Travis County Commissioners Court
August 14, 2007
Item 22
Now, mr. Christian, let's take yours next and then we'll turn to item 29. And you are here on item number 22 is is he, which is for us to receive revised fy '08 budget agenda worksheet that includes topic discussed during budget hearings and that serves to identify potential topics to be dread during the fy '08 budget markup scheduled for September 5, 6 and 7, 2007.
>> our budget manager is now distribute whag you are receiving. Let me give you a very brief overview. How this works, it's similar to what's been done in multiple years in the past. You have two documents, a short version and a long version. If you start with the long version, which is simply an articulation of every single budget request that was made back in may. That has on its far left-hand column an asterick if it was discussed at a budget hearing. Some of you liked the long version, some of you like the short version. You have both to choose from. The long version then also has certain items that are bold. Individual components of larger requests, sometimes there's one request made up of multiple parts. Or where there were new priorities because as you may remember in a number be of large departments you were asking is this your same number priority? So the only thing missing from this is that the very, very end and that's dealing with compensation because the good folks from human resources are working to develop another set of a list of options for you dealing with compensation. And they're still in the process of putting that altogether. So you should notice at the very, very end, and this is double sided, that hr will be developing compensation options and they'll be providing that to you directly. The most important thing is in the upper left-hand corner of both of these. And your assignment must be completed by next Friday at noon. We will begin to ask you on Thursday, if completed, to the degree that you can complete it earlier, that is wonderful because what we will do is then create a consolidated, multicolor agenda worksheet which will then be the essence of markup. So what you're asked to do here is to review your original notes, think about what ta took place at the budget hearings and simply make a check mark next to those things you want to discuss. This is simply a way to agendaize markup. And any note that you put down we will repeat and replicate in their entirety. So if you wish to say anything, say it, but we will then put it down in the consolidated agenda worksheet that will be able to distribute to you at the beginning of markup.
>> wouldn't it be better so to have these returned to you than to me?
>> well, counsel has advised that statutorily the county judge determines the agenda, and that this is a nuance that has been hammered into certain of us when we used to call this document something else. And it's called an agenda worksheet, which would be dealt with independently by each member of the court, and so the county judge's office is simply -- I think it's symbolic, but I defer to counsel because counsel is the one that said send it to the judge, not the budget office.
>> is it better for it to come to me?
>> yes.
>> so be it. What's the difference between the long sheet -- the long version and the short version?
>> the long version is everything in the preliminary budget, out of the preliminary budget, discussed at budget hearings, not discussed at budget hearing. So that's 14 pages. The short version --
>> I understand. So do you want us to complete the long version, the short one or both of them?
>> I just want one. It's your choice as to whether you wish to fill one out or the other. If I were in your shoes, what I would do is start with the short version because that's what discussed at budget hearing thoovments a tough enough job as it is. If I have any concerns or don't understand anything or have some apprehension about content, I'd look at the long version, if I still had questions, talk to any of the budget analysts or the department itself. Departments know the bold and eye tall lick. When mark up comes we will be able to know where five of you want to talk about, three of you nt to talk about, three of you want to talk about. Some the past some of you like the long version. There are certain topics that appear on the long version that woanlt appear on -- that won't appear on the short version because they weren't talked about on budget hearings. That's your choice. One document. Your choice on which one.
>> on September 5th are we scheduled to start at 9:00 or 1:30?
>> yes.
>> my first request is 1:30 on September 5. If you would like to proceed without me, you can.
>> may I remind you, judge, of a letter that you receive last week that had an advertisement that had a tax rate that had to be decided by 5:00 p.m. On September 6:00th. September 6th. If you can deal with everything here and the tack rate issue by Thursday, September 6th at 5, starting at 1:30 would be worchld. To the degree we cannot because we have many topics to talk about, I would only urge --
>> I am reminded.
>> okay. I've done my job.
>> I am still unavailable until 1:30. Think about that. We don't have to decide right now, there's just an alert. The other matter is pretty important and involves county and capcog business.
>> now, the tax rate decision can be made without budget markup at all.
>> but our deadline is --
>> Thursday at 5:00 p.m. To decide on the tax rate. You could decide on the tax rate the first hour of markup, and sometimes you've done that. Or you can go through all the markup and say, we'll figure out the tax rate at the very end. That's your choice. But the Thursday at five is firm.
>> so now do we have to place the atd by Thursday at five or make the decision by then.
>> make the decision. The ad is already placed. It's awaiting your decision. Friday morning we go to the "austin american-statesman" with the decision and Monday morning it appears.
>> you will have change coming even if we start at 1:30 on September 5th. That's based on many, many years of budget deliberations. Speaking of deliberations on budgets, thank you. That does it for 22. Any questions?
>> so it would be accurate to go into this process with the notion that the preliminary budget has the four percent already in it. You all balanced the preliminary budget at four percent.
>> yes.
>> four and a half, isn't it?
>> four.
>> four percent growth in tax revenue, but four and a half percent increase in compensation.
>> okay.
>> but the Commissioner is talking about tax.
>> so really if one of us is intent to keeping the budget balanced with the four percent, the only thing that person would need is go to the short version and identify what are one time monies because one-time monies are really the only thing that's not part of -- or mostly is the only thing not part of the preliminary budget, right?
>> I believe the fourth revenue estimate will be available next Monday. And we will see whether there is more or less one time money and we will see whether there is more or less non-tax revenue. I believe there will be more total resources than you had for the preliminary budget. It will be blue green, green money, purple money. It will be fund balance resources and non-property tax resources. The property tax resources are fixed. They will float in a way you will have more money. So you will know that when the auditor commits smits that, I think it's next Monday. So you will have it in advance.
>> but christian, I don't think that there's -- there seems to have never been an issue of whether we had more money. We always -- at least in the five years that I've been here, we've always had more money. The question is how much money are you willing to spend? So if the preliminary budget is predicated on the four percent that's already built in there, yes, I know there will be more money. It's a matter of do you want to spend it as a county? And so you really -- but the one time money is not part of the preliminary budget and it's those dollars that gives -- that would give me some leeway and some spending given that it's non-tax money, correct?
>> well, not quite. The total resources you have available are made up of three spigots. One is ending fund balance. That's one-time money. And that goes up and down, be and I think there will be more probably, but you never know. There could be less. Let's assume it will be more. I don't know how much more. The second spigot that goes into the general fund totally is tax revenue. That's fixed. You're right, that's not going to change. The third spigot is non-property tax revenue, some of which is ongoing. So, for example, interest income increases. If collection rate increases for nonprofit tax fines and fees and on and on and there are hundreds of those, that will flult more water coming out of the spigot. And some of that is ongoing money, which is available to you. Now, have you a choice, of course. You can take that money and say, we want to reduce the spigot on taxes. Or you could say no, we want to use it for some of the very needed services that have been articulated over the week and a half of budget hearings. That's your choice.
>> but you would be effectively take ing it above the four percent.
>> if you are looking at a four percent increase in total pie, which I know one member be of the court is, you, the answer is yes. If you're looking at it the way that -- the way one could, which is a limit on property tax revenue, then you wouldn't come to that conclusion. And if ubld that the value -- and if ubld that the value of the increased expenditure was sufficiently great to offset the change in the tax rate, you would fill out this agenda worksheet in a different way than if you said I'm sorry, the tax rate is going to stay exaghtly where it is. Exactly where it is. And each of you have different attitudes and that's the beauty of what we do for a living.
>> but if I favor a certain tax rate and the court votes higher than that, am I prohibited from voting on the other expenditure items?
>> of course not.
>> thank you, mr. Smith.
>> that is also the beauty of what we do for a living.
>> [ laughter ] and this material, because I know departments are very interested in this, we will be sending it out in pdf form. We have hard copy available in the office and some people are very interested to know --
>> is that the final revenue estimate? So there will be another one after that before September 5th?
>> it will be the revenue estimate that markup is based on, the one that you receive next week.
>> a couple of times in the past I think I recall that even after these sort of final revenue estimate, once we kind of got to really scrubbing, we found revenue in various other places.
>> you are right. If, for example, you changed the medical examiner autopsy fee and you vote odd that, then all after sudden there would be more revenue.
>> when did we ask you to scrub for surplus co funds?
>> it's part of what we do and you'll have that for markup.
>> we won't have it for next Tuesday?
>> no. That involves too much --
>> that's what I recall. The ways that we generate additional funding is sort of above and beyond the tax rate and really the fourth revenue estimate. Even if we were to move that up, it would be pretty close to September 5th before we got it, right?
>> that's right. September 5th, that's another reason why you have me blinking my eyeballs at starting later on September 5th because it's going to be a -- things have to move very efficiently to start at ub 1:00 flirt and finish a day later.
>> may I remind you, this is the Travis County Commissioners court.
>> I am so sorry. I thought I was in another county.
>> since we're reminding each other.
>> duly noted.
>> thank you and your fine hard working staff, mr. Smith.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 18:30 AM