION IS TO, UM, MOVE FORWARD TO THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, THIS ITEM AS IS, UH, PART OF THE GOVERNANCE MODEL.
SO THEN THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION FOR A PRIORITY.
'CAUSE THAT'S CLEARLY WE HAVE TO DO IT.
UH, I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH THAT.
I, I ALSO KNOW THAT DART HAS HER OWN LOBBYING TEAM.
THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA GET IT THERE ANYWAYS.
I MEAN, I, I THINK OUR DELEGATION NEEDS TO KNOW THAT WE SUPPORT IT.
UH, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MEANS JUST BY US SHOWING UP AND, AND SAYING, HEY, WE SUPPORT THIS MODEL, OR IF THEY SHOULD, OR IF THEY WANT TO SEE IT AS A PRIORITY OF OURS.
IT, IT, THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD'VE TO POLL OUR DELEGATION ON AND TO SEE IF THEY WANT US TO SUPPORT IT.
UM, THEY MAY REQUIRE US, THEY SAY, HEY, WE CITY OF DALLAS, IF Y'ALL NOT SUPPORTING THIS, WE NOT GETTING BEHIND IT.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THEY WOULD HAVE TO TELL US.
WE, I HAVEN'T HAD THAT CONVERSATION.
I DON'T THINK YOU CHAIR HAVE HAD THAT CONVERSATION.
SO WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO TALK WITH THEM.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S A PART OF THE WHOLE STRATEGY OF GOING THROUGH SESSION.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS NUMBER 11, WHICH IS ANOTHER FUNDING THING, WHICH I'D SAY GO TO THE APPEND SUIT.
DO YOU WANT ME TO SUMMARIZE CHAIR? THAT WAS A LONG ONE, SO I THINK WE'RE FINE.
MOVING ON TO PARKS, TRAILS AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
THESE ARE, UH, MOSTLY SUP SUPPORTING FUNDING, UM, AND A LOT OF MONITORING.
UM, UH, NUMBER TWO, I DON'T REALLY, I, I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET ACROSS THERE, BUT I THOUGHT, NUMBER ONE, THE SEEKING FUNDING.
I MEAN, THAT IS A SEEKING FUNDING ONE, BUT I THOUGHT THAT SEEMED PRETTY, LIKE A PRETTY GOOD GOAL.
'CAUSE IT SUPPORTS A LOT OF OUR INITIATIVES IN THE CITY.
SO IF I HAD TO PRIORITIZE AND WANT TO BE NUMBER ONE, EVERYTHING ELSE GOES TO THE APPENDS.
BLAIR, ARE YOU REVIEWING IT? I'M GOOD.
WELL, NO, I MEAN, I THINK TO YOUR, TO YOUR POINT IS, YOU KNOW, THAT 10 MINUTE WALK, IT IS OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR, UH, FOR OUR PARK DEPARTMENT.
UM, QUALITY OF LIFE IS, SO SUMMARY IS NUMBER ONE IS PURSUE CHAMPION, EVERYTHING ELSE, APP DEPENDENCIES, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE.
UM, I, NUMBER TWO, I DON'T UNDERSTAND AT ALL, SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWS MUNICIPALITIES TO ENFORCE RESIDENTIAL DENSITY, CAPS, OCCUP, OCCUPANCY LIMITS, AND EXPEDITED NUISANCE ENFORCE MEASURE ENFORCEMENT MEASURES.
WHERE, WHO DID THAT COME FROM AND WHY? AND WHAT'S THE INTENT? YES.
UH, SO ITEM NUMBER TWO WAS, UH, AN ITEM SUBMITTED BY COUNSEL BY CHAIR STEWART.
CHAIR STEWART SUBMITTED ITEM NUMBER TWO UNDER QUALITY OF LIFE.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE INTENT WAS? SO WE KNOW AT THE STATE THAT WHAT THE PASSAGE OF SB EIGHT 40 PASSAGE OF, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S SB FIVE, THERE'S BEEN A CONCERTED EFFORT TO CREATE MORE DENSITY AND, AND MUNICIPALITIES TO TRY TO FORCE DENSITY ON US.
BUT IT, THEY WERE DOING IT AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR PROCESSES LOCALLY.
AND SO I THINK IT WAS A MORE CONCERTED EFFORT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE SUPPORT DENSITY, BUT LET'S NOT PUT DENSITY IN AREAS THAT WE TYPICALLY WOULDN'T PUT DENSITY.
AND LET'S RESPECT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PLAN OF OUR CITY NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GUYS GOT INDUSTRIAL SPACES OVER HERE THAT YOU SHOULD BE USING, OR COMMERCIAL SPACES OVER HERE THAT WE THINK YOU SHOULD BE USING.
WELL, NO, WE MASTER PLAN OUR CITY.
SO ALLOW US TO CREATE THE DENSITY IN THE WAYS THAT WE LOCALLY
[01:05:01]
FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD BE.I UNDERSTAND SB EIGHT 40 AND I SB EIGHT, UH, FIVE.
NO, IT'S, AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER ONE, SB EIGHT, UH, UH, SB 15.
WHERE IN MY, IT, IT REALLY NEGATIVELY IMPACTS DISTRICT EIGHT BECAUSE I HAVE AN AREA THAT IS EXTREMELY RURAL AND SB 15 CHANGES THE WHOLE MAKEUP AND CONCEPT OF WHAT, WHAT THAT AREA OF THE CITY SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND ANYBODY CAN DO IT WITHOUT GOING THROUGH A ZONING.
AND, AND IT, AND IT FLIES IN THE FACE OF, UM, OUR ZONING CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE HAVE THAT THAT PLANNING AND ZONING SPENT LIKE FOUR YEARS TRYING TO DEVELOP MM-HMM
AND IT JUST TAKES IT AND WIPES IT COMPLETELY OUT.
SO FOR ME, THAT IS A PRIORITY.
AND IT, AND WHAT IT, AND WHAT IT DOES IS, IS ASK THE STATE TO ALLOW THE MUNICIPALITIES, ESPECIALLY THE LARGER MUNICIPALITIES, TO LIVE THE WAY THE RESIDENTS WANT TO LIVE, NOT BY SOME ARBITRARY DESIGNATION THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS GIVEN US.
AND, AND I'M SORRY IF I CAN JUMP IN.
UH, SO YOU, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
AND TO ADD SOME MORE COLOR TO IT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY PASSED SB 15, THE STATE WAS REALLY LOOKING AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF EJS OR EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTIONS.
THEY WERE LOOKING AT HOW OTHER CITIES ARE ABLE TO GROW BEYOND THEIR BORDERS.
UNLIKE US, WE'RE MORE LANDLOCKED.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I THINK THIS ITEM WAS BROUGHT TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, ALL OF US ARE NOT DESIGNED THE SAME.
ALL OF US DON'T HAVE THE SAME ISSUES.
WE HAVE A VERY SMALL AREA OF ETJ.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE THIS WAS, UM, TARGETED TOWARDS.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE GOT CAUGHT UP BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, IN CERTAIN PARTS OF OUR CITY, WE HAVE LARGE SWATHS OF LAND LARGER THAN FIVE ACRES THAT MAY BE UN PLATTED, AND IT GOT SWEPT UP INTO THAT, UH, MODE OF THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO FIX AT THE STATE LEVEL.
IS, THAT IS A NUMBER PRIOR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
UM, AND THEN THE LEARNING POD ONE WAS MINE.
UH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME OUT.
COD AND WE'VE, THEY'RE LIKE LITTLE MINI SCHOOLS THAT CAN BE PUT INTO HOUSES.
AND SO WE'VE GOT SEVERAL OF THEM POPPING UP IN A COUPLE OF MY NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THERE'S NO CHECKS AND BALANCES FOR, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC, BUT THERE'S NO, IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY LIKE LITTLE BUSINESSES POPPING UP, UM, UM, IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH NO CHECKS AND BALANCES FROM THE CITY BECAUSE IT'S ALLOWED BY THE STATE.
SO I'VE GOT, UH, RESIDENTS UPSET AND THERE'S NO, NOTHING WE CAN DO TO REALLY REIGN IN, UH, SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S ALLOWED BY.
CAN I ASK, UM, MR. CLIFFORD, IS IT POSSIBLE TO TAKE TWO AND THREE, REWORD IT BECAUSE IT'S STATE DEFINED LEGISLATION THAT DICTATES HOW THIS MUNICIPALITY OPERATES? SO IS IT A POSSIBILITY TO REWORD TWO AND THREE TO MAKE IT ONE, AND THEN MAKE IT ONE THAT MAKE IT OUR PRIORITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE LIKE A LOCAL CONTROL? YES.
THAT STATE, THAT LOCAL CONTROL WHEN LOCAL, WHEN STATES HAVE, HAVE CONTROL AND DESIGN STANDARDS OVER LARGER AREAS OF THE CITY, THAT THOSE, THAT THE CITY'S, UM, STANDARDS WOULD TAKE PRIORITY? THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, WE CAN TAILOR IT HOWEVER THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS IT.
UM, I WOULD CAUTION THAT BECAUSE THE STATE HAS BEEN SO HANDS-ON WITHOUT THE WAY THEY'RE TINKERING WITH CITIES.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE IT AS GENERAL AS POSSIBLE TO GIVE US AS MUCH FLEXIBILITY.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH, WITH GENERALITY, BUT AS LONG AS THE IN GENERALITY, YOU KNOW, ABOUT WHICH WAY WE'RE TRYING TO GET CORRECT.
UM, AND THAT WE HAVE A UNDERLYING DISCUSS AND DEFINITION OF WHAT THAT GENERAL STATEMENT WILL BE.
I, I DON'T, I CAN COMPROMISE AND COLLABORATE IN ORDER TO GET IT THAT WAY.
AND SO, TO YOUR POINT, THIS WON'T BE THE LAST TIME WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
'CAUSE WHEN THE BILL ACTUALLY COMES OUT, OR WHEN A PIECE OF LEGISLATION COMES OUT, DEPENDING ON HOW THE WAY IT'S WORDED, WE MIGHT HAVE TO COME BACK AND RETOOL AND REFIGURE.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE I'M COMING FROM WHEN I SAY, LET'S KEEP IT GENERAL, BUT I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE
[01:10:01]
SAYING, UH, AND WHAT I'M SAYING TO EVERYBODY, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO THE WORK YOU NEED THAT YOU, THAT WE NEED YOU TO DO, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THE UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT IT IS WE NEED YOU TO DO.AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS SO THAT WHEN I SEE IT, I'M LIKE, I, I REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, SO I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU WANT US TO GO, AND THAT'S WHY WE GO THROUGH THIS EXERCISE.
AND IF WE CAN DO THAT AND THAT BE THE PRIORITY FOR QUALITY OF LIFE, THEY CAN, WE CAN RETOOL THOSE TOO.
SO THEY'RE GENERAL ENOUGH THAT HE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE DEFINITIONS AS TO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET TO IS STILL THERE.
SO COMBINE TWO AND THREE AND REWORD INTO SOMETHING MORE GENERAL THAT SUPPORTS LOCAL CONTROL.
THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I GATHERED.
YOU
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS.
NOW THIS ONE'S PRETTY MEATY AS WELL.
UM, THERE'S A LOT THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND ON HERE.
SO THE FIRST OF ALL, NUMBER ONE IS, IS JUST SEEKING MONEY, WHICH YES, WE ARE GONNA DO THAT.
NUMBER TWO IS JUST MONITORING.
SO SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM THERE FOR BOTH OF THOSE TO GO TO THE APPENDICES.
NUMBER THREE, I DEFINITELY SUPPORT, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT SHOULD BE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY BECAUSE IF SOMEONE'S GONNA DO IT, THEY'RE GONNA DO IT.
UM, I DON'T, CAN I SAY SOMETHING ON THAT ONE? PLEASE? YEAH.
UM, I THINK NOT ONLY ARE, IS IT BEING DONE ON A STATE BASIS, IS BEING DONE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
UM, IN CALIFORNIA, THEY'RE ALSO GOING THROUGH THE SAME EXERCISE MM-HMM
ON DEFINING AND, AND TAILORING IT FOR EACH AREA OF THE CITY.
SO I, I THINK IT SHOULD BE A MONITOR BECAUSE I THINK ON A STATE LEVEL, AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE STATE AND FEDERAL BECAUSE I THINK IT'S GOING TO, IT'S, I THINK THE INDUSTRY IS SO LARGE THAT, AND WHEN COVI HIT, WE, A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVED FROM HOTELS TO SHORT TERM RENTALS MM-HMM
IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO TRAVEL MM-HMM
THAT, UM, I THINK IT WILL EVENTUALLY GET TO A FEDERAL LEVEL.
SO I THINK IT SHOULD BE STATE AND FEDERAL AND PUT IN MONITOR.
UM, NUMBER FOUR SEEMS TO GO AGAINST OUR LOCAL CONTROL.
SO IT'S SOMEONE ASKING TO PUT LIMITS ON TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? I BELIEVE THAT THAT WOULD BE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT H-F-C-P-F-C AND THEY HAVE 75 YEAR TAX ABATEMENT, 60 YEAR TAX ABATEMENT MM-HMM
TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF YEARS.
WHY ARE WE ASKING THE STATE? WELL, BECAUSE OUR PFCS ARE, AND HFCS ARE STATE, UH, UM, STATE, UH, RULES.
AND IF YOU'RE A HFC AND A PFC, YOU GO TO THE STATE IN ORDER TO GET SOME OF YOUR, YOUR, YOUR APPROVALS.
AND THEN THEY ARE, UH, TAX ABATED FOR 60 YEARS.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE DESIRE WAS FOR THEM NOT TO BE ABATED THAT LONG, UH, 60 YEARS.
MOST OF THE TIME THOSE DEVELOPMENTS ARE GONE.
SO EVEN IF WE DID IT ON A MORE REALISTIC TIMELINE, UM, WOULD BE I THINK WHAT THE GOAL WAS TO GET THEM IN A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME OPPOSED TO TAX ABATED FOR SIX 60 YEARS.
AM AM I RIGHT? AND IF I COULD ADD ANY, UH, CLARIFICATION, THIS WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER'S PROPOSED ITEM AS WELL.
STR LEGIS NUMBER FIVE IS LEGISLATION TO STRENGTHEN EXPAND LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM IN TEXAS.
ANY MORE MONEY FOR THAT I THINK IS GOOD.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE STATE CAN DO TO ENCOURAGE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WITH OWNERSHIP.
WE ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT MORE OWNERSHIP.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S GIVING YOU VERY CLEAR GUIDANCE, BUT I THINK WITH THAT ONE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, FIRST TIME HOME, HOME BUYERS, THEY, THEY'RE LOOKING, IT WAS, UM, THE DESIRE TO SEE MORE FIRST TIME HOME OWNER OR HOME BUYERS PROGRAMS MM-HMM
UM, AND MAYBE EVEN LIMIT THE NUMBER OF YEARS THAT THEY MUST STAY IN THE
[01:15:01]
PROPERTY AFTER THEY PURCHASED IT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.AND THIS TOO WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER'S INCLUSION FOR PROPOSED ITEM.
AND EXACTLY HAS NOTED BY THE CHAIR.
SO THE NUMBER SEVEN CAME FROM, FROM ME AND POSSIBLY OTHERS, UH, PURSUE REDUCE BARRIERS TO CONDOMINIUM DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO THAT WAS, I'VE GOT SOME RESEARCH ON THAT SOMEWHERE.
I'M NOT GONNA GO DEEP ON THAT.
BUT THERE IS, SOME OTHER STATES HAVE TACKLED THE CONSTRUCTION DEFECT LIABILITY PROVISIONS THAT HAVE MADE CONDOS HARDER TO BUILD.
WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT YET, ALTHOUGH TEXAS HAS TRIED TO DO IT IN 2015 AND 2023.
ESSENTIALLY, IT MAKES MORE FINANCIAL SENSE TO, TO BUILD THESE AND TURN 'EM INTO APARTMENTS THAN SELL THEM, BECAUSE YOUR LIABILITY THAT YOU HOLD ONTO IS A LOT LONGER IF YOU'RE SELLING THEM VERSUS IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE RENTING THEM OUT.
AND SO I'D LOVE TO SEE THE STATE TAKE THAT ON.
UM, THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL NUMBER ONE FOR THIS.
NUMBER EIGHT THROUGH 10 IS, UH, I, DO SOMEBODY WANT TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE THOSE TITLE CLEARANCE SUPPORT, MENTAL HEALTH ABUSE SUPPORT, TIFF ELIGIBILITY FOR LEGACY HOMEOWNERS? YES.
AND SO, UH, TO JUST, THOSE WERE AMENDMENTS ADDED AT THE END OF THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND SO OF COURSE WITH Y'ALL'S DIRECTION, WE CAN INCLUDE THEM, COULD REWORD THEM, LOOK FORWARD TO Y'ALL'S DIRECTION.
I DON'T SEE THE STATE DOING EIGHT OR 10, I THINK 10 IS THAT TIFF? TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICTS? WE ALREADY HAVE THAT.
THAT'S, UH, SEVERAL OF OUR TIFFS ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE FOR THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, UM, INCLUDING THE GATEWAY, TIFF AND DISTRICTS FOUR AND, AND ONE.
AND SO I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO INCLUDE 10.
I AND I THINK WE'VE DONE EIGHT BEFORE AS A CITY.
WE'VE, WE'VE PROVIDED TITLE CLEARANCE SUPPORT.
SO IF THAT'S JUST A FUNDING KIND OF THING FROM THE STATE, YES.
I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE, IT COULD BE ON THE APPENDICES, IF ANYTHING, UH, I'LL ANSWER SOME OF THOSE IN A, IN A MINUTE, BUT I'M GONNA GO TO CHAIR.
UM, BLAIR, UM, I THINK I'VE, I'VE SAID A LOT ALREADY.
UM, I WANNA SAY MAYBE THIS CAME FROM A COUNCIL MEMBER TO TRY TO INCLUDE, UH, WHERE TIPS CAN PAY FOR, UM, UH, PROPERTY TAXES.
AND, UM, AND IF I CAN ADD TOO, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE PURSUED, UM, A FEW SESSIONS BACK.
UM, GRANTED IT WAS A FEW SESSIONS BACK, BUT THE STATE WASN'T VERY RECEPTIVE TO IT THEN.
UM, AND I THINK EVEN DEVELOPERS MIGHT'VE BEEN A LITTLE AGAINST THAT, THAT HAD THOSE TIPS TOO.
THAT'S WHERE WE GOT PUSHBACK, SO UNDERSTOOD.
UH, NUMBER NINE AND NUMBER NUMBER ONE.
UM, YEAH, I THINK WE, WE'VE ALL SAID WE WANT TO SEE THE COUNTY STATE, UH, PUT SOME ADDITIONAL DOLLARS.
UH, WE MIGHT SEE THAT COME THIS NOVEMBER.
UM, AND SO IF THAT PASSES, I THINK THIS KIND OF, THESE KIND OF FALL OFF, RIGHT? CORRECT.
NOW, I, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH WAS CHAIRS WEST'S PRIORITY, I BELIEVE, IF I HEARD, UM, CORRECTLY, UM, CHAIR WEST.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU MAYBE JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHY THIS IS, UH, WHY YOU FEEL THIS ONE'S I SO IMPORTANT THAT IT SHOULD BE, UH, POSSIBLY OUR PRIORITY? AND I'M SORRY, YOU SAID NUMBER SEVEN? YES.
I, IT'S, IT'S JUST AN ISSUE THAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN HEARING BACK IN THE EARLY DAYS WHEN I WAS ON A, UH, WHEN I CHAIRED HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS.
IT'S COME UP THROUGH TREK A COUPLE OF TIMES, UM, AS A CONCERN, IT'S TAKEN ME A COUPLE YEARS TO FINALLY NAIL DOWN WHAT THE, UM, WHAT THE, THE ISSUES ARE, WHICH I'M HA I JUST GOT THIS, I'M HAPPY TO CIRCULATE IT.
AND IT MAY NOT BE VETTED OUT ENOUGH FOR US TO CHOOSE IT AS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK TO IT, MAYBE EVEN IF YOU'RE WILLING TO HAVE A BRIEFING, YOU KNOW, OR A DISCUSSION IN YOUR COMMITTEE CHAIR.
'CAUSE I TOO HAVE ASKED FOR DEVELOPERS TO BUILD ME CONDOS FOR SALE.
AND THEY'VE ALL SAID, I CAN'T DO IT.
IT DOESN'T PEN PENCIL OUT FOR ME.
AND I'VE BEEN, SORRY, I'VE BEEN GIVEN THREE REASONS HERE BY LOCAL DEVELOPERS, SO I'LL HELP
[01:20:01]
SET THAT UP.UH, TO ME, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE NUMBER ONE, I JUST WANNA KEEP IT ON HERE.
AND IF WE CAN'T DECIDE ON ANOTHER ONE, I THINK IT, IT COULD DESERVE CONSIDERATION AS OUR PURSUIT.
UM, AND LOOK, AND I THINK WE NEED ALL TYPES OF HOUSING.
UH, HOME OWNERSHIP IS, IS BIG, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT SOME FOLKS AREN'T READY FOR HOME OWNERSHIP, AND WE GOTTA GIVE THEM THAT PATHWAY.
UH, I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A, UH, ANYTHING AGAINST CONTINUING TO DEVELOP CONDOS.
WHERE I DO HAVE AN ISSUE, AND I KNOW THE STATE IS LOOKING AT THIS, IS WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF, WHEN YOU HAVE A, UH, CONDO AND IT HAS, WHETHER IT'S 10 UH, UNITS OR A HUNDRED UNITS, AND NOW YOU HAVE A HUNDRED DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS THAT MIGHT NOT OCCUPY THAT BUILDING.
AND WE AS A CITY HAVE A CHALLENGE TRYING TO IDENTIFY AND WORK WITH A HUNDRED DIFFERENT, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE TYPICALLY OVERSEAS, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF INCENTIVE DOLLARS FOR, UM, OLDER CONDOS THAT ARE, UM, UM, AND I FORGET THE, THE TERM, BUT BASICALLY THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE OLDER, UH, APARTMENTS THAT WERE CONVERTED TO CONDOS.
AND IT'S A, A BIG CHALLENGE FOR CODE.
IT'S A BIG CHALLENGE FOR COMMUNITIES TO TRY TO, UH, ADDRESS ISSUES.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE FOLLOWING ANYTHING AT THE STATE WHERE IT'S BARRING OVERSEAS, UM, UH, DEVELOPERS FROM ACQUIRING PROPERTIES, UM, IN CONDOS, THAT, THAT'S MY BIGGEST RESERVATION, UH, WITH PUTTING THIS AS A PRIORITY.
SO THE ONLY, THE ONLY ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP AT THE STATE HAVE BEEN, UM, WHETHER OR NOT CHINA'S COMING IN, BUYING UP DIFFERENT PROPERTIES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THE, WITH THE SPECIFICITY OF CONDOS, NOT NECESSARILY.
UM, SO YEAH, IT'S, IT, IT HASN'T BEEN SPECIFIC TO CONDOS, LET ME JUST PUT IT LIKE THAT.
BUT IT, BUT THERE HAS BEEN SOME RESTRICTIONS THAT THEY PUT ON PEOPLE FROM OVERSEAS BUYING AND, AND INVESTING IN DIFFERENT THINGS.
IT'S, UH, THE TIME IS TWO 30 AND WE'RE GONNA RECESS, UH, FOR FIVE MINUTES AND WE'LL BE BACK AT 2 35.
UH, THE TIME IS 2 38 AND, UH, WE ARE BACK.
CHAIR, DID YOU WANT ME TO SUMMARIZE? PLEASE? GO AHEAD.
SO COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE HOUSING HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS ITEMS. UM, WE HAVE SO FAR AGREED TO REVISE NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS THE SHORT TERM RENTALS TO MONITOR, UM, AND AT THE STATE LEVEL AND FEDERAL, STATE AND FEDERAL MONITORING.
AND THEN PURSUING AND CHAMPIONING NUMBER SEVEN AS OUR PRIORITY UNDER HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS.
SO THAT'S REDUCED BARRIERS TO CONDOMINIUM DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE'RE GONNA ASK STAFF TO DO SOME MORE RESEARCH ON THAT TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO PURSUE, LIKE WHAT BILLS.
UM, AND THEN COLLEAGUES, THERE WAS A PROPOSAL TO REMOVE EIGHT THROUGH 10 FROM THE AGENDA.
ANY OBJE, I DON'T HEAR ANYBODY OBJECTING TO THAT.
AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE THAT I DID NOT TALK ABOUT GOES TO MONITOR, GOES TO THE BACK TO THE APPENDICES.
SO WITH THAT CHAIR, THAT'S HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS.
AND THEN NEXT IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO I, THIS ONE IS ONE I AM NOT GONNA EVEN PRETEND TO, TO, UH, BE ABLE TO TACKLE.
THIS HAS REALLY CAME FROM PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF ITEMS HERE.
SO, SO I MEAN, I THINK THE, THE BEST WAY TO APPROACH THIS ONE, SINCE IT'S SO MANY, IF, UM, STAFF CAN GUIDE US ON WHICH ONES ARE DEPARTMENT LED VERSUS COUNCIL LED.
WHICH ONES ITEMS? MAKING SURE I'M LOOKING AT? YES.
DEPARTMENT ITEM FIVE AND SIX ARE COUNSEL ITEMS, MAKING SURE WE'RE SEEING CORRECTLY SEVEN THROUGH 10.
ITEM 11 IS COUNSEL 12 THROUGH 15 ARE COUNCIL
[01:25:03]
ITEM 16, DEPARTMENT ITEM 17 COUNCIL.AND I'M HAPPY TO REPEAT THAT AS WELL.
AND I SHOULD HAVE PROBABLY ASKED THIS EARLIER, BUT IN THE NUMERICAL, ARE THERE IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER OR ARE THESE JUST KIND OF, UH, AS THEY'RE SUBMITTED.
AND SO THAT'S ALMOST, IF YOU COULD THINK OF A TIMESTAMP AS WHEN THAT, THAT'S HELPFUL OPPORTUNITY HAD LINED.
UH, CHAIR WEST, DOES THAT HELP ANYTHING ON, UH, YOUR APPROACH TO THIS? YEAH, NO, IT'S, IT'S, THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
UM, I GUESS I WOULD TURN IT OVER TO OUR LIEUTENANT HERE TO, IF, TO GIVE US A RUNDOWN OF, I DON'T REALLY WANNA GO THROUGH ALL OF 'EM, LIKE LINE BY LINE'S GONNA TAKE FOREVER.
BUT IF YOU CAN SUMMARIZE WHAT THE DEPARTMENT SEES AS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND WHAT ARE THE HAVE TO HAVES AND THEN WHAT ARE NICE TO HAVES.
UM, DUE TO THE NEW YEAR'S EVE, 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS THAT WE CONSTANTLY HAVE, UM, WE DO CONSIDER THAT ONE ONE OF THE PRIORITIES.
UH, AND WE DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE CIA'S ALREADY WRITING A BILL FOR THAT.
AND THEY ACTUALLY CAME TO US ABOUT IT AND WE SAID, OH, WELL ACTUALLY WE PUT THAT ON OUR PRIORITIES.
SO THAT ONE, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP FOR SURE.
UH, LET'S GO TO SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO, TO GET THAT, UH, 4,000 GOAL.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT THIS, ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT RECRUITMENT BILL THAT COMES OUT OF THE STATE WOULD BE BENEFICIAL ON HELPING USCO RECRUIT.
WE REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE STATEWIDE, UH, BILLS.
SO THE GOAL WOULD PROBABLY BE PULLING FROM OTHER STATES, NOT FROM SPECIFICALLY OUR STATE.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT BIGGEST TWO, I WOULD SAY WE HAVE WOULD BE THE, UM, NUMBER EIGHT IMPLEMENT CHANGES THAT WILL ALLOW THE CREATION OF AN EFFECTIVE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF EXPLANATION OF WHAT THAT IS, IS A FEW YEARS AGO WE BOUGHT BENCHMARK, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE A, UM, WE RESOURCE WHERE WE COULD FLAG OFFICERS WHO MAY BE TEETERING ON VIOLATIONS OR MAY NOT BE, BUT IT WOULD STILL FLAG 'EM.
SO THE CONCERN THERE WAS WE, WE WE'RE GONNA PUT IN PLACE, BUT THEN THERE WERE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS BEING BROUGHT UP IN FLAGGING OFFICERS THAT REALLY WERE JUST DOING A GOOD JOB OR WORKING, YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, STEEP.
YOU'RE PROBABLY USING A LOT MORE FORCE OUT IN DEEP ELM ON THE TASK FORCE THAN WHAT YOU WOULD BE AT NORTH CENTRAL PATROL.
SO THOSE OFFICERS WOULD GET FLAGGED A LOT MORE AND IT COULD RUIN THEIR CREDIBILITY OR OUR REPUTATION.
AND WE DIDN'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.
SO WE PULLED IT FOR RIGHT NOW, TRYING TO GET THIS BILL TO PASS OR SOMETHING TO PASS THAT WOULD PROTECT US FROM MAKING THAT ACCEPTABLE TO OPEN RECORDS.
SO WE'D LIKE TO KEEP THAT ONE ON THERE.
CLEAT ACTUALLY HAS, THAT HAS WRITTEN A BILL AND I KNOW LAST SESSION IT DIED, BUT, UH, HOUSE SPEAKER BOROUGHS DID SAY HE'S GONNA MEET WITH THEM AND FIX IT, AND THEN IT, IT SHOULD BE OKAY THIS YEAR IS WHAT THEY'RE THINKING.
UM, NOW THE FUNDING REQUESTS, IT'S, IT'S KINDA LIKE WHAT CLIFFORD WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.
THE BIGGEST FUNDING REQUESTS WE HAVE REALLY WOULD BE VEHICLES.
UM, SWAT NEEDS TWO, UH, PERSONNEL ARMORED CARRIERS, VEHICLES ARMORED, UH, SORRY, ARMORED TO PERSONNEL CARRIERS AND, UM, DRONES ARE ALWAYS WITH DJ.
I PRETTY MUCH BEING OUTLAWED FOR FCC ROLES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE LOSING THOSE DRONES PRETTY SOON.
THE ONES THAT ARE IN PLACE, THEY'RE GONNA GET, THEY'RE GONNA BREAK, THEY'RE GONNA DAMAGED.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REPLACE 'EM WITH MORE EXPENSIVE DRONES.
SO WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE MONEY TO BACK THAT UP.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, LET ME FIND IT HERE.
SORRY, I DIDN'T GET THIS POWERPOINT BEFORE WE STARTED, SO I'M HAVING TO, ONE OF CHIEFS HERE.
THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THE OTHER ONES THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER ONE OF OUR TOP NUMBER TOP PRIORITIES.
EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFESSIONAL STAFF EMPLOYEES TO ASSIST CITIZENS WITH MINOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS THAT DO NOT INVOLVE A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
SO THIS BILL WAS ALSO PRESENTED LAST SESSION.
AND WHAT WHAT IT LOOKS AT TO DO IS RELIEVE SOME OF THAT CALL LOAD FROM PATROL ON ANSWERING WHAT TECHNICALLY IS A CIVIL MATTER.
A A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT IS A CIVIL MATTER.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WHAT THE, THE INDIVIDUAL CALLING IN NEEDS IS JUST DIRECTION.
SO HAVING A PROFESSIONAL STAFF MEMBER, AND IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED CERTAIN DIFFERENT WAYS, HIRING A VENDOR TO DO IT OR HAVING SOMEBODY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT TO DO IT, TO GO OUT AND RESPOND TO THESE TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS WHERE THERE'S LESS THAN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
[01:30:01]
DAMAGE VEHICLES NOT, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TOWED.SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL THE POLICE FOR, THERE'S NO INJURIES, THERE'S NO CRIMINAL OFFENSE AND THEY COULD HANDLE THOSE TRAFFIC COLLISIONS.
I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ANY OF THOSE, UH, 'CAUSE YOU EXPLAINED THEM SO WELL.
NUMBER THREE, WHY ENSURE THAT ALL POLICE AGENCIES DESTROY, UNCLAIMED, SEIZE FIREARMS TO PREVENT THE REDISTRIBUTION OF FIREARMS IN OUR COMMUNITIES? IS THAT, I GUESS BECAUSE IT IMPACTS DALLAS, IT FELT LIKE IT WAS LIKE WE WERE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING STATEWIDE THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING.
YOU KNOW, BUT I, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHY, BECAUSE THESE GUNS ARE COMING IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
WELL, SO BECAUSE SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS DON'T DESTROY, THEY DESTROY THE ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THE GUN, BUT NOT ALL THE PARTS.
SOMETIMES WE'RE GETTING ING HITS ON OFFENSES MM-HMM
FROM GUNS THAT SHOWED TO BE OWNED BY OTHER CITIES BECAUSE THEY SEIZED THEM AND THEN SOLD THE PARTS TO GUN BUSTERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND SO WE'LL GET A N EVEN HIT SAYING THE GUN'S STILL OWNED BY NAME A CITY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ANYBODY'S NAME OUT THERE TO OFFEND ANYBODY, BUT YEAH, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
AND THEN THAT WAS ALSO REPRESENTATIVE INA PRESENT THAT BILL LAST SESSION ALSO, IT DIDN'T GET MUCH ATTRACTION, I DON'T THINK IT GOT EVEN A COMMITTEE HEARING.
IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE, WE WANNA MONITOR AND IF THEY DO NEED SUPPORT, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO SUPPORT REPRESENTATIVE'S, BILL.
ARE THERE ANY OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS SUBMITTED ITEMS THAT ARE CONCERNING TO YOU? OR ARE THEY ALL ACCEPTABLE? UM, I'VE, I'VE ONLY READ A COUPLE.
I APOLOGIZE AGAIN, I DIDN'T GET THIS WHOLE WHOLE THING.
UM, HOW ABOUT WE GIVE YOU SOME TIME TO, TO REVIEW THOSE? SO JUST STAND BY.
AND THEN I'LL, MY LAST COMMENTS CHAIR ARE THAT NUMBER 11 CAN BE REMOVED.
'CAUSE IT'S THAT, THAT WAS ONE I SUBMITTED AND IT'S DUPLICATIVE AND WE'VE ALREADY ADOPTED IT SO WE CAN TAKE 11 OUT.
AND THEN I WOULD JUST SAY THAT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SIX, UH, PURSUE CHAMPIONS ACROSS THE OTHER CATEGORIES.
SO WE HAVE, WE COULD TAKE TWO EVEN UP TO THREE IF WE WANTED TWO FOR THIS.
ARE WE NOT ALREADY DOING NUMBER FOUR? UH, THIS IS FOR DPD, UH, THROUGH DOORS.
I'M SORRY, THROUGH OUR ONLINE REPORTING.
IS THIS TAKING IT A STEP FURTHER? NO, SIR.
TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS DO NOT GET REPORTED THROUGH DOORS.
THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR PROPERTY CRIMES MOSTLY.
TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS HIT AND RUNS.
THEY DON'T GET REPORTED THROUGH DOORS.
SO WE'RE STILL HAVING OFFICERS HAVING TO GO YES, SIR.
FOR, FOR IF THEY CALL NINE ONE, WE TYPICALLY TRY TO SEND AN OFFICER NOW BASED ON CALL LOAD, SOMETIMES THOSE CALLS HOLD FOR A WHILE AND THEN THEY END UP GETTING CANCELED 'CAUSE THEY CALL AND THE PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY LEFT.
AND, AND SO WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE INTERIM, UM, TO, UH, EDUCATE FOLKS MORE THROUGH A CAMPAIGN THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, TAKE PICTURES, UH, GET, UH, A PLATE NUMBER, GET INSURANCE INFORMATION, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR INSURANCE.
UM, ARE WE DOING ANY SORT OF CAMPAIGNS TO ENCOURAGE THAT SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T, UH, I MEAN I KNOW WE HAVE IN THE PAST, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE CURRENTLY, UH, PUSHING THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT I KNOW WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM EXPERIENCE GONNA COMMUNITY WATCH MEETINGS, IF THAT'S BROUGHT UP.
UM, I THINK WHERE WE, WE HAVE THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS WITH TRAFFIC COLLISIONS.
THE STATE CODE REQUIRES, UH, IF, IF A NINE ONE CALL IS MADE, IF IT'S MORE THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE OR THERE'S AN INJURY AND OFFENSE, UH, A POLICE POLICE MUST TAKE A REPORT.
THIS WOULD TAKE THAT REQUIREMENT AWAY FROM US.
SO IF, EVEN IF WE GOT OUT THE SCENE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS RAISING THAT A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
UM, WE HAVEN'T COME UP WITH A SOLID NUMBER, BUT WE WERE THINKING LIKE $5,000.
'CAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THESE CARS ARE A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE TO FIX NOWADAYS THAN WHAT THEY WERE WHEN THAT CODE WAS, WAS, UM, CREATED BACK IN THE YEARS.
UM, SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS RAISE THAT LIMIT AND THEN ALLOW PROFESSIONAL STAFF TO GO OUT AND TAKE CARE OF ANY OF THOSE THINGS OR GET RID OF THAT LIMIT.
AND IF IT'S NO CRIMINAL OFFENSE, THERE'S NO INJURIES, IT'S ALL A CIVIL MATTER.
WHY DO, WHY DO YOU NEED LAW ENFORCEMENT TO HANDLE A CIVIL MATTER ESSENTIALLY? OKAY.
AND THEN ON NUMBER 10, DID WE REACH OUT TO, UH, ANY OF OUR PARTNERS, UH, IN, UH, THE HOTEL AND CONVENTION BUSINESS? UH, REAL QUICK, I THINK, I THINK THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ON WHAT I SENT THEM.
'CAUSE I WAS LIKE, I DIDN'T ASK FOR A HOTEL OCCUPANCY TASK TO USE FOR, I PUT HOT TEAM HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM FUNDING IS WHAT THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
[01:35:01]
CAN TAKE NUMBER 10 OFF THERE BECAUSE THAT'S ALREADY ADDRESSED, UM, SOMEWHERE ELSE, I BELIEVE.UM, DO YOU SEE ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD, UH, COME OFF? LET'S SEE.
SO NUMBER 12, UM, I THINK THAT WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER'S REQUEST.
I, I DON'T SEE AN ISSUE WITH THAT ONE.
NUMBER 13, I DON'T SEE AN ISSUE WITH, AND I, AND I MEAN SOME OF THESE WE WOULD PROBABLY JUST MONITOR INSTEAD OF PURSUE NUMBER FOURTEENS AS COUNCIL MEMBERS RECOMMENDED, I ASSUME.
UM, CAN YOU CLARIFY, WHEN YOU SAY YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T SEE AN ISSUE WITH IT, THAT MEANS IT'S FINE.
IT DOESN'T, UM, I, LIKE, I DON'T SEE AN ISSUE WITH US IF Y'ALL WANT TO PURSUE, UH, OUR MONITOR OR, OR ANY OF THAT.
I DON'T SEE AN ISSUE WITH EITHER, EITHER OF THOSE THINGS.
US SUPPORTING THAT AND LEGISLATION WE NEEDED TO, UM, PROJECTS.
SO NUMBER 15, I MEAN, IT'S, WE, WE ALREADY ASKED FOR THOSE FUNDS THROUGH MULTIPLE SOURCES.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
AND NUMBER 17, YEAH, WE, WE WOULD DEFINITELY WANNA MONITOR TO, TO ENSURE THAT WE AREN'T TRIED TO PULLED INTO THE WE ENFORCEMENT OF IMMIGRATION.
WE WOULD BE OPPOSED TO HAVING TO ENFORCE IMMIGRATION IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND WE PUT THAT ON MONITOR ON OUR LIST.
BUT OBVIOUSLY IF SOMETHING COMES OUT, WE WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THAT.
UH, CHAIR WEST IS GONNA GIVE US A QUICK, UH, YEAH, RECAP, RIGHT? AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK CHAIR AND, AND CHAIR ON, UH, PUT PUTTING NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER SIX AS OUR, UH, PURSUE CHAMPION.
SO THAT'S, UH, PENALTIES FOR UNLAWFULLY DISCHARGING A FIREARM NUMBER ONE THAT'S ALREADY, THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING WITH AN CHIA ON THAT, SO MAKES SENSE.
NUMBER SIX IS OBVIOUSLY LIKE OUR NUMBER ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES IN THE CITY LAW ENFORCEMENT RECRUITMENT RETENTION.
SO ABSOLUTELY HAVING THAT IS A PRIORITY.
THAT GETS US UP TO A TOTAL OF EIGHT PRIORITIES CHAIR, UM, FOR THE, FOR THE COMMITTEE, EVERYTHING.
OH, AND THEN REMOVING NUMBERS 10 AND 11.
AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE GOES TO THE APPENDICES AS MONITOR OR SUPPORT.
AND SO BEFORE WE ADOPT THAT, UM, UH, DO YOU GUYS WANNA, I GUESS YOU GUYS DID GO OVER PAGE 19 RIGHT ON THE, THE END.
UH, CHAIR WEST, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? THIS OKAY,
I, I CAN READ THIS OFF IF THAT'S OKAY.
I HAVE A MOTION FOR THE COMMITTEE TO RECOMMEND A FULL COUNSEL.
THE FOLLOWING CHANGES TO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR COUNSEL TO PURSUE AND CHAMPION NUMBER THREE FOR FINANCE TO REVISE.
NUMBER ONE, TO MONITOR INSTEAD OF OPPOSE AND TO PURSUE AND CHAMPION NUMBER SEVEN AS A PRIORITY.
ALSO ADDING IN TO THAT PROVISION SUPPORT FOR REMOVING THE CITY RESPONSIBILITY FOR CROSSING GUARDS IN GENERAL, WHICH WAS TAKEN FROM TRANSPORTATION UNDER THE TRANSPORTATION CATEGORY, REMOVING NUMBER THREE AND NUMBER FOUR.
'CAUSE NUMBER FOUR WAS JUST COMBINED REVISING NUM, OH, THIS IS, I'LL LEAVE THAT OFF.
UH, DIRECTING STAFF TO RETURN TO THE COMMITTEE TO DIVE IN FURTHER INTO ADDING NOISE STANDARDS IS PART OF THE STATE INSPECTION PROCESS FOR CARS.
AND THAT INVOLVES THE MUFFLER AND PURSUING CHAMPION NUMBER, CHAMPION CHAMPIONING NUMBER 10, UNDER PARKS TRAILS IN THE ENVIRONMENT, PURSUING AND BEING A CHAMPION FOR NUMBER ONE UNDER QUALITY OF LIFE.
COMBINING NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER THREE TO ONE PROVISION AND CONVERTING THE LANGUAGE TO IDENTIFY
[01:40:01]
MORE GENERAL SUPPORT FOR LOCAL CONTROL UNDER HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS.REVISING NUMBER THREE TO MONITOR ONLY AND PURSUING CHAMPIONING NUMBER SEVEN, REMOVING NUMBERS EIGHT THROUGH 10.
AND FINALLY, UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY, PURSUING AND CHAMPIONING NUMBERS ONE AND SIX AND REMOVING ITEMS 10 AND 11.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY.
[BRIEFING MEMOS]
ALL RIGHT.THE NEXT TWO ITEMS SHOULD BE, UH, RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UH, THESE ARE MORE OF, UH, UPDATES AND SOME, UH, SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES, IF YOU WILL.
UH, WE WANNA BE, UH, GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR PUBLIC FUNDING, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING GOVERNMENT RATES THAT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE FOLKS STAYING AT THE FOUR SEASONS THAT WE DON'T HAVE FOLKS TAKING, UH, UH, PRIVATE, UH, JETS.
RIGHT? UM, AND SO WE CAN GO OVER A LITTLE BIT OF THE, UH, THE GUIDELINES FOR TRAVEL.
UM, AND THEN, UH, DIRECTOR DOMINGUEZ, IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT WHEN SOMEONE IS ASKED TO GO, UH, TESTIFY OUR, OUR COUNCIL OFFICES DOING THE, THE, THE BOOKING AND THEN CODING IT TO LEGISLATIVE.
SO JUST KIND OF WALK US THROUGH IF SOMEONE, UH, STEP ONE, HOW DO YOU EVEN GET INVITED TO, UH, FOR, TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY? AND THEN HOW DID TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS WORK? THANK YOU.
UM, IF ONE COUNCIL MEMBER IS INVITED TO TESTIFY, UH, WHETHER IN THE INTERIM OR DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IT IS ASKED THAT THEY HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION FROM YOU CHAIR.
UM, OF COURSE, THROUGH, THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS, UH, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD, UH, PREPARE A MEMO, UH, DETAILING FOR TRANSPARENCY AND RECORD KEEPING, UM, THEIR INTENT TO TESTIFY, UH, BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE BODY.
WHAT IS THE TOPIC AND CERTAINLY WHAT ARE THOSE DAYS OR DAY, UH, OF THEIR ANTICIPATION, UM, WHEN, WHEN BOOKING IT IS SOMETHING, UH, THAT THEY, UH, MONITOR.
AND CERTAINLY FROM THE, THE RESOLUTION IS THAT THEY CERTAINLY, UH, FOLLOW THE GSA GUIDELINES AS IT RELATES, UM, TO TRAVELING, UTILIZING RIDE SHARE.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT A, A COUNCIL MEMBER MAY CHOOSE TO DRIVE? UM, AND SO THROUGHOUT THOSE MULTIPLE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION, HOW THEY LOOK, IT IS REALLY WITHIN THEIR PURVIEW THAT THEY FOLLOW THOSE GUIDELINES.
I HAVE BEEN DOWN THERE, UM, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF DALLAS WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAD AN ICE STORE.
UH, AND SO CASE BY CASE, THOSE, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, THOSE MOMENTS WILL BE EVALUATED BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WITH SOLD OUT HOTELS, WE NEVER WANT TO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, OR ANY STAFF, UM, TRYING TO LOOK FOR GOVERNMENT RATES THAT MIGHT BE SOLD OUT.
WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A PLACE TO STAY, UH, WITH CANCELED FLIGHTS, HAZARDOUS ROADS, ET CETERA.
SO I HAVE BEEN IN THAT SITUATION WHERE THOSE THINGS DO INCUR AND PER THE MEMO, PER THE GUIDELINES IS CASE BY CASE, UM, UPON, UH, TESTIFYING, THEY CERTAINLY, UM, WORK THROUGH, UM, OUR DEPARTMENT ON GETTING INPUT FROM DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO WHATEVER THAT SUBJECT MATTER OR, UM, BILL INTERIM CHARGE, UM, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAN WORK THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT ABOUT GETTING THE BEST, UM, COMMENTS FOR THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE AND OR BILL, UM, AFTERWARDS, UH, WHAT HAS BEEN THE TRADITIONAL POLICY IS THAT INFORMATION, THE COMMENTS, WRITTEN TESTIMONY IS THEN SHARED AMONGST ALL THE COUNCIL AS WE HAVE DONE SO.
AND SO WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR DIRECTION CHAIR ON HOW YOU'D LIKE TO, UM, INCORPORATE THAT.
AND SO THAT COUNCIL IS ALL AWARE OF THOSE COMMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OR THAT ISSUE.
AND SO, UH, THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS, WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO STEPPING IN AND ASSISTING IN ANY WAY THROUGH YOUR DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE.
UM, SO I WILL BE PUTTING A, A MEMO OUT, UH, SEEING WHERE FOLKS ARE INTERESTED IN, UH, POSSIBLY TESTIFYING, UH, IN THEIR EXPERTISE.
UM, AND SO THESE FUNDS CAN BE USED IF YOU'RE, UM, IF YOU HAVE A CLEARANCE TO GO.
IF YOU, IF YOU AND, AND YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE, THE, THE PRIORITIES OF THE COUNSEL.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO GO TESTIFY ON IN THEIR OWN CAPACITY, OBVIOUSLY THEY CAN'T USE LEGISLATIVE DOLLARS, BUT CAN THEY USE THEIR OFFICE, UM, HOLDER DOLLARS THROUGH, THROUGH THE CITY? AND AHMAD, THAT MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR, FOR YOU.
I, IF SOMEONE DECIDES TO GO DOWN AND TESTIFY IN THEIR PERSONAL CAPACITY, ARE THEY ABLE TO USE, UH, CITY RESOURCES? SORRY, I'M GONNA DEFER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
[01:45:04]
MR. CHAIR.UH, I THINK WE'D LIKE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND ALL THE RULES BEFORE OPINING.
UM, AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, AT TIMES WHEN WE, UM, ARE PLANNING TO TESTIFY, UH, WE GET THAT NEWS BROKEN TO US ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON, FRIDAY EVENING, AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO TESTIFY ON MONDAY MORNING.
THERE'S OTHER TIMES WHERE THERE IS A LEAD TIME OF A WEEK OR THREE DAYS, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE WAITING FOR TESTIMONY TO REVIEW, TO EDIT.
UM, IS THERE ANY GUY, IS THERE ANY, UH, TIMEFRAME IN ORDER TO GET THAT IN OUR HANDS SOONER THAN LATER? AND HOW DO WE IDENTIFY WHICH DEPARTMENT IS TAKING THE LEAD TO PROVIDE THE TESTIMONY? YES, SIR.
SO TRADITIONALLY WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE, UH, LET'S JUST SAY IT'S A HOUSING ISSUE, YOU KNOW, THAT THEN WE WOULD TASK THAT DEPARTMENT WITH COMING UP WITH THE TESTIMONY.
WE WOULD SEND THEM THE BILL, THEY WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE BILL.
WE WOULD ALSO SEND THE BILL TO THE CORRESPONDING CITY ATTORNEY THAT'S ALSO IN CHARGE OF WORKING WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT, THAT WAY WE GET A LEGAL AND A PRACTICAL LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
ONCE WE GET IT, UH, OR ONCE, UH, UH, OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS GETS IT, THEY THEN MARRY THE TWO, UM, I, UH, VIEWPOINTS.
AND THEN ONCE THEY MARRY THE THOSE TWO IDEAS, THEY THEN PRESENT THAT TO ME AND THE CHAIR.
THEN ONCE WE LOOK AT, OKAY, THIS EITHER LOOKS LIKE OUR POSITION, YOU KNOW, CONCURRENTLY WITH WHAT COUNCIL HAS DONE, OR IT MAY NOT, THEN, YOU KNOW, THEN WE DO SOME TWEAKS.
WE WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEYS, WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WHERE'S THE MESSAGE, YOU KNOW, MISSING OR HITTING DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SITUATION IN FRONT OF US.
AND THEN IT'S ALSO A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW THE WAY THE LEGISLATURE IS TRYING TO APPROACH THE SITUATION, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE SEE THAT WE ARE ONLY GONNA GET 20% OF WHAT WE WANT OR 80% OF WHAT WE WANT, AND WE FIGURE OUT HOW THE WAY TO TINKER WHAT THE TESTIMONY TO GET AT THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF THAT BILL THAT WE CAN.
UM, ONCE WE DO THAT, ALL THAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN THOUGH IN 48 HOURS.
THAT'S THE TRADITIONAL TURNAROUND TIME THAT WE'VE, UM, ESTABLISHED OVER THE, THE YEARS FOR THE SCENARIO THAT YOU JUST BROUGHT UP.
BECAUSE TRADITIONALLY WE'VE SEEN THAT WE DO GET NOTIFIED ON FRIDAY AFTERNOONS AND THAT WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR AN 8:00 AM HEARING.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE IT CAME FROM.
UH, BUT I'LL ALSO STIPULATE THAT THAT TIMELINE ALSO GETS CUT DOWN AS WE MOVE THROUGH SESSION AND THE COMMITTEE WORK STOPS AND WE'RE GETTING, UH, AMENDMENTS TO BILLS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE FLOOR.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO MOVE AT THE SPEED OF SESSION, MEANING WE MIGHT SEND IT TO A DEPARTMENT, IT GOES THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS, BUT INSTEAD OF 48 HOURS, IT MAY BE AN HOUR, IT MAY BE 30 MINUTES, IT MAY BE THE CHAIR AND I ARE ON THE PHONE WITH THAT DEPARTMENT SAYING, LOOK, GIVE US YOUR BEST GUESS.
YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT, BUT JUST GIVE US THE BEST GUESS ON HOW WAY YOU INTERPRET IT.
OKAY? UM, AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, READING A TESTIMONY IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
YOU, YOU EITHER SORT OF HAVE A SCRIPT TO STAY ON.
UM, NOW I'VE BEEN DOWN TO TESTIFY BEFORE AND I WILL BE ASKED QUESTIONS HOW AT THAT POINT, SOMETIMES THEY BECOME OPINIONS OF MYSELF OR MY COLLEAGUES.
HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT WE ARE, UH, STICKING TRUE TO OUR PRIORITY? AND WHAT HAPPENS IF I GO OFF AND, YOU KNOW, START GIVING MY OWN OPINIONS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY REFLECTIVE OF THE COUNCIL, UH, WHAT WE'VE ADOPTED, RIGHT? SO, SO STICKING WITH THAT SCENARIO, LET'S SAY WE'RE SITTING, UH, THE PERSON IS SITTING DOWN, WHETHER IT BE A COUNCIL MEMBER OR A STAFF, THEY'RE SITTING DOWN, THEY'RE GIVING THE TESTIMONY, THEY ENTER THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD.
THEN THEY GET THROWN A QUESTION THAT, UM, AND THEIR ANSWER GOES OFF THE RAILS.
IT'S NOT WHAT THEY WOULD'VE TESTIFIED IN FRONT OF THE WAY THAT THEY WOULD'VE TESTIFIED IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS OR THAT WE WOULD HAVE WANTED THEM TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
UM, DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF IT, TYPICALLY THAT'S WHEN I WOULD STEP IN AND COME EITHER SIT DOWN NEXT TO THEM AND CORRECT THEM AND GET THEM BACK ON PATH TO GET THE COMMITTEE BACK ON PATH AND HOPE THAT THEY DON'T TAKE THE COMMENTS THAT ARE ON RECORD FOREVER AS THE OFFICIAL COMMENTS OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE HANDLED WITH AN ASIDE FROM THE CHAIR, WE HANDLE IT THAT WAY.
IF IT CAN BE HANDLED WITH THE LETTER, WE COULD ALSO HANDLE IT THAT WAY.
UM, SOMETIMES WE GET THE DELEGATION INVOLVED AND WE GET THE DELEGATION
[01:50:01]
TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, WE KNOW THIS WAS SAID, BUT THAT'S NOT INDICATIVE OF HOW THE WAY THE CITY TRULY LOOKS AT IT.SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND MR. CHAIRMAN OR COMMITTEE MEMBER WHO HAS THE PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
THIS IS WHAT WE NEED YOU TO REFLECT.
SO THERE'S ADMIRE THE DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN APPROACH IT.
IT'S ALL DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF HOW THE WAY THE Q AND A IS GOING.
SO THANK YOU, UH, UH, COMMITTEE, UH, CHAIR WEST.
I KNOW YOU'VE GONE TO TESTIFY BEFORE, UH, CHAIR BLAIR, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'VE GONE, UH, YET.
UH, AND SO, UH, CHAIR WEST, IF YOU WANT TO CHIME IN ON, ON, YOU KNOW, AND I'M GLAD, UH, AHMAD'S BACK IN, IN, IN THE ROOM HERE IS HAVING THAT TESTIMONY PROVIDED IN A TIMELY MANNER IS, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I KNOW TO ME, SO THAT I CAN REVIEW AND MAKE NOTES, DO SOME, SOME, UH, EDITS IF NEEDED.
UM, BUT ANYTHING THAT, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS FROM YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE OF GOING DOWN TO TESTIFY NOW, THANKS FOR ASKING AND UH, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD DISCUSSION.
I MEAN, THE, THE SOONER WE CAN GET IT, THE BETTER.
I KNOW IT'S NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE.
IT'S PRETTY NERVE WRACKING WHEN YOU GET THE CALL AND YOU NEED TO BE AT IN AUSTIN THE NEXT MORNING AT SEVEN OR 8:00 AM AND UM, BUT IT'S JUST KIND OF THE WAY THE SESSION HAPPENS.
AND, UM, MY, TO FOLLOW UP ON THE CHAIR'S, UM, QUESTIONS, UH, IN YOUR RESPONSES ON TESTIMONY GONE OFF THE RAILS, UM, DOES THAT HAPPEN THAT OFTEN? I'M NOT TRYING TO CALL ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M JUST, IS IT, YOU HAD SEVERAL EXAMPLES THAT WERE VERY VIVID IN YOUR MIND.
SO IT MAKES ME THINK THAT THAT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES RECENTLY.
IT, IT IS DEFINITELY HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE WHERE I'VE HAD TO GO SIT DOWN ON THE MIC AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UM, NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT IT'S MY JOB.
UM, IT'S UNFORTUNATE WHEN IT HAPPENS.
UM, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN FROM TIME TO TIME.
I MEAN, I, IF I WENT OFF THE RAILS, IF IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, IT'S AN ACCIDENT, RIGHT? BUT IF I INTENTIONALLY DID THAT AND TESTIFIED FOR MY OWN, 'CAUSE I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH THE CITY POLICY ON THINGS.
YOU GUYS KNOW THAT, UM, I WOULD FULLY EXPECT AND LIVE WITH THE, THE CHAIR NOT SENDING ME DOWN THERE ANYMORE.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST ASSUME THAT WOULD BE THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND SO I, I THINK WE GOTTA HOLD OUR COLLEAGUES ACCOUNTABLE, UM, AND BACK YOU UP.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF UH, WE HAVE COLLEAGUES WHO ARE DOWN THERE GOING OFF AND DOING THEIR OWN THING WHEN THEY'RE PURSUING THEIR OWN AGENDA, THAT IS AGAINST THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE POLICY THAT WE'RE GONNA PASS.
SO, UM, THAT'S JUST MY POINT ON THAT.
I, I DON'T KNOW HOW RAMPANT IT WAS.
I, I HEAR ONCE IN A WHILE COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE AND SO AND SO SAID THIS DOWN THERE AND I WOULD HOPE THAT WE'RE MORE PROFESSIONAL THAN THAT.
SO, UM, CHAIR BLAIR, ANY, UH, SINCE I HAVEN'T, I, I'M LISTENING AND, AND ABSORBING ALL INFORMATION, BUT I DO AGREE THAT, UM, WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO BE A LITTLE SHORT ON TIME WHEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S IMPORTANT INFORMATION, WE NEED TO DIGEST THAT THE EARLIER WE CAN GET THINGS, THE BETTER.
IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR US TO DIGEST AS, AS WELL AS MAKE OUR NOTES.
AND, AND IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE RIGHT PARTY FOR THE, TO GET THE RIGHT, UH, RESPONSE.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY THING I HAVE.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION TO YOU? LIKE, IF THERE IS A ITEM THAT WE'RE ASKED TO, LIKE IN THE PAST, THE CHAIRPERSONS FOR THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES, SO LIKE FINANCE AND HOUSING, LIKE WE WOULD BE ASKED FIRST GENERALLY TO GO TESTIFY UNDER CATEGORIES THAT FALL UNDER US, RIGHT? IF I, IF I'M PERSONALLY OPPOSED TO A BILL, I CAN JUST TELL YOU, ALRIGHT, THE CITY MAY SUPPORT THIS BILL.
I REALLY AM NOT THE RIGHT PERSON TO TESTIFY.
AND THAT'S OKAY TO TELL YOU THAT AND YOU'LL SEND SOMEBODY ELSE, RIGHT? YEAH, NO, THAT'S PERFECT.
AND, AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, UH, NOT ONLY APPROPRIATE, BUT THAT'S, UH, THE, UH, WHAT I WOULD EXPECT IF YOU KNEW THAT IF SOMEONE WERE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION OR YOUR OPINION, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA, IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN.
UH, AND SO IF YOU HAVE THAT SELF CON, I THINK WE ARE ADULTS AND WE SHOULD HAVE THAT SELF-CONTROL IN KNOWING THAT, DON'T PUT ME IN THAT SITUATION 'CAUSE I'M, YOU, YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE THE OUTCOME.
AND SO IF WE'RE, I THINK IT'S BEST TO BE UPFRONT AND SAYING, HEY, I'M NOT THE BEST PERSON TO, TO SEND.
AND IF I COULD JUMP IN, THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD TESTIMONY APPROVED, UM, A STAFF PERSON DOWN AND WE'RE GETTING INFORMATION UP TO DATE, AND THEN THE STAFF PERSON WILL TURN TO ME AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE, YOU KNOW, WITH WHERE THIS IS GOING.
AND BECAUSE THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE TAILORED TOWARD THE TESTIMONY I'M PREPARED TO GIVE.
[01:55:01]
I'VE HAD TO YANK PEOPLE AT THE LAST SECOND AND NOT LET 'EM GET ON THE MIC BECAUSE I FELT IT WAS MUCH BETTER THAT THEY DON'T GET UP THERE AND EMBARRASS THE CITY AS OPPOSED TO GET UP THERE AND FORCING THEM TO DO SOMETHING THAT THEY WEREN'T PREPARED TO DO.AND SO, TO, TO Y'ALL'S POINT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE THING ABOUT SESSION.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE FOG OF WAR SOMETIMES YOU GET DOWN THERE AND YOU HAVE A PERSON LINED UP READY TO GO AND YOU GOTTA PULL 'EM OFF AT THE LAST SECOND.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, PULL PEOPLE ON AND ME AND THE CHAIR WILL EXPERIENCE THIS.
I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS WITH OTHER CHAIRS WHERE WE WEREN'T PREPARED TO TESTIFY, BUT WE HAVE TO GET UP THERE AND MAKE A COMMENT AND SAY, HEY LOOK, WE KNOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PREPARED TESTIMONY, BUT WE JUST WANT TO PUT ON THE RECORD THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT THE CITY IS DOING.
WE HEAR THE COMMENTS, BUT THIS IS NOT WHAT THE CITY IS GOING, THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT THE CITY IS DOING.
SO IT'S DURING SESSION, YOU HAVE TO BE EXTREMELY FLEXIBLE 'CAUSE THINGS COME OUTTA NOWHERE ALL THE TIME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
THE NEXT ONE IS JUST A, A MEMO.
UM, UH, THIS, UH, DURING THIS BUDGET SESSION, UH, WE APPROVED, UH, $300,000, UH, FOR, UH, LOBBYISTS.
AND THAT, UH, PROCUREMENT IS, UM, I BELIEVE GOING OUT, UH, LATER THIS MONTH, CORRECT? CORRECT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? ALL RIGHT.
IF NOT, THAT IS THE END OF OUR BUSINESS.
THE TIME IS THREE 12 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.