Aug 26, 2024 City Council

I NOW DECLARE THAT THE PLANO CITY COUNCIL IS RECONVENED IN OPEN SESSION.

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:09]

WE'LL BEGIN TONIGHT'S REGULAR MEETING WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY IMAM AZHAR SUBEDAR WITH ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION OF COLLIN COUNTY.

PLEASE JOIN THE COUNCIL RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND TEXAS PLEDGE.

AFTER THE INVOCATION, WOULD YOU PLEASE RISE? LET US ALL COME TOGETHER AND PRAY.

DEAR LORD, IN THE QURAN YOU ARE REPEATEDLY REFERRED TO AS AR-RAHMAN AND AR-RAHIM, SYMBOLIZING THE MOST GRACIOUS AND THE MOST MERCIFUL.

THIS REPETITION IS A POWERFUL REMINDER FOR HUMANITY TO EMBODY THESE VIRTUES, RATHER THAN JUST RECITE THESE WORDS ALONE.

HENCEFORTH, IN A WORLD MARKED BY DIVISION, DISCORD, AND DISTRUST, WE HUMBLY SEEK YOUR GUIDANCE TO HELP US FOSTER LOVE, EMPATHY AND COMPASSION FOR ONE ANOTHER.

WE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR ROLE AS STEWARDS OF THIS EARTH AND RECOGNIZE THE RESPONSIBILITY BESTOWED UPON US TO UPHOLD GOODNESS AND RESTORE IT WHEN IT WANES. GRANT OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THE STRENGTH AND WISDOM TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WITH EMPATHY.

INSPIRE THEIR DECISIONS AND ACTIONS TOWARDS THE PURSUIT OF GOODNESS AND THE WELL-BEING OF ALL RESIDENTS.

BLESS OUR HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS WITH UNDERSTANDING AND UNITY, ALLOWING US TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.

GUIDE OUR EFFORTS THROUGH YOUR WISDOM AS WE BUILD A BETTER SOCIETY, SETTING AN EXAMPLE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME.

AMEN. THANK YOU.

BE SEATED. THANK YOU, IMAM.

[PROCLAMATIONS AND SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS]

SO WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION TO READ BECAUSE IT'S HUNGER ACTION MONTH, THE SEPTEMBER OF 2024 AND SO I'LL READ IT. WHEREAS HUNGER ACTION MONTH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2008 BY FEEDING AMERICA AND WORKS TO PROMOTE WAYS TO INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES EVERYWHERE TO GET INVOLVED AND HELP FIGHT THE HUNGER CRISIS AND WHEREAS THE NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN STRIVES TO MOBILIZE THE PUBLIC INTO ACTING ON THE ISSUE OF HUNGER AND TO HELP MORE THAN 12.1% OF THE COLLIN COUNTY POPULATION WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE, WHICH INCLUDES NEARLY 1 IN 7 CHILDREN.

WHEREAS IN AN EFFORT TO RAISE AWARENESS AND CURB THIS TREND, WE LAUNCHED A COMMUNITY INITIATIVE IN 2013 AND HAVE RECEIVED AN OUTPOURING OF LOVE FROM OUR CITIZENS.

LAST YEAR, THE NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTED 30,343 BACKPACKS FILLED WITH NUTRITIOUS, KID FRIENDLY SNACKS AND 33,350 MEAL BOXES TO PISD ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, WHICH IS EQUAL TO 235,598 NUTRITIOUS MEALS.

WHEREAS THE PLANO CITY COUNCIL WILL NOT RELENT IN ITS EFFORTS TO CARE FOR OUR OWN WE CHALLENGE ALL OF COLLIN COUNTY TO GET INVOLVED.

SO DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WE WILL COME TOGETHER TO HELP SOLVE THE HUNGER CRISIS IN NORTH TEXAS BY PARTNERING WITH ALL OF NORTH TEXAS TO PROMOTE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL PEANUT BUTTER DRIVE.

THERE WILL BE BOTH VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON OPTIONS FOR PARTICIPATING.

THE MORE WE COLLECT, THE MORE IMPACT WE MAKE.

SO NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOHN MUNS, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PLANO, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 2024 IS HUNGER ACTION MONTH IN PLANO AND I DO HEREBY ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN ME, THE PLANO CITY COUNCIL AND THE NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK IN WORKING TOGETHER TO ERADICATE HUNGER IN OUR CITY, COUNTY, STATE AND NATION.

THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE ACTED UPON IN ONE MOTION AND CONTAINS ITEMS WHICH ARE ROUTINE AND TYPICALLY NONCONTROVERSIAL.

[00:05:01]

THE CITY MANAGER, OR ANY CITIZEN.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER WILL ESTABLISH TIME LIMITS BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF SPEAKER REQUESTS.

MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.

WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SECOND. THANK YOU.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.

MOTION PASSES 8 TO 0.

THANK YOU.

NEXT ITEM.

PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS. APPLICANTS ARE LIMITED TO 15 MINUTES PRESENTATION TIME WITH A FIVE MINUTE REBUTTAL IF NEEDED.

REMAINING SPEAKERS ARE LIMITED TO 30 TOTAL MINUTES OF TESTIMONY TIME, WITH THREE MINUTES ASSIGNED PER SPEAKER.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER MAY AMEND THESE TIMES AS DEEMED NECESSARY.

NON PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS. THE PRESIDING OFFICER WILL PERMIT PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA NOT POSTED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER WILL ESTABLISH TIME LIMITS BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF SPEAKER REQUESTS, LENGTH OF THE AGENDA, AND TO ENSURE MEETING EFFICIENCY, AND MAY INCLUDE A CUMULATIVE TIME LIMIT.

SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER THEIR REQUESTS WERE RECEIVED UNTIL THE CUMULATIVE TIME IS EXHAUSTED.

ITEM NUMBER ONE.

[(1)  Second Reading and consideration of an Ordinance to grant to Denton County Electric Cooperative, Inc., d/b/a CoServ Electric, a Texas electric cooperative corporation, its successors and assigns, a non-exclusive franchise to use the present and future streets, avenues, alleys, roads, highways, sidewalks, easements and other public rights-of-way in the City of Plano, Texas for the purposes of constructing and operating an Electric Distribution System; setting forth terms and conditions to govern the franchise; providing a repealer clause, a severability clause, a savings clause, a publication clause, and an effective date. Conducted and adopted Ordinance No. 2024-8-12]

SETTING FORTH TERMS AND CONDITIONS TO GOVERN THE FRANCHISE, PROVIDING A REPEALER CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, A SAVINGS CLAUSE, A PUBLICATION CLAUSE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. GOOD EVENING.

MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY EXECUTIVES.

I'M MICHELE WARNER.

I'M THE SENIOR POLICY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS ANALYST.

AGAIN, THIS IS THE SECOND READING OF THE ORDINANCE BETWEEN COSERV ELECTRIC AND THE CITY OF PLANO.

THE FIRST READING WAS HELD AT THE JULY 22ND CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

COSERV ELECTRIC PROVIDES APPROXIMATELY 10% OF PLANO'S ELECTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE.

LOCATED IN THE FAR NORTH AND WEST SECTIONS OF PLANO, AND THE OTHER 90% IS WITH ONCOR, AND AFTER TONIGHT'S MEETING, A CAPTION OF THE ORDINANCE WILL BE PUBLISHED ONCE A WEEK FOR FOUR CONSECUTIVE WEEKS IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF PLANO, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU MICHELLE. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MICHELLE? ALL RIGHT. THIS IS THE SECOND READING TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE IN THIS REGARD.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE.

IS THIS A SECOND READING OR DO WE? YEAH. DO WE HAVE.

YES. WE NEED A MOTION.

MOTION TO APPROVE.

YEAH. OKAY.

SECOND. THANK YOU.

IT WAS SO DIFFICULT.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.

THANK YOU. MOTION PASSES.

THANK YOU, MICHELLE.

[(2)  

Public Hearing on the FY 2024-25 Recommended Budget, Proposed Community Investment Program (CIP) and the Proposed Ad Valorem Tax Rate. Conducted

PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25, RECOMMENDED BUDGET.

THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 PROPOSED COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND THE PROPOSED AD VALOREM TAX RATE. IS [INAUDIBLE] WHERE'S KAREN? OH. HI, KAREN.

CAN YOU HEAR US? OH. I SEE YOUR LIPS MOVING, BUT SHE DOESN'T HAVE IT ON.

[INAUDIBLE].

OKAY. [INAUDIBLE].

OKAY, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.

I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

CONFINE THE COMMENTS TO THE COUNCIL.

THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

WE DIDN'T. [INADUIBLE]. OH, WE DON'T GET TO VOTE ON ANY OF IT.

OKAY, LET'S GO TO ITEM 3.

[(3)  

Discussion and direction re: FY 2024-25 Recommended Budget.  Discussed including median plus 5% for employee compensation.

[00:10:05]

NOW, I KNOW WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK ABOUT WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

WE DO HAVE ONE OUTSTANDING ISSUE RIGHT NOW THAT I'M AWARE OF, WHICH IS THE COMPENSATION PIECE.

WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MEDIAN PLUS FIVE VERSUS AN ACROSS THE BOARD.

MY SENSE FROM COUNCIL WAS THERE WAS A LEANING TOWARDS THE MEDIAN PLUS 5%.

BUT I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT SAID THEY NEEDED SOME ADDITIONAL TIME WITH THAT AND WE WILL BE BRINGING THIS BACK SEPTEMBER 9TH FOR FINAL ADOPTION.

FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.

SO IF YOU WOULD WANT TO PROVIDE THAT DIRECTION AT THIS TIME, THAT WILL HELP US FINALIZE SOME PIECES WITH HR AND MAKE SURE WE'RE ABLE TO PROGRESS WITH THAT.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE ANY OTHER FEEDBACK YOU WOULD LIKE IN REGARDS TO THE MEDIUM PLUS FIVE OR THE ACROSS THE BOARD? IS EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THE MEDIUM PLUS FIVE? YEAH. I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD ONE THING.

I'LL ASK MARK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME QUESTIONS FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE DOING A VERY GOOD TAX RATE NUMBER BASED ON WHAT'S GOING ON.

SOME OTHER AREAS IN NORTH TEXAS, I WOULD JUST ASK YOU, I'VE BEEN ASKED YOU FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT I KNOW YOU AND STAFF, YOU'VE REALLY SCOURED, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET AND GONE THROUGH THERE.

AND I KNOW CASEY AND I KIND OF GOT A LITTLE FEEDBACK BECAUSE WE KILLED ONE THING.

THERE WAS ONLY 100 AND SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS.

BUT EVERY LITTLE DOLLAR HELPS YOU'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE'VE PERUSED THAT ENOUGH, AND WE'VE REALLY SQUEEZED IT AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO GET THE BUDGET DOWN AS LOW AS WE CAN.

YES, COUNCILMAN WE'VE GONE THROUGH AND AS YOU AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH, WE HAVE ELIMINATED 12 POSITIONS.

WE HAVE GONE THROUGH. WE HAVE A HIRING FREEZE IN PLACE.

WE HAVE GONE THROUGH INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT BUDGETS AND ASKED FOR DOLLARS TO BE RETURNED THAT ARE IN THINGS LIKE TRAINING AND TRAVEL, IN MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES, TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BALANCING THE BUDGET BY BOTH ELIMINATING EXPENSES AND THEN CONTROLLING FUTURE COSTS IN THIS.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE TIME AS WELL AS RECURRING COSTS IN THAT.

SO WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE BUDGET SEVERAL TIMES.

WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THAT BUDGET AS WELL NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO FOR FUTURE YEARS.

BUT YES, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES.

GREAT AND WITH THAT, I KNEW THAT WOULD BE A GOOD ANSWER, THAT I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE MEDIAN PLUS 5% AND THE BUDGET AND TAX RATE AS A WHOLE.

OKAY. ANTHONY, I KNOW YOU HAD SOME THOUGHTS.

YES. THANK YOU MAYOR.

WELL, FIRST, I GUESS TO KIND OF TAKE THESE TWO IN SEQUENCE.

I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THE MEDIUM PLUS FIVE THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

I THINK IT'S VITAL TO DO THAT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.

THEN I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT THE TAX RATE NOW OR IF WE WANT TO FINISH THE MEDIUM PLUS FIVE DISCUSSION.

MAYOR, I CAN DO WHATEVER YOU PREFER.

IS EVERYBODY OKAY WITH GIVING DIRECTION TO MARK IN REGARD TO THAT? YES. OKAY.

GO AHEAD. I WELL THANK YOU MAYOR AND I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED THE TAX RATE A FEW TIMES, SO I'LL TRY TO KEEP THIS AS BRIEF AS I CAN.

I WANT TO START OUT BY SAYING THAT FROM SOME OF THE COMMENTS AT THE LAST MEETING, I THINK THAT MY COMMENTS MAY HAVE BEEN A BIT MISUNDERSTOOD.

I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR AS I'VE TOLD CITY MANAGER ISRAELSON, DIRECTOR RHONDES-WHITLEY AND OUR ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, BUDGET AND RESEARCH TEAM, I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I THINK THIS HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY PROACTIVE BUDGET.

REALLY EXCELLENT WORK IN RESPONSE TO THE FISCAL CRUNCH THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN AND, YOU KNOW THE STAFF HAS DEMONSTRATED TREMENDOUS PROFESSIONALISM AND TRANSPARENCY AND CERTAINLY HAS.

MY TRUST, AS I KNOW, IS THE CASE FOR ALL OF US.

AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, SOME OF THE TRENDS THAT WE'RE FACING ARE NONETHELESS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING FLATTENING OF CERTAIN REVENUES, SPIKES IN CERTAIN EXPENSES, AND THAT MAKE IT INEVITABLE THAT THERE WILL BE AN IMPACT SOMEWHERE IN THE BUDGET.

AS A PHILOSOPHICAL POINT, I STILL BELIEVE THAT A TAX RATE OF 41.7 $0.06, THOSE IMPACTS ARE ALLOCATED TOO HEAVILY TO PROPERTY TAX PAYERS AS OPPOSED TO OTHER PLACES THEY COULD BE ALLOCATED.

I'VE TALKED ABOUT PHILOSOPHICALLY, FOR ME, THE TWIN CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR TAXPAYERS AND I'M VERY GLAD THAT WE FOUND THE MONEY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES SO THAT WE CAN DO OUR MEDIUM PLUS FIVE COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY.

THAT WAS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO DO, AND I'M GLAD WE DID THAT.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALSO TAKE THAT SAME APPROACH OF FINDING ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR OUR TAXPAYERS.

THIS IS NOT AT ALL AN INDICTMENT OF THE CITY.

AGAIN, I THINK TREMENDOUS WORK HAS BEEN DONE ON THIS BUDGET, BUT I STILL THINK WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO GO A LITTLE FARTHER.

[00:15:01]

THE CERTIFIED TAX ROLLS CAME IN A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN WHAT WAS BUDGETED IN THE JUNE 24TH CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET.

SPECIFICALLY, THEY CAME IN ABOUT $1,015,000 HIGHER IN TERMS OF THE PROPERTY TAX AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE COLLECTED AT 41.7 $0.06 AND I ALSO TALKED AT THE LAST MEETING, AND I KNOW ON THIS ONE, I'M TILTING AT WINDMILLS.

SO I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF BECAUSE I THINK I'M NOT IN THE MAJORITY ON THIS ONE, BUT I WOULD APPLY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CAP OF $8.5 MILLION A YEAR RETROACTIVELY, RESULTING IN A REFUND OF $2.7 MILLION TO THE GENERAL FUND.

BETWEEN THAT EXTRA $1,015,000 AND THE 2.7 MILLION THAT WOULD BE REFUNDED.

I THINK WE COULD GET A LITTLE BELOW THE ONE YEAR VAR OF 41.25.

I UNDERSTAND THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT'S PROBABLY NOT THE PREFERENCE OF THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.

SO WHAT I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST INSTEAD IS THAT WE HAVE BUDGETED A ONE TIME EXPENDITURE FOR $615,000 FOR THE ZONING AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE REWRITE CONSULTANT WORK WITH FREESE AND NICHOLS.

THAT OBVIOUSLY IS A ONE TIME EXPENSE AND SO BETWEEN THAT $615,000 AND THE ADDITIONAL $1,015,000 THAT WAS NOT BUDGETED IN THE JUNE 20TH, JULY 24TH RECOMMENDED BUDGET THAT CAME IN FROM THE HIGHER PROPERTY VALUATIONS AND THE CERTIFIED TAX ROLLS THAT WOULD YIELD ABOUT $1.63 MILLION, WHICH I THINK WOULD ENABLE US TO GET THE TAX RATE DOWN TO AROUND 41.5 AND THAT WOULD AGAIN JUST BE SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADJUST THE TAX RATE TO NOT COLLECT THE ADDITIONAL THAT WE HADN'T BUDGETED A MONTH AGO, ANYWAY, OF $1,015,000 FROM THE PROPERTY VALUES BEING SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN WE ANTICIPATED, AND THEN USING THAT REFUND FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND TO PAY FOR THE ONE TIME EXPENDITURE OF THE $615,000 IN CONSULTANT FEES FOR THE ZONING AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE REWRITE AND AGAIN, THAT THOSE TWO STEPS, BY MY CALCULATIONS, I'D DEFER TO STAFF ON THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT I THINK IT WOULD GET US AROUND 41.5.

IT WOULD SHOW OUR TAXPAYERS THAT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING TO PROVIDE RELIEF THIS YEAR, EVEN THOUGH IT WOULDN'T BE A HUGE AMOUNT AND THEN I THINK THAT THE REST OF THAT, IF THE COUNCIL WANTED TO DO THIS, THE REST OF THAT REFUND TO THE GENERAL FUND FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE CAP BEING APPLIED RETROACTIVELY COULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE RAINY DAY FUND TO ACCOMPLISH PART OF WHAT CITY MANAGER ISRAELSON HAD PROPOSED WITH THE 2.8 MILLION.

SO I WOULD PROPOSE THOSE CHANGES TO THE BUDGET, AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT OTHERS THOUGHTS ARE.

SHELBY? I APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT.

MY CONCERN WITH THE ZONING REWRITE IS THAT WE ARE FULLY SWITCHING GEARS INTO A REDEVELOPING CITY, AND I'M CONCERNED THAT WITH A LOT OF THE REDEVELOPMENT WE HAVE COMING UP WE'RE GOING TO STYMIE OUR OWN EFFORTS AND PERHAPS ENTAIL UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES IF WE DON'T GET THE ZONING AND ORDINANCE REWRITES DONE SOON.

HOWEVER, CONVERSELY, I WOULD BE OKAY DIPPING INTO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRANSFER BECAUSE WE HAVE INVESTED A LOT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES AND I THINK TAPPING THE BRAKES ON THAT A LITTLE BIT IN A YEAR LIKE THIS MIGHT NOT BE A BAD THING AND IF I COULD CLARIFY JUST ONE THING QUICKLY ON THAT, I WASN'T SUGGESTING NOT DOING THE ZONING AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE REWRITE.

I WAS SAYING SINCE THAT'S A ONE TIME EXPENDITURE, IT WOULDN'T HAVE THE CONCERNS THAT CITY MANAGER ISRAELSON RAISED LAST TIME ABOUT A REFUND FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND BEING USED FOR RECURRING EXPENSE.

IT WOULD BE USED ON TO ONE TIME EXPENSES, THE ZONING AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE REWRITE, AND THEN A ONE TIME TRANSFER TO THE RAINY DAY FUND.

THAT WAS JUST TO CLARIFY.

I WASN'T SAYING WE WOULDN'T DO IT.

OKAY. WELL, IN ANY CASE, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING IT AT ALL.

BUT I SEE WHAT YOU MEAN NOW. RICK, THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS, BOTH FROM COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS AND COUNCILMAN RICCIARDELLI, WHERE I'M HAVING AN ISSUE IS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

FULLY REALIZED THAT OUR SALES TAX REVENUE RIGHT NOW IS 50% OF OUR TOTAL REVENUE OF THE AD VALOREM.

THEY'RE EQUAL. WHEREAS SEVERAL YEARS BACK, WE HAD MORE IN SALES TAX.

RIGHT, AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE COMPETING HARD WITH OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH, OKAY AND WE'RE COMPETING HARD WITH DALLAS TO KEEP BUSINESSES HERE.

WE NEED TO INCREASE THE SALES TAX REVENUE AND MOST OF THAT'S COMING FROM BUSINESS TO BUSINESS AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE I THINK IT'S

[00:20:08]

WE GOT TOO MANY VACANT OFFICES OUT HERE.

WE GOT SOME GREAT BUILDINGS OUT THERE.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE KEEP MOVING FORWARD WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SO WE CAN BRING RELIEF TO THE RESIDENTS.

OKAY. THAT'S THE WHOLE REASON WE WANT TO INCREASE THAT BUSINESS TO BUSINESS SALES TAX.

SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY OUR PROPERTY VALUES HAVE GONE UP.

IS THAT A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING? IT'S A BAD THING IF YOU'RE PAYING PROPERTY TAX ON IT.

RIGHT. BUT IT'S A GOOD THING IF YOU GO TO SELL YOUR HOME, YOU'RE GOING TO HOPE TO RECAPTURE THAT VALUE.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE ELEMENTS THERE.

WE CAN'T SHORT SHEET ONE PATH FORWARD BECAUSE WE GAIN VALUE IN OUR PROPERTY.

IT'S JUST AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

SO I THINK WE HAVE TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR 4176, AND JUST TRY TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO BRING IN BUSINESSES HERE TO PLANO.

SIMPLE AS THAT. OKAY.

MAYOR PRO TEM. SO, COUNCILMAN RICCIARDELLI, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THIS IS THE LAST YEAR WE'RE DOING BUDGET TOGETHER.

BUT I WANT TO BE.

I WANT TO SHOW MY APPRECIATION FOR THE MANY YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL WITH YOU THAT YOU ARE SO GOOD WITH NUMBERS BECAUSE I CAN'T EVEN ADD ONE PLUS ONE TOGETHER AND YOU'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH DISSECT THE ENTIRE BUDGET PLAN.

EVEN THOUGH I DON'T AGREE WITH YOU IN GENERAL.

I BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE I DISAGREE WITH YOU, I DON'T.

HOWEVER, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN HORNE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT A BIG PICTURE AT WHAT WE WANT FOR THE CITY OF PLANO AND WHAT WE NEED TO HOW ARE WE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD? PLANO AS PRETTY MUCH A QUASI AFTER MID-AGE TYPE CITY AND PRETTY MUCH NOW NEED REDEVELOPMENT MORE THAN IT NEEDS NEW DEVELOPMENT.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO COMPETE WITH OUR YOUNGER SEXIER NEIGHBORS AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO STAY RELEVANT? THAT'S WHAT THE MAYOR SAYS.

SO I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU JUST PUT OUT THAT IF THERE IS THAT EXTRA, THEN PERHAPS THAT COULD BE USED IN OUR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

BUT I DON'T LIKE TO COUNT MY CHICKENS UNTIL I HAVE IT.

I MEAN, IT'S I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NUMBER IS REALLY THERE.

I MEAN, RIGHT NOW IT'S ALL JUST, YOU KNOW, ON THE CHART AND IN THEORY.

SO IF IT DOES HAPPEN NEXT YEAR THAT THESE NUMBERS IN FACT BECOME REALITY, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT BEING APPLIED AND I WOULD ASK THAT THE CITY MANAGER BRING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ANTHONY RICCIARDELLI LEGEND TO CONTINUE IN THAT RESPECT. BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I DID NOT I DECIDED TO BUY A HOUSE RATHER THAN RENT.

AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE BUYING A HOUSE OR RENTING, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMPARISON.

I MEAN, IS IT WORTH IT TO RENT OR IS IT WORTH IT TO BUY? AND ULTIMATELY, I DECIDED TO BUY A HOUSE KNOWING THAT I HAVE TO PAY PROPERTY TAX, KNOWING I HAVE TO PAY UTILITY, KNOWING THAT I HAVE TO INCREASE MAINTENANCE AND ALL THIS, EVERYTHING THAT COMES WITH OWNING A HOUSE.

BECAUSE I BELIEVE I'M INVESTING IN MY HOUSE AND IT'S A SAVINGS FOR ME RATHER THAN RENTING.

SO YES, ULTIMATELY IT MAY SOUND LIKE IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT MY MORTGAGE ENDED UP BEING A LOT LESS THAN WHAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A RENTAL, YOU KNOW, IN EQUAL COMPARISON.

SO I JUST THINK THAT WE ARE GETTING A REALLY GREAT VALUE IN PLANO FOR WHAT WE PAY IN TAXES AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ATTRACT PEOPLE, OUR FAMILIES, OUR YOUNGER FAMILIES, AND TO HAVE OUR SENIOR CITIZENS FEEL THAT THEY CAN DOWNSIZE AND ALLOWING OTHER PEOPLE TO COME IN.

I MEAN, THOSE ARE ALL IMPORTANT THINGS AND TRYING TO NICKEL AND DIME A CITY IS JUST NOT THE WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE

[00:25:07]

THAT'S HOW I FEEL.

OBVIOUSLY, I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT.

SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO SHOW MY APPRECIATION.

THANK YOU, ANTHONY, FOR THAT.

BUT I YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT.

WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS.

MAYOR PRO TEM, I'LL MISS WORKING WITH YOU AND ALL OF Y'ALL ON ON BUDGETS AS WELL.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE WILL MISS THAT, BUT BUT ANYWAY, AND I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ON ON COUNCIL MEMBER HORN'S POINT, I SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE IMPERATIVE WITH THE CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING TO MAINTAIN OUR COMMERCIAL TAX BASE AND I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER AND DIRECTOR MCDONALD AND EVERYONE ARE ALL WORKING SO HARD ON THAT.

BUT WHAT I WAS ALL I WAS SAYING IS JUST THAT WE HAVE THIS CURRENT CAP OF 8.5 MILLION.

THERE WERE TWO YEARS PRIOR TO THAT WHERE THE TRANSFER I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE 9.4 AND THEN SOMEWHERE AROUND 10.2 MILLION.

I WAS JUST SAYING WE WOULD UNDO THAT RETROACTIVELY APPLY THE 8.5 MILLION CAP.

BUT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR, I SUPPORT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS BECAUSE THEY'RE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN OUR COMMERCIAL TAX BASE.

THANKS. WELL, I, LIKE MANY OF YOU, UNDERSTAND WE'RE REALLY NEEDING TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT AND I THINK MARK AND HIS STAFF HAVE DONE THAT.

THIS WILL BE THE SAME TAX RATE AS LAST YEAR AT 41, 76.

WE WORK SO VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A STRONG SALES TAX AND EVEN HARDER FOR OUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX THAT'S EQUAL TO OUR RESIDENCE, WHICH IS VERY RARE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

WE HAVE A 50/50 COMMERCIAL, OVER RESIDENTIAL AND SO THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS AMAZING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO INCREASE THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ATTRACT COMPANIES TO COME HERE AND THEN THOSE COMPANIES EMPLOYEES LIVE HERE, WORK HERE, EAT HERE, SHOP HERE, ALL THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO RAISE REVENUE.

WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST TAX RATES IN ALL OF NORTH TEXAS.

WE ARE WE ARE DOING A TERRIFIC JOB.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, EVEN WITH THAT POSSIBLE OVERAGE, WE STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF MONTHS LEFT IN THE BUDGET CYCLE.

WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MANAGING OUR BUDGET IN A WAY THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING OURSELVES IN JEOPARDY WITH JUST THE IDEA OF HAVING A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY.

SO I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE 41, 76, WHICH IS EQUAL TO LAST YEAR'S NUMBER.

IT WOULD STAY THE SAME AND AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT DECISION ON SEPTEMBER 9TH.

CORRECT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, SHELBY, JUST REAL QUICK, AS I'VE MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES IN PRIOR MEETINGS, WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST TAX RATES BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST PROPERTY VALUES IN NORTH TEXAS.

WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO MEASURE IS THE VALUE THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE GETTING FOR THEIR TAX DOLLARS SPENT.

AND WHETHER IT'S ONE OF THE LOWEST RATES WITH ONE OF THE HIGHEST PROPERTY VALUES, OR ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES WITH ONE OF THE LOWEST PROPERTY VALUES, WHEN OUR CITIZENS INVEST IN THE CITY, WHETHER IT'S OUR RESIDENTIAL.

IF YOU COUNT MULTIFAMILY, IT'S ACTUALLY 62.5% RESIDENTIAL VERSUS 37.5% BUSINESS COMMERCIAL.

BUT THE VALUE THAT PEOPLE GET FOR THEIR TAX DOLLARS IS WHAT MAKES PLANO THE CITY OF EXCELLENCE AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO KEEP DRIVING TOWARD.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO COMMENTS OF PUBLIC INTEREST, COMMENTS OF PUBLIC INTEREST.

[COMMENTS OF PUBLIC INTEREST]

THE COUNCIL MAY CHOOSE TO PLACE THE ITEM ON A FUTURE AGENDA AND WE DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER THIS EVENING.

LET ME GET HIM MOVED IN.

OKAY, MR. LYLE, IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN ON YOUR CAMERA.

[00:30:12]

JUST A MINUTE, MR. LYLE. WE'RE HAVING AUDIO TROUBLE.

SO HOLD ON JUST A MOMENT PLEASE TRY AGAIN, MR. LYLE. OKAY.

HOLD ON JUST A MINUTE, MR. LYLE, WE'RE GOING TO CALL YOU AND TRY TO JUST HOLD THE PHONE UP TO A MICROPHONE.

THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, WE'RE ADJOURNED

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.