Sep 06, 2022 Special Commissioners Court

[00:00:26]

. .

>> IT IS 1:18, AND IT IS SEPTEMBER 6 SPECIAL MEETING OF

[Opening Prayer]

COMMISSIONER CAGLE, DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE TO INTRODUCE?

>> I DO NOT. I'M NOT SURE WHO IS TAKING CARE OF THAT DUTY TODAY. I AM APPEARING REMOTELY.

>> ALL RIGHT. LET'S PRAY.

FATHER GOD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SOVEREIGN WISDOM.

WE ASK THAT YOU BE WITH US IN OUR DEALINGS TODAY.

WE ASK YOU TO ENCOURAGE US AND GIVE A SENSE OF YOUR DIRECTION AND PURPOSE. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT YOU HAVE IN STORE FOR US. THESE THINGS WE ASK IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN.

BEST PRAYER I'VE HEARD FROM COMMISSIONER RAMSEY THIS WEEK!

>> NICE AND SHORT! >> LUCINDA?

>> WE HAVE PASTOR ROBERT LH FROM EMPOWERMENT OVERCOME NATIONAL MINISTRY IN HOUSTON. HE'S HERE IN PERSON, SO WE

MIGHT NEED A SECOND PRAYER! >> THAT WOULD BE GREAT! WELCOME! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING

US! >> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE ARE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND WE JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSIONERS, THE JUDGE, ALL THE OFFICIALS HERE TODAY. I'M GOING TO ASK THAT EVERYONE BOW YOUR HEAD, CLOSE YOUR EYES. WE THANK YOU TODAY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS PRIVILEGE. WE THANK YOU FOR THESE COMMISSIONERS AND FOR THE JUDGE WHOM CHOSE TO PLACE YOU FIRST IN THE MIDST OF THIS MEETING. WE JUST ASK THAT YOU LEAD THEM, THAT YOU GUIDE THEM, FOR YOU ARE THE GOD OF WISDOM.

YOU ARE THE GOD OF PURPOSE. YOU ARE THE GOD OF PLANNING.

ANOINT THEM THAT THEY WILL ALL BE UNIFIED AND NOT JUST UNIFORM. MAY YOU BE GLORIFIED TODAY.

YOU LEAD THEM AND YOU GUIDE THEM, AND TOUCH EVERYONE THAT'S HERE UNDER THE SOUND OF MY VOICE THAT YOUR NAME WILL BE GLORIFIED. THAT YOUR PURPOSE WILL BE GLORIFIED. AND THAT YOU WILL JUST CONTINUE TO ORDER THEIR (INDISCERNIBLE). LIFT THIS COUNTY UP -- HARRIS COUNTY -- THAT IT WILL BE SET AS A LAMP ON A HILL.

WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ALL POWER.E KNOW YOU ARE ABLE TO DO ALL THINGS. AND JUST AS THE COMMISSIONER PRAYED ON TODAY, JUST ALLOW YOUR POWER, YOUR ANOINTING, YOUR PRESENCE TO SHOW UP HERE IN THIS PLACE.

BECAUSE WE KNOW WHEN YOUR PRESENCE THAT SIGNS AND MIRACLES TAKE PLACE. IN YOUR PRESENCE, JUST ONE TOUCH, ONE WORD FROM YOU CHANGES THE WHOLE DYNAMIC OF PERSPECTIVE. SO WE SUBMIT, WE SURRENDER TO YOUR WILL, TO YOUR WAY, AND JUST BLESS THIS DAY AS ONLY YOU CAN. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.

>> PASTOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US!

>> THANK YOU! IT WAS MY PRIVILEGE.

>> WE WILL RECITE THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

UNDER THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE, TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE (INDISCERNIBLE).

[Appearances before court]

>> YES, MA'AM,, SPEAKER NUMBER 2 (NAME) SPEAKING IN PERSON ON ITEMS ONE AND TWO. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

>> YES, I HAVE SOME WORDS FROM ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF OUR GREAT NATION, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THOMAS JEFFERSON.

[00:05:03]

(INDISCERNIBLE) TAXPAYERS SPEND MANY LABORERS WORKING MONEY TO PAY TAXES. ALSO, THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT VOTES ON THE SPENDING OF MY ANOTHER TAXPAYERS MONEY IS IN GREAT NEED OF TRANSPARENCY, ALL QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ANSWERED. SHUTTING UP ON COMMISSIONER BEFORE HE FINISHED SPEAKING AND ASK QUESTIONS, THEN LET HIM FINISH ASKING HIS QUESTIONS, AND NOT EVEN ALLOWING THE PRECINCT FOR COMMISSIONERS (INDISCERNIBLE) PRIOR TO VOTE ON THE BOND A FEW WEEKS AGO IS NOT TRANSPARENCY.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOU TRYING TO HIDE? GIVEN THE MONEY TAKEN BACK -- GIVE THE MONEY TAKEN BACK TO THE DEPUTIES, CONSTABLES AND DA'S OFFICE.

HARRIS COUNTY IS COMPETING WITH COOK COUNTY ON CHICAGO FOR THE NUMBER MOST VIOLENT CRIMES. AT A MEETING EARLIER THIS YEAR, IN THIS COURT, (INDISCERNIBLE) SAID HARRIS COUNTY SHOULD BE LIKE COOK COUNTY. YOU'VE GOT YOUR WISH, COMMISSIONER ELLIS. THE CITIZENS OF HARRIS COUNTY ARE FURIOUS ABOUT IT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOUR GOAL IS BUT LIVING IN A COUNTY WITH OVER 400 MURDERS A YEAR IS NOT MICHAEL. KEEP THE BUDGET AND TAXPAYERS MONEY SPENT BY AWARDING WISELY BY AWARDING BIDS ON A LOW BID BASIS. NO MORE ELEVATE STRATEGIES, CALIFORNIA TOTE TRUCK (INDISCERNIBLE) WHERE THE BID IS NOT GIVEN TO LOW COMPANY. WHERE THE ISD AND HARRIS COUNTY AND PRIVATE SECTORS TAKE CARE PRESCHOOLS.

HARRIS COUNTY SHOULD NOT BE IN THE HOUSING BUSINESS EITHER.

THE PRIORITY SHOULD BE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THE ROADS. TEXAS COMPTROLLER (NAME) WAS (INDISCERNIBLE) BY $3 MILLION IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

THIS MEANS A CHANGE. DROP THE HIRING OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO SUE THE STATE OF TEXAS.

THAT'S ANOTHER WASTE OF MONEY. DROP THE LAWSUIT.

TAKING MONEY OUT OF THE ACCOUNT AND THEN SAYING YOU FUNDED THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU ORIGINALLY DID WAS ALIVE.

THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO SAY IT. GIVE THE MONEY TAKEN BACK TO THE DEPUTIES, CONSTABLES AND DAS OFFICE.

HARRIS COUNTY NEEDS TO BE HONEST ABOUT THAT.

COMMISSIONERS ELLIS AND GARCIA AND THE JUDGE NEED TO VOTE THE OTHER WAY TO GIVE THE MONEY BACK TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.HIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE NOT A POLITICAL PART OF SESSION SHIP ISSUE. MY STATE SENATOR, JOHN WHITMIRE, WHO WAS HEAD OF THE TEXAS SENATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE BOTH HAVE CRITICIZED TAKING OF THE MONEY FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT. SO IT'S NOT ONLY A REPUBLICAN VERSUS DEMOCRAT ISSUE. DEMOCRATS DON'T LIKE TO BE MURDERED EITHER. PLAN THE BUDGET WITH THE SAFETY OF CITIZENS AM I NOT THE BANK ACCOUNTS OF --

>> NEXT WE HAVE SPEAKER NUMBER 3, CHRISTOPHER (NAME) WITH TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT, SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER 1. GO

AHEAD, PLEASE. >> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER (NAME) AND (INDISCERNIBLE) IN REGARDS TO THE 2023 BUDGET PROPOSAL. THIS YEAR OUR RESOURCES SHOULD FOCUS ON HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF ALL RESIDENTS.

(INDISCERNIBLE) PUNISHING THE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF EMPOWERING THEM.

THE MONEY ALLOCATED TO THE JUSTICE AND SAFETY (INDISCERNIBLE) WHICH INCLUDES POLICING, PATROLLING, DETENTION AND PROSECUTION. THAT 60 PERCENT OF THE COUNTIES ADOPTED BUDGET FOR BOTH FISCAL YEAR 2022 AND THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2023. I LONG WITH THE COMMUNITY (INDISCERNIBLE) ARE CALLING FOR REINVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY (INDISCERNIBLE) SHERIFFS AND CONSTABLES.HE FOLLOWING BUDGET PROPOSAL HAS SUPPORT FOR MYSELF AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY SAFETY AGENDA (INDISCERNIBLE).

REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS.

(INDISCERNIBLE) RENTAL ASSISTANCE (INDISCERNIBLE).

ADDITIONAL (INDISCERNIBLE) QUEEN STREET AND SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS INITIATIVE. A GUARANTEED INCOME PILOT PROGRAM FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS. YOUTH FOCUSED AFTERSCHOOL SPORTS AND THERAPY PROGRAM (INDISCERNIBLE).

INDISCERNIBLE) TREES, GREEN SPACES AND (INDISCERNIBLE).

TO ACHIEVE (INDISCERNIBLE) AND EXPANSION OF HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC STATE ROUTES PROGRAM. IF THE COUNTY ADOPTED THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS WE COULD SEE A DECREASE IN CRIME.

IN THE SAFETY AND (INDISCERNIBLE) OF EVERY HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENT WOULD BE THAT MUCH BETTER OFF.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 4, (NAME)

[00:10:03]

>> HI, GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU.

I'M (INDISCERNIBLE) CORTEZ. I'M AN INTERSECTION (INDISCERNIBLE) ADVOCATE HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.

I AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER, CHRIS RIVERA.

THE PUBLIC SAFETY (INDISCERNIBLE) PROPOSED NEW, MET INVESTMENT AND (INDISCERNIBLE) SHARE PATROLS, (INDISCERNIBLE) AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

(INDISCERNIBLE) PROGRESS REPORT ON HARRIS COUNTY (INDISCERNIBLE) DOLLAR CLEAN STREETS SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD (INDISCERNIBLE). IMPLEMENT AND STAFF THE DIVISION WITHIN THE OFFICE OF HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY TO PROVIDE LEGAL REPRESENTATION, SERVICES AND ADVICE FOR HARRIS COUNTY GOVERNMENT ELECTED OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES IN MATTERS RELATING TO ABORTION. DIRECT THE OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT TO DEVELOP A PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW THEIR RIGHT TO AN ABORTION IS PROTECTED IN HARRIS COUNTY.

AND WHERE THEY CAN FIND RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ON HOW TO OBTAIN AN ABORTION AND OTHER REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE RESOURCES. PROHIBIT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FROM USING COUNTY FUNDING TO PROSECUTE INDIVIDUALS FOR OBTAINING, AIDING, ABETTING, PERFORMING OR OTHERWISE ENGAGING IN AN ABORTION PROCEDURE AND DIRECT THE OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT TO DEVELOP AN INFORMATION CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW THEIR RIGHT TO AN ABORTION IS PROTECTED IN HARRIS COUNTY.

(INDISCERNIBLE) INFORMATION ON HOW TO OBTAIN AN ABORTION ANOTHER REPRODUCTION RESOURCES. (INDISCERNIBLE) TO IDENTIFY VULNERABLE RESIDENTS IN NEED OF SERVICES RELATED TO AN ABORTION AND CONNECT THEM WITH THOSE SERVICES.

WE COME TO TODAY THAT YOU WILL HAVE THE POWER TO REIMAGINE (INDISCERNIBLE) IN A WAY THAT ACTIONS BRING THEM -- THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, THE PEOPLE IMPACTED (INDISCERNIBLE).

PUNISHING AND MORE DEVELOPMENTAL ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES, NOT CAGES FOR EVERYONE.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> NEXT WE HAVE SPEAKER NUMBER 5, GABRIELLA (NAME) WITH TEXAS JAIL PROJECTS SPEAKING ON ITEM

NUMBER 1. GO AHEAD, PLEASE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS GABRIELA AND I WORK WITH TEXAS JAIL PROJECTS (INDISCERNIBLE).

I'M JOINING PREVIOUS SPEAKERS TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR COMMON SENSE COUNTY BUDGET THAT PRIORITIZES EQUITY AND COMMUNITY SAFETY. RESIDENTS ARE FACING AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF CHALLENGES THIS YEAR -- DANGEROUS HEAT, RISING RENTAL COST, SAFETY ANXIETY AND COMPOUNDING PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES.

THE BUDGET TO MEET THEIR CURRENT NEEDS BY INVESTING IN PEOPLE RATHER PUNISHMENT. (INDISCERNIBLE) BEING RESTRICTED AND HELD HOSTAGE BY RUNAWAY JAIL POPULATION.

FOR YEARS, DETENTION AND PROSECUTION HAS DOMINATED OUR RESOURCES.HE PROPOSED BUDGET WILL ALLOCATE MORE THAN $1 BILLION TO A BROKEN JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT HAS FAILED TO PRODUCE OUTCOMES AND TRAUMA AND INCARCERATION OCCURRED.

THAT NEW PROPOSED INCREASE TO JUSTICE AND SAFETY ARE FUTILE EXERCISES OF DENIAL. DENIAL TO THE DECADES OF RESEARCH THAT CHILD'S ATTENTION EXACERBATES CRIME.

I ENVISION A BUDGET AND PROCESS THAT'S EQUITABLE BY (INDISCERNIBLE). MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHEN IT PREVENTS CRIME INSTEAD OF PAYING FOR IT.

WE CALL FOR ALL PROPOSED INCREASES TO DETENTION (INDISCERNIBLE) TO BE REDIRECTED (INDISCERNIBLE) PROVEN TO MAKE COMMUNITY SAFER AND HEALTHIER.

THESE PROPOSALS COMBINED TO A MODEST BUT DEEPLY IMPACTFUL DEEP ILLION PACKAGE. THAT WOULD GRANT MUCH NEEDED EMERGENCY UTILITY ASSISTANCE TO RESIDENTS, AND REDUCE CRIME (INDISCERNIBLE) UNSAFE NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE ALSO URGE A NUMBER OF (INDISCERNIBLE).

FOR EXAMPLE THE CURRENT BUDGET DOCUMENTS ON THE R-1-B WEBSITE ARE ONLY OFFERED IN ENGLISH. OU CAN TRANSLATE THE WEBSITE, BUT THE PDF ITSELF IS ONLY ENGLISH.

AS OF TODAY NONE OF THE FOUR PRECINCT WEBSITES HAVE FISCAL 2023 BUDGET INFO ON THE HOME PAGES OR INFORMATION ON THE UPCOMING VOTE. WE URGE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDING PUBLISHING DOCUMENTS IN

[00:15:01]

(INDISCERNIBLE) AND INVESTMENT IN A MULTILINGUAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN (INDISCERNIBLE) FISCAL 24 BUDGET.

AT THE TIME WHEN THIS COURT IS CONSIDERING FAMILIES AND RESIDENTS (INDISCERNIBLE), AT A TIME WHEN 19 PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN THE JAIL, IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER THAT THE BUDGET MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE MOMENT. URGE IN AN INVESTMENT OF SAFETY, NOT PUNISHMENT.

MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS JAIL PROJECT AND (INDISCERNIBLE) WELCOME MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE RECOMMENDATION AND FORGE A PATH FORWARD TO A SAFER AND BETTER HARRIS COUNTY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT WE HAVE SPEAKER NUMBER 6,

MARK GOBY, SPEAKING IN PERSON. >> GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS MARK KOLBE. MY PRONOUNS ARE HOW NOW, BROWN COW! I'M CURIOUS WHY RODNEY ELLIS AND ADRIAN GARCIA ARE SO SET ON SPENDING TAX DOLLARS TO SUE OURSELVES? ASSUMING TEXAS IS THE SAME AS SUING OURSELVES.HY IS THIS LAWSUIT EVEN UNDER CONSIDERATION? BECAUSE THE COMPTROLLER HAS DETERMINED THAT THE ACTIONS BY THIS COURT ARE TANTAMOUNT TO A DEFUNDING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. I'VE LEARNED WHATEVER A GOVERNMENT PUTS IN THE HEADING IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THEY INTEND IN CONTEXT. I'M NOT INTERESTED TO GET ENGAGED IN A GAME OF SEMANTICS. IT YIELDS NOTHING BUT A BATTLE OF TERMINOLOGY. 1/3 PARTY, NO LESS THAN THE COMPTROLLER OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, HAS MADE THIS DETERMINATION. THE CONSTITUENTS IN YOUR DISTRICTS NEED A LOT MORE FROM HARRIS COUNTY IN SATISFYING THE EGOS OF THEIR COMMISSIONERS AND THE COUNTY JUDGE.

INSTEAD OF A BUDGET THAT WOULD SATISFY THE LAWS AND AVOIDING THE ISSUE, YOU WOULD RATHER BUDGET AND OUTSIDE LAW FIRM DEFINE ERNIBLE) IN A LAWSUIT. BY THIS TURF BATTLE (INDISCERNIBLE) OR IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT CONSTITUENT THE LAW FIRM WHO CAN PROVIDE THE BEST LUXURY MEAL?

THANK YOU. >> NEXT, WE HAVE SPEAKER NUMBER 7, SHARON FISHER, SPEAKING IN PERSON.

>> ACTUALLY, I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT THE BUDGET.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR POWER (LAUGHING).

DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE SUCH MASSIVE POWER AND THE REASON YOU RETAIN IT IS SO FEW CITIZENS OF HARRIS COUNTY KNOW ABOUT IT. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DO.

I HAVE TAKEN INFORMAL -- VERY INFORMAL -- BELIEVE ME, SOCIAL MEDIA -- MY NEIGHBORS. RODNEY ELLIS IS MY COMMISSIONER. VERY CAPTIVE AUDIENCE IS A GARAGE SALE. SO I WENT TO A GARAGE SALE SATURDAY, AND I TALKED TO A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE.

THERE WERE ABOUT 30 PEOPLE -- MY NEIGHBORS THERE.

IASKED HIM IF THEY KNEW WHO RODNEY ELLIS WAS? YEAH, EVERY ONE OF THEM KNEW WHO YOU WERE.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE EVENTS , AND YOU SEND OUT MAIL OUTS, AND YOU MAKE TELEPHONE CALLS TO US. NOT ONE OF THEM KNEW THAT YOU VOTEDON THE BUDGET . NOT ONE.

AND VERY, VERY FEW PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU FIVE CONTROL OUR MONEY. I'M APPALLED.

HEART OF IT IS EMPATHY PART OF ITS IGNORANCE.

I DO NOT THINK I RUN WITH THAT MANY STUPID PEOPLE.

BUT IT'S THE WAY IT'S COME OUT, THAT VERY, VERY, VERY FEW KNOW THE POWER THAT YOU HAVE. AND I WONDER SOMETIMES IF YOU KNOW THE POWER YOU HAVE? IF YOU FEEL RESPONSIBLE TO US, TO THE CITIZENS OF HARRIS COUNTY? BECAUSE -- ARE YOU DEPENDING ON OUR APATHY OR OUR IGNORANCE? OR ARE YOU DEPENDING ON JUST -- VOTE DEMOCRAT, VOTE REPUBLICAN? BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW -- DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I SAY ABOUT THE BUDGET, WE KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO GO.

IF YOU SET IN HERE MORE THAN ONE MINUTE, YOU KNOW HOW EVERY VOTE IS GOING TO GO. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> THOSE WERE ALL THE SPEAKERS, JUDGE.

>> THANK YOU, LUCINDA AND THANK YOU TO THE SPEAKERS.

THE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY AREVERY MUCH CONNECTED,

[00:20:02]

COULD THE COUNTY ATTORNEY PROVIDE US WITH AN UPDATE ?

>> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. >> IS THIS SOMETHING WE CAN DISCUSS HERE? CAN WE DO IT IN EXECUTIVE

SESSION? >> WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILED. IF WE NEED TO GET INTO EGGS: STRATEGY, WE CAN GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

AS A REMINDER, THIS IS BEING HANDLED BY OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND NOT BY OUR OFFICE. SO THE SUIT WAS FILED A FEW HOURS AGO. IT ESSENTIALLY ASKS THAT A COURT DURING THE COMPTROLLER AND THE GOVERNOR FOR MAKING ANY FURTHER PURPORTED DETERMINATIONS ABOUT THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING.

THERE HAS BEEN A SETTING AT 3:30 TODAY FOR A HEARING ON AN APPLICATION FOR TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER.

THAT WILL BE IN ABOUT TWO HOURS.

THAT MEANS OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL WILL BE ASKING THE COURT TO ENTER A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER, PREVENTING THE COMPTROLLER AND THE GOVERNOR FROM TAKING ANY FURTHER ACTION, WITH RESPECT TO THIS PROPOSED BUDGET.

THAT'S ALL THE UPDATES WE HAVE FOR NOW.

>> THE HEARING, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WOULD LAST?>> IT'S HARD TO SAY, BUT THEY ARE USUALLY PRETTY SHORT -- UNDER

AN HOUR. >> SO IT'S 1:39.

SO I THINK WE START THE DISCUSSION.

WE HEARD FROM THE SPEAKERS. AND IF IT'S STILL BEFORE -- THE HEARING IS NOT OVER, PERHAPS WE TAKE A BREAK AND RECONVENE (INDISCERNIBLE) JUST TO SEE WHAT THE OUTCOME IS BEEN.

>> JUDGE, IF I MIGHT? I JUST WANT TO ASK -- DO YOU THINK IT'S A POSSIBILITY, DO YOU THINK WE COULD (INDISCERNIBLE) WEIGH IN ON THE DISCUSSIONS IN COURT? I'M JUST WONDERING, SHOULD WE JUST --?

>> NO, I DON'T THINK SO. >> OKAY.

[Management and Budget]

>> OKAY. SO ARE THERE ANY INITIAL COMMENTS? I HAVE MR. BARRY ON THE BUDGET.

YES, COMMISSIONER ELLIS? >> I JUST HAVE A COUPLE -- I KNOW YOU WALKED THROUGH IT BEFORE, BUT THAT WAS A FEW DAYS AGO.WOULD YOU JUST DO A WALK-THROUGH AGAIN? TWO POINTS: ONE, HOW DOES THE PROPOSED TAX RATE COMPARED TO PRIOR YEARS?ND NUMBER 2, WHAT HAPPENS TO FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS IF WE (INDISCERNIBLE) ADOPT THE (INDISCERNIBLE)?

>> SO BETWEEN THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND TAX RATE IN THE FLOOD CONTROL TAX RATE, THE TWO COMBINED WOULD BE THE LOWEST TAX RATE HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS WILL HAVE PAID SINCE 1993. AND THEN, IN TERMS OF THE FLOOD CONTROL, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REVISIT. IF WE WERE GOING TO GO TO A REVENUE RATE. BUT I DO THINK WE WOULD NEED (INDISCERNIBLE) FROM DOCTOR PETERSON AFTER THIS.

BUT I DO THINK WE WOULD NEED TO REEVALUATE AT THE PACE WE ARE BUILDING NEW INFRASTRUCTURE. THERE ARE MANY PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR BOND FUNDING, OR NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE, ETC. THOSE ARE THINGS NEEDED TO BE SUPPORTED BY OUR TAX RATE. IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE, THERE'S NO POINT IN BUILDING NEW.

>> SO (INDISCERNIBLE) DR. PETERSON.

SO DR. PEARSON, IF YOU MIGHT, JUST WALK US THROUGH? GIVE US SOME SENSE? I KNOW YOU HAVE (INDISCERNIBLE) BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE FOR YOU TO WALK US THROUGH AND THE PUBLIC FOR SOME IDEAS OF WHAT THE CUT WOULD BE AND WHAT DO

YOU THINK YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO? >> GOOD AFTERNOON.

JUDGE HIDALGO, COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME TISINA PETERSON.

I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HARRISON COUNTY SOME ACADEMIC THE PROPOSED BUDGET $IS137.1 MILLION.

THIS REFLECTS NEA ED OF $0A .3 MILLION TO ADJUST FOR THE INFLATIONARY VIENRONMENT THAT WE ARE YISANG.

TSOHAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE CITIZENS OF HARRIS TYCOUN.

THIS ALSO UDINCLES AN $8.7 MILLION BUDGET CAALLOTION TO THE DISTRICTS RVRESEE FUND. SO IF THE EWNO N REVENUE RATE WAS SEIMPOD, E THERWOULD BE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS, TBOTHO THE DISTRICTS TEMAINNANCE, WELL AS IT WOULD DEIMPE PROGRESS ON RTIMPOANT PROJECTS. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN TERMS HEOF T MAINTENANCE RTEFFOS. THE DISTRICT WOULD HAVE TO SLOW DOWN ORAND/ DELAY ERA NUMB OF VERY ANIMPORTT MAINTENANCE

[00:25:01]

>> WOULD WE RUN SKTHE RI OF SI LONG SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR A WHY DERAL TCH IF WE TOOK IBUILD ITF WE CANNOT MAINTAIN

IT? >> ISSO THE DTRICTS MISSION, COMMISSIONER, IS TO BUILD FLOOD DAMAGE .PROJECTS SO WE CAN HEREDUCE T RISK OF OO FLDING. H WEAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK.D ANTHE RISK OF NOT MAINTAINING THOSE S PROJECTS ISIGNIFICANT.WE F DON'T MAINTAIN PRTHE OJECTS THAT WE BUILD, WE ARE PUTTING ECTHOSE PROJTS AT RISK.M AT SE POINT, IN THE FUTURE, A UR

FAILE. J >> IUST WANT TO ASK HIM TO ROWALK US THUGH THE FUNDING.

TALK] >> WHILE WE HAVE YOU, DR.

PETERSON -- ONDR. PETERS, YOU SAID THAT IT WOULD PUT AT RISK C PROJTS -- WHICH WOULD IT PUT A MOSTT RISK? PROJECTS VETHAT WE HA BUILT AND TWOULD NEEDO BUDGET MAINTENANCE, OR PROJECTS THAT WE D HOPE TO BUILYOU HAVE THE T RIGHREVENUE STREAM NTTO COINUE TO WORK? A IS ONET A GREATER RISK THAN THE OTHER?L,

>> WEL COMMISSIONER, JOTHE MARITY ICOF THE DISTRTS, OVER ST THE PA SEVERAL YEARS ALHAS RELY SHIFTED.

THE DISTRICT HAS MOVED INTO T THINKINGHAT THE MAJORITY OF THE CIP FOR ROTHE FLOOD CONTL W DISTRICTILL BE HANDLED 20BY THE 18 BOND PROGRAM.AN THAT THE UAL BUDGET DISTRICT TROL PERCEIVES HAS BEEN SHIFTED TO FOCUS ONNT DEFERRED MAIENANCE.TH BECAUSE ERE IS ASIGNIFICANT MAINTENANCE : BACKLOG OF MAINTENANCO E THAT NEEDS TBE ADDRESSED. WE HAVE NEW ONLINE -- EVERY PRMONTH, ACTICALLY, THANK THE BOND PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD.

SO THE CHALLENGES NEEDS OF E THE MAINTENANC PROGRAM G WITH CONTINUINTO MOVEN FORWARD BUILDING THOSE NEW

PROJECTS. >> THANK YOU.

THE BUDGET AT -- IN -- PAGE 64 THAT ABOUT OAOUR RESPECTIVE GLS TO OD REDUCE FLO RISKS AND STRENGTHEN RESILIENCY LITHROUGH HOSTIC, EQUITABLE AND EFFECTIVE ATPREVENTION MITIGION AND RESPONSE STRATEGIES.E NDER THCATEGORY OF KEY BUDGET DECISIONS, IT INDICATES ISTHAT THERE AN INTEREST OF ADDITIONAL 5 MILLION IN SEDIMENT REMOVAL ERA CHANNEL OSION REPAIRS DUE TO EXTRAORDINARY INFLATION. WOULD PRICES ON THESE PROJECTS INCREASE ON .AVERAGE 35 PERCENT SO E IF YOU DID NOT HAVTHAT 5 NV MILLION TO IEST, ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU WON'T SEDIMENT REMOVAL IN THE IOCHANN EROSN REPAIRS.ATHAT DOES TH REALLY OMEAN? IN TERMSF IMPACT TO COMMUNITIES , IMPACT TO ), (INDISCERNIBLE IMPACT TO BUSINESSES?

>> COMMISSIONER, THAT ADDITIONAL $5 MILLION FLIS REAL A REECTION OF THE INCREASED W INFLATION THATE ARE SEEING TSIN THE PROJEC AS WE F BID THEM. SO ITHOSE PROJECTS ARE NOT ABLE TO BE CONSTRUCTED,EC, THOS THAT HAVE EROSION ISSUES THAT IS CAUSING SEDIMENTA TO ENTER OUR STRMS OR O WE ARE TRYING TREMOVE S SEDIMENT THAT HAACCUMULATED OVER TIME. T AT THAT SEDIMENTHERE, THIT IS IMPACTING E ORCONVEYANCE OF STM WATER IN OUR CHANNELS.PA AS RESULT, IT IMCTS URTHE ABILITY OF O ORCHANNELS TO PERFM AT THE LEVEL THEY WERE INTENDED AND COULD HAVE F IMPAC IN TERMS OTYCONVEYANCE

CAPACI. >> THANK YOU, DR. PETERSONOO.

KNOW THAT FLD ARCONTROL DISTRICTS E TYNOT IN EVERY COUN F. BUT IN TERMS OA COMPARISON TO YOUR COUNTERPARTS, WHERE DOESG THE CURRENT FUNDINPER CAPITA -- WHERE DOES THAT COMPARE TOWARDS OTHER RIFLOOD CONTROL

[00:30:04]

>> COMMISSIONER, THERE ARE, AS YOU KNOW, CONOT A LOT OF FLOOD NTROL DISTRICTS, BUT F THERE ARE A NUMBER ODIFFERENT PUBLIC AGENCIES WHACROSS THE COUNTRY O .DO THIS TYPE OF WORKIN LA COUNTY COMES TO MD, AS AN EXAMPLE. THE REALITY IS, EACH ALAGENCY H ITS OWN CHLENGES IN TERMS OF OF FUNDING, AND THE TYPE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT TATHEY'RE TRYING TO MAININ.

WHAT I CAN TELL YOU ISED, THE AMOUNT OF DEFERR VEMAINTENANCE THAT WE HA AT THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT IS SIGNIFICAN , AND CONTINUES TO INCREASE AS WE BRING TUADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCRE ONLINE STEP THE BOND ROGRAMSLIKE PROGRAM. AS AT DEFERRED MAINTENANCE CONTINUES, WE ARE OFFACING THE CHALLENGE ADDRESSING THOSE GE BEFORE THEY CREATE LARR PROBLEMS.

>> AND IF YOU WERE TO END UP WITH A NO U NEW REVENUE RATE, D YOHAVE -- WHAT IS THE DOLLAR T AMOUNT THAT YOU KNOW THAYOU WOULD IMMEDIATELY HAVE TO PUT IN SOME PARTICULAR CATEGORY OF EITHER CANCELLATION W, OR SLOW DOWN, AND HO CDOES THAT TRANSLATE INTOONTRACTS THAT YOU HAVE BUT MAY HAVE TO

CANCEL? >> SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE $137.1 MILLION, WHICH IS THE ETPROPOSED FY2020 THREE BUDGRA, AND THE NO NEW REVENUE TE, IS $23.1 MILLION.

AS I NOTED BEFORE, A .3 MILLION OF THAT IS RELATED TO THE INFLATIONARY ENVIRONMENT E THAT WE ARE IN.

WHERWE NEED TO JUST MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING NTTHE CITIZENS OF HARRIS COUY, AND SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR RESERVE. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF MAINTENANCE PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT ON HOLD R STO THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHE PROJECTS THAT ARE MOVING INTO CONSTRUCTION OR UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW THAT WE WOULD WHAVE TO DOWNSIZE. BECAUSE WEOULD NOT HAVE THE FUNDING TO COMPLETE THOSE A CONTRACTS.

AND WE WOULDLSO HAVE TO PUT A LOT OF OUR SHORT-TERM , QUICK RESPONSE CONTRACTSUNDER MUCH SMALLER AMOUNTS.

WHICH WOULD LIMIT OUR ABILITY TO BE RESPONSIVE TO COMMENTS ON OUR CITIZENS THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.O THERE WOULD BE A NUMBER OF IMPACTS RELATED TO MAINTENANCE.

>> DR. PETERSON, THANK YOU. >> DR. PETERSON, ABOUT DOWNSIZING OFPROJECTS? DO YOU HAVE A SENSE WHICH

ONES? >> WE ARE EVALUATING WHICH ONES MIGHT MAKE THE MOST SENSE, JUDGE HIDALGO.

WE ARE CONSTRAINED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.

ONCE WE HAVE PUT OUT A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT, WE COCANNOT REDUCE THE SIZE OF THA NTRACT BELOW A CERTAIN AMOUNT. SO WE HAVE TO EVALUATE THVERY CAREFULLY WHICH ARE THOSE AT WE CAN LEGALLY REDUCE THE SCOPE OF. BEFORE WE PUT A CONTRACT OUT, WE HAVE MUCH MORE FLEXIBILITY. AND WE HAVE SEVERAL CONTRACTS RIGHT NOW THAT WE MAY HAVE TO DOWNSCALE THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. SHOULD NTTHIS NO NEW REVENUE RA

COME IO PLAY. >> OKAY.

THANK YOU. >> AND I ASSUME, ON THAT POINT, JUDGE, YOU WOULD A COME BACK TO US AND WE WILL MAKE FINAL DECISION ON WHICH PROJECTS WIL BECANCELED, DELAYED OR WHATEVER? YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS OBVIOUSLY PLAY A ROLE IN IT, BUT YOU DON'T MAKE THAT DECISION H

UNILATERALLY? >> WE WOULD BEAPPY TO COME BACK AND PRESENT THE PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY IN THE PROJECTS THAT ARE REPROPOSED, COMMISSIONER.

THE ALITY IS, WE HAVE A VERY MOSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BACKLOG.

BUT ST OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE IN A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE A FULL DESIGN AND ARE ABLE TO BRING INTO CONSTRUCTION.

SO THE LIST IS NOT THAT LONG. >> OKAY.

LOOBVIOUSLY, I'LL HAVE AN EYE TOWARDS OKING AT PROJECTS THAT WOULD DELAY FOR CONSIDERABLE PERIOD OF TIME, WAITING FOR STATE FUNDING THAT DID NOT MATERIALIZE.

BECAUSE WE HAD IT GENERAL EQUITY FRAMEWORK TH (INDISCERNIBLE) NEIGHBORHOODS AT FLUTTERED ON A REGULAR BASIS WHO HAD TO WAIT. YOU ANTICIPATED FEDERAL MONEY AND IT DID NOT COME. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO E FOLLOW T

[00:35:02]

>> JUDGE, I'VE SOME GENERAL QUESTIONS.

(INDISCERNIBLE) AND (INDISCERNIBLE). T COMMISSIONER CAGLE, DID YOU WANTO -- BEFORE I JUMP TO SOMETHING ELSE? PETERSON NT TO ASK DR.

SOMETHING? JACK --

>> I THINK HE MIGHT BE MUTED. >> THE NUMBER -- THE WRONG NUMBER. PUTTING ASIDE THE O RESERVE IS MILLION -- IF IT GOES TO NNEW REVENUE; CORRECTLY.

>> 'STHAT IS CORRECT. >> THANK YOU.

THAT MY QUESTION. >> 14.3, COMMISSIONER, TO BE

EXACT. >> SO JUDGE, IF I MIGHT, I WANT TO GO BACK TO MR. BARRY (INDISCERNIBLE) BROADER ISSUE.

YOU BROKE OUT IN YOUR EXPENDITURE OVER ON PAGE 3, SEVEN BASIC CATEGORIES (INDISCERNIBLE).

(INDISCERNIBLE) ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT. ON THE JUSTICE AND SAFETY, YOU HAVE 1.4 BILLION OUT OF THE 2.2 BILLION.

THAT COMES ABOUT 64 PERCENT. IF YOU WOULD, JUST BREAK OUT, FOR US, AND I NOTICE THE 44 PERCENT YOU PUT THE SHERIFF'S COMMENTS CONSTABLE'S NDA TOGETHER.

I KNOW YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO BLOW UP A CHART JUST SO WE KNOW WHEN WE COMEACK NEXT WEEK , AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. ASSUMING WE END UP CUTTING -- HOW MUCH OF THAT GOES TO DIRECT LAW ENFORCEMENT? I'M IN A LEAVE THE DAS OFFICE OUT -- CONSTABLES AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE? AND IF YOU COULD BREAK IT DOWN, WHAT GOES TO THE CONSTABLES, WHAT GOES TO THE SHERIFF'S OUT OF THAT 40 -- T SOMETHING LESS THAN 44, I'M SURE, IF YOU DON' PUT ALL THREE CATEGORIES TOGETHER.

>>>> GIVE ME ONE SECOND, I'LL PULL IT UP.

OKAY. WHEN YOU PULL IT UP, JUST BREAK DOWN WHAT ELSE IS IN THAT 64 PERCENT? WHEN WE SAY JUSTICE AND SAFETY APPROPRIATION MAKES UP 64 PERCENT OF THE COUNTY'S TOTAL BUDGET, AND 67 PERCENT OF DEPARTMENTAL SPENDING, I JUST WANT TO BREAK THAT DOWN AS MUCH

AS WE CAN. >> SO THE BALANCE OF THE ADDITIONAL 20 PERCENT IS ALL THE JUSTICE PARTNERS.

SO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER --

>> CIVIL, FAMILY, ALL OF IT? >> CORRECT.

(INDISCERNIBLE).ED JUVENILE PROBATION.

ALTHOUGH JUSTICE RELAT DASHCODE THE DISTRICT CLERK.

ALL THOSE ASSOCIATED JUSTICE DEPARTMENTS.

IF YOU GO TO PAGE -- >> (INDISCERNIBLE) SUMMARY?

>> IF YOU GO TO PAGE 54 AND 55, IT HAS A LISTING OF ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT MAKE UP THAT. OKAY.

(INDISCERNIBLE) CONSTABLES IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE?

>> 44 PERCENT. >> RE-PUTTING THE DA IN THERE AS WELL?> CORRECT. BUT THAT'S 100,000,000/1,000,000,000, GIVE OR TAKE.

>> OKAY. AND MOST OF ITS ISPEOPLE, I IS

SIMPLY. >> OUR OVERALL BUDGET ABOUT 80 PERCENT PEOPLE. INDISCERNIBLE) TENDS TO BE

LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THAT. >> AND HOW-- MAKING CUTS,ND THIS IS COUNTYWIDE, THIS IS NOT SPECIFIC TO PUBLIC SAFETY -- WHAT WOULD END UP HAPPENING IS ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WOULD START THE YEAR (INDISCERNIBLE).

THEY ALL WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY BUDGET BLOCKED BY THE COUNTY AUDITOR FOR THE AUDITOR'S POLICY.

IN THE STATUTES THAT GOVERN THEM.

SO FOLKS WOULD HAVE TO GET DOWN UNDER THEIR LABOR BUDGET, WHICH WOULD EITHER HAVE TO HAPPEN THROUGH ATTRITION OR THROUGH LAYOFFS. BUT EVERYBODY WOULD ESSENTIALLY START THE YEAR OVER BUDGET AND WOULD HAVE TO WORK THEIR WAY BACK DOWN TOUNDER THEIR BUDGET BEFORE THEY COULD HIRE NEW POSITIONS, GIVE RAISES, INTERVIEW POS, ETC.

>> SO THAT'S GIVING SOME IDEA OF WHAT THE CUTS WOULD LOOK

LIKE? >> CORRECT.

THERE ARE SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE LARGE NUMBERS OF CA VACANCIES. TO WHERE YOU WOULD TAKE THE VANCIES FIRST BEFORE HE TOOK ACTIVE PERSONNEL.

I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY OF DEPARTMENTS, DAY ONE, WOULD BE OVER BUDGET. (INDISCERNIBLE).

>> AND THE BUDGET YOU ALL ARE PROPOSING, ROUGHLY, HOW MUCH OF THIS INCREASE WOULD GO TO JUSTICE AND SAFETY FIRST, AND

[00:40:01]

>> 96 MILLION BETWEEN THE SHERIFF AND THE CONSTABLES.

>> AND THAT'S NOT JUSTICE AND SAFETY, SHERIFFS AND

CONSTABLES, H 96 MILLION? >> CORRECT.> DO YOU HAVE A ROUGIDEA OF WHAT THAT AMOUNTS TO, IN TERMS OF AN INCREASE PERCENTAGE -- SHALL BE SAVED BEFORE OUR NEWER COLLEAGUES JOINED, COMMISSIONER CAGLE AND I, HERE OVER THE PAST TWO

YEARS? >> I'M SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT

THE QUESTION? >> HOW MUCH INCREASE IS THAT --

>> FOR A YEAR OR IN TOTAL? >> HE WAS ASKING FROM 2019.

ALL, OBVIOUSLY WE ARE AT THE SEASON WHERE EACH SIDE WILL SAY SOMETHING. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU ALL, THE BEAN COUNTERS, TO JUST PUT IT UP.

(INDISCERNIBLE). >> IN JUST ONE PIECE OF CONTEXT IS EACH DEPUTY COSTS A LITTLE UNDER 100,000.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE SHERIFF PATROL, WHERE THERE WOULD BE A $29 MILLION CUT, YOU ARE LOOKING AT CLOSE TO 300 DEPUTIES. WHETHER THOSE ARE FUNDED POSITIONS OR WHETHERTHOSE ARE LAYOFFS IS A DIFFERENT STORY.

BUT IT'S ROUGHLY -- --. SO YOU ARE LOOKING AT ROUGHLY 300+ DETENTION OFFICERS THAT WE WOULD BE OVER BUDGET ON.

(INDISCERNIBLE). >> IF MY FIGURES ARE RIGHT, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL (INDISCERNIBLE), I ASSUME OUR STAFF MIGHT'VE PULLED IT. SO WE HAVE FROM FISCAL YEAR 2018 TO 19, LAW ENFORCEMENT SPENDING ALONE HAS GROWN BY OVER 227 MILLION DOLLARS. WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF IS WHAT WAS THE GROWTH LIKE TWO, THREE YEARS PRIOR TO THAT? SO AT LEAST IN MY CASE, I WAS HERE TWO YEARS AHEAD OF OUR NEWEST -- THREE YEARS, I GUESS. 3 1/2.

NOT QUITE AS LONG HEAD OF COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW. I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR US TO KNOW THAT, COMING FROM YOU ALL, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE OR OMANYBODY ELSE MIGHT TWEET OUT. I LIKE TO HEAR COME FR YOU ALL. NEXT WE CAN GET THAT T PULLED.

>> AND BLOW IT UP. YOU KNOW.

DON'DO THE BIG CHIEF TABLET. I'D LIKE TO SEE IT ON ONE OF THOSE CHARTS SO I CAN REMEMBER IT.

>> COMMISSIONER (NAME)? >> THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER ELLIS, I WANT TO TAKE IT BACK ON YOUR COMMENT.

I'D LIKE TO SEE IT FROM 2009. BECAUSE I THINK DURING THE HIGHEST TAX RATE THAT HARRIS COUNTY WAS UNDER, WHAT WAS LAW ENFORCEMENT BEING FUNDED AT? IN U COMPARISON TO WHERE WE ARE AT TODAY? SO IF YOCOULD DO THAT AS

WELL? >> THE DATA IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE, SO GOING BACK TO 09, THEY REQUIRE US TO COME BACK -- TRANSPARENCY THAT WAS HERE? IT WASN'T ONLINE?

>> I WOULD HAVE TO RESERVE COMMENT ON THAT.

IT PRETTY CLEAR THAT I'VE BEEN AFTER REAL SALARY BASE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT SINCE THE DAYS I WAS SHERIFF.

I PROPOSED A MULTIYEAR PLAN TO HELP ADDRESS PAY PARITY FOR HARRIS COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT. BACK THEN, I WAS SPEAKING FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. BUT I AM STILL ON THE MISSION OF MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS PARITY FOR OUR COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT IN COMPARISON TO OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. ONE WOULD ASSUME THAT BEING THE LARGEST COUNTYIN TEXAS MEANT THAT WE ARE ALSO THE BEST PAID IN TEXAS. I DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARIL ACCURATE. DO WE KNOW WHAT COUNTIESARE IN FRONT OF HARRIS COUNTY , IN TERMS OF PAY SALARIES FOR THEIR COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT? PARTICULARLY, SHERIFFS AND CONSTABLES?ND MAYBE EVEN DETENTION OFFICERS IF YOU

INCLUDE THAT? >> YES, COMMISSIONER.

I WOULD SAY THE ANSWER VERY MUCH DEPENDS ON WHERE A DEPUTY IS IN THEIR CAREER. BUT WE TEND TO BE THE MOST BEHIND COME IN MY OPINION, WHERE WE SHOULD BE , ON THE

[00:45:02]

TARRANT COUNTY IS AHEAD OF US. OBVIOUSLY WHAT WE DID IN THE LAST CYCLE (INDISCERNIBLE) WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE WAYS TO GO ON THAT. AND I AM SURE YOU ARE AWARE, NUMBER OF PLACES HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTING INCREASES.

SOME OF THEM FISCALLY SUSTAINABLE, AND SOME OF THEM

NOT. >> YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS SHERIFF I HAD PROPOSED -- IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE A 14 PERCENT -- FOUR YEAR, 14 PERCENT SALARY INCREASE FOR MY DEPUTIES. BUT NOW WE FACTOR IN INFLATION.

THAT NUMBER IS VERY DIFFERENT. ASSUMING, ASSUMING THAT WE WOULD END UP WITH A VOTER APPROVED RATE, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO DIRECT THE BUDGET OFFICE TO SEE IF THERE COULD BE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO MAKE THE SALARY INCREASE THAT THIS BODY APPROVED -- IF WE COULD MAKE IT MUCH MORE SUBSTANTIAL? YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO -- HISTORICAL, FIVE-YEAR PAY INCREASE OVER TWO YEARS, OBVIOUSLY, SOME FOLKS TAKE EXCEPTION WITH THAT. BUT I THINK A SALARY INCREASE IS A SALARY INCREASE . AND THE MOST NOTED SALARY INCREASE THAT HARRIS COUNTY HAS EVER PROVIDED TO THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO.

IT WAS IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS. AND SO, I'M STILL ON A MISSION TO RESPECT OUR GUYS AND GALS FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO DIRECT THAT ASSUMING WE HAVE A VOTER APPROVED RATE, WHETHER THERE WILL BE RESOURCES -- I DON'T WANT TO PUT A CAP ON IT. I'M HUNGRY FOR THE MOST.

BUT I WOULD JUST SAY, WOULD THERE BE ENOUGH ROOM TO PROVIDE A STRONGER -- RIGHT NOW WE ; AR ON TRACK TO GIVING A TWO

PERCENT INCREASECORRECTLY. >> CORRECT.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW WE CAN GET THAT HIGHER.

MAYBE DOUBLE, IF NOT MORE. SO I WOULD LIKE TO DIRECT YOU TO SEE IF YOU CAN WORK YOUR NUMBERS AND SEE IF THERE WOULD BE THAT ROOM AVAILABLE. ASSUMING WE HAD A VOTER

APPROVED RATE. >> ONE QUICK CLARIFICATION.

OUR PROPOSED RATE IS UNDER UPTH VOTER APPROVED RATE.DO YOU MEAN MOVING TO THE VOTER APPROVED RATE? OR DO YOU MEAN AT OUR PROPOSED RATE?

>> AT OUR PROPOSED RATE. >> OKAY.

SO WE CAN FOLLOW UP AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS (INDISCERNIBLE).

IT, BUT AT FIRST GLANCE -- AT FIRST GLANCE -- ?AM I OVER REACHING FOR A STRONGER PAY INCREASE OR DO YOU THINK THERE IS THE POTENTIAL?

>> I THINK THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE QUALITY OF THE (INDISCERNIBLE), OUR ABILITY TO RETAIN OUR OWN STAFF. FRANKLY, THINGS LIKE WORKERS COMP CLAIMS AND SICK TIME, AND ALL THE THINGS IN OUR COMPENSATION. SO WE WOULD PRIORITIZE COMPENSATION INCREASES, AS WE HAVE WITH OTHER INDEPARTMENTS, WE HAVE WORKED WITH THEM GETTG INCREASES -- DISTRICT ATTORNEY, FORENSIC SCIENCE. THAT'S A PRIORITY, I THINK, FOR THIS COURT. IT'S A PRIORITY FOR US.

AND SO, WE WILL GO AND KICK THE TIRES AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON HOW MUCH WE THINK IS FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE IN THIS YEAR AND WHERE WE WOULD TAKE IT FROM.

THE ONE THING, AND YOU KNOW, I'M COMING FROM A VERY HIGHLY UNIONIZED WITH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND ARBITRATION AND JURISDICTION -- WHAT I WILL SAY IS IT MAKES IT VERY HARD TO DO -- THE PREDICTABILITY IS ALMOST AS IMPORTANT AS THE AMOUNT.

SO IF WE HAD MORE CERTAINTY OVER THE TAX RATE, I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE PLANNING OUT THOSE MULTIYEAR BOWLERS.

NOT JUST FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD.

BUT WITH THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE ARE IN, IT MAKES A VERY DIFFICULT TO PLAN TO COME IN THREE YEARS AHEAD.

>> DO NEED A MOTION ON THAT?>> OR AM I PROVIDING OPEN DIRECTION THERE? I DON'T BELIEVE WE NEED A

MOTION. >> OKAY.

SO SIMILARLY, CAN YOU ALSO BE AS CLEAR AS TO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE TWO PERCENT RATE THAT IS IN THE BUDGET IF WE

[00:50:01]

>> I THINK THAT WOULD BE A DECISION BY THIS COURT.

WHAT I WOULD SAY, IS AGAIN, IF WE MOVED TO NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND WE WERE TO ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET, EVERY DEPARTMENT BIG AND SMALL WILL START THE YEAR OVER.

>> YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CUT SOMEWHERE.

YOU EITHER CUT THE TWO PERCENT RATE OR YOU CUT PERSONNEL FAT?

>> CORRECT. I THINK THAT WOULD BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THIS COURT. WE WOULD NOT BE RECOMMENDING -- I WOULD NOT BE RECOMMENDING HA(INDISCERNIBLE).

BECAUSE YOU ARE JUST GOING TO VE TO TRIP MORE POSITIONS

OVER TIME. >> SO I HOPE PIERCE OUCOUNTY LA ENFORCEMENT IS LISTENING TO WHAT Y JUST SAID.

IN 2009, WHEN THE HOUSING MARKET WENT UNDER, HARRIS COUNTY LAID OFF DEPUTY CONSTABLES.

THEY ASKED ME TO PLAY BALL AND LAY OFF SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES.

AND I ASKED FOR COURT ACTION, WHICH NEVER CAME.

BUT THEY LAID OFF DESK I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER, SOMEWHERES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 500, I THINK WE 5 TO 700.

IF YOU COULD RESEARCH THAT AS WELL, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

I THINK IT WAS SOMEWHERES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 5 TO 500 SOME ODD DEPUTY CONSTABLES. AND THAT WAS THEIR SOLUTION TO DEAL WITH THE BUDGET IN 09. AND SO TODAY, NOT BY VIRTUE OF THE ECONOMY ITSELF, NOT BECAUSE THE HOUSING MARKET CREATED A NATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVASTATION ACROSS ALL STATES AND COUNTIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. HERE, IF COLLEAGUES DECIDE TO WALK THE VOTE AND PUT IN EFFECT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, IT WOULD FORCE US TO POTENTIALLY -- DO YOU HAVE A BALLPARK NUMBER? WHAT KIND OF DECISIONS WE WOULD

HAVE TO THINK ABOUT? >> LIKE I -- WHICH IS EVERYBODY IS OVER BUDGET.

WE ARE GOING TO SEND YOU A TARGET, AND YOU'VE GOT TO GET DOWN TO IT, AGAIN THROUGH ATTRITION, THROUGH LAYOFFS, ETC. I THINK, LONGER TERM, WE , WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS LIKE HEALTHCARE REFORMPENSION REFORM -- THE WHOLE GAMBIT.

AND LOOKING AT OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS IN THE RUST BELT. IT WOULD BE A LOT OF SHARED

PAIN ACROSS THE BOARD. >> OUR COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT IS LISTENING TO YOU, MR. RAMOS. GTDO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN POTENTIALLY STRENHEN THE PAY INCREASE THAT IS IN THE BUDGET AS PROPOSED. IF WE WERE TO GET TO THE PROPOSED RATE. BUT IF WE END UP WITH A NO NEW REVENUE RATE -- THEN, IT COULD COST, POTENTIALLY, PEOPLE THEIR JOBS. IT COULD CAUSE, POTENTIALLY, PEOPLE -- THEIR PROPOSED PAY INCREASES.

AS DR. PETERSON MENTIONED, IT COULD PROPOSE THAT HOMES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ON TRACK TO BE TAKEN OUT OF THE FLOODWAY'S WOULD REMAIN IN THE FLOODWAY. IT WOULD JUST HAVE AN IMMENSE RIPPLE EFFECT ACROSS ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY.

PEOPLE'S HEALTH WOULD POTENTIALLY GO UNADDRESSED, UNTREATED. HOSPITALS -- OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEM WOULD BE PUT BACK UNDER A CRISIS ENVIRONMENT.

I MEAN, THEY STILL ARE, BUT UNDER A WORSE ONE, LIKE EARLY PANDEMIC DAYS. SO I HOPE EVERYONE'S LISTENING.

BUT IN PARTICULAR, THOSE WHO ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO ME, THAT IS OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT FOLKS WHO WE HAVE BEEN TRYING HARD TO RESPECT AND HONOR BY A FIVE PERCENT PAY INCREASE IN TWO YEARS. AND POTENTIALLY, EVEN A BETTER ONE. AND THEN, PUT US ON TRACK TO EVENTUALLY MAKE THEM, ESPECIALLY OUR NEW HIRES, THE BESTPAID IN TAXES. THAT'S MY GOAL.

THAT'S MY MISSION, AND SO I JUST HOPE PEOPLE ARE LISTENING -- WHAT COULD HAPPEN WITH NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

>> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY. >> YES.

[00:55:01]

APPRAISALS HAVE GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THEN.

SO WE DO HAVE MORE RESOURCES, I THINK, IN 2022 .

TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR. I WANT TO BE REAL CLEAR ON WHERE WE ARE. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND THE VOTER APPROVED RATE IS $100 MILLION.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT -- $100 MILLION.

AND I THINK THAT WE COULD TAKE $3 MILLION AND RESOLVE THE CONSTABLE ISSUE THIS AFTERNOON. BUT WE CHOSE, INSTEAD, TO SPEND MONEY ON LAWYERS RATHER THAN SPENDING MONEY ON LAW ENFORCEMENT. SO I REGRET THAT THIS FORT DECIDED TO SUE RATHER THAN SIMPLY RESOLVE.

AND YOU DON'T AGREE WITH THE CONTROLLER ON WHAT HE WAS SAYING. I GET THAT PART.

BUT PLEASE, UNDERSTAND, WE COULD HAVE RESOLVED THIS FOR $3 MILLION. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A CONVERSATION WITH THE CONTROLLER.

I SUSPECT IT COULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE.

AND WE ALREADY WOULD'VE HAD THAT PUT ASIDE.

YET, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THAT HANGING OVER IS NOW IN COURT AND OTHER PLACES GOING FORWARD. I, FOR ONE, WANT THAT ISSUE RESOLVED FIRST, BEFORE WE DEAL WITH ANY BUDGET AMOUNT AND ANY BUDGET RATE. ANY TAX RATE.

SHOULD WE EVER GET PAST THAT $3 MILLION ISSUE,YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING -- THIS IS NEARLY A $2 INBILLION PLUS BUDGET AND WE AR TALKING ABOUT RESOLVG A $3 MILLION ISSUE THAT SOME OF US ACTUALLY AGREE WITH THE CONTROLLER.

I UNDERSTAND THREE OF US DON'T, BUT PROBABLY TWO OF US DO.

SO $3 MILLION, WE COULD HAVE RESOLVED IT.

AND IF WE EVER GOT TO THE POINT ABOUT TALKING ABOUT 100 MILLION -- THAT'S WHAT'S ON THE TABLE., I'M SITTING HERE SAYING, AND I'VE SAID BEFOREI THINK, OVER A YEAR -- WE NEED TO ADD BOOTS ON THE GROUND.ND THIS BUDGET ONLY ADDS 10 OFFICERS ON THE GROU -- BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

WHAT I WOULD CALL BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

IT DOES ADD PAY INCREASES, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.

BUT WHAT I WOULD BE ADVOCATING FOR IS 200 POSITIONS, WHICH IS $20 MILLION. $20 MILLION OUT OF THE 100 MILLION THAT WE ARE INCREASING BY THE TAXES, I WOULD BE ADVOCATING FOR 200 NEW BOOTS ON THE GROUND, BETWEEN THE SHERIFF AND THE CONSTABLES TO MAKE OUR COUNTY SAFER.

SO I THINK THAT'S PRETTY CLEAR WHERE I'M AT, BOTH IN TERMS OF THE CONSTABLES, AND TERMS OF WHAT WOULD A BUDGET THAT I WOULD AGREE TO ANDAGREE WITH , AND THE SUBSEQUENT VOTER APPROVED RATE, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR ME TO SUPPORT? IT WOULD TAKE 200 BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

>> JUDGE, IF I MAY? COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, TRUST ME, I TAKE NO PLEASURE IN HAVING TO SUE THE STATE.

BUT ARE YOU PROPOSING THAT -- YOU KNOW, WERE NOT SUING BECAUSE WE DISAGREE ON WHAT WAS BEING SET.

WE ARE SUING BECAUSE THEY GOT THE LOG WRONG.

SO ARE YOU PROPOSING THAT IF THEY GOT THE LAW WRONG, THAT WE

SHOULDN'T POINT THAT OUT? >> I'M PROPOSING YOU SETTLE WITH THE CONSTABLES FOR $3 MILLION.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. >> WHEN THE LAW IS WRONG?

>> THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT.

CROSS TALK] I'M LISTENING TO OTHERS THAT SAY THAT'S PERFECTLY RIGHT. AND WE WILL SEE HOW THIS ALL PLAYS OUT. IT COULD END UP AT THE SUPREME COURT. LOOK FORWARD TO IT ENDING UP IN SUPREME COURT.

SO WE WILL JUST SEE HOW ALL OF THIS PLAYS OUT.

WHAT ONE PERSON CALLS LEGAL, ONE PERSON MIGHT CALL ILLEGAL.

>> SO YOU WOULD JUST ASSUME -- NOT TO KNOW WHETHER THE LAW IS

CORRECT OR NOT? >> NO, I DO THIS -- WHEN THE GOVERNOR AND THE CONTROLLER SAY THAT THERE HAS BEEN A VIOLATION OF THE LAW AND WE ARE DIRECTED TO DO SOMETHING, I THINK WE

[01:00:06]

RESOLVE IT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.

>> I THINK WHETHER SUPREME COURT OR NOT, I'M LOOKING FOR COOLER MINDS TO PREVAIL, AND TO RECOGNIZE WHAT HAS BEEN SAID MAY NOT BE -- MAY HAVE BEEN RUSHED TO CONCLUSION.

I'M HOPING COOLER MINDS WILL PREVAIL AND WILL SHOW THAT THIS BODY -- WELL, MOST OF THIS BODY -- WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE

LAW. >> AND I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR COOLER MINDS FOR A LONG TIME. I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT!

>> YES, COMMISSIONER (INDISCERNIBLE)?

>> I DO THINK YOU HAVE TO FACTOR IN IT BEING MORE THAN 3 MILLION. I THINK I HEARD YOU MAKE REFERENCE TO ANOTHER 20?WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER CONSTABLES? WHAT ABOUT A COMPLAINT THAT WHEN IN RAISING OTHER (INDISCERNIBLE) AS WELL?IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS.

[BLEEP] FOR TAT PROCESS. YOU KNOW, THE STATE IS FLUSH WITH REVENUE BECAUSE THEY DON'T COLLECT PROPERTY TAXES.

(INDISCERNIBLE) STATE OR THE SALES TAXES.

WHERE THEY FLUSH WITH MONEY? IF OUR FRIENDS ON THE STATE LEVEL WANTED TO HELP, THEY COULD SEND SOME OF THAT MONEY DOWN HERE. WE ALL WOULD LOVE TO REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES. I GET IT.

POLITICALLY, WITH MY YEARS IN POLITICS, THAT'S AREA PEOPLE GET MOST UPSET ABOUT. EVEN IF THE SALES TAX IS THE MOST AGGRESSIVE FORM OF TAXATION THAT ONE COULD HAVE.

BUT IF YOU DO THIS? FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S A LAWN PLACE NOW THAT WHATEVER GOES AND CANNOT COME OUT.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I BELIEVE AT SOME POINT, CRIME IS GOING TO GO DOWN. NUMBERS ARE GOING DOWN.

OVER THE YEARS THAT YOU AND I HAVE WATCHED THE GOVERNMENT (INDISCERNIBLE) IT GOES UP AND DOWN.

BUT FOR THE STATE TO GO AND PASS A LAW THAT SAYS THAT WHATEVER GOES IN, YOU CAN NEVER TAKE IT OUT.

WHEN IT'S 64 PERCENT OF THE BUDGET GOING TO JUSTICE AND SAFETY NOW, ONE HAS TO BE CAUTIOUS WHEN THEY DO IT.

WHAT'S INTERESTING IS I WAS WONDERING (INDISCERNIBLE).

SO I COULD FIGURE IT OUT, I JUST GOOGLED IT.

BALTIMORE SHOWED UP SPENDING MORE ON JUSTICE AND SAFETY -- NOT COUNTIES -- I KNOW IT'S A CITY-COUNTY (INDISCERNIBLE).

WAS KIND OF INTERESTING THAT BALTIMORE OF ALL PLACES POPPED UP. IN FACT, I CALLED ONE A YEAR PREVIOUS BOSSES OVER THERE AND ASKED MY READING THE WRONG THING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT? IT'S INTERESTING. WHICH DOES NOT SAY A LOT FOR THE CORRELATION BETWEEN MORE INVESTMENT AND NECESSARILY DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM. BALTIMORE HAS A HOST OF OTHER ISSUES AND I GET THAT. A PLACE WHERE WE ARE HEADED, BY THE WAY. AND I THINK THAT'S THE BROADER ISSUE. WHERE DOES IT STOP? IF THE STATE WANTS TO COME AND RUN IN ADDITION TO TEXAS, WITH ALL OF THE UNFUNDED ISSUES THERE? THEY WANT TO COME IN AND RUN THE 25TH STATE IN THE COUNTRY AS WELL, WHICH IS WHAT HARRIS COUNTY WOULD BE IF IT WAS (INDISCERNIBLE) -- GOTTA BRING SOME MONEY WHEN THEY GO AND DO IT. BUT WHERE DOES THAT STOP? YOU KNOW THE OTHER LINE THAT I'M MAKING REFERENCE TO, THE OTHER PLANT THAT IS GONE ? BUT WHERE DOES THAT STOP? (INDISCERNIBLE) BECAUSE NEXT, SOMEBODY WILL GO AND SAY WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO? OR YOU THROW IN AN EXTRA 20.

BY THE WAY, SOME OF WHERE WE ARE WAS SELF-INFLICTED.

WE MADE THE DECISION. WE MADE THE DECISION TO CUT -- HOW MUCH OF THE LAST THREE YEARS, UNLIKE THE COURT DID? THE PREVIOUS 20 YEARS, I BELIEVE? (INDISCERNIBLE) WAS AT 600 MILLION OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS? AND MONEY WE COULD HAVE SPENT THAT YOU ARE MAKING REFERENCE TO.

IS MY MATH RIGHT? IS MY MEMORY CORRECTLY 600

MILLION? >> COMMISSIONER, IT'S ABOUT 500 MILLION CUMULATIVELY OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS AT ABOUT 250 MILLION PER YEAR. THAT'S ACROSS ALL THE JURISDICTIONS. ACROSS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT AND FLOOD CONTROL. THAT'S A SAVE THE RATE WOULD'VE BEEN KEPT THE SAME INSTEAD OF CUT, THERE WOULD'VE BEEN $250

MILLION IN ADDITIONAL -- >> AM I RIGHT?

[01:05:01]

>> AT LEAST A DECADE. THAT'S COMBINATION OF COURT POLICY AND STATE REVENUE CAP NOT BEING IN EFFECT.

>> THAT IS THE INCREASE IN SENIOR AND DISABLED (INDISCERNIBLE) EXEMPTION. I KNOW WE MIGHT DISAGREE ABOUT IT, BUT I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE WAS A COST ASSOCIATED.

>> THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT.

AND GOVERNMENT STILL NEEDS TO WORK (INDISCERNIBLE) THOSE RESOURCES TO HELP THOSE THINGS WORK.

BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT.

>> I WANT TO ASK ON THIS QUESTION OF BOOTS ON THE GROUND. OF COURSE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WORLD WE ARE LIVING IN WHEN WE SAY, YOU KNOW, ONLY PAY FOR THESE OFFICERS BUT NOT FOR THAT OFFICER.

YOU KNOW? WE NEED INVESTIGATORS, WE NEED THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.

YOU DO NEED FUNDING FOR THE JAIL.

WE DO NEED THE COURTS -- YOU WANT TO ARREST THE GUY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A JUDGE OR DON'T HAVE A BAILIFF BECAUSE THE BAILIFF DOESN'T COUNT (INDISCERNIBLE).

TO ME, IT'S THE GROUND EVEN IN THE COURTROOM TO MAKE SURE SOMEONE WHO IS SAFE (INDISCERNIBLE).

I WOULD LIKE CLARIFICATION ON THAT POINT, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO LET THIS MISREPRESENTATION STAND -- HOW MANY NEW OFFICERS WOULD WE HAVE WITH THE BUDGET? AND HOW MANY OFFICERS WOULD BE TAKE FUNDING FROM IF WE WERE TO

ADOPT THE NO NEW REVENUE? >> THERE'S 43 ADDITIONAL OFFICERS AND INVESTIGATORS IN THE SHERIFF.

IT'S ABOUT 170 ADDITIONAL DETENTION OFFICERS AND

SUPERVISORS. >> TON OF THOSE ARE PATROL.

35 ARE -- >> INVESTIGATORS.

CORRECT.

>> TWO QUICK POINTS: ONE IS, PART OF THE REASONING THIS COURT MADE THE INVESTMENT INTO THE DETENTION OFFICERS, AND WHILE IT'S NOT ONE FOR ONE, OUR HOPE IS AS WE HIRED DETENTION OFFICERS THAT WE ARE PUSHING DEPUTIES BACK ONTO THE STREET.

NUMBER 1. NUMBER 2, THE 35 INVESTIGATORS WAS AT THE REQUEST OF THE SHERIFF. WE ASKED WHAT HE NEEDED -- AT A PREVIOUS MEETING -- HE SAID INVESTIGATORS, TO BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE BACKLOG AND TO ACTUALLY DO THE QUALITY INVESTIGATIONS OF VIOLENT CRIME AND GET FOLKS OFF THE STREET.

SO --. >> I THINK THAT FOCUSING -- AND I KNOW THE SHERIFF HAS SHOWN SOME NUMBERS ABOUT THAT PROGRAM REALLY SHOWING RESULTS. ANYONE WORKING TO GET VIOLENT CRIMINALS UP THE STREET, TO ME, IS A GOOD INVESTMENT.

AND I SURE WOULD COUNTED AS A GOOD INVESTMENT AND A GOOD RECIPIENT OF FUNDING INCREASES. AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE -- WE ARE KIND OF GOING ROUND AND ROUND ON THE LAWSUIT STUNNED.

YOU KNOW, THAT THE MEDIA HAS PRETTY MUCH UNANIMOUSLY CALLED OUT. SO I THINK IT'S EXTORTION.

AND I, FOR ONE, HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE -- YOU KNOW, I'M GOOD FOR KNOCKING ON EVERY DOOR BUT I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM FOR SETTING A PRECEDENT THAT WOULD BE THE COUNTY TO ALLOW ITSELF TO BE EXTORTED THAT WAY. YES, COMMISSIONER GARCIA?

>> YOU ARE RIGHT, JUDGE. LOOK, I DON'T LIKE HAVING TO HAVE SUED THE STATE. BUT I GOTTA KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE. AND I THINK WE'VE GOT PRETTY SMART PEOPLE HELPING US WITH THE BUDGET.

AND WE PUT IN OUR BUDGET, I THINK IT WAS PAGE 103? I DON'T HAVE IT ON THIS ONE, BUT THE DOCUMENT SAYS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MR. RAMOS, BUT YOU SAID IN THE SHORT FISCAL YEAR, 2022, AND ANNUALIZED COMPARISON WOULD NOT BE

ACCURATE COMPARISON? >> CORRECT.> TO FY23?

>> CORRECT. >> BECAUSE WE ONLY HAD 16 PAPER MAX IN THE SHORT FISCAL YEAR, IN COMPARISON TO THE 26 PAPER MAX THAT WE WOULD HAVE IN THE COMPLETE FISCAL YEAR?

>> CORRECT. IF WE HAD DONE THIS 7/12 METHOD, EVERY DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER BUDGETED TO

START THE YEAR. >> AND SO, THAT STATEMENT -- THE FACT THAT IT -- NO ONE HERE NEW THAT WE WOULD BE IN THIS DISCUSSION WITH THE STATE. BUT YOU ARE PRETTY TRANSPARENT

[01:10:13]

SO PEOPLE COULD ACTUALLY FOLLOW OUR BUDGETING PROCESS.

>> I THINK AT THIS POINT, THIS BEARS ON THE LAWSUIT.

(INDISCERNIBLE) EXECUTIVE SESSION IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS

IT FURTHER. >> GOTCHA.

SO JUDGE, WITH THAT IN MIND, I DO HAVE --

>> CAN I ASK ONE MORE --? >> SURE.

>> 'SWITH THE FOCUS IS ON THE VIOLENT CRIME, THE ADDITIONAL $3 MILLION THAT COMMISSIONER RAMOSE IS MAKING REFERENCE TO, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE VIOLENT CRIME TO THE CONSTABLES HANDLE COMPARED TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT?

DO WE KNOW THAT? >> I NEED TO FOLLOW-UP.

>> I WOULD SAY -- THERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO LOOK AT IT.

IT'S OVER 70 PERCENT OF THE ARRESTS.

IT'S VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE INVESTIGATIONS OF VIOLENT CRIME GOES TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. IN THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY TO RESPONDING TO 911 CALL (INDISCERNIBLE).

WHAT THE CONSTABLES PROVIDE. >> NOT AT ALL.

ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SOME OF THE MANDATES THAT ARE SELF-INFLICTED -- SOMETIMES SOME ARE THE STATES PUT ON US.

SOME STATES THAT I ZOOMED THROUGH, I GOT BACK AND I GOT A LITTLE NOTE. YOU CAN (INDISCERNIBLE), YOU CAN CONTEST IT OR PAY IT. WE PUT PEOPLE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN HARM'S WAY TECHNOLOGY.

(INDISCERNIBLE) IT HAD MY LICENSE TAG WHEN I WENT THROUGH A TOLLBOOTH. I THOUGHT I HAD A NATIONWIDE TOLL TAG. IT DIDN'T WORK THAT WAY.

SO I'M JUST MAKING A POINT -- THERE ARE THINGS WE COULD DO TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT. BUT USUALLY, THERE IS A RELUCTANCE TO DISCUSS THAT.

HOSPITAL DISTRICT. I KNOW THAT IF WE WERE TO SET A TAX RATE OVER .17, THAT THAT WOULD THEN TRIGGER A TAX INCREASE? IS THAT ACCURATE?

>> CORRECT. A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT

(INDISCERNIBLE). >> I DON'T WANT TO TRIGGER A TAX INCREASE. HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO VISIT WITH DR. (NAME) TO SEE -- I KNOW HE NEEDS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT GIVEN HE IS OUR DAY LOOKING AT POTENTIAL DEFICITS WITH THE NO NEW RATE, WHAT NUMBER DO YOU THINK WE ARE AT WITH THE

HOSPITAL DISTRICT? >> (INDISCERNIBLE) I BELIEVE DR. (NAME) WAS INTENDING TO BE ON.

FOR THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT IS 800 MILLION FOR TAX YEAR 23.

THERE BUDGET ASSUMED 830 MILLION.

THEY WOULD NEED 875 MILLION TO COVER THEIR DEFICIT.

IF YOU KEPT THEIR RATE FLAT, YEAR OVER YEAR? WHICH WOULD BE ROUGHLY A TWO CENT DECREASE FOR THE OVERALL RATE? THE RATE WOULD STAY THE SAME BUT THE OVERALL HARRIS COUNTY RATE WOULD BE TO SENSE LESS.

THAT WOULD GENERATE 896 MILLION AT THE .17 THAT YOU ARE REFERRING TO, THEY WOULD BE AT 950 MILLION.

AT THE VOTER APPROVED RATE, THEY WOULD BE 1,056,000,000.

>> OKAY.SO LET'S HEAR FROM DR. (NAME).

BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW HOW WE COULD HELP THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT, GIVEN THAT WE CUT THEM LAST YEAR.

THEY NEED EVERY RESOURCE THEY HAVE AVAILABLE BUT I DON'T WANT

TO TRIGGER A NEW TAX INCREASE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. YES, MR. RAMOS IS CORRECT IN THE NUMBERS THAT YOU MENTIONED. AND I JUST WANT TO CORRECT YOU, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

OUR TAX RATE WAS CUT TWICE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.

LAST YEAR, YES. AND THEN, THREE YEARS AGO BEGAN. THE IMPACT ON US AS I'VE MENTIONED A COUPLE TIMES ALREADY, IS ABOUT $50 MILLION A YEAR. IT WAS REFERENCE PREVIOUSLY THAT IT WAS (INDISCERNIBLE) MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO THE COUNTY. 50 MILLION OF THAT IS FOR HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM. WHAT IT HAS MEANT WAS, COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS, IS THAT JUST FOR LAST YEAR, JUST FOR FY22, THE TAX RATE THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE COURT, WHICH YOU KNOW, MR. RAMOS CAN GO INTO DETAIL, I BELIEVE OUR INDIGENT

[01:15:06]

SO WE ARE LOOKING AT A CLIFF. WE ARE LOOKING AT $45 MILLION SHORTFALL THIS YEAR, THIS COMING YEAR.

$145 MILLION NEXT YEAR. THAT IS WITHOUT ANY OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING THAT WE HAD DONE, TRYING TO INCREASE ACCESS TO PRIMARY CARE, SPECIALTY SERVICES, PREVENTATIVE CARE, OPENING UP THE (INDISCERNIBLE). RIGHT NOW, COMMISSIONER, IT'S REALLY SHAMEFUL. THERE ARE RE 3000 COLONOSCOPIES BEHIND. THERE ARE 3000 PATIENTS WHO NEED COLONOSCOPIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE SCREENED POSITIVE FOR POTENTIAL COLON CANCER. THEY ARE WAITING, ON A WAITING LIST TO GET COLONOSCOPIES. WE NEED RESOURCES.

BUT WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, ABOUT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE WOULD ABSOLUTELY PUT US IN A HOLE FOR $50 MILLION. OF THOSE INCREMENTAL INCREASES THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT THAT WOULD DO TO US? IT WOULD JUST HAVE US BE ABLE TO MEET THE CURRENT PROCESS THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING, WITH 3000 COLONOSCOPIES WAITING.

IT DOES NOT ALLOW US TO GET AHEAD OF THE GAME.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OPENING UP A CLINIC (INDISCERNIBLE).

MORE THAN TRIPLING OUR ABILITY TO DO COLONOSCOPIES.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR GOING FOR A BOND REFERENDUM, HOPEFULLY FOR A NEW LBJ HOSPITAL, WITH CAPABILITIES THAT HARRIS COUNTY DESPERATELY NEEDS.

PATIENTS WITH HEART ATTACKS, PATIENTS WITH STROKES.

OTHER SERVICES. THOSE ARE ADDITIONAL OPERATIONAL COSTS THAT WILL COME IF WE ARE TO FULFILL OUR DUTY, OUR RESPONSIBILITY, OUR OBLIGATION TO THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY. WE CAN'T WAIT UNTIL FIVE YEARS FROM NOW TO THEN REQUEST HALF $1 BILLION INCREASE IN TAX RATES. BECAUSE THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. AND I THINK THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT ARE AWARE OF THE FACT OF THIS.

LEGISLATURE IS CONSIDERING LIMITING THE HOSPITAL'S DISTRICTS ABILITY FOR THE TAX RATE INCREASE (INDISCERNIBLE) BECAUSE WE ARE CURRENTLY EXEMPT OF THE THREE PERCENT CEILING.

THEY INTEND TO TAKE THAT AWAY AND MAKE THAT ALSO APPLY TO US.

SO TO ME, THIS IS ALMOST LIKE A LAST -- (INDISCERNIBLE) FOR US TO CATCH UP. TO NOT JUST OPERATIONAL NEEDS.

THERE IS A LOT OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT, COMMISSIONER.

OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM HAS NOT INVESTED WHAT IT SHOULD HAVE. (INDISCERNIBLE).

NOT BECAUSE IT WAS AN OVERSIGHT.

THERE WAS NO MONEY. THAT'S WHY WE'VE HAD ALL THIS INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND CONTINUE TO HAVE. I BROUGHT IT UP LAST TIME.

YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE SEWER WATER BACKING UP INTO OUR PHARMACY -- AT OUR HOSPITALS. WE HAVE SEWER WATER BACKING UP IN (INDISCERNIBLE) ROOMS AT OUR HOSPITALS.

IN THIS DAY AND AGE, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER, PRIDE OF THE ENTIRE WORLD -- WE SHOULD NOT BE FACING THIS ISSUES, BUT WE ARE.ECAUSE WE'VE NEVER HAD ENOUGH FUNDING TO ADDRESS ALL THESE CHRONIC ISSUES, (INDISCERNIBLE).

>> DR. (NAME), THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

WHAT WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO DO -- LET'S ASSUME THAT A NO NEW REVENUE RATE OCCURRED FOR YOU. BUT IF THE STATE OF TEXAS WERE TO EXPAND MEDICAID, HOW MUCH WOULD THAT BE HELPFUL TO YOU? WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO SEE ANY BENEFIT TO MEDICAID EXPANSION, EVEN IF YOU WERE TO RECEIVE A NO NEW RATE?

>> IF THE STATE OF TEXAS WAS TO EXPAND MEDICAID -- UNFORTUNATELY, UNDER THE CURRENT MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY'S,

[01:20:03]

PROBABLY LESS THAN 1/5 OF THOSE PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY BE QUALIFYING FOR MEDICAID. HAT'S THE SAD PART.

ON THE POSITIVE SIDE IS THAT EVEN THOUGH MEDICAID COVERS ONLY $0.60 ON THE DOLLAR OF OUR COST, THAT IS STILL BETTER THAN NOTHING. SO WOULD IT BE HELPFUL TO US? YES. BUT WOULD IT HELP COVER OUR COSTS? NO.

AT MAXIMUM, MAYBE $20-$30 MILLION TO THE BOTTOM LINE

(INDISCERNIBLE). >> AND MAY BE, COMMISSIONERS, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN THAT THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND MEDICAID,

HOW LONG HAS THAT EXISTED? >> I THINK THAT'S COMING UP ON

12 YEARS NOW. >> 12 YEARS.

>> OBAMA'S FIRST YEAR. SO THAT SEVEN -- PRESIDENT TRUMP, FOUR, AND BIDEN, NOW IT ONE.

>> SO 12 YEARS OF -- >> I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT MONEY

IS SITTING THERE? >> YEAH.

TWO BIG STATES THAT ARE STILL OUTLIERS -- FLORIDA AND TEXAS.

>> SO DR. (NAME), SO YOU OF HER -- THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING ME ON THE FACT THAT I WAS JUST REMEMBERING ONE YEAR.

BUT YOU ARE RIGHT, YOUR RATE HAS BEEN CUT SEVERAL TIMES.

AND ALL IN THE SPIRIT OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT SOME AREAS OF COMPROMISE. AND I HOPE THAT THAT IS NOT GONE. BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE RATE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SE , AGAIN, I WILL NOT TRIGGER -- I WILL NOTSUPPORT A RATE THAT WOULD TRIGGER A TAX INCREASE.

BUT THE RATE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE -- ARE YOU AND MR. RAMOS HAVING DISCUSSIONS ? DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER IN MIND?

>> (LAUGHING) COMMISSIONER GARCIA, YOU KNOW I'M RESPONSIBLE TO MY BOARD.HE HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM BOARD.

THEY APPROVE THE BUDGET LAST WEEK, LAST THURSDAY -- MAYBE TWO THURSDAYS AGO ON THE 25TH. BASED ON THE VA ARE.

THAT'S THE NUMBER I HAVE PROPOSED TO MR. RAMOS.

YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND -- MAYBE NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND, BUT I'M COGNIZANT OF THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT.

I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

TWO YEARS AGO, COMMISSIONER CAGLE, WHICH I CONSIDER A VERY GOOD FRIEND, TOLD ME ONE TIME THAT THAT PIGS GET SLAUGHTERED FIRST. HE WAS REFERENCING THE MONEY THAT WAS COMING TO HARRIS HEALTH THROUGH THE HER SOUGHT ACT IN THE CARES ACT. AND I SAID YES, I GET IT.

I UNDERSTAND IT. I THINK THE MESSAGE WAS PLEASE JUST KEEP OUR TAX RATE INTACT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY DESERVINGLY SO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE CRIME AND ALL OF THAT.

DESPITE MY WARNINGS ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE WILL BE FACING THE SITUATION I'M DESCRIBING TO YOU RIGHT NOW, AS FAR AS THE FINANCIAL SHORTFALLS LAST YEAR, TO $200 MILLION.

THIS YEAR, FROM MARCH TO SEPTEMBER, WE ARE POSTING $300 MILLION LOSS OF REVENUE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT EXPERIENCING ANY TAX REVENUE BECAUSE OF THIS (INDISCERNIBLE) YEAR.

NEXT YEAR, $45 MILLION (INDISCERNIBLE).WITHOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT HAPPENED, THAT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO CUT OUR RATE, DESPITE EVERYTHING THAT I OFFER TO COMMISSIONERS COURT LAST YEAR.

I SAY ALL OF THAT TO MAKE A POINT THAT I'M NOT TRYING TO BE UNREASONABLE. BUT WHEN I SAY THAT THIS IS, TO ME, THE LESS OPPORTUNITY FOR HARRIS HEALTH TO ACTUALLY GET AHEAD OF THE GAME, RATHER THAN TO BE ALWAYS TRYING TO JUST KEEP ENDS MEET? I DON'T THINK HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM DESERVES TO BE IN THAT SITUATION AND I DON'T THINK THE PATIENTS DESERVE TO BE IN THAT SITUATION.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EVEN THOUGH IT IS OUR STATUTORY OBLIGATION TO SERVE THE INDIGENT, THAT IS NOT WHO WE SERVE 100 PERCENT OF THE TIME.EMBERS OF EVERY PRECINCT THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN COMMISSIONERS COURT USE OUR SERVICES. WE ACTUALLY DELIVERED MORE

[01:25:01]

SOME SAYING THIS AGAIN WITH ALL HUMILITY, THAT THE RATE WE ARE PROPOSING TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT, THE RATE THAT OUR BOARD HAS APPROVED IS THE VA ARE. BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THE HOLE THAT WE ARE IN.

>> WELL, DR. (NAME), THANK YOU. I KNOW I WENT TO YOU IN THE SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE THE LAST TIME.

I WON'T DO IT AGAIN. >> THANK YOU.

>> SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU AND YOUR STAFF HAVE DONE. YOU LANDED IN THE BEGINNING OF A PANDEMIC, AND THE PRESSURE HASN'T LET UP.

AND I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, YOU AND YOUR STAFF ARE HELL OF A TEAM -- TEAM PLAYERS AND TEAM PARTNERS.

WE APPRECIATE YOU, RESPECT YOU. I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT I CAN TO GET YOU EVERY PENNY YOU NEED.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. I HAVE A WONDERFUL TEAM!

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND THEN, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING.

I MUST SAY ON BEHALF OF MR. RAMOS, I GUESS HE HAS A BOARD TO REPORT TO, TOO (LAUGHING)! SOMETIMES AROUND HERE, IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T SHOW UP, YOU KNOW, OR YOU KNOW THEY WON'T SHOW UP, YOU DO WHAT YOU CAN. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I MET WITH YOU AND I TOLD YOU YOU NEED TO MAKE SOME GOOD NOISE. DO YOU REMEMBER THAT

DISCUSSION? >> YES SIR.> (INDISCERNIBLE) AND THEN YOU DIDN'T GET THE MONEY.

SO I WAS GLAD TO SEE (INDISCERNIBLE) NUMBER OF INSTITUTIONS IN THE MEDICAL CENTER SIGNED ON.

I WOULD SUGGEST AS I TOLD YOU, THEY MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE KNOW WHAT IMPACT THIS WILL HAVE ON THEM.

SO ACCORDING TO MY STATS, THE RATE THAT WE GIVE YOU AT $0.16 IS LOWER THAN DALLAS, WHICH IS 24.

SAN ANTONIO IS 24. TARRANT COUNTY IS 22.

>> THE VA ARE WOULD BE MUCH LOWER THAN THOSE, COMMISSIONER.

YOU ARE CORRECT. >> YET.

I THINK THE NOTES MY STAFF GAVE ME SAID IF WE GO WITH THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO DENY SERVICE TO -- 10,000 PATIENTS YOU WOULD CUT SERVICES, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> I CAN TYPE EXACTLY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.

>> THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT. >> OKAY.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE WOULD THINK THIS ONLY AFFECTS SOME OTHER PEOPLE. I THINK I MENTIONED TO YOU AT THE CHAIR OF THE DURHAM COUNTIES COMMISSIONERS COURT CALLED ME IN THE MIDDLE THE NIGHT TO TELL ME SOME CONSTITUENT RELATIVE WAS DENIED SERVICE AT ONE OF OUR BRAVE INSTITUTIONS THAT WILL REMAIN NAMELESS.

AND HE ASKED WHAT I WOULD DO. I SAID MR. CHAIRMAN, SOMEBODY CALLS ME NORTH CAROLINA, WHAT COULD YOU DO? SO GIVE THEM SOME SENSE OF WHAT HAPPENS.

I KNOW I ALWAYS JOKE OF DOCTORS TAKING THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH.

SO YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DENY PEOPLE SERVICES.NLIKE LAWYERS BEING HYPOCRITES, YOU DON'T HAVE A CHECK (LAUGHING) THEY DENY YOU! OBVIOUSLY, THEY GO TO ANOTHER INSTITUTION. UNDER THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH, THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO GIVE THOSE PEOPLE SERVICES.

WHAT HAPPENS?HAT IMPACT WILL THIS HAVE ON THE OTHER INSTITUTIONS WHERE WE GO TO? ALL OF US HAVE GOOD COUNTY INSURANCE. WHERE WE GO, WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE TO TURN THOSE 10,000 PEOPLE AWAY?

>> WELL, LONGER WAIT TIMES. NOT JUST IN THE EMERGENCY ROOMS. LONGER WAIT TIMES TO SEE YOUR SPECIALISTS. LONGER WAIT TIMES TO GET YOUR QUOTE UNQUOTE ELECTED PROCEDURES.

LONGER WAIT TIME TO SEE PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS.

IT'S MORE CROWDED -- HOSPITALS AND CLINICS EVERYWHERE.

ANNETTE IS TRULY EVERYWHERE. BECAUSE THOSE FOLKS WHO MAY UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO CUT SERVICES TO, THEY ARE GOING TO SEEK SERVICES ELSEWHERE.AND THAT ELSEWHERE IS WHAT YOU ARE

REFERRING TO. >> (INDISCERNIBLE) NEED TO CALL A PRESS CONFERENCE. DON'T ASK ME TO CALL IT, THEY

[01:30:15]

BECAUSE HOSPITAL SUPPOSED TO GIVE THEM EMERGENCY CARE,

RIGHT? >> EMERGENCY, YES.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS, COMMISSIONER, ELSEWHERE -- WHAT THEY'RE OBLIGATED TO DO IS PROVIDE EMERGENCY CARE.

BUT AS SOON AS THE EMERGENCY SITUATION IS RESOLVED, THEN THEY ARE NO LONGER OBLIGATED TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THE CARE.

WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT IN HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM, RIGHT? WHEN THEY COME TO US, THEY ARE OUR PATIENT.

WE BENT BACKWARDS TO MAKE SURE THEY GET THE ENTIRE CARE THAT THEY REQUIRE. I WANTED TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THAT 10,000 PATIENTS THAT YOU REFER TO, COMMISSIONER.

JUST TO GIVE IT SOME COLOR. THAT'S 5000 PEOPLE WHO WOULD HAVE TO GO WITHOUT COLONOSCOPIES OR DIALYSIS.

I DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO YOU, COMMISSIONER.

YOU CAN'T GO WITHOUT DIALYSIS FOR A LONG TIME WITHOUT LOSING YOUR LIFE. SO IMAGINE THE 5000 PEOPLE WHO NO LONGER ARE GOING TO RECEIVE SERVICES OR FUNDING FROM HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM BECAUSE THE MEDICAL SERVICES (INDISCERNIBLE) BUYING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY.

THEY WOULD HAVE TO SEEK THOSE SERVICES FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.

9000 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES.

PEOPLE WHO NEED INPATIENT BEHAVIORAL CARE.

PSYCHIATRIC CARE. THOSE 9000 PEOPLE, WHO IS GOING TO PAY FOR THEIR SERVICES? WE ARE RENTING BEDS FOR 7700 PATIENTS EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE CAPACITY.

THERE PROVIDING HOME HEALTH SERVICES -- DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, WHEELCHAIRS, HOSPITAL BEDS.

CPAP MACHINES TO ANOTHER ALMOST 4000 PATIENTS.

THAT'S THE TYPE OF SERVICES THAT WILL GO UNMET WITH THOSE 10,000 PATIENTS, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, THAT YOU REFER TO.

THIS WOULD BE ASIGNIFICANT LOSS .

NOT JUST QUOTE UNQUOTE HARRIS HEALTH PATIENTS, BUT THIS IS

ENTIRE PIERCE COUNTY. >> HOW MANY FOR PSYCHIATRIC

CARE AGAIN? >> ALMOST A THOUSAND.

>> SO IT IS LIKELY SOME OF THOSE COULD END UP AIN SITUATION WHERE OLVIENCE IS INVOLVED, D ANWE WOULD BE PAYING A T LOMORE MONEY FOR THEM (INDISCERNIBLE)?

>> NO ESQUTION ABOUT IT. >> I T GEIT.

MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY AND 72 OF COLON CANCER.

A VERY NSSEITIVE TO THAT. I VEHA TO GO EVERY FOUR YEARS

SINCE BEING MINY 40S. >> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

>> APPRECIATE WHAT YOU D. I APPRECIATE THE TIME YOU SPENT WITH ME GOING THROUGH THE DETAILS .

IT HAS BEEN VERY FUHELPL. A COUPLE OF GSTHIN I'M GOING TO ASK, RAMR. MOS. WHAT IS A VOTER APPROVED RATE FOR HOTHE SPITAL DISTRICT? IS IT 3.4 PERCENT OR IS IT MORE

THAN THAT? NO>> , IT'S MORE THAN THAT.

WHAT IS IT? >> IT D WOULBE .18925AR, COMPED TO THE RATE EALAST YR, WHICH WA S.16047.

>> OKAY. BUT THERE WAS AN SEINCREA OF WHAT? THE PEEIGHT RCENT WEEK.

>> TEA VOR APPROVED RATE? PAONE RT OF IT IS THE A PERCENT INCREASE THAT RETHEY A KEPT AT. THE PAOTHER RT OF IT THE INDIGENT DEFENSE. THEY LOARE ALWED TO INCREASE TH E RATE BASED ON HOW HEMUCH TY SPENT LAST YEAR.IN

DIGENT CARE. >> SO E YOU ARSAYING YOU WOULD

NEED THE ENTIRE EIGHT T?PERCEN >> YES SIR, I AM.CO MMISSIONER, I'M REALLY TO INTERRUPT YOU.IF YOU WOULD ASKED MR. RAMOS TO HO W MUCH INDICATED ARE EDPROVID

LAST YEAR? I >>'LL GET WITH YOU ON THAT

ONE. >> I WILOUL TELL Y THE ANSWER

>> E WAS CLOSTO $1 BILLION. MR. (NAME), YOU UPBROUGHT AND H HILIGHTED THE PROBLEM I THINK YOU DID THIS LAST YEAR AS WELL, B SEWAGEACKING UP INTO WAITING ROOMS TAOR HOSPIL

FACILITIES? Y >>ES SIR.

>> HOW MUCH DOES IT COST THAT?X

>> WE HAVE ERSPENT OV $50 MILLION COSO FAR, MMISSIONER.

THIS 0 MILLION TO SOLVE PROBLEM?

SP>> BOTH HOITALS WE ANTICIPATES NEXT ERNIBLE) OVER THE FIVE YEARS. JUST TO KEEP THEM IS

(INDCERNIBLE).OU >> YR EXAMPLE WAS VERY SPECIFIC. MY QUESTION ECIS VERY SPIFIC -- WHAT KEDOES IT TA TO FIX THE SEWAGE BACKING UP INTO HOTHE

SPITAL?IN >> (DISCERNIBLE).

THE PROBLEM IS WE CAN REPLACE SE THE WER LINES.

THE ARHOSPITALS E FALLING T. APAR G

>> IET THAT. BUT OBVIOUSLY, SITUATION ADYOU WANT TO DRESS. YES SIR.

WE ARE. >> WAYOU DON'T NT THAT TO CONTINUE.ST I'M JU CURIOUS WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO FIX THAT ARONE PARTICUL PROBLEM?ES

[01:35:04]

>> HONTLY, , COMMISSIONERI DO NOT WANT TO OVERSIMPLIFY THIS.NE IT'S O OF ALTHOSE LACRIM IO SITUATNS.P WE KEETHE SEWER ISSUE IN ONE PLACE, IT RAISESEA ITS UGLY HD SOMEWHERE THELSE. E FACT OF THE ATMATTER IS TH E WE HAVA BUILDING THAT IS VERY NEAR UITS END OF ITSSEFUL LIFE. WE CAN KEEP Y POURING MONEINTO THAT HOSPITAL LIKE THEY HAVE THIS LAST WEYEAR, BECAUSE HAD TOEPLACING BASICALLY ALL PLOF THE UMBING , THROUGH RN (INDISCEIBLE) HOT AND STEAM ERBECAUSE THEY WE BREAKING UP.

AT THE END SOF THE DAY, WETILL HAVE A BUILDING THAT IS S 40 YEAROLD AND WAS BUILT BASED ON RAENGINEERING PAMETERS THAT

ARE NO LONGER MEET CODE.DO >> SO YOU N'T HAVE A PRCAPITAL IMOVEMENT OWPROGRAM COMING DN THE E PIKE?

>> WDO. WE DO.RIGHT NOW, ER COMMISSION, THE DGCURRENT BUET -- THAT'S WHAT I I WAS REFERENCING. LISTENING TRTO THE FLOOD CONOL N PRESENTATI, WHEN THEY G ARE TALKINABOUT DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.NS WHAT HAPPE, COMMISSIONER, HRIS THAT CONICALLY, HEAS HARRIS ENDS UP NOT GETTING THE FUNDING THAT IT NEEDS, SOMETHING UNHAS TO GIVE.

FORTUNATELY OVER THE ARLAST FEW YES, THERE INHAS BEEN VESTMENTS IN OUR BUILDINGS THAT HAVE E.NOT KEPT UP-TO-DAT OVER THE LAST COUPLE VEYEARS, W HA MORE THAN MODOUBLED THE NEY THAT NGWE HAVE BEEN PUTTI INTO OUR BUILDINGS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT. NDLIKE I SAID, YOU A I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION AS SIWELL, COMMISONER N'RAMSEY.

I DOT WANT TO ROSAY WE ARE THWING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, NO H MATTER HOW MUCWE POINT DITO THESE BUILNGS, WE ARE STILL GOING TO ARE ARBASICALLY FALLING APT. THANK YOU.T.

>> YES SIR. R.THANK YOU.

>> D (NAME), QUJUST A COUPLE ESTIONS MR. RAMOS AS WELL. I HAVE ONTWO QUESTIONS.

THIS NEPOINT THAT COMMISSIOR NG RAMSEY WAS BRIING UP, COULD YOU CLARIFY FOR MEES WHAT CIP DO GOERS ALL OF IT CIP? DR. OURSLER TALKED ABOUT THE PATIENTS HE WOULD AYHAVE TO TUR AW -- THE COLONOSCOPIES, THE SY DIALYSIS, ETC. PCHIATRIC CARE. HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE .SEWER BACKING UP AND HE MADE A POINT OF THE DI FLOOD CONTROL STRICT.G WE ARE BUILDINTHE FLOOD W CONTROL DISTRICTITH IBSOME (INDISCERNLE) IBMONEY (INDISCERNLE). IS THAT A SIMILAR SITUATION WITH HARRIS LLHEALTH? OR ARE A ELTHESE BUILDING-RATED P THINGS IN THE CIBUCKET NOT RELEVANT TO THIS

CONVERSATION? >> D I'M NEW TO THIS ONE ANITLE FAMILIAR WH THE CTHOSPITAL DISTRI.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN DEBT RATE. DISCUSSION ABOUT OUR BOND, THEY WOULD BTCALCULAT THEIR DE W RATE.

WE DON'T SHOANY OF THE CIP.E WE JUST LOOK AT THDEBT THAT THEY HAVE TODAY. DIVIDED BY THE ASSESSABLE BASE TO GET TO T THEIR DEBT RATE. NOEXACTLY SURE WHAT THEIR

POLICY IS ION BORROWING -- >> THINK MAYBE THE QUESTIONON FOR DR. MARCELLA VN HARTING IS DISSY OF THE AIDEBT AUTHORIT AVLABLE THAT OCOULD ADDRESS SOMEF THESE MAINTENANCE ISSUES? OR IS HE HAVING TO RELY ON ET (INDISCERNIBLE) BUDG? CLEARLY IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT GOING OUT (INDISCERNIBLE).

COMFORT ZONE HERE.T OF MY I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY DEBT PUAUTHORITY RIGHT NOW. RPOSE NEXT YEAR OF GOING AFTER THE BONDY,REFERENDUM, PARTIALL THIS ADDRESSING THAT E TALK IS BEEN ABOUT TWO LAAND HALF BILLION DOLRS SPFOR REPLACING OUR HOITALS, STARTING WITH LBJ HOSPITAL.

AS OF RIGHT NOW, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY --WHAT YOU

CALL IT, DEBT CAPACITY. >> SO IF YOU GUYS COULD CIRCLE BACK WITH ME ON EQUITY IRRESPECTIVE OF THE NDANSWER, OBVIOUSLY IN A OF ITSELF, THE IC COLONOSCOPY, PSYCHIATR CARE ETC., T ETC. IS CONCERNING. BUI WOULD LIKE TO E UNDERSTAND IF THEY ARONIN A TIGHT OF A POSITI MNAS WE ARE? BECAUSE OUR L RATE HAS BEEN CUT SO MUCH THAT OUR SPACE FOR DEBT SERVICE SCENARIO.S MY SECOND QUESTION GOE).TO THE (INDISCERNIBLE IT'S BUILDING UP ABOUT COMMISSIONER GARCIA WAS ASKING. SO THE VA OURS .18 ) -- .18 (INDISCERNIBLETHAT'S WHAT DOCTOR PORTIA AND THE BOARD'S

ASKING FOR, CORRECTLY. >> CORRECT.

>> MR. RAMOS PROPOSED -- ALONG WITH THE OTHER TWOPROPOSALS, THIS IS A GEHYPOTHETICAL THAT THOSE T ADOPTED.

[01:40:11]

OVERALL?DY >> LET ME USE MY HANDY-DAN CALCULATOR HERE. THE HIGHEST WOULD BE .17727TH.

THAT WOULD GENERATE FOR E HOSPITAL E DISTRICT 990 MILLION.

IF WWERE TO DO THE PROPOSED RATE FOR HARRIS COUNTY VA ARE T FOR FLOOD CONTROL, THE POR RATE, AND THAT .177 NUMBER 47727 FOUR HARRIS HEALTH, THAT WOULD MAKE THE TAX RATE EVEN

WITH LAST AYEAR'S. >> SO IT WOULDN'T BE CUT?

>> IT WOULDN'T BE A CUT. ANYTHING BELOW .17727

WOULD BE >> OVERVIEW DUDE .7726 OR .7721, THAT WOULD BE A TAX RATEX CUT.

>> AND JUST FOR CONTT, AT .17 IT WOULD BE A 1.2 PERCENT OVERALL TAX RATE CUT. IF THE RATE WERE HELD FLAT -- JUST TO BE CLEAR, OMB HAS NOT RECOMMENDED RRA TAX RATE.

WE WORK WITH DR. O SAID TO MAKE SURE WE WERE ON THE SAME PAGE IN TERMS OF THE INFORMATION.

WE HAVE NOT MADE A RECOMMENDATION ON WHAT THE RATES SHOULD BE. YEAR'S RATE, WHICH WAS ON THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS SIDE, .160 -- IT WOULD BE D (INDISCERNIBLE) OVERALL PROPOSS FOR ..17 EVEN?

>> CORRECT. >> I SUGGEST THAT THE HEARING AT 3:00, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY EXPLAINED, YOU KNOW, A VERY CLEAR PREFERENCE, COMMISSIONER GARCIA EXPLAINED A CLEAR PREFERENCE, PERHAPS WE COULD TAKE THE NEXT HOUR, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY WANTED TO SEE ABOUT. I THINK I WANTED TO AS WELL. SEE WHAT YOU CAN WORK ON BASED ON THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE SHARED AND WE COULD RETURN AT 4:00 AND SEEWHERE WE'RE AT IF THAT WORKS FOR

FOLKS. >> SOUND GOODS.

>> SO COMMISSIONERS WE'RE TAKING A BREAK AT 3:00 P.M.

YES, COMMISSIONER CAGLE. >> BEFORE WE TAKE A BREAK I HAD A SIMPLE FOLLOW-UP YES IN THE PRIOR ONE BACK DISCUSSION OF MR. BARRY AND MR. RAMOS, IT IS RELEVANT SOMEWHAT TO THE DISCUSSION OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE HEARING. MR. BARRY, MR. RAM YOWS DID Y'ALL MEET WITH THE COP STABLES TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE WHERE A POTENTIAL RESOLUTION COULD OCCUR?

>> WE DID HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH CONSTABLES

KEEFE AND HARMON, CORRECT. >> DID YOU COME TO A PLACE WHERE PERHAPS SOMETHING COULD BE WORKED OUT AMICABLY WITHOUT HAVING IF GO THROUGH THE BOARDS?

>> I THINK WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT WE WERE NOT IN A POSITION TO HAVE OFFERED A SETTLEMENT BARRING DIRECTION

FROM THIS COURT. >> OKAY. BUT DID YOU GET THE IMPRESSION THERE WERE AMENABLE TO RESOLVING THIS IN A WAY WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH COURT?

>> I THINK THAT'S A STRONG DESIRE FROM ALL PARTIES TO

GET THIS RESOLVED. >> OKAY. SO DEPENDING UPON WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS NEXT HEARING THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO GO INTO THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE NO MATTER WHAT THE RESOLUTION OF THAT IS SOMETHING COULD BE WORKED OUT BECAUSE THE TWO CONSTABLES WE ARE AWARE OF ARE AMENABLE TO JUST SAYING, HEY, THAT IS WHEN WE'D LIKE TO SEE, IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT?

>> I THINK IT WOULD CERTAINLY DEPEND ON THE NATURE OF WHAT'S NEGOTIATED. WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM A MAJORITY OF THIS COURT IS NOT WANTING TO SET A PRECEDENT BASED ON THIS KIND OF COMPLAINT. I WOULD SAY GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY ARE PROBABLY IS A DISCUSSION TO BE HAD, BUT I DON'T WANT TO OVERSTEP, YOU KNOW, WHAT WARY A AUTHORIZED TO NEGOTIATE HERE.

>> WOW. I'LL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT ANSWER WAS BUT BASICALLY I THINK WE CAN GET OUT OF THIS A WHOLE LOT CHEAPER WORKING WITH THE COP STABLES THAN WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND ON LEGAL FEE, WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

[01:45:02]

>> THANK YOU. IT'S 3:03.

[02:20:46]

.7253. >> YOU FORGOT THE ONE.

[02:20:46]

>> .1 7253. FOR THE RESULTS IN A TOTAL TAX

[02:20:53]

[02:21:07]

[02:21:12]

[02:21:19]

[02:21:30]

>> CAN WE DO ONE A TIME? >> MOTION ONE IS RELATED TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. MOTION TO IS THE ADOPTION.

NORMALLY WE DO THAT IN SEPARATE MEETINGS.

IT'S JUST BOTH, THE REASON WE HAVE IT SET UP THIS WAY IS WERE GOING TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 13TH MUTELY FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING WE WOULD HAVE THE ADOPTION

MEETING. >> GOT YOU.

I WILL READ MOTION, THE SECOND MOTION.

JULY 2 THE FIRST MOTION? >> OKAY.

I WAS REALLY TRYING TO LET MY COLLEAGUES.

>> ALL RIGHT. SO THE SECOND MOTION IS TO WELL, JACK, DO YOU WANT TO SECOND THE FIRST MOTION? WE CAN'T HEAR YOU. YOU'RE MUTED.

>> I WILL PASS RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU.

>> OKAY. SECOND MOTION.

TO SET A MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2022 TO ADOPT THE FOLLOWING 2022 TAX RATES. FOR HARRIS COUNTY, THE RATE OF .317624 MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.

THE RATE OF .042734 DEBT SERVICE.

FOR TOTAL TAX RATE OF.36035. FOR THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, THE RATE OF .02463 4 MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS. THE RATE OF .01013 PER DEBT SERVICE. FOR A TOTAL TAX RATE OF POINT 03476. FOR THE HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT. THE RATE OF .1714 MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS. THE RATE OF .001534 DEBT SERVICE. FOR TOTAL TAX RATE OF.17253.

FOR THE PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY.

DEBT SERVICE RATE OF .00744 WHICH RATE, ALL HARRIS COUNTY ENTITIES PRODUCES.7508.

>> SECOND. >> WHICH OF THE SUBSEQUENT

MOTIONS? >> I CAN READ THEM.

THOSE 2 WERE UNDER ITEM 2. THEN ITEM ONE THE FOLLOWING 2 MOTIONS. THE MOTION TO SET A MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2022 TO ADOPT A BUDGET FOR THE 2023 FISCAL YEAR. THE MOTION TO DIRECT THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET TO DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE BUDGET FOR THE 2023 FISCAL YEAR FUNDED UNDER UNKNOWN NEW TEMP OF NEW TAX RATE. FOR POSSIBLE ADOPTION OF THE SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 MEETING OF COMMISSIONERS".

>> SO MOVED. >> SECOND BY COMMISSIONER TOSH.

FOR MOTIONS ON THE TABLE. MOTIONS WANTED TO UNDER 2. 3 AND 4 UNDER ITEM 1. ALL 4 MOTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS.

ANY FURTHER COMMENT? >> WE GET ALL THE NUMBERS RIGHT? THESE OLD EYES DON'T SEE VERY

WELL. >> I WENT BACK AND COME WITH

THEM. >> OKAY.

DELIVER MOTION, MOTIONS AND SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR?

>> I. >> ANY OPPOSED?

>> NO. COMMISSIONER CAGLE YOU DIDN'T

COME THROUGH. >> I AM UNKNOWN.

[02:25:07]

>> I AM IN FAVOR. IT CARRIES 3 ? ? 2. CAN YOU CLARIFY WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT INCREASE WOULD.

INCREASED 3 PERCENT ON LESTER AND NOW THERE'S 2 PERCENT WHICH WOULD TURN IDEALLY 4.25.AS OUT MY UNDERSTANDING?

>> FOR A TOTAL OF 7.25. >> I DID HAVE A CLARIFICATION

QUESTION COULD. >> GO AHEAD COMMISSIONER.

I SAY NO ON WANTED TO. THE QUESTION IS ON 3, IS NOT TO ADOPT THE BUDGET THAT IS BEEN PROPOSED TODAY? PRESENT SOME GENERIC BUDGET THAT IS NOT YET BEEN WORKED ON?

>> AS GENERICS. THERE'S NOTHING FINDING ABOUT

THE VOTE FOR THIS BUDGET. >> OKAY.

ITEM 4, JUST THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PREPARE A BUDGET EITHER FOR WHICHEVER RATE THAT GETS APPROVED WITH THE ALTERNATIVE BEING THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT. >> OKAY.

I'M GOING TO BE A NO ON 3 AS WELL.

I WILL ALSO BE A NO ON 4. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> YES COMMISSIONER? >> ONE EARLIER.

[INAUDIBLE] >> I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE.

>> I WANT TO RAISE THE POINT THAT MOST PROGRAM SO FAR WE HAVE FUNDED THEM WITH ARPA MONEY.

>> IT'S BEEN A MIX OF BOTH. THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL GENERAL FUND INVESTMENT AND BALANCE INTERRUPTION.

>> ONE WAY TO DO THIS BECAUSE THE LAW PASSED.

ONCE IT GOES INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT IT COULD NEVER COME OUT. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU WON'T, I'M CONVINCED THAT WERE GOING TO MAKE HEADWAY AT SOME POINT.

IT WOULD BE EASIER FOR ME TO SUPPORT IT.

IF YOU GET ONE OF THESE OTHERS I WOULD BE HERE REGARDLESS.

I WOULD HOPE. IF NOT I WOULD GET THE ARPA

MONEY TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS, IF I COULD SAY THIS. MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT OUR COUNTY IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW.

AS MUCH AS WE TRYING TO MAKE ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMMING, LAW ENFORCEMENT REGRETTABLY WILL STILL BE PUT ON THE FOREFRONT OF MANY THINGS THAT SHOULD BE HANDLED DIFFERENTLY.

AND SO, I DON'T SEE IT AS BEING CONCERNED ABOUT NOT EVER BEING ABLE TO BE TAKING THE FUNDING AWAY.

I THINK IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE RATE OF INFLATION.

I DO BELIEVE WE WILL MAKE HEADWAY BUT, THE CHALLENGES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL REMAIN. I'VE READ OVER BIOGRAPHY AND WAS TALKING ABOUT IT JUST THIS MORNING.

THEN POLICE CHIEF BROWN AND WHERE I'D LIKE TO SEE US GET BACK TO HIS NEIGHBORHOOD ORIENTED POLICING.

BUT, YOU CANNOT FIND NEIGHBORHOOD ORIENTED POLICING WITHOUT MAKING SURE YOUR FUNDING ALL OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PRACTICES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AS WELL.

YOU GOTTA HAVE CONTROL IN INVESTIGATORS YOU GOTTA HAVE THOSE DETENTION OFFICERS. THAT WAS THE CHALLENGE, IN FACT A LITTLE WHILE AGO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT IN HOUSTON AT ONE TIME HAD A 3.3 RESIDENT PER, I THINK IT'S PER 100,000 RESIDENTS. ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE NATION. WE HAVE FALLEN.

BECAUSE, NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT HIRED BUT, BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH OF THE POPULATION HAS GROWN FASTER THAN WE CAN HIRE.

I SAY ALL GOT TO SAY THAT I WOULD NOT LOOK AT THIS AS NEVER BEING ABLE TO TAKE IT AWAY. I WOULD MAKE US THINK ABOUT THE

[02:30:04]

SO I THINK WERE JUST CATCHING UP WITH THINGS.

BUT, I ABSOLUTELY DO BELIEVE THAT WE OUGHT TO FUND OTHER PROGRAMMING TO HOPEFULLY IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE NOT HAVE TO RELY SO HEAVILY ON LAW ENFORCEMENT.

>> FOR ME AT LEAST IS SUPPORTED CHALLENGES WHEN 64 PERCENT OF THE BUDGET GENERAL FUND BUDGET, GOES INTO JUST STOMACH JUSTICE AND SAFETY. THE OVERALL PICTURE.

THERE'S A RELUCTANCE TO TALK ABOUT EFFICIENCY MEASURES.

I THINK SOMETHING'S WRONG WHEN YOU LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE THE ONE I'M BLESSED TO LIVING THE GOVERNMENT IZES EIGHBORHOOD ?. IF YOU LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE THE ONE I CAME OUT OF THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN.

PRIOR TO COMING HERE, OUR NEW LEADERSHIP HERE THAT WAS NO INTEREST IN THESE OTHER PROGRAMS. WE COULD RENT ON THE LIST OF THINGS THAT OTHER GREAT COUNTIES AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE INVESTED IN HISTORICALLY.

PRIMARILY OUTSIDE OF TEXAS. BUT, HAVE INVESTED IN HISTORICALLY WHICH WE HAVE NOT DONE.

THAT BECOMES PART OF THE CHALLENGE.

IF YOU GET TO THE ISSUE OF TALKING ABOUT EFFICIENCY, THAT'S USUALLY DISCUSSION THAT JUMPS OFF THE TABLE OR WHEN YOU HAVE ONE CONSTABLE AS EXAMPLE REPRESENTING A MILLION PEOPLE.

SOMEBODY ELSE REPRESENTING A MUCH SMALLER AMOUNT.

UNDER THAT LAW HOW DO ISSUES COME UP EVEN A COURT CHALLENGE.

AN EGO TO DO REDISTRICTING WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE BUDGET? SO THE CHALLENGES ONLY IN TEXAS TO MY KNOWLEDGE HAS A LAW PASSED LIKE THAT. I KNOW IT MAKES GOOD LEGAL FATHER AND IT'S GOOD TALKING POINT SUBLEASE CAMPAIGN.THE REALITY IS WHAT HAS GONE INTO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE SINCE YOU BEEN HERE CHERIF?

THEN WHEN YOU WERE CHERIF. >> EL.

SO THAT'S THE CHALLENGE. FOR ME, THAT'S WHY WAS LAYING BACK AND BE HONEST WITH YOU I WAS INCLINED JUST P AND V. IF YOU WANT TO FORCE A VOTE ON IT AND SEE IF OTHER FOLKS WILL TALK A LOT ABOUT IT. SEE WHERE THE SUPPORT WILL COME FROM. AT LEAST FOR ME, I CANNOT WAIT ANY LONGER BEFORE SOME INVESTMENTS ARE MADE IN THOSE OTHER THINGS. I'M BLESSED TO LIVE WHERE HE LIVED NOW. BUT, VERY SENSITIVE AND COGNIZANT OF WHERE I CAME FROM. I KNOW YOU ARE AS WELL.

>> WITHOUT A DOUBT. THE ONLY SAY THAT HAVING GROWN UP IN A COMMUNITY WHERE I LOST A LOT OF CHILDHOOD FRIENDS TO INHALANTS. TO VIOLENCE.I DIDN'T HAVE TO BECOME A POLICEMAN TO KNOW WHAT A KNIFE OR GUN COULD DO TO A BODY. I SAW IT.

I GOT A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT HAD A LOT OF PROMISE BUT, NO TERMINAL HISTORIES HAVE COMPLICATED THEM.

AS A SHERIFF I'M PROUD THAT THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT I INITIATED THAT SHERIFF GONZALES HAS BUILT ON.

AND GROWN LIKE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION AND, WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO. I'M PROUD THAT WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE ONE OF THE MAJOR INVESTMENTS THAT I WAS PROUD TO MAKE A MOTION ON HAVE TO DO WITH PUBLIC HEALTH.

BECAUSE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, LIKE THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT NEVER REALLY GOT GENERAL FUNDING AND WERE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED TO GO AFTER MORE RESTRICTIVE.

YOU COULDN'T REALLY BE CREATIVE AS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT WITH RESTRICTED FUNDING THAT COMES FROM GROUNDS.

THOUGH I HAD AN ISSUE WITH HOW DOCTOR SHAH MAY HAVE MANAGED.

IT NEEDED AN INFUSION OF CASH. I THINK OVER MY FIRST 2 YEARS WE COLLECTIVELY COMMITTED I THINK 13 MILLION NEW DOLLARS,

[02:35:04]

SO, I LOOK AT THIS VERY COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT WE DO NEED TO GROW OTHER RESOURCES AND I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING

WITH YOU ON THAT. >> AS YOU KNOW WE MENTIONED EARLIER BUT THE 14 AND 15 OVER LAST FEW YEARS.

THAT WE WOULD'VE HAD BUT IT DIDN'T WORK OUT THAT WAY.

THERE'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE AT LEAST IN MY YEARS OF GOVERNMENT. I HEAR PEOPLE SAY WELL WE CAN AFFORD TO INVEST IN SOME OF THOSE ALTERNATIVE THINGS NOW BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY. THEN WHEN THE ECONOMY WAS GOING GREAT THEN THEY'D SAY, WELL WE NEED TO GET REELECTED SO WE WANT TO GO GIVE SOMEBODY BACK. IT WOULD BE LIKE THOSE OTHER PROGRAMS ARE ALWAYS AT THE BACK OF THE BUS DURING THE BEST OF TIMES AND DURING THE WORST OF TIMES.

THAT'S WHY AT LEAST FOR ME, I'D HAVE TO HAVE SOME EQUITY IN TERMS OF ALTERNATIVES TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL 20 MILLION ON TOP OF WHAT ELSE HAS BEEN. CARL IS ON HOW I VOTE ON THAT I

WILL BE HERE. >> ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD?

>> NO MA'AM. ASK COMMISSIONER?

>> YOUR MIKE JUDGE. >> I'M JUST CHECKING IF THERE'S ANYTHING TO ADD TO A COUNTY ATTORNEY?

>> JUDGE I WAS GOING TO ASK. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO COUNT ON YOU ON THE 13TH?

>> I WAS CLEAR ON WHAT I EXPECTED IN THE BUDGET AND I WILL NEED SOME CLEAR ASSURANCES OF WHAT MY EXPECTATIONS ARE AND

THUS FAR I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT. >> A VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU. SO IF WE HAVE A NO NEW REVENUE

YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS RIGHT? >> YES.

I'M PRETTY GOOD AT MATH. >> YOU KNOW THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT, PAY RAISE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT WOULD ALL PROBABLY GETS REALLY IMPACTED. YOUR CRAFT INFRASTRUCTURE, ENGINEERING WOULD, NO PUN INTENDED, GO DOWN THE DRAIN.

>> I BEEN REAL CLEAR. >> I KNOW YOU BEEN CLEAR.

>> TALKED ABOUT $100 MILLION. I DIDN'T TOUCH ANY MILLION OF IT. I SIMPLY SAID THE 20.

I GAVE VERY CLEAR EXPECTATIONS ON WHERE THE 20 WOULD GO.

NOW, THE 20 'S PAY RAISES FOR 10 AND I SAID AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED PRECINCTS CONSTABLES WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE CONSIDERING THE ISSUES WE'VE GOT WITHIN THE PRECINCT.

THAT WAS MY CLARITY. I ALSO HEARD FROM MR. ELLIS JUST NOW IN TERMS OF HIS EXPECTATIONS.

THE BUDGET OFFICE WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADDRESS

EXPECTATIONS. >> VERY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. THIS IS WITH A NO NEW REVENUE RATE WILL MEAN FOR CITIZENS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY. THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE YOU ASKED IF I HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?

>> YES, BEFORE WE ADJOURN. >> MY SIMPLE QUESTION IS WHY MUST WE ALWAYS DALLY WITH THE. ECONOMY? WE DON'T RAISE THE TAXES ON THE PUBLIC THEN WE MUST TAKE IT AWAY FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE CAN GIVE THE PAY RAISES, WE CAN EQUALIZE THE PAY OF OUR OFFICERS.E CAN ADD TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE A PAY RAISE.

I MEAN A TAX INCREASE. IT'S A FALSE DICHOTOMY.

THAT IS MY QUESTION. I WILL AWAIT ON THE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION OF, WILL I BE THERE? I HAVE BEEN AT EVERY COMMISSIONERS BOARD EXCEPT FOR ONE THAT OCCURRED SOMETIME YEARS AGO OR SO. SECOND 13 YEARS AGO.

MY EVERY EXPECTATION IS THAT SOMETHING PERHAPS CAN BE WORKED OUT FOR I WILL BE THERE. I DO NOT KNOW UNTIL THAT DAY AND I AWAIT TO HEAR FROM OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR AND FROM OTHERS TO SEE WHERE WE CAN GO. DON'T BLOW SMOKE ON A FALSE DICHOTOMY OF HOW WE MUST RAISE PUBLIC TAXES IN ORDER TO ADEQUATELY TAKE CARE OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> JUDGE, THAT'S NOT THE POINT.

I'M SEEN WITH NO NEW REVENUE RATE, MR. RAMOS IS IT A FALSE

[02:40:01]

>> I WOULD NOT BE RECOMMENDING THOSE INCREASES THE NO NEW

REVENUE RATE. >> SO IT'S NOT A FALSE

DICHOTOMY. >> IF I MAY, AGAIN COMMISSIONER CAGLE, I ASKED EARLIER WHAT TO THIS COURT DO 10 YEARS PRIOR TO JUDGE HILL DRAGO AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA JOINING? I KNOW YOU WERE HERE. I WAS HERE FOR 2 OF THOSE YEARS. WAS IT YOUR IMPRESSION, THE DECADE BEFORE THEY CAME HERE AT THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT LEFT THE TAX RATE WHERE IT WAS. BUT BENEFITED THE INCREASE IN

PROPERTY VALUES OR NOT? >> THIS COURT HAS LED IN THE ACT THAT HAVE CAUSED US TO HAVE A NO NEW REVENUE RATE FOR A

WHILE. >> THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS ASKING. I ASKED EARLIER IF THIS COURT LEFT THE TAX RATE WHERE IT WAS ABOUT NO INCREASE FOR THE PREVIOUS 10 YEARS BEFORE I GOT HERE.

WHICH OBVIOUSLY LED TO ADDITIONAL REVENUE COMING IN.

THE BUDGET OFFICE TOLD ME YES. YES FOR AT LEAST A DECADE.

>> IN THE HARVEY ENVIRONMENT, AND THE PRE-PANDEMIC ENVIRONMENT. THAT WOULD BE A CORRECT STATEMENT. THEY LOVE THE TAX RATE TO

ROLLOVER NOT MODIFY IT. >> MAYBE 10 OR 20 YEARS.

>> THE TAX RATE WAS REDUCED. SHORTLY AFTER YVETTE WAS HERE SO THAT'S NOT COMPLETELY TRUE STATEMENT.

OTHER WHEN IT WAS REDUCED WITH REGARDS TO JUDGE EMMETT.

WHEN HE WAS IN OFFICE. AND A PRE-HARVEY, PRE-PANDEMIC WORLD THAT THE TAX RATE WAS GOING TO BE LEFT THE SCENE.

>> OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAVE THAT RIGHT. OTHER THAN ONE GO-ROUND MAY BE 20 YEARS PRIOR TO ME COMING HERE AT LEAST THEY ONLY REDUCED

AT ONE TIME? >> THAT WOULD NOT BE TRUE EITHER. COMMISSIONER REDDICK LED ANOTHER TIME WHERE THERE WAS A TAX REDUCTION.

>> HOSPITAL DISTRICT DOING THE RIGHT I WAS IN AUSTIN.

I THINK THAT WAS ONLY THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT.

THANK YOU. >> JUDGE I WANT TO CORRECT THE RECORD. THE ASSUMING WE WERE TO PASS THE TAX RATES THAT I'VE READ INTO MOTION, IT IS A TAX DECREASE THAT WOULD BE PASSED IF WE WERE TO HAVE THAT APPROVED. NO TAX INCREASE AS COMMISSIONER CAGLE MENTIONED. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR. THANK YOU.

>> OKAY. 6:22. THANK YOU EVERYONE.

THE

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.