HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 10 - Legislative AgendaMEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BRUNO RUMBELOW, CITY MANAGER
MEETING DATE: DECEMBER 18, 2018
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION FOR 86th TEXAS LEGISLATIVE
SESSION - CITY AGENDA
RECOMMENDATION: City Council to consider adopting a resolution approving the City's agenda
for the 86th Texas Legislative Session to be held this year and take any
necessary action.
FUNDING SOURCE:
BACKGROUND: For each session of the Texas Legislature, the City adopts a formal
platform that can be shared with our legislative delegation and can be
used by our legislative consultant as the session moves forward in Austin.
The majority of the items included deal with the ability of the City to
maintain local control over local revenue and avoid unfunded mandates at
the State level. Other platforms include protecting State funding of
libraries, parks, tourism and economic development, as well as legislation
that would enhance public safety and health.
New items this year include support of legislative changes that allow
Grapevine to collect sales tax on out-of-state online purchases,
maintaining the City's right to regulate short term rentals, opposing
legislation that would restrict enforcement of our tree preservation
ordinance, and opposing legislation that would make local elections
partisan.
Once the Council formally adopts this agenda, staff from all departments
will work in conjunction with our legislative consultant to monitor related
bills and keep you apprised of any other items that may come up and
necessitate Council consideration.
Staff recommends approval.
RESOLUTION NO. 2018-091
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
GRAPEVINE, TEXAS, ADOPTING A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
FOR THE 86TH SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
STATE OF TEXAS AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE
WHEREAS, the 86th Session of the Texas Legislature begins on January 8, 2019;
and
WHEREAS, the City of Grapevine has a strong interest in legislative activities that
may affect the City; and
WHEREAS, once the legislative session starts, legislation moves quickly and
oftentimes a City position must be expressed on an issue before the City Council has an
opportunity to meet; and
WHEREAS, the passage of a broad legislative agenda will allow staff to
communicate the legislative priorities of the City on behalf of the entire City Council; and
WHEREAS, all constitutional and statutory prerequisites for the approval of this
resolution have been met, including but not limited to the Open Meetings Act; and
WHEREAS, the City Council deems the adoption of this resolution to be in the best
interests of the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
GRAPEVINE, TEXAS:
Section 1. That all matters stated in the above preamble are true and correct and
are incorporated herein as if copied in their entirety.
Section 2. That the legislative agenda attached as "Exhibit A" will serve as the
official Legislative agenda for the City of Grapevine.
Section 3. That this resolution shall take effect from and after the date of its
passage.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
GRAPEVINE, TEXAS on this the 18th day of December, 2018.
APPROVED:
William D. Tate
Mayor
ATTEST:
Tara Brooks
City Secretary
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
Resolution No. 2018-091 2
Exhibit "A"
CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS
86th LEGISLATIVE SESSION AGENDA
General Legislation
• Oppose revenue caps
• Support legislative changes that increase local and state sales tax revenue from online
purchases pursuant to the recent Supreme Court decision, South Dakota v. Wayfair
• Oppose unfunded mandates
• Support a statewide smoking ban that would provide a level economic playing field between
cities with a ban and those without
• Oppose legislation that would restrict eminent domain authority of local governments
• Monitor changes to 4B and CCPD legislation
• Support legislation to achieve equality and fairness in the appraisal process
Elections
• Oppose any legislation that would further restrict a municipality's rights to hold an election
• Oppose legislation that would mandate that local elections be partisan
Human Resources
• Oppose legislative changes that would expand the Meet and Confer law
• Support legislation that would allow cities in TMRS to opt out of cost of living (COLA) increases
for one or more years without a "catch up" penalty when COLA's are reinstated
Library
• Oppose further cuts to State funding of local libraries and endorse additional funding that would
increase digital content for patrons and funding for remote workforce development activities in
libraries
Parks and Recreation
• Support legislation that would increase funding for State Parks and the Texas Recreation &
Parks Account and insure that all funded projects be subject to the established Texas Parks &
Wildlife Department scoring system
• Oppose the continued diversion of the sporting goods sales tax away from Texas Parks &
Wildlife to other uses
• Support legislation that would directly benefit parks, recreation, open space and trails on utility
corridors and waive all liability for those purposes to the utilities
Police
• Support legislation increasing law enforcement training and management of critical incidents
and high-risk responses
• Support legislation that would further service/care delivery of individuals in need of mental health
services
Planning, Zoning and Code Enforcement
• Support legislation to allow municipalities authority over the location of gas pipelines
• Oppose any legislation weakening the ability of a City to enforce nuisance ordinances
• Oppose legislation that would restrict the City's right to regulate short term rentals
• Oppose legislation that would restrict the City's right to enforce the tree preservation ordinance
Tourism
• Oppose legislation that would redirect hotel/ motel tax to any other entity or earmark its use for
any particular purpose
• Preserve full funding for Texas Tourism (Office of the Governor, Economic Development and
Tourism Division)
• Protect the summer travel market by opposing legislation that allows school to start prior to the
4t" Monday in August
• Preserve the Event Trust Program
• Support reasonable transportation infrastructure policies that impact the Texas travel industry
• Preserve state funding for programs that benefit travel and tourism at the Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department (TP&WD), Texas Historical Commission (THC), Texas Department of
Transportation (TXDOT) and Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA)
• Support policies which enhance workforce development
Fire
• Support the repeal of legislation that limits a city's ability to require sprinkler systems in
residential dwellings
Transportation and Public Works
• Support statewide efforts to address water supply issues
Economic Development
• Support a revised incentive program for a Texas "deal closing fund" for large scale projects in
which a Texas location is competing directly with other states for the investment