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HALL, WELCOME TO THE BIG CROWD.
I'M, I'M, I'M HOPING THAT IT'S THE, THE IMPENDING, UM, BAD WEATHER THAT IS KEEPING PEOPLE AWAY AND NOT, NOT THAT THEY DON'T WANNA HEAR ALL ABOUT THE CITY BUDGET, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE THREE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS.
SO HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE SOME, UH, GREATER ATTENDANCE AT, AT SOME OF THE OTHER BUDGET TOWN HALLS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME WHEN I WAS NAMED CHAIR OF THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
I AM A BIG BELIEVER IN MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UH, WE HAVE, I HAVE A SURVEY THAT I WANT EVERYBODY TO FILL OUT.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
BUT, UH, AN IMPORTANT PART OF, OH, I'M SALLY ALCORN, CHAIR OF THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, AND, UM, THIS IS MY VICE CHAIR, MARIO CASTILLO.
AND, UM, WE ARE REALLY EAGER TO BRING THE BUDGET TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO GET DOWNTOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY, UH, TO, TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH YOUR TAX DOLLARS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE SOME HIGH LEVEL BRIEFINGS IN THE COMMUNITIES, AND WE REALLY JUST ARE USING THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM YOU, TO HEAR WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE FOR THIS BUDGET, AND TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN.
UM, I AM HAPPY THAT WE HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER'S OFFICE HERE AND STAFF FROM COMMISSIONER BRIANA'S OFFICE, AND ALSO WE HAVE SOME FINANCE AND IARA STAFF HERE AS WELL.
AND, UM, SO, UM, WE WANT TO JUST, LIKE I SAID, GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL, UM, VIEW OF THE PRESENTATION.
WE JUST GOT THE BUDGET ON TUESDAY, SO IT'S THURSDAY.
WE'VE ABOUT BEEN THROUGH ALL OF IT.
NO, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF IT.
UH, BUT WE'VE HAD ABOUT FIVE OR SIX BUDGET WORKSHOPS ALREADY.
AND YESTERDAY THE BUDGET PROCESS WAS KICKED OFF BY MELISSA DEBOWSKI, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, WHO WENT THROUGH, UM, SOME OF THE SLIDES THAT WE HAVE UP HERE.
WE ABBREVIATED HER PRESENTATION BY QUITE A BIT, AND, AND SHE ALSO GAVE US A FIVE YEAR FORECAST.
AND THEN WE'VE DONE, WE, EACH DEPARTMENT COMES TO CITY HALL TO GET, GIVE US, GIVE IT THEIR, UM, BUDGET, PRESENT THEIR BUDGET TO CITY COUNCIL.
SO THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE ADMINISTRATION'S BUDGET COUNCIL WILL BE CONSIDERING THIS BUDGET.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT, UM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND I DEVISED.
WE ARE JUST SIMPLY BRINGING IT TO THE CONSTITUENTS AND HEARING BACK FROM THE CONSTITUENTS ON THIS.
SO IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO ANSWER.
AND FINANCE STAFF IS HERE WHO CAN HELP US OUT.
BUT WE JUST GOT THE BUDGET A COUPLE DAYS AGO.
WE MIGHT NOT HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS FOR YOU.
WE WILL BE SUMMARIZING YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO US TO GET BACK TO YOU DIRECTLY IN WRITING, THERE'S CARDS.
YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A FORM ON THE AT LARGE FIVE, UH, WEBSITE, UH, QUESTION FORM THAT YOU CAN FILL OUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO DO IT THAT WAY.
AND I'LL KICK IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, I'LL BE VERY BRIEF AND, AND JUST SAY THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, EVERYONE WHO IS HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN ENVISIONED, UM, IN TAKING THE BUDGET TO THE CITIZENS DIRECTLY, UM, AND HEARING DIRECTLY FROM YOU ABOUT HOW YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT AND YOUR INPUT AND YOUR FEEDBACK.
AND SO, UH, YOUR PARTICIPATION'S VITAL.
UH, WE BOTH REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND WE WILL JUST JUMP RIGHT IN TO THE PRESENTATION.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME TRANSLATION SERVICES HERE ON ALBERTO.
RAISE YOUR HAND IF ANYBODY NEEDS IT.
DOES ANYBODY, IF ANYBODY NEEDS IT.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL JUST START RIGHT IN THIS, UH, WE ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT STARTED ACTUALLY LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST YEAR, BUT IT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A WHILE AS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN A PROPONENT FOR A PROPONENT OF CALLED OUTCOME BASED BUDGETING.
AND IT'S REALLY A BUDGET PROCESS, WHICH FOCUSES ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO AS A CITY ON THE OUTCOMES WE WANNA ACHIEVE.
AND THE BIGGEST AND THE BIGGEST TENANT, THE FIRST TENANT OF OUTCOME-BASED BUDGETING IS HOUSTONIAN INPUT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE BLEW UP THAT PART OF THE SLIDE SHE PRESENTED.
SHE HAD MORE VERBIAGE UNDER THESE OTHER THINGS.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES ALSO VERY IMPORTANT.
ALL OF THIS IS IMPORTANT, BUT THE REASON WE'RE HERE TONIGHT IS BECAUSE OF THIS FIRST BULLET.
WE WANNA HEAR YOUR INPUT ON THE BUDGET.
WE WANNA HEAR YOUR PRIORITIES.
WE WANT, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF OUTCOME-BASED BUDGETING.
AND IT'S DIFFERENT THAN JUST INCREMENTAL BUDGETING,
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WHERE YOU JUST LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAD LAST YEAR AND ADD TO IT OR SUBTRACT TO IT.YOU REALLY LOOK AT THE OUTCOMES YOU WANNA ACHIEVE AND THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES YOU'RE USING TO GET THOSE OUTCOMES.
AND THAT'S HOW YOU BUILD THE BUDGET.
THESE ARE MAYOR WHIT MEYER'S PRIORITIES, AND I'M NOT GONNA READ THEM ALL TO YOU.
THERE'S SOME PRINTED COPIES IF PEOPLE WANNA TAKE THEM.
THIS IS ALSO ALL, THE LONGER VERSION OF THIS PRESENTATION IS ALL ONLINE.
THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT'S PRESENTATION IS ALL ONLINE, BUT THESE ARE MAYOR WHIT PRIORITIES, PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE, GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND YOU CAN READ ABOUT THE, THE ITEMS UNDER THOSE THINGS.
AND I LIKE, I LIKE, UM, WE'RE USED TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS IS, IS AN, IS IS AN INTERESTING ONE TO ME.
THAT'S THE INTERNAL OPERATIONS OF THE CITY.
THAT'S HOW WE REALLY ARE OPERATING AS A CITY.
HOW WE'RE MAINTAINING OUR CREDIT RATING AND MANAGING AND LEVERAGING GRANT DOLLARS.
AND, AND, AND ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, EACH ACTIVITY AND SERVICE AND PROGRAM THAT WE PROVIDE SHOULD MATCH UP TO ONE OF THESE PRIORITIES, ONE OF THESE OUTCOMES THAT, THAT WE WANNA SEE IN THE BUDGET.
AND THESE, THIS IS THE PIE AS IT'S, AS IT'S, UM, AS IT'S SPLIT UP.
THERE WAS A NET CHANGE OF ABOUT 7% OF, OF THE ENTIRE BUDGET.
AND, AND THE WAY THE CITY OPERATES IS THERE'S THE BIG, OH NO.
AND THAT IS BETTER THAN A WATCH, RIGHT? BETTER THAN A WATCH OR WORSE THAN A WATCH IS WORSE THAN WATCH.
WARNING IS A BAD WATCH, IS WATCH, WATCH, KEEP AN EYE WARNING MEANS THEY'VE IDENTIFIED A COORDINATOR.
WELL, SO YEAH, THERE'S NO WINDOWS.
UM, OFFICER
I THINK WE'RE, WE SHOULD BE OKAY.
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ON.
AND, UM, BUT REALLY SORRY Y'ALL FOR THIS.
UM, WE, WE WERE, I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS BAD OF A WEATHER CONDITION.
SO ANYWAY, THE, THE, THE WHOLE BUDGET INCLUDES NOT JUST THE TAX SUPPORTED BUDGET, WHICH IS OUR GENERAL FUND, BUT ALSO OUR AVIATION DEPARTMENT, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENTS, THE DEPARTMENTS THAT SUPPORT THEMSELVES WITH FEES, UH, LIKE YOU PAY A PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGE AT THE AIRPORT SO THAT, THAT HANDLES ALL THE OPERATIONS AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, YOU PAY YOUR WATER BILL THAT HANDLES YOUR, YOUR WA THE, THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM, YOU PAY A DRAINAGE FEE, WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO THE, OUR STREET AND DRAINAGE.
SO, UM, THIS IS THE ENTIRE THING.
YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S ALL DIVIDED UP.
AND, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THESE ARE THE, THE CITYWIDE EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE 21,189 EMPLOYEES BUDGET BUDGETED FOR THIS, THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, 2025, WHICH YOU CAN SEE IS JUST A VERY SLIGHT INCREASE.
MOST OF THIS BUDGET IS PRETTY FLAT CITYWIDE.
SO YOU SEE THE GENERAL FUND THAT'S TAX SUPPORTED UP FRONT, THEN THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, THAT'S PUBLIC WORKS AVIATION, AND THEN, UM, OTHER FUNDS.
SO YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND THEN THIS IS THE GENERAL FUND.
THESE ARE THE GENERAL FUND EMPLOYEES, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT IS MOSTLY POLICE AND FIRE CLASSIFIED PEOPLE THAT MAKE UP THE BULK OF THAT 8,000 PLUS OUT OF THOSE 13,000 EMPLOYEES.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, THIS IS, UH, 11.1% OF THE FUND BALANCE LESS DEBT.
BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS USING $187 MILLION OF THE FUND BALANCE THAT WE HAD FROM LAST YEAR TO COVER THE BUDGET GAP IN THIS YEAR.
10% INCREASE TO BUDGET BASE PAY FOR FIREFIGHTERS.
THAT'S PART OF THE, THE FIREFIGHTER SETTLEMENT.
UM, 3.5% PAY RAISE FOR POLICE CLASSIFIED OFFICERS.
THIS IS THE LAST YEAR OF THEIR CONTRACT.
UH, WE HAVE A FULLY FUNDED BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND.
THAT'S OUR RAINY DAY FUND, $25 MILLION.
AND, AND THAT'S TO HANDLE ANY KIND OF DISASTERS OR UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES THAT COME UP.
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BUDGET FUNDS FIVE POLICE CADET CLASSES AND FIVE FIRE CADET CLASSES.IT FULLY FUNDS OUR THREE PENSION SYSTEMS FOR FIRE AND MUNICIPAL AND POLICE.
AND IT CONTRIBUTES, UM, MORE TO OUR OPE TRUST, OUR OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TRUST TO COVER RETIREE HEALTH BENEFITS IN THE FUTURE.
SO IT ALSO INCLUDES THE FUND BALANCE DRAWDOWN FOR FY 25 AS WE PREPARE FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AND NO ONE TIME LAND SALES TO, TO HANDLE ANY OF THE, UM, OF THE, UM, UH, ANY OF THE OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
SO SOME OF THE OTHER HIGHLIGHTS OFF THE PRESENTATION, UH, WE HAVE $30.6 MILLION.
IS THAT IN ANOTHER SLIDE? THE, THE, UM, OKAY, THIS IS THE GEN.
OKAY, THIS IS, AGAIN, YOU KNOW HOW WE HAD THE OTHER, THE OTHER, UM, CITYWIDE EXPENDITURES.
THESE ARE THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.
SO THIS, YOU SEE, THESE ARE THE, I MEAN THE REV REVENUE SOURCES, SORRY, REVENUES, PROPERTY TAX MAKES UP 50% OF OUR REVENUES.
UM, THEN WE HAVE SOME OTHER REVENUES AND F FRANCHISE FEES THAT ARE SMALLER.
AND YOU CAN SEE JUST A A, YOU CAN SEE A, AN, UM, A NET CHANGE OF 2.81% IN, IN OUR, IN OUR REVENUES.
GO TO THE EXPENDITURE SLIDE OR THAT'S THE, THAT THIS IS THE CHARTER.
I'LL, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
NOW
UM, SO COULD YOU GO BACK ONE MORE? YEAH.
SO THIS SHOWS OUR REVENUES FOR THE NEXT BUDGET FISCAL YEAR 25.
UM, YOU'LL SEE HALF OF IT IS PROPERTY TAXES AND THEN 32% IS SALES TAX, 150,000, UH, OR 5% IS FRANCHISE FEES, AND 13 IS OTHER REVENUES.
UM, SO THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA.
YOU ALSO HAVE THE 2024 ESTIMATE THERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE SMALL INCREASES, UM, IN SOME OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
BUT THE OVERALL NET CHANGE IS, UH, MINUS 2.87% FROM 24 TO 25.
SO THIS CHART, UM, IS REALLY INTERESTING AND WE WANTED TO SHOW THIS TO YOU BECAUSE IT DEMONSTRATES WHAT WE'RE BRINGING IN FOR REVENUES, BUT IT ALSO ILLUSTRATES THE IMPACT OF OUR REVENUE CAP.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN WAS MENTIONING A BUDGET GAP.
UM, WHAT YOU SEE HERE IN BLUE ARE OUR REVENUES.
THE RED LINE IS THE REVENUE CAP THAT WE ARE UNDER.
THE YELLOW IS EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE NOT BRINGING IN THAT YEAR BECAUSE OF THE REVENUE CAP.
SO YOU CAN SEE FOR 24, THERE WAS A, UM, $400 MILLION IMPACT TO THE CITY BUDGET BECAUSE OF THE REVENUE CAP.
SO THAT'S $400 MILLION WE COULD NOT LEGALLY TAKE IN.
UM, AND THEN 25, THAT'S 338 MILLION, UM, WHICH WOULD COVER OUR BUDGET DEFICIT IF WE WERE ALLOWED TO TAKE IT IN.
SO VERY, YOU KNOW, GOOD WAY TO SEE HOW THAT IS IMPACTING US YEAR TO YEAR.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THE REVENUE COIN, YOU HAVE EXPENDITURES.
UM, SO THIS IS A ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT WE ARE PAYING FOR EVERY YEAR AS A CITY.
UM, YOU CAN SEE PUBLIC SAFETY IS PROJECTED TO BE 57% OF OUR EXPENDITURES.
UM, AND THAT'S FIRE, THE EMERGENCY CENTER, MUNICIPAL COURTS AND POLICE.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ALL YOUR OTHER BREAKDOWNS THERE.
UM, 1% ON ELECTED OFFICIALS, UH, CITY CONTROLLER, CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR, UM, 3% ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, WHICH IS THE CITY SECRETARY, UH, LEGAL, FINANCE, UM, DEBT SERVICE, 12%, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES.
SO, UH, GEN, UH, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS PLANNING SOLID WASTE.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF WHAT WE SPEND GOES TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
NOW IF YOU BREAK THAT DOWN, UM, A LOT OF THAT IS PERSONNEL.
UM, SO FROM THE 2025 PROPOSED BUDGET, 61% OF OUR EXPENSES ARE PERSONNEL.
UM, AND IF YOU TAKE THAT TO THE
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SIDE ON THE LEFT, YOU'LL SEE THAT OF THE 61% TO PERSONNEL, 76% IS TO CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES.SO YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, 24% IS FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.
SO OF OUR BUDGET, OVER HALF OF IT IS PERSONNEL.
OF THAT HALF, 76% OF THAT IS JUST CLASSIFIED PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES.
UM, SO THAT LEAVES 39% FOR ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL.
GO TO THE MIC OR WE'LL BRING YOU A MIC TURN.
UH, CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL WAS 76%.
AND YOU'RE PROPOSING IT'S GONNA DROP DOWN TO 61%, 76% OF THE 61.
SO IT BREAKS OUT THIS WAY AND THAT WAY, THANK YOU.
AND WE FURTHER BREAK THAT DOWN BECAUSE THAT'S ALL UNDER THE PERSONNEL UMBRELLA.
SO WE WANNA SHOW YOU OF PERSONNEL.
76% OF OUR, UH, EXPENDITURES IS CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL, WHICH IS YOUR FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT REDUCING YOUR BUDGET, CUTTING YOUR BUDGET, IF ALL OF YOUR COSTS, YOU KNOW, ARE MAJORITY GOING INTO PERSONNEL, UH, IF YOU CUT, THAT'S MOSTLY WHERE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CUT TO SEE ANY REAL SAVINGS.
SO IT JUST ILLUSTRATES, UH, THE SITUATION, THE FINANCIAL SITUATION THE CITY IS IN, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T ALWAYS JUST SAY, WE'RE GONNA REDUCE EVERYONE BY 5% AND WE'LL BE FINE, BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA MEAN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REDUCE OUR WORKFORCE FORCE.
SO THIS, UH, THIS SLIDE IS JUST BREAKING DOWN REALLY OUR GAP, THE, THE DEFICIT THAT WE FACE AS A CITY.
SO THE VERY BOTTOM, YOU'LL SEE FINAL BUDGETARY GAP, 187 MILLION.
NOW WE GET THAT BECAUSE WE'RE STARTING AT THE VERY TOP WITH 158 MILLION.
SO WE'RE PROJECTING SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUES IN 2025.
THAT'LL BE, UH, ABOUT 56 MILLION.
SO YOU'LL PAY DOWN YOUR GAP A LITTLE THERE.
BUT THEN THE EXPENDITURE ADJUSTMENTS ARE ASSUMING A FEW THINGS.
SO WE'RE ASSUMING THE DRAFT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT FOR FIREFIGHTERS GETS ADOPTED.
THIS IS TAKING THAT INTO ACCOUNT, WHICH WOULD COST 36 MILLION FOR THE 10% RAISE THAT THEY WOULD SEE IN 2025.
AND THAT WOULD START JULY ONE IF IT IS ADOPTED.
UM, THERE'S ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES IN THAT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT FOR ASSIGNMENT EDUCATION PAY.
SO THERE'S ANOTHER 10 MILLION THERE.
UM, PART OF THAT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT COMES WITH A SETTLEMENT FOR ALL THE BACK PAY.
SO WE DID NOT PAY, UH, FIREFIGHTERS ANY RAISES OVER EIGHT YEARS BECAUSE OF A CONTRACTUAL DISPUTE.
SO THAT LUMP SUM PAYMENT STANDS AT 650 MILLION CURRENTLY.
SO THAT WOULD BE FINANCED THROUGH A BOND.
AND SO YOU'RE SEEING THE 30 MILLION THAT WE WOULD PAY EVERY YEAR TO PAY DOWN THAT BOND, AND THEN A FEW OTHER EXPENDITURES.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THE 84 MILLION, WHICH BRINGS YOUR GAP TO 187 MILLION.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? THOSE ARE JUST, UH, ADDITIONAL EXPENSES THAT ARE NOT, SEE SOME OF THESE ARE THE BIGGER TICKET ONES.
UH, THE, THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, INCREASE IN PAY, THE JUDGMENT BOND, YEARLY PAYMENT, AND THEN THE EDUCATIONAL AND ASSIGNMENT PAY.
UM, WE'RE GONNA ALSO INCUR ADDITIONAL EXPENSES TOO, UH, BEYOND THAT.
PAULA, YOU MIGHT HAVE KNOW THAT ON THE OTHER EXPEND ON THIS SLIDE.
SO SOME PAYMENT LIMITED PURPOSE ANNEXATIONS.
SO THOSE ARE INCLUDING PAYMENTS FOR LIMITED PURPOSE ANNEXATIONS.
AND THEN DID YOU SAY SIX 11 WALKER? YEAH.
THE, UH, RENOVATIONS, THE PUBLIC WORKS OWN IT
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OWNS IT.PUB PUBLIC WORKS, UH, I MEAN THE CITY OWNS IT, BUT PUB, UM, BASICALLY ALL THE, THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE HOUSED IN SIX 11 WALKER PAY RENT TO PUBLIC WORKS.
SO IT GOES TO THE CUS, UM, UM, UH, AND SO THAT THEY'RE DOING A BUNCH OF RENOVATIONS AND THAT PLACE NEEDS A LOT OF, OF RENOVATIONS.
SO THAT'S WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THAT, THOSE FUNDS ARE.
YEAH, I THINK YOU PICK UP THE NEXT.
AND THEN THE NEXT ONE'S JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M SHAMELESSLY PLUGGING MY, YOUR 2 CENT SURVEY.
AND, UH, WE WANNA, IT JUST TELLS YOU, IT GIVES YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU PICK YOUR TOP THREE PRIORITIES AND YOUR, YOU KNOW, LEAST FAVORITE PRIORITIES.
AND THAT'S HARD TO DO 'CAUSE EVERYTHING'S IMPORTANT.
BUT WHAT I LIKE THE MOST IS THE COMMENT SECTION.
SO FILL IN, YOU HAVE A LOT MORE TO SAY THAN JUST PICKING THE, PICKING THE, THE PRIORITIES.
SO FILL OUT THE COMMENTS EVERY WEEK AT POPOFF, WHICH IS WHAT WE CALL THE TIME PERIOD WHEN WE TALK TO THE MAYOR AFTER THE COUNCIL MEETING, I READ OFF A LOT OF THE COMMENTS AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE GREAT.
SO I LOVE READING PEOPLE'S COMMENTS ON HOW THEY WANT THEIR TAX DOLLARS SPENT.
SO I KNOW THIS WAS A LOT OF MATERIALS AND WE GOT, I GOT KIND OF GOT WAYLAID BY ALL THE, ALL THE EMERGENCY, UM, ALERTS.
BUT, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF, YOU KNOW, RUNDOWN OF SOME OF KEY TAX SUPPORTED, WHAT YOUR PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX DE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY THAT ARE POLICE.
WE HAVE OUR FINE POLICE, THEY WIN THE PRIZE FOR $1.01 BILLION OF THIS, OF THIS BUDGET.
UM, FIRE $636 MILLION TRASH, $99 MILLION PARKS, $89 MILLION AND LIBRARIES, $52 MILLION.
AND UM, SO TODAY PUBLIC WORKS PRESENTED THEIR BUDGET, THEIR BUDGET IS $3 BILLION, $3.3 BILLION MORE THAN THE WHOLE ENTIRE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
SO PUBLIC WORKS IS ABSO ABSOLUTELY OUR BIGGEST DEPARTMENT, UM, OUR BIGGEST SPEND.
BUT THAT'S ALL YOUR, ALL YOUR PROJECTS, STREET AND DRAINAGE AND EVERYTHING PROJECTS.
SO I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.
UM, I WANT TO WHAT THIS, THIS, THIS TOWN HALL WAS REALLY SET UP FOR YOU.
UM, AND WE REALLY WANNA HEAR FROM YOU.
WE, UH, UH, HAVE THIS WEATHER SITUATION.
SO WE'LL GET RIGHT TO YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
STUCK HERE FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES.
WE MIGHT BE STUCK HERE, SO JUST ASK AWAY AND MAKE EVERY COMMENT YOU'D LIKE.
AND I KNOW A COUPLE OF YOU CAME IN LATE, SO HAPPY TO REPEAT ANYTHING TOO.
YOU SAID THAT $1 MILLION IS FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, RIGHT? THE BUDGET? YES.
ONE, 1.01 BILLION FOR THE OFFICERS, RIGHT.
SO WHAT SPECIFIC MEASURES ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED? OH, TO THE AND IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY.
SORRY, WHAT? OH, CHECK, CHECK, CHECK, CHECK.
I KNEW IT WAS GONNA HAPPEN, SO WE, LEMME PUT A LITTLE BUTTON.
I THINK I, IS THIS ONE WORKING? NOW I CAN GO.
WHAT SPECIFIC MEASURES ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED TO REDUCE CRIME AND IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY? SO THIS IS A MAJOR PRIORITY.
I'D SAY MAYOR WHITTIER'S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
UM, I KNOW THAT HE'S GOT FIVE, BUT CADET CLASSES, HE WANTS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CADETS FOR SURE.
WE NEED TO GET MORE PEOPLE OUT ON PATROL.
UM, WE'RE STILL OF COURSE LOOKING AT VIOLENT CRIME, BRINGING DOWN VIOLENT CRIME.
IT'S COME DOWN SOME, BUT BRINGING THAT DOWN ALL AND ALL PROPERTIES CRIMES.
HE, HE ALSO HAS SAID THAT WHILE THE STATISTICS ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, IT'S PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION OF CRIME AND FEELING SAFE.
SO WILL, THERE'LL BE INITIATIVES? A LOT OF COMMUNITY POLICING, A LOT OF INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS CRIME? WE HAVEN'T HAD THE POLICE BUDGET WORKSHOP YET.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS THE SCHEDULE.
UH, THE, UH, JORDAN PROBABLY HAS IT RIGHT HERE, BUT WE'LL, UH, GET THE POLICE BUDGET.
THAT WILL BE THE TIME THAT WE CAN REALLY GET ALL THOSE SPECIFIC INITIATIVES THAT ARE GONNA BE IN PLAY, UM, FOR CRIME REDUCTION, CRIME SUPPRESSION, CRIME REDUCTION.
SO IN ORDER FOR THE POLICE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, I PERSONALLY, I, I'M PART OF A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION AND I VOLUNTEER IN THE HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION AND I CONTACT MY PRECINCT.
I'M PRECINCT FOUR, AND THE COMMUNITY THAT I HAVE A HOME IN IS A LOW INCOME COMMUNITY, UM,
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WHICH IS MAJORITY OF THE A LEAF COMMUNITY.AND WE OFFER LIKE, YOU KNOW, INCENTIVES, LIKE SNACKS OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE THE POLICE OFFICERS WHERE THEY CAN COME REST IN OUR CLUBHOUSE.
AND I CONTACT THEM PRECINCT FOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I WAS SHUT DOWN.
SO I, I WANTED, I WANT TO KNOW LIKE WHAT ARE THE PLANS TO ENHANCE THE COMMUNITY EFFORTS IN THE ALE TO FOSTER A BETTER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE POLICE OFFICERS AND THE RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY? SO WE CAN GET YOU, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, UM, HPD OR, UM, PRECINCT FOUR CONSTABLES OR WHAT, WHAT WHAT, I KNOW THAT I AM PRECINCT FOUR.
I HAD CALLED, THEY TOLD ME THAT I, OKAY.
WELL AS FAR AS HPD, WHICH WE, UH, WHICH IS PART OF THE CITY, WE WILL DEFINITELY GET YOU A, A DETAILED ANSWER ON SPECIFIC INITIATIVES THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE ALE COMMUNITY.
UM, BECAUSE I KNOW IN FOR BEND, THE FORT BEND POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY WORK WITH OTHER HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY, UM, ALLOW, UH, THE USE OF THEIR CLUBHOUSE TO BE A REST STOP FOR THEM IN ORDER FOR THEM TO MONITOR OR, YOU KNOW, WATCH THE COMMUNITY AT NO COST OF THE ASSOCIATION.
YOU KNOW, SO THE RESIDENTS CAN FEEL SAFETY.
I FEEL LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HPD OR EVEN HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE PART OF BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE, RIGHT? WE PAY THEM, YOU SAY ONE POINT $10 MILLION.
I MEAN, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR THEM FOR, FOR ME TO CONTACT THEM AND MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS LESS IMPORTANT.
LIKE, OH, WE ALREADY HAVE THAT.
WE DON'T NEED THAT FROM ME AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER.
WELL THAT'S GREAT FEEDBACK AND WE'RE CAPTURING ALL THAT AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT WE GET YOUR INFORMATION SO WE CAN GET SPECIFIC INITIATIVES TO YOU.
I KNOW COMMUNITY AND POLICING IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THEN I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, BULLYING IS A BIG, UM, PART OF, UH, IN GENERAL, JUST IN THE WORLD WHERE A LOT OF CHILDREN ARE GETTING BULLYING.
WHAT IS THE CITY, UM, DOING WITH THE SCHOOLS ABOUT BULLYING WITH THE STUDENTS? I DON'T, I DUNNO ABOUT SPECIFIC INITIATIVES I CAN ASK.
WE, AND NOT ONLY HAVE HPD, BUT WE HAVE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF EDUCATION INITIATIVES MM-HMM
AND, UM, SHE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE SOME INFORMATION ON THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH ANY ANTI-BULLYING EFFORTS.
UM, WE COULD BE AND, AND WE CAN, WE CAN GET THAT TO YOU AS WELL.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF CHILDREN THAT ARE KILLING THEMSELVES THAT HAVE NO SUPPORT SYSTEM BECAUSE BULLYING HAS BECOME SOMETHING IN HIGH RANKS WHERE CHILDREN ARE 10 YEARS OLD, 7-YEAR-OLD ARE KILLING THEMSELVES BECAUSE SCHOOLS ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING REGARDING ANTI-BULLYING AND ARE, YOU KNOW, LEAVING UP TO THE PARENTS TO FIGURE IT OUT EVEN IF THEY HAVE COMPLAINED MULTIPLE TIMES TO THE DISTRICT AND THE SCHOOLS.
THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
DOUG, DOUG SMITH, UH, THE PROJECTIONS, OUR PROPERTY TAX IS GONNA INCREASE $50 MILLION.
DID MELISSA SAY ANYTHING? 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD RUMORS ABOUT EMPTY APARTMENT, UH, OFFICE BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN AND THEIR APPEALING THEIR APPRAISALS.
DO WE HAVE A FINAL APPRAISAL NUMBER OR NO, THAT, THAT COMES A LITTLE BIT LATER.
UM, SHE DID MENTION THAT I, I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT, DOUG, WITH THE, WITH OFFICE BUILDINGS AND STUFF.
UM, IT, I DO THINK WE'LL STILL HAVE AN INCREASE, BUT I THINK, UH, WE'VE GOTTA RE YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA, WE ARE GONNA HAVE SOME DEVALUED, UM, BUILDINGS I THINK OVER TIME IF PEOPLE DON'T COME BACK TO THE OFFICES.
I, UM, HAPPEN TO SIT ON THE BOARDS OF THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND HCA.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS SIMILAR TO THAT AND HOW ARE WE CALCULATING THIS INCREASE? YEAH, A LITTLE BIT.
THE BRAIN BETWEEN THE BRAIN AND SURE.
UM, HOW ARE YOU CALCULATING THE INCREASE IN THE, THE PROJECTIONS, I GUESS FOR 2025 AND, UM, UM, YEAH, ANYWAY, I AGREE WITH YOU.
WE'RE SEEING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SUCCESSFULLY PROTESTING THEIR, THE TAXES AND THEN DEPENDING ON HOW YOU, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DECIDING TO PROTEST THAT, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, HOW, UH, THESE VALUES ARE CALCULATED.
UM, I'M WONDERING, UH, WHERE THIS MONEY IS GOING TO COME FROM AND WHAT OTHER SOURCES, UH, THE CITY IS THINKING ABOUT WHEN IT SAYS, SAYS, EXCLUDING OTHER SOURCES, HOW ELSE WOULD BE ABLE TO MEET THE, UM, THE BUDGET.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE, UM, OBVIOUSLY
[00:30:06]
WE MAY BE SPENDING THE NIGHT HERE, GUYS.UM, AT LEAST WE HAVE SNACKS WE'RE ON.
SO WE OBVIOUSLY ARE STILL GOING TO HAVE ABOUT, YOU SAW THE $187 MILLION NUMBER UNLESS WE GET, I MEAN, WE, WE ARE MAKING SOME EFFICIENCIES IN THIS BUDGET.
ABOUT $11 MILLION WORTH OF, OF CUTS.
THAT'S IN A $3 BILLION BUDGET.
THAT'S, UH, NOT, I MEAN, IT'S STILL SIGNIFICANT, BUT IT, WE WE'RE NEVER GONNA GET THERE TRIMMING AROUND THE EDGES.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT, UM, ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO HAD HAD A SLIDE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE HERE YET, HAD A SLIDE UP SHOWING THE, WHAT THE EFFECT OF THE REVENUE CAP, THE VOTER IMPOSED REVENUE CAP THAT WAS IMPOSED IN 2004 THAT THE CITY BUMPED UP AGAINST IT.
IT JUST BASICALLY WHAT THE REVENUE CAP, IT LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE WE CAN BRING INTO THE CITY BASED ON LAST YEAR WHAT WE COLLECTED.
YOU CAN'T GO UP OVER 4.5% OR, OR INFLATION PLUS PLUS POPULATION.
WE'RE STILL SPENDING MORE MONEY EACH YEAR.
I DON'T WANNA, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA SOUND LIKE WE CAN'T, BUT THERE IS A, WHAT BILL WHITE DID WHEN HE WAS MAYOR IS HE DID A PUBLIC SAFETY EXCEPTION FOR ABOUT $90 MILLION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I THINK YOU MIGHT SEE THE MAYOR COME TO THE VOTERS FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT WOULD BE AN EXTRA SOURCE OF FUNDING.
ANOTHER THING THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED IS A, A GARBAGE BEE RIGHT NOW.
UM, THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE ONE.
UM, AND WE HAVE ABOUT 400,000 HOMES THAT, UH, WE COLLECT GARBAGE FROM.
AND, UH, OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE PRIVATE TRASH.
THEY'RE ALREADY PAYING FOR THEIR OWN TRASH SERVICE.
SO I THINK WE WILL, WE WILL EXPECT TO SEE A MEASURE LIKE THAT.
THERE'S, UM, UH, THE MAYOR MENTIONS A LOT MORE COLLABORATIONS WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, WE, UH, WITH THE STATE, UM, THE STATE, YOU KNOW, GETTING MONEY FROM THE STATE.
I MEAN, HE SAID AT HIS, HIS CONFERENCE, HE'S LOOKING UNDER EVERY STONE, EVERY SINGLE OPTION IS ON THE TABLE.
AND, UH, SO THERE'LL BE A LOT OF LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL REVENUES, BUT IT'S ALSO GONNA BE A LOT OF FINDING EFFICIENCIES.
HE'S GOT, UM, WE'LL BE GETTING CITY COUNCIL A CONTRACT SOON FOR A CONSULTANT TO COME IN AND DO AN EVALUATION OF EACH AND EVERY DEPARTMENT.
UM, TO, TO FURTHER, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS.
SOMETHING I'VE BEEN A BIG PROPONENT OF IS SHARING MORE SERVICES WITH HARRIS COUNTY.
WE DO A LOT OF DUPLICATIVE SERVICES IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
UM, THE MAYOR'S TALKED A LOT ABOUT DIFFERENT, THE CONSTABLES AND DEPUTY AND SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES AND HPD.
THERE COULD BE MORE COLLABORATION THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE BECAUSE WE, WE ARE GONNA KEEP HAVING THESE BUDGET GAPS.
WE DID NOT EXPECT THIS BAD OF A SITUATION.
IT WASN'T EVEN RAINING WHEN I WAS DRIVING OVER HERE.
STEVEN W WHO'S, WE DON'T, WE DON'T EXPECT YOU TO CONTROL THE WEATHER
SO THE FIRST ONE, UH, IS IN, SO NUMBER ONE, I SAID THIS ON, UH, YESTERDAY, AND ALSO I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONCERTED EFFORT TO MAKE THE BUDGET PROCESS MUCH MORE TRANSPARENT AND ALSO ON THE GROUND LEVEL WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I'M CURIOUS IF, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ENOUGH TIME FOR THE REST OF THE TOWN HALLS THIS YEAR, BUT MAYBE FOR NEXT YEAR, IF THERE IS A WAY FOR, YOU KNOW, US TO EVEN LIKE IN THESE, UH, UH, MEETINGS, LIKE PROPOSE WHERE WE WOULD PUT THE MONEY, YOU KNOW, IF WE KNOW THAT THE BUDGET IS GOING TO BE $6.7 BILLION, LIKE WHERE WOULD RESIDENTS ALLOCATE THEIR PRIORITIES? I KNOW FROM THE COUNTIES, UM, COUNTERPART, THEY, THEY HAVE LIKE THIS LITTLE TOOL WHERE PEOPLE CAN INPUT LIKE, I WANNA PUT $1 BILLION HERE, 1 MILLION OVER HERE.
AND THEN THEY SUBMIT IT AND THEN THEY SHOW, LIKE IN THAT TOWN HALL MEETING, THIS IS WHERE THE PEOPLE IN THAT SPACE WANTED TO ALLOCATE THE DOLLARS.
LIKE BIG PRIORITIES, LOW PRIORITIES.
I THINK THAT'D BE LIKE A VERY INTERACTIVE WAY.
SAID NO, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
THERE USED TO BE, UH, I REMEMBER, UM, I'VE BEEN AT CITY HALL A WHILE AND THERE USED TO BE SOMETHING ONLINE SIMILAR TO THAT WHERE PEOPLE, IT SHOWED YOU KIND OF WHERE YOUR TAX DOLLARS WENT AND THEN IT
[00:35:01]
LET YOU PUT 'EM WHERE YOU WANTED 'EM TO GO.SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
THOSE, THOSE THINGS THAT YOU CLICK AND THEN YOU COULD SEE WHAT, WHAT'S HAPPENING.
BUT YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS OUR FIRST TOWN HALL.
WE'VE GOT A LOT TO LEARN, ESPECIALLY TO CHECK WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEXT TIME.
UM, BUT UH, WE WILL, UM, WE WILL THAT I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
AND I THINK WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE LAST YEAR THE CITY DID A CITYWIDE SURVEY.
I DIDN'T DO IT LAST YEAR SINCE THERE WAS A CITYWIDE ONE.
UM, BUT MINE'S JUST REALLY A PRIORITY THING.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF A TOOL TOO.
UM, THE SECOND ONE, UM, I'M GONNA ASK THIS LATER 'CAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE MORE WORKSHOPS, BUT I'M GONNA ASK IT HERE TOO.
UM, GOING BACK TO THE COMMENTS ABOUT EFFICIENCIES OF POSSIBLY CONSOLIDATING SERVICES BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AND ALSO TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY ALL RESIDENTS WANT TO FEEL SAFE, BUT I THINK THERE ARE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OF HOW WE ACHIEVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO FOR ME, IN MY ORGANIZATION, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUR PARTNERS, IT'S MORE ABOUT HAVING THE RIGHT PEOPLE ADDRESSING THE SPECIFIC CONCERNS.
UM, FOR US, WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, NECESSARILY HAVING ARMED LAW ENFORCEMENT AS THE RESPONSE TO EVERYTHING IS THE SOLUTION.
SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE CITY HAS OTT, THE MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM SPECIFICALLY FOR MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT PEOPLE FACE THROUGH THE HARRIS CENTER.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING PRETTY STRONGLY, I'M GLAD PRECINCT FLOOR IS HERE.
UM, FOR THE HOLISTIC ASSISTANCE RESPONSE TEAM, WHICH IS THE COUNTY'S COUNTERPART TO AMCO T IT IS SENDING A CRISIS INTERVENTIONIST AND A MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT TO A SCENE WHEN THERE IS A NON-VIOLENT, UH, INCIDENT OR NEXUS AS THEY CALL IT.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO PARTNERS INTO PEOPLE, I THINK THERE HAS BEEN MIXED REVIEWS WITH HOW OTT HAS BEEN IN TERMS OF THEIR, UM, EFFECTIVENESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE THINKING OF IS, I MEAN, HART IS A PILOT PROGRAM, IT'S STILL EARLY AND THEY'RE JUST EXPANDING TO A THIRD PATROL DISTRICT, NORTH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
BUT IS THERE ROOM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO POSSIBLY BRING HEART DOWN INTO THE CITY LEVEL, MAYBE FIRST WITHIN ONE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT AND THEN GRADUALLY INCREASING TO THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY SINCE IT'S ALREADY HAVING PRETTY GOOD, YOU KNOW, REVIEWS AND, AND AND, UM, SUCCESS WITH, WITH THE CLIENTS THAT THEY'RE SERVING.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE COUNT COUNTY'S COUNTERPART? CORRECT.
I MEAN, ANY WAY WE CAN COLLABORATE MORE AND HAVE BETTER RESULTS.
3:00 PM ON THE 28TH IS HP YEAH.
THREE 3:00 PM ON MAY 28TH IS THE HPD BUDGET WORKSHOP, SO WE'LL PROBABLY GET A BETTER RESPONSE FROM, FROM THE CHIEF.
AND LAST QUESTION IS, UM, SO I, WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT IN THIS CURRENT MOMENT, UM, THE MAYOR'S GIVEN THE PROPOSED BUDGETS AND ANY CHANGES WOULD TYPICALLY GO THROUGH BUDGET AMENDMENTS, RIGHT? UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS, LIKE IF THERE ARE BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT Y'ALL ARE THINKING OF.
I KNOW Y'ALL JUST GOT THE BUDGET
YEAH, I THINK THIS IS A PRETTY FLAT BUDGET AND I'LL LET, UM, I'LL LET, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO ADDRESS THIS AS WELL.
IT, IT'S PRETTY FLAT IN THE, IN THE, THE WAY IT IS AND THERE'S NOT MUCH WIGGLE ROOM, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS FIREFIGHTER DEAL.
SO I THINK, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL, UM, ABOUT TAKING ANY MORE MONEY FROM FUND BALANCE AND IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE GET THE IDEAS AS WE GO THROUGH THE WORKSHOPS AND AS WE HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS, THAT'S REALLY THE REASON FOR THIS.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A SET SET OF AMENDMENTS THAT I'M DYING TO GET THROUGH.
I WANNA THEM TO KIND OF EVOLVE THROUGH THE PROCESS.
YOU REALLY KIND OF HAVE TO DIG INTO THE WEEDS OF THE BUDGET TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU'RE GONNA GET MONEY.
YOU'RE, YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT FROM SOMEWHERE TO MAKE IT GO SOMEWHERE.
SO THAT, THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE ARE.
I MEAN, UM, AS YOU SIT THROUGH THE WORKSHOP, YOU KNOW, AND YOU HEAR THE NUMBERS AND THE EFFICIENCIES AND THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES, YOU CAN GET IDEAS.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU THERE ARE TWO THAT ARE SORT OF IN MY, UM, ON MY LIST OF, OF DRAFTS.
UH, ONE IS AROUND COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS AND, UM, ENSURING THAT PROJECTS THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, UM, AREN'T ALTERED OR, OR REMOVED WITHOUT COUNCIL, UH, APPROVAL.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I DO WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE EXPLORE THE IDEA OF, UH, BARK BECOMING A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION, A NONPROFIT.
UM, AND SO THAT IS AN AMENDMENT THAT I, I'M ALSO LOOKING TO GOING ON THAT TO, UH, TO DRAFT SO THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER IN SIX MONTHS AND SAY, LOOK, WE PUT THIS GROUP TOGETHER, THEY STUDIED
[00:40:01]
IT.WHAT DO WE GOTTA DO TO MOVE IT FORWARD? BECAUSE, UM, THEY NEED THE HELP.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE ZOO, THE CITY USED TO OWN IT MM-HMM
IT WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND NOW IT'S UH, YOU KNOW, A WORLD CLASS ZOO AND IT TAKES IN A LOT OF PRIVATE MONEY.
WE STILL FUND A LITTLE, A LITTLE PORTION OF IT, BUT, UH, IT'S A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION.
IT'S QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL SO WE CAN MAINTAIN THE ABILITY TO OVERSEE AND INFLUENCE, BUT IT RUNS AND FUNCTIONS LIKE A NONPROFIT.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT I'M EXPLORING AND WE'RE STILL, YOU KNOW, COMING UP WITH IDEAS AND PUTTING SOME MORE TOGETHER.
WELL IT'S STILL, UH, WELCOME, WELCOME.
UM, I'M TOMMY HOLSTEIN AND CONVERSATION HAS ACTUALLY BEEN REALLY INTERESTING TO LIKE, SPARK SOME IDEAS.
I THINK THAT THE, PARTICULARLY THE SHARED SERVICES MINDSET, I KNOW YOU HAVE THE REPORT THAT YOU DID SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND I GUESS THE CURIOSITY IS THINKING ABOUT THE KPIS AND THE OUTCOMES Y'ALL ARE TRACKING WITH THE CITY, IS THERE AN EFFORT TO, TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE TRACKING AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AND GET ON THE SAME PAGE LIKE IN A TRIAL RUN TO SEE, HEY, PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING INTO OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS IN YOUR COMMUNITY CENTERS OR THAT ARE ACCESSING DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS.
AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE USE THE BUDGET PROCESS AND THE, THE OUTCOME TRACKING TO SEE WHERE ANOTHER WAY OF SEEING WHERE THERE'S DUPLICATION.
UM, SO THAT CAN BE A CURIOUS THING.
I MEAN, YEAH, WE DID A LOT OF WORK IN MY FIRST TERM ON SHARED SERVICES.
WE DID PASS A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR SHARED SERVICES WORKING GROUP.
UM, UH, THE FORMER MAYOR WASN'T A BIG FAN OF THE, OF THE TASK FORCE.
HE LIKED THE IDEA OF SHARED SERVICES AND HE DID SOME OF THE SHARED SERVICES.
WE NEVER REALLY FORMED THAT WORKING GROUP.
I THINK IT ALMOST TAKES SOME HEADS GETTING TOGETHER TO LOOK AT DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT OF WHERE THERE'S, WHERE, WHERE YOU CAN TRACK THE KPIS, YOU CAN TRACK WHERE THERE'S OVERLAPPING AND DUPLICATIVE SERVICES.
I'D START WITH HEALTH AND WE DID DO AN ILA, AN INTER INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHERE WE'RE STARTING WITH A FEW FACETS OF THAT AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GET A REPORT ON THAT.
I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE ON IT, BUT, UM, THAT'S ONE PLACE TO START.
I MEAN THERE, THERE WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO OPERATE MORE EFFICIENTLY.
AND IF WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING THE COUNTY'S DOING, THERE'S GOTTA BE A WAY TO DO IT TOGETHER.
UH, AND NOT BE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN AS PEOPLE, UH, AS ATTRITION HAPPENS, YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO HIRE AS MANY PEOPLE.
YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'VE GAINED SOME EFFICIENCIES BY OPERATING TOGETHER.
BUT GOOD POINT ON THE, ON WHAT THEY'RE TRACKING AND WHAT WE'RE TRACKING.
AND I KNOW I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, COMMISSIONER, UM, BRIANIS AND UM, GARCIA ABOUT, ABOUT SHARING SERVICES IN DIFFERENT, UH, WAYS.
UM, THAT'S ANOTHER AREA THAT WE COULD DO TOGETHER.
UM, LIBRARIES, PARKS, I KNOW THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER BRIANIS HAS BEEN REALLY ACTIVE IN, UH, PARKS IN THE CITY AND HELPING WITH THE MAINTENANCE AND, AND IMPROVEMENTS AT CITY PARKS, SPENDING MONEY IN THE, IN THE CITY.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE MONEY WHEREVER WE CAN GET IT.
SPEAKING OF THAT, SO A CURIOSITY I WAS LOOKING THROUGH IT IS WHERE AMONGST, I MEAN THE PIE CHARTS, WHERE IS LIKE NOT WHAT FEDERAL GRANT DOLLARS, WHERE ARE ALTERNATIVE REVENUE STREAMS? WHERE, WHERE DO THEY COME IN? SO NOT NECESSARILY PROPERTY TAX, BUT BASICALLY SERVICES THAT THE CITY DELIVERS THAT ARE PARTLY OR WHOLLY FUNDED THROUGH ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES, LIKE PERMITTING WHERE THEY'RE PAYING FEES, LIKE FEE FEE, I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? SO LIKE GRANT FUNDING, I MEAN THINGS THAT ARE FORMULA FUNDED THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OR DEPARTMENT OF HHS THE PAST MAYBE? OH, LIKE HUD FUNDING HEALTH STUFF LIKE THAT.
UM, WE DON'T SPEND MUCH GENERAL FUND MONEY IN, IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S ALL HUD GRANTS, UM, FOR, YOU KNOW, REHABS OF EVERYTHING FROM HOMELESS INITIATIVES TO REHABS OF APARTMENTS TO HELPING PUBLIC FACILITIES.
UH, ALL ALL OF THAT IS GRANT FUNDED A LOT.
UM, OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MAN, EVERY DEPARTMENT GETS A LOT OF GRANTS.
SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE, SOMETHING THAT I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT AS A BUDGET AMENDMENT IS A, IS A KIND OF COORDINATED GRANT POSITION.
WE HAVE GRANT, UH, WE HAVE GRANT WRITERS IN EVERY DEPARTMENT, BUT THERE, AND THEN WE, AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TRACKS GRANTS AND, YOU KNOW, TRACKS REPORTING, BUT THERE'S NO OVERARCHING KIND OF GRANTS DIVISION GRANTS DEPARTMENT GRANTS PERSON WHO'S REALLY LOOKING AT EVERY DEPARTMENT AND, AND MAKE SURE WE'RE MAXIMIZING ALL THE GRANT ACTIVITIES.
'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY OUT THERE.
I MEAN, AND WE JUST LOST A SOLID WASTE GRANT THAT I WANTED.
AND I THINK WE JUST NEED MORE HELP GETTING OVER THERE
[00:45:01]
AND WRITING GRANTS.UM, A GRANT'S NOT, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S OUT, IT'S REVENUE OUTSIDE THE BUDGET.
WE DON'T COUNT, WE DON'T CONCLUDE IT IN OUR BUDGET.
SORT OF THE CURIOSITY IS THE BUT WILL, BUT IT, IT HELPS, YOU KNOW, IF WE, IF WE'RE SPENDING MONEY IN GRANT MONEY, YOU KNOW, THEY OFTEN HAVE MATCHES, SO YOU HAVE TO SPEND SOME OF THE MONEY, BUT IT GETS IT OFF OUR, THE CURIOSITY THERE, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT AMENDMENTS AND, AND KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, YOU MENTIONED IT TOO, LIKE THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO FIND MONEY TO SPEND IT IN UNIT TWO, BUT THINKING ABOUT WHERE SOME THINGS, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A MESSAGING AMENDMENT, BUT LIKE DOLLARS COULD BE ACCESSED THROUGH GRANT MAKING WITH POLICY URGING FOR IT.
UM, I THINK BACK, I, I WORKED IN THE SENATE IN DC AND THE BUDGET, THERE WAS PURELY A MESSAGING DOCUMENT.
AND SO THE WAY THAT THEY DID AMENDMENTS WAS EVERYTHING WAS A QUOTE UNQUOTE DEFICIT NEUTRAL.
AND SO IT'S LIKE THEY SAID WORDS WITHOUT TRULY SAYING AN ACTION, BUT ALMOST THINKING ABOUT IS THERE A WAY TO LIKE PUT IN A QUOTE UNQUOTE DEFICIT NEUTRAL.
LIKE, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A POLICY WRITER URGING ACTION TO, TO PURSUE DOLLARS, RIGHT? WE USED TO DO A LOT OF THAT, UM, THAT WERE MORE POLICY ORIENTED OR FORM A WORKING GROUP OR STUDY THAT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THEN IT KIND OF SWITCHED, UM, IN, IN MAYOR TURNER'S, UH, TERM, UH, KIND OF LATER LAST TERM THAT IT WAS, YOU HAD TO LITERALLY MAKE IT ABOUT MOVING MONEY.
HE WASN'T, HE WASN'T DOING POLICY AMENDMENTS.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT, UM, MAYOR WHITTIER'S, UH, STANCE WILL BE ON THAT.
I THINK A LOT OF SOME GOOD THINGS CAME OUT OF SOME OF THOSE POLICY MOVES, BUT THEY, THEY, YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE JUST, UH, WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN PRESENT WHATEVER WE WANNA PRESENT
BUT IT GOT TO BE WHERE THEY, SOME THINGS WERE GET WOULD GET RULED OUT OF ORDER IF THEY WERE JUST POLICY.
BUT I THINK SOME GOOD THINGS COULD COME OUT OF INTRODUCING SOME POLICY THROUGH THE BUDGET.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
YOU'RE NEVER GONNA FORGET THE FIRST ONE.
WELL, TO YOUR FIRST POINT ABOUT COLLABORATING AND POTENTIAL CONSOLIDATION, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S, THERE NEEDS TO BE AN URGENCY AT THE COUNTY FOR THIS TOO.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOME ADVOCATES AT THE CITY FOR IT.
UH, I PLAN ON ADVOCATING FOR THAT AS WELL.
UH, MY BACKGROUND IS IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND SO I ACTUALLY WORKED AT THE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR SOME TIME AND YOU GO TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, LA COUNTY, THEY JUST HAVE LA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH.
THERE IS NO COUNTY AND CITY AND IT IS VERY DUPLICATIVE.
I MEAN, THE CITY DOES VACCINES, THE COUNTY DOES VACCINES.
THE CITY TRACKS DISEASES, THE COUNTY TRACKS DISEASES.
THERE'S NO NEED FOR TWO PEOPLE, TWO ENTITIES TO BE DOING THE SAME THING.
SO I WOULD PUSH THE PUBLIC TO ALSO GO TO THE COUNTY AND UH, ADVOCATE AT THE COMMISSIONER LEVEL, SPEAK AT THEIR MEETINGS BECAUSE THEY ALSO HAVE TO COME TO THE TABLE AND BE WILLING TO, UH, ENGAGE IN THIS AS WELL.
IT CAN'T JUST BE US TRYING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, BUT IT IS A WAY WHERE WE CAN ABSOLUTELY ELIMINATE REDUNDANCIES, SAVE MONEY, YOU KNOW, JUST CREATE MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEMS IN GENERAL.
IT WAS INTERESTING, A COURT MEETING A FEW MONTHS AGO, THEY HAD A VERSION OF JUST CONSOLIDATION IN THE COUNTY AND IT WAS A INTERESTING CONVERSATION.
AND SO I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE, THE CHALLENGES THERE AND APPRECIATE THEM ALL.
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE BIG ONES IS IT'S HARD WHEN, YOU KNOW, YOU PUT YOUR, WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR NAME ON SOMETHING YEAH.
THAT IT'S HARD TO, TO REMOVE THAT.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GREAT OPPORTUNITY THERE, SO GOOD LUCK TO YOU TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
ADD ADD SOME, A VOICE OF SUPPORT FOR WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN SAID,
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDING.
WELL, AT LEAST I'M SEEING A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDING AND STATE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES MORE FEDERAL THAN STATE, UM, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS THAT I'M GONNA SAY.
AND, AND THEN A SECOND, UM, FOR SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND FOR RESILIENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO I WONDER IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA REACH OUT TO YOUR OFFICES TO SEE IF, IF WE CAN CONNECT SOME PEOPLE.
WE HAVE, UM, MY DAY JOB, I WORK WITH IMPACT HUB HOUSTON, WE'RE, UH, YEAH, AN INCUBATOR ACCELERATOR FOR IMPACT VENTURES.
AND WE HAVE WORKING PARTNERSHIPS AND MOUS WITH ABOUT 56 DIFFERENT BUSINESS SUPPORT AND ENTREPRENEUR SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE REGION, INCLUDING S-B-A-H-M-S-D-C, A LOT OF NAMES THAT YOU WOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING ON HOW DO WE UPSKILL A RESILIENT WORKFORCE?
[00:50:01]
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, THAT WE ARE UP ALSO PROVIDING MORE ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND STARTUPS WITH SUPPORT SO THEY CAN HIRE THOSE PEOPLE TOO.AND THEN HOW CAN WE FIND PROBLEMS FOR THEM TO SOLVE WITHIN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA? UM, WE WERE WORKING, WE ANNUALLY WORK WITH JESSE BOUNDS AND, YOU KNOW, DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION, UM, FOR THE CITY ON FINDING WHERE THOSE PROBLEMS AND THEN HOW CAN WE HAVE PEOPLE, A LOT OF THEM ARE VOLUNTEER, THEY'RE JUST PUTTING THEIR TECH SKILLS TO WORK AND DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS IN THESE AREAS.
AND THOSE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED FOR FREE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WE ALSO CAN TAP ON, TAP INTO THIS HUGE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE OF INNOVATORS TO SEE LIKE, WOULD THEY BE WILLING TO JUST SOLVE SOME OF THESE LIKE SMALLER PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW? AND THEN FOR ANYTHING WHERE THERE'S A LARGER OPPORTUNITY TO GET, GET A CONTRACT OR, UM, HAVE A, A PRIVATE ENTITY POTENTIALLY FUND A, A SOLUTION TO BE PILOTED IN AN AREA WHICH WOULD THEN REDUCE THE COST FOR YOU, HELP THAT STARTUP GET AN ACCESS TO AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THAT THEIR TECHNOLOGY WORKS AND THEN THE CORPORATE VENTURE THAT CAN HELP DE-RISK THAT INVESTMENT.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS OF TACKLING THIS, THESE CHALLENGES.
I THINK YES, PLEASE DO SHARE THAT INFORMATION.
UM, I MEAN YOU, YOU SAW FROM THE SLIDES WHERE THE CITY'S MONEY IS COMMITTED TO AND THAT WE ARE UNDER A REVENUE CAP THAT IMPACTS, YOU KNOW, US TO THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR AND ABOVE LEVEL.
SO THOSE WAYS THAT WE CAN UTILIZE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ARE GOING TO BE KEY, ESPECIALLY AS WE MOVE INTO, UH, MORE CHALLENGING FISCAL TIMES.
YOU KNOW, NOW THAT OUR ARPA MONEY IS, IS GOING TO CLOSING OUR BUDGET GAP THIS FISCAL, THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND THE INNOVATION AND THE CREATIVITY IS GONNA BE KEY TO HOW WE NAVIGATE THAT, CONTINUE TO DELIVER OUR CORE SERVICES, CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE BETTER OUR PARKS AND, AND OTHER AMENITIES THAT RESIDENTS WANT, UH, WITH LIMITED FUNDS.
SO I THINK THAT THOSE PARTNERSHIPS WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE.
UM, SO THAT INFORMATION AND, AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.
WE DO, IF YOU'RE STUCK HERE,
UM, YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THE, UH, REVENUE CAP IS COSTING THE CITY $338 MILLION IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
I HAVE TO BE A DEVIL'S ADVOCATE.
UH, I KNOW WAS COMING
UH, THAT $338 MILLION THAT IT'S COSTING, THE CITY IS SAVING PROPERTY TAXPAYERS $338 MILLION.
SO I JUST HAD TO MENTION THAT.
NOW THAT'S WHAT I KNEW WITH THEM.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION, A COMMENT, ANYTHING TO SHARE WITH US? OKAY.
NO, I THINK JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING SO MUCH.
WE'RE, WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING THIS OUT AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE BETTER WEATHER AT THE NEXT ONES, BUT, UH, WE REALLY WANT YOUR FEEDBACK.
FEEL FREE TO KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS, FILL OUT THE SURVEY AND JUST THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
AND WE CAN JUST HANG OUT FOR A WHILE TILL YOU FEEL SAFE TO GO.
THERE ARE SNACKS AND WATERS IN THE BACK, PROBABLY ABOUT 10, 10 MINUTES.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'LL BE, WE'RE WE'RE HEARING IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
SO WE'LL JUST HAVE A NICE TIME.
SO THANK YOU HTV AND THANK YOU OFFICERS FOR BEING HERE.
AND THANK YOU, UM, FOR BEING HERE.