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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWS Item 02 - Legislative AgendaFROM: • • CITY MANAGER 3;�� I A 1:01:4 11 ill [41 WIN 1411111111111111111 SUBJECT: LEGISLATIVE AGENDA Fred Hill, our legislative consultant, will be here to discuss the upcoming Legislative Session and the Draft Legislature Agenda. NZ November 25, 2014 (3:34PM) DRAFT 84 d Texas Legislative Session City of Grapevine Legislative Agenda General Legislation • Oppose sales tax initiatives that change taxing situs from point of sale to point of delivery • Oppose property appraisal caps and revenue caps • 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 • Allow all mixed beverage tax to stay in cities where collected • Support legislation that would apply current City alcoholic beverage codes to annexed areas at the time they are annexed. Elections • Oppose any legislation that would further restrict a municipality's rights to hold election 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 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 that would require electronic reporting of pawn shop data to law enforcement • Support requiring DNA testing of arrestees Planning, Zoning and Code Enforcement • Support legislation to give municipalities authority over the location of gas pipelines • Oppose any legislation weakening the ability of a City to enforce nuisance ordinances Tourism • Oppose efforts to shorten summer vacation of school children, which has a direct effect on the local and statewide tourism industry • Oppose cuts to the State tourism fund • Oppose legislation that would redirect hotel/ motel tax to any other entity or earmark its use for any particular purpose • Support legislation that would increase funding for the Governor's Office of Tourism, specifically for international marketing. Fire • Support the repeal of legislation that limits a city's ability to require sprinkler systems in residential dwellings Transportation and Public Works • Support a statewide education campaign to inform Texans of transportation needs and the development of a consensus agenda to improve Texas transportation and that encourages Texans to participate in the transportation conversation • Support efforts to urge the Legislature to enact revenue measures to fund investment needed to improve Texas transportation. • 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