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[00:00:05]

THANK YOU, MARY NELL, FOR COMING TO SAY OUR INVITATION.

[INVOCATION]

SO JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO PASS THE MICROPHONE TO OUR MODERATOR FOR PUBLIC ADDRESS, MS.

[PUBLIC ADDRESS]

STEPHANIE COGGINS.

OR TURN IT ON. IT IS WHAT IT IS NOW.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

YOUR INPUT AND YOUR OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO US AND WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE TO SHARE THEM.

AT EACH POSTED MEETING, WE INVITE OUR FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL REGARDING POSTED AGENDA ITEMS. EVERY SPEAKER HAS 3 MINUTES TO ADDRESS COUNCIL.

AT THE END OF TWO AND ONE HALF MINUTES, YOU WILL HEAR A WARNING BEEP ALERTING YOU TO WRAP UP YOUR THOUGHTS.

AND WE ASK YOU STAY WITHIN YOUR 3 MINUTES ALLOTTED.

SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO ITEMS ON OUR POSTED AGENDA TODAY.

WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE AGENDA, SO IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU SPEAK EITHER DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING OR DURING PUBLIC ADDRESS, BUT NOT BOTH.

TO HELP US KEEP ACCURATE RECORDS OF THE MEETING, IT'S YOUR DECISION AT WHICH TIME YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK.

WHEN YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIVE IN THE AMARILLO CITY LIMITS AND IF YOU'RE SPEAKING ON FOR OR AGAINST THE AGENDA ITEMS. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

WE HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC ADDRESS AND THAT IS DAN NORTH.

AND NOT SEEING MR. NORTH IN THE ROOM MAYOR THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC ADDRESS.

THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON THEN TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING OUR TAX RATE.

[1. PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX INCREASE]

MR. CITY MANAGER DO WE? MAYOR WE'VE GOT A VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION AND THEN WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.

WE HAVE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER LAURA STORRS.

LAURA. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

THIS IS WORKING. YES, IT IS.

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING.

SO WE HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION HERE REGARDING THIS PUBLIC HEARING.

IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SAW TWO DAYS AGO.

IT'S JUST SCALED BACK A LITTLE BIT BASED ON THE VOTE THAT WAS CONDUCTED ON TUESDAY OF THIS WEEK.

AS A REMINDER, WHAT IS POSTED ON THE AGENDA AND WAS ALSO POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AND IN THE NEWSPAPERS, WAS ALL RELATED TO THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE THAT WAS SET BACK ON AUGUST 2ND.

SINCE THEN, COUNCIL HAS TAKEN A VOTE TO CHANGE THE RATE SLIGHTLY FROM THAT.

AND SO THE INFORMATION I'M PRESENTING TODAY IS BASED ON THE VOTE THAT WAS CONDUCTED ON TUESDAY, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD WHY THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WAS POSTED AND WHAT WE'RE GOING OVER NOW.

SO ON THIS FIRST SLIDE, THIS IS JUST THE BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT SENATE BILL TWO IN THE TIMING CHANGES AND THE LIMIT ON THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATING SIDE OF THE RATE THAT IT CANNOT GO OVER THREE AND ONE HALF PERCENT WITH OUT GOING TO AN ELECTION.

THIS NEXT SLIDE HERE LOOKS SPECIFICALLY AT THAT OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE PART OF THE RATE.

THIS IS THE ONE THAT IS HEAVILY THIS PART IS HEAVILY REGULATED BY STATE LAW AND CAN ONLY GO UP THREE AND A HALF PERCENT FROM A REVENUE STANDPOINT FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.

AGAIN, THIS YEAR, IT IS A UNIQUE SITUATION.

YOU WILL SEE OUR CURRENT APPROVED RATE IS A LITTLE OVER $0.36 FOR OPERATIONS IN MAINTENANCE AND WE ARE HAVING TO BRING IT DOWN TO JUST BARELY OVER $0.33 FOR THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE PIECE OF THE RATE.

AND THAT STILL PRODUCES US MORE TAX REVENUE THAN THE PRIOR YEAR BY ABOUT 750,000.

BUT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND WITH HOW MUCH WE'RE SEEING FROM AN INFLATIONARY STANDPOINT, JUST ON FUEL AND UTILITIES ALONE,

[00:05:07]

WE ARE SEEING INCREASES CLOSE TO $2 MILLION IN THOSE CATEGORIES ALONE, JUST IN OUR GENERAL FUND OPERATIONS.

SO THIS SLIDE HERE OUTLINES THE RATE THAT WAS VOTED ON DURING FIRST READING OF THE PROPERTY TAX ORDINANCE, THIS ON TUESDAY THIS WEEK. SO THE CURRENT TOTAL TAX RATE FOR 2021 IS 44.334 CENTS.

WHAT WAS VOTED ON? AND IT SAYS OPTION TWO, WE HAD GIVEN A COUPLE OF OPTIONS ON TUESDAY.

COUNCIL VOTED ON A RATE OF 40.628 CENTS AND WHAT A RATE AT THAT LEVEL PRODUCES FOR US OUR CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS IN OUR GENERAL FUND, ALONG WITH SOME ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES, SOME ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS, A NEW FIRE STATION, AND THE FIREFIGHTERS TO STAFF THAT STATION ALONG WITH A NEW FIRE DISTRICT CHIEF.

WE ALSO HAVE CONTINUED PARK MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENTS FUNDING THAT WAS ACHIEVED IN THE CURRENT YEAR PROPERTY TAX RATE.

WE ALSO HAVE FUNDING FOR THE ATHLETIC FIELD LIGHTING PROJECT IN THE CITY HALL PROJECT THAT COUNCIL APPROVED IN THE CURRENT YEAR, PLUS MUCH MORE.

THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.

SO ON THE TAX BILL.

THIS IS THE BREAKDOWN AT THIS 40.628 CENT RATE.

THIS IS WHAT WHERE THE CITY OF AMARILLO IS PORTION WOULD BE IN COMPARISON TO THE TOTAL PROPERTY TAX BILL.

AGAIN, EACH ONE OF THE TAXING ENTITIES IS WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

SO WE HAVE THEIR 2021 RATES ON HERE VERSUS THIS 2022 PROPOSED RATE.

AND THIS PUTS THE CITY OF AMARILLO AT ABOUT 16%.

AND AGAIN, THERE IS THERE'S MULTIPLE VERSIONS OF THIS PROPERTY TAX BILL BECAUSE WE HAVE FIVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TWO COUNTIES AND TWO WATER DISTRICTS.

SO DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE IN AMARILLO, THIS MAY LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT IT STAYS VERY CLOSE.

IT'LL STAY CLOSE TO THESE PERCENTAGES.

SO THE CITY OF AMARILLO IS RIGHT AROUND 16% COMPARED TO THE 2021 RATES FOR EACH OF THE OTHER ENTITIES.

AND AGAIN, THOSE WILL BE CHANGING VERY SOON AS THEY ADOPT ALL OF THEIR RATES.

WITH THIS CHANGE IN THE CITY'S RATE, THAT WOULD PRODUCE A TOTAL DECREASE IN THE TAX BILL OF ABOUT ONE AND ONE HALF PERCENT WITHOUT ANYTHING ELSE CHANGING.

SO LOOKING AT A COMPARISON OF THE EIGHT LARGER CITIES THAN US BY POPULATION IN THE EIGHT SMALLER CITIES THAN US IN TEXAS BY POPULATION, THIS PUTS US AT THE SECOND TO LOWEST RATE OF THE 17 CITY COMPARISON.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS COMPARING TO THE 2021 RATES FOR EACH OF THESE CITIES.

THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH IMPROVING THEIR RATES RIGHT NOW.

AND THIS IS THE PROPOSED RATE OF 40.628 CENTS.

YOU'LL SEE THAT MIDLAND IS ON THE FAR RIGHT OF THIS GRAPH AT A LOWER TAX RATE.

BUT THE TOTAL AVERAGE TAX RATE ACROSS ALL THE 17 CITIES OF SIMILAR SIZE, THE AVERAGE IS 56.7 CENTS AND THE CITIES WELL BELOW THAT AT JUST OVER $0.40.

AND THEN THE ORANGE LINE ON THIS GRAPH IS JUST MAPPING OUT THE POPULATION FOR EACH OF THESE CITIES FOR COMPARISON.

SO AS WE INLAY THE TAXABLE VALUES AND POPULATION FIGURES FOR EACH OF THESE SAME 17 CITIES, WHAT THIS GRAPH SHOWS IS THE TAXABLE VALUES FOR 2021 FOR ALL THE OTHER 16 CITIES TIMES THEIR 2021 TAX RATE DIVIDED BY THEIR REPORTED POPULATIONS.

AND THAT GIVES US A PER CAPITA AMOUNT OF TAX REVENUE THAT EACH OF THESE CITIES ARE RECEIVING.

AGAIN, AS A REMINDER, WE'VE GOT OUR 2022 TAXABLE VALUES ON THIS AND OUR 2022 PROPOSED RATE AS WELL.

WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS PUTS US AT THE SECOND LOWEST AT JUST UNDER $335 IN TAX REVENUE PER CAPITA VERSUS THE AVERAGE FOR THE 17 CITIES OF JUST UNDER $498.

AGAIN, THIS GRAPH WILL CHANGE ONCE ALL OF THESE CITIES ADOPT THEIR 2022 RATES.

AND IT WILL ALSO CHANGE AS THEY START REPORTING THEIR 2022 TAXABLE VALUES.

VALUES HAVE GONE UP ACROSS THE STATE, INCLUDING HERE IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

AND SO THAT WILL HAVE A GREAT EFFECT ON THIS GRAPH AS WELL.

AND WE'LL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION AS SOON AS THESE CITIES START REPORTING IT BACK.

SO TALKING ABOUT NEXT STEPS.

SO WE HAD A FIRST READING AND A VOTE ON THE TAX RATE ORDINANCE ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH.

RIGHT NOW, WE ARE ASKING COUNCIL TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING RELATED TO THE TAX RATE.

[00:10:05]

THEN WE WILL HAVE A AND TWO MORE AGENDA ITEMS. WE WILL ASK YOU ALL TO DO A SECOND AND FINAL READING ON THE PROPERTY TAX ORDINANCE AND TAKE THE FINAL VOTE TO APPROVE THE 2022 PROPERTY TAX RATE.

SO THERE'S NO ACTION FROM COUNCIL ON THIS AGENDA ITEM OTHER THAN CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER FOR COUNCIL? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LAURA.

AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE.

ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR ON OR AGAINST AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE MAY HAVE 3 MINUTES TO DO SO.

IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? MR. SCHANKE.

WELL, HERE WE ARE. A SLIGHT INCREASE, SLIGHTLY INCREASED FROM 23%, GOING DOWN TO 2.3% IS NOT SLIGHT.

ANYWAY, HOW CAN YOU VOTE ON, AGAINST ON OR AGAINST AN AGENDA ITEM, SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.

DROPPING IT DOWN TO THE $0.40 AND ALL THE OTHER DISCUSSION.

IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY.

ISN'T IT UP FOR A REDO THEN AND THEN MEET AGAIN? ANYWAY, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK JUST FOR A SECOND ABOUT A WHAT I CONSIDER A DISINGENUOUS VIDEO ABOUT WHAT HAS GONE ON TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WHEN THE CIVIC CENTER WAS VOTED DOWN, 61, 39%, THAT WAS A STOP.

REDO, COME BACK AT IT.

WELL, YOU DID RIGHT AWAY BY TRYING TO MOVE THE BUILDING OVER.

AND THAT CAUSED A LAWSUIT ON CO'S AND A PETITION THAT MADE YOU STOP THAT ONE.

YOU DROPPED THAT TO PUT THAT AWAY.

THEN THERE WAS A TAX INCREASE THAT WAS VOTED DOWN FROM 48 TO THE VOTER APPROVED RATE OF 44, WHICH WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.

AND NOW FROM $0.39.

WAS WHEN THAT HAPPENED, WE SETTLED ON $0.44.

AND THEN ON THE 24TH OF MAY THAT DAY WHEN YOU CAME OUT AND WANTED TO DO TAX ANTICIPATION NOTES FOR THE CIVIC CENTER THAT RESULTED IN A LAWSUIT PETITION AND A LOT OF PUSHBACK.

I REALLY APPRECIATED OF ONE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT ACTUALLY STOOD UP AND SAID NO TO SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

NOW YOU'RE GOING TO $0.40.

AND FOR SOME REASON YOU'RE TAKING THE CREDIT FOR IT.

WHEN I SEE NOTHING BUT THE CITIZENS PUSHING BACK AND YOU ACTUALLY COMING DOWN TO WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE FOUR OF YOU VOTED TO INCREASE IT, FOUR OF YOU VOTED TO PUSH THE CIVIC CENTER.

FOUR OF YOU VOTED FOR THE $0.48 TO INCREASE TO.

SO ONE OTHER THING PLUS, MY PLUS IS MY READING, MY NOTES.

OPEN MEETING, IT'S PUZZLING TO ME AFTER WATCHING AND UNDERSTANDING OPEN MEETINGS, HOW Y'ALL ALL CAME TO THE DAIS.

WITH THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU STARTED THE MEETING OFF WITH WAS THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO $0.40.

THAT WAS NOT EVER DISCUSSED IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC.

THAT WAS DISCUSSED OBVIOUSLY SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE NOBODY WAS IN DISAGREEMENT.

NOBODY HAD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.

IT ONLY LEADS THE CITIZEN TO THINK, DID Y'ALL TALK ABOUT THIS BEFORE AND NOT WITH US, BUT I'M DONE. COMPARISONS, ONE OTHER THING, WE KEEP COMPARING OURSELVES TO OTHER CITIES, WHEN IN FACT THEY SHOULD COMPARE TO US BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY HERE.

I DON'T BELIEVE SOME OF THOSE ARE. THERE CONSTRUCTION AND THINGS IN CERTAIN CITIES, TALK TO THEM.

THEY'RE OUT OF HAND.

THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING IN DEEP DEBT, INCLUDING LUBBOCK.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR ON OR AGAINST ITEM NUMBER ONE? MR. DAWSON. WELL, I GOT TO SAY, IT FEELS KIND OF WEIRD COMING TO A CITY COUNCIL MEETING, HAPPY ABOUT THE TAX RATE THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING.

I'M NOT USED TO THAT.

IN FACT, I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH LAST NIGHT TRYING TO FIND WHEN THE LAST TIME THE CITY OF AMARILLO CUT THE TAX RATE, I BELIEVE IT WAS 2006, AND THAT WAS A MUCH SMALLER

[00:15:02]

CUT THAN WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED NOW.

BUT I DON'T HAVE JUST POSITIVE THINGS TO SAY.

I REALLY I ECHO WHAT VAN SCHANKE SAID, NUMBER ONE IS VIDEO THAT WAS PUT OUT BY YOU, MAYOR.

IT DIDN'T MENTION THE ONE MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL THAT ACTUALLY HAD BEEN PUSHING AGAINST INCLUDING THE CIVIC CENTER ON THE TAX RATE.

I KNOW YOU WEREN'T HERE FOR THAT MEETING WHEN THAT HAPPENED, BUT IT'S ON VIDEO.

THERE'S PUBLIC RECORD OF IT. JUST ABOUT EVERY NEWS ORGANIZATION IN TOWN COVERED IT.

SO THAT WAS JUST A LITTLE DISINGENUOUS.

AND I DON'T KNOW, LOOKING FROM THE OUTSIDE, IT MAKES ONE WONDER IF THE WAY THAT VIDEO IS PRESENTED MIGHT HAVE HAD SOME POLITICAL MOTIVATIONS.

AND THEN ALSO SEEING, I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO COME TO THE MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK, BUT I WATCHED IT LIVE AND I MYSELF, I WAS CAUGHT COMPLETELY OFF GUARD WHEN YOU STARTED BY TALKING ABOUT I'M IN FAVOR OF THE 40 CENT RATE.

THE PUBLIC DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.

AND IT REALLY DOES RAISE QUESTIONS OF WAS THERE SOME KIND OF ROLLING QUORUM.

Y'ALL ARE A LEGISLATIVE BODY.

Y'ALL ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DELIBERATING THESE THINGS IN PUBLIC AND OPEN MEETINGS, BUT TO HAVE IT WERE LIKE I SAID, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME OF THIS, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN I'M FINE WITH THE PROCESS WHERE IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE WASN'T MUCH TRANSPARENCY WITH THAT.

IT JUST, Y'ALL ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE FOR THE PUBLIC, Y'ALL ARE SUPPOSED TO LIBERATE THESE THINGS IN PUBLIC AND TO HAVE IT WHERE ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU ALL ALL SEEM UNIFIED BEHIND THIS NUMBER, THAT'S NOT EVEN ON THE AGENDA AT LAST WEEK'S MEETING.

I'M NOT A HUGE FAN OF THAT.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR ON OR AGAINST AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE? SEEING NO ONE WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO.

[2. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8004]

MR. CITY MANAGER.

ALRIGHT MAYOR, THANK YOU.

WE'VE GOT LAURA STORRS AGAIN TO BRING US WELL, REALLY, JUST TO ANSWER QUESTIONS COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE WE'RE NOT GOING TO REALLY DO AN EXTENSIVE PRESENTATION AS WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE. SO AS WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY DONE IT.

SO YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

SO I'LL JUST FLIP THROUGH THE HIGHLIGHTS JUST REAL QUICK.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET OF $490.8 MILLION.

ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, IT ACHIEVES SEVERAL THINGS THAT I OUTLINED JUST A MINUTE AGO THROUGH THE PROPERTY TAX PRESENTATION AS WELL.

AND ALSO KEEPING IN MIND THAT THE CITY IS HAVING TO COVER THE INCREASED COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH FUEL AND MATERIAL COSTS AND UTILITIES THAT I THINK EVERY HOUSEHOLD AND BUSINESS IS ALSO EXPERIENCING IN THE CITY.

ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THIS, WE HAVE A REVENUE BUDGET PROPOSED AT $455.4 MILLION.

AND THEN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, NEXT STEPS.

THIS ITEM IS THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS THE FIRST READING WAS ON TUESDAY AND VOTED ON BY COUNCIL.

SO THIS ITEM IS THE SECOND AND FINAL READING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET ORDINANCE AND WE'LL TAKE A WE'LL RECORD THE VOTE FOR THAT AND THEN THE NEXT ITEM WILL BE ON PROPERTY TAX.

SO WE HAVE TO APPROVE OUR BUDGET FIRST AND THEN APPROVE OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE AND THEN RATIFY IT.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER RELATED TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET? NO, OK, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ORDINANCE NUMBER 8004? YES, MAYOR, WE DO.

I MOVED TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8004, ADOPTING THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR OCTOBER 1ST, 2022 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023 FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 8004.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ABOUT IT? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

THAT PASSES WITH THE FOUR ZERO VOTE.

[3. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8005]

AGENDA ITEM THREE IS CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 8005.

MR. CITY MANAGER.

ALL RIGHT, MAYOR, JUST LIKE WITH THE BUDGET, WE HAVE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER LAURA STORRS TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE ABOUT TAX RATE AND TO FOR Y'ALL TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER? AND JUST AS A REMINDER THAT WHEN WE POSTED THIS AGENDA AND THE NOTICES FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, IT WAS BASED ON THE RATE THAT WAS VOTED ON AUGUST 2ND. AND SO COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO GO UP TO THAT RATE BUT COULD ADOPT ANYTHING LOWER THAN THAT.

[00:20:07]

SO THIS IS THE SECOND AND FINAL READING.

WE DO HAVE AN AMENDED ORDINANCE THAT HAS BEEN LAID AT THE DAIS FOR EACH OF YOU ALL.

AND SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS AND IT'S BASED ON THE RATE THAT WAS VOTED ON TUESDAY, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER FOR YOU, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT.

QUESTIONS? ANYBODY.

THANK YOU, LAURA. DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ORDINANCE 8005? YES, MAYOR, WE DO. I MOVED TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE NUMBER 8005 THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.40628, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 2.3% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 8005.

ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT MOTION? SO, MAYOR, THE ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF ME IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 8004.

AM I MISSING A COPY? THAT MAY BE A SCRIBNER'S ERROR ON MY PART.

IT SHOULD BE A TWO PAGE ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF YOU AND IT'S 8005.

BUT IT DOES SAY FOUR STEPH, THE VERY TOP.

CAN YOU SHOW HER THE DRAFT THAT YOU HAVE, HOWARD, IF YOU DON'T MIND? YEAH, I'M SAYING THAT WAS AN ERROR ON MY PART WHEN I PRINTED THIS.

IT WILL BE 8005 IN THE RECORD.

YOUR BUDGET ORDINANCE THAT YOU'VE APPROVED IS 8004.

SO THIS IS THE CORRECT ORDINANCE.

JUST THAT NUMBER IS INCORRECT.

YES, MA'AM. GLAD YOU POINTED THAT OUT.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT IT? NO. AS LONG AS WE HAVE THAT CORRECTED ON THE FINAL.

CORRECT. THE NOTE, NO ISSUES.

SO NO, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE NOTED THAT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT ABOUT THE MOTION? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR.

IF YOU DON'T MIND RAISING YOUR HAND, PLEASE SAY AYE.

YES, THANK YOU.

SO THAT PASSES WITH THE FOUR OH VOTE.

MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, RATIFICATION OF THE CITY AMARILLO TAX RATE AND BUDGET.

[4. RATIFICATION-CITY OF AMARILLO TAX RATE AND BUDGET]

MR. CITY MANAGER, MY MAYOR, IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE ARE RAISING MORE REVENUE THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, EVEN IN THIS SITUATION WHERE THE TAX RATE IS LOWER THAN IT WAS PREVIOUS YEAR, WE ARE STILL GENERATING MORE REVENUE THAN WE DID LAST YEAR.

SO WE HAVE TO TAKE A RATIFICATION VOTE TO APPROVE, MAKE FINAL APPROVAL OF TAX RATE AND BUDGET.

LAURA, IS THERE ANYTHING TO ADD ON THAT? NO, THIS IS THE FINAL STEP IN ORDER TO GET A BUDGET APPROVED IN A PROPERTY TAX RATE APPROVED.

AND IT'S ALL JUST FOLLOWING STATE LAW AND THIS IS THE LAST AND FINAL STEP YOU HAVE TO TAKE.

COUNCIL DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR LAURA ABOUT THIS RATIFICATION STEP, TAX RATE OR THE BUDGET? OKAY. THANK YOU, LAURA.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM FOUR? YES, MAYOR, WE DO. I MOVE THAT WE RATIFY THE BUDGET AND TAX RATE AS ADOPTED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022-23.

RECOGNIZING SUCH BUDGET WILL REQUIRE MORE REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES THAN DID THE BUDGET ADOPTED LAST YEAR.

SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE AND RATIFY THE TAX RATE AND THE BUDGET.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.

THAT PASSES WITH THE FOUR 0 VOTE BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA.

I THANK YOU ALL FOR ARRANGING YOUR SCHEDULES FOR THIS SPECIALLY CALLED MEETING AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.