Sep 03, 2024 Special City Council Meeting

[00:00:01]

ALL RIGHT. IT'S NOW 2:00, AND I CALL A SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE LUBBOCK CITY COUNCIL FOR SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2024 TO ORDER.

THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 OPERATING BUDGET.

[1. Public Hearing - Finance: Hold a public hearing on the Proposed FY 2024-25 Operating Budget and Capital Program.]

AND WHILE THE CITY COUNCIL MAY ASK QUESTIONS DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, THE COUNCIL WILL NOT DISCUSS THE MERITS OF EITHER AGENDA ITEM DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THAT WILL BE RESERVED FOR OUR TIME WHEN WE ACTUALLY TAKE UP THOSE ISSUES.

SO I NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 2:00 PM AND CALL ON THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE A STAFF BRIEFING ON THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL.

GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY.

MAYOR, IF WE COULD SWITCH THE INPUT TO THE.

THERE WE GO. PERFECT.

OKAY, WE'LL JUMP IN AND DO A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF ALL OF THE WORK THAT THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN DOING SINCE AUGUST THE 5TH.

AS ALWAYS, WE'LL START AT THE VERY TOP WITH THOSE ITEMS THAT CAPTURE THE MOST ATTENTION.

SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES.

COUNCIL A REMINDER FROM OUR DISCUSSION LAST WEEK.

ALL OF THESE ARE BASED ON THE BUDGET AS PROPOSED.

WE'VE NOT HAD A VOTE TO CHANGE, SO WE'RE GOING TO START ON THAT.

I'LL SHOW YOU SOME OF THOSE ITEMS HERE IN A MOMENT.

SO THE TAX RATE IS DESIGNED TO CAPTURE BOTH THE NEW GROWTH, WHAT'S OFTEN CALLED NEW PROPERTY AND DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS A PORTION OF THE INCREASE IN VALUATION.

THIRD BULLET ON THERE THE INTEREST AND SINKING THE INS, THE DEBT RATE.

IT IS UP THIS YEAR.

IT IS UP ENTIRELY DUE TO SELLING THE SECOND SET OF ISSUANCES FROM THE VOTER APPROVED 2022 ROAD BOND.

SO GOING TO THE TABLE IN THE MIDDLE AND WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT TO THE LAST COLUMN ON THE RIGHT.

YOU SEE THAT THE PROPOSED MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TAX RATE IS 36.4 $0.07 OR PENNIES, AND THE INTEREST AND SINKING RATE IS 11.2 $0.06 OR PENNIES, BRINGING YOU TO A 47.7402 PENNY TAX RATE THAT IS IN YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET.

WHILE THAT RATE IS LESS THAN THE RATE IN THE CURRENT YEAR, IT IS STILL A TAX INCREASE.

MOVE DOWN BELOW THAT TO SALES TAX.

WE'VE GOT A LITTLE HISTORY IN THERE.

THE FISCAL YEAR 23 COLLECTIONS CAME IN AT 96.9.

THAT WAS 6.9% OVER THE BUDGET FISCAL YEAR 24.

CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WE BUDGETED 98.1, WHICH WAS AN 2% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR, AND WE NOW PREDICT WE WILL END THIS CURRENT YEAR AT 100.6 MILLION IN SALES TAX COLLECTIONS, OR TWO AND A HALF OVER THE BUDGET.

WE TAKE THAT FORECASTED END OF YEAR NUMBER AND PROJECTED IT INTO NEXT YEAR.

SO FISCAL YEAR 25 WITH A 5% INCREASE, BRINGING YOU TO 105.6 MILLION FOR YOUR SALES TAX REVENUE.

A FEW ITEMS OF NOTE ON YOUR FEE SCHEDULES FOR WASTEWATER.

THERE IS A $1 PROPOSED INCREASE TO THE BASE RATE.

THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES TO WASTEWATER.

NOTHING ON VOLUME, JUST ON BASE FOR SOLID WASTE.

A $1 INCREASE TO THE BASE TO THE MONTHLY RESIDENTIAL.

AND THEN THE REST OF THESE ARE RATIOS THAT CARRY OUT FROM THAT.

NO CHANGE FOR STORM WATER.

NO CHANGE FOR WATER GOING OVER TO POSITIONS.

YOU SEE ON HERE THAT WE HAVE A LIST THAT WOULD BE A NET CHANGE OVERALL TO THE CITY OF -19 FTES OR FULL TIME EMPLOYEE EQUIVALENTS.

SO WE CAN SEE ON THE LEFT WHERE WE'RE TAKING POSITIONS OUT THE TOP RIGHT WHERE WE'RE ADDING A FEW BACK, AND THEN THUS THE NET CHANGE ON THE BOTTOM STREET MAINTENANCE.

WE HAVE INCREASED STREET MAINTENANCE BY 1 MILLION OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.

WE ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE ADDITIONAL 500,000 IN STREET MAINTENANCE FUNDING FROM GATEWAY AND REMINDER, THE GATEWAY FUNDS ARE USED NOT TO REPLACE, BUT TO ENHANCE STREET MAINTENANCE PRETTY MUCH ON THE INSIDE OF THE LOOP PORTION.

SO YEAR OVER YEAR YOU'RE UP 1 MILLION.

THAT IS ALL IN CASH.

YOUR CAPITAL PROGRAM BELOW THAT CAPITAL, VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT.

WE HAVE 67.8 MILLION IN CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.

[00:05:01]

VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT 148 VEHICLES ARE PROPOSED FOR PURCHASE.

89% OF THOSE ARE CASH FUNDED.

NOTE THE EXPENSIVE PART ARE THE 16 VEHICLES LISTED RIGHT UNDERNEATH THERE AT TAX NOTES.

REMINDER THAT TAX NOTES ARE A MAXIMUM OF A SEVEN YEAR FINANCING TOOL.

AND WE ONLY PROPOSE THAT FOR EQUIPMENT THAT IS BOTH VERY EXPENSIVE AND THAT THAT LIVES LONGER THAN THE SEVEN YEAR PAYBACK.

AND YOU SEE THE 132 VEHICLES THAT ARE ALL CASH FUNDED, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE FOR YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT MOVING OVER TO EMPLOYEES FOR YOUR HEALTH AND DENTAL FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES.

THE CITY ONCE AGAIN WILL ABSORB THE LARGER PART OF THE HEALTH CARE INCREASE.

SO THE CITY ALLOCATION IS UP BY 7% ON HEALTH, 5.5% ON DENTAL.

AND THEN FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND THE RETIREES, THAT GOES UP BY FOUR AND A HALF AND FIVE AND A HALF, RESPECTIVELY.

THIS IS A STRONG HEALTH PLAN.

IT IS A GOOD HEALTH PLAN AND IT IS STILL A HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED HEALTH PLAN.

THE BASE BUDGET HAS A 4% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR BOTH NON-CIVIL SERVICE AND CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES.

COUNCIL WE'RE CONTINUING THE 500,000 ALL OUT OF ARPA, NOT OUT OF TAX DOLLARS FOR OUR EMPLOYEE EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

AND WE'LL MOVE OVER NOW AND GET INTO THE REALLY BIG NUMBERS.

SO THIS IS THE FUNDING SIDE OF YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET THIS YEAR.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP, EVERYTHING ABOVE THAT FIRST BLUE ROW.

THAT REPRESENTS YOUR GENERAL FUND.

PROPOSED GENERAL FUND REVENUES 310,306,000.

IT'S ABOUT A 7.6% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.

WE THEN HAVE THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS AND THEN THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.

COUNCIL DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO LUBBOCK POWER AND LIGHT, AND YOU SEE THE NEARLY 29% REDUCTION.

THAT IS THE LAST THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE OF THOSE.

BUT THAT FULLY ADJUSTS LUBBOCK POWER AND LIGHT TO REALLY BEING A TRANSMISSION DISTRIBUTION UTILITY.

THEY'RE FULLY OUT OF THE POWER PURCHASE BUSINESS.

CARRY IT ON DOWN TO THE VERY BOTTOM, DARKER BLUE LINE.

YOU SEE THAT THE CITY'S PROPOSED FUNDING SIDE OF THE BUDGET IS 942,751,000.

THAT IS A 3% DECREASE FROM YOUR PRIOR YEAR.

SAME INFORMATION, BUT ON THE EXPENSE SIDE.

SEE ON THE GENERAL FUND, IT IS STILL 310,306,000, FULLY BALANCED.

CARRYING ON DOWN THROUGH INTERNAL, THROUGH ENTERPRISE SPECIAL REVENUE DEBT SERVICE ENDING AT 929,381,000. THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE TRANSFERS AND MONEY BEING HELD FOR CAPITAL.

MOVING OVER TO EXCESS RESERVES.

COUNCIL EVERY EXCESS RESERVE OR EVERY RESERVE ACCOUNT THAT THE CITY HAS IS REPRESENTED ON THIS PAGE.

NOTE ON THE TOP FOR YOUR GENERAL FUND.

WE PROJECT TO END THIS CURRENT YEAR AT 22.5 MILLION.

IN YOUR EXCESS RESERVES EXCESS SIMPLY MEANING DOLLARS IN THAT RESERVE ACCOUNT THAT ARE GREATER THAN WHAT THE POLICY REQUIRED AMOUNT TO BE HELD IS OF THAT 22.5 MILLION.

YOUR BUDGET IS BUILT ON SPENDING DOWN 12.5 MILLION OF THAT.

THAT'S THE COLUMN TO THE RIGHT, LEAVING YOU AT YEAR END WITH ABOUT TEN IN YOUR EXCESS RESERVES.

REMINDER COUNCIL WE BUILD ALL OUR BUDGETS.

THAT DOLLAR SPENT OUT OF RESERVES GO TO ONE TIME EXPENSES OR GO TO CAPITAL PREDOMINANTLY, WHERE YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT CARRIES ON DOWN THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.

AND AGAIN, EVERY RESERVE FUND OR EVERY RESERVE ACCOUNT THAT WE HOLD IS REPRESENTED HERE.

JUMP OVER INTO THE DETAIL PART OF THE PROPERTY TAX.

SO WE'RE KIND OF MOVING BETWEEN THE BUDGET HEARING THE TAX HEARING.

COUNCIL BEAR WITH ME AND I WILL READ THIS.

THIS IS THE STATE REQUIRED LANGUAGE.

THE BUDGET WILL RAISE MORE TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET BY $7,563,231, OR 6.5%.

AND OF THAT AMOUNT, $3,349,548 IS TAX REVENUE TO BE RAISED FROM NEW PROPERTY ADDED TO THE ROLL.

SO AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH THE RATE GOES DOWN, IT IS STILL A TAX INCREASE.

[00:10:01]

THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE CALCULATED FOR THIS YEAR WOULD BE 46.674 $0.09, OR PENNIES. YOUR VOTER APPROVAL RATE 48.4226 PENNIES.

WE DO HAVE AN UNUSED INCREMENT.

SO IN EVERY YEAR THAT OUR REVENUE ON EXISTING PROPERTY TO EXISTING PROPERTY, EVERY YEAR THAT IS NOT RAISED TO THE 3.5%, YOU GET TO KEEP THE EQUIVALENT OF THAT VALUE.

YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT, BUT YOU GET TO KEEP THE EQUIVALENCY.

IN THIS CASE, THAT'S 1.3034 PENNIES.

YOU ADD THOSE TOGETHER.

THE VOTER TAX RATE, VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE WITH THE INCREMENT WOULD BE 49.7260.

THE PROPOSED RATE IN THE BUDGET IS 47.7402 PENNIES.

YOU SEE THE PRELIMINARY AND THE CERTIFIED VALUES AND THE SLIGHT DIFFERENCE THERE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE UNUSUAL YEARS THAT OUR CERTIFIED WENT DOWN VERSUS THE PRELIMINARY.

BUT ALL GOOD.

YOU SEE THE VALUE OF THE OVER 65 WHAT'S OFTEN CALLED THE SENIOR TAX FREEZE.

YOU SEE THAT NUMBER THERE.

AND AGAIN LUBBOCK HAS HAD A VERY STRONG YEAR.

THE CITY OF LUBBOCK, THE CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT DO VALUES THAT'S DONE BY THE LUBBOCK CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT.

BUT THEY ARE SHOWING YOU THAT THE CERTIFIED NET TAXABLE VALUE OF THE CITY ROSE TO 27.8 BILLION, OR A 7.6% INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR, $2 BILLION CHANGE.

HERE IS THE BREAKDOWN OF THE ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUE YOU SEE ON THE LEFT, WHERE IT GOES TO MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.

YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT WHERE IT GOES TO DEBT OR INS.

THEY'RE ALL THE SAME.

HERE'S THE ACTUAL IMPACT TO THE MAGICAL AVERAGE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOME ON THE LEFT.

THAT'S THE CURRENT YEAR.

ON THE RIGHT IS YOUR PROPOSED YEAR SHORT VERSION ON THAT.

THE AVERAGE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOME WOULD SEE A $47 AND TWO CENT INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES IF THE BUDGET IS ADOPTED AS PROPOSED.

IF THE BUDGET CHANGES, THAT NUMBER WILL OBVIOUSLY CHANGE.

MOVING OVER THE VALUE, THE DOLLAR VALUE FOR THE PROPOSED TAX REVENUE VERSUS THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS $2.534 MILLION. OVER ON THE RIGHT, YOU SEE VARIOUS EXAMPLES OF WHAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE GOING TO.

AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THAT'S ABOUT TWO AND A HALF TIMES WHAT THE TAX RATE INCREASE IS.

COMPARISONS THAT WE SHOW EACH YEAR.

SO THE TOP 14 COMPARABLE LARGE CITIES LUBBOCK IS IN THE LIGHTER BLUE.

THAT'S CURRENT YEAR TAX RATE.

WE CAN'T DO NEW YEAR BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVEN'T ADOPTED THOSE YET.

SALES PLUS MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.

PROPERTY TAX COMBINED.

SAME 14 CITIES.

YOU SEE WHERE LUBBOCK SITS IN THERE.

AND WE'LL MOVE OVER AND JUST DO A QUICK RUN THROUGH GOVERNMENTAL DEBT.

THIS IS GOVERNMENTAL DEBT PER CAPITA.

GOVERNMENTAL DEBT IS TAX FUNDED DEBT.

SO YOU SEE WHERE WE SIT THERE MOVING OVER.

THIS IS NOW A SUMMARY OF ALL THE OUTSTANDING DEBT THAT THE CITY HAS, BOTH TAX AND FEE SUPPORTED THOSE TOP BOXES AGAIN THAT'S YOUR GENERAL GOVERNMENTAL DEBT.

THERE IS AN INCREASE THERE, THE $70.5 MILLION.

COUNCIL THAT IS YOUR STREET BOND.

SO YOU'RE SEEING THAT IMPACT THERE.

THE SMALL REMAINING CIVIC CENTER DEBT ACTUALLY FROM QUITE A WHILE AGO CONTINUES TO PAY DOWN.

MOVE DOWN TO THE NEXT.

THESE ARE DEBTS THAT ARE NOT PAID BY TAXES.

THEY ARE PAID BY FEES.

WE'LL START WITH SOLID WASTE.

EVEN THOUGH IT'S INSIDE THE GENERAL FUND, IT CARRIES ITS OWN WEIGHT THROUGH ITS RATES.

YOU DO SEE THE 26.7 MILLION INCREASE THERE.

AND THAT IS GOING TO YOUR NEW TRANSFER STATION.

REST OF THEM GENERALLY HAVE COME DOWN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LUBBOCK POWER AND LIGHT.

THEY'RE FINISHING UP THE VERY CAPITAL INTENSIVE PART OF GETTING THROUGH TO THE ERCOT SYSTEM.

ALL IN YEAR FROM YEAR, YOU SEE THAT THE CITY'S TOTAL DEBT HAS CHANGED BY 78.1 MILLION.

70.5 OF THAT IS THE STREET BOND AND THEN THE SMALLER NUMBERS THAT BRING IN THE REST OF IT.

SHOWN A DIFFERENT WAY.

HERE'S THE SAME INFORMATION OF THE CITY'S TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT, THE LARGEST PART IS TO LUBBOCK POWER AND LIGHT, THEN TO WATER AND WASTEWATER, THEN TO THE GENERAL FUND AND THEN YOU GET INTO THE MUCH SMALLER CATEGORIES.

[00:15:01]

UNTIL THIS YEAR, THAT HAD ALWAYS RUN AT ABOUT 80% FEE SUPPORTED, 20% TAX SUPPORTED AND AGAIN, IT'S THE 2022 STREET BOND, THAT IS WHY THOSE NUMBERS HAVE FLIPPED.

WITH THAT MAYOR, THAT'S JUST A VERY QUICK RUN THROUGH A VERY LARGE BUDGET.

AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. ATKINSON AT THIS POINT.

OKAY, I SEE NONE.

THANK YOU, MR. ATKINSON.

ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 1.1. WE'RE GOING TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 OPERATING BUDGET AND CAPITAL PROGRAM.

IF ANYONE WISHES TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, AND LET ME REMIND YOU, WE WILL HAVE A SEPARATE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE TAX RATE.

SO, THIS COMMENT PERIOD IS ON THE BUDGET ITSELF.

SO, IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK TO THAT, IF YOU WOULD COME FORWARD AND PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS WHEN YOU COME FORWARD AND SPEAK TO THIS ITEM.

ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK TO THIS, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

MY NAME IS RON ADER.

I LIVE AT 1625 16TH STREET, APARTMENT 50.

I'M NOT A PUBLIC SPEAKER, SO BEAR WITH ME.

I WOULD LIKE TO ENDORSE THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL FOR THE BUDGET.

I LOOKED OVER ALL THE OTHER PROPOSALS, AND THEY EACH HAVE MERIT.

BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL MOST BROADLY REPRESENTS THE WILL OF THE BROAD VOTER BASE VERSUS MINUTE VOTER BASE.

AND I'M MOST CONCERNED ABOUT FUTURE DEBT FOR THE CITY.

THE PROPOSED FUTURE DEBT WITH THE CURRENT ELECTION COMING UP, NATIONAL ELECTION, WHICH IS GOING TO HAVE A HUGE EFFECT ON OUR ECONOMY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, IT'S JUST NO TELLING WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM IS LEADERSHIP FOR PLANNING THE FUTURE OF THE CITY.

BUT BOY, THIS IS A RAZOR WIRE THAT WE'RE WALKING ON THIS YEAR.

AND I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER PUTTING OFF FUTURE DEBT UNTIL AFTER WE SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS ELECTION AND THE WAY THE ECONOMY IS GOING TO SWING WITH IT.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, MR. RADER.

ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON THE BUDGET? PLEASE STEP FORWARD.

MY NAME IS SUSAN CHERRY.

I LIVE AT 4208 96TH STREET.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO KEEP OUR PROPERTY TAXES FROM GOING UP, ALONG WITH WHAT THE OTHER GENTLEMAN SAID.

I'M HERE BECAUSE I LOOK AT WHAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE DID FOR US LAST SPRING, AND THEY CUT OUR PROPERTY TAXES.

BUT THEN LAST SUMMER, THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO RAISE THEM.

SO WE KIND OF LOST SOME OF WHAT WE HAD GAINED.

AND THEN THE COUNTY A FEW STREETS OVER.

THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT A BOND THAT WILL RAISE OUR TAXES.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, LCAD ALWAYS USUALLY RAISES OUR APPRAISAL.

SO THAT MEANS WE'RE PAYING MORE TAXES.

SO I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER ALL THAT AND CONSIDER THE PEOPLE THAT THE INFLATION HAS HIT THE HARDEST, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING A HARD TIME PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE, PUTTING GAS IN THEIR CARS, KEEPING A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS.

PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING NOW.

FAMILIES, BUT SENIORS ALSO, ESPECIALLY SENIORS THAT ARE ON FIXED INCOMES AND IF THEY RENT AND THEIR RENT GOES UP BECAUSE TAXES, PROPERTY TAXES GO UP, THEY'RE GOING TO BE HIT HARD.

AND THINK OF THE FAMILIES THAT AREN'T GETTING A 3 TO 5% RAISE FOR INFLATION.

THINK OF THEM.

AND WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO.

AND MANY OF THEM ALSO IN THAT SAME PAY BRACKET, THEY DON'T GET BENEFITS LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE.

SO THIS WOULD HIT THEM REALLY HARD IF THEIR RENT WENT UP OR IF THEIR HOUSE PAYMENT WENT UP.

SO I'M ASKING YOU TO THINK OF THOSE PEOPLE.

LAST WEEK I TALKED TO A SINGLE MOM.

SHE'S WORKING TWO JOBS, AND I HAVE A NEIGHBOR THAT VOLUNTEERS AT THE UPLAND MISSION AND THE UPLAND MISSION IS A VERY SMALL MINISTRY.

THEY GIVE ENOUGH GROCERIES TO A FAMILY FOR TWO MEALS, AND THEY ONLY CAN DO IT ONCE A MONTH FOR A FAMILY.

A SINGLE MOM CAME IN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AUGUST.

SHE'S WORKING TWO JOBS, BUT SHE SAID I CAN'T KEEP ENOUGH FOOD IN THE HOUSE TO FEED MY THREE TEENAGE SONS.

[00:20:03]

THANK YOU.

MR. CHRISTIAN.

GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL RANDY CHRISTIAN 5305 86TH STREET, LUBBOCK, TEXAS.

OF COURSE, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS SOME SPECIFICS IN REGARDS TO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

I SPENT A GOOD BIT OF TIME WATCHING THE 20, THE 29TH OF AUGUST 29TH MEETING.

IT WAS VERY ENTERTAINING, TO SAY THE LEAST.

BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE BANTER, IF, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, I THINK IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE.

AND A LOT OF POINTS WERE ADDRESSED.

THE FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS AS A FORMER AIRBNB OWNER, I CAN CONFIRM THAT THE CURRENT SOFTWARE THE CITY IS USING IS HORRIBLE.

MATTER OF FACT, I WAS ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WE WERE SEARCHING FOR A SOFTWARE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WASN'T MUCH OUT THERE.

MATTER OF FACT, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THERE WAS ANYTHING OUT THERE AT THAT TIME.

SO AND YES, MAYOR PRO TEM I, WE PROBABLY ARE LEAVING SOME DOLLARS ON THE TABLE BECAUSE PEOPLE TO TRY TO WORK AROUND AND NOT AND NOT PUT THEIR AIRBNB ON THIS PLATFORM.

SO THERE'S SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE OPERATING AIRBNBS THAT ARE NOT, THAT ARE NOT PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE, IF YOU WOULD, IN REGARDS TO THAT.

SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE WHATEVER YOU DO WHETHER IT'S NO NEW REVENUES OR WE ADOPT DOCTOR WILSON'S PLAN, I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.

AND THAT'S KIND OF MY POSITION RIGHT NOW.

NEXT, I BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL BUDGETS IN RECENT LUBBOCK HISTORY.

I UNDERSTAND THAT TIMES ARE TOUGH FOR ALL FROM ONE DEGREE OR ANOTHER.

I AND MY WIFE ARE NOW 100% RETIRED AND INFLATION IS IMPACTING OUR LIVES LIKE SO MANY OTHERS.

DEPENDING UPON THE OUTCOME OF THE NATIONAL ELECTIONS, TIMES COULD EVEN GET TOUGHER.

AS I SAID, I LISTENED TO THE COUNCIL MEETING ON THE IT WAS THE 29TH AND SOMETHING THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME, SOMETHING THAT MR. COLLINS SAID THAT BOTHERED ME A LOT.

AND THAT IS THE YO YO EFFECT.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR SOME THINGS AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHEN.

I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS THAT THE TAXPAYERS INVOLVING QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF LIFE, OF THE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE CITY BOTH TODAY AND TOMORROW.

I ALSO BELIEVE THAT OUR GREAT CITY IS ON A ROLL.

IT'S OUR TIME.

PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE FINDING WEST TEXAS, OUR LITTLE SLICE OF HEAVEN RIGHT HERE ON THE SOUTH PLAINS.

SIMPLY PUT, IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT IN, WHAT'S GOING ON IN A NUTSHELL, IT'S GROWTH.

WHERE IS OUR CRYSTAL BALL THAT CAN PREDICT THE PERCENTAGE OF GROWTH NEXT YEAR, AND THE YEAR AFTER AND YEAR AFTER? WE HAVE TO BE READY.

IT'S UP TO YOU COUNCIL TO BE READY.

AND THAT'S WHY I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE CAN BE READY WITH A NO NEW REVENUE GROWTH BUDGET.

IF YOU CHOOSE NO NEW REVENUE.

I AGREE WITH DOCTOR WILSON ON WHAT SHE SUGGESTED.

WE MIGHT WAKE UP AND WAKE UP AND LOOK NEXT YEAR AND SAY, OH MY GOSH, WE HAVE LOTS OF NEEDS AND WE NEED SOME REVENUES.

NO NEW REVENUE.

LET ME LET ME GO TO ANOTHER PAGE.

I BELIEVE MOST CITIZENS WHO LIVE HERE AND HAVE LIVED HERE FOR YEARS, AND EVEN THE NEWBIE CITIZENS LOOK AT Y'ALL'S LEADERSHIP TO NOT JUST MEET EXPECTATIONS, BUT EXCEED THEM REGARDING ROADS, PARKS, LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, TRASH COLLECTION, IMPACTFUL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND MORE.

YOU MUST ALSO EXCEED EXPECTATIONS REGARDING THE SALARIES OF ALL CITY EMPLOYEES.

IF YOU DON'T, I BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE BRUSHING OFF THEIR RESUMES AND MAYBE LOOKING FOR WORK IN OTHER CITIES.

I ALSO AM WHOLEHEARTEDLY IN SUPPORT OF THE $100,000 OF THE MONEY PUT ASIDE TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO REPLACE AH GODEKE LIBRARY.

YEAH, MAYBE I WAS ON THAT ON THAT COUNCIL THAT KICKED THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD A LITTLE BIT.

BUT I DO WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I DID IN MY TENURE.

[00:25:03]

WE DID SEND A CONTINGENT TO THE ARLINGTON LIBRARY.

AND THAT'S QUITE A QUITE AN IMPRESSIVE LIBRARY DOWN THERE.

AND THEY DEVELOPED THAT INTO A COMMUNITY CENTER AS WELL.

BUT REPLACING GODEKE WILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT, NOT ON JUST OUR CHILDREN, BUT OUR CITIZENS OF ALL AGES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL THIS WILL BE YOUR LEGACY PROJECT.

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE LIBRARY? NEXT, YOUR PROPOSAL TO REDUCE FUNDING FOR MARKET LUBBOCK BOTHERS ME AS WELL.

CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THOSE FUNDS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PULLING AWAY FROM MARKET LUBBOCK GO TOWARDS DOWNTOWN FACADE GRANTS.

IS THAT IS THAT CORRECT? MR.. THAT'S CORRECT.

I FELT IF YOU LOOK IN JUST A MR. GLEASON, I HEARD YOU ON THAT THAT MEETING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE ABOUT GRANTS AND EVEN BEFORE I WAS ON COUNCIL, I WAS VERY SKEPTICAL OF WHAT THOSE GRANTS COULD DO FOR OUR CITY.

BUT I HAVE SINCE BECOME A BELIEVER.

I KNOW THAT YOU OFFICE DOWNTOWN, AND YOU PROBABLY SEE THE EVIDENCE OF THE USE OF THOSE GRANT PROGRAMS WITH THOSE GRANTEES, HAVE DONE WHAT THOSE GRANTEES HAVE DONE WITH THEIR GRANTS, CONTINUE TO CHANGE THE FACE OF DOWNTOWN LUBBOCK TREMENDOUSLY FOR THE BETTER.

JUST LOOK AT 1619 BROADWAY, 701 BROADWAY, 1402 CRICKETS AND OTHERS.

AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW THAT FOR EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED IN THAT PROGRAM, THE PROPERTY OWNERS INVEST $2,222.93. THE AVERAGE GRANT IS ABOUT $26,000 WITHOUT THIS PROGRAM IN PLACE. I THINK THERE WOULD BE BLOCKS AND BLOCKS OF THE CITY THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IT DID 20 YEARS AGO.

SHOULD WE EXPAND IT TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY? I THINK THAT'S A VERY POSSIBLE.

POSSIBLE DOWN THE ROAD.

I THINK AS YOU SEE THE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE THIRD, ESPECIALLY ON 34TH THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT THAT DOWN THE ROAD.

REGARDING THE WEBSITES, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH WEBSITES AND IN MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE MANY WEBSITES AND THE WEBSITE THAT WE HAVE NOW HAS OUTLASTED ITS USEFULNESS.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT A NEW WEBSITE FOR THE CITY OF LUBBOCK, ESPECIALLY THE INTRANET.

THERE IS SO MUCH POSITIVES ON INTRANETS AS FAR AS COMMUNICATING WITH EMPLOYEES ON A ON A NUMBER OF LEVELS. ALSO, THERE WAS A COMMENTS ABOUT AND DIALOG ABOUT THE LOBBYISTS, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT MR. GLASHEEN EXPLAINED WHAT A LOBBYIST WAS IN A VERY MUCH IN A WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY POINT OF VIEW.

AND I AGREED WITH WHAT YOU SAID.

BUT IN MY EXPERIENCE, THAT IS NOT AT ALL WHAT THE LOBBYIST WAS USED FOR.

AND AS WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AND YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO OUR CITY MANAGER ON THE NEED FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS WHEN LITERALLY WHEN IN A MOMENT'S NOTICE, WE NEED TO HAVE REPRESENTATIONS AT WHATEVER HAPPENS TO BE IN HEARINGS IN AUSTIN AND IN THE CAPITOL. WITH THAT SAID, I APPRECIATE YOU ALL VERY MUCH, BUT I DO THINK THAT YOU ALL GOT A HUGE TASK IN FRONT OF YOU AS TO HOW DO WE PAY FOR THINGS TODAY, TOMORROW, AND IN THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, MR. CHRISTIAN.

YOU MAY NOTICE I'M NOT ENFORCING ANY SORT OF A TIME LIMIT TODAY.

I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THEIR PIECE, BUT JUST BE CONSCIOUS, YOU KNOW, OF THE TIME THAT WE DO HAVE HERE TODAY.

SO SOMEONE ELSE WANT TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK TO THE BUDGET ISSUE.

YOU WOULD SAY THAT WHEN I COME UP HERE, BUT I SAID, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THAT IN MIND THOUGH.

FIRST OF ALL, MR. MAYOR, YOU WERE ELECTED WITH 73% UNPRECEDENTED MARGIN.

AND I THINK IT WAS BASED A LOT ON YOUR PROMISES THAT YOU WERE GOING TO START A NEW DIRECTION AND LOWER SPENDING AND TAXING AND DEBT ALL THREE.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TO DO THAT.

[00:30:03]

AND YOU'D THINK WE WERE TRYING TO SLASH EVERYTHING TO THE BONE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE AT ALL.

YOU ALL DID INHERIT A LOT OF EXTRA TAX SUPPORTED DEBT, AT LEAST 120 MILLION JUST IN THIS BUILDING AND THE PARKING GARAGE AND THE SOME OF THE POLICE SUBSTATIONS AND SOME OF THAT THAT WERE DONE WITH CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION WITHOUT ANY VOTER APPROVAL.

SO, I DON'T ENVY YOU THAT.

BUT THAT HAS ADDED AND OUR DEBT, OF COURSE, WILL KEEP PAYING DOWN, BUT WE'RE ADDING TO IT ALL THE TIME, PARTICULARLY WITH THE NEW WHEN WE'RE JUST IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE FIVE YEAR BOND ELECTION.

BUT A LOT OF THOSE ARE CAUSING A LOT OF OUR DEBT PAYMENT JUST FOR 24-25 IS A $169.3 MILLION JUST PAYING ON WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY BORROWED, AND THAT'S $115 MILLION IN PRINCIPAL AND ABOUT $54.3 MILLION OF INTEREST.

SO EVERYTHING THAT WE BORROW ADDS A WHOLE LOT TO IT ALL.

BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT ADDING ANY MORE.

I DID LOOK AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROPOSALS AS WELL, AND THEY ALL HAVE, I GUESS SOME GOOD POINTS TO THEM.

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THAT WE'RE ONLY DEALING WITH A VERY SMALL AMOUNT.

SO I'M NOT TRYING TO ADD UP WHAT IT AMOUNTS TO, BUT JUST TYPES OF THINGS THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.

BASICALLY, I LIKED THE PLAN TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE IN WHAT THE 300 PEOPLE NOW ABOUT THAT MAKE OVER $100,000 A YEAR BASE PAY AS OPPOSED TO EVERYBODY ELSE.

BUT SINCE WE'RE LEAVING IT FLAT, I THINK THAT IS THE BEST WE CAN DO.

IT'S STILL A LITTLE OVER INFLATION, AND A LOT OF US DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO GET SOME MORE MONEY.

BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S A CONCERN I HAVE AS WELL.

BY THE WAY, I ALWAYS GET OUT MY TRIANGLE.

AND I GUESS BECAUSE I'VE WATCHED THIS SO LONG IN 2003, WHEN THE CITY WAS ON THE BRINK OF BANKRUPTCY TOMMY GONZALES CAME IN AS THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER, AND HE DID THIS, TRIANGLE, SHOWING THE CORE MISSION THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO HAVE THE NEEDS AND THERE MOST OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW AND THEN ALL OF THE WANTS.

AND WHILE A FEW THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE ZERO THREE, WHICH HAS BEEN OVER 20 YEARS AGO IT STILL CAN BE DONE WITHOUT MUCH CHANGE AT ALL.

I ALSO APPRECIATED YOUR EFFORTS MARK, TO TAKE SOME OUT OF THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGETS AS WELL.

I THINK YOU PARED IT DOWN FROM 60,000 TO 35,000 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF THINGS IN THERE, AND I DON'T HAVE EXACT NUMBERS.

I'M STILL LOOKING TO GET THOSE.

I THINK THEY COME OUT OF DIFFERENT PLACES.

BUT I APPRECIATED DAVID MENTIONING THE TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING COST, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S THE WHOLE AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT OR WHATEVER.

BUT I WAS ALSO INTERESTED SINCE WE WERE DISCUSSING BASICALLY THE JUNIOR AMBASSADORS PROGRAM TO JAPAN, WHICH HAS BEEN GOING ON A LONG, LONG TIME.

AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE THAT EXPENSE FOR STAFF TO GO THERE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE MONEY THAT WE HAVE TO PAY WHEN THEY COME TO LUBBOCK.

AND IT'S A LOVELY PLACE TO VISIT, I'M SURE, AND I'D LOVE TO GO, BUT IT'S BEEN GOING ON A LONG TIME AND I'M NOT SURE THAT IT'S PART OF THE ESSENTIALS IF WE'RE TRYING TO CUT COSTS, BUT I DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE EXACT NUMBERS ON THOSE RIGHT NOW, BUT I WILL HAVE SOON, I GUESS WE'LL YOU'RE NOT FINALIZING ANYTHING COMPLETELY TODAY, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WAS THE AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, YOU'RE GETTING MORE REVENUE FROM THE LPL, PCOS TRANSMISSION COST OF SERVICE FROM OTHER

[00:35:02]

BUT THAT WOULD ALMOST MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE TO GO BACK TO NO NEW REVENUE RATE IF WE USED IT.

BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER SMALL PLACES THAT WE CAN SAVE A LITTLE AND MAKE IT STILL WORK.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY, BUT I'VE GONE BACK AND WATCHED SOME OF THE WORK SESSIONS AND BY THE WAY, THEY WERE MORE EXTENSIVE THAN I HAVE SEEN IN QUITE A FEW YEARS, PARTICULARLY TO THE PART THAT I WANT TO COMMENT ON IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

BUT IT WAS I WENT BACK AND WATCHED SOME OF THOSE.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M NOT SURE THAT I DON'T SEE, THE, I GUESS, THE BENEFIT OF IT, AND THAT'S THE MEET AND CONFER, WHICH TAKES THE POLICE AND FIRE UNIONS AND NEGOTIATE.

AND I GUESS IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR LIKE THREE YEARS IN ADVANCE, AND LOCKING THAT IN BEFORE THE BUDGET OR STARTING TO BE PUT TOGETHER, AND THAT THEY AND THEY'RE ALWAYS PART OF THE CORE MISSION.

SO IT'S NOTHING AGAINST THEM AT ALL.

BUT IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE AT LEAST HAVE A WAY OF LOOKING AT THESE THINGS CLOSER EACH YEAR AND NOT LOCKING SOMETHING IN AND JUST SETTING IT ASIDE, THAT THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK SO WELL THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR MANY YEARS WITH THE PROPERTY TAX SUPPORTED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THAT, BY THE WAY, I STILL CARRY AROUND THE BALLOT AND THE WORDING WHEN WE REPEALED ALL PROPERTY TAX GOING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH HAD BEEN IN THE CHARTER SINCE 1925, BY 84% IN JANUARY OF 92, IT WAS NEVER STOPPED AT ALL.

I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE STARTING TO PARE IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

AND IT'S NOT JUST THOSE DOWNTOWN GRANTS.

THERE'S LOTS AND LOTS OF THINGS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE ANY STATUTORY ESSENTIAL LIMITS OR WHATEVER BECAUSE IT WASN'T REALLY CREATED UNTIL, I GUESS, OCTOBER OF 95.

BUT THEY NEVER QUIT COLLECTING IT AFTER 92.

AND THAT'S THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS, QUITE FRANKLY, BECAUSE THEY CAN JUST DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS WITH IT.

I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL YOU ALL FINALLY HAD A FAIRLY GOOD IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION WITH JOHN OSBORNE WHEN HE WAS HERE, BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WE WERE PAYING INTO A CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION WITH MARKET LUBBOCK MONEY.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS OR WHAT AMOUNT IT WOULD BE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU DIDN'T ASK ABOUT.

I NOTICED SPECIFICALLY GOING DOWN TO ONE AT A TIME WAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH COMPENSATION, AND THEIR COMPENSATION IS WAY HIGHER THAN THE CITY'S IS AT ALL.

IN THE LATEST, TOTAL COMPENSATION IS 2 MILLION, INCLUDING $2 MILLION INCLUDING BENEFITS AND EIGHT OF THE 14 PEOPLE THAT ARE PAID OUT OF THE EIGHT CENT SALES TAX MAKE WELL OVER $100,000.

I HATE TO PICK ON PEOPLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT PEOPLE, BUT IT'S WHAT'S BEING ALLOWED THAT TAKES UP SOME OF THE MONEY.

IF IT'S THAT CRITICAL FOR ALL THESE THINGS, THEN WE NEED TO ALSO URGE THEM TO KEEP THINGS IN CHECK.

WE THOSE ARE BASED ON CALENDAR YEAR.

SO THE LAST ONE, OF COURSE, THAT I HAVE IS 2023.

AND A LOT OF MR. OSBORNE'S TOTAL COMPENSATION IS BASED ON A LOT OF BONUSES.

FOR THE MORE MONEY HE CAN GIVE AWAY, THE MORE HE MAKES.

SO IN 2023, IT WAS DOWN A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE IT WASN'T THE LEPRINO YEAR, BUT IT WAS STILL $425,000.

THAT'S PRETTY HIGH DOLLAR COMPARED TO HOW FEW THERE'S, I GUESS ALTOGETHER WITH MARGARET LOVETT, THERE'S ABOUT 37 OR 8 EMPLOYEES AND BUT THE IN THE BUDGET ADDING UP THEIR COMPENSATION IT'S 2 MILLION FOR THE LATER PART ANOTHER 454,000 FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS

[00:40:09]

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT EITHER, BUT I KNOW WE TAKE OUT SOME FOR THE TRANSIT, THE 400,000 FOR THE TRANSIT OUT OF THAT, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO FOLLOW SOME OF THE COOKIE CRUMBS TO GET THROUGH THOSE.

BUT ALTOGETHER, WITH THE MARKET LUBBOCK BUDGET WITH $4.5 MILLION, WHICH IS WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED IT AMOUNTS TO A BIG PERCENTAGE OF IT, BUT THEN THEY'RE ALSO SPENDING 8.4 MILLION, AND PART OF THAT IS $1 MILLION TRANSFERRED FROM MARKET LUBBOCK OVER INTO LEDA. AND THAT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE.

I UNDERSTAND PART A AND PART B BETTER THAN ALMOST ANYBODY, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS THROUGH SIX SALES TAX ELECTIONS TO KEEP IT AS MINIMAL AS POSSIBLE.

SO I DO UNDERSTAND THE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES.

AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT LEDA CAN'T DO.

I'M NOT TRYING TO COMPLETELY DEFEND IT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THERE SO LONG.

IT HAS TOO MANY FANS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THAT.

BUT ALTOGETHER, MARKET LUBBOCK IS PLANNING TO SPEND 8.4 MILLION, AND THAT CAN BE FOR ALMOST ANYTHING THAT THEY CAN GET APPROVAL FROM THE BOARD.

AND THEN YOU ALL RUBBER STAMP AS WELL.

AND IN LATEST CASE, THEY HAVE WAY LOTS OF MONEY BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN ALLOWED TO BORROW UP TO 32.5 MILLION.

I THINK IT'S ABOUT 30.5 MILLION SO FAR, BUT THEY ALTOGETHER THIS YEAR ARE SPENDING 19 MILLION.

AND SO THE TWO ADDED TOGETHER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE ARE SPENDING OVER $27.4 MILLION TOTAL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND I LOOK AT THINGS MORE AS KIND OF AN OVERVIEW THAT THE MORE AND I KNOW EVEN MR. MAYOR, I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE MY TERMINOLOGY, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO CALL IT.

THE CORPORATE WELFARE IS BRIBERY AND EXTORTION BECAUSE BUSINESSES ARE THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN LEVERAGE THESE DIFFERENT CITIES TO GET MORE AND MORE OF WHAT THEY WANT.

AND THEN A LOT OF TIMES, THEN YOU ALL ARE ADDING, EVEN IN ADDITION TO THAT TEN YEAR, 100% TAX ABATEMENT ON TOP OF THAT.

AND THAT LESSENS OUR OVERALL TAX BASE.

SO I HOPE YOU'LL REALIZE THAT A FEW MORE CUTS TO THAT PARTICULAR AREA IS REALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IT'S IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE ANY REAL BASIS.

AND ONE MORE THING I JUST WANTED TO MENTION QUICKLY AND I COULD GO ON AND ON FOREVER, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU ALL TAKE A LOOK AND YOU HAVE LOOKED AT IT SLIGHTLY, BUT A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE CONCERNED ME OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS HAVE BEEN PRETTY WILD IDEAS AND PLANS AND STUFF OUT OF THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT TIF.

OF COURSE, IT STARTED AS A 20 YEAR TIF AND UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, WHO WAS GOING TO ALL THE MEETINGS IN 2009, IN AUSTIN, THEY SAID, OH, LET'S JUST DOUBLE IT.

SO INSTEAD OF BEING OVER IN 2020.

IT'S OUT TO 2040, AND THAT LESSENS THE TAX BASE FOR THAT LENGTH OF TIME AS WE'RE PUTTING MORE MONEY BACK INTO DOWNTOWN.

BUT MOST OF THE CRAZY OUTSIDE CONSULTANT THINGS AND THE PLANS THAT COME FROM THOSE ARE DONE THROUGH THAT CBD TIF. AND I DON'T THINK IT WAS ALSO EXTENDED ALL THE WAY DOWN WHAT'S NOW MARCIA SHARP ACCESS ROAD, BUT IT'S FOURTH STREET.

THE NORTH SIDE OF FOURTH STREET FROM Q TO UNIVERSITY IS ALSO PART OF THE CBD TIF.

SO THAT'S IS THAT DEVELOPS.

THAT'LL ADD MORE AND MORE MONEY TO THEIR AREA AS WELL.

BUT I'VE NOTICED IN THEIR LAST SEVERAL BUDGETS, INCLUDING THE 23-24, THEY WERE PLANNING TO BREAK GROUND ON A CONVENTION HOTEL AND THEY GET AHEAD OF WHERE WE CAN AFFORD TO GO A LOT OF TIMES BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT MONEY TO DO SOME OF THOSE THINGS. THEY BORROWED MONEY TO PUT ABOUT $4.5 MILLION INTO THE TORNADO MEMORIAL.

IT WAS PRIVATELY FUNDED PAST THAT POINT.

BUT THAT WAS ANOTHER THING AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE I SUGGESTED THAT THEY INSTEAD OF USING BLACK GRANITE, WE COULD HAVE MADE THEM OUT

[00:45:02]

BUT NO, NOBODY TOOK ME UP ON THAT PROPOSAL EITHER.

SO. BUT IT'S IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALLY REALIZE HOW MUCH OF THE THINGS ARE DRIVEN BY THAT.

ONE OF THE WORST ONES WAS A DOWNTOWN.

ONE OF THE 5 OR 6 DOWNTOWN MASTER PLANS WAS OVERLAND PARTNERS IN SAN ANTONIO, WHICH CALLED FOR A CIVIC PARK IN EXACTLY THE LOCATION THAT THEY WANTED FOR IT.

AND THEN WE PAID A WHOLE LOT MORE FOR TBG PARTNERS, ALSO IN SAN ANTONIO, PROBABLY CONNECTED TO DROP THE LITTLE GREEN SQUARES FOR A $12 MILLION PARK.

AND IT REQUIRED, OF COURSE, TEARING DOWN THE EXISTING BUILDING AND PARKING GARAGE, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN PUT BACK ON THE TAX ROLLS.

AND IT TOOK ALL OF THE IN FACT, IT'S IN THE CBD BUDGET, THE MILLION AND A HALF THAT IT TOOK TO TEAR THAT BUILDING AND PARKING GARAGE TO SMITHEREENS.

AND NOW WE HAVE A WEEDY LOT.

AND THAT IS NOT TO BE PART OF THE PARK SYSTEM.

SO DON'T EVER FORGET THE HISTORY ON THAT, BECAUSE IT'S GOT TO BE PRIVATE MONEY RAISED AND MR. MASSENGALE WAS THE LAST ONE ON THE COUNCIL THAT HAD WANTED TO DO THAT, BECAUSE THERE HAD BEEN A52 VOTE TO START WITH ON THAT PARTICULAR THING.

BUT ALL THESE ARE IMPORTANT TO TO KEEP A HANDLE ON.

I USED TO GO TO SOME OF THEIR EARLY MORNING MEETINGS, AND I'D COME OUT SAYING, WHERE IN THE WORLD DID THEY COME UP WITH THESE WILD IDEAS OUT OF THIS LIKE BIG ART PROJECT TO PAINT MURALS ON THE UNDERPASSES? AND A LOT OF THAT COMES OUT OF THAT TIF MONEY.

SO IT'S IT WILL HAVE ITS AMOUNT SET IN PLACE, BUT KEEP TRACK OF SOME OF THESE THINGS, BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED TO KEEP ASKING OTHER PEOPLE TO COME IN AND DREAM UP THINGS.

AND OF COURSE, PRICE IS NO OBJECT FOR PEOPLE COMING IN THAT WE PAY TO TELL US THINGS, BUT THEN WE HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND IMPLEMENT THEM AND THEY EVEN HAVE ONE OUT, I THINK RIGHT NOW TO DETERMINE WHICH BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN HAVE HISTORIC VALUE, LIKE THEY COULDN'T HAVE ASKED THE HISTORIC GROUP THAT KEEPS UP WITH THINGS.

I COULD TELL HIM WHICH BUILDINGS ARE THAT WAY, BUT IT'S A, WE PAY A LOT OF PEOPLE TO COME IN AND TELL US THINGS ABOUT HOW TO RUN THINGS THAT WE DON'T REALLY NEED. SO I THINK OUT OF ALL OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS FROM ALL OF US, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE VERY MUCH TO GET BACK TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

AND I THINK IT'S I'VE NEVER HEARD SO MUCH DISCUSSION ABOUT A MILLION OR A PENNY, $2.5 MILLION, SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE GENERAL FUND.

BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER COMMITMENTS AS WELL OUT OF SOME OF THESE.

BUT I'LL RESERVE THE REST OF MY COMMENTS ON THE TAX RATE AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS TO KEEP IT IN LINE.

BUT WE DON'T NEED TO KEEP ADDING TO IT.

AND I'M I THINK THOSE ARE SOME OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO CONSIDER.

AND IT WASN'T ALL OUT OF ONE PARTICULAR THING, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A MORE DISCUSSION ON THAT MEET AND CONFER THING, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WOULD COST A $100,000 TO LET THE UNIONS GET TOGETHER AND.

ASK FOR THE AMOUNTS OF COMPENSATION THAT THEY NEED AND SO FORTH.

BUT THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE CAN LEVEL OUT.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN FOR SURE.

IT'S GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

EVERYBODY SAYS IT'S GOING TO BE TERRIBLE NEXT YEAR, BUT DEPENDING ON, I GUESS, THE ELECTION AND WHERE INFLATION IS AND INTEREST RATES ARE AND ALL, WE CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP A TIGHT BUDGET.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT ALL NEIGHBORHOODS IN LUBBOCK, ACROSS THE WHOLE PLACE, EVERY VOTING PRECINCT, VOTED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES AND NOT JUST KEEP ON BORROWING AND SPENDING AND TAXING.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND I'LL TALK TO YOU ALL LATER ABOUT THE TAX RATE.

THANK YOU, MICHAEL. THANK YOU.

[00:50:03]

I WAS IN THE CORPORATE WORLD AND I KNOW ALL ABOUT INSURANCE.

I WAS IN PERSONNEL FOR A WHILE AND OVER 12 YEARS AGO WE GOT RID OF DENTAL INSURANCE.

SO WHY DON'T YOU GET RID OF DENTAL INSURANCE FOR THE EMPLOYEES? BECAUSE CLEARLY, DENTAL INSURANCE ISN'T WORTH A DARN.

IT ISN'T. AND YOU PAY A LOT OF MONEY, AND THE CITY IS PAYING A LOT OF MONEY, SO YOU KNOW WHAT I SAY.

GET RID OF THAT LINE ITEM AND SAVE SOME MONEY.

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE A CORPORATION.

YOU TAKE CARE OF THE MONEY AND TAKE CARE OF THE EMPLOYEES WHERE IT MAKES SENSE.

DENTAL INSURANCE THERE, IT MAKES NO SENSE.

I KNOW MANY OF CORPORATIONS, AND I KNOW FOR A FACT WHEN WE WERE CHECKING THEM OUT, I THINK WE WERE ONE OF TWO OF THE MAJOR CORPORATIONS THAT STILL A DENTAL INSURANCE.

AND THEN WE GOT RID OF IT, AND THAT WAS 12 YEARS AGO.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING YOU OUGHT TO JUST LOOK AT.

YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF THE EMPLOYEES WITH THE REGULAR INSURANCE.

BUT THE DENTAL INSURANCE, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

EVEN IF YOU AS A PERSON WANT TO GET DENTAL INSURANCE, YOU PAY MORE FOR THE INSURANCE AND THEN THEY DON'T COVER SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED, LIKE THE REGULAR CHECKUPS.

SO JUST GET RID OF THAT LINE ITEM.

MAYBE THAT'LL HELP YOU.

GOOD IDEA. WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS? SURE. MY NAME IS BETSY BLACKALL AND MY ADDRESS IS 5813 110TH STREET, LUBBOCK, TEXAS 79424.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK TO THE BUDGET? ALL RIGHT. NO ONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

I'LL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET.

AND NOW WE WILL CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED TO ADOPT A TAX RATE OF 0.47740 $0.02 PER 100 VALUATION, WHICH

[2. Public Hearing - Finance: Hold a public hearing on a proposal to adopt a tax rate of 0.477402 cents per $100 valuation, which is effectively a 2.28 percent increase in the tax rate (percentage the proposed tax rate exceeds the no-new-revenue tax rate).]

AND AGAIN, THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO SPEAK TO THIS, BUT THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF IT.

AND PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS PURELY TO THE TAX RATE.

AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ENFORCE A THREE MINUTE LIMIT THIS GO ROUND ON IT.

SO I'LL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

I CAN'T ENFORCE IT. OKAY, YOU'RE RIGHT, I CAN'T.

PLEASE BE CONSCIOUS OF THE TIME THAT WE'VE GOT.

WE'VE GOT A LOT WE'VE GOT TO GET DONE TODAY.

SO IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON THE NOW, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 1.4 AND THE TIME IS NOW 2:52.

AND ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE TAX RATE, PLEASE STEP FORWARD.

I DIDN'T TELL YOU MY NAME OR WHERE TO FIND ME, BUT I THINK YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT ANYWAY.

MICHAEL WARD, 5417 EIGHTH STREET.

I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE MUCH TIME ON THIS END OF THIS, BUT BY PRIORITIZING, IT SHOULDN'T BE HARD TO GET DOWN THAT ONE PENNY THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT FROM 47.7 TO 46.7.

BUT ANYWAY BY THE WAY, EVERY TIME THAT WE SHOW OUR HOW WE WRITE PROPERTY TAX WISE AND TAX WISE AND ALL OF THAT WE'RE THE ONLY CITY NOW SOME OTHERS MAY HAVE TRADED SOME OTHER PART, BUT ALTOGETHER IN 95 AND 03, ALTOGETHER WE TRADED $0.38 OF SALES TAX INCREASE TO BUY DOWN OUR PROPERTY TAX.

AND THAT'S AND THIS LCAD CALCULATED ON LINE 40 B.

AND OF COURSE, THE MORE OUR EACH PENNY IS WORTH, THEN WE GET LESS OFF.

BUT STILL IT'S, IT'S $0.12 LESS THAN ANY OTHER CITIES THAT DID NOT DO THAT.

AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF THEM ACROSS THE, THE STATE, OF COURSE IT TOOK US FROM 92 TILL OR 95, I GUESS, WHEN WE GOT THE FIRST ONE TO 03. BUT THAT WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS.

BUT THEY'RE ALSO ESTIMATING THE AMOUNT OF THE INCREASE ON HOMES AS WELL AND SHOWING RIGHT NOW AT A HOUSE WITH 222,000 OR SO THAT'S ESTIMATED TO BE A $47 INCREASE PER YEAR, I GUESS.

BUT WHEN YOU ADD IN THE DOLLAR EACH ON WASTEWATER AND STORMWATER, THEN THAT'S ANOTHER $24 PER YEAR ADDITIONAL.

[00:55:06]

BUT IF YOU NOTICE ON THE WHAT I CALL THE MAGIC PAGE, THE GENERAL FUND SOURCE PAGE SALES TAX ARE GENERATING THIS NEXT YEAR ARE ESTIMATED. AND THAT'S USUALLY UNDERESTIMATING, WHICH IS A GOOD THING THAT WE GENERATE MORE.

BUT IT'S $14.6 MILLION MORE FROM SALES TAX THAN FROM PROPERTY TAX.

AND THEN YOU ADD IN THE THIRD SOURCE OF REVENUE.

AND THAT'S THE FRANCHISE FEES, PILOT FEES, TRANSFERS ALL THIS FROM OUR UTILITIES PLUS THEIR SHARE OF THE CITIZENS TERROR DEBT AND YOU'RE UP TO 39.5 MILLION JUST FROM UTILITIES IN ADDITION TO SERVING US WITH THE UTILITIES.

AND IF YOU ADD SOME TO THE WASTEWATER BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON THEIR BUDGET, THE FRANCHISE FEE, THAT WILL PROBABLY EVEN GENERATE MORE.

SO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WELL, BECAUSE IN PARTICULAR, STORM WATER SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN CHARGED FRANCHISE AND PILOT FEES AT ALL.

THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PROPERTY, AND IT TAKES A REAL STRETCH TO EVEN FIGURE OUT THAT WHAT HOW THEY WOULD OWE ON THE PROPERTY TAX OR FRANCHISE TAX, EITHER ONE.

SO I KEEP WORKING ON THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE IT.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY OPTIONS ON PAYING THOSE UTILITY BILLS, AND PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THAT ADDS TO OUR TOTAL TAXES.

SO THAT'S ALL THE MAIN SOURCES OF THE REVENUE FOR THE GENERAL FUND.

BUT JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT OURS IS A LOT LOWER THAN MOST PEOPLE.

SO IF YOU ADDED THAT $0.12 BACK IN, UNLESS YOU LOWER IT TO THE 46, IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSE TO $0.60, AND WE'D BE A LOT CLOSER TO THE TOP THAN THE BOTTOM.

SO I URGE YOU TO ADOPT A NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

IT'S NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE, AND IT COULD SURE MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO EVERYBODY, BECAUSE THE WE STILL HAVE ALL OF THE NO NEW REVENUE THAT'S COMING IN THE BASICALLY OF 3.3 AND WHATEVER.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE CUTTING ANYTHING.

IT'S STILL A REVENUE INCREASE DUE TO THE NEW GROWTH.

BUT AS WE KEEP GROWING FASTER AND FASTER, A LOT OF IT TAX SUBSIDIZED FOR THAT GROWTH, THEN WE'RE TURNING INTO WE HAVE A LOT MORE BURDEN ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND ON EVERY OTHER PARTS OF THINGS. SO HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER THAT AND DISCUSS IT SOME MORE, HOWEVER MANY HOURS YOU NEED TO GO TO GET TO THAT ONE PENNY OFF.

BUT DO APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, MISS WARD.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO COME FORWARD TO SPEAK REGARDING THE TAX RATE? THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THE HEARING.

MY NAME IS ROBERT ROGERS, I.

MY PARENTS CAME TO LUBBOCK IN 1925, SO I'VE GOT PRETTY DEEP ROOTS, AND WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS IN ALL THESE YEARS.

AND I'LL MAKE AN OBSERVATION.

AS A BUSINESS PERSON, OUR REVENUE IS NOT SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

IT'S DETERMINED WE HAVE TO ADJUST EVERYTHING ELSE TO FIT THE REVENUE.

AND I THINK THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT.

WE'RE IN BIG TROUBLE.

I WAS DOWN IN SAN ANTONIO AT ONE OF THE STATE CONVENTIONS, AND THEY'RE BUILDING EVERYTHING.

AND HOWEVER, THEY'VE GOT AS MUCH DEBT AS LUBBOCK DOES ONLY TEN TIMES THE PEOPLE, THOUGH.

SO WE'VE GOT TO START MAKING A DECISION.

IF YOU SET THE REVENUE WHERE IT IS AND WHERE YOU HAVE TO SPEND NO MORE THAN THAT, THEN YOU WILL MAKE THE PROPER DECISIONS YOU HAVE TO.

EVERY BUSINESS HAS TO DO THE SAME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. ROGERS. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO COME FORWARD NOW TO SPEAK ON THE TAX RATE? SEEING THERE'S NO ONE ELSE DESIRING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, I'LL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM AT 2:59 P.M..

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE NOW GOING TO TAKE UP AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 1.3 TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE

[3. Ordinance 1st Reading - Finance: Consider an ordinance approving and adopting a budget for Fiscal Year 2024-25; approving summary of estimated and forecasted revenues, appropriations, and use of excess reserves for all funds of the city; providing for necessary transfers of funds between accounts and departments, if required; authorizing reduction of spending by City Manager if necessary; re-appropriation of balances which support authorized obligations or encumbrances; providing for filing of Adopted Budget; establishing civil service classifications and positions; appropriating funds for the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Operating Budget and Capital Program of the City of Lubbock; providing for continuation of appropriations for projects in capital program; approving all permit, license, fees, and charges for service recommended to be adjusted; approving the pay plan and positions; approving personnel; amending subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d) of section 4.02.041 of the Code of Ordinances by revising animal service fees as contained therein; amending subsection (a) of section 22.04.041 of the Code of Ordinances by revising the wastewater base charge as contained therein; amending subsection (a) of section 22.04.133 of the Code of Ordinances by revising the sewage disposal permit fee as contained therein; amending subsections (h), (i), (j), and (k) of section 22.04.174 of the Code of Ordinances by revising the septic load fees as contained therein; amending subsections (b) and (c) of section 22.06.051 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Lubbock by revising the solid waste landfill service fees as contained therein; amending subsection (a) of section 22.06.185 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Lubbock by revising the solid waste collections service fees as contained therein; providing for the reconciliation of the transfer of funds from the General Fund to Enterprise Funds; accepting the budgets for Lubbock Economic Development Alliance, Market Lubbock, Inc., Civic Lubbock, Inc., and Vintage Township Public Facilities Corporation; finding that proper notice of meeting provided by law and ratifying such; providing for publication; and providing for a savings clause.]

AND I'LL NOW CALL ON THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE THE STAFF BRIEFING ON THIS ITEM.

[01:00:02]

OKAY, MAYOR COUNCIL, JUST A FEW ITEMS. RECALL WE WENT OVER THESE AT YOUR LAST BUDGET WORK SESSION, AND I THINK WE RECEIVED FAVORABLE COMMENTS ON THESE.

SO LET ME WALK BACK THROUGH THESE COUNCIL IF YOU ACCEPT THESE TODAY AND THERE'S AN WHAT'S CALLED AN EXHIBIT D AT YOUR TABLE THAT WOULD MAKE THESE CHANGES, THEY BECOME PART OF YOUR BUDGET. FIRST, THE SEWER LATERAL PROPOSAL.

SO MUCH DISCUSSION COUNCIL APPRECIATE ALL THE INPUT THAT WE'VE HAD FROM ALL OF YOU.

HERE IS WHERE THAT STANDS TODAY.

SO YOUR PROPOSED SEWER LATERAL PROGRAM WOULD WORK AS FOLLOWS.

JUST AS WE'RE DOING TODAY.

AT THIS MOMENT, CITY CREWS WOULD CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PORTION GENERALLY BETWEEN THE FENCE AND THE MAIN.

TO DO THIS.

I HAVE TWO UNFILLED CREWS RIGHT NOW AND WE WOULD NEED TO FILL THEM.

THAT IS NOT TWO DEDICATED CREWS, BUT IT TAKES MY MAINTENANCE TEAM FROM SEVEN CREWS TO NINE AND THUS EACH.

WHOEVER IS NEXT ON THE LIST GETS THAT.

WE DO ALREADY HAVE THE TRUCKS AND WE DO HAVE THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT.

I'LL JUST NEED TO GET THE PEOPLE TO COME IN AND DO THAT.

WE ESTIMATE THE MATERIAL AND CREW TIME AT JUST A LITTLE OVER $1.1 MILLION.

SO WE GO BACK TO MY FIRST PRESENTATION TODAY.

YOU DID SEE SOME POSITIONS BEING ELIMINATED THAT I WILL NEED TO NOT ELIMINATE.

AND THAT'S ON THE THAT'S ON ANOTHER SLIDE HERE IN A MOMENT.

IT'S TOTAL OF THREE.

WE DID OFFER AN OPTION FOR DISCUSSION A WEEK AGO.

AGAIN THE CITY STILL PERFORMING THE WORK STANDARDIZE THE COST OR THE CHARGE AT $1,000 PER REPAIR.

SO THIS IS TO THE OWNER, NOT NECESSARILY THE OCCUPANT.

IT IS TO THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.

SO COLLECTION WOULD BE FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER.

A PAYMENT PLAN WILL BE CREATED AND AVAILABLE AND THIS WILL BE FOR OWNER OCCUPIED PROPERTIES.

YOU CAN HAVE UP TO 12 MONTHS TO PAY.

YOU CAN PAY IT ALL UP FRONT HALF AND HALF, OR HAVE YOUR 12 MONTHS TO PAY THAT OUT.

WE WOULD ALSO CREATE AND FUND AN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR LOW INCOME OWNERS.

THAT WOULD START WITH $300,000 BEING MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE NILA FOR NORTH AND EAST LUBBOCK INFRASTRUCTURE FUND.

WE HAD THAT A WEEK AGO AT 500.

WE'VE PULLED IT DOWN TO 300 AFTER SOME COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL.

COUNCIL, IF THIS PROPOSAL ULTIMATELY IS ADOPTED AS WRITTEN UNDER THAT OPTION, THERE'S NOT AN ADDITIONAL RATE INCREASE NEEDED TO DO THAT.

OKAY. SO GOOD THERE FOR THE MOMENT.

SO, WE DO HAVE SOME PERSONNEL CHANGES THAT WE'LL NEED.

I ORIGINALLY HAD TWO INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICIANS.

THIS IS SEPARATE FROM SEWER LATERAL.

I'M SORRY. I HAD TWO OF THE INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICIAN POSITIONS THAT WERE VACANT WHEN I STARTED THE BUDGET THAT I PROPOSED TO ELIMINATE.

THEY WERE FILLED, SO I NEED TO TRADE BACK THOSE TWO THAT YOU SEE ABOVE THERE.

THERE IS A NET COST TO DO THAT $53,772.

IT WILL FIT INSIDE THE PROPOSED NUMBERS FOR WASTEWATER.

OKAY. COUNCIL, WE ALSO WENT THROUGH SOME CHANGES TO THREE PROPOSED CAPITAL PROJECTS IN WASTEWATER TO ASSIST WITH ONE EXISTING.

YOU SEE THOSE ON THE SCREEN.

IT'S A SHORT VERSION OF THAT.

THERE'S NO NET CHANGE TO YOUR BUDGET TO DO THAT.

AND THE THREE ACCOUNTS FROM WHICH WE'RE PULLING SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS, THEY STILL WILL HAVE THEIR MAINTENANCE DOLLARS TO KEEP GOING FORWARDS.

OKAY. WITH THAT, MAYOR, I THINK WE'RE TO THE PROPOSALS, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE TWO TO LOOK AT TODAY.

SO HOW WOULD YOU LIKE US TO DO THAT? JUST PROCEED TO PUT THEM UP THERE.

VERY WELL. SEE WHAT THEY ARE AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS THEM.

OKAY. I APOLOGIZE, I STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF CLEANUP ITEMS. WE'LL GET TO THOSE HERE IN JUST A SECOND.

OKAY. SOME MORE CLEANUP CHANGES TO THE BUDGET AS WE'RE TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING LOCKED.

AS HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY.

THERE IS A NEW TRANSFER FROM LP AND L, THE T COSTS REVENUE.

WE'VE GOT TO INCORPORATE THAT.

AND THEN WE DO NEED, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THE DETAIL ON THE MEADOWBROOK GOLF FUND BUDGET.

THE 500,000 IS WHAT STARTS THAT.

AND IT PAYS BACK TO YOU FOR THE LP AND L FUND.

THESE ARE CHANGES THEY AND THEIR BOARD HAVE WORKED THROUGH.

YOU SEE THE RECEIPT OF THE MEADOWBROOK INTERFUND LOAN AT THE BOTTOM.

AND THEN THERE IS A SMALL REVENUE WE NEED TO ADD TO HEALTH FOR THE CHARITY CARE IN THE AMOUNT OF $600 MOVING OVER

[01:05:03]

SO WE'RE PUTTING BACK THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE FOREMAN AND THE TWO CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE WORKERS.

AND THEN WE'RE CARRYING THAT DOWN THROUGH THEIR WASTEWATER CAPITAL.

THESE ARE THE ONES WE LOOKED AT JUST A MOMENT AGO.

AND THEN THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, YOU SEE THE $300,000 BEING MADE AVAILABLE FROM [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE LOW INCOME HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE FOR YOUR SEWER LATERAL REPAIR PROGRAM.

THOSE DOLLARS STAY IN IF THEY'RE NOT TRANSFERRED TO WASTEWATER.

IF WE HAVE A QUALIFYING HOMEOWNER THAT HAS THAT REPAIR, ONCE THEY QUALIFY, JUST THAT ONE AMOUNT WILL COME OUT TO THE BENEFIT OF THAT ACCOUNT.

OKAY. QUESTIONS ON THESE BEFORE WE GO TO THE TWO PROPOSALS.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? MAYOR PRO TEM MR. ATKINSON DID WE SAY 300,000 OR DID WE SAY 250,000? MY NOTES SAY 300.

THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT NUMBER, BUT EITHER WAY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE UPTAKE OF THAT'S GOING TO BE.

MY NOTES SAY 250,000, BUT I'M OKAY WITH THAT.

MAYBE IN MY WISHFUL THINKING, I WROTE 250,000.

MAYBE MY BAD HEARING.

I WROTE 300. I'M SORRY.

NO, I AND IT IS A QUALIFYING PROGRAM, JUST LIKE IT IS FOR ANYBODY THAT APPLIES FOR THOSE.

IT'S NOT A VERY EASY PROJECT.

SO 300,000 IS FINE.

DOES EVERYBODY ELSE REMEMBER 300,000? ANYBODY RECALL? I THINK Y'ALL SLEPT SINCE THEN.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I REMEMBER 300.

OKAY. ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. ATKINSON? OKAY.

WE'LL JUMP INTO.

WE HAVE TWO PROPOSALS FOR DISCUSSION.

BOTH OF THESE IMPACT BOTH THE BUDGET AND ULTIMATELY THE TAX RATE.

YOU DO HAVE TO CONSIDER AND ADOPT YOUR BUDGET FIRST.

AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT THERE'S A SEPARATE ITEM TO ADOPT THE TAX RATE.

IF THOSE ARE GOING TO MATCH COUNCIL IS DONE FOR THE DAY.

IF THEY GET OUT OF SYNC WITH EACH OTHER, WE'LL JUST MOVE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE ITEMS UNTIL WE HAVE THEM MATCHING.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

THE FIRST IS A PROPOSAL PROVIDED BY MAYOR MCBRAYER.

THIS IS SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SAW LAST WEEK, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME CHANGES.

WE'LL WALK THROUGH THAT.

YOU SEE A SMALL INCREASE, AND THIS WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN THE BUDGETED AMOUNT OF SALES TAX REVENUE.

SAME WITH THE USE OF EXCESS RESERVES.

MINOR INCREASE TO OIL AND GAS REVENUE.

BUDGET. YOU SEE A DECREASE IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.

THE 2.534 MILLION.

THAT'S THE EXACT VALUE OF THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

AND THEN YOU SEE US BRING IN THE LP AND COSTS REVENUE.

THOSE ARE THE REVENUE CHANGES THAT TAKES YOU ACTUALLY FROM A $310.3 MILLION BUDGET TO ABOUT 310.5. 310.496.

MOVE OVER TO THE EXPENDITURE CHANGES.

SO, THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WOULD CHANGE INSIDE OF THE BUDGET ITSELF.

THIS PROPOSAL WOULD DELETE THREE OF THE FIVE ADDITIONAL LPD OFFICERS, SO IT WOULD LEAVE TWO DECREASES.

THE TRANSFER TO MARKET LUBBOCK BY 100,000 TAKES OUT THE CLAPP POOL REPAIR PROJECT.

AND REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT THAT THE FIRST DAY.

THAT'S A COMPLETE UNKNOWN AND THE STAFF'S OPINION IS NOT GOOD MONEY.

DELETE THE LAKE SIX FOUNTAIN INLET.

I DO WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR.

HE GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY THIS MORNING TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE ON THE LIST.

IT'S THE LAST ONE ON THE LIST, SO IF THAT'S WHAT ULTIMATELY GOES, WE'LL MAKE THAT WORK.

$35,000 REDUCTION IN THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET.

I BELIEVE THE MAJORITY OF THAT WOULD BE COMING FROM THE SISTER CITY PROGRAM.

REDUCTION IN LUBBOCK FIRE RESCUE OVERTIME BUDGET COUNCIL.

THAT'S A COMMON NUMBER YOU HAVE SEEN IN NUMEROUS PROPOSALS, AND IT IS REDUCING OVERTIME BECAUSE LATER IN THIS PROPOSAL YOU'RE ADDING A SECOND DIVISION CHIEF.

SO THE TWO NEW THE LIBRARY CONCEPT.

SO THIS IS TO GET BUDGETS DRAWINGS.

WILL IT FIT WHERE WE THINK IT WILL FIT SO THAT ULTIMATELY, WE CAN DEVELOP A PERMANENT SOLUTION FOR GODEKE AT 75.

MEET AND CONFER ASSISTANCE AT 100.

THE NEW WEBSITE AND INTERNAL SITE, THE INTRANET, WHAT WE CALL CLICK, 105.

THE SHORT TERM RENTAL SOFTWARE AT 49,856.

[01:10:01]

I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THERE IS NO REVENUE FROM SHORT TERM RENTALS IN THE BUDGET.

WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN RECEIVING IS STILL IN THE BUDGET.

I THINK NEXT YEAR WE'LL KNOW WHAT THIS WILL PAY US BACK AND YOU'LL HAVE A BETTER NUMBER FOR REVENUE.

PAY ADJUSTMENT AT LPD FOR FORENSICS, CRIME AND PROPERTY AND FOR PSO PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER POSITIONS.

THESE ARE CIVILIANS, REMEMBER, YOU'VE ALREADY GOT ONE IN THE BUDGET.

A ONE-HALF PERCENT ADDITIONAL RAISE TO LUBBOCK POLICE DEPARTMENT, MAKING THAT A TOTAL OF 4.5%.

HERE IS YOUR SECOND DIVISION CHIEF FOR LUBBOCK FIRE RESCUE, AS WELL AS YOUR THREE FIREFIGHTERS AND FMO.

THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED TO THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.

YOU SEE THAT THAT TAKES THE EXPENSE SIDE OF THE BUDGET TO 310,496,000.

SO THIS IS A BALANCED PROPOSAL.

IT IS JUST A HAIR OVER A ONE PENNY REDUCTION.

AND IT WOULD EQUAL THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AS PROPOSED.

SO, MAYOR, I'LL STOP THERE.

IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO ANY OF THAT, WE'LL GO TO THE OTHER ONE.

THANK YOU, MR. ATKINSON.

AND I'VE REWORKED THIS MANY TIMES JUST TRYING TO TAKE INPUT.

AND THAT HAS COME IN FROM DIFFERENT PROPOSALS, LOOKING AT IT IN A HOLISTIC WAY, ALSO LOOKING AT IT IN TERMS OF PRIORITIES, MY PRIORITIES.

AND I BELIEVE OUR COUNCIL PRIORITIES ARE BASED ON PUBLIC SAFETY.

SO THIS IS MEANT TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS EXPRESSED TO US BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND BY OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.

WE'VE DISCUSSED MANY OF THESE DIFFERENT ITEMS. WE'VE DISCUSSED THE POOL THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE TRYING TO REPAIR A POOL, THAT WE CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT THE REPAIRS WILL ACTUALLY MAKE IT A USEFUL POOL WITH ANY PROLONGED, USEFUL LIFE AT ALL.

WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS UP HERE ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S TRANSFERRED OUT OF MARKET LUBBOCK INTO LEDA, AND IT'S $1 MILLION A YEAR.

THERE'S THAT COMES RIGHT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND MONEY THAT CAN BE USED FOR OTHER THINGS THAT WE MIGHT NEED HERE IN THE CITY.

AND SO, I WANT TO START EXERCISING A LITTLE BIT MORE DISCIPLINE IN THAT MANNER, BECAUSE WE VOTED AS A CITY TO GIVE LEDA ONE EIGHTH OF A CENT.

AND THEY HAVE THAT MONEY IN THEIR BUDGET, BUT THEN THEY'RE PULLING THE MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF MARKET LUBBOCK.

SO I WANT US TO BE MORE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT.

AND THIS IS A MODEST AMOUNT TO TRY TO WEAN THEM OFF OF THE MARKET LUBBOCK MONEY OVER TIME.

NOTHING QUICK, NOTHING DRASTIC.

AND WE'LL JUST SEE HOW THAT WORKS.

THE OTHER THINGS IN THAT BUDGET, I THINK THE LIBRARY CONCEPT, WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT SO PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD IN GETTING A LIBRARY, FINDING A LOCATION.

I THINK WE MAYBE HAVE FOUND A GOOD LOCATION FOR IT AND BEGINNING TO HAVE A PLANS DRAWN UP SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING THERE.

SO THEY HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST KICK THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND NEVER PICK IT BACK UP AGAIN.

WE ARE ENTERING INTO THE MEET AND CONFER.

THAT WAS IN SEVERAL OTHER PROPOSALS.

I'VE BROUGHT THAT IN HERE BECAUSE THIS IS NEW TERRITORY, UNCHARTED TERRITORY FOR US.

AND SO IT'S UNCHARTED TERRITORY FOR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.

IT'S UNCHARTED TERRITORY FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

IT'S UNCHARTED TERRITORY FOR CITY HALL.

SO THIS IS TO HELP GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE, LEGAL EXPERT GUIDANCE ON HOW WE MOVE THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

AND THEN ALSO TO ASSIST THE CITY AS WE TRY TO ENGAGE IN THAT PROCESS, WHICH I THINK WE'RE ALL KIND OF HAVE A CONSENSUS THAT THIS IS THE WAY WE NEED TO TRY TO ADDRESS THIS.

HOPEFULLY A BETTER WAY THAN JUST THE DISCUSSION AND ALL THE POLITICS INVOLVED UP HERE ON THE DAIS AND TRYING TO COME TO THAT, SINCE WE ALL AGREE THAT THESE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT OUR CITY DOES.

IF WE CAN GET SOME SORT OF AN AGREEMENT IN WHICH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CITY HALL SIT DOWN AND WORK OUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM AND WHAT IS NECESSARY AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING.

THEN WE PLUG THOSE NUMBERS INTO OUR BUDGET, AND WE WORK FROM THAT POINT FORWARD.

THAT GIVES US THAT REQUIRES DISCIPLINE.

AND THAT'S ONE REASON I'VE COME UP WITH THIS PROPOSAL FOR THIS YEAR IS NO NEW REVENUE RATE, BECAUSE WE NEED TO EXERCISE DISCIPLINE, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXERCISE DISCIPLINE NEXT YEAR.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT YO YOS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

I DON'T SEE ANY POINT IN TAKING MORE MONEY OUT OF CITIZENS POCKETS THIS YEAR, JUST SO THEY DON'T NOTICE HOW MUCH MONEY WE TAKE OUT OF THEIR POCKETS NEXT YEAR, IF THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

LET'S LEAVE THE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS THIS YEAR.

LET'S SHOW THAT WE HAVE SOME DISCIPLINE THIS YEAR WHEN WE REALLY NEED TO DO NEED TO EXERCISE IT.

[01:15:02]

WE HAVE SOME INCREDIBLE EXPENSES WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE DEALING WITH NEXT YEAR.

BUT THIS IS THIS YEAR AND THIS IS THIS BUDGET.

AND IF WE DON'T HAVE TO RAISE THAT TAX RATE I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF DOING SO.

I BELIEVE THIS ACCOMPLISHES EVERYTHING I'VE TRIED TO INCORPORATE IN THIS.

THINGS FROM EVERYBODY'S PROPOSAL, INCLUDING MINE.

YOU KNOW, I STARTED OUT AT 3.5% FOR THE STAFF.

I'VE RAISED THAT TO 4%.

I'VE COME DOWN FOR THE 1% INCREASE FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS, DOWN TO HALF A PERCENT.

I'VE TRIED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN HERE THAT BALANCE THINGS OUT.

I'VE WORKED LONG HOURS WITH OUR CITY MANAGER TO COME UP WITH THIS PROPOSAL.

YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WORK FOR YOU, I WORK FOR THE CITIZENS.

I WORK FOR THE TAXPAYERS.

I DON'T WORK FOR CITY HALL, I DON'T WORK FOR JARRETT.

BUT I WORK WITH HIM, AND I'VE TRIED TO WORK WITH HIM TO GET TO THIS PROPOSAL.

AND I APPRECIATE HIM WORKING WITH ME ON THIS, BUT I FEEL THAT THIS BUDGET, THIS PROPOSAL, WILL DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO THIS YEAR WITHOUT RAISING TAXES ON OUR CITIZENS.

AND SO I STAND BEHIND THIS BUDGET.

MR. GLASHEEN.

MR. MAYOR, I THINK THAT THIS IS A STRONG PROPOSAL THAT YOU'VE PUT FORWARD, AND IT'S THOUGHTFUL IN THE APPROACH THAT YOU USE TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS WITH OUR POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS.

AND I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT ACHIEVES A NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

AND SO I CAN SUPPORT THIS PROPOSAL.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? MAYOR PRO TEM JARRETT.

JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE PUBLIC, CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT MEET AND CONFER? CERTAINLY. MEET AND CONFER IS A PROCESS YOU'VE GOT, I GUESS.

LET ME BACK UP. OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND OUR FIREFIGHTERS IN LUBBOCK ARE STATE CIVIL SERVICE.

SO, IT'S CALLED TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 143.

IT IS REALLY THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT.

THAT'S HOW WE HIRE.

THAT'S HOW WE PROMOTE.

IF THERE HAPPENS TO BE A NEED FOR DISCIPLINE, THAT'S HOW THAT HAPPENS.

AND SO, 143 IS BIGGER AND OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF LUBBOCK.

MEET AND CONFER IS AN OPTION THAT IS GRANTED BY STATE LAW TO ALLOW YOU TO DO SEVERAL THINGS.

PREDOMINANTLY ITS WORKING CONDITIONS, WHICH IS GOING TO INCLUDE WAGES.

YOU CAN MODIFY CIVIL SERVICE TO SOME EXTENT.

WHAT YOU REALLY GET AS A CITY, AS A CITY COUNCIL IS YOU GET FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.

I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A THREE-YEAR AGREEMENT TO START.

WE'VE NOT DONE IT FROM THIS SIDE.

THEY'VE NOT DONE IT FROM THAT SIDE.

IT'S A THREE-YEAR AGREEMENT THAT DEFINES CERTAINLY COMPENSATION.

WHAT IS A TARGET, NOT A MOVING TARGET, BUT WHAT IS A TARGET AND HOW DO YOU PROGRAM YOUR WAY INTO IT.

IF THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS YOU WISH TO MODIFY ABOUT CIVIL SERVICE AND REMEMBER IT'S MEET AND CONFER, NOT MEET AND AGREE, BOTH SIDES HAVE TO COME TOGETHER ON IT.

YOU CAN SET THAT OUT AND MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.

I THINK FOR THE COUNCIL, A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK REALLY WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY OVERALL.

NUMBER ONE, WE GET THE CHANCE TO DO THIS.

WE SIT TOGETHER, WE DO IT.

MY GOAL IS TO HAVE IT FINISHED BY FEBRUARY.

IT'LL BE TWO DIFFERENT AGREEMENTS.

ONE IS FOR POLICE, ONE IS FOR FIRE.

WE WILL BE ABLE TO BRING THOSE AGREEMENTS TO THE COUNCIL, AND THOSE AGREEMENTS WILL COME WITH WHAT, IF ANY, CHANGES ARE MADE.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT'S THE PRICE TAG? WHAT'S THE PRICE TAG FOR YEAR ONE, FOR YEAR TWO, FOR YEAR THREE? COUNCIL WILL KNOW THAT AT THE TIME YOU CONSIDER AND ULTIMATELY ACT UPON IT.

IT WILL BE ALL OF US ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CURTAIN NEGOTIATING IT, BUT ULTIMATELY YOU HAVE TO APPROVE IT.

FEBRUARY IS ALSO THE LAST MONTH BEFORE WE START THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR, SO WE WILL START THAT YEAR KNOWING THE COST FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 OR 26, I MEAN, FOR 27 AND FOR 28.

AND THAT GETS BUILT INTO THE BASE OF YOUR BUDGET.

SO IT'S CERTAINTY FOR ALL PARTIES.

IT DOES TAKE A BIT OF THAT.

THE TARGETS HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE OUT OF THAT.

AND I THINK WE CAN END UP WITH THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC SAFETY PEOPLE, IN A LOT BETTER AND CERTAINLY A MORE KNOWN POSITION THAN WE ARE, THE WAY WE HAVE TO BUDGET IT TODAY. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS ASKED IS WHY WE'RE PAYING $100,000 INTO THE BUDGET FOR THAT. SO THE $100,000 IS A NUMBER THAT I HAVE SUGGESTED TO PROVIDE THE ASSISTANCE WE NEED TO BEGIN WITH.

IT WILL BE TO ALL PARTIES.

SO, THIS IS A VERY, VERY PRESCRIPTIVE PROCESS.

[01:20:01]

WE NEED TO BRING IN SOME OUTSIDE HELP THAT HAS DONE THIS.

AND WHAT I'VE OFFERED IS FIRST THEY NEED TO TEACH ALL THREE PARTIES.

THEN CERTAINLY THE POLICE ASSOCIATION GOES ONE WAY, THE FIRE ASSOCIATION THE OTHER MANAGEMENT GOES THE OTHER DIRECTION.

AND IT JUST WE'VE NOT DONE ONE.

AND REMEMBER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT VERY SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS.

ONE 1% IS WELL OVER $1 MILLION.

SO AS WE START GOING INTO THIS, IT NEEDS TO BE RIGHT WHEN IT'S TIME TO RENEGOTIATE IT.

I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'LL NEED MUCH IF ANY OF THIS HELP, BUT WE NEED TO SET IT UP RIGHT TO START WITH.

AND JUST ONE MORE THING.

JUST TO REINFORCE TO THE PUBLIC THAT BY DOING THE MEET AND CONFER, THIS WILL PULL THE COUNCIL OUT.

AND THAT WILL HELP A NEGOTIATION TO OCCUR BETWEEN YOU AND THEM AND CERTAINLY THE CHIEFS AS WELL.

IT'S NOT JUST CITY MANAGER BUT.

YEAH. OKAY.

THANK YOU. TO BE CLEAR THOUGH, THE CITY COUNCIL STILL DOES HAVE TO APPROVE ANY AGREEMENT.

ABSOLUTELY. WHAT WILL HAPPEN? THERE WILL BE A COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM AGAIN, HOPEFULLY IN FEBRUARY, WHERE YOU'LL HAVE TWO DIFFERENT AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATED.

THEY'LL HAVE ALL THEIR PRICING ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.

YOU WILL CONSIDER THAT IN AN OPEN MEETING.

BUT THEN THAT'S JUST AN UP AND DOWN VOTE ON THAT AGREEMENT THAT IS.

YES. ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. I WANT TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PROPOSAL.

THANK YOU.

OH. WAS THERE A QUESTION DOWN THERE? MR. ROSE.

JARRETT, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THIS LAKE FOUNTAIN ONE MORE TIME? YEAH, IT'S THE INLET TO THE FOUNTAIN.

SO IT'S THE PART THAT'S UNDERWATER.

AND IT RUNS UP, AND IT DOES MAKE THE FOUNTAIN RUN AT LAKE SIX AND RUN ITS WAY BACK DOWN INTO THE WATER, BASICALLY IT CERTAINLY HAS AN ESTHETIC VALUE, BUT IT KEEPS THAT LAKE WATER MOVING. AND WE'RE GOING TO SHORTLY BE ADDING QUITE A BIT MORE WATER TO THAT FROM THE LEPRINO PROJECT AS IT COMES THROUGH, AND WE JUST NEED THE BEST AND HIGHEST QUALITY WATER IN THERE.

WE HAVE FOUNTAINS IN A COUPLE OF OTHER LAKES AS WELL, AND THEY ARE PREDOMINANTLY TO KEEP THOSE, KEEP THE WATER MOVING, KEEP IT STIRRED UP AND MAKE IT LOOK GOOD.

AND I BELIEVE I AND I THINK YOU TOUCHED ON THIS MR. ATKINSON I GAVE YOU A CHOICE OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS YOU MIGHT PICK, AND THIS IS STILL WHAT CAME UP ON YOUR LIST IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO GO TO.

IS THAT CORRECT? WE'VE ALREADY CUT, SO I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

THE CASH PORTION OF YOUR GENERAL FUND CAPITAL BUDGET THIS YEAR IS RIGHT AT $20 MILLION.

IT'S 19.7, ONCE YOU TAKE OUT THE CLAPP POOL.

91% OF MY GENERAL FUND CAPITAL THIS YEAR IS THE $14.5 MILLION THAT GOES TO STREET MAINTENANCE, OR THE 14 MILLION THAT GOES TO STREET MAINTENANCE, AND IT'S 4.1 MILLION THAT GOES TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

I JUST DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE LEFT TO ACCUMULATE TO THAT NUMBER.

SOME OF THE OTHER ONES THAT ARE OUT THERE ARE THINGS LIKE FIXING ROOFS, WHICH I CAN'T IN GOOD CONSCIENCE NOT DO ACCOMMODATING SOME OF THE ADA TYPE STUFF THAT WE'RE OBLIGATED TO DO. SO I DO APPRECIATE THE OPTION.

AND I DID LOOK AT THE LIST AGAIN, BUT IT'S THE BOTTOM ONE RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT PROPOSAL.

OKAY, SO THE NEXT PROPOSAL IS THE ONE PROVIDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WILSON.

COUNCIL, THIS IS WHAT YOU SAW LAST WEEK.

SO I'LL GO THROUGH IT VERY QUICKLY.

THE REVENUE SIDE IS ON THE LEFT.

AGAIN. YOU START WITH THE BUDGET AS PROPOSED 310.3.

YOU BRING IN THE T-COST REVENUE THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED.

IN THIS CASE, YOU WOULD PULL OUT 1.7 MILLION IN TAX REVENUE RATHER THAN THE 2.5, TAKING YOU DOWN TO A NEW BUDGET OF 310.673. ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, YOU WILL SEE SOME COMMONALITY.

THIS DOES ADD BACK THE SECOND DIVISION CHIEF FOR LUBBOCK FIRE RESCUE.

THIS DOES ADD THE THREE FIREFIGHTERS TO GO TO THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.

THIS BRINGS IN THE FOUR ADDITIONAL CIVILIAN PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS.

YOU SEE, THE LPD PAY ADJUSTMENT FOR THE FORENSICS, THE CRIMES, THE PROPERTY AGAIN, THAT CIVILIAN.

THIS CONCLUDES THE NEW WEBSITE AND INTRANET.

THE SHORT TERM RENTAL SOFTWARE.

THE MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT AT 100.

THE GO TO KEY LIBRARY AT THE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED 100.

THIS TAKES TWO OF THE FIVE LPD OFFICERS.

SO THESE ARE YOUR SWORN PERSONNEL.

SO THIS LEAVES THREE THAT WOULD BE IN YOUR NEW BUDGET.

SAME NUMBER FOR REDUCING LFR OVERTIME.

[01:25:01]

AND THEN IT PULLS OUT THE CLAPP POOL REPAIR.

THAT'S GETTING HARD TO SAY TODAY.

COUNCIL AT THE BOTTOM YOU SEE THAT THE PROPOSED TAX RATE WAS 47.7.

THE NEW TAX RATE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROPOSAL IS 47.0.

YOU CAN COMPARE THAT TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

IN SHORT, THIS MOVES CLOSER PAST THE MIDPOINT TO NO NEW REVENUE THAN IT DOES TO YOUR BUDGET AS PROPOSED.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER WILSON.

DOCTOR WILSON. THANK YOU, MR. ATKINSON. ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD LOTS OF GOOD THINGS TODAY.

FIRST OFF, I WANT TO TELL THE MAYOR.

THANK YOU. I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOU ADJUSTING THE PROPOSAL AND REALLY YOUR DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

YOU CAN DEFINITELY SEE THAT IN THAT PROPOSAL.

I'M STILL THE POLICE RAIDS VERSUS FIRE VERSUS CIVILIAN VERSUS NON CIVILIAN VERSUS OUR CITY STAFF.

I STILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT JUST EVEN ACROSS THE BOARD.

AND THEN WE CAN ADJUST THAT COMING UP IN MEET AND CONFER.

I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, ESPECIALLY IN A TOP BUDGET YEAR.

THE OTHER THING IS I HEARD A COUPLE OF CITIZENS SAY A LOT OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN OUR COUNTRY IS UP IN THE AIR IN NOVEMBER, AND I VERY MUCH AGREE WITH THAT. DEPENDING ON WHO'S ELECTED, WE COULD SEE LOTS OF CHANGES IN OUR ECONOMY.

SO ONE OF THE ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE, MR. MAYOR, WITH THE BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE PROPOSED IS THAT YOU'RE PULLING ITEMS OUT OF RESERVE, AND THEN WE'RE USING A CRYSTAL BALL TO GUESS AND SAY, WE'RE JUST GOING TO INCREASE SALES TAX AND WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE MONEY ON A, ON AN OIL AND GAS REVENUE THAT I MEAN, WHILE NOT LARGE, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW IF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THERE.

BUT THE BIG ONE THAT I DO HAVE CONCERNS WITH IS PULLING MONEY OUT OF THE RESERVES.

SO RESERVE FUNDS ARE USED FOR LARGE EMERGENCIES AND OR ONE TIME LARGE COSTS.

AND MOST OF THE THINGS, NOT ALL, BUT MOST OF THE THINGS ON BOTH YOUR AND MY PROPOSAL ARE NOT ONE TIME COSTS.

THERE'S A COUPLE ON BOTH, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM ARE ONE TIME COSTS.

A LOT OF THE THINGS WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, THESE POSITIONS, THESE SALARY INCREASES, THESE ARE GOING TO COME WITH ADDITIONAL COSTS EVERY SINGLE YEAR, AND I HAVE A HARD TIME WANTING TO PULL THOSE OUT OF SAVINGS WHEN I KNOW IT'S GOING TO EVEN BE HIGHER NEXT YEAR.

AND SO I THINK THAT MAKES IT EVEN HARDER FOR ME TO WANT TO DROP IT DOWN IS BECAUSE THEN I KNOW AGAIN, TIME AND TIME AGAIN, WHAT I HEAR FROM CITIZENS WHEN THEY EMAIL, WHEN THEY HAVE COMPLAINTS, IS THAT COUNCILS IN THE PAST, US INCLUDED, THE ONE SITTING UP HERE KICK THINGS DOWN THE ROAD, WHETHER THAT'S MAINTENANCE, WHETHER THAT'S HOW WE ADJUST BUDGETS.

IT'S ONE YEAR AFFECTS THE NEXT.

YOU CAN ALWAYS SAY WE WANT TO LOOK AT IT ONLY SOLELY AS THIS YEAR.

AND DO WE SET A TAX RATE ONLY FOR ONE YEAR AT A TIME? YES WE DO, BUT OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY STAFF, ALL OF US, INCLUDING MYSELF, AM ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

JUST LIKE WE SAID TODAY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN NOVEMBER.

WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

PEOPLE ARE IN THEIR BACK OF THEIR MIND, ALREADY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO, WHATEVER HAPPENS IN NOVEMBER.

AND SO I THINK YOU CAN'T SAY WE LOOK AT IT ONE YEAR AT A TIME, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT HOW YOU RUN A BUSINESS.

THAT'S NOT HOW YOU RUN A CITY.

THAT'S NOT HOW WE RUN A COUNTRY, IS PLANNING ONE YEAR AT A TIME.

YOU HAVE TO THINK FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE AND PULLING MONEY OUT OF RESERVES FOR THINGS THAT ARE LONG TERM, RECURRING COSTS.

JUST IT DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH ME BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO COME NEXT YEAR AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND IT NEXT YEAR.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK ABOUT PULLING THINGS FROM RESERVES.

I THINK YOU AND I ARE PRETTY CLOSE, BUT THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I WOULD I WANT TO DO IS PULL IT OUT OF RESERVE.

YOU KNOW, I'VE USED 1.7 TO BUY DOWN THE TAX RATE TO GET AS CLOSE AS I CAN.

90% OF WHAT I'VE ASKED FOR IN THIS PROPOSAL IS PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND THEN OR IN RELATION TO SOMETHING THAT IS VERY VITAL.

I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT'S NOT ON HERE IS GO TO KEY LIBRARY.

AND I THINK ONE THING THAT YOU SPOKE AGAINST DURING YOUR CAMPAIGN WAS, WAS LIBRARIES AND THINGS THAT ARE NOT ESSENTIAL.

AND I REMEMBER SAYING SOME OF THE THINGS, SAME THINGS WHEN I CAMPAIGNED.

AND I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR POPULATION, 5% SENT FAR LEFT, 5% SENT FAR RIGHT, AND WE ARGUE WITH THOSE 5% ON EITHER END EVERY DAY AS COUNCIL WE SEE THOSE EMAILS, 90% OF THE REST OF US LIVE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE WHERE WE WANT TO SEE SOME QUALITY OF LIFE. WE WANT TO SEE OUR TAX RATE REALLY LOW.

THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY EXORBITANT AMOUNTS OF MONEY, BUT THEY ALSO STILL WANT TO ENJOY SOME OF THOSE.

SO THAT'S WHY I'VE ADDED THE GO TO KEY LIBRARY IN THERE, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT WE ALL IN OUR LIVES HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ROOM FOR COMPROMISE, BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE WANTS AND WE ALL HAVE NEEDS, BUT SOMETIMES THOSE DO OVERLAP NO MATTER HOW YOU VOTE.

[01:30:04]

WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING PERMANENT.

WE NEED TO HAVE IT WHERE IT'S CITY TAXPAYER OWNED.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL OF THE CITY CAN ENJOY, AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT PUSHED DOWN THE ROAD AGAIN.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I HAVE THAT ON THERE.

AND THE REST OF IT, I THINK, IS ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICES.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL.

I THINK I TASKED OUR CITY MANAGER WITH FIND ME THE LOWEST RATE YOU CAN THAT KEEPS US SAFE FOR NEXT YEAR.

TO WHERE? WE DON'T HAVE SO MUCH OF THE YO YO EFFECT.

WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO PLAN FOR OUR FUTURE, BOTH FOR OUR CITIZENS AND AS A CITY, AND TRY TO KEEP OUR TAXES AS LOW AS WE POSSIBLY CAN SO WE DON'T HURT OUR PEOPLE IN THE MEANTIME.

AND THEN MR. ATKINSON THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD FOR YOU, WHICH I SHOULD HAVE ASKED YOU EARLIER, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO PUT YOU A LITTLE BIT ON THE SPOT, SO I'M GOING TO APOLOGIZE IS IN OUR THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE ALWAYS SHOW WHAT IS THAT SLIGHT TAX INCREASE.

HOW MUCH IS THAT GOING TO COST ON THE AVERAGE MEDIAN HOME VALUE PER PERSON.

DO WE KNOW WITH THIS RATE WHAT THAT WILL BE FOR THE YEAR, FOR THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER IN THAT $222,000 HOME GIVE ME JUST A SECOND.

I'LL GET YOU CLOSE. SORRY.

I KNEW I WAS GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.

IT'S DANGEROUS TO ASK HIM TO DO MATH ON THE FLY.

AND HE'S CHEATING AND USING A CALCULATOR.

THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE.

BE APPROXIMATELY $32 OVER THE FOR THE FULL YEAR.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SO $32 INCREASE TO KEEP US A LITTLE BIT SAFER TO PLAN FOR OUR FUTURE.

AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY JUST $32 BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE VERY THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT LIVE ON A VERY TIGHT BUDGET.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT IT'S NOT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

AND I DO WORRY WHEN WE CUT, WE CUT, WE CUT.

AND AS YOU SAW, THE BUDGET NUMBER THIS YEAR IS LOWER THAN IT'S BEEN IN TWO YEARS.

WHAT THE ACTUAL TOTAL BUDGET NUMBER IS OR OUR REVENUE BETWEEN REVENUE AND COST.

THAT'S LOWER. WE ARE SPENDING LESS MONEY.

ADDING MORE SERVICES AND TRYING TO MAINTAIN THINGS.

AND I HAVE JUST OVER TWO YEARS OF DOING THIS.

I HAVE VERY MUCH LEARNED THAT THERE HAS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF COMPROMISE, AND IT'S NOT COMPROMISING VALUES, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE DO.

AND BOTH OF US, I THINK PHILOSOPHICALLY, THE MAYOR AND I ALIGN VERY MUCH ON 99% OF OUR VALUES AS CONSERVATIVES.

AND SO IT'S NOT COMPROMISING PHILOSOPHICAL.

IT'S COMPROMISING WHEN YOU SEE WHAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT.

AND LIKE I SAID, WE HEAR FROM A VERY SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT COME UP HERE YEAR OVER YEAR, BUT WE ALSO GET EMAILS FROM PEOPLE JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS BEGGING US, BEGGING US NOT TO CUT THE AMBASSADOR'S PROGRAM, THAT IT WAS LIFE CHANGING FOR THEM, BEGGING US TO DO SOMETHING FOR SEWER LINES OR, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING. AND SO WE DO HAVE TO FIND THAT LITTLE BIT OF COMPROMISE, BECAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANT US UP HERE TO END UP LOOKING LIKE IS WHAT OUR NATIONAL LEVEL OF POLITICIANS LOOK LIKE, WHICH THEY DON'T GET MUCH DONE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

WITHOUT A FULL ON BATTLE.

AND WE DON'T WANT THAT TO BE HERE.

WE WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO LIVE A GOOD LIFE, TO HAVE ALL OF THEIR NEEDS MET, AND THOSE LITTLE BIT OF WANTS THAT THEY WANT TO PAY FOR TO.

SO THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR WILSON.

MAYOR PRO TEM THANK YOU MAYOR.

FIRST THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, OFTEN THIS IS A REMINDER.

THE CITY COUNCIL IS A NONPARTISAN CITY COUNCIL.

AND I TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK IF I'M CONSERVATIVE, THEN AND WHEN I'M MAKING MY DECISIONS, MY DECISIONS ARE ONLY WITH THE LISTENING TO THOSE THAT ARE CONSERVATIVE.

YOU DON'T GET TO PICK AGAIN WHO YOU REPRESENT.

YOU REPRESENT THE ENTIRE CITY.

AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT EVEN IF PEOPLE DON'T VOTE, YOU'RE STILL REPRESENTING THEM.

AND OUR JOB IS TO UPHOLD THE NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS.

SO I JUST NEED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SAY, BECAUSE I'VE DEMONSTRATED THIS ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, IS THAT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO I MEAN, I COULD EASILY WHEN WE JUST DID A STREET BOND AND I HAD SOME MAINTENANCE DOLLARS, AND I DECIDED THAT WHY PUT THOSE DOLLARS ON THIS BOND THAT WOULD END UP COSTING US MORE WHEN WE COULD PUT IT INTO OUR ONE OF OUR UPCOMING YEARS, OUR BUDGETS FOR THAT.

BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE.

[01:35:03]

AND WHETHER WE WANT IT OR NOT, IT'S INEVITABLE AND WE HAVE TO FILL THE NEEDS OF THAT GROWTH.

AND SOME OF THAT, I MEAN, WHETHER FOLKS UNDERSTAND OR NOT, BUT PUBLIC SAFETY IS SUCH A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE REQUEST OF CITIZENS.

WE ALSO NEED TO BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH GROWTH THROUGH TECHNOLOGY.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I I'M THE FIRST TO TELL YOU, BECAUSE I USE MY LIBRARIES AND I AM A VERY BIG ADVOCATE OF THE LIBRARIES, IS WE HAVE TO HAVE THE VISION AND FORESIGHT. AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE INCLUDING IN BOTH PROPOSALS.

I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE MAYOR HAS ADDED THAT CONCEPT, THE GODEKE LIBRARY CONCEPT AS WELL, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY, AS IT GROWS, ALSO GROWS IN ITS THINKING AND IT'S MENTALITY.

SO, I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE TWO GOOD PROPOSALS BUT JUST BASED AND I HAVE SPOKEN WITH BOTH FOLKS.

FOR ME, I STILL BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CAUTIOUS WHEN THIS IS NOT A YEAR THAT WE CAN GET BEHIND, AND I FEAR THAT IF WE MAKE THE WRONG DECISION, WE CAN GET BEHIND AGAIN.

WE'VE GOT TO MOVE FORWARD.

THERE'S A LOT OF OF NEEDS.

THERE'S A LOT OF WANTS TO, BUT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON NEEDS.

AND I THINK WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING TO TRIM EVERY BIT OF FAT THAT'S POSSIBLE ON OUR BUDGET.

AND I THINK THAT BOTH OF THEM, AGAIN, ARE GOOD PROPOSALS.

BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE ONE THAT COUNCILWOMAN WILSON HAS PROPOSED IS MORE IN LINE WITH FOLKS THAT LIVE IN MY DISTRICT.

AND I BELIEVE THAT OUR GOOD FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.

MR. ROSE.

JARRETT, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE RESERVES WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE CASE OF THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL TO PULL THE 450 OUT, WHAT THEY WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR 2025.

THERE'S A ONE-TIME TRANSFER THAT'S COMING THAT WASN'T THERE WHEN WE STARTED THE BUDGET.

SO. YOU WILL END UP WITH APPROXIMATELY 12 IN EXCESS RESERVES RATHER THAN 12.45.

OKAY. OKAY.

MAYOR. DOCTOR WILSON.

WE'RE REALLY, REALLY CLOSE HERE.

MARK, I APPLAUD YOU ON PUTTING TOGETHER A PROPOSAL THAT'S YOU KNOW, WE GOT DOWN INTO THE GOT DOWN INTO THE DIRT, INTO THE NITTY GRITTY.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

ONE THING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT THAT I SAID I WAS GOING TO COME IN AND NOT DO IS I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT SOMETHING NEXT YEAR THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE THIS YEAR.

WHETHER IT BE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

PER SE. AND THE LAKE FOUNTAIN.

I MEAN, THAT'S MY THAT'S MY THING THAT'S HANGING ME UP ON THIS.

BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED AND REQUIRED.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO COME NEXT YEAR AND SAY WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE LAKE STINKS AND IT'S GOT A BUNCH OF ALGAE IN IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT MOVING AROUND.

IT'S, THAT WAS WHEN I CAME TO THE BUDGET.

I SAID I DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE ANYTHING.

IF WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO CUT THINGS, IT NEEDS TO BE, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT YOU CAN THAT CAN BE CUT FOR A LONG TIME.

BUT THAT'S THAT'S ONE THING THAT THAT I'M, THAT I'M HUNG UP HERE.

FROM THE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR PROPOSALS IS WHAT I'M LOOKING AT.

AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WE'VE GOT JUST IN TERMS OF EXPENSES MARKET LUBBOCK IS ON MARK'S YOUR CITY COUNCIL WHICH IS BASICALLY THE JUNIOR AMBASSADOR'S PROGRAM AND THEN HALF A PERCENT INCREASE OVER THE FOR LPD AND THEN THE LAKE FOUNTAIN.

THAT'S, THAT'S THE PRETTY MUCH THE DIFFERENCE IN Y'ALL'S PROPOSALS.

SO WE'RE CLOSE.

I HAVE A HARD TIME WITH THE LAKE FOUNTAIN.

I CAN'T COMPROMISE ON THAT ONE.

I HAVE A HARD TIME WITH MARKET LUBBOCK.

BUT I'M WILLING TO PUT THAT ASIDE IF WE HAVE TO.

[01:40:03]

LET ME JUST ADDRESS THE LAKE FOUNTAIN AGAIN.

I DID PUT THAT PROPOSAL TO MR. ATKINSON TO FIND SOME OTHER PLACE THAT HE MIGHT WANT TO GO FOR THAT MONEY, AND THAT WAS HIS CHOICE OF WHERE TO GO FOR THAT MONEY. I HAD SOME IDEAS OF SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE MIGHT WHERE WE MIGHT GO, BUT THAT DIDN'T.

THIS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HE SUGGESTED WAS THE BEST THING TO DO.

AND IT'S WHERE HE WOULD HAVE GONE. ANYWAY, AS FAR AS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE WHERE THIS PUTS US ON THE RESERVES AND THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS AND JARRETT, IF I'M LOOKING AT THIS WRONG, TELL ME I'M WRONG ON THIS, BUT.

THE $325,000 WE WOULD HAVE SPENT ON THE POOL'S REPAIR WOULD HAVE COME FROM OUR RESERVES.

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. BUT ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE RESERVE NUMBERS WE LOOKED AT EARLIER.

RESERVE NUMBERS YOU ALREADY LOOKED AT.

SO IN MY MIND, AND MAYBE I'M LOOKING AT THIS INCORRECTLY, BUT WE'RE JUST TRADING OUT THE $325,000 WHICH WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE DOING AND PUTTING WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN RESERVES INTO THE EXCESS.

PULLING IT OUT OF THE EXCESS RESERVES.

SO MAYBE I'M LOOKING AT THAT WRONG.

AM I LOOKING AT THAT WRONG.

THE ZERO EACH OTHER OUT.

THEY ZERO EACH OTHER OUT. IT'S THE WAY I LOOK AT IT.

CORRECT. OKAY, SO I'M NOT LOOKING AT IT WRONG.

THOSE TWO ZERO EACH OTHER OUT.

THE 125,000 ON THE LAKE FOUNTAIN IS SOMETHING THOUGH.

THAT EXPENSE WE WOULD FACE AT SOME POINT LATER ON.

THE POOL IS NOT.

BUT THE LAKE FOUNTAIN WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT.

THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY, SO WE'D HAVE TO PICK THAT UP IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET OR SOME OTHER BUDGET.

IS THAT CORRECT? AS FAR AS THE AND OUR BUDGET IS LOWER THIS YEAR, BUT I THINK YOU EXPLAINED THAT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.

ONE OF THE REASONS OUR TOTAL BUDGET IS LOWER THIS YEAR, THE MAIN REASON IT'S LOWER THIS YEAR IS BECAUSE OF THE LP&L BUDGET.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT. YES, IT'S THE BIGGEST PART OF IT, ISN'T IT? SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE JUST CUTTING SERVICES OR CUTTING BUDGETS RIGHT AND LEFT FROM THE GENERAL FUND.

THIS IS AN LP&L REDUCTION.

THAT IS THE REASON THAT THE TOTAL BUDGET IS LESS THIS YEAR.

AND AGAIN, I JUST I DO LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR.

I AM TRYING TO LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR.

AND THAT'S WHY I SAID EARLIER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXERCISE SOME REAL DISCIPLINE NEXT YEAR.

AND I CAN'T NECESSARILY ACCEPT THE ARGUMENT THAT WE DON'T NEED TO EXERCISE REAL DISCIPLINE THIS YEAR.

BUT WE'LL DO IT NEXT YEAR.

I HEAR THAT TOO OFTEN.

THAT'S, WE'LL DO THAT NEXT YEAR.

WE'LL DO THAT NEXT YEAR WHEN WE HAVE TO.

THIS IS SORT OF A PRACTICE RUN AT EXERCISING SOME DISCIPLINE THIS YEAR, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXERCISE IT NEXT YEAR IN ORDER TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I STAND BY THIS BUDGET.

I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE FOUNTAIN, MR. ROSE, BUT AGAIN, THAT IS AFTER PUTTING THAT TO THE CITY MANAGER, THAT'S WHERE HE WENT AND THAT'S WHERE HE WANTED THAT MONEY TO COME FROM.

SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IN MY BUDGET.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP ITEM 1.3 TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING, ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024-25.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY OTHER BRIEFING WE NEED TO DO AT THIS POINT, IS THERE? MR. ATKINSON, THAT WAS THE BRIEFING.

THAT WAS ALL THE BRIEFING THAT WE NEEDED TO.

AND WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE ENTERTAINING A MOTION ON IS THE ADOPTION OF THE MOTION.

I MEAN, THE BUDGET AS YOU HAVE PRESENTED IT TODAY, IS THAT CORRECT? YES. SO WE HAD THE IN FACT, IF YOU'LL FLIP BACK.

THANK YOU.

STAFF IS ASKING TO MAKE THESE ADJUSTMENTS.

SO THIS IS ON PAGE. YOU HAVE THIS HANDOUT IS ON PAGE SIX.

PAGE SEVEN THAT'S GOING TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR SEWER LATERAL PROGRAM.

AND THOSE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO ADJUST FURTHER.

THE BUDGET THAT'S IN YOUR BOOK IS THE BUDGET THAT I PROPOSED.

WE HAVE TWO GOOD PROPOSALS OUT HERE TODAY.

SO MY BUDGET IS BUILT ON 47.7.

THAT IS YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET.

IF WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, I WOULD SUGGEST THIS IS THE TIME.

[01:45:01]

OKAY. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WE CAN EITHER HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE BUDGET YOU'VE PRESENTED WITH THESE EXHIBIT G CHANGES OR A MOTION TO ADOPT ONE OF THESE PROPOSALS WITH THE EXHIBIT G CHANGES MADE AS WELL.

IS THAT CORRECT? DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND? THAT IS CORRECT. SO, YOU KNOW I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THIS TIME.

MR. COLLINS.

MR. MAYOR, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE BUDGET AS PROPOSED BY DOCTOR WILSON, INCLUDING THE CHANGES MADE IN EXHIBIT G.

THANK YOU, MR. COLLINS. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? SECOND FROM DOCTOR WILSON.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO LET'S OPEN THIS UP NOW FOR DISCUSSION.

IF THERE'S ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION.

NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL RIGHT. AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AS A RECORDED VOTE.

ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL BRING THAT UP.

SO THIS MOTION, JUST TO BE CLEAR WITH EVERYBODY BEFORE YOU PUNCH YOUR BUTTON, THIS IS A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE PROPOSAL AS PRESENTED BY DOCTOR WILSON WITH THE EXHIBIT G CHANGES THAT WERE PRESENTED EARLIER BY MR. ATKINSON. SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT.

SO IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR, HIT YES.

IF YOU'RE OPPOSED TO THAT, VOTE NO.

MR. MAYOR, IF YOU'LL GIVE US JUST ONE SECOND, WE'RE GOING TO RESTART THE VOTE REAL QUICK BECAUSE IT'S NOT SHOWING.

IT'S NOT SHOWING. IS IT RESET NOW? I'M NOT SEEING IT COMING UP.

OKAY. NOW IS IT READY FOR EVERYBODY TO VOTE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OKAY. WE HAVE THREE VOTES FOUR VOTES FOR THAT BUDGET AND THREE VOTES AGAINST THAT.

SO THAT BUDGET PASSES.

ALL RIGHT. BY A VOTE OF 4 TO 3.

NOW WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM 1.4 TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING, SETTING THE TAX RATE AND LEVYING A TAX UPON ALL PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION WITHIN THE CITY

[4. Ordinance 1st Reading - Finance: Consider an ordinance setting the tax rate and levying a tax upon all property subject to taxation within the City of Lubbock for 2024; apportioning said levy among the various funds and items for which revenue must be raised; fixing the times in which said taxes shall be paid and assessing penalty and interest for nonpayment of such taxes within the time provided.]

I'M GOING TO CALL ON THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE A STAFF BRIEFING ON THIS ITEM, OR MAYBE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PROVIDE A BRIEFING ON THIS ITEM, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME THINGS WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF ON THIS VOTE THAT ARE VERY PARTICULAR TO THIS VOTE.

SO WHICHEVER ONE OF YOU GENTLEMEN WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD.

WELL, I MEAN, YOU HAVE APPROVED A BUDGET.

IF YOU, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO ON YOUR TAX RATE, IF YOU WANT TO APPROVE A TAX RATE THAT IS GREATER THAN YOUR NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE, IT REQUIRES A 60% APPROVAL, WHICH IS FIVE VOTES ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THAT PARTICULAR TAX RATE.

IF YOU MOVE TO ADOPT A TAX RATE THAT IS EITHER THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE OR BELOW.

THEN THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY TYPE OF SPECIAL LANGUAGE AS FAR AS THE MOTION GOES, IF YOU WANT TO MOVE TO APPROVE A TAX RATE THAT IS GREATER THAN THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE, THERE IS SOME SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN THE MOTION ITSELF AND WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT MOTION SHOULD IT ARISE.

OKAY, SO JUST TO BE CLEAR ON THIS VOTE WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION YET, BUT IF THERE IS A MOTION SET FORWARD TO ADOPT A TAX RATE THAT IS HIGHER THAN THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE THAT WILL REQUIRE FIVE VOTES TO PASS.

THAT'S CORRECT. ALL RIGHT.

AND IF IT DOES NOT ACHIEVE THE FIVE VOTES, THEN THERE IS WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT SITUATION.

IF THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE A TAX RATE THAT DOES NOT PASS, THEN THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN ANOTHER MOTION AND WE WILL CONTINUE THE PROCESS UNTIL THE TAX RATE IS ACTUALLY ADOPTED.

OR SOMETHING ELSE IS TAKEN.

AND THEN IF THAT'S THE SITUATION THEN WE WOULD GO BACK AND HAVE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BUDGET TO FIT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL.

THAT IS THAT IS UP TO THE COUNCIL.

YOU COULD MOVE TO REOPEN THE BUDGET AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

[01:50:02]

AND THEN YOU WOULD VOTE ON THE RECONSIDERATION AND THEN ASSUMING THAT PASSES, THEN YOU WOULD TALK ABOUT YOUR BUDGET AGAIN.

ALL RIGHT. SO I HOPE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS ALL THAT WE WILL PROCEED.

AND IF I MAKE A MISCUE OR A MISSTEP, MR. WADE, YOU JUST REMIND ME OF THAT.

LIKE DOCTOR WILSON IS ALWAYS GOOD TO REMIND ME ON MY TIMING QUESTIONS.

I'LL GET THAT RIGHT ONE OF THESE DAYS, DOCTOR WILSON.

SO ALL RIGHT, SO I'LL NOW TAKE UP.

LET ME GET BACK TO MY SCREEN.

YOU GET BACK TO MY SCREEN SO I CAN SEE WHO MIGHT BE MAKING A MOTION.

CLOSE. ALL RIGHT.

NEVER MIND. I HAVE ALL THIS HELP UP HERE WITH ME.

I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

SO, DOCTOR WILSON, YOU HAVE A MOTION.

SO I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.470120, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 0.72% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE BUDGET THAT WE JUST PASSED.

SECOND. SECOND, BY MAYOR PRO TEM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT? ALL RIGHT. CAN YOU BRING THIS UP FOR A VOTE? ALL RIGHT. SO AGAIN, THIS MOTION IS TO ADOPT THE REVENUE, THE INCREASED REVENUE RATE OR THE INCREASED TAX RATE PROPOSED BY DOCTOR WILSON.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. EVERYBODY HAS VOTED AND THAT MOTION FAILS.

AND THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT'S A VOTE OF 4 TO 3 HAS A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES, BUT IT REQUIRES FIVE VOTES TO PASS A RATE ABOVE THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

SO THAT MOTION FAILS.

SO LET'S TAKE A BREAK FOR A MOMENT HERE.

WE'LL COME BACK BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP GOING AT THIS TODAY TO SEE WHERE WE GO.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S COME BACK AT 4:05.

WE'RE BACK NOW.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO STUCK WITH US THROUGH THAT.

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU NEED TO JUST SET IN, GO, YOU KNOW, ORDER OUT FOR SOME DINNER OR WHAT? WHO KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE.

BUT SO WE HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT TO ANYBODY WHO HAPPENS TO BE WATCHING THIS, BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO TODAY.

WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT PASSED BY A 4 TO 3 VOTE.

THAT EXCEEDED THAT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED A TAX RATE IN EXCESS OF THE NO NEW REVENUE VOTE RATE.

THEN WE HAD A VOTE ON THE TAX RATE AND THAT EVEN THOUGH IT PASSED THE VOTE ON THE HIGHER RATE TO SUPPORT THE BUDGET THAT WAS PASSED, PASSED 4 TO 3 THAT DID NOT MEET THE STATE REQUIREMENT OF HAVING A SUPERMAJORITY, FIVE VOTES.

SO THAT FAILED.

SO WE ARE NOW IN A SITUATION WHERE THE BEST THING FOR US TO DO IS, SINCE WE'RE SITTING AT A NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS TO GO BACK AND OPEN UP THE AGENDA TO RECONSIDER ITEM 1.3, WHICH IS THE BUDGET PART OF THIS ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

AND THIS MOTION MUST BE MADE BY SOMEONE WHO IS ON THE PREVAILING SIDE OF THAT FIRST VOTE ON THE BUDGET.

SO ONE OF THE FOUR PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR THAT BUDGET WOULD HAVE TO MOVE TO RECONSIDER ITEM 1.3.

SO I WILL ENTERTAIN AT THIS TIME A MOTION.

YES, SIR. YOU YOU CAN DO THAT.

THAT'S A POSSIBILITY. BUT YOU CAN ALSO ENTERTAIN ANOTHER MOTION REGARDING THE TAX RATE.

ALL RIGHT. SO YOU HAD ONE TAX RATE MOTION THAT HAS FAILED.

AND IT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL'S DISCRETION.

BUT YOU STILL COULD GO THROUGH POSSIBILITY OF PASSING ANOTHER TAX RATE I BELIEVE THOUGH FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND WE'RE GOING TO GO THIS ROUTE RIGHT AT THE MOMENT. ALL RIGHT.

SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THE BUDGET.

ITEM 1.3.

IS THERE A MOTION? THERE IS NONE. OKAY, SO WE'RE BACK TO.

OH, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.

I'M SORRY. JUST. I WAS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO SPEAK UP RATHER THAN LOOKING DOWN.

YES, I DO SEE MR. GLASHEEN. I'LL YIELD TO DOCTOR WILSON IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK FIRST.

OKAY. DOCTOR WILSON.

SO, JUST FROM THE LEGAL ASPECT, I WANT TO ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

SO WE NEEDED SOME CLARIFYING THINGS THAT I THINK WERE MISSPOKE DURING THE LAST, DOES THAT NEEDS TO BE REOPENED WITH A MOTION FOR THE BUDGET DISCUSSION, OR CAN WE CLARIFY A FEW

[01:55:03]

WELL, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO REOPEN.

SORRY. LET ME LOOK AT IT.

AGENDA ITEM 1.3.

SO WE CAN HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE BUDGET.

IS THERE A SECOND? MR. GLASHEEN? SECOND.

YEAH. I STILL HAVE MORE QUESTIONS WHEN WE GO.

I'M STILL HAVE MORE QUESTIONS.

BUT I HAD TO HAVE A SECOND.

FIRST. I'VE GOT A SECOND NOW.

BACK TO YOU, DOCTOR WILSON.

QUESTION. THE SECOND CAN BE MADE BY SOMEONE WHO DIDN'T VOTE FOR IT.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO THAT WAS PROPER. DOCTOR WILSON, YOU NEED TO GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON WHETHER YOU WANT TO REOPEN THAT AGENDA ITEM.

WE'RE REOPENING IT BEFORE WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION.

ALL RIGHT. DO WE NEED THIS AS A RECORDED VOTE? I THINK WE CAN. IT'S UP TO YOU, BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO.

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF REOPENING THE BUDGET DISCUSSION, PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.

AYE AYE. ANY OPPOSED? LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING NAY.

I HEAR NONE.

SO THE MOTION PASSES AND NOW WE'RE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.

DOCTOR WILSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

SO SOME CLARIFYING POINTS.

SPOKE WITH THE CITY MANAGER DURING OUR BREAK AND THERE WAS A MISSPEAK ON WHAT THE PROPOSED TAX RATE THAT I PROPOSED WITH MY BUDGET WOULD ACTUALLY COST THE TAXPAYER.

SO MR. ATKINSON.

THANK YOU FOR THE KIND PHRASING.

THE SIMPLE FACT IS, I MADE A MISTAKE AND DID THE REVERSE.

THE PROPOSAL ON THE TABLE BY DOCTOR WILSON, WHICH WOULD HAVE THE NEW TAX RATE AT 47 0120 IS ACTUALLY SLIGHTLY OVER $15 IMPACT FOR THE YEAR.

IT'S ABOUT 1504 IS WHAT I CALCULATED CORRECTLY.

THAT'S NOT EXACT BECAUSE THE SENIOR TAX FREEZE MOVES THOSE NUMBERS AROUND, BUT IT IS NOT THE $32 THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.

MY APOLOGIES. YES.

AND THAT IS PER THAT AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD PER YEAR, NOT PER MONTH.

THAT IS CORRECT.

OKAY. AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT WAS LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENCES THAT I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT UP EARLIER THAT MR. ROSE HAD SAID COMPARING THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL TO MY PROPOSAL WAS THE FOUNTAIN.

SO THE FOUNTAIN IS IN MY BUDGET BECAUSE IT WAS IN YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET.

IT WAS NOT SOMETHING I WAS CUTTING OUT.

THAT IS CORRECT.

RIGHT. IT'S IN MINE.

THIS WAS JUST ADDITIONAL STUFF THAT I WAS ASKING FOR.

I LEFT IT IN THERE THAT YOU HAD LEFT IT IN THERE.

THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY.

I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS LEFT OUT OFF OF THAT ONE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. I THOUGHT THAT MATH DIDN'T QUITE ADD UP EITHER, BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS TRYING TO DO IT IN MY HEAD.

EVERYBODY BUT ME APPARENTLY HAD IT RIGHT.

I'LL NOT DO THAT IN PUBLIC AGAIN.

YEAH, BLAME IT ON THE CALCULATOR.

HAVE IT. BLAME IT ON THE CALCULATOR MR. ATKINSON. OKAY.

MR. GLASHEEN. MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ON THE BUDGET, AND I HAVE A PROPOSAL PREPARED THAT I CAN.

ALL RIGHT. DISPLAY IN JUST A MOMENT.

AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO MAKE A CHANGE.

ONE CHANGE BASED OFF OF WHAT WE SEE UP HERE.

BUT I CAN KIND OF WALK US, WALK US THROUGH WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON HOW I REACHED THIS COMPROMISE PROPOSAL.

I'VE LISTENED TO THE COMMENTS FROM THE DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I'VE REALLY TRIED TO INCLUDE THE PRIORITIES OF EACH COUNCIL MEMBER THAT I'VE HEARD HERE, AND ALSO THE CONCERNS THAT I'VE HEARD COMING OUT OF THE BUDGET DISCUSSION TODAY AND IN EARLIER SESSIONS.

SO STARTING ON THE REVENUE SIDE THE ONE ADJUSTMENT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS TO ACCOUNT FOR AN INCREASE FROM SALES TAX OF $125,000.

IT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL ADJUSTMENT TO OUR ANTICIPATED SALES TAX COLLECTION, BUT THAT WILL COME BACK IN ON THE EXPENSE SIDE.

BIG PICTURE.

THIS PROPOSAL DOES NOT RELY ON ANY REDUCTIONS IN REVENUE OR MAJOR RECALCULATIONS OF THE EXPECTED REVENUE.

IN ORDER TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR REVENUE IS IN LINE WITH OUR CITY MANAGER'S INITIAL CONSERVATIVE PROJECTIONS FOR THE REVENUE THAT THE CITY WILL COLLECT.

AND THIS ALSO ALLOWS US TO MEET A NO NEW REVENUE RATE ON PROPERTY TAXES.

LOOKING FIRST AT THE EXPENSE SIDE, THE BIG THE TWO BIG AREAS THAT THIS PROPOSAL CAPTURES ARE THE OPERATIONAL

[02:00:03]

SO THIS IS GOING TO ADD A CHIEF FOR LUBBOCK FIRE AND RESCUE, WHICH WILL ALLOW OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES THERE.

IT WILL ALSO ADD THREE FIREFIGHTERS TO THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.

AND THAT IS PARTIALLY OFFSET BY A DECREASE IN THE REQUIRED OVERTIME PAY.

BY ADDING MORE PERSONNEL, WE'LL HAVE LESS OVERTIME REQUIREMENTS ON THE POLICE SIDE AND FOR CIVILIAN SO POSITIONS WHICH WILL BE ABLE TO HELP THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ALSO FREE UP OFFICERS WHO ARE SWORN OFFICERS TO GO DO THE SORTS OF DUTIES THAT ONLY SWORN OFFICERS CAN PERFORM.

THIS INCLUDES A PROPOSAL TO ALLOW FOR THE LIBRARY CONCEPT, SO THAT WE CAN DEVELOP A PLAN FOR GODEKE LIBRARY.

IT WILL ALLOW FOR FUTURE INCREASES TO POLICE AND FIREFIGHTER PAY THROUGH THE MEET AND CONFER PROCESS, WHICH ALSO DELIVERS SOME OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE CITY. IT'S ONE THING THAT HASN'T COME UP AS MUCH, BUT THROUGH THE MEET AND CONFER PROCESS, WE CAN SET BETTER HIGHER STANDARDS FOR PROMOTIONS AND SELECTION OF SENIOR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AS WELL, WHICH COULD BE A REAL, REAL BENEFIT OVERALL.

MY PROPOSAL REMOVES THE CLAPP PARK REPAIR.

THE ADJUSTMENT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ON THIS PROPOSAL IS TO REMOVE THE DELETION.

THE DOUBLE NEGATIVE OF THE LAKE SIX FOUNTAIN.

SO THAT WE CAN FUND THE FOUNTAIN THROUGH THE ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN SALES TAX.

OTHERWISE, THIS ALLOWS FOR ALL CITY EMPLOYEES TO RECEIVE SIMILAR PAY INCREASES AS PROPOSED BY THE CITY MANAGER THIS YEAR. I'VE ALSO WANTED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE OTHER CONCERNS I HEARD FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO THIS HAS NO REDUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS TRANSFERRED TO MARKET LUBBOCK.

AND THIS ALSO PROPOSAL DOES NOT HAVE ANY REDUCTION IN THE CITY COUNCIL'S OPERATIONAL BUDGET FOR THINGS LIKE THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE PROGRAM.

IT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYBODY'S IDEAS ON WHAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR.

SO I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT.

YOU MADE THAT AS A MOTION THOUGH, RIGHT? IT IS A MOTION. YES, SIR.

WE NEED A SECOND. SECOND.

OKAY, MR. HARRIS.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ON IT.

CORRECT. ALL RIGHT.

JUST SO, MR. WADE. YEAH. JUST SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WILL BE A COMPLETE SUBSTITUTE OF THE PREVIOUS BUDGET THAT WAS PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL SINCE WE'VE REOPENED THIS AGENDA ITEM.

ANY QUESTIONS? AND THIS PROPOSAL ALSO DOES INCORPORATE ALL THE SCHEDULE G.

I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THAT STATED.

YES IT DOES. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.

I DID NOT STATE THAT.

OKAY OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO I'LL ENTERTAIN DISCUSSION ON MR. GLASHEEN'S PROPOSAL.

DOCTOR WILSON. YEAH.

SO I THINK ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE IS DELETING ALL FIVE LAPD OFFICER POSITIONS.

I KNOW IT'S OUR CHIEF'S GOAL.

EVEN THOUGH WE WE STRUGGLE AND ALL DEPARTMENTS ARE STRUGGLING TRYING TO FILL NEW POSITIONS RIGHT NOW, THAT GETTING RID OF ALL FIVE LAPD OFFICER POSITIONS LIKE PATROL POSITIONS. BECAUSE I THINK THAT JUST MOVES THE BAR FURTHER AWAY FROM HIS GOAL OF THE TWO PER THOUSAND.

I THINK WE PROBABLY SHOULD COMPROMISE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE, WHETHER THAT'S 2 OR 3.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO DELETE ALL FIVE.

I UNDERSTAND, AND ORIGINALLY I DID NOT WANT TO TO REMOVE ANY OF THE POSITIONS EITHER.

BUT IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CHIEF, I CAME TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE BUDGETED POSITIONS THAT THE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO FILL THIS YEAR.

IF THE DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO FILL THEM, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY APPROPRIATE TO GO BACK AND MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT MID-YEAR TO ALLOW FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.

BUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE THE EXERCISE OF THE BUDGET, MY CONCERN IS THAT WE'RE TYING UP A LINE ITEM THAT WE DON'T ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO SPEND.

BUT IF IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THE CHIEF TO OFFER ANY COMMENTS ON THAT AND IF IT MEETS THE OPERATIONAL NEEDS OF THEIR DEPARTMENT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VALUABLE INFORMATION.

MR. MAYOR, IF IT'S APPROPRIATE.

YES, MR. ATKINSON. THANKS.

I'LL LET ME ADD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS TO THAT.

AND I THINK IT'S REALLY, IT'S A GOOD DISCUSSION.

[02:05:01]

THESE POSITIONS FILL AND FALL, FILL AND FALL.

AND IT'S THE NORMAL EBB OF REALLY ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT.

WE WERE ABLE TO DO TWO THINGS JUST IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, ABOUT THE LAST 90 DAYS, ACTUALLY TO TRY TO HELP WITH THAT RECRUITMENT.

ONE IS THE LATERAL TRANSFER PROGRAM, WHERE WE CAN BRING IN AN OFFICER AND BRING THEM IN AT HIGHER THAN BASE BECAUSE THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THAT PROGRAM JUST NOW IN PLACE. I THINK IT WILL PAY BENEFITS.

WE ALSO NOW HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT THEY CALL THE SIMULTANEOUS TESTING, SO WE CAN HAVE A CIVIL SERVICE ENTRANCE EXAM, BOTH IN LUBBOCK AND IN A TARGET MARKET OF OUR CHOOSING.

THE 21 VACANCIES THAT WE'VE GOT HAVE ALL BEEN, YOU KNOW, FILLED AND DOWN, FILLED AND DOWN AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THAT.

AND CHIEF HERMAN, IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.

IN ANSWER TO MR. GLASHEEN'S STATEMENT OR QUESTION.

DO I ANTICIPATE US FILLING THOSE FIVE POSITIONS? I DO. I THINK THE LATERAL PROGRAM, NOW THAT IT'S TAKING OFF TO THE DEGREE THAT WE EXPECTED.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BRING IN A LOT MORE PERSONNEL, AND IT'LL SHORTEN THE TIME FRAME BETWEEN HIRING AND PUTTING THEM ON THE STREETS.

IS LOAN OFFICERS.

NOW, THAT BEING SAID, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU SIT AS FAR AS WHETHER OR NOT WE THE QUESTION IS OBVIOUSLY WILL WE MEET THAT NUMBER AND WILL WE BE ABLE TO EXCEED IT? I ANTICIPATE YES I DO.

THAT'S MY HOPE.

AND BY ALL INDICATORS, AGAIN WITH THE PROGRAM AND OUR FOCUS ON RECRUITING A DEDICATED RECRUITING PROGRAM WITH A DEDICATED TEAM, I DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT WE WILL REACH IT WITHIN THE YEAR.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF? I THINK HE WAS BEFORE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF WHILE HE'S UP HERE? I THINK MINE ARE MORE FOR JARRETT, BUT PLEASE DON'T LEAVE.

OKAY. TAKE A SEAT ON THE FRONT ROW THERE, CHIEF.

WE MIGHT CALL YOU BACK UP HERE, BY THE WAY.

I LOVE THE COMMERCIAL.

OH. THANK YOU. JUST SAYING.

THAT'S SO SWEET OF YOU.

THANK YOU. JARRETT.

SO AM I TO UNDERSTAND THAT WITH THE LATERAL IN PLACE AND THE.

I THINK IT WAS A SIMULTANEOUS CUTTING FIVE POSITIONS WOULD NOT IMPACT THE UPCOMING BUDGET.

OR IS THAT ALREADY BUDGETED FOR? MAYBE. LET ME RESTATE THAT.

THESE WERE FIVE PROPOSED NEW POSITIONS, SO I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK EVEN AT ZERO, YOU'RE NOT REDUCING THE STRENGTH OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AT ALL.

IT'S A QUESTION OF HOW MUCH CAN WE ATTEMPT TO ADD AT THE COUNCIL'S CHOOSING, REALLY JUST TO ATTEMPT TO STAY EVEN? WE'RE AT ABOUT 1.7 OFFICERS PER THOUSAND RIGHT NOW.

1.8%. AVERAGE ANNUAL GROWTH IS 4700 PEOPLE A YEAR, WHICH IS NEARLY TEN THAT WE WOULD NEED JUST TO KIND OF KEEP EVEN.

SO THAT'S WHAT THAT IS.

I THINK THAT'S MY BIGGEST CONCERN, IS THAT WE ARE GROWING, AND CAN WE REALLY AFFORD TO NOT HAVE ANY OF THESE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS? I THINK THAT'S MY BIGGEST FEAR.

AND SO, CHIEF, I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT CITIES GROWING, CAN WE REALLY AFFORD TO JUST NOT HAVE ANY NEW OFFICERS? BECAUSE THE CONVERSATIONS I'M HAVING, THEY WANT TO SEE MORE PEOPLE ON I MEAN, MORE POLICE ON THE STREET.

SO IF OUR GOAL IS TO REDUCE CRIME, YES, WE DEFINITELY NEED MORE OFFICERS.

I WOULD SAY 2.2.0 PER 1000 IS A LOW NUMBER, BUT IT IS A GOAL THAT WE CAN REACH AND WE SHOULD THE MORE INFLUX OF PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF LUBBOCK WHO COME IN, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE NOT ALL GOING TO BE GREAT TAXPAYING CITIZENS WHO ARE OUT THERE WORKING HARD AND TAKING CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES. THERE'S A CRIMINAL ELEMENT THAT FOLLOWS.

SO MOST DEFINITELY DO WE NEED MORE OFFICERS? YES WE DO. WE NEED THEM NOW AND WE WILL DEFINITELY NEED THEM IN THE FUTURE.

I THINK THE OTHER PART IS THAT HOW MANY OFFICERS DO YOU ANTICIPATE TO RETIRE IN THE UPCOMING YEAR? THAT'S NEBULOUS.

WE WE KNOW OF AT LEAST A COUPLE NOW THAT THAT NUMBER ALWAYS GROWS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE THOSE INTANGIBLES THAT WE CAN'T ACCOUNT FOR PEOPLE WHO FIND OTHER EMPLOYMENT, PEOPLE WHOSE FAMILIES MOVE AND THEY FOLLOW.

[02:10:02]

ONE OTHER THING IS, I CAN'T HELP TO NOTICE THAT YOU HAVE A VERY YOU HAVE A CAMPAIGN RIGHT NOW TO BE RECRUITING.

I NOTICED, YOU KNOW, IT WAS VERY ATTRACTIVE.

AND I THOUGHT, WELL, OKAY, GOOD.

YOU KNOW, I SEE THAT THEY'RE DEMONSTRATING GROWTH, SO I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.

SO WE DO NEED TO KEEP SOME KIND OF NUMBER IN PLACE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING, WHICH HAS BEEN A BIG ISSUE FOR A LOT OF US IS TO KEEP THE CRIME DOWN.

SO YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TO RESPOND TO THAT.

CHIEF, I JUST WANTED TO PUT, YOU KNOW, JUST TO TALK TO YOU.

OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, THOUGH, CHIEF, BECAUSE ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS AND MY UNDERSTANDING.

AND MAYBE THIS IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING AS WELL, THAT ABILENE AND AMARILLO HAVE BOTH INCREASED THEIR PAY SCALE.

THEIR STARTING SALARIES.

AND THAT WILL, OF COURSE, AFFECT THE WHOLE SCALE ALL THE WAY UP.

AND, YOU KNOW, OUR HOPE THROUGH OUR LATERAL PROGRAM WAS TO BE ATTRACTING PEOPLE FROM SOME OF THESE OTHER CITIES.

WILL THAT MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR US TO ATTRACT PEOPLE FROM THOSE CITIES WHO HAVE NOW RAISED THEIR SALARIES ABOVE OUR SALARIES? I WOULD DEFINITELY SUGGEST, FROM A LATERAL PROGRAM STANDPOINT, YES, UNLESS THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SEEKING EMPLOYMENT WITH LUBBOCK PD, WHO HAVE BEEN OFFICERS SOMEWHERE ELSE HAVE FAMILIAL TIES HERE, THEN UNDOUBTEDLY, IF OUR IF OUR PAY IS NOT COMMENSURATE OR ABOVE THOSE OTHER AGENCIES, AND MOST DEFINITELY WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THOSE THAT INFLUX OF OF LATERALS THAT WE WERE HOPING FOR.

OKAY. AND THAT'S MY CONCERN THAT WE'RE WHERE WE NEED TO BE AT LEAST THIS YEAR.

I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MEET AND CONFER, BUT THAT'S NOT TILL NEXT YEAR.

WHERE ARE WE THIS YEAR AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET CLOSER TO WHAT WE NEED THIS YEAR? SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF WHILE HE'S HERE AT THE FRONT? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MR. ROSE, DID YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER? ANYTHING FURTHER TO SAY? YEAH. I'M SORRY.

DAVID. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE HAD THREE OF THE LPD OFFICERS IN THIS IN THIS BUDGET.

I THINK WE NEED TO WE NEED TO KEEP UP WITH OUR GROWTH ADDING THESE, ADDING THESE OFFICERS.

MR. GLASHEEN.

YEAH. THE CHIEF'S COMMENTS ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE INFORMATION THAT I RECEIVED EARLIER.

PUBLIC SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR ME.

BUT I WOULD REITERATE THAT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS BUDGET, THIS IS A REASONABLE WAY TO REACH THE REVENUE AND THE RATE THAT WE NEED TO TARGET FOR TODAY'S DISCUSSION.

AND THEN WE CAN ADJUST.

IF LPD FILLS THOSE VACANCIES.

I WOULD MUCH RATHER GO BACK AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ON THEIR STAFFING.

IF THEY'RE ABLE TO FILL ALL OF THE OUTSTANDING VACANCIES AND OPEN UP ADDITIONAL POSITIONS, RATHER THAN RISK FUNDING POSITIONS THAT ARE MAY OR MAY NOT BE FILLED.

OKAY. WELL, I GUESS MY CONCERNS, MR. GLASHEEN, IS.

I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE FOUNTAIN.

I JUST DON'T PUT IT AS A IN MY LIST OF THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.

IT DOESN'T COME UP ANYWHERE CLOSE TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO BE TRYING TO ADDRESS WITH THIS BUDGET.

THAT SHOULD BE OUR PRIORITY OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS WITH THIS BUDGET.

AND I SEE THAT YOURS DOESN'T DO ANYTHING FOR THE WEBSITE AND THE SHORT TERM RENTAL SOFTWARE EITHER, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD COME UP EARLIER. YOU KNOW, I'M FLEXIBLE ON THOSE TWO ITEMS. I DO NOT LIKE OUR WEBSITE.

I DON'T THINK IT'S AH VERY TRANSPARENT OR EASILY EASY TO WORK THROUGH AND FIND WHAT YOU NEED.

IT'S NOT AS CRITICAL TO ME AS PUBLIC SAFETY.

THE FACT THAT THE SHORT TERM RENTAL SOFTWARE MIGHT HELP GET US SOME ADDITIONAL INCOME DOES MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE TO ME AS SOMETHING IN A BUDGET. SO IF I WAS PICKING BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS, THAT'S THE THING I WOULD PICK FIRST, BECAUSE I THINK THAT DOES HAVE A HOPEFULLY A POSITIVE EFFECT ON OUR BOTTOM LINE, WHEREAS THE WEBSITE WILL JUST DEAL WITH PEOPLE'S FRUSTRATIONS FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

BUT AND MINE TOO.

IT'S MY FRUSTRATION WHEN I TRY TO FIND SOMETHING ON IT.

SO I APPRECIATE WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO GET TO HERE, BUT I STILL AM CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT IT DOES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND PARTICULARLY OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS MY MAJOR CONCERN HERE AND MY PRIORITY.

[02:15:08]

WILL YOU JUST REPEAT WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE VOTING ON? IT'S ON YOUR SCREEN. COUNCILMAN GLASHEEN'S PROPOSAL IS WHAT WE WILL BE VOTING ON.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS ON THE SCREEN THERE? MR. MAYOR? MR. GLASHEEN. OKAY.

MR. ATKINSON. WHICH WAY? ONE ADJUSTMENT FROM WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN.

MY PROPOSAL INCLUDES THE ADJUSTMENTS MADE.

IN WHICH SECTION IS THAT? EXHIBIT G, EXHIBIT G INCLUDES THE ADJUSTMENTS OF EXHIBIT G AND ALSO A PROJECTED INCREASE OF REVENUE OF $125,000.

AND THEN WE ARE REMOVING THE DELETION OF THE LAKE SIX FOUNTAIN INLET, THAT IS THAT IS THE MOTION.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT CORRECTION THERE.

HE'S INCREASING SALES TAX 125,000 AND LEAVING THE FOUNTAIN INLET IN AT 125,000.

THAT'S A WASH THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.

SO THE NUMBERS THE BOTTOM LINE NUMBERS STAY THE SAME.

ALL RIGHT. DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THAT? ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MAYOR PRO TEM, ARE YOU.

OH, NO, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. CAN YOU BRING UP THE VOTING? OKAY. THAT PROPOSAL FAILS.

6 TO 1.

ALL RIGHT, BACK TO SQUARE ONE.

I WILL ENTERTAIN.

MR. COLLINS. MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO REINTRODUCE THE PROPOSAL FROM COUNCILWOMAN WILSON.

IN ADDITION TO THE ITEMS IN EXHIBIT G.

SECOND. OKAY, SO THE MOTION IS BEING MADE TO REINTRODUCE THE BUDGET WITHOUT ANY CHANGES. THAT WAS INTRODUCED BY DOCTOR WILSON EARLIER.

IS THAT CORRECT, MR. COLLINS? AND SECOND FROM MAYOR PRO TEM.

ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? MR. ROSE? JARRETT, CAN WE GO? WHAT? THE 15.

IT'S 15.

WHAT? ON THE ON TOP OF THE TAX.

ADDED TO THE TAX RATE $15 PER YEAR.

I CAME UP JUST SLIGHTLY OVER, AND I'LL BE WRONG BY A VERY SMALL AMOUNT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO FACTOR IN THE SENIOR TAX FREEZE AND WE CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT THE SOFTWARE.

I BELIEVE THAT WE SAID IT WAS 31 THE FIRST TIME AROUND, WHICH WAS INCORRECT.

YES, SIR. I THINK A LITTLE TOO HIGH FOR ME PERSONALLY, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AROUND A DOLLAR AND A QUARTER PER MONTH ON TOP OF INCREASE IN TAX RATE FOR, FOR YOUR AVERAGE, FOR YOUR AVERAGE HOME.

CORRECT. OKAY.

THANK YOU. MY DIFFICULTY WITH THAT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS JUST THIS OR THAT OR THE OTHER.

IT'S ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE THAT OUR HOMEOWNERS ARE FACED WITH.

THIS IS WHAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR AS A COUNCIL.

I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INCREASE IN THEIR HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE.

I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TAXES.

WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, AND IT GETS ADDED ON TOP OF EVERYTHING TO OUR HOMEOWNERS.

AND IT'S NOT EASY FOR ME TO IGNORE THAT JUST BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY ADDING OUR SMALL PART OF THAT BURDEN ON TOP OF EVERYBODY ELSE.

IT'S A MATTER OF DISCIPLINE AND PRINCIPLE.

I MEAN COUNCILMAN GLASHEEN HAS ACTUALLY PROPOSED, YOU KNOW, A BUDGET THAT WOULD COME IN BELOW THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, I BELIEVE.

IS THAT CORRECT? YOU KNOW, THAT'S EXERCISING REAL DISCIPLINE.

IT DOESN'T DO EVERYTHING I THINK IS IMPORTANT.

BUT IF PEOPLE DON'T SEE US EXERCISING DISCIPLINE THIS YEAR, THEY DON'T EXPECT US TO DO SO NEXT YEAR.

AND I BELIEVE WE WILL BEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT WHEN OTHER DECISIONS ARE VOTERS ARE GOING TO BE MAKING IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

COME UP.

I WANT OUR CITIZENS TO SEE THAT WE ARE TAKING THE BURDEN WE PLACE ON THEM SERIOUSLY.

YES, I WOULD LOVE TO.

ACTUALLY, I HAD SOMEONE EMAIL ME.

THIS IS NOT A TAX CUT.

WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IS NOT ACTUALLY LOWERING MY TAX BURDEN.

I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT, BUT I'VE TRIED TO WORK WITH WHAT EVERYBODY HAS PROPOSED HERE, WORK SOMETHING FROM EVERYBODY INTO THIS BUDGET, AND STILL COME OUT WITHOUT

[02:20:06]

SO, I TO ME, IT'S DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S $15 OR $30 OR $40. IT'S A MATTER OF SHOWING THE TAXPAYER THAT WE TAKE SERIOUSLY THE BURDEN WE PLACE UPON THEM.

SOMETIMES IT'S PERCEPTIONS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ACTUAL DOLLARS.

BUT I KNOW WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME, AND I KNOW HOW THEY EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS ABOUT THIS.

AND SO I WANT US TO EXERCISE SOME DISCIPLINE THIS YEAR BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXERCISE IT NEXT YEAR.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? ALL RIGHT. SO THE MOTION IS DOCTOR WILSON'S PROPOSAL AND EXHIBIT G.

WELL, I GOT TO SAY EXHIBIT G.

ALL RIGHT. AND WOULD YOU PUT UP THE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SO THAT PASSES 5 TO 2.

NOW. WE MOVE BACK TO.

I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ONE POINT FOR THE TAX RATE.

ALL RIGHT. DOCTOR WILSON.

OKAY. SO I'M GOING TO MOVE AGAIN THAT WE MOVE THE MAKE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.470120, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 0.72% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.

SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? AGAIN, I CAN'T SUPPORT THAT.

THAT'S SOMETHING I CAMPAIGNED ON AND SOMETHING I WILL STICK WITH.

ON BEHALF OF THE, THE VOTERS IN LUBBOCK AND THE TAXPAYERS IN LUBBOCK, I CANNOT SUPPORT AN INCREASE IN THEIR TAX RATE THIS YEAR, SO I'LL BE VOTING AGAINST IT.

WOULD YOU PUT UP THE.

ALL RIGHT, SO IF YOU ENTER YOUR VOTE NOW.

OKAY. SO, WE ARE ADOPTING A TAX RATE.

AND WHAT IS THE TAX RATE THEN.

YOU'RE GOING TO READ OUT THE TAX RATE MAYOR? YES, SIR. THE TAX RATE THAT WAS JUST VOTED UPON IS 0.470120.

ALL RIGHT. SO, THERE ARE NO OTHER ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA.

IS THAT CORRECT? SO WE NOW STAND ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.