Regional Affordability Committee Meeting Transcript – 09/21/2015 Title: ATXN 24/7 Recording Channel: 6 - ATXN Recorded On: 9/21/2015 6:00:00 AM Original Air Date: 9/21/2015 Transcript Generated by SnapStream [3:05:45 PM] >> WE'RE WAITING FOR ONE MORE SO WE CAN HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. >> ALL RIGHT, SINCE WE HAVE A QUORUM, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL -- I'LL CALL TO ORDER THE REGIONAL AFFORDABILITY COMMITTEE. I'M COUNCILMEMBER GARZA, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. THE FIRST ITEM -- I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY -- NO, THE FIRST ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES SO I THINK -- OKAY, DO I HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. >> SORRY, CHAD WELL, CHAD. >> Garza: IS IT SPELLED WRONG? >> YOU HAD CALDWELL, BUT IT'S CHAD WELL. >> WE'LL MAKE THAT CORRECTION. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES. >> ANOTHER CORRECTION. >> OKAY, ANOTHER CORRECTION. SO THE CORRECTION -- TWO CORRECTIONS THERE. AND OTHER THAN THAT, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY CITIZENS COMMUNICATION AND SO OUR FIRST BRIEFING IS -- THIRD ITEM IS A BRIEFING. A PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ON INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN PARTICIPATING TAXING ENTITIES REGARDING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PROVIDED ACROSS JURISDICTIONS AND I THINK AISD IS HERE FOR A PRESENTATION. AND THERE'S ALSO BEEN -- THIS HAS BEEN PASSED AROUND FOR EVERYBODY. A SPREADSHEET ON THE CURRENT COLLABORATION WITH CITY, COUNTY AND DISTRICT. SO MR. WAXWORTH? IS THAT RIGHT? [3:07:50 PM] >>. THAT'S RIGHT. >> YOU'RE WELCOME TO START. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I'M HERE AS A RESULT OF YOUR LAST MEETING AT WHICH THERE WAS A REQUEST TO GET SOME INFORMATION ON INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS, I BELIEVE. AND SO -- THANK YOU. THE -- JUST SO YOU'LL KNOW, POWERPOINT PRESENTATION IS ONLY GOING TO BE THE INTRODUCTION WHAT MATERIALS WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT WHICH ARE IN YOUR MATERIALS THAT WE JUST DISTRIBUTED TO YOU. SO I UNDERSTOOD YOU WERE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT WHAT COMPRISED A LIST OF INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE CITY, THE COUNTY AND THE DISTRICT. IT MAY BE THAT YOU WANTED TO GO BEYOND THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS WE HAVE AT THIS TIME. I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU THIS IS A FLUID DOCUMENT THAT FROM TIME TO TIME WE COME UPON A PROJECT THAT SHOULD BE ON THE LIST THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT. FROM TIME TO TIME, WE COME UPON A PROJECT THAT'S ON THE LIST AND THEN FIND OUT, GOSH, THAT HASN'T BEEN ACTIVE FOR THREE YEARS. SO -- BUT THIS IS THE BEST THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME UP WITH, AS RECENT AS MARCH 20th, 2015. THIS HAS BEEN VETTED WITH STAFF FROM THE CITY AND FROM THE COUNTY. SO AS FAR AS WE KNOW, AT THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER LEVEL AND COUNTY EXECUTIVE LEVEL THIS SHOULD BE PRETTY GOOD. I KNOW THAT FOR THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IT BOILED DOWN INTO THREE CATEGORIES NOT MOST PART. ONE WAS A FACILITIES CATEGORY. [3:09:35 PM] ONE WAS AN ATHLETICS CATEGORY, AND THE THIRD WAS A CAMPUS CATEGORY. SO WE HAVE A DEPARTMENT OF FACILITIES THAT DEALING WITH THE DISTRICT GENERALLY SPEAKING AS WELL AS THE ATHLETE FACILITIES BUT THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER -- AND WE HAVE 19 CAMPUSES AND POLICIES THAT GUIDE US. AND THE PROCESS BY WHICH ANYONE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT CAN ACCESS THE FACILITIES FOR WHATEVER PURPOSE. SO WE ATTACHED IN YOUR PACKETS JUST A COUPLE OF INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS. MY GOODNESS, AS YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE ATTACHED PROBABLY 100 INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS BUT WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU JUST A COUPLE OF SAMPLES AND THAT'S THE REASON WE ATTACHED THESE TWO. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE WHEREAS CLAUSES, IT'S GOING TO GIVE YOU THE BASIS UPON WHICH WE ACCESS THE LAW TO GIVE THE CITY, THE COUNTY AND THE DISTRICT AUTHORITY TO DO THESE KIND OF AGREEMENTS WHICH ARE DESIGNED IN THE END TO BE EFFICIENT AND SAVE TAXPAYER MONEY WHEREVER POSSIBLE. SO JUST CONTINUING THEN. IN YOUR PACKET OF MATERIALS WE ALSO INCLUDED FOR YOU THE LIST OF AISD ORGANIZATIONS WITH WHAT WE CALL COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. NOT INTERLOCAL OR GOVERNMENTAL BODIES, RIGHT? MOST OF THESE ARE GOING TO BE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND IN THE DISTRICT WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED YOUTH SERVICES MAPPING. WHICH IS DESIGNED TO GIVE US THE ABILITY TO KNOW WHAT NONPROFITS ARE ON WHAT CAMPUSES DOING WHAT FOR WHOM. AND I MUST TELL YOU, IT PROBABLY TOOK US A DECADE, DESIGNED THE SOFTWARE TO GIVE US THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO TRACK THIS STUFF. AND EACH OF THE ORGANIZATION WITHIN YSM, WHICH ANY OF THE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC CAN GET TO, THERE'S AN COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AND I'VE ATTACHED ALSO JUST THE TEMPLATE FOR THE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT. SO THAT YOU COULD SEE WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE. ULTIMATELY IT'S OUR DESIRE TO SEE THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO INDIVIDUAL KIDS WHERE WE LITERALLY EVALUATE THOSE SERVICES WHICH OUR MOST NEEDY KIDS REQUIRE THROUGH SOMETHING WE CALL A CHILD STUDY TEAM, THAT'S ALL IT DIFFERENTIATED CHILD BY CHILD SO THAT WHEN CONNECTED TO NONPROFITS OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT, IF THAT'S PART OF THE RESPONSE, THOSE ARE PARTS OF THE INTERVENTIONS, WE CAN COME BACK AROUND AND ACTUALLY DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE SERVICE IS BEING PROVIDED BY THESE NONPROFITS ARE EFFECTIVE. AND THEN WE CAN MAKE SOME DECISIONS WHETHER OR NOT WE CONTINUE A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH X NONPROFIT VERSUS Y. [3:11:50 PM] WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET. WE HAVE A GRANT WITH MICHAEL AND SUSAN DELL FOUND TO HELP US GET TO THAT NEXT STAGE SO THAT WE ARE THERE. I'VE ALSO PROVIDED BECAUSE IT SEEMED OF INTEREST, A COPY OF A MAP SHOWING THE SCHOOLS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN. YOU'LL ALSO SEES OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ALSO HAVE PRESENCE WITHIN THE CITY'S JURISDICTIONAL LIMITS. AND WE COULD EVEN PROVIDE SOME DATA AS TO THE PERCENTAGES WITH REGARD TO AISD'S PRESENCE VERSUS OTHER DISTRICTS' PRESENCE. YOU ALSO HAVE SCHOOLS BY TRAVIS COUNTY PRECINCT. AND I ALSO HAVE A MAP OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE CAPCOG REGION AND FOR THE CITY AND THE COUNTY PROBABLY WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS. BUT I DON'T HAVE IT NOW. AND WITH THAT, I'LL CLOSE, MADAME CHAIR, AND I'LL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. I'M HOPING NO ONE WILL ASK ME TOOL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ENTRIES ON THE BIG OLD MATRIX HERE BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND GET THE ANSWERS THAT YOU SEEK. >> Garza: THANK YOU FOR THIS. THIS IS REALLY HELPFUL AND I APPRECIATE THE EXAMPLE OF THE EXISTING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TO SEE WHAT THAT ENTAILS. I HAD A QUESTION AND IT SLIPPED MY MIND. SO DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE A QUESTION. ELLEN? [3:13:50 PM] >> Troxclair: ON THE CHART, THE COLUMN WHERE IT SAYS PHYSICAL IMPLICATIONS, SOME SAY AISD FUND, OR SOMETHING, BUT IN GENERAL, WHO IS PAYING FOR THAT. >> WHEN WE PUT THIS CHART TOGETHER IT WAS WHAT THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS PAYING. WE DID NOT INCLUDE DATA AS TO WHAT OTHERS MAY OR MAY NOT BE PAYING BUT TYPICALLY IN THESE KIND OF CONTRACTS, COUNCILMEMBER, IT'S -- IT'S EITHER GOING -- IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT WHO -- IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE WHO IS RECEIVING MONEY FOR ACCESS TO ITS FACILITIES. AND SO THESE ARE MONIES THAT ARE REVENUES TO THE DISTRICT. I BELIEVE. >> Troxclair: OKAY. THANK YOU. >> I HAD A SIMILAR QUESTION, SPECIFICALLY ON THE TOP OF THE SECOND PAGE, PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST. THAT'S COMING TO ISD OR ISD IS PAYING $172 MILLION. >> I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED THIS QUESTION. IT GIVES ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE GRATEFUL TO THE MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WHO RECENTLY APPROVED NOT A $172 MILLION CONTRIBUTION BUT A CONTRIBUTION TO THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO SUPPORT FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS. >> I THINK THAT'S GREAT. I THINK THOSE ARE VERY VALUABLE POSITIONS AND I KNOW THAT -- I'M IN ROUND ROCK AND WE HAVE THOSE AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A LOT MORE. >> I UNDERSTAND. >> AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO ROUND ROCK -- [3:15:45 PM] [LAUGHTER] WE HAVE SOME PERCENTAGES OF OUR SCHOOLS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THANK YOU. >> Kitchen: THIS MAY HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED BUT THESE PARTICULAR COLLABORATIONS, I'M WANTING TO UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S BEEN A DISCUSSION WAYS THE OTHER TAXING BODIES CAN HELP THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE SENSE OF -- LIKE THE PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST IS AN EXAMPLE OF A SERVICE THAT THE CITY CAN HELP PAY FOR, BECAUSE IT FALLS WITHIN THE TYPES OF SERVICES THAT THE CITY HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND ALSO HAS THE ADDED ADVANTAGE OF HELPING PHYSICALLY BECAUSE THESE ARE PAID FOR WITH DOLLARS THAT ARE NOT SUBJECT TO RECAPTURE. >> THAT'S CORRECT. SO HAS THERE BEEN ANY -- >> Kitchen: HAS THERE BEEN AN EXAMINATION BY AISD OR THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR THAT MATTER OF THE TYPES OF COSTS THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE PAYING FOR THAT MIGHT LEND THEMSELVES TO SOME PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER TAXING BODIES? >> THE ANSWER TO THAT IN YES. THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT THROUGH ITS OWN BUDGET PROCESS CONSTANTLY LOOKED AT ITS BUDGET AND WORKED WITH ITS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER TO IDENTIFY WHERE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WERE. WE DID TALK WITH THE CITY AND WITH THE COUNTY ABOUT A NUMBER OF THEM. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATED THOSE COLLABORATIONS. THERE IS CONTINUING CONVERSATION ON THE PART OF SOME IN THE CITY AND IN THE COUNTY. TO IDENTIFY EITHER THROUGH A TERM CALLED SWAP OR OTHER MEANS, A WAY IN WHICH TO MORE FULLY IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS WITHIN THE DISTRICT'S BUDGET THAT THE CITY AND COUNTY OR OTHER GOVERNMENTAL BODIES INCLUDING CENTRAL HEALTH COULD ADDRESS THOSE WITH FUNDING OUTSIDE OF THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. [3:17:50 PM] AND THEN SEE SOME BIT OF A TAX SWAP. WE'RE AT THE VERY EARLIEST OF STAGES IN GETTING SOME MEAT ON THESE BONES BOTH FOR THE COUNTY AND FOR THE CITY. BUT, YOU KNOW, I DO BELIEVE OVER THE NEXT SIX TO NINE MONTHS THOSE CONVERSATIONS WILL GET DEEPER AND DEEPER. >> Kitchen: ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT CONVERSATION? OKAY, DO YOU SEE ANY ROLE FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO HELP OR -- >> ACTUALLY I DO, AS A MATTER OF FACT, ON FRIDAY, THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE CITY, AND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAD A RETREAT ON FRIDAY AND SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS CAME UP AND PART OF THE CONVERSATION THERE, THERE WAS SOMEONE REPRESENTING THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. >> SHERI FLEMING. >> AND MY GUESS IS IT'S GOING TO BE THEY'D LIKE TO PUNT SOME OF THAT, MAYBE ENERGY OR SYNERGY TO THIS PARTICULAR GROUP AND THEN WANT TO TAKE THE LEAD ON SOME OF THE OTHERS SO THAT CONVERSATION CERTAINLY HAS BEGUN AND WE'LL PROBABLY GET SOMETHING FROM THE THREE EXECUTIVES FROM THE CITY, COUNTY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR US TO TALK ABOUT. >> JUST TO BUILD ON THAT, TRUSTEE SALDANA, YOU ASKED ABOUT -- WE'RE CLEAR IT'S GOT TO BE CLEAR AND CONCRETE WHEN WE PUT THE ENTIRE PROPOSE ALTOGETHER AND THAT'S FORTHCOMING. >> THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION SINCE WE TALKED ABOUT RECAPTURE AND I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT IF YOU START RECALCULATING THE RECAPTURE THAT ISD FORFEITS BECAUSE OF CHAPTER 41, IF YOU TAKE FISCAL YEAR '14 THROUGH '19, WE'LL LOSE TO THE STATE. SAY AS OF TODAY, I BELIEVE OUR PRESIDENT TALKED TO THE CFO, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE TAX RATE BY 32 CENTS REDUCING THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER'S BILL BY $950 PER YEAR. [3:19:45 PM] >> RIGHT. >> THAT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. AND SO THE CONVERSATION ON FRIDAY WAS WE NEED TO MESSAGE THIS TO OUR LOCAL TAXPAYERS SO THAT THEY JOIN US IN BEING VERY LOUD AND CLEAR WITH OUR LEGISLATORS ABOUT HOW THIS IS HAVING A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. I SAY THIS EVERY TIME WE MEET, 40% OF THE TAX BILL GOES TO THE STATE OF TEXAS, NOT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, BUT TO THE GENERAL FUND. SO I THINK ON FRIDAY AT THE RETREAT WE HAD A ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE COULD DO A BETTER JOB COLLABORATING AND WORKING TOGETHER. >> AND THERE WAS ONE ITEM I THINK YOU EVEN RECOMMENDED, BE REFERRED FROM THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE WHICH HAD BEEN TRADITIONALLY A PART OF THE SCOPE OF WORK TO THIS COMMITTEE. DO YOU WANT TO BRING THAT FORWARD AT THIS TIME? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE JOINT FINANCIAL REPORTS? >> RIGHT. >> IN THE PAST WE HAD A TEAM MADE UP OF EXECUTIVES FROM EACH TAXING ENTITY. TYPICALLY, THE CFO'S THAT BRIEF THE SUBCOMMITTEE. COMMISSIONER GÓMEZ, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT AND IT'S THE ECONOMIC OUTCOME AND FORECAST FOR EACH ORGANIZATION AND HOW THE ORGANIZATIONS IN PARTICIPATING IN THESE DISCUSSIONS, HOW WE COULD IN ESSENCE COVER THE PROJECTED TAX RATE FOR EACH AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE TAX RATE IMPACT IS GOING TO BE TO THE INDIVIDUAL OWNER AND THAT'S GONE TO THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR THAT CONVERSATION TO COME TO THIS GROUP HERE AND I THINK THAT WOULD ALSO HELP FURTHER THIS CONVERSATION. >> DO YOU GUYS -- SORRY. [3:21:50 PM] >> GO AHEAD. >> I WAS GOING TO ASK THE TIMELINE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE A TIMELINE, BUT IF YOU DO HAVE A TIMELINE FOR THE KINDS OF IDENTIFICATION OF PROJECTS. >> THE TIMELINE THAT I THINK STAFF UNDERSTANDS, SO THE RETREAT WAS ON FRIDAY. THE STAFF WILL BE MEETING SHORTLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THIS ALL STRAIGHT. BUT I THINK THE TIMELINE THAT WE THINK WE HAVE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. AND. >> AND WE TALKED ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT HERE AND I WAS HAPPY IT HEAR WE'VE DIRECTED OUR EXECUTIVES TO IDENTIFY A SPECIFIC PROJECT FOR US TO ACTUALLY START TALKING ABOUT WITH SPECIFICITY. NOT ONLY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR TEACHERS BUT THE WORKFORCE IN GENERAL. OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR -- ACROSS THE BOARD. >> THAT CONVERSATION HAPPENED AT THE RETREAT? OKAY. [3:23:50 PM] >> AND FOLLOWING UP ON THAT, I GOT AN EMAIL FROM THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, WHO HAS STARTED TO WORK ON THIS, FROM THE CITY SIDE ASKING FOR THE DISTRICT TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC PERSONNEL TO PARTICIPATE WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. >> Garza: ONE OF OUR AGENDA ITEMS IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT MAY BE REPETITIVE BUT THAT'S THE POINT, TO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN TO IDENTIFY SPECIFICS, HOW EACH US CAN MAYBE ADDRESS POLICY IN OUR DIFFERENT AREAS THAT HAVE CONCRETE GOALS, BASICALLY. SO -- THAT'S -- >> AND THERE ARE THREE OF US DEFERENCES COMING TOGETHER. >> AND THERE ARE THREE OF US, COMMISSIONER GÓMEZ AND COMMISSIONER SHEA SERVE ON THAT AND RAISED THE ISSUE THAT THERE MAY BE OVERLAP BUT IT MAY BE THE MOST OPPORTUNE TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHO IS GOING TO TAKE THE LEAD. AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING AS MANY SETS OF EYES AND EARS IN THE EFFORT TO GET TO THE COMMON GOAL. >> I HAVE TO ASK ONE OTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO I DON'T KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR, YOU KNOW, DEL VALLE, I KNOW IT'S NOT THE SAME ISSUE IN TERMS OF RECAPTURE BUT I ALSO DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S THE SAME ISSUES IN TERMS OF THE POTENTIAL FOR COLLABORATION IN AREAS IN WHICH YOU ALL MAY BE PAY FOR THINGS THAT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE COUNTY, PERHAPS, BECAUSE OF SYNERGIES. HAVE YOU LOOKED AT ANYTHING LIKE THAT, ANYTHING SIMILAR? >> WE HAVE, AND I KNOW FOR OURS, THERE'S SPECIFIC THINGS WE'VE TAKEN ON AND WERE ABLE DO WITH THE DISTRICT AND OUR STAFF HAS WORKED WITH COMMISSIONER GÓMEZ'S OFFICE ON SEVERAL THINGS. >> OKAY. >> AND [INAUDIBLE] >> YES, UH-HUH. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> YES. [3:25:50 PM] ABSOLUTELY. LET ME ALSO SAY IN THE CONVERSATIONS IN WHICH I'VE PARTICIPATED, IT'S BEEN MADE VERY CLEAR AND FOR GOOD REASON AND CERTAINLY WITH NO PUSHBACK FROM THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THIS FROM A TOTAL COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTICIPATION, NOT JUST THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO -- >> OKAY. >> DID YOU SAY Y'ALL WERE IN TALKS WITH THE CENTRAL HEALTH STAFF OR -- YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE OR -- >> I THINK WE ARE IN TALKS WITH THE CENTRAL HEALTH STAFF. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH A NUMBER OFF THE STAFF, INCLUDING YOUR CEO. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT CENTRAL HEALTH IS PUTTING TOGETHER A NEW COLLABORATIVE ORGANIZATION, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE NAME OF IT IS NOW AND I KNOW OUR SUPERINTENDENT IS PARTICIPATING ON IT. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO SOME SORT OF A COMMUNITY ALLIANCE IN WHICH THE DISTRICT WILL PARTICIPATE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I KNOW THAT THE DISTRICT IS INTERESTED IN IS USING THOSE TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS WITH CENTRAL HEALTH WHAT IT IS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO TOGETHER ALONG THE SAME LINES AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE CITY AND COUNTY. >> I HOPE THAT COMES TO FRUITION, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE AS A BOARD WOULD APPLAUD. >> THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> AND GLAD TO PARTICIPATE IN. WE'RE HOPEFUL. >> [INAUDIBLE] [3:27:45 PM] >> THANK YOU. >> QUICK COMMENT ON BEHALF OF THE ROUND ROCK ISD. I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION BUT WE'LL GET TO THE POINT IN A FEW YEARS THAT RECAPTURE WILL BE AN ISSUE. IT'S CERTAINLY NOTHING LIKE AUSTINITES HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH AND FOR YEARS WITH THE RATIO BUT IF WE CAN PARTICIPATE AND HELP OUT, BECAUSE I THINK AS A REGION, WE WANT TO REMAIN AFFORDABLE AS WELL AND NOT HAVE TO SEND FUND BACK TO THE STATE DISTRIBUTION. I DON'T THINK THE LAWSUIT -- WE'RE WATCHING -- ARE YOU PART OF THE LAWSUIT? >> YES, WE ARE. >> WE ARE TOO. I KNOW THAT DEL VALLE. ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE 1,000 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TEXAS ARE PART OF THAT AND IT MAY FIX IT. WHO KNOWS. >> WE'LL SEE. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> WHAT'S THE TIMELINE ON THAT? >> ON THE LAWSUIT? >> UH-HUH. >> THE SUPREME COURT HAS HEARD ORAL ARGUMENTS AND NOT GIVEN US SPECIFIC DESIGNATION OF A TIME WHERE THE DECISION WILL COME DOWN. WE'RE HOPEFUL IT WILL COME DOWN BEFORE THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. NOT SURE. LOTS OF QUESTION -- OBVIOUSLY, ABOUT NOT ONLY WHAT WILL THE DECISION BE BUT IF THE DECISION COMES DOWN IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S FAVOR, THEN, OF COURSE, IT'S NOT GOING -- IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S FAVOR, IT'S NOT THE FINAL ANSWER, THAT WILL BE REFERRED BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE AND WILL THE LEGISLATURE TAKE IT UP IN SPECIAL SESSION OR WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE -- THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE. STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS AROUND ALL OF THAT. [3:29:50 PM] >> OKAY. GO AHEAD. >> AND MAYBE ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO IS GET COPIES OF THE LETTER FROM JUDGE ECHARDT THAT SPEAKS TO THE CONVERSATION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AS FAR AS POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS AND MAYBE I'LL READ THE OPERATIVE PARTS. >> YOU HAVE THE LETTER THERE? >> YES, I DO. IT SAYS, THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE FEEDBACK ON THE DIRECT CASH INVESTMENTS BY THE COUNTY AND CITY AND ISSUE AREAS WITH STRATEGIES AND MEASURES OF PERFORMANCE, I WOULD LIKE TO REACH OUT TO MAYNARD AND -- ONE IS TO DEVELOP A CHARGE FOR THE ISSUES THAT COULD BE POSITIVELY IMPACTED BY -- I ADDED THE WORD CASH. IDENTIFY HOW POTENTIAL FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY AND CITY FUNDING CAN HELP SIDS AND MEET OBJECTIVES AND DEVELOP PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR AGREED UPON INVESTMENT AREAS PLAN TO SEGREGATE THE DIRECT FUNDING FROM THE PROCESSES AND FUNDING GOING TO THE SIDS WHO WOULD THEN MAKE A DISTRIBUTION DETERMINATION WITHIN THE GOALS AND STRATEGIES PREDETERMINED THROUGH THE COLLABORATION. I THINK SHE WAS OFFING THAT AS AN IDEA HOW TO GO FORWARD. >> AND IF YOU CAN GIVE THAT LETTER TO THAT YOUNG LADY OVER THERE. >> SURE. >> MAKE COPIES AND PROVIDE IT TO EVERYBODY. [3:31:50 PM] >> I HAVE IT. THAT GOES PERFECTLY WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANKS, MEL. >> AGENDA ITEM FOUR IS THE PRESENTATION BY CONVERSATION ON THE OUTCOMES OF THE MEETING ON THE JULY CONVERSATION CORPS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. LARRY SCHOOLER. >> SCHOOLER. >> YOU GET ONE FREE PASS, CHAIR GARZA. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> YOU BET. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. [3:33:45 PM] I'M LARRY SCHOOLER, THE MANAGER OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN. WE AN OFFICE THAT FOCUSES ON INVOLVING THE PUBLIC IN DECISIONS THAT THE CITY WILL MAKE THAT AFFECT THEM. I'M HERE TO BRIEFLY GET FOLKS UP TO SPEED ON WHAT CONVERSATION CORPS IS THAT HAND THINGS OVER TO JULIE SMITH FROM LEADERSHIP AUSTIN WHO HAS BEEN ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM FOR US. CONVERSATION CORPS IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN FOUR AGENCIES AND WE ACTUALLY EXPECT SOON FIVE AT THE URGING OF COMMISSIONER SHEA AND COMMISSIONER GÓMEZ WE THINK THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' COURT WILL BE ABLE TO BRING THE COUNTY INTO THE PROGRAM. WE APPRECIATE THAT. THE CONVERSATION CORPS IS TRAINING CITIZENS TO BE FACILITATORS OVER THE CITY. AND THEY FAN OUT TO PLACES LIKE COFFEEHOUSES AND HOUSES OF REC CENTERS AND HOST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CIVIC TOPICS AND MEET AND DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT THE PROVERBIAL TOPIC OF THE MONTH TO BE AND THE FACILITATORS ARE GIVEN BRIEFING MATERIALS AND QUESTIONS TO GUIDE THAT CONVERSATION AND THEN THEY REPORT BACK WHAT THEY'VE HEARD. SO FAR WE'VE TRAINED I THINK ABOUT 65, 70 NOW FACILITATORS WHO ARE BEGINNING TO HOST CONVERSATIONS FOR US AND WE'RE -- MAY, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, WE'RE IN OUR FIFTH MONTH OF TOPICS OF CONVERSATION. WE'RE PLEASED HOW THINGS ARE GOING. THIS MONTH'S TOPIC IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. [3:35:50 PM] A COUPLE OF MONTHS, AGO, I THINK IN JUNE, WE CAME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE OUR TOPIC WAS GOING TO BE AFFORDABLE AND WE WANTED TO SHARE IN THE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. >> AS MENTIONED IN JULY, OUR CONVERSATIONS FOCUSED AROUND AFFORDABILITY AND WE ASKED PEOPLE THIS PRIMARY QUESTION. WHAT DOES AFFORDABLE LIVING MEAN TO YOU AND WHAT IS STANDING IN THE WAY FOR YOU TO ACHIEVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE YOU DESIRE. THIS IS THE PRIMARY QUESTION THAT LEAD THESE CONVERSATIONS. WE'VE 11 OF THESE OVER TOWN AND HEARD FROM ABOUT 50 PEOPLE. YOU'LL RECEIVE A ELECTRONIC VERSION FROM THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM THE 11 CONVERSATIONS. WHAT I WANT DO IS GO OVER THE HIGH-LEVEL SCENE THEMES THAT CAME OUT OF THE CONVERSATIONS. A LITTLE BIT OF A PRE-PREVIEW. WHAT -- WHEN WE ASKED THE QUESTION, HERE'S WHAT WE HEARD. WHAT WE WALKED AWAY WITH WAS A LIST OF CHARACTERISTICS THAT THESE FOLKS FOUND TO -- THAT LEAD TO AN AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY AND THOSE WERE STRATEGIC GROWTH. ADEQUATE HOUSING OPTIONS. REASONABLE PROPERTY TAXES, RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS. HIGH STANDARDS OF EDUCATION. DIVERSE WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES. ACCESSIBILITY TO SERVICES AND RESOURCES. AND GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY. [3:37:50 PM] I'M GOING TO GO BRIEFLY INTO EACH OF THOSE AND OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. SO IN TERMS OF STRATEGIC GROWTH, WE HEARD IN ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS BOTH CONCERNS AND OPTIMISM FROM THE PEOPLE PARTICIPATING. KNOWING THAT THE VERY FAST GROWTH OF OUR CITY IS LEADING TO AFFORDABILITY ISSUES, A LOT OF QUESTIONS AROUND HOW DO WE SOLVE BIG CITY PROBLEMS WE'RE NOT READY FOR. THERE'S CONCERN PEOPLE WHO CAN'T FORWARD TO G.O. STAY HERE WILL LEAVE AND THERE'S OPTIMISM THAT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND GOT SMART PEOPLE FOCUSING ON CREATIVE SOLUTIONS. HOUSING WAS A LARGE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION. GLAD TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZES MANY PARTS THAT BUILD INTO AFFORDABILITY. BUT HOUSING WAS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE PRIMARY THINGS THEY TALKED ABOUT. THERE WAS BY FAR CONFLICTING VIEWS ON DENSITY. WE HEARD, YES, IT WILL HELP TO CREATE A MORE AFFORDABLE TOWN AND THEN NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE, THERE'S NO RESEARCH THAT SHOW THAT IS. AND THE CONFLICT CAME WITHIN THE SAME CONVERSATION AND DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS. EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR MORE LOW-INCOME HOUSING AND FIXED INCOME DEVELOPMENTS AND AFFORDABLE RENT AND EVEN RENT COROLLAS AN OPTION IN THE CITY AND CREATIVE OPTIONS INCLUDING CO-OPTS AND GRANNY FLATS AND LED TO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ZONING AND RESTRICTIONS THERE. PROPERTY TAXES WERE A LARGE PART OF THE HOUSING PIECE, A LOT OF CONCERN ESPECIALLY FOR OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, THE DISABLED, POOR, VETS AND ELDERLY. QUESTIONS LIKE WHY ISN'T GROWTH PAYING FOR ITSELF? WHY DO WE HAVE TO INCREASE TAXES. [3:39:50 PM] SHOULDN'T BE WE BE RECEIVING MORE BECAUSE OF BIGGER GROWTH AND THE NEED FOR INCENTIVES AND CAPS FOR LONG-TERM RESIDENTS. TRANSPORTATION, NO SURPRISE IS A HUGE PART THE CONVERSATION, STARTING WITH THE COST OF DRIVING. SITTING IN TRAFFIC AND DRIVING LONG DISTANCES, HEARD FROM PEOPLE THEY WANT TO GO DOWN TO ONE CAR WHICH MEANS THEY NEED MORE PUBLIC OPTIONS AND MORE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS AND WANTED THEM TO BE AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYONE A LOT OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT HOW IT WAS EASIER TO RIDE -- IF IT WAS EASIER TO RIDE A BIKE AROUND TOWN, IT WOULD BE EASIER TO GET TO ONE CAR. AND WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT EDUCATION AND LEADING TO HIGHER PAYING JOBS AND MORE AWARENESS OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND WE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THEY WANTED QUALITY SCHOOLS IF ALL AREAS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE AND BETTER CAREER AND TECHNICAL PROGRAMS. WAGES WERE A BIG PIECE OF THIS CONVERSATION. WANTED TO SEE INCENTIVES -- TO SEE EMPLOYERS BE INCENTIVIZED FOR ADDRESSING AFFORDABILITY. CONCERN THAT BRINGING TALENT FROM OTHER CITIES WAS PUSHING OUR OWN TALENT OUT. AND A LOT OF TALK AROUND PROVIDING LESS CORPORATE INCENTIVES AND MORE SUPPORT FOR SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES. WE HEARD ALMOST IN EVERY CONVERSATION, PEOPLE'S DESIRES TO LIVE AND -- LIVE NEAR WHERE THEY WORK AND BE NEAR GROCERY STORE AND RESTAURANTS AND ACCESS IT NATURE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES. THIS WAS A BIG PIECE OF WHAT THEY CONSIDERED A FULL AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY AND FINALLY, WE HEARD ABOUT GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY WITH PEOPLE WANTING TO SEE CONSOLIDATED SERVICES AND OTHER THINGS THAT AFFECT THE QUALITY OF LIFE. WANTING TO SEE TRANSPARENCY IN SPENDING AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE HEAR EVERY CARBON MONOXIDE WE OFTEN HEAR WILL OUR VOICES BE HEARD AND WE CONTINUED TO HEAR THAT THROUGHOUT THE THIS CONVERSATION. PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT WE'RE SAYING. BOTTOM. [3:41:50 PM] >> THESE ARE SMALLER GROUP CONVERSATION, THIS IS NOT A LARGE PUBLIC MEETING AND I THINK WHAT THAT ALLOWS FOR IS REALLY NICE AND MUTUALLY RESPECTFUL EXCHANGE OF IDEAS. NOT THAT ISN'T POSSIBLE IN A PUBLIC MEETING BUT THIS IS A SMALLER AND MORE INTIMATE CONVERSATION AND THE BENEFITS OF THAT ARE REALLY A NICE DIVERSE ARRAY OF VIEWS. ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, BECAUSE OUR FACILITATORS ARE VOLUNTEERS, WE REALLY ARE ONLY ABLE TO TALK TO THEM, YOU KNOW, ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH BEFORE THEY FACILITATE, BEFORE AND AFTER THEY FACILITATE AND THE DISCUSSION GUIDES WE GIVE THEM ARE GENERALIZED. IT'S NOT THAT WE EXPECT THEM TO BE EXPERTS ON THE TOPICS. THE KEY THINGS THAT, GOSH, WE'RE ALREADY DOING THAT, OR WHY WOULD SOMEONE SAY THAT, IT'S PARTLY BECAUSE OF FACILITATION IS DONE BY A PERSON NOT TO CORRECT THE STATEMENTS OF FACT BUT JUST MAKE SURE IT'S A PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION. AND A CRITICAL PART OF THE ANY CONVERSATION CORPS IS THE CLOSURE OF THE FEEDBACK LOOP. FROM THE TIME WE ASK FOR INPUT UNTIL THE FEEDBACK IS RECEIVED UNTIL THE PUBLIC CAN SEE WHAT IS DONE WITH THE FEEDBACK, THERE'S THAT EXCEPT ADVERTISE SKEPTICISM. [3:43:50 PM] SO WE CAN REPORT THAT BACK TO OUR PARTICIPANTS OF THE CONVERSATION CORPS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SO THEY SEE THIS IS A BENEFICIAL WAY FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE. I THINK THAT'S ALL WE'VE GOT FOR NOW. >> ARE THEY -- MY STAFF ATTENDED A COUPLE IN MY DISTRICT. ARE THEY GIVEN -- THEY WONDER IF THEY'RE BEING HEARD. AT THESE MEETINGS, ARE THEY GIVEN INFORMATION HOW THEY CAN BE HEARD. LIKE YOU CAN GO TO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS OR COMMISSIONERS' COURT? >> THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION. WHAT WE'VE GENERALLY DONE IS LISTED A SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL AT EACH OF THE AGENCIES AS THE CONTACT. IF THEY'RE LOOKING FOR QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED THAT COULDN'T BE ANSWERED OR LOOKING TO RAISE ADDITIONAL CONCERNS THEY KNOW WHO WILL REVIEW THE INPUT. IT'S NOT JUST CITY STAFF, IT'S A SPECIFIC PERSON. MAYBE LISTING OUT OTHER WAYS THEIR VOICES COULD BE HEARD. WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED. THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD ADD TO FUTURE INFORMATION SHEETS. >> Garza: HOW ARE YOU GETTING THE WORD OUT THAT THE MEETINGS, WHERE THEY OCCUR AND WHEN -- >> WE'RE ON A MARKETING PUSH DUE TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS BUT IN GENERAL, USING TRADITIONAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA, AND USING NEXT DOOR WHICH REACHES INTO NEIGHBORHOODS AND TAPPING INTO MINORITY PUBLICATION WHERE IS EITHER THE PUBLICATION IS IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE OR APPEALS TO A SPECIFIC SEGMENT OF THE COMMUNITY BUT I THINK YOU'LL START TO SEE AN AGGRESSIVE PUSH. WE INTENDED IT TO HAM SOONER BUT SOME OF THE STAFF WERE DEVOTED TO THE EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. COME OCTOBER, YOU'LL START TO SEE THINGS, PERHAPS A BOOKMARK GOING TO EVERYONE WHO TAKES OUT A BOOK AT THE LIBRARY THAT LISTS THE UPCOMING TOPICS AND WE'RE EXCITED TO UTILIZE TECHNIQUES TO REACH POPULATION THAT MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY GOOD. [3:45:50 PM] >> OKAY. >> IT'S A GOOD IDEA, GREAT TO SEE IT'S TURNING OUT. GOOD FEEDBACK. YOU MENTIONED STATEMENT OF FACTS. DO YOU ENGAGE WHEN SOMEONE COMES UP AND SAY, I DON'T KNOW, MAKE A CLAIM ABOUT SOMETHING YOU ANY YOU'VE GIVEN FEEDBACK IF YOU KNOW THAT FEEDBACK RIGHT THEN. DO YOU ADDRESS IS RIGHT AWAY? >> IT'S SITUATIONAL, BOARD MEMBER, I WOULD SAY IN GENERAL, IT'S THE ROLE OF THE FACILITATOR TO MAKE SURE THE PERSON IS ABLE -- MAKE SURE THE PERSON IS ABLE TO MAKE THE POINT THEY WANTED TO MAKE AND NOBODY ATTACKED THEM PERSONALLY, BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING LIKE, ROUND ROCK IS A SUBDIVISION OF AUSTIN, I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT MIGHT BE CORRECTED. >> GO AHEAD. >> NO, I WAS GOING TO SAY, IN GENERAL, THE QUESTION FROM THE FACILITATOR MIGHT BE CAN YOU TELL ME THE SOURCE OF THAT INFORMATION, AS OPPOSED TO THAT'S NOT WHAT I HEARD. [3:47:45 PM] >> YOU MENTIONED THE CIVIL DISCOURSE THAT GOES ON IN SMALL GROUPS, AND ROUND ROCK, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL LARGE GROUPS AND WE WOULD BE DISCUSSING, BECAUSE IT WASN'T A POSTED MEETING, THE TELEPHONE GAME, ROUND ROCK IS DOING THIS AND DOING THIS, AND THEN THEY'D MAKE AN OUTRAGEOUS CLAIM. TRAFFIC WAS TERRIBLE, LOTS OF ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS. >> ONE THING WE DO IS THAT PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE A FACT SHEET AND THERE'S DATA PROVIDED AND EVEN THOUGH THEY THEY'VE MISINFORMATION AND CONTRIBUTED AT LEAST THEY'D HAVE SOMETHING IN FRONT OF THEM TO EXPLAIN THE TRUE SITUATION. >> AN IMPORTANT PART OF FEEDBACK IS AGENCIES TO BE ABLE TO CLEAR UP MISCONCEPTIONS. WE DON'T RELY ON THE HOST TO DO THAT, BUT THE AGENCIES WHEN THEY PROVIDE THE REPORT BACK, ARE ABLE TO SAY, WE HEARD THIS AND UNDERSTAND AND WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU KNOW -- >> A QUICK FOLLOW-UP. SEE HOW IT COULD AFFECT IN AUSTIN THE CHARTER COOL THAT'S BEEN IN THE PAPER UP ON NORTHEAST AREA -- I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT. BUT THEY BUILT THE ZONE, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SOMEBODY MAY COME AND SAY WHO AUTHORIZED THIS, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE CITY, COUNTY? IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYBODY. SO, HOPEFULLY, YOU HAVE RESOURCES AND SAY, ROUND ROCK WE HAVE CHARTER SCHOOLS ISSUES BUT WE'RE FACING YOU KNOW, AND CHALLENGES BY THAT -- THEY HAVE PERCEPTIONS. >> THAT'S USEFUL, AGAIN, I THINK OUR HOSTS ARE, YOU KNOW, REALLY WELL POSITIONED TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING SOMETIMES IT CAN BE CHALLENGING TO KEEP WITH THE INFORMATION FLOW. WE'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND. THANK YOU. [3:49:50 PM] >> WHAT ARE THE ULTIMATE END GAME FOR THE INFORMATION GATHERED? >> IT VARIES DEPENDING ON THE TOPIC. IN THIS CASE, THE AFFORDABILITY TOPIC CAME AT A LULL IN TERMS OF NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SPECIFIC REPORTS AND PLANS AND SO THEY WERE INTENDING TO USE IT MORE GENERALLY TO AID IN FUTURE PLANNING EFFORTS. THERE WASN'T A SPECIFIC POLICY. ON OTHER MONTHS, OUR FIRST MOVE MONTH, WAS ON THE CITY BUDGET AND IT WAS INTENDED TO BE HANDED DIRECTLY TO THE BUDGET OFFICE AND IT WAS. WE'RE GOING TO MEET WITH NHCD SHORTLY AND -- IT VARIES ON THE TOPIC. CAPITAL METRO WILL HAVE A TOPIC SOON ABOUT ROUTE CHANGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THE INPUT WILL BE VERY DIRECTLY LINKED TO THOSE. >> Troxclair: AND I THINK THE FIRST SLIDE HAD THAT YOU WOULD HOLD ABOUT 11 MEETINGS AND 48 VOICES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT'S ABOUT FOUR PEOPLE AT EACH MEETING? >> SOME WILL BE VERY SMALL AND WE'VE GOT ONE IN SOUTH AUSTIN THAT ALMOST EVERY MONTH GETS ABOUT 15 PEOPLE AND IT VARIES AND I THINK SUMMER MONTHS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SLOWER, ESPECIALLY A BRAND NEW PROGRAM. WE'RE VERY MUCH ANTICIPATING INCREASED PARTICIPATION IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. >> Troxclair: SOUNDS LIKE IT WILL RAMP UP AND I APPRECIATES OUTREACH AND I HAVE HAD STAFF MEMBERS ATTEND THE CONVERSATION CORPS. BUT I -- I WANTED TO BE CAUTIOUS WE DON'T HAVE SUCH A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT -- IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE IN THE FEEDBACK BUT I WANTED TO BE CONSCIOUS IT'S A VERY, VERY SMALL -- [3:51:50 PM] >> NO QUESTION. ONE OF THE NICE THINGS ABOUT OUR TRAINING NUMBER SO FAR IS THAT WE'RE AT ENOUGH TRAINED FACILITATORS TO HOST AT LEAST THREE CONVERSATIONS PER DISTRICT AND SO THE INTENT IS TO OFF PEOPLE KIND OF A DAYTIME OPTION, AND EVENING OPTION AND WEEKEND OPTION SO WE CAN INCREASE THE NUMBER WHO CAN ATTEND. RIGHT NOW IT'S BASED ON WHAT AN EARLY BATCH OF HOSTS HAVE BEEN ABLE DO WITHIN THEIR SCHEDULE BUT WE -- THAT SHOULD DRIVE UP NUMBERS AS WELL. >> Troxclair: HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICES TO DO THIS -- I KNOW SOME OF US HAVE TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE TOO BIG. BUT THE BUDGET IN THE BOX AND WE SPLIT INTO SMALLER GROUPS AND IT ENDED UP BEING A GREAT EXERCISE. >> WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE THAT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COVER WHATEVER YOU WANT TO COVER BUT THE CONVERSATION WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT AGENDA ITEM ON COUNCILMEMBER'S ON PUBLIC MEETING OR TOWN HALL MEETING AND SEE HOW WE CAN INTEGRATE THAT GOING FORWARD. >> Troxclair: AND ONE OF THE SLIDES MENTIONED, THE FEEDBACK WAS TO OFF INCENTIVES FOR EMPLOYERS TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY. WERE THERE SUGGESTIONS OF WHAT THOSE MIGHT LOOK LIKE? >> WE'LL SEND OUT THE FULL REPORT AND WE DON'T ASK FOR VERY SPECIFIC FEEDBACK. WE STAY HIGH LEVEL EVEN WITH WHAT OUR HOSTS GIVE US. I KNOW SOME THINGS WERE WORKING RELY AND THOSE -- REMOTELY AND THOSE BENEFITS. GETTING PEOPLE OF THE ROAD WHICH HELP WITH THE AFFORDABILITY ISSUES FOR TRANSPORTATION AND HELPING TO MAKE SURE THIS PEOPLE ARE MAKING A LIVING WAGE CAME OUT. >> Troxclair: I'M INTERESTED IN THAT BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE CONVERSATION HAS FOCUSED ON MANDATING THE BEHAVIOR WE WANT INSTEAD OF INCENTIVIZING THE BEHAVIOR. I WOULD LIKE TO DO MORE INCENTIVIZING. >> ONE OTHER THING, WE'RE TRYING TO PARALLEL THE CONVERSATION, TOPIC OF THE MONTH WITH THE SPEAKUPAUSTIN.ORG AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL ALLOW FOR A BROADER BASE OF PARTICIPATION. I DON'T REMEMBER IF WE DID ONE FOR THIS TOPIC BUT INTENDING TO GOING FORWARD AND THAT, HOPEFULLY, GIVE MORE SPECIFIC IDEAS AS WE GO. >> IT SAID -- I COULD SEE WHAT THE GOAL IS TO DO MORE WORK FROM HOME, BUT WHAT WOULD BE THE INCENTIVE TO THE EMPLOYER. AND WHO GIVES THE INCENTIVE AND THEN THE THIRD BULLET, SAYS STOP INCENTIVIZING TO CORPORATIONS. [LAUGHTER] I GUESS -- [3:53:50 PM] >> IT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUT TWO AUSTINITES TOGETHER, YOU GET THREE OPINIONS. >> Garza: VERY TRUE. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU ALL. >> THANK YOU. >> Garza: MOVING ALONG JUST PERFECTLY. HOPE WE'LL GET YOU OUT HERE BEFORE 5:00 TRAFFIC. NUMBER FIVE IS THE STRATEGIC PLAN I MENTIONED A COUPLE TIMES. IT'S POSTED FOR ACTION IF WE WANT TO TAKE ACTION BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE READY. BUT WE CAN. [3:55:50 PM] BUT THE GOAL -- AND I LOVE THE LETTER WE GOT THAT WAS PASSED OUT. THIS IS BASICALLY WHAT I WAS HOPING TO GET TO. SOME VERY SPECIFIC GOAL, ONE OF THE MAIN GOALS ARE FORMING THIS COMMITTEE WAS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT AFFORDABILITY SO IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT COMES UP, YOU KNOW, DURING CAMPAIGN TIME AND THEN WE CONTINUE TO, AND THEN WE CAN USE THIS -- WE CAN MOVE OUT FROM HERE AND GO SPEAK WITH OUR RESPECTIVE ENTITIES AND PUSH THESE EFFORTS. EXAMPLES THAT I THINK OF TRUSTEE SALDANA TALKED ABOUT USING AFFORDABLE LAND FOR PROJECTS AND MAYBE THAT COULD BE PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THAT EACH OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN PUSH THAT WITH THEIR BOARDS AND FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THAT. A LOT OF CONVERSATION HAS CENTERED AROUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND I WANT THAT TO BE PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN GOING FORWARD. AND SO ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I'M -- I'M JUST BRAINSTORMING MY IDEAS. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOUR IDEAS ARE. BUT OTHER AREAS OF -- THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS AS PART OF OUR GOALS IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT GENTRIFICATION BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES I FEEL -- GENTRIFICATION. AND A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION IS HAPPENING IN EAST AUSTIN, IN CERTAIN PARTS OF EAST AUSTIN WHERE IT'S TOO LATE TO ADDRESS THAT, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S ALREADY BEEN GENTRIFIED. AND I THINK LAURA -- THERE WAS A STUDY DONE BY BERKELEY, IT'S AN EARLY WARNING TOOLKIT FOR GENTRIFICATION AND I'M HOPING WE CAN USE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE OF POLICY TO -- I KNOW -- TO ADDRESS GENTRIFICATION BEFORE IT HAPPENS BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS -- THIS IS AN ISSUE IN MY DISTRICT, WE'RE RIGHT ON THE CUSP OF, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY IS PUSHED OUT TO DEL VALLE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FORWARD TO LIVE IN -- AFFORD TO LIVE IN AUSTIN ANYMORE. THIS IS PART WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF OUR GOALS, CONSIDER POLICY AND I KNOW WE'RE BUSY AND HAVE A LOT OF MEETINGS TO ATTEND AND ANOTHER SUGGESTION I WANTED TO MAKE, BECAUSE OF THAT WE CAN MAYBE MOVE IN A DIRECTION WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A MONTHLY MEETING. THEY SEEM TO COME UP A LOT QUICKER AND SO I'M HAPPY IF -- IF WE CAN GET MORE QUALITY WORK DONE IF WE HAVE LONGER TIME BETWEEN THE MEETINGS, I WOULD PREFER THAT THAN TO HAVE A MEETING EVERY MONTH JUST TO HAVE A MEETING. SO ANYONE ELSE WANT TO BRAINSTORM ANY IDEAS OF A STRATEGIC PLAN. [3:57:50 PM] >> THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD -- >> Garza: TURN YOUR MIC ON COMMISSIONER. >> THE OTHER -- THE SESSION HELD AT THE EXPO CENTER, THERE WAS A LOT OF IDEAS EXPRESSED THERE AS WELL AND THEY WERE GOING TO BE INTERPRETED LATER. WILL WE HEAR THAT REPORT HERE AS WELL? >> Garza: THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM. >> THERE WERE DIFFERENT BREAKOUT GROUPS AND PEOPLE ADDRESSED DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO THEM. THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THAT REPORT AT SOME POINT, WHENEVER IT COMES UP GOOD. >> THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. >> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT ENCOMPASSES TAXES AND FEES AND WATER AND ELECTRICITY AND ALL OF THAT. IT'S A BROAD SUBJECT. >> Garza: VERY, YEAH. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE SUGGESTIONS WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN? ANYONE WANTING TO POSSIBLY TAKE THE LEAD ON CREATING THE STRATEGIC PLAN IF NOT, MY OFFICE CAN DO IT. >> I'LL HELP YOU. BUT I'LL NOT TAKE THE LEAD. BUT I'LL HELP YOU. I'M CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, ON HOUSING, THE CITY IS WORKING TOWARD A COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING PLAN, SO IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO THEN DOVETAIL THAT OR COORDINATE THAT WITH HOUSING PLANS FROM OTHER BODIES. I DON'T KNOW IF THE OTHER BODIES -- I DON'T KNOW THE EXTENT TO WHICH -- BUT THAT PARTICULAR HOUSING PLAN WHEN IT COMES BACK TO US, AS A DRAFT, WE COULD THINK ABOUT HOW THAT HOUSING PLAN IMPACTS THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES. [3:59:50 PM] >> Garza: OKAY. >> Kitchen: SO, I MEAN, SO FOR EXAMPLE, INCORPORATING INTO IT THE CONCEPT OF USING PUBLIC LANDS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. OR, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE OTHER IDEAS OR INCORPORATING WITH THE COUNTY'S -- >> I THINK AT THE VERY BEGINNING, WE SAID WE WERE BRINGING FORTH A LIST OF PROPERTIES UNDERUTILIZED AND PROBABLY SOME OF THOSE COULD BE USED FOR THAT. I STILL HAVE THAT LIST. DO WE NEED TO BRING THAT LIST AGAIN? >> Kitchen: YEAH. >> WE CAN BE REMINDED OF WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE. AND THEN YOURS AS WELL. SO MAYBE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE ON THE AGENDA. TO HAVE THE UPDATED COPY OF THAT. >> Garza: OKAY. WE CAN ADD THAT AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM. AND SO IF EACH OF US COULD -- I KNOW I ASKED THIS LAST TIME, BUT IF WE COULD EACH GO BACK TO OUR -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE MAYBE AN ITEM POSTED ON INJURE AGENDA TO HAVE A DISCUSSION BUT GO BACK TO OUR RESPECTIVE BOARDS AND ASK -- MAYBE GIVE AN UPDATE WHAT -- YOU KNOW, WHAT THE GOAL OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THIS COMMITTEE AND TO ASK FOR SUGGESTIONS ON IT. BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF TIMES, THE IDEAS ARE DISCUSSED AND THEN IT JUST GOES AWAY AND MAYBE THERE'S SOME -- YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY ON THE BOARD WHO REMEMBERS A GREAT IDEA THAT NEVER GOT IMPLEMENTED. IF WE CAN START -- YOU KNOW, GETTING THOSE IDEAS BACK AND WRITTEN DOWN SO WE CAN START REALLY ADDRESSING SPECIFIC POLICY IN WAYS TO ADDRESS THOSE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. [4:01:50 PM] >> I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST, MAYBE TAKE A STEP BACK. ONE OF THE THINGS HELPFUL TO ME WE WERE SURVEYED BEFORE THE RETREAT TO IDENTIFY OUR PRIORITY AREAS. AND THEN THE FACILITATORS WERE ABLE TO GET EVERYBODY'S INFORMATION AND PUT THEM TOGETHER AND SYNTHESIZE THEM AND FIND THE SYNERGY AND MORE SPECIFICALLY WE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WE SAW AS THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK OF THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEES. WHAT'S OUR VISION AS A GROUP, WHAT OUR SPECIFIC OUTCOMES WE WANT TO SEE OVER THE NEXT 12-24 MONTHS. WERE THERE SOME THINGS THAT WERE NON-NEGOTIABLE. OUR PRIORITIES AND PERHAPS THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN ALL DO. I KNOW SINCE WE STARTED MEETING, HAVE VOCALIZED, ARTICULATED OUR PRIORITIES BUT IT MIGHT BE -- MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO DO THAT AND ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT CAME UP, IT COULD BE THAT WE HAVE WORKING GROUPS THAT MEET WHEN THIS GROUP IS NOT MEETING THAN WE ROTATE THEM COMING AND GIVING PRESENTATIONS AND HELPING TO DEVELOP ACTION PLANS. THE LIST THAT COMMISSIONER GÓMEZ MENTIONED CAME UP AT FRIDAY, AT THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE, THE LIST OF THE AVAILABLE LAND AND I THINK THAT WAS GOING TO GO TO STAFF AND HAVE THEM IDENTIFY SOME POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND MAYBE GO ALONG THE LINES OF THOSE THINGS. >> Garza: DO YOU WANT TO READ THOSE AGAIN AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TAKE BACK TO OUR -- THAT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO -- WE'RE NOT COMING BACK NEXT TIME AND CAN YOU BRING THIS BACK? >> I'LL VOLUNTEER AND GIVE IT TO THE STAFF PERSON AND SHE CAN FORWARD IT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. THAN WAY WE'RE NOT VIOLATING ANY -- >> Garza: OPEN MEETING? >> OPEN MEETING STUFF. >> Garza: OKAY. [4:03:50 PM] >> Kitchen: I'M WONDERING, YOU HAD MENTIONED, I THINK, MAYBE THIS COMMITTEE STARTING TO WORK ON THE TAXING ISSUES. THAT THE OTHER COMMITTEE SUGGESTED WE TAKE SOME OF THOSE. I'M WONDERING NOW THAT WE -- I THINK WE'RE PASSED OUR BUDGET. BUT ANYWAY, I'M WONDERING IF WE MIGHT LAY GROUNDWORK FOR NEXT YEAR? SO TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR EACH OF US NEXT YEAR TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS ISSUES. LIKE MAYBE TAXES -- YOU KNOW, NOT THAT IT'S -- I DON'T KNOW. I'M WONDERING IF MAYBE WE COULD LAY GROUND WORK FOR NEXT YEAR AND THINK ABOUT -- TAXES ARE ONLY ONE SIDE OF THE AFFORDABILITY. ANOTHER IS SERVICES. I'M WONDERING IF WE MIGHT HAVE DISCUSSIONS AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO THAT, SO -- GOOD. >> THAT COULD BE PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. SHORT TERM, IMMEDIATE AND LONG TERM IDEAS TOO. I'LL START TO WORK ON THAT FRAMEWORK. >> Kitchen: OKAY. >> Garza: AND THEN MAYBE WORK FROM THERE. START ON THE FRAMEWORK, THESE ARE OUR STRATEGIC PLANS AND IN THE MEANTIME, IF YOU CAN GO BACK YOUR PROSPECTIVE BOARDS IF THERE ARE IDEAS THOUGHT ABOUT IN THE PAST THAT WE COULD BRING FORWARD AND IT COULD BE A VISTA THINGS. LIKE IT COULD BE FEES OR TAXES, IT'S NOT JUST AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THERE ARE ALL KIND OF THINGS THAT AFFECT YOUR MONTHLY BILL -- BILLS EVERY MONTH. SO SOUND GOOD TO EVERYBODY? >> Troxclair: THIS IS ALONG THE SAME LINES BUT WHEN WE STARTED THIS COMMITTEE, ONE OF MY GOALS WAS TO JUST HAVE A PLACE WHERE WE COULD BETTER UNDERSTAND KIND OF THE TOTAL TAX BURDEN THAT EACH OF OUR RESPECTIVE ENTITIES ARE PLACING ON OUR CONSTITUENCIES. AND NOW, HAVING BEEN THROUGH THE BUDGET CYCLE, I THINK WE COULD DO A BETTER JOB NEXT TIME HAVING THAT CONVERSATION BEFORE WE HAVE FINAL ADOPTION AND SAY HERE'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. WHAT. [4:05:50 PM] YOU THINKING? WE NEED DO IN THIS YEAR BUT WE HAVE FLEXIBILITY HERE. AND FOR ME, I WOULD LOVE TO -- I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS TOO AMBITIOUS BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SET A GOAL FOR THE COMMITTEE. LIKE AN OVERALL TAXING ENTITY GOAL. COMING INTO THE NEXT BUDGET, EVERY YEAR STAY THIS PERCENTAGE OR -- YOU KNOW, UNDER THIS BENCHMARK SO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF REALLY WHEN WE'RE LAYERING ALL OF OUR TAXING ENTITIES ON TOP OF EACH OTHER WHAT THAT MEANS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD HOPE TO SEE AND ALSO -- I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE PLACE BUT I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESSES OF THE OTHER ENTITIES AND WHAT PROCESSES WORK WELL. AND WHAT MAYBE COULD BE IMPROVED ON, I KNOW AGAIN, THIS BEING A NEW COUNCIL, WE DID A COUPLE OF THINGS NEW THIS TIME AND I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT SOME OF US THINK WE COULD DO BETTER NEXT TIME AND FOR US, I THINK, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES -- SOUNDS LIKE IT'S DIFFERENT FOR THE COMMISSIONER, JUST THE AMOUNT OF TIME FROM THE TIME WE HAVE OUR BUDGET TO THE TIME WE ADOPT THE FINAL BUDGET, THERE'S A QUICK TURN-AROUND SO I WOULD BE CURIOUS WHAT OTHER ENTITIES ARE DOING THAT COULD LEAD TO A MORE THOUGHTFUL BUDGET PROCESS. >> THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA WILL HELP WITH SOME OF THAT. THAT'S THE TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT. MAYBE WE START WITH SOME EDUCATION ABOUT WHERE WE ALL ENDED UP IN TERMS OF BUDGET AND THE TOTAL IMPACT AND THAT CAN BE AROUND THE TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT. >> IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. KIND OF FELL INTO THAT SAME PATTERN. AND THEN WE WENT TO -- I THINK -- I THINK WE DID -- BILL OAKLEY WANTED US TO DO AND THAT WAS TO SHOW THE IMPACT ON THE DIFFERENT -- >> YEAH, THE DIFFERENT LEVELS. >> THE DIFFERENT LEVELS, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE IT AND FIGURE OUT CLOSER WHAT THE IMPACT IS GOING TO BE. INSTEAD OF SAYING THE AVERAGE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. SO I THINK WE REALLY LOOKED AT HIS SUGGESTION TO TRY TO MEET WHAT HE WANTED INCLUDED SO IT WILL BE REALLY, REALLY CLEAR. >> MAYBE A PRESENTATION OF THAT? [4:07:50 PM] >> YEAH. >> Garza: SO WHAT I'LL DO -- DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING? >> I KNOW WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT. I HAVE TO TALK TO OUR CFO ABOUT PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. THE OTHER THING, THE JOINT FINANCIAL BUDGET REPORT THAT HISTORICALLY HAS GONE TO THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDING TO COME HERE. APPARENTLY THERE'S BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE A TEAM OF EXECUTIVES FROM THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT FROM THE CITY, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND COUNTY, AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, CENTRAL HEALTH AND THERE MAY BE OTHER PLAYERS ALREADY THAT CONTINUE TO MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS. SO MAYBE WE HAVE THEM COME AND MAKE A PRESENTATION WHAT IT IS THEY'RE ACTUALLY RECESSING OR -- ASSESSING OR DISCUSSING. WE MOVED OUR BUDGET ADOPTION PROCESS AND THE FISCAL YEAR WILL COINCIDE WITH THE SCHOOL YEAR. OUR BUDGET WILL RUN FROM JULY TO JULY TO COINCIDE WITH THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET ON AUGUST 31st AND THE NEXT WEEK WE HAD A BUDGET WORK SESSION TO ALREADY START THE WORK AND THE CONVERSATION WAS US GOING AROUND THE TABLE TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S ON THE TABLE AND WHAT'S NOT AND BASICALLY WE SAID EVERYTHING WAS ON THE TABLE AND SAID COLLECTIVELY AS A -- COLLECTIVELY AS A GROUP, SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING TO BE A PRIORITY BUT WE'VE STARTED THOSE CONVERSATIONS ALREADY MOVING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR BECAUSE WE HAD MOVED OUR FISCAL YEAR TO JULY INSTEAD OF OCTOBER 1. >> Kitchen: ESSENTIA HEALTH DONE AN TAX IMPACT STATEMENT. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> WOULD THE COUNTY DO THAT? >> I THINK WE COULD GET ON THE SAME PAGE. >> I'M SURE, WE WILL. WHATEVER PAGE YOU ALL WANT TO BE ON, WE'LL BE ON. >> WE USUALLY WORK WITH THEM. [4:09:50 PM] >> THANK YOU. THE CONVERSATION FOR US, OF COURSE, WE'RE LIMITED TAX AND VERY SMALL BUT THE CONVERSATION OF AFFORDABILITY HAS REALLY KIND OF EXPLODED ON US RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE IN THE MIDST, NOT QUITE THE MIDST BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT TUITION AND INCREASES AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 45,000 OR 70,000 STUDENTS GIVE OR TAKE, AROUND THE REGION, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT RAISING $5 OR $10 TUITION CREDIT, WE'RE TALKING A LOT MORE THAN SOME OF THE TAXES HERE. SO AFFORDABILITY TO US IS STARTING TO BECOME REALLY TUITION AND STUDENT DEBT. AND THAT REALLY WORKS IN AND, OF COURSE, WE DO SERVE -- YOU KNOW, FROM MIDDLE TO LOWER INCOME AND SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO SCHOOL, TO ACC, THAT'S A BIG CHUNK OF YOUR LIVELIHOOD TO PAY FOR THREE COURSES AND BOOKS, ETC. SO OUR DISCUSSION HAS REALLY KIND OF -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE LIMITED AT NINE CENTS AND OUR ACTUAL, WITH CAPITAL, I THINK WE PASSED -- OR WILL PASS NEXT MONTH, OUR TAX RATE WILL BE 10.050, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. CAPITAL BONDS. AND OUR REAL DISCUSSION IS GOING TO START CENTERING AROUND HOW DO WE KEEP TUITION REASONABLE. AND AFFORDABLE. AND THAT'S THE AFFORDABILITY DEFINITION. WE'RE GOING TO START TALK BEING. AND IF WE CAN, AND IF WE CONTINUE TO SEE -- YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, THE EDUCATION CIRCLES, STUDENT DEBT IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE. AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR MORE AND MORE ABOUT THAT DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL YEAR, YOU'LL HEAR A LOT ABOUT STUDENT DEBT BECAUSE IT'S EXPLODED AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT -- WHAT -- YOU KNOW, TAX IS IMPORTANT, OBVIOUSLY, BUT, OBVIOUSLY, HOUSING IS -- SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY THE NUMBER ONE THING. BUT PAYING FOR EDUCATION? [4:11:45 PM] I KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT CHAPTER 41. OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S A BIG HIT. BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW IS OKAY, IF WE CANNOT MOVE OR TAXES UP AND WE CAN, WITHOUT GOING TO THE VOTERS AND THEY DIDN'T LIKE THAT LAST YEAR, AND -- WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TUITION AND HOW DO WE KEEP THAT AFFORDABLE AND IT'S A VERY, VERY TOUGH SITUATION WE'RE GOING TO BE IN. BECAUSE IF WE'RE RAISING OUR TUITION, WE'RE RAISING STUDENT DEBT BY DEFINITION. >> Garza: THANK YOU, THAT'S A GOOD PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE JUST THINKING OF MY MONTHLY BILL, MY STUDENT LOAN PAYMENT IS ONE OF MY BIGGEST PAYMENTS. BUT THAT'S A GOOD PERSPECTIVE FOR US TO REMEMBER. BY TACKLING THE OTHER THING, MAYBE THAT'S HOW WE MAKE THAT ROOM IN THE PEOPLE'S BUDGET, IF IT'S HOUSING, OR TRANSPORTATION, LOWERING TRANSPORTATION COSTS OR MAKING IT MORE EFFICIENT. THAT'S WHERE WE CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON THAT. THANKS FOR THAT PERSPECTIVE. GO AHEAD. >> SO IS THERE A -- ANY STANDARD FORM FOR THIS TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT, CITY, COUNTY HAS DONE. >> THAT'S THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM. WE'LL GET TO THAT. I WANTED TO CLOSE THIS ONE. I'LL WORK ON A FRAMEWORK OF A STRATEGIC PLAN AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION AGAIN, GO OVER IT, WE CAN CHOOSE TO TAKE ACTION ON IT, OR WE CAN SUGGEST WE GO BACK AND WORK ON IT A LITTLE MORE. SOUND GOOD TO EVERYBODY? [4:13:50 PM] >> [INAUDIBLE] >> Garza: OKAY, GOOD. AND THE NEXT ONE IS THE DISCUSSION OF THE TAXPAYER IMPACT -- THE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX. I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO ELLEN BECAUSE SHE LED THE DISCUSSION AT OUR COUNCIL LEVEL ON THIS ISSUE. >> Troxclair: I'M PASSING OUT THE COUNTY OF THE RESOLUTION THAT THE COUNCIL PASSED. THE LAST PAGE IS THE SAMPLE OF THE IMPACT STATEMENT AS I HAD ENVISIONED IT AND I'M STILL WORKING WITH OUR CITY STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH KIND OF AN ONE-PAGE SHEET THAT EASILY ENCOMPASSES THE MAIN POINTS. AND AS YOU MENTIONED, COMMISSIONER, ONE OF THE HOME VALUES IS REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE. WE TALK ABOUT THE MEDIAN OR THE AVERAGE, THE REALITY IS THAT NOBODY LIVES IN THE MEDIAN OR THE AVERAGE. SEEMS LIKE IT'S SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. SO THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS AS WELL AS UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTIVE AND ROLLBACK RATES. THE MAIN GOALS AS YOU LOOK AT THE LAST PAGE IS REALLY THAT THE LINES THAT HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW. TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH CAN WE AS A CITIZEN OF AUSTIN OWE? HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO BUDGET FOR TAXES AND FEES THAN I DID THIS YEAR. [4:15:45 PM] THE NUMBERS AREN'T QUITE RIGHT ON THIS BECAUSE THEY CHANGED DURING OUR BUDGET CYCLE BUT YEAH, THE GOAL IS TO COME UP WITH A TEMPLATE THAT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TAXING ENTITIES CAN USE AND EVEN ACC COULD DO THEIR OWN KIND OF STUDENT IMPACT STATEMENT AND TALK ABOUT TUITION AND FEES AND EVEN -- OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE SAME EXACT CATEGORIES WHEN IT COMES TO FEES AND THEN THE 20-YEAR TREND WAS SOMETHING -- I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WILL END UP BEING INCLUDED IN OURS BUT IT WAS CONTEMPLATED I THOUGHT WAS AN INTERESTING IDEA. YEAH, IF WE -- IF WE ALL DO THIS -- AND ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I FELT THAT EVERY YEAR, I MEAN, BEFORE -- ESPECIALLY BEFORE I RAN FOR OFFICE, YOU READ THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AND THE TAX RATE IS GOING DOWN BUT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT YOU OWE IS GOING UP. OR THE TAX RATE IS GOING UP -- IT DOESN'T ALWAYS COINCIDE AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE PROPERTY TAX VALUES -- THE PROPRIETOR VALUES CHANGES AS MUCH AS THEY ARE IN AUSTIN AND EVEN THIS YEAR, WE HAVE LOWER PROPERTY TAX BILL BUT HIGHER UTILITY RATE SO THIS WAS JUST INTENDED TO GIVE A REEL REALLY CLEAR AND EASY ESTIMATE OF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR. I WOULD LOVE IT IF EVERYBODY WANTED TO TAKE THIS BACK AND WE'LL -- WE'LL -- I'LL SEND OUT A COPY OF OUR TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT ONCE WE HAVE IT. >> I CAN BRING OURS AS WELL. >> Troxclair: THAT WOULD BE AGREED. I'LL MENTION ONE MORE THING. I THINK MR. OAKLEY ENVISIONED -- AND ACTUALLY OUR RESOLUTION WE ASK THAT THE TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT BE PUBLISHED IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING.SO PEOPLE -- CAN HAVE A GUIDE TO HELP THEM IN THEIR COMMENTS AND WHAT IS PROPOSED IS NOT -- I THINK IT'S EASIER TO MAKE AN IMPACT STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT IS PROPOSED AND ULTIMATELY WHAT'S ADOPTED.>> Garza: DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? >> YEAH, CERTAINLY WE CAN DO A PROJECT ON OUR -- A PROJECTION ON OUR TAX IMPACT, OUR TUITION IMPACT AND STATE FUNDING IMPACT. WE DO THAT EVERY YEAR.ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING THINGS TO ME AS A TRUSTEE, IS THAT I'VE ASKED OUR CFO SEVERAL TIMES AND WE'VE DONE IT SELF TIME, TO GIVE A PROJECTED IMPACT FOR THE NEXT TWO OR THREE FISCAL YEARS, OR FOUR FISCAL YEARS.I THINK HE'S ACTUALLY TAKEN IT TO 10 NOW, BUT, OBVIOUSLY, AFTER YOU GET PAST THREE OR FOUR -- ... [4:17:50 PM] You have to get past three or four. You're not getting an accurate projection, but that's a really important point, this is what this year is and that's transparent. This is what was done. But here's our projection for the next fiscal year or two fiscal years. I think each entity could do that fairly easily. >> I think it's a great idea. The Williamson county, Williamson central Appraisal District has a similar form on their website. Maybe Travis County, Travis central Appraisal District does as well. All over, I'm sure we all participate in the same or feel the same impact. I could live in one house on this street; across the street could be a different taxing jurisdiction, or a couple different blocks away could be a School District, could be a city, a municipal district, it could be something different. As it is now, go to the Williamson Appraisal District and it'll tell you, based on their records, the last information. [4:19:45 PM] That's a huge value. So Round Rock ISD -- we just passed our budget last week and the law says, the new law, we did that, what is our new tax -- I can't even remember the name of it, but appraisals went up 10%. We lowered our tax rate a little bit, but effective tax rate is up 4.7% interest. So something like that in relationship to this would be good to the community. We all go -- and you and I don't overlap but we overlap with the City of Austin, we overlap with Travis County and ACC. >> We overlap with everybody. >> You overlap with everybody. Whenever they go out for a bond, we're just five dollars on an average house, five dollars a month. Everybody thinks that's a cup of coffee, but you're five dollars, you're five dollars, next thing you know, we're $50 a month for an average house. Of course Austin ISD, we're the largest tax entity so we get the bulk of the heat. I'm all in favor of it. I think it's a good idea. >> Does anybody want to make a motion for a recommendation? We recommend to like our -- I guess since it's posted for action, we could recommend to all the other entities that they adopt something similar. Of course they wouldn't have to do that, it would just be recommending, saying it's good -- like endorsing it. >> I'd be happy to make that motion. >> Second. >> Made by Councilmember Troxclair, seconded. Any discussion? [4:21:50 PM] >> Could you repeat the motion? >> It's to -- I guess we could write a letter that we're basically making a recommendation to all the different entities to create their own taxpayer impact statement. >> As long as -- you do this electronically, send it out to the tax paying entities, do an Excel spreadsheet and say this is our tax rate for Round Rock or Williamson county? Some of the things we overlap. We don't overlap with Austin or Del Valle, but we do overlap with the City of Austin and county and things like that. >> What we could do is attach our version as an example of what it could be. >> Do you want a vote of the committee that put it on record that this committee supports that and that there's actually a letter that's going to come from us? I'll make that motion. >> Well, she made it and you were seconded. We were just discussing -- okay. So it sounds like everyone is in favor, but all those in favor? Any opposed? Okay. So it passes eight -- the eight of us that are present, to zero. All right. We took our first action. Good job, guys! [4:23:50 PM] >> Yeah. >> Then the last item is discussion on future agenda items. These are just notes I took when we were discussing stuff. I think it's a great idea. Councilmember Troxclair, maybe we can have our presentations about different entities, the budget process, and where they ended up. >> They can bring their taxpayer impact statement. >> Yeah, you can bring your taxpayer impact statement, or I guess we'd be asking Elaine or Ed to do ours. Could you all do that next month? Okay. Then we'll work with -- >> Do we want to ask our financial [inaudible] on how we approach our budget? >> Yeah. I'm thinking we should not ask every single one of them, but we'll work with the different entities to see -- next month to see, so maybe we'll have like next three next month to present their process, and maybe some lessons learned so we'll be in touch with y'all's CFO's. Then the other future agenda item, I don't know if it would be right from findings from the spirit of east Austin, so we could get in touch with Councilmember Houston, and I think the mayor's office was also part of that, and see if there was a report on the findings from east Austin. Does anybody have an idea for future agenda items? If you think of it in the meantime, please feel free to let me know. That's our last agenda item. I appreciate you coming, so hopefully we'll get you out of here in time to beat that traffic. So we're adjourned at 4:21. Thank you. [END]