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GET THIS GOING.[PRELIMINARY OPEN MEETING]
PLANO CITY COUNCILS CONVENED AN OPEN SESSION THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.THE COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND TRAINING ROOM A TO HOLD A CLOSED EXECUTIVE MEETING PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF T VERNON'S TEXAS CODES ANNOTATED GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 5 51.
THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUTHORITY CONTAINED IN SECTION 5 51 0 71 TO CONSULT WITH THE ATTORNEY TO RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE AND DISCUSS MATTERS OF LITIGATION.
I NOW DECLARE THE PLAINTIFF CITY COUNCIL PRELIMINARY OPEN MEETING IS RECONVENED IN OPEN SESSION THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE PRELIMINARY AGENDA IS CONSIDERATION AND ACTION RESULTING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
OUR SECOND ITEM IS LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, QUALIFIED HOTEL PROJECTS.
ANDREW, WELL, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, ANDREW FORTUNE, DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS.
UH, EARLIER TODAY I SENT OUT A, UM, BRIEF MEMO AND IT HAS SOME DATA, UH, THAT WILL BE PERTINENT TO THIS DISCUSSION.
SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR NEED TO REFER BACK TO THAT, THAT'S IN YOUR INBOX.
BUT I WANTED TO INTRODUCE TO YOU TONIGHT A TOOL THAT EXISTS CURRENTLY IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, UM, AND IN THE TAX CODE.
UM, THE TOOL IS OFTENTIMES REFERRED TO AS QUALIFIED HOTEL PROJECTS.
UM, WE HAD AN UPDATE RECENTLY ON OUR EXISTING, UM, HOTEL DISCUSSIONS AND TIMELINE OUT AT THE EVENT CENTER.
UM, MY PROPOSAL TONIGHT, UH, IS A TOOL THAT COULD BE USED FOR THAT.
BUT TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT PROPOSING THAT WE USE THIS TOOL, UH, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AT THIS POINT.
UH, BUT JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW.
UH, AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO FIND A HOTEL AT THIS SPECIFIC SITE SINCE 1990.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INVESTING IN AN AREA TO BRING A HOTEL, UM, AND USING THIS TYPE OF TOOL, THE INTENT BEHIND THE LEGISLATURE WHEN THEY PUT THIS INTO PLACE, OUR PROJECT IN THIS INSTANCE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR WHY IT MIGHT BE USED.
SO, UH, JUST MOVING FORWARD, IT IS A PUBLIC FINANCE TOOL.
UM, IT IS USED EFFECTIVELY, UM, BY SEVERAL CITIES ACROSS THE STATE, INCLUDING THE MAJORITY OF OUR SURROUNDING CITIES.
UM, SO WHAT IS THIS TOOL? UH, IF A HOTEL PROJECT IS CONSIDERED QUALIFIED UNDER THE STATUTE AND THERE ARE A LIST OF QUALIFYING FACTORS, UH, YOU'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY ACCESS THE STATE'S PORTION OF THE SALES TAX, THE STATE'S PORTION OF THE HOT TAX, AS WELL AS A REPURPOSE SOME OF YOUR MIXED BEVERAGE TAX RECEIPTS.
UM, AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS, LET ME SKIP AHEAD A LITTLE BIT TO SHOW YOU THE IMPACT.
UM, IF YOU CAN SEE THAT ON YOUR SCREENS, UH, IF NOT, IT'S IN THE MEMO.
UM, SEVERAL OF THE EXISTING PROJECTS, UH, THAT HAVE USED THIS TOOL IN THE PAST AS THE OMNI AND DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH, THE OMNI IN DALLAS, UH, THE LOWE'S HOTEL IN ARLINGTON, THE PGA AND FRISCO, UH, SEVERAL OF THE IRVING PROJECTS.
UH, SO IT'S AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL THAT'S BEEN USED SELECTIVELY ACROSS THE STATE FOR LARGER PROJECTS.
AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TONIGHT IS FOR THE COUNCIL TO ADD THE PURSUIT OF THIS TOOL TO OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
AND SO, UNLIKE OTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS, IT'S NOT AVAILABLE TO EVERY CITY IN THE STATE.
CURRENTLY, IN ORDER TO ACCESS THIS TOOL TO RECEIVE THE STATE'S PORTION OF THE TAX REVENUE, WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY GO AND PASS A BILL THAT WOULD AUTHORIZE US AS A CITY TO MOVE FORWARD AND ACCESS THIS TOOL.
AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE THE EVENT CENTER PROJECT THAT'S ONGOING, THAT WOULD BE A CANDIDATE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS TOOL IF WE WERE AUTHORIZED, BUT ALSO IT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO HAVE IN OUR TOOL BELT FOR FUTURE HOTEL PROJECTS.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, ASSUMING THAT IT MEETS THOSE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS.
SO BACKING UP JUST A BIT, THE RETAIL, UH, THE, THE REBATES, UM, FROM THE HOTEL ITSELF, UM, COULD BE ACCESSED, UM, REALLY FOR 10 YEARS.
SO, UM, IF WE OPENED THE EVENT CENTER NEXT YEAR AND WE FOUND THAT AS QUALIFIED AND THAT HOTEL IS QUALIFIED FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE COULD CAPTURE THAT REBATE.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING THAT TAX REVENUE, THOSE NUMBERS BEGIN TO MULTIPLY VERY QUICKLY OVER TIME.
UM, AGAIN, IN THOSE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE THERE, UM, THE HOTEL MUST EXIST ON CITY OWNED LAND.
SO AS YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH OUR CURRENT AGREEMENT, IT WOULD MEET THAT REQUIREMENT.
UM, THE COMPTROLLER PUBLIC ACCOUNTS, UH, GLENN HAGAR IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, I WILL SAY IT IS A COMPLEX TOOL.
IT'S A VERY BENEFICIAL TOOL, BUT IT'S VERY COMPLEX.
UM, AS SUCH, GOING AFTER IT AND THE LEGISLATURE IS A COMPLICATED, TO SAY THE LEAST.
UM, GIVEN THAT MY RECOMMENDATION IS GOING TO BE TO CONSIDER HIRING A LOBBYIST, UM, I HAVE ONE IN MIND WHO WAS INVOLVED AT THE BEGINNING, AN ONSET OF THIS TOOL.
HE HELPED PUT THE LEGISLATION INTO LAW, AND EVERY SUBSEQUENT CHANGE THAT HAS OCCURRED SINCE
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THE TOOL WAS ENACTED, HE'S WORKED ON, UM, GENERALLY THE WAY THESE BILLS WORK.UM, YOU MAY HAVE 15, 20 CITIES WHO ENTER IN THEIR OWN BILLS.
AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS IN THE LEGISLATURE, THERE WILL BE ONE OMNIBUS BILL THAT NEEDS TO BE PASSED, AND HE HAS, AGAIN, WORKED ON EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE BILLS.
AND SO HE WOULD WORK AT MY DIRECTION SOLELY ON THIS TOPIC.
HE WOULD NOT ADVOCATE FOR US ON ANY OTHER POSITIONS.
HE WOULD NOT ENGAGE LEGISLATORS ON ANYTHING ELSE.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, IN TERMS OF NUMBERS, UH, THE TWO YEAR CONTRACT, AGAIN AT THE BEGINNING OF A LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE HAVE TO DO A LOT OF WORK THE YEAR PRIOR TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A BILL READY AND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR STORY.
THE TOTAL FOR THAT TWO YEARS IS $120,000.
UM, IN TERMS OF IMPACT, AGAIN, THE, UM, MEMO THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR INBOX SHOWS DIFFERENT EXAMPLES.
WHAT WE HAVE CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATED IS A 10 TO $15 MILLION RETURN OVER 10 YEARS FOR ONE PROJECT.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN INVESTMENT IN PLANO, AN INVESTMENT IN A TOOL THAT WE CAN ACCESS, UM, FOR DOUG'S TEAM LATER DOWN THE ROAD, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD STRONGLY SUPPORT.
UM, I'VE, I'VE KIND OF FLOWN THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.
I WANTED TO SHOW YOU JUST A TIMELINE, UH, IF IT'S THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL FOR STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE LOBBYING CONTRACT INTO ADD THIS TO OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
UM, ASSUMING THAT THE COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE DECIDED TO USE THIS TOOL FOR THE, UH, CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL, THIS WOULD BE THE TIMELINE THAT WE WOULD MORE OR LESS ADHERE TO.
UM, IN TERMS OF ENGAGING THE LOBBYIST, DOING THE INTERIM WORK ON THE BILL, PREPARING THE LEGISLATION, WE SEE THE HOTEL CONSTRUCTION BEGIN, WE WOULD BE FILING THE LEGISLATION IN 2024.
UM, JANUARY, 2025 IS WHEN WE BEGIN OUR SESSION.
ALTHOUGH IT'S FELT LIKE WE'VE BEEN IN SESSION CONTINUALLY.
UM, WITH ALL THE SPECIAL SESSIONS, UM, WE WOULD LOOK AT A JUNE, UH, 20, 25 DATE FOR THE LEGISLATION TO PASS.
AND THEN, UH, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025, THAT TOOL WOULD NOW BE IN OUR TOOL BELT, AND WE WOULD JOIN CITIES LIKE MCKINNEY, FRISCO, IRVING, DALLAS, FORT WORTH, ARLINGTON, UM, AND SO POTENTIALLY AS EARLY AS SPRING OF 2027, IF THE HOTEL PROJECT WAS ONLINE, WE COULD BEGIN REQUESTING THAT REBATE FROM THE COMPTROLLER MOVING FORWARD.
UM, I WILL NOTE, UH, WITHIN THAT BILL ITSELF, THERE IS A 20 YEAR CLAWBACK PROVISION.
THIS WAS PUT IN THERE JUST IN CASE YOU HAD SOMEONE WHO WAS REALLY STRETCHING FOR A PROJECT THAT WAS NOT VIABLE.
UM, WITH ALL OF OUR PROJECTS IN PLANO, WE MAKE SURE THEY'RE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE BEFORE WE UNDERTAKE THEM.
AND SO THIS IS NOT A CONCERN THAT I HAVE PERSONALLY FOR THIS, BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IT FOR THE COUNCIL SO THEY KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND AGAIN, WITH THE NEW REVENUE POTENTIAL FOR THE EVENT CENTER, IF THAT WAS OF ONE THAT WE CHOSE, YOU WOULD HAVE NEW OPPORTUNITIES, UH, NEW BUCKET OF MONEY STAFF AT THIS JUNCTURE, UM, WOULD RECOMMEND LOOKING AT BRINGING THE EVENT CENTER UP TO, UM, THE NET AT DIFFERENT STANDARDS THAN WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, AS WELL AS A PARKING GARAGE POTENTIALLY.
IT WOULD REALLY DEPEND ON, UH, HOW MUCH REVENUE WE WERE ABLE TO GENERATE AND WHAT THE COUNCIL WANTED TO USE THAT REVENUE FOR, BUT THAT REVENUE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK INTO THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE.
UH, SO FOR THE SAKE OF BREVITY, THAT'S MY PRESENTATION.
IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
BUT ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANDREW MAYOR AND COUNCIL? I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT, THAT THE USE OF A LOBBYIST WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT ANDREW AND I HAD EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT.
THIS WOULD BE A SINGULAR FOCUS FOR THAT PARTICULAR LOBBYIST, BUT, UH, IN ORDER TO, TO, UM, HAVE THE BILL GO THROUGH, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
BUT THE REVENUE THAT COMES BACK, AGAIN, IT IS A, IT IS A STATE PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS THESE REVENUES TO COME BACK WITHOUT, UM, UH, HAVING THAT BILL PASSED.
WE DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THAT REVENUE.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT FOR QUESTION SHELLY.
UM, SO I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE PLANO TO BE ADDED TO THIS LIST.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE USE OF THIS TOOL.
AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE, I HAVE ISSUES WITH THE CONCEPT OF TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING.
IN WHAT WAYS WOULD BE WE BE LEVERAGING THE LOBBYIST? WOULD IT BE TO DIRECTLY LOBBY MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE TO PASS THE BILL? WOULD IT BE TO WORK ON LANGUAGE MECHANISMS? IT WOULD REALLY BE ALL OF THE ABOVE.
UM, MY ROLE IN AUSTIN WOULD NOT CHANGE, AND SO I WOULD BE GOING WITH THIS LOBBYIST TO THESE MEMBERS.
AND TO GIVE YOU BACKGROUND ON THE LOBBYIST, AGAIN, HE HELPED WRITE THE, THE ACTUAL STATUTE TO CREATE THE TOOL.
EVERY SUBSEQUENT SESSION, THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES TO NARROW THE TOOL, TO TWEAK IT, TO CHANGE IT.
HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN ALL THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
SO HE DOES HAVE THE BENEFIT WHEN HE WALKS INTO THE ROOM AND DISCUSSES THIS LEGISLATION, BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, ALL THE STATE AGENCIES KNOW WHO HE IS AND THAT HE'S WORKING ON A LEGITIMATE PROJECT WITH THE CITY THAT TRULY MEANS TO MOVE FORWARD IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER.
AND SO HE BRINGS BOTH THE CREDIBILITY AS WELL AS THIS HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE, BUT HE WOULD BE WORKING UNDER MY DIRECTION TO ENSURE THAT THE MEETINGS THAT WERE HAD TO MOVE THIS BILL FORWARD STAYED ON TASK.
UM, AND IF HE'S SPEAKING AS A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT, I HAVE ZERO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
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ACTIVELY ADVOCATING THE LEGISLATURE OR MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE TO PASS THE BILL, UM, THAT'S WHERE I WOULD HAVE CONCERNS.AND HE WOULD BE, AND TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR, HE WOULD BE DOING BOTH.
UH, AND WE'D BE LOOKING AT HIM, UH, TO BE, I I WOULD BE UTILIZING HIM LARGELY, ESPECIALLY IN THE BEGINNING ON THE SUBJECT MATTER COMPONENTS OF THE BILL.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GETTING INTO ADVOCATING WITH THE LEGISLATURE, I DON'T ENVISION HIM RAMPING UP THOSE EFFORTS UNTIL WE HAVE AN OMNIBUS BILL.
SO MY INTENTION WOULD BE THAT I WOULD BE, JUST AS WE WORKED LAST SESSION ON PFCS AND WE WORKED ON OTHER LEGISLATION, I WOULD BE IN THOSE OFFICES WITH OUR DELEGATES, OTHERS PUSHING THAT LEGISLATION.
BUT WHEN IT BECAME AN OMNIBUS BILL, AS I'M SURE YOU REMEMBER FROM PFCS, IT'S MULTIPLE LOBBYISTS.
I DON'T WANT US TO GET INTO A SITUATION WHERE HE BECOMES THE DRIVER FOR AN OMNIBUS BILL WITH POOR AND ON BEHALF OF OTHER CITIES, AND HE GOES INTO THE OFFICE OF A LEGISLATURE AND SAYS, I'M ADVOCATING FOR THIS BILL, BUT LEGALLY I CAN ADVOCATE ONLY FOR THIS PORTION.
AND THAT WILL HIGHLIGHT US IN A NEGATIVE WAY WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD THIS BILL.
AND, AND I HAVE SEEN CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN CUT OUT AND, AND HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO USE THIS TOOL.
AND SO FOR US, UM, REGARDLESS OF HOW WE USE IT IN THE FUTURE, I THINK IT'S VALUABLE FOR US TO ENSURE IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE THE EFFORT THAT WE DO IT THE BEST WAY, THE RIGHT WAY.
I HAVE ENGAGED THE HOTEL ASSOCIATION'S PRESIDENT ON THIS.
IT WAS HIS RECOMMENDATION TO ENGAGE THE LOBBYISTS FOR THIS PURPOSE.
UM, HE'S FAMILIAR WITH THIS COUNCIL STANCE ON THE USE OF LOBBYISTS.
AND, AND I DON'T COME TO Y'ALL WITH THIS LIGHTLY.
I, I RESPECT YOUR POSITION AND, AND YOUR PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THAT.
AND I, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO OPERATE VERY WELL WITH IT IN THOSE BOUNDS.
BUT I THINK IF WE TRULY WANT TO ACCESS THIS TOOL, THIS WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.
UM, I THINK FROM MY, UH, MY VANTAGE POINT ALONE, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD BE FULLY COMFORTABLE IF HE'S ACTUALLY ADVOCATING FOR OR AGAINST LEGISLATION.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF USING 'EM AS A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ADVISORY, EVEN ADVISORY DIRECTLY TO THE LEGISLATURE ABOUT HOW TO CRAFT THE BILL, THE, THE PITFALLS.
UM, I WOULD OF COURSE, VOLUNTEER MYSELF TO CONTACT AS MANY MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE AS POSSIBLE, WHICH IS OF COURSE THE CRUX OF MY CONCERN ABOUT TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S, THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND STAFFS AND WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN IN THE TRENCHES TOGETHER DOWN THERE DOING THAT.
UH, SO I WAS BASICALLY GOING TO SAY THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS HAS ALREADY COVERED.
UM, I DO THINK THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT TOOL FOR US TO GET ACCESS TO AND, YOU KNOW, TO ENGAGE SOMEBODY FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, FOR THEIR INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY, FOR GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT ON BILL LANGUAGE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I, I, TOO WOULD BE TOTALLY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE SPOKEN OUT PUBLICLY ON TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, UH, I TRY TO AVOID TAKING INCONSISTENT POSITIONS.
SO I JUST, I, I FEEL LIKE OUT OF, OUT OF CONSISTENCY AND, AND, AND JUST MY, MY BELIEF THAT AS COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS SAID, IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT FOR US, THE, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE STAFF TO BE THE ONES ADVOCATING FOR OUR CITY.
UM, I THINK IF YOU, THE, THE PORTION, UH, WERE THE LOBBYIST WOULD ACTUALLY BE LOBBYING MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE, I, I MAY BE IN THE MINORITY, BUT I WOULDN'T BE COMFORTABLE THERE.
BUT OTHERWISE, THIS SOUNDS GREAT.
UNTIL, UNTIL THERE IS ACTUALLY, UH, EQUAL FOOTING FOR ALL THE CITIES AND NOBODY ELSE'S USING LOBBYING FOR PERSUASION, PERSUADING THE LEGISLATURE TO, UM, ASSIST THEIR OWN CITY, I BELIEVE THAT IT IS NECESSARY.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T ACTUALLY GO IN THERE AND WHINE AND DINE THESE LEGISLATURES.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS PROVIDING, UM, INFORMATIVE DECISION MAKING TOOLS AS WELL AS DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT WHAT WE WANT.
AND IF THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE ARE USING ARE, UM, HIGHLY CREDENTIALED, HIGHLY RESPECTED, IT PUT US IN A BETTER LIGHT THAN MOST OTHER, UM, QUOTE UNQUOTE LOBBYISTS WHO ARE THERE TO WHINE AND DINE PEOPLE.
SO I, I'M ABSOLUTELY IN SUPPORTIVE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS PERSON'S VERY, UM, IN VERY HIGHLY RESPECTED BY, UM, THE LEGISLATURE.
AND IF YOU'RE SAYING SO, I, I TRUST YOU BECAUSE ANDREW, YOU, YOU RATE VERY HIGHLY WITH ME TOO.
UM, I ALSO BELIEVE THAT NOW THAT ALL THE OTHER SURROUNDING CITIES AROUND US HAVE ALREADY ACCESSED, UM, THE TOOL THAT WE'RE BASICALLY LACKING BEHIND IN ACCESSING FUNDS THAT COULD REALLY HELP THE CITY.
AND I WANNA SEE THAT WE NEVER GET LACKED BEHIND.
AND SO IF THAT'S WHAT'S NECESSARY TO GET US, UM, IN THE EQUAL FOOTING WITH OTHER CITIES WHO ARE HAVING ACCESS TO THESE, UH, POOLS OF FUNDS, BY ALL MEANS, I'M TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF IT AS WELL AND, AND SUPPORTIVE OF, OF WHAT DEPUTY MAYOR PRO
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TEM SAID.WE, WE, UH, UM, WE HIRE, UH, EXPERTS ALL THE TIME.
UH, ARE, ARE YOU IN AGREEMENT OR DISAGREEMENT, RICK? AND, AND I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
MAYOR PROTO, I'M IN AGREEMENT, I'M JUST WANT TO, IS HE JUST REPRESENTING US OR IS HE PART OF THE, OUR OTHER PARTNER CITIES THAT ARE TRYING TO LOBBY THIS BILL? SO HE, HIS, HE AND HIS FIRM REPRESENT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, UM, LARGELY, PREDOMINANTLY ACROSS NORTH TEXAS, BUT SOME ACROSS THE STATE.
UM, THE NICE PART ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION, AND SHOULD THE COUNCIL MOVE FORWARD WITH IT, WE WOULD BE ENGAGING HIM SOLELY ON THIS.
AND SO ANYONE WHO JOINED THAT EFFORT WOULD NOT BE IN CONFLICT WITH OUR INTERESTS.
UM, IT, AS I SAID, IT WOULD BECOME ONE OMNIBUS BILL.
AGAIN, SIMILARLY TO THE PFCS AND HOW THAT WORKED LAST SESSION.
YEAH, ANDREA, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IN GENERAL, I'M NOT PARTICULARLY IN FAVOR OF TAXPAYER PROVIDED, YOU KNOW, LOBBYISTS IN GENERAL.
HOWEVER, WHAT I AM IN FAVOR OF IS THE CITY BEING ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE AND BENEFIT FROM ANY PROGRAM THAT WILL MATERIALLY, YOU KNOW, DO GOOD THINGS AND ENABLE US TO DO GOOD THINGS.
SO WITH, WITH THE NARROWNESS OF THIS, THIS, UH, LOBBYIST WOULD ONLY BE DEDICATED TO THIS ONE PARTICULAR CASE AND YOU WOULD BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH HIM.
SO THOSE FACTS IN MY, THE MAYOR SAID, I MEAN, I, I TRUST YOUR JUDGMENT.
YOU'RE DOING GOOD WORK FOR US AND APPRECIATE IT.
SO, UH, I WOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF IT ALSO.
COUNCIL MEMBER HOMER, I'D BE IN SUPPORT OF IT AS WELL.
WELL, I REALLY APPRECIATE THOSE OF US WHO'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO TO AUSTIN AND ADVOCATE, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS DID A LOT OF THAT LAST YEAR.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T ALL HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO DO THAT.
AND SO I THINK SOMETIMES IT'S NECESSARY FOR US TO, TO PAY FOR THE SKILLS THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR HAVE ON STAFF.
SO I, I WOULD BE VERY SUPPORTIVE.
I DON'T WANNA LEAVE MONEY SITTING ON THE TABLE FOR THIS.
NEXT, NEXT ITEM IS CONSENT AND REGULAR AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY ITEM THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN MOORE WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE? UH, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEMS. D AND H.
ANY ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDAS? OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO, UH, TAKE A RECESS AND RETURN IN, UH, 12 MINUTES, BUT I WANTED TO OFFER THE SCOUTS, UH, TO COME DOWN, UH, HERE IN THE FRONT IF, IF THERE WERE SOME, UH, AND TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO, TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THIS MEETING MIGHT BE, SO WE WERE HOPING THAT MAYBE YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER, ASK SOME, SOME QUESTIONS BEFORE THE MEETING.