Travis County Commssioners Court
March 9, 2004
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Item 31
Number 31, discuss and take appropriate action on legislative issues impacting counties during the 78th special session. The one we expect soon.
>> yes, and on financing, and during the c.u.c. Presentation that we had week and a half, it was real clear that the -- the caps on counties are going to be real seriously done by the legislative leaders. And i've attached some material that we received there for your backup. And what we are asking -- we may have to read this and take action next Tuesday, but I did want to get the issue before you today because by the 18th of March, we really need to have something back to c.u.c. So they will know how to instruct the leadership from c.u.c. In their deliberations with the legislative leaders. They are very serious, hraoeurbg I said, about putting caps on local governments to restrict its growth, and then the -- on the third page, it has some of the options regarding those caps on property tax revenues. The -- it's our choice. If we wanted to say okay, we accept the caps, but there's some other things that we would like to have in exchange for that, for those caps. And one of the things was maybe we could have access to sales tax revenue. And then a -- maybe diversity in some of the tax that we collect, which includes sales tax. But gas tax. All of these would be voter approved. We wouldn't be able to go there without that. Of course there's always the protection against the unfuned mandates -- unfunded man dates. We want to maintain local control over budgets, funds, businesses processes. And those are just a few of the items that I remember very clearly having mentioned there. There were two people that are going to represent c.u.c. In their conversations with legislative leaders as they talk about all of these different things. And of course, you know, the school tax, there are several proposals. One is to reduce the cap to $1.40 rather than $1.50 that is presently there. The other alternative is 1 $1.10. That's why I wanted you all to kind of read the material. And then we need to probably by next Tuesday come up with our position so we can take that to c.u.c. By the 18th.
>> I think if there is one other message from the luncheon we attended was there may be counties lulled into thinking that just because the special session is dealing with school finance issues, that somehow counties may not be involved in this at all. And some of the rumble over there, and again, it's a rumble, is that if there is something dramatic that occurs related to property tax reduction, related to schools, that there are some that feel like, well, gee, cities and counties are just going to go on a gigantic spending spree because if the pressure is taken off the total bill, that somehow we would just go let's raise taxes like crazy, which of course pays zero attention to the fact we are subject to the bill and even if we went to the full 8% every single year it would take forever to get up to those kinds of numbers. But there was some thought that the ledge might try and restrict that counties and cities could do with their tax rates if there was dramatic property tax reductions. It was to be to lookout those kind of things might be floating out there if dramatic action happens. It's perhaps the ideas city and counties can't be trusted if the preb is taken off the property tax side of the ledger. The other thing that came up is that bob cam is going to want to get before this court not only on the session but other kinds of things that are happening in the interim and we'll -- not today, let's just throw it out there in terms of some of the issues, to get specific permission from us to start visiting with other elected officials and department heads to start working on the pre-work that happens related to the '05 session. There's just too much that gets thrown in at the last minute and we are serious about trying to get some bills refiled, bob and chris would like to get this court to be thinking about, okay, what's on our agenda and to get authorization to go start visiting with other electeds and department heads to get those ideas being brought forward so that it can come back to this board to say yes, that's on our agenda or not. So it's just some early action related to the '05 legislative session, which will be here before we know it.
>> and I think the legislative leaders are all trying to respond to all of the calls they've had from people throughout the state that their taxes are just too high.
>> and I think bob and chris are trying to get on our work session because that's a more appropriate places to have these kinds of discussion. And I think they are trying to get on in April is when they are coming.
>> we've got four items on March 18th.
>> right.
>> that next week maybe we ought to put them on and have the discussion early. The department heads can contact them. I was -- told basically the Commissioners court has to give them direction, otherwise they would be --
>> okay, and that's the date when the c.u.c. Group will get back together and we want to hear from all of the counties, all the Commissioners courts and so i'll probably be a little late getting back to the work session from c.u.c.
>> so we meet on -- we need this item next week.
>> yes.
>> and need to read the materials between now and then and try to figure out exactly what it is we will recommend.
>> that we would accept -- and mainly it's okay if we have to except caps, what are the alternatives that we would propose. And so that's where we want to focus.
>> okay. You'll have this item back on that will be 3-16.
Last Modified: Wednesday, March 9, 2004 6:57 PM