From
Megan Mahan
Title
Resolution Establishing the City's 2019 Legislative Priorities
Presenter
Megan Mahan, City Attorney
Recommended Action
Approve
Analysis
The Texas legislature is scheduled to convene on January 2019. Among other things, the legislature will consider many measures detrimental to the City’s ability to provide services as well as desirable changed to facilitate municipal goals. It is critical that the City of Grand Prairie focus its attention on the most critical items by establishing legislative priorities. The resolution expressing those priorities is attached below and was reviewed by the Finance and Government Committee with reccomendations for certain additions.
Financial Consideration
None
Body
A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE CITY’S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND PRIORITIES FOR THE 86TH SESSION OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE
WHEREAS, beginning November 12, 2018, state legislators may begin filing legislation that could impact City operations, finances and our citizens, and
WHEREAS, beginning January 8, 2019, the legislature will convene for a 140-day session to consider legislation; and
WHEREAS, many significant decisions affecting Texas cities are made by the Texas Legislature; and
WHEREAS, during the 2017 session, more 2,000 bills would have affected Texas cities in some substantial way; and
WHEREAS, it is a challenge for the City, given its limited resources, to effectively monitor legislation drafted and debated in Austin and to prevent encroachments on local authority; and
WHEREAS, it is important to establish priorities, positions and to communicate them to the legislature.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE:
SECTION 1: THAT the City seeks to preserve its current authority to govern the City and its citizens in accordance with the City’s strategic goals and interests.
The City opposes any legislation that:
• is detrimental to our strategic goals;
• erodes municipal authority;
• preempts municipal ordinances or authority;
• has a negative impact on municipal operations;
• is contrary to the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens;
• results in a loss of revenues; or
• would otherwise diminish the fundamental authority of the City or the elected City Council that has been elected by the citizens to govern.
The City supports any legislation that:
• is viewed as advancing the City’s strategic goals and interests;
• improves the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens;
• improves public services; or
• advances the City’s authority to conduct the public’s business.
I. PRESERVE BASIC HOME RULE AUTHORITY
The City opposes legislation that erodes, or supports legislation that promotes, the:
a. principles of local control,
b. City’s existing charter or local ordinances,
c. authority of the City to regulate in order to protect the public’s health, safety and well-being, or
d. ability of the City to communicate or advocate with the legislature.
II. PRESERVE PUBLIC FINANCES
a. The City supports legislation that either creates local-options to finance or increases state funding for:
i. transportation projects,
ii. water projects;
iii. flood control projects,
iv. public parks, recreation, open space, trails, or
v. generally, improves the City’s ability to provide public services.
b. The City supports meaningful property tax relief through a combination of more state funding for public education and additional tools at the local level to provide property tax relief.
c. The City supports eliminating the State’s diversion of local school district property tax dollars to fund other (non-education) services.
d. The City supports transparency and legislation that simplifies the property tax adoption process or accurately notifies taxpayers of the property tax rate.
e. The City opposes legislation that:
i. reduces the property or sales tax base,
ii. impairs the City’s ability to issue debt,
iii. creates unfunded mandates,
iv. requires the City to generate revenues for the State,
v. causes property to be appraised for less than market value or creates a tax exemption that shifts the tax burden to other taxpayers.
f. The City opposes legislation lowers the rollback rate or otherwise caps the City’s revenue because a lower rollback cap will not reduce property taxes but will prevent the City's from delivering public safety and community services.
g. The City opposes legislation that requires a mandatory election to ratify the tax rate.
III. PROTECT ECONOMIC COMPETIVENESS, PRESERVE REGULATION OF DEVELOPMENT & UTILITIES
The City opposes legislation that erodes, or supports legislation that promotes, the City’s ability to:
a. utilize economic development tools including tourism programs,
b. attract business, recruit or retain employers, or compete for new business that grows the local and state economy,
c. manage the development of land including the City’s authority over any special purpose districts formed inside the City or the ETJ,
d. finance infrastructure,
e. manage public rights-of-way including receiving fair market compensation for the use of the public’s rights-of-way,
f. franchise agreements,
g. participate in utility rate cases, or
h. require utilities to pay for relocating facilities in the right-of-way.
IV. PRESERVE TMRS & WORKFORCE ISSUES
a. The City opposes legislation that erodes, or supports legislation that promotes, the Texas Municipal Retirement System.
b. The City opposes legislation that expands:
i. collective bargaining rights,
ii. meet and confer laws, or
iii. the scope of the disease presumption law.
SECTION 2: THAT the City of Grand Prairie seeks the introduction and passage of legislation to authorize the creation of a Tourism Public Improvement District
SECTION 3: THAT the City of Grand Prairie will monitor legislation that:
• prohibits guns at City park and recreation facilities or swimming facilities;
• authorizes gaming opportunities at Lone Star Park, a Class I racetrack; or
• impacts the following voter-approved municipal sales tax uses utilized by the City:
o Crime Control and Prevention District,
o Sales Tax for Economic Development,
o Street Maintenance Sales Tax, or the
o Venue Tax “Stadium Bill”
SECTION 4: THAT this resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval and it is accordingly so resolved and that the City’s authorized agents may act on it accordingly.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, ON THIS THE 21st DAY OF AUGUST 2018.