Download the full May 5, 2017, Number 18 (PDF).
In previous editions, the League has reported on a list of critical action items for city officials. This week's message is even more refined: Focus on the two largest threats to cities this session. The time for letters and resolutions has passed. Personal conversations with your legislators are the best way to stop revenue cap and annexation prohibition legislation from passing. Those conversations should relate clear opposition to both issues, regardless of rumors that both bills might be amended to exclude cities of various sizes or budgets.
Annexation: call your House members right now and urge them to oppose H.B. 424 (Huberty) and S.B. 715 (Campbell). Each of these bills would end city annexation by allowing a vote only of people being annexed, instead of the entire region. One of them could get to the House floor soon. Here are the talking points (PDF), and here is a study (PDF) showing the economic impact of restrictive annexation laws.
Requires every city over 25,000 population to prepare a certified agenda AND a video of its executive sessions (except for consultation with an attorney) and keep that videotape forever.
That makes no sense. The purpose of the record of an executive session is to provide proof that the governmental body discussed only authorized topics in the session. It's not meant to be a permanent record like the tape or minutes of an open session. Current law requires that the record of an executive session be kept for two years because that is the criminal statute of limitations for a violation of the Open Meetings Act. Once that time has passed, the record becomes useless for its intended purpose.
3. Create a Class C misdemeanor offense for every member of the governmental body who fails to ensure that a recording of an open meeting is made available and maintained on the Internet. In other words, if the person who is charged with making the recording messes up, a member can be criminally charged under the bill.
Openness and transparency are laudable goals that are fully supported by the League, but these provisions in H.B. 3203 just don't make practical sense. The bill is currently pending in the House Committee on Government Transparency and Operations. City officials with concerns about the bills above should contact their House members now, especially if they serve on the committee.
Senate Bill 2 (and H.B. 15) would impose a cap on city budgets. Either bill could be heard any day in the House Committee on Ways and Means. A revenue cap would seriously damage public safety, economic development, and transportation. And, property taxes will continue to rise because school district taxes - the real cause of high property taxes in Texas - will continue to escalate.
Cities build the lion's share of our state's infrastructure. Bonds are one tool they use to do so. Our state population continues to grow exponentially, and the S&P warning is just one more reason that revenue caps are a bad idea.