City Council Special Called Meeting Transcript – 09/25/2019 Title: City of Austin Channel: 6 - COAUS Recorded On: 9/25/2019 6:00:00 AM Original Air Date: 9/25/2019 Transcript Generated by SnapStream Please note that the following transcript is for reference purposes and does not constitute the official record of actions taken during the meeting. For the official record of actions of the meeting, please refer to the Approved Minutes. >> Mayor Adler: So at 2:00 -- okay. Oops. Clicked over? All right. It's 2:00. And we're convening the special called meeting here on Wednesday, September 25th, 2019. We're in city council chambers at 301 west second street in Austin multiply this is a special called meeting to adopt a property tax rate. A quorum is present. Councilmember alter is away on city business today. So there are ten of us. We'll start with public comment on this item, and I think we have one person signed up to speak. [2:00:55 PM] Anyone want to speak to us on this? Anyone here to speak? Why don't you come on down. Introduce yourself, please. >> Yeah. Thank you very much. Right here. >> Mayor Adler: Yes, that's great. >> My name is Nicholas Williams. I'm kind of misconstrued. I had kind of a speech built up to where I was going to -- it's just hard to explain. I wasn't anticipating -- I kind of got here at the wrong time and so I probably would just assume rescind that and just kind of participate in on it. >> [Off mic] >> Yeah, my first name is Nick, Williams, I go by Nicholas or Nick. Yeah, I would just as soon rescind my ability to go ahead and talk. >> Mayor Adler: That's fine. >> Thanks so much. >> Mayor Adler: Thanks for coming down. >> Okay. >> Mayor Adler: Anyone else here that would like to speak? Those are all the people [2:01:55 PM] that we had signed up. Okay. We will now take up item number 1 to approve an ordinance adopting levying a property ad valorem rate in the city of Austin for fiscal year 2019-2020. There will be a short statement by law regarding exhibits to the ordinance, and then I'll take a motion that uses language required by state law. So do we begin with law before I do my script? Leela, you have the floor. >> Thank you, good afternoon, mayor, councilmembers and city manager. My name is leela fireside, and I'm an assistant city attorney. The ordinance that you are adopting this year as in prior years contains a finding and an attachment -- and attachments. The finding is that to the extent required by law you find the owners of the properties identified on the [2:02:56 PM] exhibits have provided the city with documentation that their properties comply with the requirements of Texas tax code 1124 relating to abatements for historical properties. This part of the tax code says the governing body of the taxing unit by official action of the body adopted in the manner required by law for official actions may exempt from taxation part or all of the assessed value of a structure or archaeological site and the land necessary for access to and use of the structure or site if the structure or site is either designated as a recorded Texas historic landmark or a state archaeological landmark by the Texas historical commission or designated as a historically or archaeologically significant site in need of tax relief to encourage its preservation pursuant to an [2:03:57 PM] ordinance or other law adopted by the governing body of the unit. And so this exhibit contains the list of the sites that have been provided to our staff, and they have reviewed them to make sure they're in compliance with our requirements. And they are recommended to you as meeting the requirements of the tax code and the city's historic property requirements in city code. You'll approve them for a partial property tax exemption when you adopt this ordinance that adopts and levies the city's property tax rate. Thank you. >> Mayor Adler: Thank you. All right. This motion to adopt a property tax rate must be made using the words required by the property tax code. That is, I move the property tax rate be increased by the adoption of a tax rate of [2:05:00 PM] 44.31 per $100 valuation which is effectively a 7% increase in the tax rate. The tax code also requires the vote on this motion be a record vote. When we say we are voting to increase the tax rate, the statute defines increase as, quote, the percentage by which the proposed tax rate exceeds the effective rate. Closed quotes. Do I have a motion from the dais that the property tax rate be increased by the adoption of a tax rate of 44.3 per $100 valuation, effectively a seven-point increase in the tax rate? Councilmember Casar makes that motion. Is there a second to that motion? Councilmember tovo seconds that motion. Is there any discussion? We have a motion and a second that the property tax rate be increased by the adoption of a rate of 44.31 per hundred dollar valuation. Will the clerk please read the roll so that each of us can state our vote? [2:06:04 PM] >> Mayor Adler. >> Mayor Adler: Yes. >> Mayor pro tem Garza. >> Garza: Yes. >> Councilmember tovo. >> Tovo: Yes. >> Councilmember Flannigan. >> Flannigan: Yes. >> Councilmember pool. >> Pool: Yes. >> Councilmember Casar. >> Casar: Yes. >> Councilmember Ellis. >> Ellis: Yes. >> Councilmember Renteria. >> Renteria: Yes. >> With councilmember troxclair, kitchen, andality tar off the dais. >> Mayor Adler: It passes 8.0-3. That's all the business we have to take care of today. This meeting is adjourned? [ Meeting adjourned ]