Travis County Commissioners Court
September 28, 2004
Item 7
Number 7 is to consider and take appropriate action on request to adopt order
approving the Travis County budget for f.y. '05.
>> you have before you an order that approves and adopts
the f.y. '05 county budget. You also have received and on the table is a one-page
summary highlight of the budget. Which articulates in essence the big picture
what has occurred in terms of decision-making by the Commissioners court during
the budget markup process on the hospital district programmatic increases,
maintenance of current effort, compensation and benefits, reserves and capital.
And that order is very similar to the orders of previous years where it set
out the proposed budget at the departmental level which is managed at the
line item level. The budget for c.o.s, certificates of obligation, the budget
for voter approved bonds, the slot list with the new positions, the what we
call the budget rules which is chapter 22 of the Travis County code, the auditor's
revenue estimate, and -- an estimate of as grand funds, encumbrances, pre
encumbrances and account phralgsz. Balances. And it is before you for your
review and approval.
>> the order that we have before us is a -- I guess four-page
document, but it incorporates numerous exhibits.
>> the exhibits -- you have been freed from receiving this.
It is available in the judge's office, it is available in the county clerk's
office, in the planning and budget office. We did not make multiple copies
in order to meet our avoidance of just using paper.
>> and although we appear to be moving speedily today, this
process actually started in the spring. April, may.
>> actually this process started in January when you adopted
a set of guidelines to establish what you expected the budget process to result
in and those guidelines then resulted in departments submitting their budgets
in may and a preliminary budget in July. And then your own budget markup.
>> any questions regarding the county budget? Proposed?
>> not so much a question, but are you willing to take a
few very brief comments on the budget?
>> very brief ones, I certainly am.
>> I don't want to say I want to go first, but I defer to
anybody else that would like to go first.
>> go ahead.
>> now, I just talked about how speedily we were moving.
[laughter]
>> this is a big thing and it's always good to acknowledge
a few things along the way when we do pass a budget. I think judge Biscoe
said it first that this was kind of the year of the employee and I just want
to say thank you to every single person who works for Travis County and our
retirees for having patience as we worked through some difficult economic
times in Travis County. And, judge, you had full faith and confidence we would
find the money for pops as we went into markup and I was hesitant, but you
found the money and I -- I’m very pleased to vote for all the pops increases
that were able to found. Once again, Travis County is having to step up to
the plate where I fully believe the state of Texas has shirked its responsibility
related to covering its piece of the county's business and the public's business.
There's almost $800,000 in grants in juvenile justice where the state used
to fund intermediate sanction facilities like ours around the state and they
have backed off of that commitment. I want to say thank you to the people
who have worked countless hours on this budget from those in the departments
from day one of trying to prepare a presentation to a submission on a preliminary
budget, all the folks in planning and budget, you all have worked amazing
hours. And all the folks especially in the auditor's office, the revenue team,
and all of the other different teams that go in in terms of from the vehicle
committee, the wireless committee, there's so many moving pieces on this and
it really shows cooperation and collaboration at its best. And finally, adopting
a budget is never easy, but little easier when we have the incredible professionals
who work at Travis County, and you make me proud every single day that I work
here. Thanks.
>> any other comments?
>> ditto.
>> judge?
>> yes, sir.
>> I mean obviously we're going to take these -- I mean 11
and 12 at different times, and I guess what I need is -- maybe it's the legal
opinion on signing off on the tax rate but not be pleased with the budget.
So is there a problem that we can see, is there an inconsistency there? I
mean obviously I think people have known for quite a while i've had a real
problem with the budget. I suppose signing off on the tax rate in a roundabout
way also says you are signing off on the budget even though you are voting
on two different things.
>> county budget or the hospital district?
>> the hospital budget. The tax rate and signing off on the
hospital budget. Those being 11 and 12.
>> if you would like to continue this discussion, could we
call up 11 and 12?
>> we're not on that item.
>> oh, we're not even on it.
>> you are talking about budget for the county.
>> the county budget. [laughter]
>> you can tell I’m over here making my notes on the hospital.
We've already done that, fine.
>> going to be there real soon, though.
>> shortly.
>> any other comments on number 7, the Travis County budget
for f.y. '05?
>> I would just like to say this. It's really been -- you
know, this is my fifth budget, and been here almost six years, and each year
you still learn a little more than you did before. That's my experience. That's
what my experience has been with the budget. And this year I think was very,
very challenging because we had some super demands that were made upon us,
and I think that the year of the employee as was stated earlier by Commissioner
Sonleitner and several others, the judge and Commissioner Daugherty and Commissioner
Gomez, I think we've all [inaudible] steadfastly as far as looking for our
employees to see how we can help them no not only compensation of salaries
but also health benefits. I think we've made some tremendous strides to find
ways to fund things. I’m real excited about a lot of new things that are even
coming up and that this Commissioners court had supported and approved and
that's something that's concerning as far as illegal dumping and the f.t.e.s
that we will have been assigned now to the county attorney's office to look
at the illegal dumping and having actually a prosecuting team for environmental
enforcement in the -- and the supportive cast of that coming out of t.n.r.
Department with the code enforcement team all working hand and foot together
to ensure that our environmental aspects here in Travis County will be far
ahead I think of a lot of other places that maybe haven't gotten this far.
I really think that's a big tribute to what we do here in Travis County. It's
very unique. This is the new pilot program. Of course, there are many other
pilot programs. Wellness program, very essential, another situation where
no one else is doing stuff like this, but we have found the money and found
the time to invest into our employees and their families to make sure that
we come up with a healthy workforce here in Travis County. So all of these
things I think are interconnected. The i.t.s., The computer hardware-related
stuff, you'll of those things across the board, this has been a very sophisticated,
challenging budget, but it would not have been able to happen without the
cooperation from all of the departments working together with the Commissioners
court and the leadership that's been demonstrated from this Commissioners
court. The judge, of course being the county judge, his leadership, his tolerance
and his patience and his foresight in finding ways to do stuff sometimes you
don't even see. Is a I think all of these tributes ought to be really well
thought out and really praised because we have really worked hard to maintain
our triple a rating here in Travis County. That means a lot when you look
at how your credit is going to be looked at. Standard and poors and moody,
that's fantastic. So I think we have a lot to be proud of and really in my
opinion, you know, I want to give every applause, judge, i'll do that later,
but I think we have done a great job on this Commissioners court, I really
do, working with the departments. I really feel good about this budget. Thank
you.
>> thank you. Any additional comments? Do we have a motion?
Move approval of the proposed budget for f.y. '05.
>> second.
>> any more discussion?
>> could we have a slight amendment to that so it that clarifies
that there are no motion to amend the budget at this time because the way
the order is written it provides for you to have motions to amend, just in
case somebody had a good idea.
>> second.
>> that's in the motion or that is just clarification?
>> clarification.
>> either way, just so long it's clear there were no motions
to amend and that that should be read as none.
>> no motions to amend and nobody in this courtroom heard
any.
>> second.
>> we approve the budget as proposed. How's that.
>> very good.
>> legal counsel is on her toes today. Any more discussion?
All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Now so much for the easy work.
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Last Modified: Thursday, October 27, 2005 9:26 AM