HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 03 - Legislative Agenda ITEM
MEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BRUNO RUMBELOW, CITY MANAGER/10-A
MEETING DATE: JANUARY 6, 2009
SUBJECT: LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
RECOMMENDATION:
City Council to consider a resolution laying out the City's agenda for the 81st State
Legislative Session.
BACKGROUND:
At the City Council workshop on December 16th, Dan Shelley presented our list of
legislative priorities for the 2009 session. The proposed priority list covers a variety of
issues, such as right-of-way management, sales tax revenue protection and transportation
funding.
If the Council approves this list of legislative priorities, it will be circulated to our State
Legislators before the start of the session on January 13, 2009. This formal process is
especially helpful as staff meets with State Legislators to discuss these items. Our full
agenda is attached as Attachment A to the resolution. If other issues come up as the
session progresses, we will bring them back for your consideration.
Staff recommends approval.
December 30, 2008(10:39AM)
City of Grapevine
2009 State Legislative Agenda
Sales Tax
Streamlined Sales Tax-Oppose
Proposed legislation that would change the sales tax situs from point of sale to point of
delivery would be extremely detrimental to our sales tax revenue stream.
4B and 4A Statute Changes-Monitor
Since the Voters passed the 4B and CCPD sales tax on November 7, 2006, we have a
vested interest in seeing that the legislation that created those optional sales taxes is
not changed in a way that would negatively impact the projects proposed to be funded
with that revenue.
Expansion of Non-Taxable Items-Monitor
We will monitor the Legislature's expansion of non-taxable items and oppose the
expansion if it would represent a severe, negative impact to City sales tax revenue.
Property Appraisal and Revenue Caps
We will continue to oppose both of these items.
Unfunded Mandates
We will oppose any efforts to pass along to cities additional fees or any increases in
fees to fund state budget shortfalls.
We would also oppose legislation that would create new obligations on cities to provide
services to their citizens without the necessary funding to carry out the provisions of the
legislation.
DFW Airport
The City of Grapevine continues to support the revenue sharing agreement between the
Cities of Grapevine, Dallas and Fort Worth enacted by the 77th Texas Legislature.
Election Law
Oppose any legislation that would further limit uniform election dates. Support any
proposed change that would move the May uniform election date/runoff date away from
Mother's Day, Father's Day or Main Street days weekend.
Hotel/Motel Tax
Oppose legislative changes that would redirect the city's portion of hotel/motel tax to
any other entity or earmark any portion of it for a specific use.
State Medical Risk Pool
Oppose higher assessments for the State Medical Risk Pool.
Parks Funding
Advocate legislation that would increase funding for State Parks and the Texas
Recreation and Parks Account and insure that all grant applicants are selected based
on competitive grant scoring.
Contingency Fee Contracts Legislation
Support continued ability for City to pursue contingency fee contracts for attorneys (i.e.
back tax collection).
Right to Fund Lobbying
Support continued ability to use local funds for State lobbying to insure that the interests
of Grapevine residents are known in Austin.
Right of Way Legislation
The City will oppose any legislation that erodes our ability to govern the right of way in
our City limits. In addition, we will oppose any further legislation that affects our ability to
collect fees for the use of the right of way from utility companies.
Meet and Confer
During the 79th session of the Legislature, a bill was passed that would grant cities
above 50,000 the authority to call an election to recognize and meet and confer with
Police and Firefighter Associations regarding pay and benefit issues. The City is
opposed to this legislation as it is the first step towards collective bargaining. We will _
oppose any efforts to lower the threshold below 50,000 and support any efforts that
would repeal the legislation or raise the threshold.
Gas Pipelines
The City supports legislation that would give municipalities the authority over the
location of gas pipelines.
Scrap Metal Sales
With theft of copper continuing to climb, the City supports legislation that would require
a photo ID to sell scrap metal.
Driver's Education Classes
The City supports legislation that would reinstate the requirement of first-time drivers to
take a formal driver's education course, a written test, and a driving test.
Electronic Reporting of Pawn Shop Data
Manual entry of pawn tickets is tedious and time consuming for the police department
but often critical for the apprehension of thieves. The City supports efforts to require
electronic transmission of pawn ticket data directly to the police department.
Green Cement
Support legislation that would clarify a municipality's right to pay up to 5% more for
cement that produces less greenhouse gas emissions.
Transportation Funding
• Advocate for the appropriation of all revenue from highway user fees and taxes to
fund transportation and discontinue the diversion of transportation resources to other
uses; and
• Support indexing the motor fuel tax to enable it to keep pace with the growth in the
economy and increase the rate to restore lost purchasing power; and
• Support enabling legislation and appropriate funds to implement Proposition 12
(Constitutional Amendment approved by the voters in November 2007 to issue
$5 billion in general obligation bonds to fund transportation; and
• Advocate reallocation of approximately $300 million in transportation tax and fee
revenue from the general fund to the mobility fund to recapitalize the Texas Mobility
Fund.
66 JS
RESOLUTION NO. Apokk
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
GRAPEVINE, TEXAS,ADOPTING A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
FOR THE 81st SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
STATE OF TEXAS AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE
WHEREAS, the 81st Session of the Texas Legislature begins on January 13, 2009;
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 to staff to
communicate the Legislative priorities of the City on behalf of the entire City Council.
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 6th day of January, 2009.
APPROVED:
ATTEST:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
RES. NO. 2