Travis County Commssioners Court
August 7, 2003
FY ‘04 Budget Hearings
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Commissioner Daugherty’s Comments
If you all would, you may have to bear with me since this is my first rodeo with this thing. And just some of you in the audience where you fall out of your seats or go screaming down the hallways, give me a few days to talk with you about a few things. But I think that I have been very consistent with regards to what I am looking for with regards to budget. I知 not happy with the effective tax rate. I ran on the notion that I really wanted you to have -- didn't want to you have a higher county tax bill this year than you had last year, even taking into consideration that there was a very small increase in the appraisal this year from the residential. So my target is to find somewhere between 20 and 24 million dollars worth of revenues, be that cuts or cuts and revenues. I have concentrated this first go round on the cut aspect because I知 still trying to determine what exactly I would like to come back with in regards to revenue generation. And again, I apologize if there may be some of these things that may seem a little bit -- I don't know what Gerald is talking about there. I知 more than happy to talk to each and every person. Ly say that I知 a little uncomfortable because, I mean, I知 a nine-month Commissioner, and I will tell you that I know -- I don't know enough about ch one of these departments to be even dangerous. So for me to sit and talk to the sheriff about what I think she needs to do and what I think needs to happen in the county attorney's office or so be it, those are difficult things for me. As a matter of fact, I知 much more used to having a directive to p.b.o. That really knows the departments and knows how certain things run. And I would depend a lot more on you all than what it sms like that this process really goes through. I mean because I do think that you all -- between you all and the auditor, you all are prebl the two departments that understand how the inner work goes of each of these departments. That being said, get ready to write. You got that calculator out over there, leroy. [lauter] community service officers. I ve a $430,965 fee that I think that we need to take a very serious look at omitting. These officers are some of the policy answer to crime prevention. Unfortunately programs such as dare, even though they are immensely popular, I don't think that there are a lot of places that we find that this can be measured where the performance aspect of these things, you know, have played as big a part as what weould all like to see. And as a matter of fact, from what I understand, one of the performance measures for your community service officers is strictly attendance. Atndance being if you do something outside the schools, if have you a p.t.a. Meeting, if you show up at those things. I realize this is a very intangible service, but I would look very seriously at that. Transportation officer with the sheriff's department. I have a 436 # tab. I think with what we've done with the jail overcrowding task force that we have the ability to perhaps look with what we're going to be doing with video, with all of the video aspects of the courtroom, I would hope that we could be very serious about taking a look and cutting that. Juvenile probation. Now, this is where I asked about the career ladder. Because I do have a couple of sheets out of the war and peace thing that we all have. Page 17 out of the juvenile probation section. The department is requesting '04 career ladder increases for 30 positions. This is a total of $56,849. In conjunction with that, on the pops and the career ladders with the juvenile career offender there is an additional $3,300. So that's roughly a $60,000 [inaudible]. And the reason that I basically have a problem with this career ladder thing is it does seem like that it is a way, and even though Commissioner Sonleitner did explain to me about how you get these career ladder increases, it is still a pay increase, however you want to couch it, and if our basic policy this year is lling the basic rank and file people that we are not increasing, then I would find it difficult to do thatany of the career ladder requests. On page 10 out of the district attorney's office, the department is requesting funding of $70,961 on an annualized basis for the career ladder from that. So that's the reason I thought maybe I知 just reading that wrong.
>> they are not in the preliminary budget. [multiple voices]
>> so maybe that's where I was confused then.
>> they've asked.
>> they want it.
>> okay.
>> they've asked for it. And other departments have asked for it. And but there are no career ladder dollars, extra dollars being added. That doesn't mean you shouldn't keep going. It just means it's not there.
>> all right. Well, that's what I知 saying abt some of these things, i'll be a little off on with my trying to find these particular areas of cuts. The sheriff's office with $30000 in overtime pay, I think that was the budget. I would like to see $200,000 cut out of that. I think with what we have -- from what I understand, we have a full staffing in the sff department. We are also -- we have predicated all of the scheduling with a 1.72 matrix, which I think is enough to cover basically between vacation and I guess that's the reason you get that 1.72. I wouldn't know why we couldn't cut overhead from $300,000 down to $0,000, finding $200,000 there. Transportation and natural resources. A couple of places. I understand that we have somewhere between 35 and 40 -- 37 and 42 parking spaces in this building here where we use t.n.r. Vehicles that are parked over here on sort of a continuous basis where they come and go. If we we to take those spots and take them somewhere else, because I understand we are about $100 a pop with a month for parkin spaces in this downtown area, so if we could find the space to either have those taken to the substations and people get to them or if we can eliminate at least a substantial number of those, that's about a $40,000icket there
>> you arealking about eliminate the leases? That we have leases for parking, and you would propose to eliminate the leases, but not move employees, move the cars that are owned by the county.
>> no, no, I would say if we could open up 35 or 40 spaces and that's going to alleviate us having to go out and pay $100 a pop at some of the locations that we have down here. And I agree with the judge with regards to house bill 1445. I certainly think that we need to take a good hard look at generating whatever it costs, I mean the fee that's it's going to take us to operate 1445. Also I understd -- now, this is something you all may have to guide me a little bit in, but I understand that the one penny tax that was allocated for road and bridge at what it was --
>> 1999.
>> in 1999. That has grown from the -- I think we were somehow locked in at what, 3.9?
>> 3.7.
>> that has blossomed to where we have an additional --
>> what happened, Commissioner, is there was a transfer, there used to be a transfer from the general fund to road and bridge fund for $3.7 million. And that represented one penn in I believe it was 1999, either 19 or 1999. Over the last two years, year or two, there's some fines and fees that were previously going to the general fund that are now going to the road and bridge fund. And I believe when that process first started, it equalled just about what the transfer was. So what we did was we netted it. That is now, I believe, substantially more than what the transfer is.
>> that's what I -- I understand that's about a $700,000 differential.
>> if I am correct, and leroy, I don't know if have you the revenue estimate, there's about a $1.1 million differential, but we've captured 400,000 in an allocated reserve and that's where you are getting the net 700,000.
>> perhaps we can take at least a good hard look at, you know, 300,000 to $400,000 of that and I知 sure that I知 also going to y to figure out since precinct 3 has about 52% of the county roads within Travis County, I知 probably going to be looking for some of those dollars so that may be a wash.
>> but you are getting to the same place the judge was getting to just through a different set of logic.
>> exactly. That's what I was thinking when you were going over that with the judge.
>> just to give you clarification, the reason one penny came about is that there was not -- even though there was not equal distribution of who had what kinds of roads, the condition of those roads were radically different, and that one pen year was done to reconstruct and build up the quality of those roads in precincts 1 and 4. 4 reached the magic mark earlier. You and I were blessed by having not only lots of roads but they are also built on all rock. And so most of our roads were excellent to great condition, and so that was intended to make whole that when we said we had great roads, we meant equally throughout the county. That was intended to reach a goal and a question might be have we reached the goal and do we want to go further or not. That is a real question. But the idea that somehow it was intended to -- it was intended to fix roads that were not of the same quality and caliber of the rest of us regardless of how many miles of road you had.
>> and now on top of that we need to make sure that they don't get out of kilter with each other again. That they don't get out of balance. We need to put some money into the maintenance part of it. I would like to have a report on what we're going to do to make sure they don't get out of balance again.
>> sounds like my $400,000 is going pretty quick, so go ahead and get that figure in there.
>> and you recall that in terms of [inaudible] and hot mix you are going to get most of it because some of our roads are more inclined to be handled with seal coat.
>> you may have an opinion on that.
>> I think I知 going to, a different day, though. I知 already getting that question.
>> it was the precinct 3 Commissioner that got us to do f-mix because of the complaints within neighborhoods doing seal coating in very urban neighborhoods were not happy.
>> but you are in charge.
>> and I should note that f-mix and hot fix are funded at lower levels this year than they have been previously, and I believe they are funded at about what the contract was for this year. That was what we worked with t.n.r. On.
>> because we didn't want you to lose an opportunity to change and cut some of the things out of your own precinct.
>> I appreciate that.
>> any time.
>> the civil family law court, eliminating one court, I understand that in order to -- I mean if we were to do this. This is a $218,000 item, that basically what this would do is it would effectively might take some people longer to get a divorce, might take a bit longer to collect some child support in the civil law of court. And that would be one of those.
>> you mean a constitutionally created court? Because the state of Texas creates civil district courts.
>> right.
>> the county Commissioners court creates county courts at law.
>> ht.
>> those are generally about a million dollars a pop, so I知 a little confused as to what it is that you are referring to in terms of eliminating --
>> thiss a court -- this is an appointed judge by the civil district judges that handles some of their case load that might have otherwise been heard in the civil district court. Instead it's hrd in a civil family law court.
>> and those are folks that aren't paid as much as if we actually had to create a new --
>> I understand that. Perhaps I explained it wrong eye think what you said is correct.
>> it is a 218,000 -- is that correct?
>> approximately, that's correct.
>> okay. Now, I知 not real sure about -- and travis, perhaps you can tell me this, but staff attorneys at $280,000. I mean I couldn't find -- those aren't d.a.s and they are not yours.
>> these are attorneys that are in the civil courts budget that are assigned to civil district judges to assist them in the preparation of their cases. This was added a few years ago to their budget.
>> yeah.
>> huge. They were having to stop court literally so the judge could go research things. Every civil district judge was assigned an attorney to be working with them so they could be working on things on the side and there would be nothing short of a revolt. Those are actually improved workload for the judge who is your most expensive person, doesn't have to stop court to go research something.
>> like I said, I didn't think there wasn't going to be some screaming down the hallways when I announced these things. [multiple voices]
>> judge cooper and judge meuer.
>> elimination career ladders out of the d.a.'s office, $124,000. Exposition center, the transfer we take $200,000. I thk the exposition center needs to truly be a general fund. Or it needs to truly be, you know, an enterprise fund or organization. And I will tell you, folks, I know this is not going to be popular at all, but after having talked to scott Davis, one of the biggest issues I think we have is the contract with the ice bats. I don't think that is giving us the bang for the buck that we need. From what I知 seen so far, perhaps I haven't seen it all, but I do know there are a number of items or a number of things that have not been able to take place because of the need that the ice bats has for the ice. I知 willing to look at that. I think that, you know, this community is -- has been pleased for a long time, but if we're really going to look at this exposition center and really expect it to be an enterprise fund, I think we really need to look at that. I think that we need to look at perhaps the elimination of one position from p.b.o. As a budget and list position. -- analyst position.
>> not the [inaudible].
>> release me. [laughter] [multiple voices]
>> would you like to go screaming down the hall? [laughter]
>> this is just a laundry list.
>> is there a retirement incentive program we can look at?
>> we've already got a pact. You, me and leroy walk out the door the same day.
>> personnel/h.r. I would like to see a $200,000 reduction in that. I think that perhaps what we may result there or what this may result in is perhaps, you know, a little less training, slower response time in answering questions, benefits, whatever. But I think that we should take a look at that. The social service contracts, this isist most perplexing and complex to me. I would ask that steven williams would take a look and see if we could cut $2 million out of his budget. The asap funding, $191,847. I've said before, I mean I think that's a schoolbusiness deal as far as I知 concerned and I think if the school district can fund it that they ought to fund it. Outside consultant, jail consultant, $250,000, I think that I have more than once said I would not spend that money there. Even though that's in this year's budget, apparently it's going to be rolled into next. I mean if we can't make that determination. A reduction in fleet. I would target $1 million. I think that that is somewhere between 150 and as many as 200 vehicles. The vehicles that I obviously would omit from that would be the law enforcement vehicles. I mean other than perhaps correctional. Reduction in the general fund appropriation to the county clerk, $800,000. The clerk will have an estimated #- hundred thousand dollars in revenue this year -- $900,000 actually in new revenue in addition to the old revenue from the records management fund. The general fund I don't think should continue to pick up as much of the cost out of this department. So $800,000 reduction is what I would see happening there. Budget cuts that I would also propose, all departments except for obviously the i.t.s department, the auditor's department, and perhaps t.n.r., I would look at the consolidation of all i.t.s. Positions, which would be the elimination of every department that has ani.t.s. Person. I would like to see a million and a half dollars saved by bringing -- if we have i.t.s. Department, I think they are the ones that ought to be the i.t.s. Work in this county. Reduction in domestic relations. I would like to see a $250,000 reduction in the d.r.o. Department. I think we have a little over -- around awo million one, two million two budget. I think that we have got to get better at doing the collections. I mean if we've g people that can't afford $12 a year, one dollar a month from each parent where we are taking on these tasks, and especially when the attorney general does a lot of these things, I think we ought to take a look at that. Reduction in funds to cscd, $169,054. That would also include the four f.t.e.s in the tax office. I am not against hiring people during these kind of times, but I certainly think that we ought to be able to justify without question as to whether or not we're going to generate revenue. If we can't, I think we very s o sly ought to take a good hard look at that. Last, I will just make a general statement that I do think that this county ought to try to take or at least look at a reduction in the overall workforce of Travis County by 5%. I think that that would -- I mean other than law enforcement. That's about 2500 to 2600 people that I think that we have aside from corrections and tcso. That, if you average out about a $40,000 person, I think that would probably include the benefit load that we would have. You are talking about a $5 millioneduction there. Those accumulate to somewhere in the $14 million to $15 million range collectivel of what i've just gone over. I will do my darnedest to try to find 9 million to 10 million dollars worth of revenue generation that I think we can do. Commis said a mouthful when he said we are obviously good at finding people and for the right reasons, I知 sure. But what I think that we are pretty poor at is collections. I know that we have got a new task force for collections, and that's everything from add have a lore epl taxes to fines and fees and we have got to find a le of this community deserve it. If we're going to give fines and fees and we're not going to collect them, maybe we ought not have the people giving the fines and fees out. Because if we can't collect it, why in the world are we employing people other than just giving them a job, and I don't think that is something that the basic everyday taxpayer in this community wants nor do they deserve. I lo ard t coming back the next meeting, perhaps not tomorrow morning if that's pwh- -- when we're going to do our next one.
>> we're not scheduled for tomorrow, are we?
>> it was on my calendar. I didn't know if we were going to have it.
>> you when we're all done, one of the things I will need to ask is how to manage the ideas that have been put on the tle. And get them aired in an organized way that is helpful.
>> and I can put -- and i'll put this together for you all in a cleaner format than what I have now. We were working up to the last minute. So in case you forgot to write together down, i'll make sure you gethis and get it to you by tomorrow.
>> I think people will be looking at reruns. But also we need to -- we have certain scheduled hearings that do not necessarily include all of the ideas that have been put on the table so far. And so this -- the management of the thought process is something that would be useful to have some discussion when perhaps we're all done.
Last Modified: Friday, August 8, 2003 8:52 AM