* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
           
          [Press Conference: “City Controller Speaks on HFD Union Settlement”]
          [00:00:18]
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. 
          THANK Y'ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY. 
          AS YOU KNOW, AFTER A PROLONGED A YEARS LONG LEGAL BATTLE, THE MAYOR RECENTLY PROPOSED SETTLEMENT WITH ESSENTIALLY YEARS OUR DEDICATED FIREFIGHTER COMPENSATION. 
          WE MUST ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY ABOUT CITY FINANCE, INCREASE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF HOW YOUR CASH BEING SPENT AND DRIVE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS IN CITY GOVERNMENT SO THAT WE CAN INVEST MORE IN YOU, IN YOUR FAMILY, AND ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT. 
          AN OPEN DIALOGUE ABOUT FINANCE CRUCIAL FOR DELIVERING ON THAT WITH THE CITY FACING IMPLICATIONS OF SETTLEMENT, WHICH DESIGNATE IN FIREFIGHTERS FAIR COMPENSATION. 
          CITY WORKERS TAXPAYER AFFORD AFFORDABILITY BEFORE THE SETTLEMENT. 
          THE CITY ALREADY HAD AN EXISTING STRUCTURAL MILLION. 
          THIS MEANS THAT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, OUR RECURRING EXPENSES ARE OF MILLIONS OF MORE THAN THE REVENUE WE EXPECT BRING IN. 
          THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT'S WAY AROUND IT. 
          JUST LIKE EACH OF US TO BALANCE. 
          YOU CAN'T REPEATEDLY SPEND MORE THAN WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES. 
          EVEN IF PUT EVERYTHING CREDIT CARD BILL DUE AT POINT, YOU HAVE TO SAVINGS ACCOUNT AND THE CITY HAS ONE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, MY OFFICE PROJECT THAT OUR UPWARD MILLION AND THIS US A YEAR TIME GET OUR FINANCIAL HOUSING ORDER SAVINGS, SPENDING WITHOUT SOLUTIONS TO BRING IN MORE REVENUE. 
          AND AGAIN, ALL OF THIS IS BEFORE WE FACTOR IN THE PROPOSED FIREFIGHTER. 
          IF WE MOVE FORWARD, THEN A JUDGMENT BOND WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE TO COVER A LUMP SUM PAYMENT FOR FIREFIGHTER BACK, LIKE A MORTGAGE ON YOUR OWN. 
          THAT BOND WILL BE PAID OUT OVER A IN THE RUN FACTOR. 
          THE ANNUAL COST OF THOSE PAYMENTS WILL BE UPWARDS OF MILLION. 
          SO THAT'S NOW WHEN WE FACTOR RAISES GOING FORWARD. 
          WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL MILLION IN YEAR EXCEED THE YEAR OF THIS CONTRACT. 
          SO LET'S DO THE MAP ON THAT. 
          WE HAVE AN WE'RE 80 MILLION ON AN BASIS NOW. 
          THAT'S BEFORE WE NEGOTIATED CONTRACT WITH WORKERS COMING MONTHS. 
          NEXT, GOING BACK TO OUR PLAIN AND SIMPLE, THERE ARE ONLY TWO WAYS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. 
          YOU REVENUE OR TOUCH ON THIS MORE IN A MOMENT. 
          IN THIS MOMENT, I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT WEIGHING ON THE FIRST RESPONDERS PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO KEEP US SAFE. 
          THEY DESERVE TO BE PAID AND THEY DESERVE THE DIGNITY THAT COMES WITH THAT CITY VALUES THEM AND THE THESE PERSONAL, THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW THAT MY DAD, COMMUNITY POLICE OFFICERS. 
          AND YOU ALSO KNOW THAT BOTH OF MY SISTERS 
          [00:05:01]
ARE MARRIED TO H FIREFIGHTERS, FIREFIGHTERS WHO HAVE DEALT WITH YEARS OF FINANCIAL INSECURITY, BUT SHOWING UP TO WORK TO SERVE THE CITY. 
          HAVING MEMBERS WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINES TO SERVE COMMUNITY, KEEP THE REAL PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BEYOND THAT ALL CITY WORKERS DO AN IMPORTANT MUST PAY THEM COMPETITIVELY. 
          RECRUIT. 
          UNDERSTAND. 
          MY JOB IS TO, OUR DOLLARS ARE, AND WE AS CITY ARE ON A SUSTAINABILITY GIVEN THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE ANY DEAL COMES ACROSS HAS. 
          AND SO THE IMPACT ON OUR CITY'S, WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND COLLABORATION IN THIS PROCESS THAT INCLUDE OBLIGATION, SO FINANCIAL AND REDUCE THE RISK TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT RESIDENTS DEPEND ON AND THAT IT IMPACT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. 
          WE'RE ENGAGING WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, CITY COUNCIL, THE FIREFIGHTER UNION, AND AND THOUGHTFUL PRESERVING CRITICAL CITY SERVICES FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON WANNA E THAT THE SERVICES ARE NOT LUXURY SERVICES THAT WE NEED TO BE SAFE IN OUR, WE NEED ACCESS CLEAN IN, WE NEED OUR NEED, OUR ROADS. 
          AND THESE ARE FUNDAMENTAL NECESSITIES THAT RESIDENTS DEPEND AND FOR WITH THEIR TAX. 
          AND SO EVEN AS WE ABOUT WAYS EFFICIENT IN PROVIDING SERVICES IN ORDER TO OUR FINANCIAL LARGE SCALE CUTS AND LAY, NOT GET THE JOB DONE, THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO TAKE A, TO DILIGENTLY SEARCHING FOR, WE OPERATE MORE EFFICIENTLY. 
          WE NOT ONLY QUALITY OF CRITICAL CITY SERVICES, AND IN DOING SO TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE OF, AND WE MUST UPHOLD THAT RESPONSIBILITY. 
          MY OFFICE IS COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND ALL COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. 
          THE OF ANSWER QUESTION? SURE. 
          SO TO, TO CLARIFY, UNDERSTAND QUESTION COST, COST SAVINGS. 
          SURE. 
          SO WE'RE ALREADY ENGAGED, UH, IN A, WORKING WITH THE MAYOR'S FINANCE TEAM AND THAT'S TURNING OVER EVERY PHONE, UH, TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CITIES TO CUT COSTS TO OPERATE MORE EFFICIENTLY, A SIGNIFICANT REPORT UP MORE AND OFTEN THESE DAYS THAT GAVE US DOZENS OF OPTIONS THAT MIGHT SAVE A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR OF 5 MILLION THERE. 
          BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT OUR CURRENT FINANCIAL SITUATION WITH A WHOLE OF 60 MILLION, WHICH GONNA BALLOON WELL UPWARDS OF HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS AND CLOSER TO $300 MILLION SOON, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THOSE ONE-OFF OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT GONNA GET, SHOULD CONSIDER, UH, THE GARBAGE IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS UNIQUE IN, THAT WE'RE THE ONLY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT DOESN'T. 
          AND SO I'M ALWAYS, WHO SEEMS TO BE A, THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT HAVE A GARBAGE, UH, THAT TO PAY FOR THIS INCREDIBLE SERVICE, UM, IN 
          [00:10:04]
NUMBER ONE, I'M RECORD LONG.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.