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HomeMy WebLinkAboutR2024-263 2024-12-16RESOLUTION NO. R2024-263 A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Pearland, Texas, adopting a State Legislative Agenda for the 89th Session of the Texas Legislature. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS: Section 1. That certain State Legislative Agenda for the 89th Session of the Texas Legislature, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and made a part hereof for all purposes, is hereby approved. PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this the 16th day of December, A.D., 2024. ________________________________ J. KEVIN COLE MAYOR ATTEST: ________________________________ FRANCES AGUILAR, TRMC, MMC CITY SECRETARY APPROVED AS TO FORM: ________________________________ DARRIN M. COKER CITY ATTORNEY Docusign Envelope ID: 7B85BB47-D831-418E-919D-B6F56C0E5FB6 1 | Page City of Pearland 2025 Legislative Agenda The City of Pearland’s Legislative Agenda for 2025 provides the framework for support or opposition to issues that impact local government control; particularly in ten policy areas: Economic Development General Government Administration Governmental Employee Benefits Land Use and Annexation Property and Sales Tax Public Procurement Public Safety Public Right-of-Way Travel/Tourism Transportation The City’s Agenda is organized based on the following categorical priorities: • Local Control; • Keeping Families Safe and Healthy; • Expanding Jobs, Business Growth, and the Local Economy; and • Increase Efficiency and Reduce Waste. Key Officials Mayor & Council Position Official Mayor Kevin Cole Mayor Pro Tem - (Position 2) Tony Carbone Councilmember - Position 1 Joseph Koza Councilmember - Position 3 Mona Chavarria Councilmember - Position 4 Clint Byrom Councilmember - Position 5 Layni Cade Councilmember - Position 6 Chad Thumann Councilmember - Position 7 Rushi Patel Executive Officials Position Official City Manager Trent Epperson Deputy City Manager Ron Fraser Assistant City Manager Victor Brownlees Key Legislative Affairs Officials Position Official Head of External Affairs Joel Hardy Chief of Staff Megan Flowers-Philips Head of Office of Management/Budget Rachel Wynslow 2 | Page GENERAL POLICY STATEMENT The City of Pearland’s Legislative Agenda is organized by the categories of Local Control, Keeping Families Safe and Healthy, Expanding Business Growth, and Increase Efficiency and Reduce Waste. A Position Statement has been provided for each category. Each Position Statement has a supportive relationship with the City’s six Strategic Council Priorities. The City’s Strategic Priorities are: o Trusted Government o Strong Economy o Safe Community o Sustainable Infrastructure o Resilient Finances o Connected Community These priorities establish what the City strives to accomplish and provides a framework for the City to focus on long term priorities while also making a connection to our everyday actions which serve the residents and business community of Pearland. LOCAL CONTROL Along with elected State officials, Local government officials are custodians of the public trust in ways that should maximize the benefit of public resources to residents, visitors, and businesses in our city, as well as in our role as a part of the greater Houston region. The City of Pearland is able to meet the needs of the community because our elected and appointed officials have the responsibility and the authority to: 1. set a balanced annual budget; 2. levy property tax rates and other fees as appropriate with the community’s needs; and 3. provide land use protections through effective community development capabilities, including those that advance the vitality of our extraterritorial jurisdiction. Property taxes are locally closely reviewed and determined and provide approximately 37% of local operating revenues. Such property taxes to the City provide essential police, fire, public works, parks and recreation, drainage, and emergency preparedness services upon which people rely every minute of every day. The overall property taxes paid in large part go to other taxing entities, including public education, which is one of the major responsibilities of the State government to oversee funding. The following sections provide an overview of the City’s policy priorities associated with the importance of local control. Municipal Powers and Authority • Support legislation that requires publication of an advisory list of mandates for which the legislature has not provided reimbursement, following each regular or special session of the legislature.  Resilient Finances  Trusted Government  Strong Economy 3 | Page • Oppose legislation that erodes or eliminates home rule authority and control over local governmental priorities.  Safe Community  Strong Economy  Connected Community  Resilient Finances  Sustainable Infrastructure  Trusted Government • Oppose unfunded mandates that require the City to incur expenditures without a source of State funding to support such requirements.  Resilient Finances  Strong Economy Protect Municipal Revenue that Fuels Essential Services • Oppose legislation that eliminates property taxes as a source of revenue, without a feasible and reliable alternative that replaces such revenue losses.  Resilient Finances  Strong Economy • Oppose legislation that reduce or eliminate the City’s ability to collect property taxes on a reliable and effective basis.  Resilient Finances  Strong Economy • Oppose legislation that reduces the property tax appraisal cap on residential and commercial property below current levels.  Resilient Finances  Strong Economy • Oppose legislation that extends deadlines for chief appraisers to proper and certify appraisal roles beyond the current July 25 deadline.  Resilient Finances  Trusted Government  Strong Economy Land-Use Regulation and Annexation • Support: legislation expanding the tax rate cap for Emergency Services Districts (ESDs) to provide a more equitable reimbursement to entities that provide service within the district.  Safe Community  Resilient Finances 4 | Page • Oppose legislation that restricts the zoning authority of cities, a city’s ability to adopt or amend zoning regulation, change vesting rights, or create a property right in a zoning classification.  Safe Community  Strong Economy  Connected Community • Oppose legislation that would allow special districts to form in a city or its extraterritorial jurisdiction without the city’s permission, or that would impose additional requirements on cities relating to special districts.  Resilient Finances  Connected Community • Oppose legislation that would allow cancellation of subdivision plats in a city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.  Connected Community KEEPING FAMILIES SAFE AND HEALTHY The City of Pearland has built a strong reputation as being a safe environment for families and businesses to call home. Multiple generations remain in our community and new residents choose our community because we provide excellent public safety through police, fire, and code enforcement, while providing multiple parks and recreation services for all ages to enjoy. The City emphasizes the importance of water management and stresses the importance of avoiding any unnecessary burdens on local governments or water systems. Public Safety • Support legislation that funds the requirement that all schools must have an armed security officer on their premises.  Safe Community  Strong Economy  Resilient Finances • Oppose legislation limiting qualified immunity by law enforcement with policy compliant use of force incidents.  Safe Community • Oppose legislation that would impose expanded collective bargaining rights or expand the current meet and confer law.  Safe Community • Oppose legislation that would restrict the use of Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR) only as authorized by a warrant or court order.  Safe Community 5 | Page Public Health • Support measures that provide behavioral health facility funding in Brazoria County.  Safe Community  Resilient Finances Infrastructure • Support legislation that prioritizes the use of federal infrastructure improvement funding for high- growth suburban areas.  Strong Economy  Resilient Finances  Sustainable Infrastructure • Support legislation that establishes pedestrian infrastructure grants.  Connected Community  Sustainable Infrastructure  Resilient Finances  Strong Economy • Support legislation that prioritizes financial assistance for Clean Water and/or Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) for cities located in high-growth areas.  Safe Community  Sustainable Infrastructure  Resilient Finances Parks and Recreation • Support legislation that supports grant funding for inclusive playground facilities, recreational and utility trail connectivity, parks, as well as indoor and/or outdoor recreation facilities.  Connected Community  Resilient Finances Water Resources • Support the use of Texas Water Fund allocations to cities with a population of less than 150,000.  Sustainable Infrastructure  Resilient Finances  Strong Economy 6 | Page EXPANDING JOBS, BUSINESS GROWTH, AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY Cities have been the economic engines for this state during the past couple of decades, as we provide the community in which businesses choose to operate. Cities judiciously provide performance-based incentives and land for business recruitment and expansion when appropriate. The City intends to continue with our economic development successes in cooperation with the State. Economic Development • Oppose legislation that restricts the ability of cities to use Economic Development Sales Tax funds away from primary job creation and economic and community development purposes already outlined in the law.  Strong Economy  Resilient Finances  Trusted Government • Oppose legislation that restricts the use of economic development tools available to local governments such as tax abatement, tax increment reinvestment zones, and Chapter 380 agreements.  Strong Economy  Resilient Finances  Trusted Government • Oppose legislation that does not preserve the integrity of state and local hotel occupancy taxes. Local hotel occupancy tax revenues are dedicated by State statute to only fund activities, facilities, and programs that directly promote tourism and hotel activity.  Strong Economy  Resilient Finances  Trusted Government Transportation • Support legislation that allows dedicated revenue transferred to the state highway fund to be used for land acquisition, construction, and maintenance of public transportation, public bicycle paths, and public sidewalks.  Sustainable Infrastructure  Resilient Finances  Connected Community  Safe Community  Strong Economy • Support measures that continue funding and construction of Segment B – Grand Parkway.  Strong Economy  Connected Community  Sustainable Infrastructure 7 | Page Right-of-Way and Utilities • Support measures that improve electric power utility reliability and grid resilience, addressing threats that can cause future outages.  Safe Community  Strong Economy  Connected Community  Resilient Finances  Sustainable Infrastructure  Trusted Government • Oppose legislation that removes easement burden valuation factors from properties subject to condemnation.  Strong Economy  Resilient Finances INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND REDUCE WASTE Especially considering the changing economy during the past decade, cities such as Pearland have looked inward to finding answers on how to balance our budgets. There are mandates and restrictions that come from the State that add to our cost of doing business. We ask that the State be considerate of opportunities to increase efficiency for cities and not impose any unfunded administrative requirements. Open Meetings/Open Records • Support uniform application of public information and open meetings laws at every level of government including State legislative and executive branches.  Trusted Government Open Meetings/Public Advertising • Support legislation that would enable the use of online electronic notice rather than obsolete print media for all public notices.  Resilient Finances  Trusted Government  Connected Community Public Bidding • Support laws that increase the spending threshold for competitive bidding to $100,000 from the current $50,000 limit.  Resilient Finances  Sustainable Infrastructure  Trusted Government