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ALL RIGHT, COUNSEL, IF YOU'RE ALREADY GOING TO GET STARTED, YOU READY DOWN THERE? ALL RIGHT.
[1. Call the meeting to order.]
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.THIS IS THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE, UH, COUNCIL BRIEFING SESSION.
I DO HAVE A QUORUM OF COUNCIL PRESENT.
I DON'T SEE COUNCILMAN DANIEL.
SO I ASSUME SHE WILL BE JOINING US HERE SHORTLY.
AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH, UH, CITY MANAGER REPORTS.
[2. City Manager Reports: City Council Calendar/Upcoming Events City Operations Conduct a briefing to discuss items for the 7:00 p.m. regular meeting]
HOW ARE YOU? DUMB CITY MANAGER, EVENING MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.HOPE YOU'RE DOING WELL HAPPY AUGUST.
UM, WE ARE, UM, ENTERING THIS MONTH REALLY FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS, AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN OUR VERY BUSY CITY AND, UH, THIS WEEK WE'LL BE NO EXCEPTION.
UH, WANTED TO GO OVER THE CALENDAR.
UH, WE'LL GO TO A BRIEF ORIENTATION TO THE AGENDA.
AND THEN WE'LL INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKER FOR OUR, UH, BRIEFING ON THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION TODAY.
UM, THIS, UH, WEDNESDAY, WHICH IS TOMORROW AT 9:00 AM, BY THE WAY, THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS THERE THIS MORNING AS WELL.
AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, YOUR THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE 24 HOURS LATER, COME BACK AND WE'LL DO IT.
SO, UH, WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THE OFFICIAL GROUNDBREAKING, UH, THE HIGH POINT 67 DEVELOPMENT, UH, THAT HAS BEEN, UH, I'LL DO A LOT OF HARD WORK ON, UH, BY THE MAYOR, THE CITY COUNCIL, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND, UH, PLANNING, ZONING COMMISSION.
AND THEN THOSE FOLKS ON THE CITY STAFF THAT HAVE DEALT WITH DEVELOPMENT.
THIS HAS BEEN MANY MONTHS IN THE MAKING AND, UH, THEY'VE ALREADY DONE A LOT OF WORK OUT ON THE SIDE, BUT TOMORROW WE'LL HAVE THE OFFICIAL CELEBRATION OF THE BEGINNING OF THAT, UH, MILESTONE PROJECT, UH, FOR OUR CITY.
AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL THERE.
UH, ON FRIDAY, AUGUST THE 13TH, UM, IS ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT DAY FOR US AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE WILL BE MEETING, UM, AT, UH, DOGWOOD CANYON AUDUBON CENTER, UM, AT NOON, UH, TO, UH, BEGIN THE FINAL BUDGET DISCUSSIONS AND WORKSHOP FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING 22 BUDGET.
UM, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT, UH, LET YOU KNOW THAT YOUR FINANCE TEAM AND YOUR BUDGET TEAM HAS HAD TO WORK SORT OF TRIPLE HARD THIS YEAR, AS THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DYNAMIC ELEMENTS TO THIS YEAR THAT HAS MADE IT A KIND OF THE KIND OF GIVING US A FEW NEW WRINKLES TO BE ABLE TO, UH, TO ADJUST TO, BUT WE HAVE.
AND SO WE HAVE MEETINGS SCHEDULED WITH EACH OF YOU BETWEEN NOW AND THAT FRIDAY, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
SO WE WILL SERVE LUNCH AT NOON AND WE'LL ACTUALLY BEGIN THE OFFICIAL WORKSHOP AT 1:00 PM.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW ON SATURDAY, THE VERY NEXT DAY, AUGUST 14TH, UH, PASTOR VIC JACKSON, A GOOD FRIEND OF THE CITY AND HIS CHURCH BUILDING THE KINGDOM COMMUNITY CHURCH HAS PARTNERED WITH A NUMBER OF NONPROFITS IN THE CITY, UH, TO DO THEIR BACK TO SCHOOL EXTRAVAGANZA.
I KNOW THE MAYOR'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT AS WELL, AND THEY'VE SECURED A THOUSAND BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO BE DISTRIBUTED ON THAT DAY.
I THINK THEY'VE GOT FREE HAIRCUTS AND SO FORTH.
UM, IT IS A BIG EVENT FOR THEM, A BIG VOLUNTEER EFFORT FOR THEM, AND THEY'VE DONE A LOT TO HELP, UH, BOLSTER, UH, STUDENTS IN CEDAR HILL AND TO LAUNCH THEM FOR THE 20 TO 2122 SCHOOL YEAR, WHICH BEGINS ON, UH, ON THIS THURSDAY.
SO, UH, HE'S MADE AN INVITATION TO ANY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WOULD LIKE TO JUST COME BETWEEN 10 AND TWO AT, UH, THE CHURCH SITE THERE ON EAST BELTLINE TO PLEASE JUST COME BY AND SAY HI.
AND, UH, SO YOU'RE ALL WELCOME FOR THAT.
UH, ALSO SATURDAY, AUGUST THE 14TH FROM 10 TO TWO IS OUR, UH, NOW VERY POPULAR PAUSE IN THE POOL AND PAUSE IN THE PALOOZA IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING IT THIS YEAR.
THIS IS THE ONE DAY OF THE YEAR WHERE YOU CAN BRING YOUR PET TO THE CITY POOL AND THE PET CAN SWIM.
UH, THIS HAS BECOME A VERY POPULAR EVENT IN TOWN AND, UH, IF YOU'VE NOT SEEN IT, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO AND, UH, TO, UH, CHECK OUT THE ENGAGEMENT THAT GOES ON BETWEEN BOTH ANIMAL LOVERS AND FOLKS WHO LIKE HANGING OUT AT POOLS IN THE LAST A DAY.
I THINK THAT THE POOL WILL BE, WILL BE OPEN.
SO THIS IS A, AGAIN, THE SATURDAY, AUGUST 14TH FOR TWEEN 10:00 AM.
UM, AND, UH, AND 2:00 PM, UH, THIS NEXT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST THE 18TH FROM 10:00 AM TO ONE IS ANOTHER MILESTONE PROGRAM COMING OUT OF OUR, UM, SENIORS, UH, CENTER AND OUR SENIOR PROGRAMMING.
AND THIS WILL BE SENIOR INFORMATION AND WELLNESS EXPOSITION IT'LL BE HELD BETWEEN 10:00 AM AND 1:00 PM AT THE ALANY CENTERS RECREATION CENTER ON POTTERVILLE ROAD.
UM, THE FIRST 100 REGISTRANTS, UH, TO PARTICIPATE
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IN THIS EVENT GET A FREE LUNCH.AND SO WE ARE EXPECTING A PRETTY GOOD CROWD.
AND AGAIN, THE CITY COUNCIL IS, UM, WELCOME AND IN FACT, INVITED TO DROP BY AND SEE THE EXPO AND THE ENGAGEMENT THAT TAKES PLACE AMONGST OUR SENIORS AS SENIOR LIVABILITY HAS BEEN AMONGST YOUR TOP PRIORITIES, UH, FOR THE LAST YEAR.
UH, THE NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING IS TUESDAY, AUGUST THE 24TH.
WE'RE GOING TO GO A LITTLE BIT FARTHER THAN THAT THOUGH.
CAUSE AGAIN, AUGUST IS EXCEPTIONALLY BUSY WITH BOTH EVENTS AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND, UM, BOEING PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION, UH, ELEMENTS TAKING PLACE AS WELL.
SO ON THURSDAY, AUGUST THE 26TH AT 6:00 PM, WE'LL HAVE OUR NEXT PARTY IN THE PARK.
WE'LL BE CELEBRATING WITH THE FOLKS OF CEDAR CREST AND, UH, THE AREA AROUND PLUMBER TO CELEBRATE THE NEWEST IMPROVEMENTS TO LIBERTY PARK.
AND IT'S AT 3 0 1 CAPRICORN DRIVE AGAIN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, BEGINNING AT 6:00 PM ON SATURDAY, AUGUST THE 28TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 12.
WE, WITH OUR PARTNERS, THE SOTO IN DUNCANVILLE WE'LL CELEBRATE THE RIBBON CUTTING OF THE NEW, UH, UH, LIFESAVING AND LEARNING CENTER.
ALSO KNOWN AS THE SURGICAL CENTER AT THE TRI-CITY ANIMAL SHELTER.
THIS WAS DONE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY WITH DONATED FUNDS DEVELOPED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND WITH THE PARTNERS AT THE FRIENDS OF THE SHELTER AND IS A BIG MILESTONE OF BOTH CARE AND CAPABILITY FOR OUR THREE CITIES, UM, IN, UH, OUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO, UM, PROVIDE GOOD SERVICES TO OUR CITIZENS AND ALSO TO THEIR PETS.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT EVENT ON MONDAY, AUGUST THE 30TH, OUR PARTNERS AT THE SEADRILL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE INVITED US TO ATTEND THE OFFICIAL NAMING CEREMONY FOR THE JULIAN MADDIX TEACHING AND LEARNING CENTER.
UM, THAT IS AT 1533 HIGH POINT LANE.
THAT'S FIRMLY CEDAR HILL COLLEGIATE HIGH SCHOOL, OR DEPENDING ON HOW OLD YOU ARE IN TOWN.
IT WAS WEST INTERMEDIATE BACK IN THE DAY AS WELL.
SO, UH, YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THAT.
UH, THE LAST COUPLE OF THINGS, UH, REMEMBER LABOR DAY IS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH, CITY OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED IN OBSERVANCE OF THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY.
AND THEN OUR NEXT, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL COLLECTION DAY IS ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH, FROM NINE TO 11 AT THE CRO HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT.
UH, THIS IS THE COMBINATION OF HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE, AS WELL AS E-WASTE, DON'T FORGET THAT YOU DO NEED TO REGISTER TO BE ABLE TO DROP OFF HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS ITEMS AS THERE IS A LIMIT TO WHAT CAN BE TAKEN UP AT THE SITE.
SO PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IF YOU'VE BEEN STORING UP A HAZARDOUS WASTE TO BE ABLE TO BE DISPOSED OF IN THE APPROPRIATE MANNER, THAT THE ONLY OTHER ITEM I WILL ADD FOR THE CALENDAR IS JUST A REMINDER OF THE BEST SOUTHWEST LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST SERIES THAT'S TAKING PLACE.
UH, THE FIRST ONE WAS THIS LAST FRIDAY, UH, THAT CEDAR HILL HOSTED THE NEXT ONE IS THIS FRIDAY IS IN LANCASTER.
I BELIEVE CONGRESSWOMAN EDDIE, BERNICE JOHNSON IS THE SPEAKER.
UH, THE NEXT ONE IS IN DUNCANVILLE AND THEN THE FOURTH ONE WILL BE IN THE SOTO.
UH, SINCE WE DO HAVE, UH, ALSO ANOTHER ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP ON FRIDAY, UH, THE CITY SECRETARY HAS ASKED ME TO SORT OF PULL AND UNC WHO INTENDS TO, UH, TO ATTEND THIS FRIDAY'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE HAVE OUR CPG FOR THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE COUNT? THANK YOU.
UM, JUST TO CLARIFY MONDAY, IS THIS, I THINK IT'S THE SIX YOU HAVE AT THE SEVENTH.
DO I HAVE THE SENATE? WELL, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
THANK YOU, MR.
UM, YOU HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL COLLECTION DAY.
I THINK THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT'S THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF NINE 11.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE SOME SORT OF A NATIONAL MOMENT FOR THAT OR SOMETHING.
IN ORIENTATION TO OUR AGENDA FOR TONIGHT, WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM.
IT'S A BRIEFING OF THE 87TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION.
AS YOU KNOW, THEY ARE IN OVERTIME.
AND IN A SECOND OVER TIME, UH, BRANDON
UH, BRANDON HAS SERVED THE CITY FOR SEVERAL YEARS, UH, AND OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, BOARD IN BEING
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ABLE TO REFINE THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE AND DEFINITELY GIVEN US ADDITIONAL ACCESS, UH, THE STATE AND THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THOSE TOOLS EFFECTIVELY.UH, BRANDON WAS, UM, VERY PIVOTAL IN BEING ABLE TO GET THE SPECIAL LEGISLATION AND ALLOWED US ELIGIBILITY INTO THE QUALIFIED HOTEL PROGRAM AND, UH, KNOWS HIS WAY AROUND AUSTIN VERY WELL.
SO I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO ENJOY HIS BRIEFING AND, UH, HIS ASSISTANCE HELPING US SORT OUT THE THOUSANDS OF BILLS THAT, UH, THE LEGISLATURE PUTS UP CONSIDERS AND THEN ULTIMATELY ADOPTS EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
UH, GOING TO THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT ARE IN VACATION IS BY PASTOR VALENTINE WITH OMNI FELLOWSHIP, UH, CEDAR HILL.
UH, WE HAVE ONE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
UH, WE WILL BE APPRECIATING THE FOLKS WHO, UM, UH, PARTICIPATED IN MISSION CEDAR HILL THIS YEAR, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF CEDAR HILLS, UH, PRIDE ENJOY HOMEGROWN PROGRAMS. EMISSION CEDAR HILL SERVES THE CITY ALL YEAR ALONG IN, UH, HELPING FOLKS IN TOWN WHO ARE IN NEED, BUT THIS SPECIAL ONE WEEK, EVERY SUMMER IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY'LL TAKE 2030 PROJECTS THAT ARE NEEDED.
THE YOUTH OF THE CITY WILL COME TOGETHER AND SPEND DAYS WHEN THEY COULD BE HAVING FUN, ACTUALLY GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT RAISED THEM.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM, DOES A LOT OF THINGS FOR A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE CITY, AND IT'S OUR PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THEIR WORK, UM, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE, UH, THIS SUMMER.
UM, ALSO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, RECOGNIZING AUGUST 21ST, 2021 IS NATIONAL SENIOR CITIZENS DAY HERE IN CEDAR HILLS.
SO OUR DISCUSSIONS AROUND SENIORS AND SENIOR PROGRAMMING IS OBVIOUSLY CONTINUING AND THEN SOMETHING I'M ACTUALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
AND THAT IS A FORMAL PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL OF THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, REGIONAL COOPERATION AWARD, UM, CEDAR HILL DUNCANVILLE AND LACQUER, SIR, OUR CORE PARTNERS, UH, RECEIVED THIS AWARD.
WE WERE ACTUALLY AWARDED THIS LAST SUMMER, UH, AND WE WERE AWARDED IT BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT OUR CITIES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH ONE ANOTHER TO COLLABORATE, ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO THE, UH, COVID 19 PANDEMIC, WHICH CREATED SOME UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE BEEN BUILDING FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS AMONGST THESE CITIES, WE HAD SOME CAPABILITIES THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE TO US OTHERWISE.
AND SO NOT ONLY DO WE RECOGNIZE THAT AND APPRECIATE IT, BUT THAT'S BEEN RECOGNIZED WITHIN THE REGION.
AND SO, UM, UH, OUR, UH, FIRE CHIEF, RODNEY SMITH WILL BE HERE TO PRESENT THAT TO YOU AND WE'LL REPRESENT ALL OF THE WORK THAT THE PARTNERSHIP HAS DONE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES EFFICIENTLY AND VERY EFFECTIVELY, UH, MOVING ON.
WE ALSO, UH, HAVE A NUMBER OF PUBLIC HEARINGS RELATED TO DEVELOPMENT.
ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING CENTER APPLICATION FOR A PRELIMINARY PLAT FOR THE TERRACES ADDITION.
THIS IS FOR A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL SINGLE FAMILY, ONE ACRE, LOTS IN THE TERRACES ADDITION IN CEDAR HILL, WHICH IS OFF OF NORTH CEDAR HILL ROAD THAT WENT THROUGH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL.
A SECOND ONE IS CASE A NUMBER OF CUP 3 58, 20 21 IT'S PUBLIC HEARING CENTER APPLICATION FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR USED MERCHANDISE ON A PROPERTY ZONED LR.
THIS IS IN THE VINEYARDS, UH, SHOPPING CENTER, AND ALSO HAS GONE THROUGH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION WHERE IT RECEIVED THEIR RECOMMENDATION WITH SOME RESTRICTIONS.
AND THE FINAL CASE OF THE NIGHT IS CP 360 3, 20 21 PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF AN APPLICATION FOR A REVISED SITE PLAN FOR A CDP TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED OUTDOOR SALES AND STORES DISPLAY.
AND THIS IS WITH HOME DEPOT WHO IS ACTUALLY EXPANDING SOME OF THEIR OFFERINGS, WHICH IS A REALLY GOOD THING.
THEY'RE ALSO TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF REORGANIZE WHERE THEIR STORES AND THEIR DISPLAY IS.
THAT HAS ALSO GONE TO THE PLANNING ZONING COMMISSION, WHERE IT HAS RECEIVED A RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL, WITH A NUMBER OF CONDITIONS, UH, MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE HAVE A MINUTES, WE HAVE AN ITEM TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO RENEW AN AGREEMENT WITH TYLER TECHNOLOGIES, WHICH ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE OUR SOFTWARE THAT HAS DIGITIZED OUR DEVELOPMENT AND REVIEW PROCESS.
THAT BECAME EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US DURING THE COVID PERIOD.
UH, THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS ON THE REGULAR AGENDA, INCLUDING TWO APPOINTMENTS.
THIS IS OUR LAST UNFINISHED BUSINESS FROM THE COUNCILS, UH, MARATHON BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENT PROCESS.
UH, THE FIRST IS THE, UM, IS CONSIDERATION OF ELENA ANDERSON TO THE PLANNING ZONING
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COMMISSION.AND THE SECOND ONE IS TO BLAKE MORRISON FOR THE BUILDING APPEALS AND ADVISORY BOARD.
THOSE WERE TWO VACANCIES THAT WE, UH, NEEDED TO CONTINUE TO FILL THEIR INFORMATION IS IN THE PACKET.
AND WE LEAVE THAT FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION.
ITEM B IS AUTHOR AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR TO SIGN, UH, AN AMENDMENT TO THE DESIGN CONTRACT FOR THE LIBRARY.
THIS WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, UH, PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE ELEMENTS THAT WERE APPROVED IN THE LAST, UH, DESIGN WORKSHOP THAT WE HAD.
AND THEN FINALLY, A CONTRACT WITH LANDSCAPING TO DO, TO DEVELOP THE FINAL DESIGN AND THE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS IN PREPARATION FOR BID FOR THE SIGNATURE PARK THAT WILL SURROUND THE LIBRARY AND ATTACHED ITSELF TO THE GOVERNMENT CENTER COMPLEX.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AGENDA? THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER, UH, TO MESSAGE TO THE COUNCIL, UM, REGULAR AGENDA, A IF YOU COULD INCLUDE IN YOUR MOTION, UH, THE APPOINTEES FOR THE BOARD AND OUR COMMISSION THAT THEY SERVE.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST, UH, INCLUDING YOUR MOTION TO INCLUDE THE APPOINTEES TO A BOARD OR COMMISSION THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GO, ALL RIGHT.
UH, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS ON THE CONSENT TO BE REMOVED ALL RIGHT HERE AND THAT THEY CAN MISS THE CITY MANAGER? NEXT ITEM ON
[3. Briefing on the 87th Texas Legislative Regular Session.]
THE AGENDA IS BRIEFING ON THE 87TH, TEXAS LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION, NO SPECIAL ASSISTANCE STUFF.I WILL, WE'LL TALK SOME SPECIAL SESSION AS WELL.
MAYOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL I'M BRANDON AG CHAMELEON WITH FOCUSED ADVOCACY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE THIS EVENING AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, UM, NOR FROM WHICH, UH, HAS SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS THAT, UH, PART OF IT, MYSELF, SNAPPER CARR, UH, THE HONORABLE COURT OF SILENCE ANGEL KEY FOR CHRISTINA KAYANI ELIZABETH VINEYARD.
UH, WE'VE HAD THE PLEASURE AND THE HONOR OF REPRESENTING THE CITY NOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WE APPRECIATE THAT, THAT, UM, UH, PARTNERSHIP.
AND, UH, I THINK WE HAVE, UH, SOME INTERESTING REPORTS FOR YOU HERE.
UH, I WANT TO START, UH, IS, UH, DO EVERY PRESENTATION LIKE THIS BY RECOGNIZING YOUR, UH, EXCUSE ME, YOUR STATE HOUSE DELEGATION, UH, LED PRIMARILY OF COURSE, BY REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN WHO REPRESENTS THE, THE VAST, VAST MAJORITY, UH, OF CEDAR HILL, UH, AND THEN IN THE SENATE, THE SAME THING WITH SENATOR ROYCE WEST, UH, APPRECIATE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH US AS IN OUR FIRM AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY.
THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, INCREDIBLE OPEN DOOR POLICY.
WE WORK WELL WITH, WITH THOSE OFFICES.
SO LET'S JUMP INTO IT, TALK ABOUT, UM, WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL THE, UH, DRIVERS OF SESSIONS, SORT OF THE, WHY THINGS HAPPEN THE WAY THAT THEY HAPPENED, UH, EXPLANATION, UH, TALK ABOUT LEADERSHIP PRIORITIES, WHAT DIDN'T PASS, WHICH IS REALLY, I THINK THE KEY, UH, ELEMENT OF THIS PRESENTATION AND IN THIS SESSION, WHAT DID NOT PASS.
AND THEN WHAT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT DID PASS, AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE SPECIAL SESSIONS.
SO THE, UH, DRIVERS OF SESSION RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING BEGAN, THE MAYOR AND I WERE CHATTING, AND HE SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF WHO WE'D BE TALKING ABOUT, UH, LEGENDS, LOT OF UPDATES IN, IN AUGUST AND SPECIAL SESSION.
AND WHAT I DIDN'T SAY TO YOU MAYOR WAS WHO KNEW ANYTHING THAT LED UP TO THIS SESSION WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
UH, THE DRIVERS OF THIS SESSION ARE, IS LITERALLY AS UNIQUE OF A FORMULA, IF YOU WILL, OR A SET OF INGREDIENTS AS ANYTHING I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY 30 YEAR CAREER OF, OF, OF MESSING AROUND IN THE LEGISLATURE, WE START, UH, TWO YEARS AGO, UM, YOU KNOW, ALMOST TO THE DAY, IT WAS JUST IN JULY OF 2019 THAT THE THEN SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, DENNIS BONNEN WAS BEING SECRETLY TAPE RECORDED AND THEN STEPPING DOWN, UH, HAVING SAID SOME VERY UGLY THINGS ABOUT, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN PARTICULAR, AND SOME UGLY THINGS ABOUT SOME OF HIS OWN COLLEAGUES THAT HE SERVED WITH DECIDED THEN TO NOT SEEK REELECTION AND AWAY WE GO WITH A SPEAKER'S RACE.
ANYTIME YOU HAVE A NEW SPEAKER OR A NEW LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, UH, IT'S, UH, IT'S A BIG CHANGE.
THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE THAT HAS DEFINITE IMPACTS ON THE SESSION.
AND YOU WILL SEE THE SESSION UNFOLD A CERTAIN WAY BECAUSE OF THAT ONE ELEMENT.
SO THAT ALONE WAS GOING TO BE A REALLY INTERESTING BIG DEVELOPMENT.
WE FOLLOW THAT WITH THEM IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC THAT SHUTS DOWN THE ECONOMY, UH, THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD AND THE RELATED PROTEST, UH, WITH THAT.
AND THEN JUST WHEN WE THOUGHT THINGS COULDN'T GET CRAZIER, WE HAVE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION THAT WE HAD AND THE RELATED PROTEST TO THAT.
SO WE GO INTO SESSION WITH THE NEW SPEAKER, ALMOST BEING OLD DUES, AND WHAT'S ON EVERYONE'S MIND IS A PANDEMIC, UH, YOU KNOW, THINGS, UH, RELATED TO DEFUND THE POLICE AND, UH, THE PRESIDENTIAL, YOU KNOW, KIND OF STOP THE STEEL, UH, MANTRA.
SO A CRAZY BEGINNING OF SESSION, AND
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THAT PLAYED OUT IN A VERY PHYSICAL WAY WHERE IT WAS HARD TO GATHER.WE HAD, YOU KNOW, NEW PROTOCOLS, IT WAS JUST THE GOOFIEST SORT OF START.
YOU CAN IMAGINE JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT COULDN'T GET WEIRD, OR WE HAVE A GIGANTIC WINTER STORM UNPRECEDENTED, UH, OR A CAUGHT IN GRID FAILURE.
UH, AND THAT REALLY THEN REDEFINED WHAT OUR, OUR LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT.
AND WE'LL SEE THAT HERE, UH, WITH THESE, UH, LEADERSHIP PRIORITIES AS WE CALL THEM.
AND THE LAST BULLET POINT YOU SEE THERE ON THAT SCREEN THAT REALLY DROVE THE SESSION WAS WHERE LEADERSHIP WAS ALIGNED BY LEADERSHIP.
I MEAN, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, THE SPEAKER AND THE, AND THE, UH, GOVERNOR, UM, WHERE THEY WERE ALIGNED, UH, YOU RESULTS, WHERE THEY WERE NOT ALIGNED.
YOU, YOU SAW SOMETIMES NOT RESULTS.
SO WE'LL START WITH GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S PRIORITY ITEMS. THIS IS THE, UH, WHAT IS THAT EIGHT ITEMS THAT HE ANNOUNCED AS QUOTE UNQUOTE EMERGENCY ITEMS AT THE BEGINNING OF SESSION, THE ONES THAT ARE IN GREEN ARE THE ONES THAT PASSED, UH, AND THE ONES THAT ARE RED ARE THE ONES THAT DIDN'T PASS.
YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE THE ONES IN RED IS ITEMS THAT WERE SMELL BACK IN SPECIAL SESSION ABOUT, BUT I GET AHEAD OF MYSELF, WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING LAW ENFORCEMENT BUDGETS ARE CAUGHT REFORM, YOU KNOW, WINTERIZATION OF THE GRID, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE ELECTION INTEGRITY AND BAIL REFORM IS, IS ITEMS THAT DID NOT PASS.
WE JUMPED IN QUICKLY TO SPEAK OR FEELING IN THE HOUSE.
UH, AND, AND HIS PRIORITIES, YOU SEE WHERE THERE IS SOME OVERLAP, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, UH, BROADBAND, UH, ELECTION BALLOT SECURITY, REFORMING CAUGHT THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO AGAIN, WHERE THEY ALIGNED, UH, THEY, THEY TENDED TO, UH, SUCCESSFULLY TAKE ACTION AND PASS A BILL.
YOU GO ON AND YOU SEE SPEAKER FEELING'S PRIORITIES, GETTING INTO SOME, SOME OTHER ITEMS, UM, YOU KNOW, A BRAIN INSTITUTE OF TEXAS LOWER DRUG COSTS FOR THE UNINSURED, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UH, NOT NECESSARILY PRIORITY ITEMS FOR, UH, THE OTHER TWO.
AND THEN WE'D GO TO LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PATRICK'S PRIORITY LIST, WHICH IS, IS LONG AND DETAILED.
UH, AGAIN, YOU SEE THINGS LIKE, OR A COTTON POWER GRID STABILITY THERE AT THE TOP.
AND, AND AGAIN, BACK TO MY THEME OF WHAT DROVE THIS SESSION, I CAN ASSURE YOU.
AND I THINK I WOULD NEED TO ASSURE YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOURSELF SB TWO OR COT REFORM SB THREE POWER GRID STABILITY.
THOSE WERE NOT SB TWO, RIGHT? NSBE, THREE ITEMS BEFORE WINTER STORM URI, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WAS NOT IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY THINKING ERCOT REFORM WAS GOING TO BE SB TWO, RIGHT.
THAT ONLY HAPPENS BECAUSE OF THE STORM AND PROBABLY THEN PUSHES EVERYTHING ELSE DOWN THE LIST THERE YOU SEE HIGHLIGHTED SB 10, A TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING, SOMETHING WE'LL SPEND A LITTLE TIME TALKING ABOUT, YOU SEE HERE GOING ON FORWARD, THE REST OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S ISSUES, HE USUALLY LIST 30 OF THEM.
AND AGAIN, YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE CORPORATE, UH, GUN BOY COTS, UM, AND DOWN AT THE BOTTOM FAIR SPORTS IS FOR WOMEN TO GROW BY THE WAY, THIS IS, UM, HIS STYLING OF IT, HIS LABELING, THIS IS NOT OUR EDITORIAL STYLING OF IT.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, UM, AND SO AGAIN, YOU SEE WHERE THE BIG THREE WERE ALIGNED AND WHERE THEY WEREN'T ALIGNED.
SO REAL QUICKLY TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS.
UH, THE CITY MANAGER, UH, MENTIONED THOUSANDS OF BILLS.
HE MEANT THAT VERY, LITERALLY THIS SESSION, 7,148 BILLS, UH, A PRETTY NORMAL NUMBER.
YOU CAN SEE COMPARED TO THE MOST RECENT SESSIONS.
AND BY THE WAY, WE HAVE A TABLE THAT GOES BACK, YOU KNOW, 30, 40 YEARS.
AND THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
UH, THE TOTAL BILLS PASSED WAS REMARKABLY HIGH THIS SESSION, AND ESPECIALLY FOR A SESSION WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TROUBLE ACTUALLY EVEN GETTING IN A ROOM, UH, AND BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, UH, THEY ENDED UP PASSING A NUMBER OF BILLS.
THE IMPORTANT NUMBER HERE IS, IS THE LAST TWO COLUMNS CITY RELATED BILLS INTRODUCED IN CITY RELATED BILLS PASSED FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE POTENTIALLY NEW TO THIS, OR EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT NEW TO THIS, UH, IN TERMS OF BEING A LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIAL, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT CITIES HAVE MORE ISSUES BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE THAN ANY ENTITY UNDER THE SUN, PRIVATE SECTOR, PUBLIC SECTOR DOESN'T MATTER.
AND, AND THEY HAVE MORE ISSUES IN ARE AFFECTED MORE BY THE LEGISLATURE THAN ANY ENTITY BY FAR.
SO THE LEGISLATURE DOES A MORE TO IMPACT CITIES AND CITY OPERATIONS THAN IT DOES ANYTHING BY COMPARISON.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY TRUE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THE MOST PART.
AND IT IS, IT MAKES SENSE WHEN
[00:25:01]
YOU STOP AND CONSIDER HOW MUCH CITIES DO.UM, Y'ALL, Y'ALL ARE THE GREAT SERVICE PROVIDER OF, OF MOST PUBLIC SERVICES.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A VERY WIDE ORGANIZATION, UH, IN TERMS OF, OF WHAT ALL YOU DO AND STATE LAW IMPACTS EVERY BIT OF THIS OPERATION, UH, HERE IN THIS CITY AND, AND OTHER CITIES, UH, IF YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING I CAN ASSURE YOU, THERE IS A STATE LAW THAT'S IMPACTING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WHETHER IT'S RUNNING YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OR ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE, THERE ARE STATE LAWS THAT IMPACT THAT.
AND SO THAT IS WHY WE, AS CITIES ARE SO ACTIVE AND HAVE TO BE ACTIVE IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
SO LET'S JUMP INTO THE REAL DETAILS HERE.
WHAT DID NOT PASS THIS SESSION? UM, I'LL ACTUALLY BACK UP REAL QUICKLY IF I CAN ON THE SCREEN AT LEAST, AND JUST PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THE LAST COUPLE OF LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, THE 2019 SESSION, THE 2017 SESSION WERE REALLY TOUGH SESSIONS FOR CITIES.
UM, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, UH, AND THERE'S BEEN SOME PRETTY, YOU KNOW, WHAT CITIES AT LEAST CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, TOUGH OR BAD LAWS PASSED.
WE, YOU KNOW, THAT OPINIONATED WORD ASIDE, THEY'VE CERTAINLY BEEN SOME MAJOR PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED HOW CITIES FINANCE THEIR OPERATIONS THROUGH THE PROPERTY TAX AND HOW CITIES DO A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.
THIS SESSION, UH, WAS REALLY, UH, CHARACTERIZED MORE BY THE THINGS THAT DID NOT PASS.
SO IN THAT REGARD, IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL SESSION FOR CITIES.
UH, THERE WAS A PRETTY DRAMATIC, UH, SALES TAX SOURCING, UH, LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HAVE CHANGED FROM, UH, OF, UH, YOU KNOW, POINT OF SALE TO POINT OF DESTINATION, UH, AND REALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF RESHUFFLED THE DECK, IF YOU WILL, ABOUT WHERE THE MONEY GOES ON THE SALES TAX SIDE, THAT BILL DID NOT PASS, BUT, BUT CERTAINLY, AND BY THE WAY, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE FOR THE, THE ISSUES THAT YOU SEE HERE ON THIS SLIDE, THESE ARE NOT BILLS THAT WERE JUST FILED AND DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE.
THESE WERE BILLS THAT WERE ON THE VERGE OF PASSAGE, AND THAT WE HAD TO DO A LOT OF ADVOCACY AND A LOT OF EFFORT AROUND TO EITHER PREVENT THEIR PASSAGE OR IN SOME CASES, TRY TO PASS THEM.
BUT MOST OF THIS IS TO PREVENT THEIR PASSAGE.
BUT THE POINT IS IS THAT THESE ARE BILLS THAT MOVED.
UM, AND, AND I'LL JUMP AHEAD OF MYSELF VERY BRIEFLY AND SAY, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT, IT'S THESE ISSUES, OKAY, THESE ARE, THESE ISSUES ARE NOT GOING AWAY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER SALES TAX SOURCING PIECE OF LEGISLATION AND A MAJOR DEBATE ABOUT THIS IN 2023, I CAN ALL BUT GUARANTEE YOU SAME THING ON PARTISAN CITY ELECTIONS.
UH, THAT BILL, I BELIEVE I'M RIGHT.
DON'T, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS.
I BELIEVE THAT BILL PASSED THE HOUSE AND DIED IN THE SENATE.
UH, BUT, BUT CERTAINLY GOT OUT OF COMMITTEE IN THE HOUSE AND HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT TO REQUIRE YOU AS, AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO RUN WITH A LETTER NEXT TO YOUR NAME, UH, IN YOUR ELECTIONS.
UM, A LOT OF PREEMPTION BILLS THIS SESSION, UH, IS, IS, HAS BEEN THE THEME BY PREEMPTION FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT WE MEAN IS THAT THE STATE PASSING A LAW THAT SAYS STATE LAW WILL CONTROL ON THIS.
CITY'S NO LONGER HAVE ORDINANCE MAKING ABILITY ON FILL IN THE BLANK, WHATEVER THE TOPIC IS.
THAT'S A VERY COMMON APPROACH TO LEGISLATING NOWADAYS.
AND IT'S, IT'S AN, IT'S A NATIONWIDE PHENOMENA.
UM, AND, AND CITY PREEMPTION OF YOUR ABILITY TO REGULATE THINGS LIKE PLUMBERS OR ELECTRICIANS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT THIS MINI GETTING TRACTION OF THE STATE SAYING, WE WANT TO PREEMPT Y'ALL FROM DOING THAT.
IF THIS, UH, IF THIS PROFESSION HAS A STATE LICENSE OR A STATE PERMIT, UH, TO DO THEIR JOB, THEN THE CITY SHOULDN'T BE PERMITTING THEM IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.
UM, THAT BILL IS CERTAINLY TO KEEP COMING BACK.
UM, YOU SEE A NUMBER OF OTHER ISSUES.
I WON'T GO THROUGH THESE ALL ONE BY ONE, I'LL JUMP DOWN, UH, KIND OF TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE, THE, THE FIRST COLUMN THERE, THE SECRETARY OF STATE REVIEW, UH, OF YOUR BALLOT LANGUAGE AND POSSIBLE LITIGATION, UH, SETTING UP A CAUSE OF ACTION THAT A CITIZEN CAN SUE, UH, ABOUT YOUR BALLOT LANGUAGE UNDER THE AUSPICES IS NOT CLEAR OR IT'S MISLEADING AND TAKING THAT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE, AYE, YOUR REACTION, AND A FEW OTHER REACTIONS THAT I GET TO SEE AS I WASH YOUR FACE AS BELIEVE ME, UH, THIS IS THE, THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT, THAT ARE GETTING SERIOUS TRACTION DOWN THERE.
[00:30:01]
UH, TALK ABOUT THAT THIS SECRETARY OF STATE REVIEW OF YOUR BALLOT LANGUAGE, A LITTLE MORE IN A MOMENT ABOUT A BILL THAT DID PASS AND A TOPIC THAT'S GOING TO KEEP COMING BACK.UH, THE CITY MANAGER AND I WERE MEETING EARLIER BEFORE THIS, AND I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT CHAPTER THREE 13, WHICH IS A SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT, A VERY IMPORTANT TOOL.
IT HAD A SUNSET IT'S IT'S, IT WAS EXPIRING.
AND WITHOUT THE LEGISLATURE TAKING A PROACTIVE STEP TO REAUTHORIZE IT, IT GOES AWAY.
THE LEGISLATURE DID NOT TAKE THAT STEP.
IT IS NOW EXPIRED AND WE NO LONGER HAVE THIS TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX.
THIS IS A CRITICAL, CRITICAL TOOL FOR, UH, MEGA LARGE CAPITAL-INTENSIVE ZONES THINK MANUFACTURING, ELECTRIC GENERATION, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
CHAPTER THREE 13 IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOOL AND THAT BILL DID NOT PASS.
UH, AND THEN YOU SEE COMMUNITY CENSORSHIP, TAXPAYER, WHAT WE CALL COMMUNITY CENSORSHIP AND WHAT WHAT'S OTHERS CALLED TAXPAYER-FUNDED LOBBYING DID NOT PASS.
THAT WAS SENATE BILL 10, UH, AS PASSED BY THE SENATE.
AND BY THE WAY, I MEANT TO SAY THIS AT THE OUTSET, PLEASE JUMP IN AND ASK QUESTIONS AS I GO ALONG.
I, I, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY, UH, INFORMAL BRIEFING, UM, AS PASSED BY THE SENATE THAT'S KEY PHRASE, MEANING THIS BILL PASSED THE SENATE, IT APPLIED ONLY TO CITIES AND COUNTIES.
IT DID NOT APPLY TO ANY OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT LIKE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR HOSPITAL DISTRICTS OR TRANSIT AUTHORITIES.
THEY ONLY THINK THAT TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING SHOULD BE PREVENTED BY YOU DID ONLY, YOU SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM DOING IT.
UH, WHEN ASKED WHY, UH, ON THE SENATE FLOOR, THE AUTHOR OF THE BILL SENATOR BETANCOURT SAID, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE DID SENATE BILL TWO.
I NEVER QUITE UNDERSTOOD THAT EXPLANATION.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE THERE.
UH, BUT NONETHELESS, THIS IS HOW THE, THE BILL PASSED THE SENATE.
AND WHAT THAT BILL SAID WAS YOU, AS A CITY, CANNOT SPEND ANY PUBLIC FUNDS TO JOIN AN ORGANIZATION.
SO LIKE THINK TML, IF THAT ORGANIZATION HAS A LOBBYIST, TML DEFINITELY HAS LOBBYISTS.
UH, AND IT WOULD PREVENT YOU FROM HIRING DIRECTLY ANY LOBBYIST, SUCH AS MY FIRM OR ANY OTHER FIRM THAT PROVIDES THESE KINDS OF SERVICES.
AND IT WOULD CREATE A PRIVATE CAUSE OF ACTION FOR A CITIZEN TO SUE YOU GET INJUNCTIVE RELIEF AND ATTORNEY'S FEES.
IF THEY BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE VIOLATING THE LAW IN THE HOUSE, WHEN THE BILL CAME OVER, THEY, UH, CAME UP WITH A VERSION THAT WOULD HAVE APPLIED TO ALL POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS, UH, AND, UH, BANNED YOU, UH, FROM HIRING LOBBYISTS UNLESS CERTAIN CONDITIONS WERE MET.
AND THOSE CONDITIONS WERE THINGS LIKE POSTING YOUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ONLINE, POSTING ANY CONTRACTS, SUCH AS A CONTRACT WITH MY FIRM ONLINE, UH, HAVING A EXPLICIT VOTE TO APPROVE ANY CONTRACTS.
SO YOU KIND OF JUMPED THROUGH THESE HURDLES, MOST OF WHICH Y'ALL ALREADY DO ANYWAY.
AND IT WOULD HAVE SAID THAT EVEN IF WE KNEW THAT THAT LOBBYISTS, THAT REPRESENT CITIES AND COUNTIES CAN NO LONGER LOBBY ON THE 3.5 REVENUE CAP, UH, AND WE CANNOT, UH, YOU KNOW, SO-CALLED WINE AND DINE.
WE DON'T DO THAT ANYWAY WITH, WITH PUBLIC FUNDS, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UH, AND, AND THEN VERY IMPORTANTLY, IT WOULD HAVE REMOVE THE PRIVATE CAUSE OF ACTION WHERE THIS THING ENDS UP IN A COURTROOM AND IT WOULD HAVE TRANSFERRED IT TO THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION THAT BILL WAS SET ON THE HOUSE CALENDAR, BUT SOME MEMBERS IN THE HOUSE WERE POISED TO TRY TO MAKE THE BILL LOOK MORE LIKE THE SENATE VERSION, WHICH WAS A MUCH, YOU KNOW, UH, KIND OF MORE DRACONIAN VERSION IF YOU WILL.
AND SO THE AUTHOR OF THE BILL, CHAIRMAN, PATTY, UH, JUST ELECTED TO NOT BRING THE BILL UP.
I GUESS TO CLARIFY, UM, IF ONE MUNICIPAL ENTITY WAS TO BE ABLE TO, UM, CONTACT TMR, IF THIS WAS TO PASS, UM, TML CAN BE THERE AT THE CAPITOL, NOT TO LOBBY, BUT TO INFORM THEIR MEMBERS, UH, SAME THING THAT YOU'RE FROM YOU, YOU CAN BE ABLE TO INFORM INFORMATION.
YOU JUST CAN'T BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON THE CITY'S BEHALF.
IS THAT ESSENTIALLY THE ANSWER? AND IF THAT WAS TO HAPPEN YEAH.
UM, I'LL, I'LL KIND OF, WITHOUT, AT THE RISK OF GETTING A LITTLE TOO LAWYERLY, THERE IS A CHAPTER OF LAW THAT GOVERNS LOBBYISTS.
WE HAVE TO REGISTER WITH THE STATE CHAPTER CHAPTER 3 0 5 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.
AND THAT BODY OF LAW HAS A DEFINITION IN IT OF WHAT IS CONSIDERED THE THRESHOLD OF NOW.
[00:35:01]
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S IT, UH, REVOLVES AROUND WHAT THE LAW STYLES, AS A DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE TO AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF LEGISLATION.SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE ANY LAW, YOU CAN KIND OF GET INTO THE WEEDS OF, SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AND WHERE AM I TRYING TO AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF LEGISLATION? WHERE AM I JUST INFORMING THINGS OF THAT NATURE? THERE'S ANOTHER THEN KIND OF, UH, ELEMENT OF THE LAW THAT IF, IF REQUESTED BY A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION OR TO SIMPLY GO TESTIFY IN PUBLIC AT A PUBLIC HEARING, UM, THAT IS AN EXCEPTION FROM THE LAW.
SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN GO DO WHERE YOU ARE UNDOUBTEDLY TRYING TO AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF LEGISLATION, BUT WHICH YOU'RE EXEMPTED FROM, WHAT'S CONSIDERED THE FOUR CORNERS OF LOBBYING, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.
AND SO IF, TO YOUR QUESTION, FINALLY, IF, IF SOMETHING BECAME A LAW, IT WOULD, OF COURSE DEPEND ON EXACTLY WHAT IT SAID, RIGHT? AND AS YOU CAN SEE BY THIS, THERE'S, THERE'S MULTIPLE VERSIONS, YOU KNOW, OUT THERE OF WHAT THEY THINK SHOULD BE DONE.
SO DEPENDING ON EXACTLY WHAT WAS PASSED, BLENDING THAT WITH THOSE KINDS OF LAWS, I JUST OVERVIEWED FOR YOU THAT THAT WAS SORT OF BEGIN TO THEN ANSWER THE ULTIMATE QUESTION THAT YOU'RE ASKING, WHICH IS, WELL, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO IF THEY PASS SOMETHING? I THINK THE REAL ANSWER IS TO BE DETERMINED.
WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT THEY FINALLY PASS AND WE'LL HAVE TO STARE AT IT FOR A WHILE.
AND I CAN ALMOST ASSURE YOU, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THERE'S A HIGH PROBABILITY OF THERE BEING LITIGATION AROUND A BILL LIKE THIS.
IF SOMETHING WERE TO PASS, WHETHER THAT'S LITIGATION FROM INDIVIDUAL CITIES, FROM PROFESSIONALS LIKE MYSELF FROM TRADE ASSOCIATIONS, FROM, UH, FIRST AMENDMENT, UH, KIND OF ORGANIZATIONS, UH, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT THERE HAS LONG BEEN LOTS OF TALK AROUND THIS DEBATE ABOUT HOW CONSTITUTIONAL IT EVEN IS.
SO YOU HAVE THAT ELEMENT TO IT AS WELL.
HOPE THAT'S HELPFUL SO QUICKLY.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT DID PASS AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE ON TO SPECIALIST.
IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, UH, THAT WAS, UM, STATE REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT SANFORD FROM, UH, THE COLLIN COUNTY AREA.
I BELIEVE HE WAS THE AUTHOR OF THAT BILL.
CERTAINLY NOT THE FIRST TIME IT'S EVER BEEN PROPOSED.
UM, BUT IT WAS THE, IF IT WASN'T, THE, IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN LITERALLY THE FIRST TIME IT GOT THIS MUCH TRACTION, BUT IT WAS CLOSE TO IT.
QUICKLY TALK ABOUT WHAT DID PASS JUST A COUPLE OF BILLS TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU HERE, HOSPITAL 1869, PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT BILL THAT PASSED THIS SESSION AFFECTING LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND I, I TOLD YOU A MOMENT AGO, WE'D COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE SECRETARY OF STATE REVIEWING YOUR, YOUR BALLOT LANGUAGE, UM, IS VERY RELATED TO A DEBT.
DEBT HAS LONG BEEN AN ISSUE THAT THE LEGISLATURE, AT LEAST SOME MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE, IT'S PROBABLY A FAIR WAY TO SAY THAT SOME MEMBERS OF LEGISLATURE BELIEVE THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT ISSUES TOO MUCH DEBT AND ISSUES.
IT, YOU KNOW, UH, SORT OF IN THE DARK OF NIGHT, IF YOU WILL.
UM, AND WITH BALLOT LANGUAGE THAT'S CONFUSING OR MISLEADING AND YOU KNOW, NOT ENOUGH COMMUNITY INPUT, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO THAT DEBATE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL SESSIONS NOW.
AND I'VE BEEN TELLING MY CLIENTS INCLUDING ALL FOR YEARS THAT THE, YOU KNOW, DEBATE ON DEBT IS, IS COMING SOON TO A THEATER NEAR YOU.
THE LEGISLATURE IS AFTER YOU ON THIS, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP.
AND I'M STILL SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP, BUT THIS WAS A, A, A BIG STEP, A FIRST STEP FORWARD FOR THEM IN THAT REGARD, W THIS WAS A, I CALL THIS A VERY MECHANICAL BILL AND IT'S KIND OF A CONVOLUTED WAY OF GETTING IT, YOUR DAD, WHAT IT WOULD DO.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS FORCE YOU TO DECIDE BETWEEN HAVING AN ELECTION FOR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
OR IF YOU DON'T, THEN IT'S GOING TO COUNT AGAINST YOUR 3.5% CAP ON THE M AND O SIDE, WHICH IS WEIRD BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY DEBT IS NOT
[00:40:02]
DEAD, IS DEAD.AND AS Y'ALL KNOW, AND SETTING YOUR TAX RATES AND YOUR BUDGETS, YOU'VE HAD THOSE TWO SIDES OF THE HOUSE THEM AND O SIDE AND THE DEBT SIDE.
SO THIS WAS THIS SORT OF MECHANICAL WAY OF FORCING DEBT OVER TO THE MNO SIDE, SO THAT IT WOULD COUNT AGAINST YOUR CAP.
AND THAT WOULD BE YOUR DISINCENTIVE, RIGHT? CAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO EAT UP AT 3.5%.
SO YOU THEN NATURALLY MAKE THE DECISION.
WE'LL TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS AND THEN ALL BETS ARE OFF, UM, WHAT WE WERE EATING WELL TO DO IS ULTIMATELY GET A VERY WIDE ARRAY OF EXCEPTIONS TO THIS, INTO THE BILL, UH, INCLUDING AS YOU SEE THEIR DEBT ISSUED FOR WATER PROJECTS, SEWER STREETS, VEHICLES, EQUIPMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, PARKS, TIFS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF EXCEPTIONS TO THIS.
NOW WHAT I WOULD ADVISE YOU IN PR IN WHAT I WOULD PREDICT IS THAT NOW THEY WILL GO IN AND THEY WILL START SHIPPING AWAY AT THESE EXEMPTIONS.
NOW THAT THE STATUTORY FRAMEWORK IS THERE, THEN THEY CAN NOW START GOING IN KIND OF SINGLE SHOT AND SAYING, LET'S TAKE AWAY WHATEVER VEHICLES AND PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU KNOW, AND FORCE THAT TO GO TO THE VOTERS.
UM, SO YOU KNOW, REALLY WHAT THE BILL ENDED UP MORE OR LESS DOING IS SAYING, IF YOU'RE GOING TO A NEW BUILDING, A CITY BILL, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD A NEW CITY HALL, FOR EXAMPLE, USING CEO'S, YOU BETTER TAKE THAT TO THE VOTE.
SO THAT WAS HOUSE BILL 1869, AND THEN SENATE BILL 23 WAS THE SO-CALLED, YOU KNOW, PROTECT LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, UH, BUDGETS.
THERE WERE TWO, UH, BITES AT THIS APPLE, UH, THE SENATE BILL 23, WHICH ENDS UP BEING THE COUNTY VERSION.
SO, UH, THIS ONLY APPLIES TO COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT, I E THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AND THIS BILL ONLY APPLIED TO THE FIVE MAJOR URBAN COUNTIES.
UH, AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT SAYS THAT IT, UNLESS THERE IS AN ELECTION, UH, THAT APPROVED A REDUCTION TO THE, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT BUDGET.
UH, IF THE COUNTY DOES THAT WITHOUT AN ELECTION, IF THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT REDUCES THAT BUDGET WITH AN ELECTION, THEN THE PENALTY IS THAT THEIR PROPERTY TAX REVENUES ARE FROZEN.
UH, HOUSE BILL 1900 WAS THE MUNICIPAL VERSION OF THIS DOESN'T APPLY TO YOU.
SO I WON'T BELABOR IT, BUT IT DOES APPLY TO CITIES OVER 250,000 IN POPULATION.
AND IT'S MORE PUNITIVE AND HAS A DIFFERENT, UH, REALLY MECHANISM ALTOGETHER.
THIS IS AS DETERMINED BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
SO THE PRECEDENT THAT'S SET HERE TO BE VERY CANDID ABOUT IT IS THAT CITIES NOW HAVE TO TURN IN THEIR HOMEWORK TO THE GOVERNOR.
UM, AND THE GOVERNOR WILL MAKE A DETERMINATION SOLELY WITHOUT A LOT OF DETAIL ON THE STATUTE, GUIDING THEM AS TO WHAT IS, AND YOU NOTICE I HAVEN'T IT IN QUOTES HERE, CAUSE THIS IS THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE, A, A REDUCTION TO THE APPROPRIATION OF A MUNICIPALITIES POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WELL, AS YOU, YOU KNOW, AS MANAGEMENT KNOWS, THE BUDGET IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN THOSE WORDS RIGHT THERE AND APPROPRIATION TO THE MUNICIPALITY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO IT WAS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF THE LEGISLATURE DOING SOMETHING POLITICAL WITH, UH, A LOT OF DISREGARD FOR HOW YOU REALLY OPERATE DOWN IN THE WEEDS.
UM, AND AS I SAID, THE PENALTIES ARE PRETTY BAD HERE FOR CITIES.
IF, IF THE GOVERNOR DOES DECLARE THAT YOU'RE DEFENDING MUNICIPALITY, THEN YOU KNOW, ALL THESE THINGS HERE, YOU LOSE YOUR ANNEXATION AUTHORITY PROPERTIES THAT WERE JUST, I CAN'T EVEN SAY THIS STUFF WITHOUT LAUGHING.
UM, WHAT, UH, IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW, I THINK IS JUST LIKE WE'VE SEEN IN SOME OTHER DEBATES RECENTLY WHERE THEY, FOR EXAMPLE, PASS SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT ANNEXATION LAWS THAT THE FIRST BITE OF THE APPLE ONLY APPLIED TO BIG CITIES.
THEY HAVE THIS BRACKET IN HERE, THIS, YOU KNOW, 250,000, BUT WE TOLD EVERYBODY THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK NEXT SESSION AND I CAN TAKE THAT BRACKET OUT AND THEY'RE GONNA APPLY IT EVERYBODY.
THIS DEBATE MAY NOT BE OVER, UH, IT'S EASY FOR THEM TO GO IN MUCH, LIKE I SAID ABOUT THE D UH, THE, THE DEBT NOW THAT THE STATUTORY FRAMEWORK IS THERE.
IT'S EASIER TO GO IN AND NOW KIND OF JUST START WHITTLING AWAY AT THAT FRAMEWORK.
UM, AS B3 EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, THIS WAS AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF RESPONSE TO THE WINTER STORM.
[00:45:01]
BILL, UH, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL CITIES CARED ABOUT THIS.YOU SEE THERE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT IT DID.
SO, UH, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT IF YOU WANT TO, BUT LET'S MOVE ON.
AND IN AN ATTEMPT TO WRAP UP HERE, UH, SPECIAL SESSIONS, UM, IS, IS YOU NOW KNOW ON JULY 8TH, A SPECIAL SESSION WAS DECLARED BY THE GOVERNOR AND THE GOVERNOR SETS THAT AGENDA.
IT'S WHAT WE CALL THE, THE, THE CALL OF THE SESSION.
AND HE HAS TO, UH, DETAIL THAT, UH, IN WRITING AND LEGISLATION THAT DOESN'T APPLY TO THESE ITEMS IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO BE PASSED JUST AS A SIDE NOTE, IN CASE YOU EVER ARE LOOKING AT SOME NEWS ARTICLE OR SOME INFORMATION, AND YOU'RE CONFUSED AS TO WHY WERE BILLS FILED THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THESE SUBJECTS.
THEY'RE ALLOWED TO FILE STILL WHATEVER THEY WANT AND FILE A BILL ABOUT ANYTHING THEY WANT.
IT'S JUST NOT ELIGIBLE TO ACTUALLY BE PASSED, ULTIMATELY.
UH, BUT YOU SEE THERE, YOU KNOW, THIS LOOPS BACK TO WHERE WE STARTED WITH, YOU KNOW, WHERE WAS, WHERE WAS THERE ALIGNMENT? WHERE WAS THERE NOT A BAIL REFORM ELECTION IN INTEGRITY? UH, YOU SEE A COUPLE OF BULLET POINTS DOWN, ARTICLE 10, ARTICLE X FUNDING, UH, THAT IS THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH FUNDING.
AND AS YOU MAY HAVE READ THE GOVERNOR VETOED, THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH FUNDING, BOTH IS A PENALTY.
IF YOU WILL, FOR DEMOCRATS WALKING OUT ON THE LAST DAY OF SESSION, UH, AND KILLING THE ELECTION BILL, UH, AND AS SORT OF A, UH, INCENTIVE FOR DEMOCRATS TO COME BACK.
UM, SO FAR AS WE KNOW THAT THAT HASN'T WORKED, UH, DEMOCRATS THEN IS, IS, WAS WIDELY REPORTED ACROSS THE NATION.
UH, IN TEXAS HOUSE, DEMOCRATS DID STAGE A WALKOUT AND BROKE FORUM AND, UH, TOOK UP RESIDENCY IN WASHINGTON, DC, WHERE THEY WERE OUTSIDE OF THE POWERS OF THE GOVERNOR TO, UM, HAVE THEM AND THE SPEAKER, THE SPEAKER HAS THE POWER AS WELL TO LITERALLY SEND LAW ENFORCEMENT AFTER THEM AND, AND RETURN THEM TO THE STATE.
UM, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THE SENATE, WHICH STILL HAS CORUM HAS FULLY PASSED, YOU KNOW, THE VAST OF THE ITEMS, IF NOT ALL OF THE ITEMS ON THE SPECIAL SESSION, THE HOUSE WAS IN THE BEGINNING OF TAKING JUST A FEW STEPS WHEN, WHEN THE DEMOCRATS, UH, BROKE THE QUORUM.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE ARE NOW.
AND THEN, OR SHE JUST RECENTLY, A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, THE 30 DAY SPECIAL SESSION ENDED.
AND AS PROMISED GOVERNOR ABBOTT SAID, I'LL CALL A SECOND ONE.
SO WE STARTED THE CLOCK OVER ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 7TH.
SO WE'RE IN, YOU KNOW, DAY FOUR OR WHATEVER OF THE NEW SPECIAL SESSION WITH, UH, WHAT IS MORE OR LESS THAN AN IDENTICAL SET OF, UH, OF AGENDA ITEMS. SO WE HAVE ABOUT 26 DAYS LEFT, UH, FOR THAT, UH, SECOND SPECIAL SESSION.
THERE WILL BE, AT SOME POINT, WE, WE, WE SAY HERE ON THIS SLIDE, A THIRD SPECIAL SESSION, WHO KNOWS IT COULD BE THE FOURTH OR FIFTH BY THAT POINT, BUT THERE WILL BE ANOTHER SPECIAL SESSION AT SOME POINT TO NEW REDISTRICTING.
UH, THE CENSUS, AS YOU KNOW, WAS NOT AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND SO WITHOUT THE CENSUS NUMBERS, WE CAN'T DRAW THE MAPS.
UH, THERE WILL ALSO BE, UM, IS THE SLIDE THERE? WELL, LET ME GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE.
WHAT I WANT YOU TO MAKE SURE Y'ALL KNOW ABOUT THE CENSUS IS THAT ONCE THAT CENSUS IS OUT, WE THEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE STATE LAWS AND UPDATE ALL THE BRACKETS, WHAT WE CALL POPULATION BRACKETS.
THAT POPULATION BRACKET IS HOW THIS CITY QUALIFIES FOR SOME OF THE INCENTIVE MONEY FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL PROJECTS.
AND SO WE WILL HAVE TO PASS A BILL FOR Y'ALL TO UPDATE THAT, THAT PROVISION IN THE LAW TO REFLECT YOUR NEW CENSUS NUMBER.
SO WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THAT UNTIL THE NEW CENSUS IS IN.
SO, UH, AND WE W WE WILL NOT DO THAT DURING A SPECIAL SESSION.
WE WILL DO THAT IN, IN, IN 2023.
UH, AND THEN IN ADDITION, UH, GOVERNOR ABBOTT, UH, COMPROMISE WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO GIVE THE LEGISLATIVE BODY A LARGER ROLE IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE ROUGHLY $16 BILLION COMING FROM THE FEDS FOR COVID RECOVERY.
AND SO, W W AT SOME POINT WE WILL HAVE A SPECIAL SESSION THAT WILL PROBABLY COINCIDE WITH THE REDISTRICTING.
THEY'LL PROBABLY DO BOTH OF THOSE AT THE SAME TIME.
SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE STILL TO COME, UM, A LITTLE BIT HERE, UH, INFORMATION, UH, WE WERE ASKED RECENTLY BY STAFF,
[00:50:01]
UH, ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE FINER DETAILS HERE, UH, OF WHERE THINGS STOOD WITH THE $350 BILLION THAT WENT OUT TO, TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.UH, RIGHT NOW, TEXAS IS ONE OF ONLY 11 STATES, UM, THAT HAS NOT RECEIVED THEIR, THEIR, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING YET.
SO, UH, TO BE DETERMINED WITH THAT, I'LL WRAP UP.
I THINK WE HAVE, UH, IN YOUR PACKET, I THINK WE HAVE A LONG APPENDIX OF A LOT OF OTHER LEGISLATION THAT PASSED, BUT, UH, CERTAINLY NOT GO THROUGH THAT UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
SO, UM, YOU DIDN'T REALLY HAVE NOTHING TO FOLLOW DURING THE SESSION.
IT WAS ANOTHER BORING SESSION.
UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? UH, I GUESS FOR ME, UH, SUCH AS KIND OF NEW TOWARDS CEDAR HILL, UH, I MEAN, WE, WE DID HAVE THE HOTEL CONVENTION, UH, PROJECT, BUT, UM, I'LL HOPE BY 2023, WE CAN BE ABLE TO SEE SOME TRACTION OF THAT MOVING FORWARD, BUT KIND OF GAVE ME SOME INFORMATION.
UM, I'M ASSUMING THERE'S NO ARTHUR FOR THAT VIDEO RIGHT NOW, AS, AS IT RELATES TO ABLATION BRACKET.
SO AT 2023, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW, WHAT, WHAT IS IT, DO WE NEED TO DO ON OUR END TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS TO GET SOME TRACKS? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, SO AFTER EVERY CENSUS, THERE IS, UH, AN OMNIBUS PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT GOES THROUGH AND UPDATES ALL THOSE BRACKETS.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOUR JOB AND OUR JOB IS TO COMMUNICATE TO FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOUR LOCAL DELEGATION, YOUR REPRESENTATIVE SHARMAN, SENATOR WEST AND OTHERS.
UH, THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE INCLUDED IN THAT WHAT WE CALL OMNIBUS BRACKETTVILLE, THAT'S SORT OF THE, THE, THE SLANG TERM THAT WE USE FOR EVERYBODY CALLS IT, THE BRACKET BILL, UM, AND THEN, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IN IT AND THAT WE STAY IN IT, AND THAT ULTIMATELY THAT THAT BILL GETS PASSED.
UM, SO THAT'S THE, UH, THE SHORT ANSWER.
I APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, WORK ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
UM, AND, AND YOU ALREADY ADDRESSED THIS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT, THIS LOBBYING BILL, THE, THE PART THAT REALLY I STRUGGLE WITH IS IF A CITY SHARES THE FACTS AS TO THE BUDGET IMPACTS, WHICH IS JUST PROVIDING INFORMATION YOU'RE RIGHT.
IT COULD DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF THE OUTCOME.
AND SO IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A HORRIBLE PIECE OF LEGISLATION, BECAUSE I, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE TO SHARE THE FACTS ON WHAT THEY ARE DOING, HOW IT WOULD IMPACT US, AND JUST MERELY PROVIDING FACTUAL INFORMATION COULD BE IMPACTING OR DETERMINE THE OUTCOME.
AND JUST SEEMS LIKE WHOEVER'S DOING THAT IS NOT THINKING VERY CLEARLY.
AND I COULD SEE WHAT YOU WERE SAYING THAT IT'S JUST, IT'S RIGHT WITH A LOT OF LEGAL CHALLENGES.
AND I DON'T, I WISH, I MEAN, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE COMMUNICATING, BUT THAT'S JUST BAD POLICY.
AND I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW ARE GET THAT ACROSS BECAUSE I GET THE SENSE THAT IT HAS LEGS.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WOULD PURSUE SOMETHING THAT, THAT, UM, IS SUCH BAD.
IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, IT IS VERY CLASSIC, UM, YOU KNOW, SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM.
UM, WHAT THE, AT THE PROPONENTS OF THAT LEGISLATION CONTEND AND WHAT THEY, UH, ESPOUSE IT IS THAT, UH, LOBBYIST LIKE MYSELF AND SOMETIMES Y'ALL AND OTHERS, UM, ARE DOWN IN AUSTIN AT THE CAPITOL, WORKING ON LEGISLATION THAT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, DIAMETRIC OPPOSITION TO WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY WANTS AND THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, TAX AND SPEND, YOU KNOW, SORT OF PROPOSALS.
UM, IT, IT FLIES IN THE FACE OF REALITY TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR AS I'M FOND OF SAYING, WELL, WE, WE, WE GO TO THE ARDUOUS TASK OF LITERALLY NUMBERING EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
SO WOULD YOU PLEASE POINT TO THE BILL OR I WAS DOWN HERE LOBBYING ON SOMETHING THAT WAS SO BAD FOR THE CITIZENS OF CEDAR HILL.
PLEASE TELL ME THE BILL NUMBER.
YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO POINT TO THE BILL.
AND OF COURSE THEY, CAN'T WHAT THIS REALLY
[00:55:01]
STEMMED FROM IS S ME TO THE PROPERTY TAX CAP BILL.AND AS YOU SAID, VERY WELL, PROVIDING THE LEGISLATURE WITH FACTS ABOUT HOW STYMIEING OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUES WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY IN, IN IMPACT.
THE ABILITY TO DELIVER SERVICES IS NOT LOBBYING AGAINST THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT THEY, THEY, SOME MEMBERS STEADFASTLY INSISTS THAT IT, THAT IT WAS.
SO THIS IS IN LARGE PART, YOU KNOW, RE LITIGATING SB TWO, ONE, UH, ONE LAST QUESTION I HAVE, AND THEN I GUESS WE GOTTA GET READY FOR OUR COUNCIL MEETING, UM, AS IT RELATES TO SB TWO, UM, I NOTICED THAT THERE WASN'T ANY AMENDMENTS THAT WAS MADE IN THE PREVIOUS LEGISLATION.
DO YOU, WERE THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS? IT JUST DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE FLOOR.
AND I SHOULD HAVE INTRODUCED THAT HOUSE BILL 1869, THAT DEBT BILL REALLY IN THAT REGARD, THAT'S IT STEMMED AS MUCH FROM THAT SB TWO DID NOT AFFECT THE DEBT SIDE AND, AND THE AUTHOR OF THAT BILL, UH, CHAIRMAN BURROWS OF, UH, OF SB TWO IS THE AUTHOR OF HOUSE BILL 1869.
AND IN HIS INTRODUCTION, THAT'S MORE OR LESS HOW WE STYLED.
IT WAS, WE ALMOST DID THIS IN SB TWO.
WE, I W YOU KNOW, WHAT HE SAID WAS I WANTED TO TACKLE DEBT IN SB TWO, BUT I WAS CONVINCED NOT TO INTO WAIT.
SO IN SOME WAYS THEY DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GET BACK INTO SB TWO, AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ON THE DEBT SIDE OF THE, GOT IT, GOT IT.
WELL, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT'S COMING NEXT ON THE UPCOMING.
LET'S SAY THE SESSION WE STILL GOT REDISTRICTING COME UP.
SO I'M SURE WE WILL HAVE SOME FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT.
UM, AS IT RELATES TO THAT COUNSEL, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR BRIEFING SESSION AND, UH, ENTERTAIN THE MOST IMPORTANT GENTLEMEN, MOTION TO ADJOURN.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SO LIKE A CUTS MEMBER GROVER, NOT A BABY MOTION COUNCIL.
I HAVE 6 57 WHERE YOU ALTERNATE.