Travis County Commissioners Court
March 6, 2007
Item 30
Now number 30, I sent you all a copy of the letter that came to me when I received it I didn't think a whole lot about it and thought that it was fine fine. I got an e-mail, though.
>> oh, yeah.
>> just one e-mail, but it put a different spin on this letter than I gave it.
>> the other thing, judge, when this came up at cuc, it appears that, you know, the counties are going to want, this is an unfunded mandate. That's a federal obligation. So if the county starts putting stuff in their budget for it, we are already talking about not liking unfunded mandates.
>> yeah.
>> so why do we want to get into the federal business?
>> the judge is saying, where there's been a federally initiated case that's required the county to do additional work, we want to be reimbursed 100 percent. Which we would say the same thing here in Travis County if we were in the same situation, I thinkment wouldn't we ?
>> I guess we would.
>> not like the federal government doesn't have the money. That's why I thought this was pretty much a no-brainer.
>> but are they being ignor ignored by the federal government ?
>> well, they are being reimbursed partly. Partially but not fully. And what he is saying is that, cleberg, I guess, is a whole lot smaller than travis. I am reading in the letter here basically he is saying e we can't afford this. Probably a much bigger problem. Our jail system has been impacted and we get reimbursed annually. You know erk the grant funds the program that we don't like the name of. I don't know that we get 100 percent, but I know it's close to it.
>> hmm.
>> but it's kind of like us, if there's a commitment out there, the message we ought to send, you really ought to reimburse counties 100 percent. If this program doesn't impact us, others will.
>> if it's just the reimbursement issue, I think that's separate.
>> that's what this is. Basically a request for 100 percent reimbursement. In the resolution, that's exactly what he is saying, really.
>> reimbursement ?
>> yeah, with full reimbursement.
>> nothing wrong with asking for that.
>> no.
>> if we just make sure that since the county has already (inaudible)
>> yes, right here it would be not only, it would be Travis County and any other counties that handle prosecution and detention services for the federal government. We would want to be reimbursed.
>> okay.
>> which is why I think it's supported because we ought to make the request across the board. Not only for this program.
>> yeah. I wonder why, has tac taken that position for all the counties ?
>> I think tac ought to. If he is like me on that community deal, I just finally concluded the best thing for me to do was to communicate with the judges. I thought he was doing this. That's how I got the letter.
>> okay.
>> I urge you, along with 21 participating county judges, to request. He is dealing with county judges.
>> okay.
>> when you think about it, you know , if you are not affected by this, you would be a lot less likely to get engaged. Some counties probably never have to do any of this. We have to do some, but probably less than those counties south of us. But we are one of 21 participating counties that he has targeted. Southwest corridor initiative program.
>> that's another.
>> I didn't know we were part of that. If we are not in it, we are right on the edge you want to delay action one week ?
>> find out a little bit more ?
>> okay.
>> are you going to make a phone call ?
>> yeah, try to find out maybe a little bit more about the southwest border initiative program. I don't know that we have to be in the group, but seems to me to fully understand what they are about and how close we are to them. It's dated February 12 so hasn't been that long of I understand the resolution is going to the federal government.
>> just somebody will call t tac and ask them.
>> okay, March 13.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, March 7, 2007 8:00 AM