[00:00:01]
THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU COUNCIL, I'M SANJIV SINGHAL.
I LIVE ON 2360 WINDSONG LANE ALLEN, TEXAS HAVE LIVED HERE FOR ABOUT 11 YEARS.
[1. Call to Order and Announce a Quorum is Present.]
I WASN'T PLANNING TO SPEAK TODAY, BUT THE REASON I WANTED TO.THE REASON WE MOVED HERE, I THINK THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE.
WE LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT'S PROVIDED GOOD STEWARDSHIP.
IT HAS A PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM.
[3.1 Presentation of Proclamations by the Office of the Mayor.]
IT HAS GREAT REC CENTERS, IT HAS TRACKS, AND THERE SHOULD BE MORE OF IT.WE AND WHATEVER IS THERE NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED AND MORE NEEDS TO BE BUILT.
WE LIVE IN AN AFFLUENT COMMUNITY.
WE ATTRACT A CERTAIN TYPE OF YOU KNOW DEMOGRAPHIC IN A CITY THAT HAS AN AVERAGE PROPERTY VALUE OF $430,000 OR SOME SOMEWHERE SOMEWHERE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $44 A YEAR.
AND THIS IS NOT BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
I THINK WE SHOULD BE SPENDING MONEY WISELY.
AND IF IT IF THAT MEANS INCREASING IT SLIGHTLY, SO BE IT.
DON'T DO THE THINGS THAT ARE POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT, BUT BAD FOR THE CITY IN THE LONG RUN.
WHICH IS WHICH IS WHAT I THINK NNR WILL DO.
IT'LL STOP ATTRACTING THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT TO THIS.
I MEAN, PEOPLE LIKE ME WON'T MOVE IF WE SEE THE INFRASTRUCTURE GOING DOWN.
AND I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 11 YEARS, I PLAN TO LIVE HERE FOR THE NEXT 20, 30 TILL I DIE.
I WANT THE CITY TO GROW AND IMPROVE AND BECOME A SOUGHT AFTER DESTINATION LIKE IT IS RIGHT NOW.
SO I HAVE DIDI SCAIFE FROM 403 WEST COATS DRIVE WHO WANTS TO RECORD HER SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED TAX RATE AND BUDGET.
THEN I HAVE ANN MELON CAMPBELL 205 [INAUDIBLE] SHE WANTS TO RECORD HER SUPPORT FOR NNR.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS ANN MELLON CAMPBELL.
205 [INAUDIBLE] I HAVE LIVED IN ALLEN FOR ABOUT 22 YEARS NOW.
I MOVED HERE FROM LOS ANGELES.
I KEEP TRYING TO CONVINCE FAMILY MEMBERS TO MOVE HERE AND THEY DON'T WANT TO.
BASED ON TONIGHT'S MEETINGS AND COMMENTS THAT THEY ARE OF NO ACCOUNT TO A LOT OF THE CITIZENS HERE.
AT THE LAST MEETING I QUOTED SOME STATISTICS AND STATISTICS ARE FACTUAL.
WE CONTINUE TO SEE A REDUCTION OF OUR SENIOR CITIZENS IN THE CITY OF ALLEN.
NOW, WHY IS THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE ALLEN IS BECOMING UNAFFORDABLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S CONGRATULATIONS IF YOU'RE NEW TO ALLEN AND YOU COME FROM AN AREA THAT IS A LITTLE MORE PRESTIGIOUS OR YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY THAN SOME, BUT YOU NEED TO CONSIDER THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY STRUGGLING AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE FORCED TO LEAVE THE CITY OF ALLEN WHERE THEY'VE LIVED THEIR ENTIRE LIFE BECAUSE WE HAVE TROUBLE CONTROLLING OUR EXPENSES.
SO PLEASE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT EVERY CITIZEN AND VOTE NO ON THE BUDGET AND VOTE YES ON NNR.
[00:05:02]
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CAMPBELL. NEXT, I HAD LAURA WOOTEN 1008 BLANCO DRIVE THAT WANTED TO RECORD HER SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.THEN I HAD TIFFANY [INAUDIBLE] 1010 BANDOLIER DRIVE, WHO ALSO WANTED TO HAVE HER
[5. Consent Agenda.]
SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED TAX RATE AND BUDGET.THEN WE HAVE MR. RON CHEEK, 903 GLEN ROSE DRIVE, WHO WANTED TO RECORD HIS SUPPORT OF THE NNR RATE.
I HAVE RANDY AND ANN NORTON AT 1410 PLACER DRIVE, WHO WANTED TO RECORD THEIR SUPPORT OF NNR.
HAVE STEPHANIE BOND AT 509 COLGATE DRIVE WHO WANTED TO INDICATE HER SUPPORT OF ENR AND TO HAVE INCREASE.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT SHE'S SAYING. I'M NOT SURE.
BUT BASICALLY SHE SAYS NO RAISE TAXES.
THEN I HAVE GEORGIAN MONTGOMERY AT 607 [INAUDIBLE] WHAT IS THAT? ARE THEY HERE? I CAN'T READ THEIR HANDWRITING'S.
ALL RIGHT. SHELLY WILL FIGURE IT OUT.
SHE SAYS SHE CAN FIGURE OUT ANYBODY'S HANDWRITING.
SO THEY WANTED TO INDICATE THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED TAX RATE AND BUDGET ON THE AGENDA.
AND THEN LAST, I HAVE MELINDA KAISER.
DIDN'T WISH TO SPEAK, BUT SHE WANTED TO EXPRESS HER OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED NNR TAX RATE.
THOSE ARE ALL THE CARDS THAT I HAVE.
IF THERE IS ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THE PROPOSED TAX RATE AND AGENDA.
NOW'S YOUR TIME TO COME FORWARD.
AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
AND YOU DO HAVE A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT BECAUSE I DID SEE YOU COME IN A LITTLE LATER, SO.
YES, SIR. MY NAME IS ABRAHAM GEORGE.
[6.1 Conduct a Public Hearing and adopt an Ordinance to amend the development regulations of Parcel 3 of Planned Development No. 68 with a base zoning of Corridor Commercial by adding additional permitted uses relating to the development and use of Lot 3, Block 1, Allen Tech Center Addition. [Bethany Crossing]]
I WANT TO START BY SAYING I DO NOT LIVE IN THE CITY OF ALLEN, SO TAKE MY WORD FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.I AM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COLLIN COUNTY REPUBLICAN.
WHAT IS YOUR PLACE OF RESIDENCE? IT IS 6500 SOUTHRIDGE PARK PARKWAY.
RONALD REAGAN ONCE SAID NO GOVERNMENT EVER WILL VOLUNTARILY REDUCE ITS SIZE.
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, ONCE LAUNCHED, NEVER DISAPPEAR.
AND ACTUALLY, GOVERNMENT IS THE BUREAU THAT'S NEAREST THING TO ETERNAL LIFE HERE IN THE EARTH.
SO I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT TWO THINGS.
TODAY, THE MARKET, IF YOU WATCH THE MARKET, IT CRASH LIKE CRAZY.
BUT AS TO AS A CONSERVATIVE, I URGE ALL OF YOU TO LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE AT IN OUR COUNTRY.
AND WE ARE NOT HERE WITH TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DEBT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T TAXED ENOUGH.
IT'S BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT IS SPENDING TOO MUCH.
AND THAT'S I'M TALKING ABOUT COUNTRYWIDE, NATIONWIDE AND HERE IN COLLIN COUNTY.
WE HAD TO RAISE OUR TAXES THIS TIME THE COUNTY WIDE.
AND THERE IS MORE INFRASTRUCTURE BILLS THAT'S COMING UP NEXT YEAR.
SO THE COUNTY TAXES ARE GOING UP AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
THEY WILL RAISE THE TAXES IN THE COUNTY ONE MORE TIME NEXT YEAR.
SO ANY CITY WHO CAN AFFORD IT PROPERLY AFFORD IT.
I WOULD HIGHLY URGE ALL OF YOU TO CONSIDER KEEPING YOUR TAXES LOW AS POSSIBLE.
AGAIN, I'M NOT PART OF THE CITY, SO I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT TO DO.
BUT I AM ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THAT, ESPECIALLY IN MAY, MAY, MAY, MAY OF 2023, WE HAVE ELECTIONS AND THE COLLIN COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY IS NOW OFFICIALLY INVOLVED IN LOCAL ELECTIONS.
[00:10:10]
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, ABRAHAM.BE SURE TO STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
I LIVE IN 1054 BIG SPRING DRIVE.
THE FIRST TIME THAT I'M IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL, I'VE BEEN LIVING IN ALLEN FOR 11 YEARS.
NEVER THOUGHT OF DOING ANY CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME I I'M SPEAKING ONLY BECAUSE OF THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER.
I THINK THIS WHOLE ISSUE THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING IS A VERY DIFFICULT ISSUE.
THERE ARE EXPENSES THAT NEED TO BE INCURRED.
SOMETIMES IT IS AT THE COST OF FOLKS WHO ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO PAY FOR THOSE EXPENSES.
ANY POLITICIZATION RARELY GETS YOU TO A SOLUTION.
I STRONGLY URGE THAT AT LEAST WE DISALLOW PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT IN THE CITY FROM TAKING UP AND TRYING TO INFLUENCE OUR CITY'S ACTIVITIES.
[6.2 Conduct a Public Hearing and adopt an Ordinance to amend the Development Regulations of Planned Development No. 73 with a base zoning of Shopping Center relating to an increase in the maximum height and adopting a Concept Plan for the property generally located south and west of Andrews Parkway. [Top Golf]]
GOOD FOR HIM. WE COULD HAVE LIBERALS COME HERE AND SPEAK FROM VARIOUS PLACES WHO ARE NOT CITIZENS.I WOULD STRONGLY URGE THAT WE DO NOT ALLOW THAT.
IF THEY DO HAVE OPINIONS, THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATE THAT IN VARIOUS OTHER FORMS. THEY CAN SEND EMAILS.
PLEASE DO NOT LET POLITICIZATION, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN VARIOUS FORUMS, I KNOW PEOPLE LIKE DAVE CORNETTE, WHO HAS BEEN OPEN MINDED ABOUT MANY THINGS, BUT ONCE YOU POLITICIZE IT BY BRANDING IT AS NNR AND I WILL GO ONLY FOR NNR, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO COME TOGETHER, AND INTERVENTIONS LIKE THE LAST SPEAKER ONLY MAKES IT WORSE.
THANK YOU. HI KRISTIE MAORI, 808 CYPRESS DRIVE ALLEN.
HE'S RIGHT. IT'S NOT A POLITICAL ISSUE.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT LEFT OR RIGHT.
AND IT IS MORALLY AND ETHICALLY WRONG TO TAX PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES.
DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S $44, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S TO STARBUCKS.
WE SHOULDN'T EVEN IT SHOULDN'T EVEN ABOUT ADOPTING YES TO THE NO NEW RATE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN WE END PROPERTY TAX ALTOGETHER.
THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? YEAH. MY NAME IS JAMES KERR, AND I'VE LIVED HERE 54 YEARS.
I LIVE AT 406 WATSON DRIVE AND I'VE HAD A BUSINESS IN ALLEN FOR 50 YEARS.
WE'RE NOT IN. WE'RE NOT A BUSINESS.
WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF CHARGING MONEY FOR OUR SERVICES.
I PUT TOGETHER MORE BUDGETS AND HAVING SPENT 24 YEARS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND OVER 20 YEARS ON THE NORTH TEXAS [INAUDIBLE] WATER DISTRICT BOARD, AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE'VE BEEN THROUGH INFLATION.
WE PAID. WE SPENT WE SOLD BONDS FOR OVER 20% INTEREST.
FOLKS MOST OF THE STREETS WERE HERE WHEN I GOT HERE.
AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO COST MORE NEXT YEAR TO REPLACE IT.
THEY DID THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE INFLATION WE BOASTED IN THE NORTH SACRAMENTO WATER DISTRICT BOARD.
18% INCREASE IN CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD IS GOING TO BE FOR A NUMBER OF THE ENGINEERING SOCIETIES HERE IN ALLEN.
I'VE BEEN PAYING TAXES HERE FOR 50 YEARS.
[00:15:01]
I'M NOT MOVING OUT.ALL OF THEM WENT THROUGH ALLEN HIGH SCHOOL.
I HAD ONE GRANDDAUGHTER GO THROUGH IT.
I'M FOR THE TAX RATE THAT THE CITY MANAGERS PROPOSE.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME, FOLKS.
[Items 6.3 & 6.4]
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THE PROPOSED TAX RATE AND BUDGET? IF SO, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.TURN THE MATTER BACK OVER TO THE COUNCIL.
I WILL MAKE NOTE THAT IT'S 8:42 AND I HATE TO ASK, BUT DOES ANYBODY WANT TO TAKE A BIO BREAK FOR ABOUT FIVE OR 10 MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND TALK BECAUSE I KNOW THE CONVERSATION ISN'T GOING TO BE SHORT.
WE'LL COME BACK AND RECONVENE AT 8:52.
ALL OF YOUR OPINIONS ARE VALUED WHETHER WE AGREE WITH THEM OR NOT, BUT WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME UP HERE, AS MANY DO NOT NECESSARILY DO THAT, SO WE APPRECIATE IT. I DID WANT TO AT LEAST MAKE NOTE TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT THERE IS KIND OF A PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE PROCESS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW.
AND THAT IS IS THAT WHEN EACH PERSON SPEAKS, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH PERSON GETS TO SPEAK ONE TIME BEFORE YOU COME BACK FOR REBUTTAL, I GUESS IF YOU WANT TO SAY THAT. SO WE'LL FOLLOW THAT.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD OPEN IT UP TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR COMMENTS.
BEFORE WE DO, THOUGH, I DO WANT TO LET THE CROWD KNOW THAT THIS IS NOW COUNCIL'S TIME.
YOU'VE HAD YOUR CHANCE TO SPEAK.
AND IF YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT, THEN I MAY HAVE YOU REMOVED FROM THE CHAMBERS.
OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
I DON'T EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN.
BUT I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WE FOLLOW.
SO WITH THAT, ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND TALK OR? MAYOR I'LL GO ON AHEAD AND START OFF NOT SEEING ANYBODY ELSE MAKING A MAD DASH FOR THE MICROPHONE.
SO I CAN'T SAY I NECESSARILY BLAME Y'ALL.
TO ME, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED BUDGET AND TONIGHT'S PROPOSED NNR BUDGET AMOUNTS TO FOUR AREAS OF THE BUDGET SUGGESTED BY CITY STAFF, RADIO REPLACEMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, FACILITY MAINTENANCE AND YES, STREET MAINTENANCE.
ALL FOUR OF THESE AREAS ARE GOING TO BE PROPERLY FUNDED.
IT IS A TEMPORARY REDUCTION WITH A DELAYED ROLLOUT.
ONCE THE ARPA FUNDS ARE RECEIVED, WHICH WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO BELIEVE WE WILL NOT RECEIVE.
REGARDING STREET MAINTENANCE, THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE ERRORS LISTED IN THE NARRATIVE.
OPPOSING ENR STREET REPAIR HAS NOT BEEN CUT.
IN FACT, WITH THE $650,000 TEMPORARY REDUCTION.
STREET REPAIR WILL STILL IS STILL GETTING AN INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR.
ONCE THE ARPA FUNDS ARE RECEIVED THAT $650,000 WILL BE RETURNED TO STREET FUNDS OR STREET REPAIRS, ALONG WITH AN ADDITIONAL $231,097 FOR A TOTAL OF $881,097 AS LISTED IN PETE PHYLLIS'S SLIDES. AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN GO INTO THE $900,000 BEING SPENT ON BRIDGE ON BRIDGE MAINTENANCE THAT IS NONETHELESS LISTED UNDER STREET MAINTENANCE IN THE PROPOSED CIP.
WITHOUT BEING INCLUDED IN THE TOTAL STREET MAINTENANCE FIGURE, CONTRARY TO WHAT I BELIEVE IS AN INTENTIONALLY MISLEADING FLIER BEING PASSED AROUND TOWN, STREET MAINTENANCE IS NOT GOING TO BE DEFUNDED OR DEFERRED.
NOR WAS THAT THE CASE FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, IS COMING TO AN END.
[00:20:04]
WE'RE FACED WITH A RECESSION ALMOST NO ONE SEEMS TO HAVE A REAL SOLUTION TO AND YET TRUE TO TEACHINGS AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, WE SEEM IT PRUDENT TO ATTEMPT A BUDGET AS IF THE REALITIES OF THE REST OF THE WORLD DO NOT EXIST WITHIN THE CITY OF ALLEN.ONE DEPARTMENT IS ASKING FOR APPROVAL FOR 59 NEW FTES AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICES OF POLICE, FIRE, WATER AND SEWER OR EVEN STREET MAINTENANCE.
IT ISN'T PERFECT, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT.
SO MAYOR, LAST YEAR YOU POINTED EACH ONE OF US OUT AND YOU ASKED US A QUESTION WHERE DO WE STAND IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS? AND I RESPONDED, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FOLLOWING YEARS BRING WITH THIS.
I'M GOING TO CLOSE WITH MY MESSAGE WITH A PROPOSAL TO MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
LET'S PASS THIS NNR BUDGET THIS YEAR AND AVOID A COSTLY GRIDLOCK TO OUR CITIZENS, TO THE TUNE OF $362,000, PLUS ADDITIONAL FEES FOR FAILURE TO MEET OUR DEADLINE WITH THE COUNTY.
LET'S INSTITUTE A MEANINGFUL GENERAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION BY THE CLOSE OF THE SECOND MEETING IN JUNE, IN TIME FOR THE JULY 4TH STATUTORY DEADLINE FOR THE 2023 2024 FISCAL YEAR.
IF WE CAN ACCOMPLISH BOTH OF THESE, WHILE I CANNOT SAY I WILL ACCEPT THE PROPOSED RATE NEXT YEAR, I CAN DEFINITIVELY SAY THAT WHEN THE VOTE COMES BEFORE US, I'LL BE THE FIFTH VOTE THAT YOU NEED FOR A TAX RATE OVER IN NRW NEXT YEAR.
SIR, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR RESIDENTS THAT HAVE VOICED THEIR VIEWS ON THE BUDGET, BOTH TONIGHT DURING THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, AS WELL AS THOSE THAT HAVE EMAILED IN THEIR THOUGHTS AND VIEWS ON THE BUDGET.
I DO BELIEVE THAT THE MORE ENGAGED AND PROPERLY INFORMED OUR RESIDENTS ARE, THE MORE IT HELPS THE CITY OF ALLEN TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT, WHICH MAKES US OVERALL A BETTER COMMUNITY.
SO I CAN APPRECIATE WHY WE HAVE SOME OF THE CONFUSION THAT WE DO.
LET'S DEFINE WHAT NO NEW REVENUE MEANS, SO WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE TAX REVENUES LIKE PETE SHOWED US.
THOSE ARE ADDITIONAL TAX DOLLARS THE CITY DID NOT HAVE THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
SALES TAX IS ANOTHER REVENUE STREAM OF HOW OUR CITY TAX REVENUES ARE INCREASED FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT WHEN CONSUMERS PURCHASE MORE GOODS AND SERVICES IN THE CITY OF ALLEN THAN THEY DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THE CITY COLLECTS ADDITIONAL SALES TAX REVENUE.
SO THOSE ARE EXAMPLES OF HOW THE CITY TAXES ARE INDEED INCREASED OVERALL YEAR OVER YEAR, EVEN WHEN WE IMPLEMENT A NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE.
IN ADDITION TO TAXES, THERE'S NON TAXING REVENUE SOURCES.
THEY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL REVENUES TO THE CITY.
[00:25:01]
THE CITY DOES CHARGE FEES FOR SERVICES.THAT'S A REVENUE STREAM THAT HELPS FUND OUR CITY.
AND AS OUR POPULATION GROWS, THE CITY COLLECTS MORE IN SERVICE FEES THAN WE DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
WHERE SERVICE FEES ARE INCREASED, IT'S ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR THE CITY.
I'M ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND I'VE READ ALL THE EMAILS THAT HAVE COME IN AND THERE ARE THERE'S A LOT OF FALSE NARRATIVES OUT THERE ABOUT THIS BUDGET.
THIS IS POLITICAL FOOTBALL, RIGHT.
SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THIS NNR BUDGET.
THEY'RE SURE NOT GOING TO CHANGE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT THIS BUDGET PUBLICLY, REGARDLESS OF THE FACTS.
EVERYBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO HAVE THEIR VOICE, THEIR VIEW.
BUT THEY'VE HEARD THESE FALSE NARRATIVES AND THEY HAVE GENUINE CONCERNS ABOUT THE CITY BEING PROPERLY FUNDED UNDER NNR THIS YEAR.
I WANT TO TRY AND ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS AND WALK THROUGH WHAT THIS NNR BUDGET ACTUALLY FUNDS RESPECTIVE TO THE ORIGINAL REQUESTS OF CITY MANAGEMENT.
SO IF WE CAN PULL UP MY FIRST SLIDE.
THE ANNUAL BUDGET, IN ADDITION TO BEING THE FINANCIAL DOCUMENT THAT WE KNOW BUDGET TO BE, IS ALSO THE APPROVAL OF CITY MANAGEMENT ON THE NUMBER OF FULL, FULL TIME AND PART TIME EMPLOYEES THE STAFF CAN HIRE.
SO HERE WE HAVE THE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL REQUESTED BY STAFF, BROKEN DOWN BY DEPARTMENT.
OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT ASKED FOR THREE EMS DISPATCHERS, ONE VICTIM ADVOCATE, THREE POLICE OFFICERS.
THIS NNR BUDGET APPROVED ALL SEVEN POSITIONS THAT STAFF ORIGINALLY ASKED FOR IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE JUST BROKE GROUND ON FIRE STATION NUMBER SIX.
WE ADDED FOUR FIREFIGHTERS LAST YEAR.
WE'RE ADDING FOUR MORE THIS YEAR.
NO MANDATORY OVERTIME WAS REQUIRED.
THAT WAS ANOTHER FALSE NARRATIVE THAT WE HEARD DURING LAST YEAR'S NNR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS.
THE FOUR FIREFIGHTERS THIS YEAR IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY ASKED FOR, AND IT WAS APPROVED IN THIS BUDGET.
PARKS AND REC, OBVIOUSLY A BIG NUMBER.
IT TAKES A BIG STAFF TO RUN IT.
THEY ASKED FOR THREE PEOPLE AND YOU CAN SEE THE ADDITIONAL REQUESTS FOR THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
ALL IN STAFF ASKED FOR 78.48 ADDITIONAL FULL TIME EMPLOYEES AND EVERY SINGLE PERSONNEL REQUEST WAS APPROVED IN THE NNR BUDGET, IN THIS NNR BUDGET, ALL OF THIS CAN BE VERIFIED.
IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE FUNDING INCREASES.
YEAR OVER YEAR FISCAL YEAR 23.
THIS BUDGET TO WHAT WE DID WHAT THE DEPARTMENT SPENT LAST YEAR.
WE HAVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ASKED FOR $2,207,967 ON TOP OF WHAT THEY SPENT LAST YEAR.
HISTORICALLY, PREVIOUS COUNCILS HAVE CHOSEN TO FINANCE NEW RADIOS.
WE WANT TO PAY CASH GOING FORWARD.
WHEN THE ARPA FUND COMES IN PROBABLY NEXT QUARTER.
WE'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING $250,000 BACK INTO THE POLICE BUDGET AND $100,000 BACK INTO THE FIRE BUDGET.
SO THE DEPARTMENT INCREASE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE 8% FOR POLICE AND 4% FOR FIRE.
[00:30:04]
THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE REIMBURSEMENTS FROM THE ARPA FUNDS, SO I WANTED TO SHOW OUR RESIDENTS ON THIS SLIDE THE MOST CONSERVATIVE YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASES POSSIBLE.PARKS AND REC ASKED FOR $2,164,652 MORE THAN THEY SPENT LAST YEAR, 13% INCREASE.
UPPER RIGHT, THE LIBRARY ASKS FOR 223,000 MORE THAN THEY SPENT IN 22.
THIS INCLUDES A NEW VEHICLE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A BOOK DROP OFF AT THE NEW REC CENTER AND THE LIBRARY CAN DRIVE ACROSS TOWN AND PICK UP BOOKS AND BRING THEM BACK TO THE LIBRARY.
COMPROMISE IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THIS BUDGET.
THIS INCREASE AND THIS REQUEST IS APPROVED IN THIS NNR BUDGET.
THEY DID NOT ASK FOR ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL.
THEY ASK FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN PART TO HELP STRENGTHEN OUR CYBERSECURITY EFFORTS IN PROTECTING OUR DATA AND OUR SYSTEMS. THE $424,210 7% INCREASE OVER WHAT THE DEPARTMENT SPENT LAST YEAR.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY ASKED FOR AND THIS WAS APPROVED IN THIS BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE THE PERCENTAGE INCREASES IN THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
ALL OF THESE INCREASES ARE THE ORIGINAL REQUEST OF STAFF.
SO NOW EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED THE FUNDING THEY'VE ASKED FOR.
WITH THIS NNR BUDGET, THE STAFFING CONCERN IS GONE.
THE DEPARTMENTAL FUNDING CONCERN IS GONE.
SO WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US? LET'S TALK ABOUT STREET MAINTENANCE.
LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND HERE WE HAVE A TEN YEAR HISTORY.
OF STREET MAINTENANCE AND THE FUNDING.
THE FUNDING SOURCES ON THE LEFT SIDE, WE UTILIZE OUR GENERAL FUND FOR STREET MAINTENANCE.
SOME OF THE FEES WE PAY IN FOR SOLID WASTE REMOVAL ARE UTILIZED FOR STREET MAINTENANCE.
HISTORICALLY, WE'VE ISSUED BONDS FOR STREET MAINTENANCE.
THE $350,000 BEING UTILIZED AND THIS YEAR'S 2023 BUDGET IS THE LAST OF THOSE BONDS.
THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE DECREASE.
THAT'S WHEN THE CITY DOES NOT USE ALL OF THE BUDGETED MONEY FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT.
THOSE MONIES ARE TRANSFERRED INTO THIS NON BOND FUND.
LAST YEAR WE UTILIZED $760,985 FOR STREET MAINTENANCE.
THIS YEAR WE'RE ALLOCATING $900,000 IN STREET MAINTENANCE TO SPECIFICALLY BE USED FOR BRIDGES.
AFTER THIS $900,000 IS USED, THE FUND BALANCE WILL STILL BE ABOVE OUR 10% MINIMUM GUIDELINE.
NOW, EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION REVIEWS OUR BRIDGES.
THIS YEAR, THEY SAID, YOU GOT SOME WORK TO DO.
THEY ALSO SAID WE DIDN'T NEED TO DO THAT WORK IMMEDIATELY.
BUT WE DIDN'T KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
THE FEDERAL ARPA FUNDS WERE NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WE'RE GOING TO USE $881,097 FOR ADDITIONAL STREET MAINTENANCE.
I DIDN'T HAVE STAFF GO BACK FURTHER THEN 2014 ON THIS, BUT LAST YEAR WE SET A RECORD IN OVERALL STREET MAINTENANCE FUNDING, AND THIS YEAR WE EXCEEDED THAT RECORD BY ABOUT 12.9%. SO THE CONCERN THAT THIS BUDGET IS REDUCING STREET MAINTENANCE FUNDING IS IT'S A FALSE CONCERN. IT'S JUST NOT TRUE.
[00:35:01]
I WANT TO CLARIFY THIS POINT.ANY COMMENTS STATING THAT THE $900,000 THAT WE ARE USING FROM THE NON BOND FUND IS NOT ACTUALLY STREET MAINTENANCE.
THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THIS.
EVERY SINGLE PLACE IN THE CIP THAT SHOWS THIS 900,000 THAT WE ARE SPECIFICALLY USING FOR BRIDGES LIST IT AT UNDER STREET MAINTENANCE.
WE'RE VOTING ON THE CIP TONIGHT, SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO SIT HERE ON THE DAIS THIS EVENING AND AND MAKE MOTIONS TO RECLASSIFY AND REDEFINE WHAT STREET MAINTENANCE IS JUST TO SATISFY SOMEBODY'S PERSONAL POLITICAL NARRATIVE ON THIS TOPIC, ON THE BUDGET.
I HOPE WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
I THINK WE'RE BETTER THAN THAT.
BUT I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ON THIS.
ANY DISCUSSION THAT THIS $900,000 IS NOT BEING ALLOCATED TO STREET MAINTENANCE IS IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
SO ALL OF OUR PERSONNEL REQUESTS ARE APPROVED IN THIS BUDGET.
DEPARTMENTAL FUNDING IS APPROVED IN THIS BUDGET.
WE'RE INCREASING OUR STREET MAINTENANCE TO NEARLY $3.9 MILLION.
AGAIN, A 12.9% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR AND A TEN YEAR RECORD HIGH FOR STREET MAINTENANCE FUNDING.
WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO DO THOSE THINGS WITHOUT INCREASING THE PROPERTY TAXES ON OUR EXISTING HOMEOWNERS, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THAT BUDGET AND GO TO THE LAST SLIDE AND I'LL WRAP UP. FOR THOSE THAT ARE STILL CONVINCED THAT THEY SHOULD BE PAYING IN MORE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU RIGHT NOW TO PULL OUT YOUR PHONE, SCAN THE QR CODE ON THE SCREEN.
YOU WRITE YOUR CHECK FOR YOUR 30, 40, 50, $60 THAT YOU BELIEVE THAT WE'RE UNDER TAXING YOU.
AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T INCREASE YOUR PROPERTY TAXES LAST YEAR.
WE WILL GLADLY CASH IT AND APPLY IT RIGHT TO THE LIBRARY.
THIS BUDGET, THIS NNR BUDGET IS RESPONSIBLE.
IT ALLOCATES MORE MONEY TO STREET MAINTENANCE THAN ANY COUNCIL HAS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS.
IT DOES NOT INCREASE OUR PROPERTY TAXES ON OUR EXISTING HOMEOWNERS.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL, ANYONE ELSE? YEAH, OF COURSE.
YOU KNOW, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I HEARD FROM TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND I GUESS I'VE HEARD THAT THAT THERE'S COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, OR DON'T KNOW WHAT NNR IS OR DON'T KNOW WHAT STREET MAINTENANCE IS.
AND SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, DAREN'S RIGHT, WE ARE FUNDING OPERATIONS, BUT YOU KNOW, NRR IS NOT ABOUT THIS YEAR.
NNR IS ABOUT YEARS TO COME AND I DISAGREE, WE LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE DOING BUDGET RETREAT, THE ARPA MONEY CAME UP AND WE VOTED, BEN WASN'T HERE, BUT COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO PUT THAT $2 MILLION TOWARDS STREET REPAIR BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THE NEED.
WE ARE STRIPPING THAT MONEY AWAY FROM STREET REPAIRS.
IT'S A $1.7 MILLION SHORTFALL ON STREET REPAIR.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IF THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS NNR AND WE CAME UP WITH A PROPOSED TAX RATE THAT WE DID, PEOPLE I THINK PEOPLE WOULD BE APPLAUDING US.
WELL WE DID 4.1 CENTS FROM, YOU KNOW, A 4.1 CENT DROP.
I JUST DON'T BELIEVE NNR IS RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, WHAT STAFF PRESENTED WAS A VERY COST CONSCIOUS BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, I HEAR A LOT OF THESE NUMBERS GOING ON.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN NRW AND PROPOSED BUT ON A HALF A MILLION DOLLAR HOME AND I THINK CAROL COOK SAID IN HER REMARKS THAT EVERYBODY IN THE CITY HAS A I GUESS, AN OBLIGATION OR DUTY TO BEAR SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT'S THE INFLATION AND WHAT'S HOW PRICES ARE INCREASING.
[00:40:04]
YOU KNOW, IF THE CITY OF ALLEN HAD WHAT I CONSIDER HIGH PROPERTY TAXES OR OR EGREGIOUSLY HIGH RELATIVE TO OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES, I WOULD BE RIGHT ALONGSIDE EVERYONE AND DEMANDING A TAX INCREASE.BUT THAT'S THAT'S SIMPLY NOT THE CASE.
WE HAVE THE SECOND LOWEST TAX RATE IN ALL OF NORTH TEXAS, ONLY BY PLANO.
SOMEBODY SAID, WELL, WILEY, WILEY DID THE NNR.
IF YOU TOOK A $250,000 HOME AND YOU PICKED IT UP AN ALLEN AND YOU MOVED IT TO WILEY AND SAT IT DOWN, YOU'D PAY ABOUT $385 MORE A YEAR IN CITY PROPERTY TAXES.
YOU KNOW, OUR TAXES ARE LOWER THAN FRISCO, MCKINNEY, RICHARDSON SOMEONE COMMENTED TO ME ABOUT ELDERLY I'M SORRY, SOMEONE I HAVE SOME NOTES ABOUT ELDERLY PEOPLE HAVING TO MOVE TO RICHARDSON AND I THINK THAT'S SAD.
SO THEY WOULD BE PAYING MORE MONEY TO ACTUALLY LIVE THERE.
AND AND I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY AN INACCURATE ARTICLE BECAUSE IF THEY REALLY WOULD HAVE DONE THEIR RESEARCH, THEY WOULD HAVE FOUND THAT ALLEN IS THE MOST AFFORDABLE CITY TO LIVE IN NORTH TEXAS.
YOU KNOW, IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE STEVE MASSEY COME IN HERE FROM COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND HE'S GOING TO SHOW THAT WE HAVE THE LOWEST WATER AND WASTEWATER RATES AND SOLID WASTE RATES OF ANY CITY IN TEXAS.
YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT FINANCIAL DISCIPLINE AND FINANCIAL FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
WE ARE YOU KNOW, WE ARE THE GOLD STANDARD, THE LOWEST DEBT PER CAPITA OF ANY CITY IN NORTH TEXAS.
WE'VE PRACTICED FINANCIAL CONSTRAINT OVER ALL THE YEARS.
YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T ABOUT THIS YEAR.
AND WE HAVE A STUDY THAT'S GOING TO SHOW THAT OUR STREETS ARE DIRE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN GO BACK SIX YEARS AND SAY, WOW, WE SPENT 1 MILLION.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE'VE AGED SIX OR SEVEN YEARS, ROADS HAVE AGED.
YOU KNOW, THAT PRICES ARE GOING TO INCREASE BECAUSE INFLATION JUST THE COST OF DOING THE WORK.
SO I DISMISS THE THE IDEA OF COMPARING PRIOR YEARS.
BUT AND AS FAR AS BRIDGES, YOU KNOW, BRIDGES WERE ARE SEPARATE ON THE CIP.
THEY'RE NOT PART OF IN MY MIND.
THEY'RE THEY'RE SEPARATE FROM WHAT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LEARN FROM MR. FLANAGAN DOWN THE ROAD ABOUT THE IMS STUDY AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO WHAT THE INVESTMENT IS GOING TO BE FOR THE CITY GOING FORWARD.
I, AGAIN, I'VE LIVED IN THIS CITY FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND, AND I PAY THE TAXES HERE. I PAY TAXES JUST LIKE ALL OF YOU.
AND, AND I WANT THE LOWEST RATE POSSIBLE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, I ALSO WANT TO RETAIN, SUSTAIN OR RETAIN THAT LEVEL OF SERVICES.
AND AND AND, YOU KNOW, BACK AT THE BUDGET RETREAT, I SHOWED SOME NUMBERS AND I SHARED IT WITH ALL THE COUNCIL AND THAT IF YOU HAVE A 500,000 HOME BASED OFF YOU GO, YOU GO DO YOUR YOU GO TO YOUR ESTIMATED TAX PAYMENT OR STATEMENT AND YOU CALCULATE LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE OF $0.47 TO THIS YEAR'S TAX RATE OF 42.9 CENTS.
AND IF YOU LIVE AT A HALF A MILLION DOLLAR HOME, YOUR TAXES ARE GOING UP $9.50 A YEAR.
THAT IS ACCURATE. THAT IS AN ACCURATE STATEMENT.
DO THE MATH. NOW, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT NNR VERSUS THE PROPOSED RATE, THAT'S A DIFFERENT NUMBER.
BUT JUST DO THE MATH. GO GO HOME.
AND IF YOUR NUMBERS ARE IF YOU HAVE A IF YOUR NUMBER GOES ABOVE $19 A YEAR, THEN YOU LIVE IN $1,000,000 HOME AND THEN MAYBE YOU DON'T FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY.
I'VE SHARED THEM WITH MANY PEOPLE.
I'VE SHARED THEM. PEOPLE HAVE ASKED FOR PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO SHAKE YOUR HEAD, KNOW THAT IT'S NOT ACCURATE, THEN WHY DON'T YOU? WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING THEN? SO IT'S TO ME, IT'S NOT A HEAVY ASK TO ASK SOMEBODY THAT LIVES IN A HALF A MILLION DOLLAR HOME TO PAY $9.50 MORE A YEAR A CUP OF COFFEE.
I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S IT'S IT'S TOO MUCH TO ASK.
[00:45:03]
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LESS THAN 1% INCREASE IN YOUR PROPERTY TAXES.WHY CAN PLANO PROVIDE A LOWER TAX RATE THAN THE CITY OF ALLEN? WELL, YOU KNOW, OVER 30% OF THEIR TAX BASE IS COMMERCIAL.
SO HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS FROM MR. SHAFER YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S AN EXCEPTIONAL IDEA.
YOU KNOW, IF IF OUR STATE IF OUR ESTEEMED STATE LEGISLATORS HAD DONE THEIR MATH AND DONE THEIR HOMEWORK, THEY WOULD HAVE INSTEAD OF NNR THEY WOULD HAVE DONE THEY WOULD HAVE ENCOURAGED HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS IN CITIES, BECAUSE THEN WE HAVE THE POWER TO CONTROL WHAT THE RESIDENTS PAY AND NOT AND STILL CHARGE A TAX RATE TO THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.
IF YOU GIVE A FEW, GIVE A HOME.
THAT'S WHAT FRISCO IS DOING, FOLKS.
THEY INCREASED IT TO 20% AND THEN THEY STARTED A 65 AND OLDER FREEZE.
THEY GET IT. THE REASON WHY THEY'RE DOING THAT IS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LET JERRY JONES OFF THE HOOK AT THE STAR BECAUSE HE'S TOO MUCH OF A COMMERCIAL TAX BASE.
THEY KEEP THEIR TAX RATE FLAT.
I GUESS I JUST DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR, LAST YEAR WAS ARPA MONEY.
NEXT YEAR WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE TO GET THE NNR RATE? POLITICALLY CHARGED IN THIS [INAUDIBLE] WELL, I CAN'T ARGUE THAT.
AND, AND THERE'S A GROUP OUT HERE THAT'S CREATED THAT POLITICAL CHARGE MORE THAN MORE THAN ANYBODY.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, JUST THE DECISION, YOU KNOW, OF OF JUST THIS NNR DECISION IS A YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A POLARIZING AND MEAN SPIRITED POLITICAL GROUP THAT'S ACTIVE IN OUR CITY.
AND AND THEY'RE POLITICALLY CHARGED.
IN MY MIND, JUST MY MIND, THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY INTEREST IN WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY.
THEY JUST ARE INTERESTED IN THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, NO COMPROMISE, NO NOTHING.
THEY DON'T CARE THAT ALLEN IS CURRENTLY ONE OF THE MOST FISCALLY AND FINANCIALLY SOUND CITIES.
IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT WE'RE THE LOWEST TAX RATE ONLY AMONG PLANO.
IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT WE ARE THE MOST AFFORDABLE CITY.
NONE OF THAT MATTERS. WHAT MATTERS IS NNR, BECAUSE THAT IS THEIR POLITICAL MANTRA.
IN FACT, IT'S ALL ABOUT POLITICAL POWER.
IT'S NOT. IT'S NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS.
IT'S NOT YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ABOUT ANYTHING BUT ACHIEVING POLITICAL POWER.
AND IN MY MIND, IT'S NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.
WE'RE GOING ON TO OUR SECOND YEAR OF NNR.
LAST YEAR WE WE COULD HANDLE IT.
WHEN I WAS HERE, IT SAID THAT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK EVEN THE COUNTY APPROVED IT.
BOY, ARE THEY MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME.
I MEAN, THEY ARE CHARGING QUITE A BIT TO THE RESIDENTS OF COLLIN COUNTY BECAUSE THEY BRAGGADOCIO BRAGGED ABOUT HOW THEY HIT NNR FOR 10-15 YEARS.
AND IN ONE YEAR, GO DO THE MATH.
SEND ME AN EMAIL AND I'LL SEND YOU THE MATH.
SOME MIGHT CALL IT A FALSE NARRATIVE WHEN I SENT IT TO YOU.
BUT BUT BUT I THINK IT'S PRETTY ACCURATE.
I JUST THINK THAT IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE.
CERTAINLY NOT FOR ALLEN. IF WE WANT TO KEEP THE [INAUDIBLE], THE TRAILS AND THE PARKS AND THAT THAT OUR STATE OF THE ART, WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
OUR ROADS AND ALLEYS ARE GOING TO DETERIORATE AND THEY'RE GOING TO GET UGLY.
AND AGAIN, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS YEAR.
[00:50:04]
ALL CITY SERVICES ARE GOING TO SUFFER.AND AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT UP IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO OUT AND ISSUE DEBT.
WHY? BECAUSE, AS MR. COOK SAID TODAY OR TONIGHT, DID YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE 661 MILES OF ROADS AND ALLEYS IN OUR CITY? THAT'S A LOT OF ROADS AND ALLEYS.
SOME OF THOSE GOT TO BE FIXED OVER TIME.
RIGHT. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN A RISING INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE HAVE AND THAT WE'RE GOING INTO DEBT IS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE COSTLY TWO YEARS FROM NOW THAN ASKING SOMEBODY IN A HALF A MILLION DOLLAR HOME TO PAY $9.40 TODAY. IF WE CONTINUE TO GO DOWN THIS PATH, IT WON'T MATTER ANYMORE, BECAUSE I BELIEVE PEOPLE ARE JUST PEOPLE WON'T WANT TO COME HERE AND LIVE. THEY WON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A BROKEN DOWN CITY.
TODAY, ALLEN IS A VIBRANT, VERY VIBRANT, AFFORDABLE CITY IN COLLIN COUNTY.
WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BRAG ABOUT AND BE PROUD OF.
AGAIN, I SAID LOWEST TAX RATE, LOWEST WATER RATES, SOLID WASTE, LOWEST DEBT PER CAPITA.
WE NEED TO RIGHT THIS SHIP FOLKS.
BUT COME COME FOUR OR FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, WE'RE GOING TO.
MR. PHILLIS AND MR. ELLWANGER AND HIS TEAM ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AROUND AND SAYING, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GET THE MONEY? AND IT'S GOING TO BE ISSUING DEBT.
WE'VE GOT TO GO BACK TO THE SAME SOUND FISCAL POLICIES THAT OUR PREDECESSORS PROVIDED FOR US.
IT'S BECAUSE OF THEM THAT WE ARE IN SUCH GREAT FINANCIAL SHAPE.
UNFORTUNATELY, I SAY ALL THAT AND THERE'S NOT A DARN THING I CAN DO ABOUT IT.
AS MR. KAISER SAID EARLIER TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THANKS TO OUR ESTEEMED LEGISLATORS NNR IS JUST GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE JUST THE WAY WE HAVE TO HAVE A SUPERMAJORITY VOTE ON THE TAX RATE AND AND IF WE DON'T GET A SUPERMAJORITY VOTE ON THE TAX RATE, IT AUTOMATICALLY DEFAULTS TO NNR.
AND AND IF WE ADOPT NNR TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AGAINST MY WILL.
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE COMMENTS FROM THE PROPOSED CITY MANAGER RATE.
BOTH THE PROS AND THE CONS OF EVERY CITIZEN I SPOKE WITH NATURALLY CURIOUS STARTED TO TAKE TICK MARKS FOR EACH PERSON I COMMUNICATED WITH BEFORE THE BUDGET AND UNTIL TONIGHT.
SO 372 COMMUNICATIONS VIA TEXT, PHONE, EMAIL THAT COUNCIL RECEIVES.
ALSO GOING A LAYER OUT, NOT JUST TAKING THE CITY MANAGER'S APPROACH.
THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER APPROACH, THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER'S APPROACH.
COUNCILMAN SHAFER CORNETT, THE GENTLEMAN ON THE COUNCIL AND ALSO MAYOR FULK.
I ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE AND SPOKE WITH THEY DIRECTED TO CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAD ADOPTED IN AN HOUR RECENTLY, AND ALSO MUNICIPALITIES AND CITIES THAT HAD DROPPED IN AN ARM.
SO KIND OF BOTH SIDES LISTENING TO UNINTERESTED PARTIES OF WHY THEY ADOPTED AND WHY THEY DROPPED.
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY WERE ON THE SIDE OF THE FENCE THAT IT WASN'T SUSTAINABLE, PARAMETERS HAD CHANGED, AND ALSO IT WAS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE FUTURE OF THE CITY.
SO THAT RANG VERY, VERY TRUE TO KIND OF MY POSITION OF THE CITY MANAGER PROPOSED RATE. IF THAT WAS THE RATE THAT WOULD FULLY FUND ALL OF THE ITEMS LISTED, THEN THAT WOULD BE THE
[00:55:06]
THE RATE AT WHICH EVERYTHING WOULD BE FUNDED WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE IN HAND CURRENTLY.SO A FUTURE EVENT WE'RE BANKING ON, A FUTURE EVENT PROBABLY WILL HAPPEN, MAY NOT.
SO MY POSITION IS SUCCINCT AND BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH CITIZENS, CITY ADMINISTRATORS, EXTERNAL ADMINISTRATORS, AND ALSO SOUGHT OUT A MUNICIPAL ECONOMIST WHO SPECIALIZES IN ADVISING ADMINISTRATORS OF CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES THAT WHAT MAY HAPPEN IF THEY KEEP THE TREND OR KEEP ON TREND FOR HOW THEY'RE SPENDING AND HOW THEY'RE RAISING REVENUE. SO THAT'S WHY I AND COUNCILMEMBER MICE HAD A VERY POIGNANT WORD COMPROMISE.
SO MY MY POSITION IS TO COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE INTERNAL RATE AND THE CITY MANAGER RATE SO THAT WE CAN ALL FEEL AS THOUGH EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN EXPRESSED SINCE THE BUDGET WORKSHOP HAS BEEN TAKEN AND THAT WE CAN ALL SEE HOW THIS AFFECTS CITIZENS, SEE HOW THIS AFFECTS THE REPUTATION OF ALLEN AS A PREMIER CITY.
AND I JUST WOULD HOPE THAT WE CAN COME TO A COMPROMISE.
ABOVE NA AND BELOW CITY MANAGER RATE.
THANK YOU, BEN. I HAVE A PREPARED STATEMENT.
THOSE WERE THE OPENING WORDS FROM THE CITY MANAGER DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP LAST YEAR.
AS A CITY, ELLEN WAS ABLE TO DO JUST THAT THIS YEAR WITH THE NNR AND HENCE AND MAINTAIN THE BUDGET REQUEST FOR STREET MAINTENANCE IS INCREASED THAN 13%.
THE FALSE NARRATIVE YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT STREET MAINTENANCE GETTING CUT IS JUST THAT FALSE.
STREETS JUST LIKE LAST YEAR WILL BE ENHANCED AND MAINTAIN.
THIS IS THE MOST THAT WE HAVE SPENT IN THE HISTORY OF ALLEN.
THIS WILL HELP TO SAVE FUNDS IN THE FUTURE AND BECOME MORE TARGETED TO PROACTIVELY ADDRESS STREET MAINTENANCE ISSUES BEFORE THEY BECOME A LARGE PROBLEM UNDER THE NNR.
ALL REQUESTED DEPARTMENT FUNDS ARE BEING APPROVED AND ALL REQUESTED NEW HIRES ARE BEING APPROVED.
EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT WILL BE PROPERLY FUNDED.
THE PARKS AND REC, AS WE KNOW, THEIR SALARIES ARE INCREASING 19% AND THEY ARE HIRING 59.48 NEW HIRES, ALL APPROVED IN THIS BUDGET.
AND THIS COMES AFTER REMOVING THE EVENT CENTER FROM PARKS AND REC BUDGET INTO THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
ANOTHER BIG WIN. WE ARE CREATING A RADIO REPLACEMENT FUND FOR THE ALLEN POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
THIS NOT ONLY BRINGS AVAILABLE TOOLS, TOOLS TO OUR FINE ALLEN POLICE AND FIRE, BUT ALSO SAVE THE CITY MONEY IN THE FUTURE AS WELL AS BE ABLE TO PURCHASE RADIOS IN BULK, ENHANCE AND MAINTAIN.
THIS WAS A DEAL BREAKER TO ME.
FINALLY, I WANT TO ADDRESS THE FALSE NARRATIVE I'VE BEEN HEARING HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE INCREASE ON TAXES ON THE PROPOSED RATE IS ONLY 652 $12, DEPENDING ON THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME. PAGE 13 OF THE BUDGET STATES THAT THIS IS COMPLETELY INCORRECT.
IT CLEARLY, CLEARLY READS THAT IS AN INCREASE OF $10 PER 100,000 IN ASSESSED VALUE.
[01:00:05]
THE CLAIM ATTEMPT TO DOWNPLAY THE TRUE INCREASE IN TAX, WHICH IS NOT ONLY DECEPTIVELY FALSE BUT ALSO UNNECESSARY IN AN HOUR.EXCUSE ME. I'D LIKE TO SEE THE CITY OF ALLEN MORE THAN DOUBLE THE CURRENT EXEMPTION FOR OVER 65 BY 100% TO 100 K AND FOR THE DISABLED BY 25000 TO 100000.
AND JUST START THINGS OFF 5% GENERAL EXEMPTION FOR ALL OTHER HOMEOWNERS.
THIS WILL BE MEANINGFUL TAX RELIEF FOR ALL ALLEN HOMEOWNERS.
IT'S TIME TO SIT DOWN AND START DOING.
WITH ALL THAT SAID, I WOULD BE VOTING FOR THE NNR RATE THIS YEAR FOR ALAN.
CITIZENS END A YEAR OF RECORD HIGH INFLATION.
THE PRESIDENT, SENATE OR CONGRESS MAY NOT CARE ABOUT TAXPAYERS, BUT I DO.
I DO THIS BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT ALLEN AND ALLEN TAXPAYERS.
HEY, MAYOR. JUST A JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN WAS THE BUDGET WORKSHOP? HOW LONG AGO? A FEW WEEKS AGO.
YES. I GAVE YOU ALL A SPREADSHEET THAT SHOWED MY CALCULATIONS.
AND AND HERE YOU ARE UP HERE THREE WEEKS LATER, AND YOU'RE CHALLENGING THE NUMBERS I GAVE YOU.
AND OUT OF RESPECT FOR YOU GUYS, IF YOU HAVE DONE THAT TO ME, I WOULD HAVE ASKED YOU, I WOULD HAVE CAME TO YOU AND SAID, HEY, WILL YOU HELP CLARIFY THE NUMBERS? I APOLOGIZE, CHRIS, BUT I DID INDICATE THAT WE WANTED TO FOLLOW A CERTAIN PROTOCOL JUST TO.
YOU'LL HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE WITH WHAT WHAT YOUR PARTICULAR STANCE IS ON AN ISSUE, BUT WE DO LISTEN.
THE PREPARATION OF THE BUDGET IS DESIGNED TO ALIGN WITH THE STRATEGIC VISION ESTABLISHED BY CITY COUNCIL AND ALSO IS GUIDED BY THE CITY'S MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH IS TO PROVIDE THE BEST IN CLASS MUNICIPAL SERVICES IN A FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE AND SOUND MANNER PLAN AND INVEST IN ALLEN'S FUTURE.
ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY, PROVIDE FAIR AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITY SERVICES AND GOVERNMENT, PRESERVE AND ENHANCE OUR ISLAND COMMUNITY CHARACTER, AND STIMULATE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND BUSINESS INVESTMENT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT DID.
I BELIEVE THE BUDGET PRESENTED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS TEAM DID JUST THAT.
I BELIEVE THE BUDGET EXPLORED OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAVINGS WHERE POSSIBLE, BUT AGAIN FOCUSED ON DELIVERING THE LEVEL OF SERVICES AND PROGRAMMED ACTIVITIES THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS COME TO LOVE AND EXPECT.
THIS YEAR, BUDGET PRESENTED OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES AS WELL.
SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE PLANNING THE OPENING OF THE STEVEN G.
INCLUDED IN THE TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR THE BUDGET FROM THE CITY MANAGER TO COUNCIL, WE LEARNED FUEL AND FIRE TRUCKS AND PATROL CARS COST MORE TODAY THAN THEY DID A YEAR AGO. SO DOES POURING A SIDEWALK FROM MOVING A DEAD TREE AND REPAIRING THE ROOF.
THE BUDGET RECOGNIZES THAT WITHOUT ADJUSTING TO THESE MARKET FORCES, THE BUDGET RECOGNIZES WITHOUT ADJUSTING TO THESE MARKET FORCES, THE CITY WILL SEE DECREASE IN SERVICE LEVEL.
[01:05:02]
THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT QUITE A BIT DURING THE BUDGET RETREAT IS WHILE ALLEN IS GROWING CITY, IT IS ALSO AN AGING CITY.THAT NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO JUMP TO 57% BY THE YEAR 2026.
SO THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE MANY.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTED BY THE CITY MANAGER WAS A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THESE NEEDS WHILE CREATING SAVINGS WHERE NECESSARY. WITH REGARDS TO THE TAX RATE, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK TO PROVIDE THE LOWEST POSSIBLE RATE TO OUR RESIDENTS WHEN AND IF POSSIBLE, BUT NOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE START TO DIMINISH SERVICES AND OR CUT THOSE AMENITIES THAT TRULY MAKE ALLEN A SPECIAL PLACE TO LIVE AND A DESTINATION TO THOSE OUTSIDE OUR COMMUNITY THAT CHOOSE TO SPEND THEIR DOLLARS HERE IN ALLEN AND IN OUR.
IT SHOULD NOT BE A DRIVING FORCE OF THE BUDGET.
WE ALL KNOW A NA OVER THE LONG TERM IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT IN HIGH INFLATIONARY TIMES LIKE TODAY, IT'S IT'S NOT ADVISABLE.
YESTERDAY THE COLLIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AFTER APPROVING AND OR OR EQUIVALENT IN PAST YEARS VOTED AGAINST THE NA FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR AS STATED.
DUE TO HIGHER COSTS OF SERVICES AND SALARIES TO MEET THE IMPACT OF INFLATION.
A LOT OF TALK HAS FOCUSED ON TAXES.
AS YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY HEARD TONIGHT FOR FISCAL YEAR 21 THROUGH 22, ALAN HAD THE THIRD LOWEST CITY TAX RATE BEHIND JUST PLANO AND FRISCO, WHICH HAS A MUCH LARGER TAX BASE.
WHILE WE MAY HAVE ADOPTED THE NA FOR THE LAST FISCAL YEAR PRIOR, CITY COUNCILS HAVE CONSISTENTLY LOWERED THE TAX RATE FOR FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.
THE CITY OF ALAN DOES A LOT OF THINGS WELL.
A WELL TRAINED FIRE AND POLICE STAFF.
THANK YOU, CARL. SO I GUESS IT'S MY TURN.
AND WHEN PEOPLE START TALKING ABOUT NUMBERS, THE NUMBERS START GETTING TO A POINT WHERE THEY JUST GET TWISTED AND TURNED AND PEOPLE CAN KIND OF PUSH THE PENCIL IN ANY DIRECTION THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE THE NUMBERS, SAY WHAT THEY WANT.
FIRST OF ALL, I DID WANT TO RESPOND TO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE SAID.
DARREN SAID THAT EVERYTHING IS FUNDED IN THIS BUDGET.
AND I'LL EXPLAIN WHY IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
EVERYTHING IS FUNDED IN THIS BUDGET EXCEPT FOR STREET REPAIRS, AND I'LL SHOW YOU THE MATH ON THAT.
AND IN THE END, THAT SEEMED TO WORK OUT OKAY.
BUT I DID WANT TO POINT OUT ONE THING.
I THINK THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE THAT THERE WAS NO MANDATORY OVERTIME IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
I JUST WANTED TO SET THAT STRAIGHT.
THE OTHER THING IS, IS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE STREET REPAIR BUDGET, THE CHART THAT WAS SHOWN BY DAREN THROUGH IN THE $900,000 BRIDGE MONEY TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE WE'RE PAYING MORE FOR STREETS.
THAT'S IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY IN OUR CIP.
SO THAT'S NOT EVEN IN THE DISCUSSION RELATED TO THIS.
[01:10:03]
AND THAT WAS FOR BRIDGE REPAIRS.ARE THESE YOUR COMMENTS, MAYOR, OR THIS IS THIS IS THE REBUTTAL.
AND BASICALLY THE ARPA FUNDS WERE TO BASICALLY ADDRESS THE FACT THAT ALL CITIES, AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS, AS BUSINESSES AND EVERYTHING ELSE, LOST MONEY ALONG THE WAY FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS.
AND THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES AND CRITERIA THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DETERMINE WHERE YOU SPEND THAT MONEY.
WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE ARPA FUNDS LAST, I THINK AROUND SEPTEMBER, JUST BEFORE THE BUDGET HEARING AND WE DETERMINED WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ALLOCATE THAT TOWARDS. FOR THIS YEAR WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER $5 MILLION THAT WE DECIDED WHAT WE WERE GOING TO SPEND IT ON LAST YEAR.
WE ALREADY KNEW IN ADVANCE WHAT WE WANTED TO SPEND IT ON.
WE DECIDED TO SPEND A LITTLE OVER 3 MILLION TOWARDS FIRE STATION NUMBER SIX, AND THEN WE DECIDED TO SPEND $2 MILLION ON STREET REPAIRS BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT WHAT WE SPENT LAST YEAR ON STREET REPAIRS WAS LOW AND NEEDED TO BE INCREASED, AND WE INTENTIONALLY DECIDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SPEND ENOUGH IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO WE ALLOCATED $2 MILLION TOWARDS STREET REPAIRS.
AND I'LL GET BACK TO THE MATH ON THAT HERE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
AND AND I'VE HEARD SOME SAY FOREVER, WHICH I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND SUCH THAT WE SUCH THAT THERE ARE SUPPOSEDLY NO NEW TAXES FOR OUR RESIDENTS, WHICH WOULD PRIMARILY BE RECOGNIZED BY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTS AS A REMAINDER OF AD VALOREM PROPERTY BASED TAXES IS PAID FOR BY COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT GETS A MUCH BIGGER BREAK IN ANY TAX RATE REDUCTION IS COMPARED TO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
SO WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL CITIZENS HERE OR LISTENING THE NNR TAX RATE IS THE RATE AT WHICH THE REVENUE GENERATED FROM ALL PROPERTIES THAT EXISTED LAST YEAR BASED ON NEW PROPERTY VALUES DETERMINED FOR THIS YEAR, WHICH ARE CAPPED AT 10% FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, BY THE WAY, EQUALS THE SAME REVENUE GENERATED FROM THOSE SAME PROPERTIES THAT EXISTED LAST YEAR, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCILMEMBER MEIS EXPLAINED.
IT WAS INTENDED SOLELY TO BE A GAUGE AS A POINT OF REFERENCE BY WHICH THE OTHER BOUNDARIES ARE SET IN REGARDS TO VOTER APPROVED TAX RATE AND OTHER THINGS. DOES NNR GUARANTEE THAT EVERY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE WILL NOT PAY MORE IN TAXES THAN THEY DID LAST YEAR? NO, SOME WILL PAY MORE, SOME WILL PAY LESS, AND SOME WILL PAY ABOUT THE SAME.
SO YES, YOUR TAXES ARE PROBABLY GOING UP EVERY YEAR, ALTHOUGH NOT TALKED ABOUT.
THAT RATE IS THREE AND A HALF PERCENT ABOVE THE NNR RATE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT HERE TONIGHT.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE AVERAGE HOME VALUE OF LAST YEAR, THE AVERAGE HOME VALUE OF THIS YEAR AND YOU MULTIPLY OUT THE TAX RATES, IT DOES, IN MY OPINION, COME UP TO AROUND $44. AND THAT'S VERSUS WHAT THEY PAID LAST YEAR.
THE CURRENT PROPOSAL ON THE TABLE IS TO CONSIDER AN NNR FUNDED BUDGET AND TAX RATE OR NOT.
AND IF NOT, WHAT IS THAT RATE? SOME OF THE MAJOR ITEMS TO CONSIDER IN SETTING A TAX RATE ARE THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN AND CURRENT LEVELS OF SERVICE.
MAINTAINING CURRENT LEVELS OF SERVICES IS A HIGH PRIORITY.
IN SOME CASES, WE NEED TO ATTEMPT TO INCREASE LEVELS OF SERVICES DEPENDING ON MANY FACTORS.
SOME LEVELS OF SERVICE ARE LINEAR AND CAN EASILY BE ADDRESSED IN AN ANNUAL BUDGET.
ONE GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS MAY BE POLICE PROTECTION.
WE CAN MORE OR LESS MAINTAIN THESE SERVICES IN A LINEAR FASHION OR ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
[01:15:04]
THERE ARE SIMILAR METRICS FOR NEARLY ALL SERVICES THE CITY OF ALLEN PROVIDES.IN ALL CASES, THERE ARE SOME COMPROMISES MADE ALONG THE WAY WHERE SOME DEPARTMENTS DO NOT GET THEIR REQUESTS THIS YEAR, BUT MAY BE ABLE TO CATCH UP THE NEXT YEAR OR THE ONE AFTER THAT. SOME LEVELS OF SERVICE CHANGE IN A LINEAR FASHION, BUT WHICH CANNOT BE CORRECTED IN A LINEAR FASHION.
SOME EXAMPLES OF THIS WOULD BE FACILITIES SUCH AS A LIBRARY, FIRE STATION, A RECREATION CENTER.
THESE BUILDINGS CAN ONLY BE REASONABLY BUILT IN CERTAIN SIZES THAT MAKE SENSE AT THE TIME.
IN THESE CASES, YOU HAVE SIGNIFICANT EXPENSES THAT OCCUR OVER A 1 TO 5 YEAR PERIOD, WHICH IS A CHALLENGE TO ACCOMPLISH IN AND OF ITSELF, LET ALONE WHILE TRYING TO ACHIEVE AN NNR TAX RATE.
I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE DO WITH RESPECT TO THIS BUDGET AND TAX RATE.
WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT CUTTING BACK ON ROAD REPAIR EXPENSES? THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES TO CONSIDER.
DURING LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AND TAX RATE DISCUSSIONS.
THE INTENT THIS YEAR WAS TO INCREASE ROADWAY REPAIR FUNDING, WHICH IS WHY THE COUNCIL ASSIGNED $2 MILLION OF ARPA OR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS TO THIS PURPOSE. LAST YEAR, WE ALSO FUNDED A NEW PAVEMENT ASSESSMENT SYSTEM CONTRACT, WHICH INCLUDED DRIVING A VAN OVER ALL ROADWAYS IN ALLEN, WHICH CREATES A PERMANENT VIDEO RECORD OF THE PAVEMENT AND ITS CONDITION.
THE SOFTWARE SYSTEM IDENTIFIES IMPERFECTIONS AND ISSUES WITH THE PAVEMENT, WHICH IS THEN USED TO IDENTIFY PAVEMENT CONDITION RATIO THAT ALLOWS US TO IDENTIFY THE WORST TO THE BEST ROADS IN ALLEN.
THE VIDEO SURVEY JUST DESCRIBED HAS RECENTLY BEEN COMPLETED AND STAFF IS REVIEWING THE DATA AND CURRENTLY DEVELOPING A MASTER PLAN TO DEVELOP A LIST OF PRIORITIES, PROJECTS AND CORRESPONDING FUNDING LEVELS.
THE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ARE, AND THIS IS BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR CITY ENGINEER, THAT WE WILL NEED TO SPEND AT LEAST $5 MILLION A YEAR FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT OVERALL CONDITION RATIO, LET ALONE ANY ATTEMPTS REQUIRED TO IMPROVE UPON THAT SAME RATIO, WHICH I UNDERSTAND THAT THE RATIO THAT WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW OVERALL IS PROBABLY LOWER THAN WHERE WE WANT TO BE.
SO I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO BE LOOKING FOR MORE FUNDING.
LAST YEAR, WE INCREASED FUNDING OF STREET REPAIRS BY INCREASING THE SOLID WASTE FUND ALLOCATION THAT WAS APPLIED TO STREET REPAIRS AND ADDITIONAL $200,000, WHICH IS USED PRIMARILY FOR ALLEY REPAIRS.
WE FURTHER INCREASED FUNDING FOR STREET REPAIRS BY TRANSFERRING $761,000 FROM OUR NON BOND FUND, OUR RESERVE FUND, WHICH HAD ENOUGH SURPLUS TO ALLOW THIS.
THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR ROAD REPAIRS LAST YEAR WAS $3,382,000 APPROXIMATELY.
THE PRIOR YEAR'S BUDGET FOR STREET REPAIRS WAS 2.3 $2,308,557.
THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED 2223 BUDGET INCLUDED $2,751,035 FOR STREET REPAIR FUNDING, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COUNCIL HAD PREVIOUSLY APPROVED THE $2 MILLION OF ARPA FUNDS TO BE ADDED TO THIS, WHICH YIELDED A GRAND TOTAL BUDGET OF $4,751,035. AGAIN, THIS INCREASE WAS IN RESPONSE TO CLEARLY DEFINED NEEDS THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS AGREED UPON . TO GET TO THE INNER TAX RATE THIS YEAR, THE ARPA FUNDS INTENDED FOR STREET REPAIRS WAS THEN USED TO PAY FOR THE CITY MANAGER PROPOSED CUTS, WHICH INCLUDED $650,000 IN CUTS TO THE STREET REPAIRS BUDGET. THE LEFTOVER ARPA FUNDS AFTER THIS BUY DOWN WAS $231,099.
WHEN THIS IS ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL BASE PROPOSED STREET REPAIRS BUDGET OF $2,751,000.
THE CURRENT PROPOSED NNR BUDGET FOR STREET REPAIRS BECOMES $2,982,000.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS EVEN 300.
[01:20:07]
WE SHOULD BE SPENDING MORE ON STREET REPAIRS THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR AS WE KNOW THE NEED EXIST.PLEASE RECALL WHAT I SAID EARLIER.
IF WE APPROVE THE NNR TAX RATE, WE ARE INTENTIONALLY UNDERFUNDING STREET REPAIRS FROM WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT EVEN WHAT IS PROPOSED IS LESS THAN DESIRED. THE MAGNITUDE OF STREET REPAIRS OVER TIME IS BIGGER THAN WE CAN ULTIMATELY ADDRESS IN OUR GENERAL FUND.
THERE IS NOTHING FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
WE, THE COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF ARE MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS AND HAVE MADE TOUGH DECISIONS TO TRIM THIS BUDGET TO WHERE IT IS TODAY BETWEEN THE NNR TO THE ORIGINAL CITY MANAGER PROPOSED BUDGET.
WE HAVE BEEN PASSIONATELY DEBATING THIS BUDGET NOW FOR WELL OVER A MONTH.
I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE DONE THIS FOR MANY YEARS.
IS THE CITY PERFECT? NO. BUT I CAN TELL YOU, IN MY OPINION, AND BASED ON MY MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH OUR CITY GOVERNMENT, I BELIEVE THAT THIS CITY IS THE BEST RUN CITY IN COLLIN COUNTY, THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND IN OUR COUNTRY.
WE ARE NOT PERFECT, BUT WE STRIVE TO BE.
WHEN WE MAKE MISTAKES, WE ADJUST TO AVOID MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE TWICE.
WE TRY TO FALL FORWARD, AS SOME SAY, ATTEMPTING TO MAKE POSITIVE PROGRESS IN EVERY STEP
WE TAKE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.