Thread by @AndyHS

Special Meeting of Fresno City Council May 18,2023. Mayor Dyer will present his Proposed 2024 Budget. Also on the agenda is an annexation in Fancher Creek as well as Levy of Special Taxes for the same parcel. Watch live beginning at 10 AM on CMAC cmac.tv/gov/

Thank you @fresnoland ! @HeatherHalsey Watch live at 10 AM cmac.tv/gov/

Special City Council meeting begins at 10:05 AM with all Council Members present.No changes to Agenda. Public comment portion and due to it being a Special Meeting there will be no Unscheduled Comments. Fernando:CA Constitution has free speech but it doesn't mean 3

minute limitations. I am taking this to State Attorney. You have become puppets to the big money puppet masters. Big money behind closed doors with Mayor Dyer providing money in bribes.This agenda behind doors is illegal.We want justice and to respect us.Lots of you changed when

you got fancy suits. Next:Ruben E. My third year being involved in a budget and it is a living document and it is our priorities.It is hard to see youth homelessness.

@LovesMercy Brandi:it is a moral document. Put yourself in the place of tenants and not landlords. Look for sustainable elements in the budget. I am glad there is funding for cooling centers. Please partner with homeless advocates to use alternative ideas.HART took homeless paper

-work he needed for the housing he just secured. On Zoom:Nishea Balajadia:The Budget of Mayor has data but we haven't as the public seen this data as mayor just released the budget an hour ago.Your have increased Police Department got a $100 M increase in budget last year."HART-

-less" team got an increase.But our one Youth Sanctuary was closed at the same time. All of you beside @MiguelArias_D3 has taken "cop dollars". (Zoom cut off)Next:Ashley Rojas:We are asking the state for $250 Million for Downtown but we don't invest in ourselves but only special

interests.You allowed trailer park to kick out tenants, no place for homeless youth,.This is a young council and supposedly democratic but you need to show up for community. Camilia Rivera of Power California:expand housing now. Rent Control and cap in Fresno now.

Mediation board is needed. @LisaYFlores1 City needs to get better with communication and not release Budget an hour before the meeting! Risk analysis is needed to see where savings are located such as for homeless youth and rent control.Construction around Roeding park does

not need parking structures except outside park boundaries. Only 14 days a year have parking impacts.Karla Martinez @LCJandA :we need transparent process to allow public comments. It is not a "One Fresno" way to do it.We had the highest revenues this year needs to be used to rent

grievances, mobile homes, homeless youth.Public needs to be able to provide comments.City Clerk: That ends public comments. @Maxwell4Fresno Council just got this budget an hour ago as well.Arias:We have 60 department heads present today can we ask them questions?

A:Yes but not have the answers as they just got it an hour ago too says @gawhitefresno the City Manager.Maxwell:we can ask and if they have the answers great if not we can ask at later meeting.

1-A RESOLUTION - of Intention to Annex Parcel Map Number 2007-41 as Annexation Number 58 to the City of Fresno Community Facilities District Number 9 and to Authorize the Levy of Special Taxes; and setting the Public Hearing for Monday, June 5, 2023, at 10:00 am (Northeast and

Southeast corners of East Tulare Avenue and North Clovis Avenue) (Council District 5) APPROVED with no comments.

1- B Presentation of Mayor's Proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Budget
@gawhitefresno I want to thank the staff that are here for their hard work.
"Getting Strong Now (Rocky theme is being played by Miguel Arias as Mayor's walk up ;) Now a more a circus song is played. @MayorJerryDyer is

now in the chambers. Arias thanks him for being late as usual. (delay as Powerpoint is being set up) I still don't see the budget provided online at least.

Back at 10:39 am. Mayor said he got his budget this morning today but I also helped write it so not as important for me. Prioritizes public safety, Beautify Fresno, homelessness, roads.We have a sound fiscal system. All three of our credit agencies have upgraded us the past year

which allows us to borrow at cheaper rates for things such as airport expansion. We are number one in pension solvency in the State. Not all of our jobs are filled year around but we will be filled 90% level. Investment in our hardworking employees. $48 M for those contractual

agreements with them. PG&E will increase to $48 M.Last year we budgeted incorrectly for Measure P but will be at $48 M this year.solid waste increase due to fuel increases etc. It has depleted its reserve funds, deferred maintenance and vacancies left unfilled.

Utilities , Police , Planning Dept and now the Parks are highest. We are reaching our PD goals with 900 officers by adding 62 officers the past two years.Violent crime is down as well as property crimes. Faster response times. Mental Health Crisis response program $600,000

82 patrol cars to be replaced. Hoping to bear a Bear Cat vehicle. Hoping 911 dispatch center to be completed in 2024. Fire Department has 4 new firefighters for 375 total firefighters and 70 increase over the past few years.Housing remains a priority. All ARPA funds will carry-

-over for their designated pots such as Tiny Homes, Senior housing near senior center.By 2025 increase in affordable housing is 1600 (I think he said). State funding has helped with homeless but that is tapering off so we will need to find another source at least

until county helps. Warming and Cooling Center funding is in the budget and this will be using a third party to run those centers.Governor funding for Downtown revitalization. (Powerpoint is not forwarding on CMAC) Due to rain we have lots of potholes. We will want full time pot-

hole crews. $1.8 M This will reduce pothole response time from 3 days down to 1 day. Won't rely on FresGo.Additional traffic calming factors added for safety in neighborhoods. All of us are dedicated to beautifying our city. @BeautifyFresno Teams into 4 quadrants but will focus

on large appliances. Downtown Ambassadors to greet people, pick up trash and will expand into Tower District late Fall. 1000 trees will be planted in the city.Proactive tree trimming. Zero money was allocated for tree trimmings before Maxwell and I came into office. Historic LED

lights in Tower District.Slurry paving. Money for African American Museum. $7.7 M
ARPA at MSE (fuel pumps, communications etc) (Not sure what MSE stands for ) We had the strongest wage growth since pandemic. $180,000 for Chambers Made Fresno Expo. At airport 122 % passenger

increase since pandemic. Expansion will allow us to triple international flights.Parks:Measure P had $36 M carried over. (new slide didn't show up on CMAC) 182 capital projects in parks as it takes a while to build. Money for Peach Park, Radio park, Maxie Parks,Broadway&Elizabeth

new park, as well as Eaton Park . Mid-town trail completion. SW Fresno green trails. Youth Investment:carryover for hard to hire youth for City jobs as well as non-profits. $375, 000 for Advanced Peace which we have found has reduced crime. Transitioning all FAX buses to zero

emission by 2045. Complimentary rates for those who cannot use FAX busses.City Attorney Office would get 13 new positions, salary increases, ARPA money for Downtown demolition. Money for interpretation.
That concludes the Budget presentation. I would like to thank my

staff especially @gawhitefresno , Henry Fierro, and all the department directors. Hopefully we walk away at the end of June with a balanced budget.@Maxwell4Fresno Thank you. A limited budget to satisfy people across the town. We had 120 amendment last year so we expect to have

some this year but you have gotten better at listening to the Council. Mayor:we already cut $19 M from what the Department Heads wanted to get to this part. $130 M larger budget than last year.

@LuisCha70215912 I have never seen a budget that allowed us to invest in our neighborhoods. I have seen 13 budgets in my time. General fund is the most flexible of our money pots is $400 M. mayor:Police is 59% of that. Fire is 17% ( i think with other grants added)White: we will

over this in more detail June 5th. mayor:miscalculation for Measure P was sales tax was lower, state tax pool was taken out.Th miscalculation happened internally. White:regular sales tax is looked at differently than Measure P. We have swept vacancy funding but

departments doing it rather than us. Reserve Management Policy is at 10%. Mayor:we had to add only $1 M to reach that 10%. It will go up 1.2. White:we moved some ARPA dollars into General Fund a few weeks ago.Staff:all one time dollars are not included in general fund.

@MiguelArias_D3 I know all the tricks the staff uses on the budget. In reality the actual expenditure to PD/Fire is different. Our best sales revenue days are behind us so why we are adding to our bureaucracy.Even when the grant runs out the City has to pick them up. With more

money from federal government and one time funding leads to more employees later. Police asks for more funding when crime is up AND when crime is down they ask for more funding.What is the return on investment analysis? Record amount in funding Fire Dept but it has not led to

better and faster fire inspection of buildings. What is better service for citizens? I know it takes 3-4 years for money out the door for new parks etc.We were sold that all capital projects to go through Public Works but we still have most ot Measure P money sitting there.

A Utility Rate increase is assumed in this budget? Mayor:over a five year period and maybe borrow some to make it less painful for residents. How can we maintain service if we don't do that without less employees? Arias:We hear from neighbors as to when potholes are repaired?

Granular level of progress. All department leaders need to put time into community like at Art Hop where there are lights broken for 3 years or a tree missing for years in front of Chukchansi Park. Mayor:Community expectation is hear and actual capacity is here.

@AnnalisaPerea My first budget so I am excited. You are still my favorite mayor Dyer:Until I am not! Perea:yes. @D7Esparza You have made a decent effort to include our priorities.Measure P dollars? Dyer:$47M which is up $10 M than we thought. Esparza:increases in employees

and I want to see how that was distributed across the departments. Dyer:Regards to Prop 218 increase was $15 M by deferring equipment, fuel costs increased $12 M. White:some equipment replacement is part of that too.Mayor:we may lease instead of purchase. Esparza:why uneven fire

firefighter increases? Dyer: We are putting 4 firefighters per trucks. Esparza:We can build our own electrical grid but what is our bonding capacity for that and other things like roads. Mayor:heavily bonded in past but they are being reduced. Esparza:what can we do to get ahead

of deferred maintenance? Maybe put funding aside to find that pathway? @GarryBredefeld If funds run out for homeless you said the County do to help?Dyer:we get dollars for outside help and that costs money.We were fortunate to getting State dollars but that may be decreasing.

What is that transition when those dollars run out? The County gets money from State.There are opioid settlement dollars we can put aside. Bredefeld:County has Behavioral and Public Health.Dyer:how can we make sure State dollars that flow into County also flows to us at the City

where most of the homeless live? Bredefeld:Improvement in Credit rating is great as well proposal to have a pothole crew.Why is there an increase in police why is there an increase of crime? Well felonies are now misdemeanor and a revolving door.As long as we

have stupid State laws from pro-criminal politicians even 2000 more police officers won't make a difference.We are doing our part in reducing crime but when criminals are released in hours doesn't help. They need to be put away.We see this federally, statewide and locally.

White:process moving forward :Council will have questions and please direct all of those to Henry Fierro and his budget staff. It will be tracked that way.If same requests come from councilmembers we can combine.

@kmkarbass The quality of the services we provide is seen in my four years here.If we don't increase sales revenue. We don't want government supplied housing but housing citizens can afford.Can convention center be a revenue generator? Areas of high density like around schools

need to be sure that is safe. More traffic units to decrease red light runners and those texting while driving. Camp Fresno and youth when they face trauma. We have the heart but we need to provide the dollars. I am proud of all of the citizens who are here today.?At the end

we will pass a good budget. @Maxwell4Fresno I want to know by next week what park projects are in the hopper, senior center and others.
This ends the Special Meeting at 12:04 PM

Next meeting will be May 25th at 9 am.

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