4:49 THEN THE MEETING TO ORDER AND I WANT TO WELCOME MS. JOHNSON BACK.
4:52 THANK YOU SO MUCH TO BE PRESENT HERE TONIGHT WE WILL RECEIVE
5:02 THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTATION WHICH OUTLINES A PLAN FOR ADVANCING OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL.
5:11 THIS PRESENTATION AND ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS PLAN FOR OUR
5:20 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUR CITY.
5:23 THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING IN AND JOINING AND FOR PARTICIPATING TONIGHT TONIGHT IS OUR FORMAL INTRODUCTION TO THE PROPOSALS.
5:32 THE ONLY AGENDA ITEM THAT WE HAVE TONIGHT IS FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO PRESENT THE BUDGET AS A REMINDER THIS MEETING DOES
5:41 NOT INCLUDE QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL BEFORE WE GET STARTED I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW
5:49 OF THE NEXT STEPS ON THE BUDGET ON MAY 11TH WE WILL HOLD A BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING WHERE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WILL
5:58 HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON THE BUDGET YOU MAY SIGN UP AND DO
6:07 SO WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE ONLINE OR BY PHONE FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING, CITY COUNCIL WILL CONVENE MAY 18TH
6:16 AT 2:00 FOR THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS MEETING DURING THE MAY 18 MEETING COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY OFFER DESIRE BUDGET
6:24 ADJUSTMENTS FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION.
6:28 THOSE ADJUSTMENTS THAT HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST FIVE VOTES WILL MOVE FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE COUNCIL
6:35 STRAW MEETING VOTE SCHEDULED FOR MAY THE 25TH.
6:40 THEN AT THE STRAVA MEETING ANY PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS THAT RECEIVE SIX OR MORE VOTES DURING THE MEETING WILL ADVANCE
6:49 FOR INCLUSION IN THE FINAL BUDGET ORDINANCE PROPOSED FOR ADOPTION.
6:52 IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO NOTE THAT THE BUDGET ADOPTION AT THE COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING MUST
7:00 OCCUR NO LATER THAN JUNE 30TH OF EACH YEAR. BUDGET ADOPTION A VOTE IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED FOR THAT
7:08 DATE SO WITH THAT NOW I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND NOW I'M GOING TO TURN TURN THE MEETING OVER TO MR. JONES.
7:17 THANK YOU, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THIS IS MY I BELIEVE
7:22 THE MIDDLE OF MY NINTH YEAR HERE BUT MY 10TH BUDGET
7:30 PRESENTATION TO YOU SO NINE AND A HALF YEARS, TEN BUDGETS I WILL TELL YOU THAT I'M INCREDIBLY EXCITED ABOUT NOT
7:38 JUST THE FUTURE OF THIS ORGANIZATION BUT THE FUTURE OF THE CITY IN THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
7:44 THIS IS A PRETTY BIG BUDGET.
7:48 IT'S A $4.5 BILLION BUDGET THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE CROSSED THAT THRESHOLD WITH $1 BILLION GENERAL FUND.
7:56 I ALSO BELIEVE IT'S THE MOMENT FOR US TO CONNECT OUR RESIDENTS TO THIS TRANSFORMATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AND WE DO THIS IN PART BY REMOVING BARRIERS AND
8:04 OPENING DOORS TO SUPPORT FAMILY PROSPERITY.
8:07 YOU'VE HEARD BEFORE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS INFLECTION POINT HINDSIGHT. I THINK WE'RE PAST THAT.
8:14 OKAY. YOUR BOLD ACTIONS HAVE SQUARELY PUT US ON AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY LINE WHICH GIVES US A GREAT
8:21 DEAL OF OPTIMISM. BUT IT WASN'T ALWAYS THAT WAY. SO WHERE WERE WE?
8:26 SO IF WE GO BACK TO 2016, THE HOUSING BOND WAS ONLY 15 MILLION.
8:33 OUR LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEE IN 2017 MADE LESS THAN $14 AN HOUR
8:41 IN 2018 AND I'VE SAID EACH YEAR I'D NEVER SAY THIS AGAIN BUT MAYBE NEXT YEAR ALONE ON THE CROSS TROLLEY TRAIL WAS $100 MILLION WITH A $100 MILLION
8:50 FUNDING SHORTFALL. AND WHEN WE START TO THINK ABOUT POLICE AND FIRE STATION INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAD A NUMBER OF PLANS BUT WE HAD NOT FUNDED
8:58 THOSE AND MAYBE MOST IMPORTANTLY WE HAD NO STEADY STATE IN TERMS OF OUR CAP.
9:04 SO IN OTHER WORDS EVERY FOUR YEARS THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION THAT COME BACK RAISE PROPERTY TAX TO PAY FOR THE EXCUSE ME EVERY FOUR BOND CYCLES THERE
9:11 WAS AN EXPECTATION THAT COME BACK RAISE PROPERTY TAXES TO FUND THE NEXT FOUR BOND CYCLES.
9:19 WE TOOK BOLD STEPS TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AND IT'S REALLY THE COUNCIL'S BOLD STEPS.
9:24 YOU MADE IT CLEAR THE CORRIDORS OF OPPORTUNITY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BETTER PAY AND CHARLOTTE MOVES WHICH HAS
9:32 MORPHED INTO MOBILITY PLUS WERE DEFINITELY PRIORITIES AND JUST AS WE THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING MOMENTUM COVID HIT US AND SO WE
9:41 START TO THINK ABOUT THIS NO ONE WAS REALLY PREPARED FOR IT.
9:44 BUT WHAT THIS CITY COUNCIL DID WAS SOMEWHAT UNIQUE IN THE COUNTRY AND SO I'VE TAKEN THE COVID RELIEF FUNDS AND STUFFING
9:51 RESERVES WITH THE $300 MILLION THAT CAME BACK TO THE CITY. ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF YOU PUSHED
9:59 IT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY. I THINK THAT MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
10:05 WE MANAGED THROUGH CHALLENGES AND UNCERTAINTIES SO WE HAVE THESE HEADWINDS AND WE TALK ABOUT SHOCKS AND STRESSORS AND SHOCKS ARE LIKE HURRICANES
10:13 AND FLOODS BUT STRESSORS ARE THINGS THAT ARE JUST WITH US ALMOST UNDER THE SURFACE LIKE THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
10:21 WHEN YOU PAIR THAT WITH UNCERTAINTY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AT THE STATE LEVEL YOU COULD SAY THERE ARE A LOT OF HEADWINDS BUT I BELIEVE THE TAILWINDS ARE STRONGER. WE HAVE AN
INCREDIBLE STAND.
10:31 WE HAVE A SCIENCE SOUND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
10:34 WE WERE RECENTLY REAFFIRMED IN MARCH BY ALL THE RATING AGENCIES FOR OUR TRIPLE TRIPLE-A BOND RATING AND THAT'S
10:42 EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND WE HAVE GREAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS SO I BELIEVE THAT AS WE START TO THINK ABOUT INVESTING IN THESE PUBLIC
10:51 PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, IT'S MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
10:54 WE HAD A $15 MILLION BOND BUT A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP GOT THE CITY UP TO 50 IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE
11:01 PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY MORE THAN MATCHED THAT SAME THING WITH THE MAYOR'S RACIAL EQUITY INITIATIVE.
11:07 THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE CORRIDORS OF OPPORTUNITY ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US AND THERE WERE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THE CORRIDORS OF OPPORTUNITY.
11:16 BUT OVER AND OVER AGAIN YOU WILL SEE THESE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WHETHER IT'S WITH THE NEXT DLT THAT CONNECT A
11:23 ROAD TO HIGHER IT'S IN OUR DNA AND SO I REALLY LOVE THE SLIDE WITH THE VARIOUS LOGOS THAT WE HAVE.
11:31 SO YES, IT'S EASY TO GO STRAIGHT TO TEMPER SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT ATTAINMENT AND HORNET SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT AND THINK ABOUT NFL, NBA AND
11:40 MLS FRANCHISES. BUT IT'S MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT.
11:44 IT'S THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH THE COUNTY.
11:46 IT'S THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WHICH SEEMS IS THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE IN HIGHER EDUCATION WHERE THE CENTRAL PIEDMONT QUEENS UNION SEE CHARLOTTE JSU
11:54 IT'S JUST THE WAY THAT WE WORK TOGETHER THAT BELIEVE IT SETS US APART FROM OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND YOU
12:02 START TO THINK ABOUT THE FOUNDATION FOR THE CAROLINAS AND HOW IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER AND YOU GET SOMETHING KIND OF SPECIAL LIKE THE PEARL.
12:08 SO A FEW YEARS AGO WE WERE AT A COUNCIL RETREAT AND WE WERE THE LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY NOT TO HAVE A MEDICAL SCHOOL AND
12:16 AFTER THAT CHARGE NOT ONLY DID WE GET A MEDICAL SCHOOL BUT WE GOT SOMETHING THAT'S BIGGER THAN THAT.
12:23 SO WE START TO THINK ABOUT THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. WE'VE DEPLOYED ABOUT $150
12:30 MILLION IN PUBLIC INVESTMENT BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE MORE THAN 4 BILLION.
12:34 SO I'LL SAY THAT AGAIN 150 MILLION IN PUBLIC INVESTMENT HAS LEVERAGED MORE THAN 4 BILLION.
12:39 SO WE THINK ABOUT PLACES AND SPACES LIKE BALLANTINE REALLY REIMAGINE THE PEARL INNOVATION
12:48 DISTRICT AND EVEN EASTLAND GARDENS.
12:51 WE'RE ALSO INVESTING IN THE WORKFORCE AND WE HAVE THIS LENS THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL INTERNAL SOME OF THE PROGRAMS HAVE REALLY CHANGED PEOPLE'S LIVES IN THE CITY FOR INSTANCE,
13:02 WE HAVE 450 OF OUR EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATING IN THE PREPAID TUITION PROGRAM.
13:07 THAT'S NOT A TUITION REIMBURSEMENT. IT'S PREPAID.
13:10 SO IN OTHER WORDS, YOU DON'T TAKE MONEY OUT OF YOUR POCKET TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE YOUR YOUR LIFE AND WE HAVE 26 DEGREES HAVE ALREADY
13:19 BEEN AWARDED BUT ALSO EXTERNALLY WE'RE SUPPORTING FIVE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND THEY'RE
13:26 THEY'VE HELPED OVER 500 INDIVIDUALS WITH CAREER PLACEMENTS. SO WE DID THIS ALL WHILE HAVING THE LOWEST PROPERTY TAX RATE IN
13:35 THE STATE. I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHARTS SO WHEN WE START TO
13:43 THINK ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE WE ARE THE LOWEST OF ALL THE LARGE CITIES IN NORTH
13:50 CAROLINA AND THERE ARE THESE 12 THAT WE COMPARE OURSELVES TO BUT ALSO WE HAVE NOT RAISED THE PROPERTY TAX RATE MUCH LIKE
13:58 OTHER JURISDICTIONS. SO WHILE CHARLOTTE HAS INCREASED THE PROPERTY TAX RATE ONCE SINCE 2020 WE HAVE HAD
14:06 JURISDICTION TO INCREASE AS MANY AS SIX TIMES AND THEN WE LOOK AT THE TOTAL COST
14:14 GOVERNMENT AND THAT CITY COUNTY WATER WASTEWATER SALES TAX AND OTHERS WE'RE THE LOWEST FOR ANY CITY WITH A QUARTER MILLION
14:24 PEOPLE OR MORE AND WE'RE ONLY THE SECOND LOWEST OF ALL CITIES AND THAT'S WITH WILMINGTON WITH ABOUT 125,000 PEOPLE BEING THE
14:32 LOWEST. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR REGIONAL IMPACT.
14:39 SO THERE ARE SEVEN FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES THAT CALL CHARLOTTE HOME BUT 1940 1000 COMPANIES THEY CALL THE REGION HOME.
14:48 AND I THINK MAYBE THE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STATS ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE IS 23% OF
14:55 NORTH CAROLINA'S GDP IS IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY.
14:58 THEY'RE 100 COUNTIES BY 22% OF THE STATE'S GDP IS IN MECKLENBURG. SO I SAY TO SAY THAT CHARLOTTE
15:06 IS GOOD FOR NORTH CAROLINA NUMBER ONE STATE FOR DOING BUSINESS NUMBER TWO BEST CITY
15:14 FOR HEADQUARTERS IN THE EIGHTH BEST BIG CITY TO LIVE SO THAT'S A GREAT PITCH.
15:22 I KNEW I'D START TO HEAR THIS IN THE ROOM. OKAY.
15:27 SO BUT PART OF WHAT MAKES THIS WORK IS ANNUALLY YOU REAFFIRM WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU AND THEN IT'S UP TO US TO EXECUTE THAT.
15:35 SO AT THIS AT THE JANUARY ANNUAL STRATEGY MEETING IT WAS VERY CLEAR YOU WANTED US TO SHORE UP OUR CORE SERVICES.
15:44 YOU WANTED US TO FOCUS ON PUBLIC SAFETY. YOU WANTED US TO BE FORWARD THINKING ABOUT HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NOT SEPARATELY.
15:52 YOU WANTED US TO INVEST IN MOBILITY PLUS AND YOU WANTED US TO IMPLEMENT A TAX RATE THAT REFLECTS THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS.
16:01 SO WE START OFF WITH SHORING UP OUR CORE SERVICES ABOUT 29% OF THIS BILLION DOLLAR GENERAL FUND IS JUST CORE SERVICES.
16:08 SO LET ME LAYER THAT ON TOP OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
16:11 PUBLIC SAFETY IS ABOUT 62% OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET. SO OVER 90% OF WHAT WE DO CORE
16:19 SERVICES IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS BOTH OF THEM IN THIS BUDGET. SO HOW DO WE SHOW UP?
16:28 YOU'VE TOLD ME OVER AND OVER AGAIN IF THERE'S A PROBLEM PUT IT ON THE TABLE AND LET'S ADDRESS IT.
16:34 SO WE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH PERFORMANCE AND WE HAD PROBLEMS FOR INSTANCE WITH OUR 9 MILLION RESPONSE TIMES.
16:42 BUT WE WERE ABLE OVER THE COURSE OF THIS LAST YEAR TO MEET THE BENCHMARK WHICH IS TO GET 90% OF YOUR CALLS ANSWERED
16:50 WITHIN 10S BETWEEN JANUARY AND MARCH AT THE END OF MARCH WE'RE AT 92% AND ALSO WE'RE TRYING TO
16:57 DO A BETTER JOB OF ENGAGE IN THE COMMUNITY.
17:00 WE HAD 188 COMMUNITY EVENTS HOSTED BY HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES THAT FOCUSES ON UPWARD MOBILITY AND THAT WAS JUST IN THE FIRST HALF
17:08 OF THE FISCAL YEAR. WE'RE ALSO KEEPING AN EYE ON PERFORMANCE.
17:13 WE HAVE MANY INDICATORS THAT COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL. FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE COMMUNITY LEVEL INDICATORS, WE HAVE
17:21 COUNCIL LEVEL INDICATORS AND WE HAVE MANAGEMENT LEVEL INDICATORS AND WHAT WE'RE FINDING IN SOME CASES WE ARE
17:27 JUST NOT PERFORMING WELL AND SO TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PRODUCE CORE SERVICES WE NEED
17:35 TO MAKE MORE FUNDING DECISIONS AROUND OUR FLEET AVAILABILITY.
17:41 OUR 3.1 CAPACITY IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE TIMES THERE'S A CHALLENGE.
17:47 THE CHALLENGE IS WE TRY TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL SERVICES.
17:50 WE TRY TO KEEP THE TAX RATE LOW AND WE TRY TO MEET THESE PERFORMANCE GOALS. WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS AT SURPLUSES AT THE END OF EACH
17:58 YEAR BUT FY 25 WAS A BIT DIFFERENT ON AN ALMOST BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET A $10,000 SURPLUS NOT A SURPLUS THAT'S BARELY
18:07 MAKING IT AND SO WE DIDN'T REALLY HELP OURSELVES AS WE STARTED F Y 26 WHERE I SAID TO
18:15 YOU BEFORE I EVER COME BACK TO YOU FOR A PROPERTY TAX WE WOULD DO AS BEST AS WE CAN WITH
18:23 EFFICIENCIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN DO WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE SO WE'RE ABLE TO FIND $7.4 MILLION
18:31 OF EFFICIENCIES IN THE CURRENT BUDGET AND IF WE START TO LOOK AT THE PAST FEW BUDGETS CYCLES
18:39 WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND ABOUT $32 MILLION IN EFFICIENCIES BUT LET'S FOCUS ON THAT 7.4 MILLION
18:46 THAT'S IN THE CURRENT BUDGET AS I MENTIONED FOR 25 WE ENDED WITH A $10,000 SURPLUS AND THAT'S YEARS OF HAVING
18:54 SURPLUSES OF $15,000,018 MILLION AND BY 26 WITH THIS $7.4 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL
19:02 EFFICIENCIES COUPLED WITH HOW WE HAVE FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SAFETY THIS YEAR, IT'LL BE
19:11 DIFFICULT TO IN THE FISCAL YEAR WITH ANY SIGNIFICANT SURPLUS.
19:20 OUR GOAL IS TO END THE FISCAL YEAR MEETING OUR 16% RESERVE AND STILL BEING ABOVE ZERO.
19:29 SO MOVING FORWARD WE NEED TO PUT MORE FUEL IN THE TANK THAT IS JUST PLAIN AND SIMPLE. SO WE TALKED ABOUT SHORING UP COURSER SERVICES.
19:38 SO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS SOME OF THESE THINGS YOU WILL NEVER SEE AND IT IS THINGS LIKE CYBERSECURITY.
19:44 IT'S THINGS LIKE TECHNOLOGY REFRESHES BUT YOU WILL SEE IT HAVE ANYTHING FAILS.
19:50 SO WE'RE PUTTING ABOUT $5.5 MILLION INTO OUR TECHNOLOGY ASSETS IN OUR SECURITY ASSETS,
19:58 $2 MILLION IN OUR SOLID WASTE SERVICES. AGAIN, MORE PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE EXPECT THE
20:07 CITY TO SHOW UP FOR LIKE PICKING UP THEIR SOLID WASTE,
20:10 PICKING UP THE PHONE WHEN YOU CALL NINE ONE 1 OR 3 ONE ONE THAT WE'RE DOING THAT AND WE'RE DOING THAT EXCEPTIONALLY WE HAVE $2.7 MILLION THAT WE ARE
20:18 PUTTING INTO THE FLEET FUND AND $2 MILLION FOR MORE VEHICLE PURCHASES AND MORE THAN $3
20:27 MILLION TO MAINTAIN CITY OWNED BUILDINGS AGAIN THERE CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE THEIR CITY HALLS ARE FAILING.
20:32 SO YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU MAKE THE INVESTMENTS ON THE FRONT END SO PUBLIC SAFETY AND WE HAVE INVESTMENTS ENHANCED
20:40 SAFETY FOR ALL SO LET'S PUT THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE. WHEN WE STARTED TO HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY AS ONE OF THE PRIORITIES
20:49 FOR THE COUNCIL NOT JUST AT THE RETREAT BUT OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THE THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO
20:58 MAKE IS AROUND $85 MILLION AS PAY INCREASES OVER TIME.
21:03 RETIREMENT VEHICLE REPLACEMENT DASH CAM SOFTWARE LICENSE IS STANDING UP FIRE STATIONS.
21:09 IT'S NOT A SMALL AMOUNT. AND TO PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE,
21:13 WHAT WE PUT IN THE CURRENT BUDGET IN PUBLIC SAFETY IS ABOUT 36.3 MILLION IN FY 26.
21:21 SO THAT'S WHY 27 IS MORE THAN TWICE THE INVESTMENT THE INVESTMENT IS NEEDED.
21:27 I WILL TELL YOU THIS 85 MILLION IS WORTH ABOUT 3.6 $0.04 ON A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
21:35 LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MUCH LIKE WE SAY THAT EACH YEAR WE BEGIN THE BUDGET PROCESS TRYING TO FIND
21:43 EFFICIENCIES IN USING PRUDENT FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, EVEN TAKING SOMETIMES A MULTIYEAR APPROACH. WE DID THE SAME THING TO TRY TO
21:51 TACKLE THIS 85 MILLION THAT'S RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
21:55 SO WE HAVE 16 BUDGET PRINCIPLES AND ONE OF THEM IS THAT THE CITY WILL BEGIN BY EVALUATING AVAILABLE REVENUE AND LOOK AT
22:05 THE OPERATING CAPITAL BUDGET AND THEN BUDGET WHERE THE GREATEST COMMUNITY NEED IS RIGHT NOW THE GREATEST
22:13 COMMUNITY NEED IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
22:16 SO THE FIRST THING THAT WE DID IS WE REALLOCATED 1.4 $0.05
22:22 FROM THE DEBT SERVICE FUND IN THE PAYGO FUND RIGHT BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP US WITH SOME OF
22:30 THE PUBLIC SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE HAVE. SO WE WERE ABLE TO WITH WITH A
22:39 FEW THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE BEING ABLE TO HAVE A MULTIYEAR APPROACH TO SOME OF THESE NEEDS AS WELL AS BRINGING IN
22:48 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM THE DEBT SERVICE FUNDING THE PAY GO FUND, THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE THAT I'M PROPOSING FOR THIS
22:54 BUDGET IS 1.8 $0.09 AND 100% OF IT IS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
23:03 SO WE DIVIDED UP SOME IT'S IN DEBT SERVICE, SOME WILL BE IN THE GENERAL FUND BUT IT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT
$5.71 MONTH
23:10 INCREASE FOR THE TYPICAL HOMEOWNER.
23:13 AGAIN ALL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY EVEN WITH THAT. OKAY.
23:18 BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE OKAY THEN WHERE DO WE LAND WHEN YOU ADD THE 1% SALES TAX THAT WAS
23:27 PASSED AS WELL AS THIS PROPERTY TAX OF 1.89, WE WOULD STILL BE THE LOWEST ALL IN FOR
23:35 GOVERNMENT SERVICES OF ANY CITY IN NORTH CAROLINA WITH THE POPULATION OF 250,000 OR MORE
23:42 AND ONCE AGAIN THE ONLY CITY THAT WOULD HAVE A LOWER TOTAL COST WOULD BE WILMINGTON WHICH HAS A POPULATION AGAIN OF ABOUT 125,000 PEOPLE.
23:51 SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THESE PUBLIC SAFETY INVESTMENTS. SO IF WOULD POLICE POLICE WE
23:59 HAVE A 10% INCREASE FOR ALL OFFICE OFFICERS THROUGH SERGEANT LEVEL AND WE ALSO HAVE
24:07 35 ADDITIONAL TAKE HOME VEHICLES. I WILL TELL YOU THAT OUR PLAN IS TO ALSO UTILIZE THE EARMARK
24:16 THAT WE HAVE IN DC TO GET ALL OF THE TAKE HOME VEHICLES THAT ARE NEEDED IN THIS YEAR
24:25 PURSUANT TO THE CURRENT POLICY FOR MPD.
24:29 WE'RE ALSO HAVE A THREE YEAR PLAN TO REPLACE ALL THE DASH CAMS IN THE CAR.
24:33 SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE START TO THINK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH VACANCY AND SEE MPD THESE INITIATIVES WILL HELP
24:42 CHIEF PATTERSON GET THE C AND PD FULLY STAFFED BY THE END OF 27 IN TERMS OF FIRE A 7%
24:54 INCREASE FOR FIREFIGHTERS. TWO CAPTAINS.
24:57 WHAT I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I'M PROPOSING FOR THESE POLICE AND FIRE I HAVE A STEP SYSTEM AND SO WHAT I'M PROPOSING WE JUST
25:06 FREEZE THE STEP SYSTEM AND LIFT AND SHIFT EVERYBODY UP AND PLACE 10% AND EVERYBODY UP AND FIRE 7%.
25:13 WE ALSO HAVE WOULD FIRE $4 MILLION FOR THAT TURNOUT GEAR REPLACEMENT $4.1 MILLION TO RIGHT SIZE THEIR OVERTIME.
25:23 WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS OVER THE YEARS IS PART OF THE ISSUES WITH HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO MEETING THE BUDGET.
25:31 A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH SOME OF THE OVERTIME COSTS AND FIRE SO WHY DON'T WE TRY TO FIND A WAY TO GET THAT NUMBER THE RIGHT SIZE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
25:39 WE ALSO HAVE THREE ADDITIONAL FIELD TECHNICIANS TO HELP WITH THE CAPTAINS AS THEY ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND WITH ANY FIRE
25:47 EMERGENCIES AND TWO CIVILIANS TO SUPPORT AND IMPROVE TRAINING AND FIRE RESPONSE TIMES.
25:52 THANKS. ALSO IMPORTANT TO TALK A BIT ABOUT THE POWER INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE A NEW FIRE COMPANY
25:59 ENGINE 46 1850S AND $2.3 MILLION.
26:04 WE HAVE THE COMMERCIAL BURN BUILDING THAT'S THROUGH ADVANCED PLANNING AND WE HAVE APPARATUS REPLACEMENT SIX ENGINES AND THREE LADDERS WAS
26:12 ALSO IMPORTANT AS WE'RE TRYING TO GET BACK ON TRACK WITH FIRE IN TERMS OF THE CORRECT REPLACEMENTS FOR THE ENGINES
26:20 AND THE LADDERS AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WE WOULD HAVE EVERY TWO YEARS A NEW FIRE STATION OR
26:29 FIRE STATION REPLACEMENT AGAIN GROWTH RESPONSE TIMES VERY IMPORTANT WITH FIRE AND SO WE'RE ALSO ADVANCING SAFETY.
26:41 BUT IT'S NOT JUST POLICE AND FIRE. IT'S ALSO THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
26:46 SO WE HAVE A BUNCH OF STUDIES, A BUNCH OF DISCUSSIONS AROUND SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENTS
26:55 THAT IN COLLABORATION I THINK ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
26:57 I'LL START WITH BUSINESS DISTRICT ORGANIZATIONS THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HAVE $600,000 IN THIS BUDGET FOR THE
27:06 ESTABLISHMENT OF THESE BUSINESS DISTRICT ORGANIZATIONS BUT IT'S ALSO EACH YEAR FOR EACH OF THE FIVE YEARS IN THE AIR PAYGO
27:15 SYSTEM ALSO WITH WE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS AROUND TACKLING SAFETY PROBLEMS IN UPTOWN AND
27:24 THEN WE MOVED THAT TO BABIES FORWARD ROAD SO IN THEIR NEIGHBORS BUILDING NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM ABOUT A HALF MILLION DOLLARS SET ASIDE EACH YEAR SO THAT WE CAN HAVE
27:33 INNOVATIVE WAYS TO ADDRESS SOME QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND THIS I BELIEVE THIS WILL BE OVERSUBSCRIBED BY BEFORE WE
27:42 EVEN START IF THIS IS APPROVED AND WE ARE ALSO ESTABLISHING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS POSITIONS POSITION WHICH WE
27:50 THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A CITY AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS HOW WE SHOW UP GLOBALLY.
27:56 AND LASTLY LAST YEAR WE TOOK A YEAR OFF BUT THE PREVIOUS FOUR YEARS WE HAD A AN ARRANGEMENT ROAD TO HIRE WITH THE CITY THE
28:04 COUNTY AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WHERE WE'RE GOING INTO TITLE ONE SCHOOLS AND THEN IN THIS PILOT FINDING AN OPPORTUNITY
28:13 FOR STUDENTS TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE DEBT FREE WITH THE JOB WAITING WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
28:21 NOW TO EXPAND THAT AND HAVE A THOUSAND STUDENTS COMING FROM OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS THAT
28:30 WOULD BE TUITION FREE AND ALSO AFTER THEY GRADUATE HAVE A JOB WAITING FOR THEM.
28:36 OUR CONTRIBUTION IS 10% OF THAT.
28:40 IT WOULD BE 1.5 MILLION ON A $15 MILLION PROGRAM THAT WE PILOTED AND WE THINK THAT'S ALSO A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR
28:48 THE CITY TO CONTINUE. WE TALKED ABOUT HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
28:52 I KEPT THEM TOGETHER BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO SEPARATE THE TWO AND THAT CAME OUT AT THE RETREAT.
SO WE FOCUS ON OUR EMPLOYEES
28:59 HAVE STORIES TALKED ABOUT OUR EMPLOYEES.
29:04 WE I SAID 26 WE'RE LESS THAN $14 AN HOUR.
29:07 I'M PROPOSING THAT WE ALSO INCREASE OUR MINIMUM PAY FOR EMPLOYEES TO $25 AN HOUR IS CURRENTLY $24 AN HOUR.
29:14 THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN ASKED FROM THE COMMUNITY FOR A WHILE AND THIS IS FOR A 40 HOUR
29:22 PERMANENT EMPLOYEES WHICH WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF $50,000 A YEAR. WE'RE KEEPING PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR US. FOR INSTANCE, THERE IS A 2.5%
29:32 INCREASE FOR THOSE WITH A CDL LICENSE WHEN IT IS REQUIRED FOR THE JOB THOSE WITH GENERAL FUND
29:41 WE HAVE A 2.5% FOR SECOND AND THIRD SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL.
29:45 WE HAVE PREPAID TUITION ASSISTANCE.
29:47 WE HAVE A RENTAL WENT DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE CHANGED OUR EMPLOYEES LIVES AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE ALL ACCESS PASS FOR
29:56 TRANSIT SO HOURLY EMPLOYEES IN MY PROPOSED BUDGET IT'S A 4%
30:04 INCREASE IS A COMBINATION OF THE MARKET AND MERIT FOR SALARIED EMPLOYEES IS A 4% POOL AND WE ARE RESTRUCTURING THE PAY RANGE.
30:13 SO NO MATTER WHETHER YOU ARE A SALARIED EMPLOYEE OR AN HOURLY EMPLOYEE YOU CAN SEE A CAREER PATH FOR YOU WITHIN THE CITY OF
30:22 CHARLOTTE INVESTING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE HAVE A MUCH SUCCESS.
30:27 I THINK THAT THE THING THAT REALLY GOT TO ME OVER THE COURSE OF THIS BUDGET DEVELOPMENT IS THAT IN THE LAST
30:35 FOUR BOND CYCLES WHEN WE GOT UP TO 50 MILLION WE'VE HAD 60% OF ALL THE UNITS HAVE BEEN CREATED
30:41 SINCE 2018 AND SO JUST IMAGINE WHAT WE MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IF IT WERE AT THIS LEVEL YEARS EARLIER.
30:50 SO THE HOUSING BOND FOR 2026 THERE'S A NEW STEADY STATE NOW THIS IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT WHILE RIGHT NOW YOU
30:58 WILL SEE THAT IT'S $100 MILLION THAT I AM PROPOSING GOING FORWARD.
31:03 IF YOU GO BACK TO WHAT WAS PLANNED, IT WAS PLANNED AT 50 MILLION RIGHT IN 26 AND 28 AND 30.
31:12 SO AS WE START TO THINK ABOUT THE FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE AIRSHIP GETTING IT UP TO 100 IN
31:18 PERPETUITY PUT SOME STRESS ON THE SYSTEM BUT WE'RE AT A STEADY STATE NOW WHERE I'M
31:28 RECOMMENDING $100 MILLION EACH BOND CYCLE FOR STEP. I ALSO AM RECOMMENDING FOR THIS
31:36 PARTICULAR BOND TO GO UP TO 125 MILLION.
31:43 NOW THE REASON THAT I RECOMMEND 125 MILLION IS BECAUSE IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES FOR GOING TO
31:50 TALK A LOT ABOUT BUILDING ROADS AND TRANSIT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE I'M SO ANTI DISPLACEMENT
31:58 IS SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SO I RECOMMENDED THAT WE USE SOME OF THIS CAPACITY TO FOCUS ON THAT.
32:04 MAYBE MORE IMPORTANTLY IF WE GO BACK TO THE 2018 BOND WHEN THERE WAS A CALL TO ACTION FROM
32:11 THE COMMUNITY TO GO FROM TO GET IT UP TO 50, MAYBE IT'S TIME TO CALL OUR PARTNERS BACK TO ACTION TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO
32:20 IN TERMS OF GETTING US SOMEWHERE NORTH OF EVEN 125 OKAY.
32:25 SO ON THE MOMENT MOBILITY WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE THREE LEGGED STOOL A GOOD PAYING JOB.
32:31 WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN AFFORD WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT BUT NOW IT'S HOW DO YOU MOVE BACK AND FORTH AND HOW DO YOU EVEN HAVE UPWARD
32:39 MOBILITY WITHIN THAT SO WE JUST DID A SNAPSHOT OF THE CITIES AND COUNTIES WHERE THE TRANSIT TAX REFERENDUM FAILED AND MANY
32:48 OF YOU HAD BEEN ON SOME OF THESE INNER CITY VISITS WHERE WE VISITED PLACES WHERE THE TAX HAD FAILED AND WE TRIED TO
32:57 LEARN FROM THOSE LESSONS AND SOME OF THESE JURISDICTIONS THEY FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES.
33:03 SO WE WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME ROADBLOCKS AND HURDLES AND HAND A YES RIGHT 42% TO 48%.
33:11 BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE I KNOW THE PROJECTS AREN'T JUST FOR THE 52% THE CITY HAS IS FOR EVERYBODY IS FOR 100%.
33:20 SO HOW DO WE BECOME VERY INTENTIONAL WITH THAT? SO WE TESTED IN THIS YEAR AND
33:28 WE APPRECIATE THE LAST BOND WHERE YOU APPROVED OR YOU YOU SAID OKAY, MOVE FORWARD,
33:37 APPROVE THE BUDGET AND THE PUBLIC APPROVED $55 MILLION THAT WE DID FOR STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AREAS.
33:43 I THINK STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AREAS MAY BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT THE CITY HAS DONE BECAUSE OF WHAT WE
33:49 SHOWED IS THAT ONE WE COULD COLLABORATE WITH MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
33:57 WE COULD BUILD THINGS FASTER, WE COULD BUILD THEM CHEAPER AND WE COULD ALSO TRAIN WORKERS IN BUSINESSES HOW TO GET THE JOBS.
34:05 OKAY.
34:06 AND SOLAR LIGHTING IS ONE GREAT EXAMPLE.
34:11 SO WE ALSO DURING THIS LAST YEAR TOOK A CHANCE IN ADVANCE SEVEN PROJECTS THROUGH OUR ADVANCED PLANNING.
34:19 SO WE TALKED ABOUT SHOVEL READY AND WE ARE SHOVEL READY FOR THESE SEVEN AS WE HAVE TURNED THE BIG MOVES AND AS WE MOVE
34:28 FORWARD I THINK HERE'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT'S WHAT WE DID WITH $55 MILLION OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR AND A HALF WE
34:39 HAVE 5.7 BILLION $5.7 BILLION THAT ARE COMING DIRECTLY TO THE CITY OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS FOR
34:47 TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AND WE CAN USE TO SEE US AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN SCALE UP SMALL BUSINESSES, HOW WE CAN PREPARE
34:56 THE WORKFORCE AND HOW WE CAN DELIVER TO OUR COMMUNITIES SO AS YOU START TO LOOK AT THESE STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AREAS WHERE WE FOCUS ON TO THIS LAST
35:05 YEAR NOW WE GET THIS OPPORTUNITY TO FOCUS ON ALL 16 BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE 16 STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AREAS. WE ALSO HAVE THE SIX QUARTERS
35:13 OF OPPORTUNITY. SO THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US WITH THE PROJECTS THAT HAD STALLED TO ACTUALLY GET THESE THINGS DONE.
35:21 WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS WE'RE ALSO PUTTING THE STAFF IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE WE CAN DELIVER ON THE
35:28 PROJECTS. LAST WEEK WE DID DELIVER TO YOU THE MOBILITY PLUS SMALL
35:35 BUSINESS IMPACT REPORT AND WHAT THEIR REPORT BASICALLY SAID IS WE HAVE A GAP IN THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE AVAILABLE
35:44 TO HELP US IMPLEMENT THESE PROJECTS AND THE WORKERS. AND SO INSTEAD OF WAITING WE
35:52 MADE SOME ASSUMPTIONS IS THAT THIS WITH THE REPORT WOULD HAVE SAID SO WE HAVE AN 18 MONTH LEAD ON EVEN THE RESULTS OF THE
35:59 REPORT AND SO WE'VE ALREADY STARTED ON PROGRAMS AND WE'RE TRAINING AND WE'RE SCALING UP BUSINESSES SO THEY ARE ABLE TO
36:08 TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY AGAIN IF WE START TO JUST DIVIDE THESE THINGS I THINK THE THE EASIEST WAY TO
36:16 START TO LOOK AT THESE ARE SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE THAT YOU'RE ACCUSTOMED TO WHETHER THEY'RE BIKES, THEY'RE SIDEWALKS, THERE'S LIGHTING,
36:26 THERE'S PAINTING AND THEN THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO GO MORE TO PLACES AND SPACES AND DO MORE THAN JUST STREETS OR
36:34 LIGHTING. AND I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR THEM TO SEE AS THE BIG MOVES THE PARTNERSHIPS, THE PROGRAM.
36:42 AND LET'S TAKE JUST A LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITH RC IP.
36:50 SO WE TOOK A CHANCE WITH A $400 MILLION FINE IN 2024 IF THERE WERE NO 1% SALES TAX INCREASE
37:00 WE WOULD HAVE GONE BACK TO THIS 220 OR WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE DONE SOMETHING ASTRONOMICAL ON
37:08 THE PROPERTY TAX LIKE 17 $0.18 AND WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT WOULD HAVE FLOWN ANYWHERE.
37:16 SO NOW WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH THE 1% SALES TAX TO TAKE
37:23 THE C IP NOT ONLY UP TO WHERE WE WERE AND WHEN WE TESTED THIS
37:30 IN 2024 BUT BEYOND THAT. SO WHAT YOU HAVE FOR THE
37:35 PROPOSED 2026 BOND IS ROUGHLY $225 MILLION AND HOUSING AND
37:41 THE OTHER $300 MILLION IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND IN TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.
37:49 WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THESE DIFFERENT BONDS IS THAT YOU DO THE PROJECTS LIKE THE CONCEPT
37:58 IS THE SEVEN BIG MOVES PROJECTS WHICH OVER THOSE TWO BONDS ARE $266 MILLION.
38:06 OKAY, YOU GET THEM DONE AND THEN YOU GO ON IF YOU LOOK AT 2030 WE HAVE ALL OF THAT EVERYTHING'S ON PROGRAM.
38:14 THEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT BATCH OF BIG MOVES PROJECTS WHILE YOU CONTINUE TO DO YOUR SIDEWALKS WHILE YOU CONTINUE TO DO YOUR
38:22 BIKE PATHS AND ALL THAT AND YOUR VISION ZERO. SO I THINK THAT WHAT I REALLY
38:29 LIKE ABOUT WHERE WE'RE MOVING IS YOU'VE SAID TO US YOU NEED TO TELL US HOW YOU'RE MAKING THESE DECISIONS.
38:38 SO IF YOU START TO THINK ABOUT IT'S SAFETY, IT'S MODE CHOICE,
38:41 IT'S HOW CAN YOU GET LEVERAGE WITH YOUR PARTNERSHIPS?
38:44 IT'S ASSET MANAGEMENT INNOVATION OPERATIONS.
38:46 SO THOSE ARE SYSTEM WIDE, RIGHT?
38:49 SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE A VISION ZERO BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN SIDEWALKS BUT THEN WHAT'S REALLY NEW IS WHAT WE CALL
38:58 THESE PLACE BASED PROGRAMS. SO YOU HAVE THE BIG PROJECTS LIKE THOSE SEVEN ROAD PROJECTS BUT ALSO THOSE STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AREAS THAT WE'RE
39:05 GOING TO MOVE AROUND AND WE'LL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
39:10 WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS YOU DEFINE IT DESIGN IT DIDN'T DELIVER IT.
39:16 OKAY. SO WE WILL HAVE A SERIES OF PROJECT X DELIVER IT BY 2030.
39:23 THOSE SEVEN BIG MOVES AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER SERIES DELIVER IT BY 2035. BUT IN THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE DO SIDEWALKS AND BIKE TRAILS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
39:34 WHAT I THINK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IS ENGAGEMENT.
39:37 WE'VE LEARNED OVER AND OVER AGAIN ENGAGEMENT HOW DO YOU ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY? HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY WANTS?
39:45 SO WE LEARNED A LOT WITH THE C IS ABOUT REALLY EMBEDDING
39:51 YOURSELF IN THE COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE BUY IN FROM THE COMMUNITY.
39:57 WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THE FOUNDATION FOR THE CAROLINAS FOR SIN CITY AND HCR AS WE DO MORE ENGAGEMENT
40:05 WITH OUR COMMUNITY WITH ALL OF THESE PROJECTS THAN I BELIEVE WE'VE EVER DONE BEFORE EVEN WITH A SPECIAL INTEREST ON
40:13 WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COUNCIL AS YOU REPRESENT THE DISTRICTS,
40:18 THE FIRST SEVEN WILL BE DELIVERED IN THESE THESE FIVE YEARS AND THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN IN ADVANCED PLANNING.
40:24 THEY ARE SHOVEL READY. WE'RE READY TO GO AND AS WE START TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE DO
40:30 REGIONALLY, CHARLOTTE AS I SAID IS GOOD FOR NORTH CAROLINA.
40:38 WE RUN AN AIRPORT. IT IS THE SIX BUSIEST AIRPORT IN THE WORLD. WE RUN THE STATES ONLY TRANSIT
40:46 SYSTEM AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM I'M SORRY I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT ON THE NEXT SLIDE AND WE
40:54 ALSO IN TERMS OF WATER $1.2 MILLION BECAUSE THE 1.2 MILLION CUSTOMER SERVED IN STORM WATER,
41:00 48,000FT OF PIPE INSTALLED OR REHAB. SO CAN'T SO AS A PART OF THE PAYBACK AS A PART OF THE 1%
41:12 SALES TAX, KATZ IS TRANSITIONING INTO THE METROPOL LYTTON PUBLIC TRANSIT AUTHORITY AND THE EMPTY HAS DONE A LOT IN
41:20 A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THEY'VE ADOPTED THEIR BYLAWS,
41:24 THEY'VE ADOPTED THEIR CODE OF ETHICS, THEY'VE APPROVED THEY'VE BEEN APPROVED TO PARTICIPATE IN AND THE RETIREMENT STATES RETIREMENTS
41:32 SYSTEM THEY BROUGHT ON UI TO HELP THEM IN THEIR TRANSITION AS WELL AS FAMILIAR FACES DEBORAH CAMPBELL AND CAROLYN FLOWERS AND THEY'RE JUST NOT
41:41 QUITE READY TO TAKE OVER CATS JULY 1ST.
41:47 AND SO WE ALL AGREE AND AND I'M PROUD WITH THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WE ALL AGREE THAT EMPLOYEES HAVE TO BE FIRST.
41:57 SO WHAT THE PLAN IS IS FOR THE EMPLOYEES TO TRANSITION TO THE EMPTY JANUARY 1ST, 2027 AND BY
42:06 THAT TIME THE EMPTY AIR WILL HAVE ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO OPERATE CATS.
42:16 BUT UNTIL THAT TIME THE CITY WILL OPERATE CARDS UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST so FEE INCREASES
42:24 ARE ALSO NEEDED TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF SERVICE AND WE HAVE THREE FEE INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET.
42:31 SO SOLID WASTE IT'S A MONTHLY INCREASE OF $1.35 WASTE WATER WASTEWATER $4.41 IN STORMWATER AT $0.48.
42:42 I WILL SAY THAT WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS WE ALSO HAVE A WATER WASTEWATER SYSTEM AND A STORM WATER SYSTEM.
42:51 THEY'RE TRIPLE A-RATED. SO THAT'S THAT'S BIG. OKAY.
42:57 AND IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE RATINGS THERE NEEDS TO BE STABILITY IN THOSE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
43:05 SO LET'S BRING IT TO CLOSING THE COUPLE OF THINGS WE HAVE GEARED UP FOR THIS WORK. SO WE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE,
43:14 PLACES, POLICIES AND PLANS.
43:17 IT'S ALL COME TOGETHER AND THIS BUDGET WILL GIVE US THE RESOURCES IN ORDER TO DO IT.
43:23 I KNOW WHEN WE STARTED 4 OR 5 YEARS AGO YOU JUST SAW SIX BUBBLES THAT WERE THE CORRIDORS
43:31 OF OPPORTUNITY AND PEOPLE WOULD SAY WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME THIS IS MORE HOLISTIC OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE CITY FROM
43:38 CORRIDORS TO SEE AS TO BUSINESS DISTRICT ORGANIZATIONS AND
43:46 WHAT'S SAY PRESENTATION WITHOUT A MCKINNEY SLIDE.
43:49 OKAY. SO LET'S START TO LOOK AT THIS. ALL RIGHT. AND I HOPE I GET IT RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'RE LOCKED IN.
43:57 WE KNOW WHAT THE GAP IS.
43:58 WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE MISSING IN TERMS OF BUSINESS CAPACITY AND WORKFORCE.
44:00 THE CAPACITY. BUT AGAIN, WE GOT IN FRONT OF THE CURVE AND WE HIT $5.9 MILLION IN THIS BUDGET JUST TO
44:08 MAKE SURE WE START TO GET THOSE TRAINING IN THE SCALING UP FOR THE WORKFORCE IN THE BUSINESSES.
44:13 AND THEN IF YOU THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE, OKAY,
44:16 EXPANDING OUR APPROACH WHETHER IT'S $25 AN HOUR PREPAID TUITION SKILL TO BUILD ROAD TO HIRE WE'RE ALSO BUILDING
44:23 CAPACITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY AND HOW DO WE MEET THE MOMENT?
44:31 YOU KNOW, WE'RE SCALING BUSINESSES SO THAT THEY CAN BE READY AND WE'RE TRAINING THE WORKFORCE.
44:38 SO AS I SAID EARLIER, IT'S $1 BILLION GENERAL FUND BUDGET ALL IN 4.5 BILLION ALL FUNDS AND
44:46 HERE'S OUR SCHEDULE MAY 11TH IS A PUBLIC HEARING MAY 18TH ON THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS JUNE 1ST
44:54 STRAW VOTES AND JUNE EIGHT THE BUDGET ADOPTION AND I JUST WANT TO THANK TEAM CHARLOTTE ALL THE EMPLOYEES.
45:02 I WANT TO THANK MY DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT THE STRATEGY AND BUDGET AND JENNIFER, THANK YOU.
45:11 YOU CRUSHED IT AND MOVE IN THE SLIDES BUT JUST IN CASE JULIA CAME IN. BUT WE'RE GOOD.
45:16 ALL RIGHT. SO MAYOR, THIS ENDS IT FOR ME.
45:21 THIS IS NOW YOUR BUDGET AND WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROVIDE YOU WITH ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO MAKE DECISIONS TO GET A BUDGET PASSED.
45:30 OH, THANK YOU, MR. JONES. HERE BECOMES HALF RIGHT.
45:40 SO I HOPE THAT ALL OF US CAN EXPRESS THE OPPORTUNITY OR HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS TO YOU THAT WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A
45:49 REALLY IMPORTANT TIME FOR US AND THAT WE KNOW THAT THE MANAGER IS GOING TO BUILD US SOMETHING STRONG AND MAKE IT
45:57 POSSIBLE FOR US TO BE MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MR.
46:01 JONES FOR WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO REVIEWING THE PROPOSED BUDGET HEARING ABOUT IT AT THE
46:09 PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 11TH.
46:11 EVERYBODY GOT THAT OVER THERE AND SO AND WE WILL BE DISCUSSING IT ON MAY 18TH AND I KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE
46:20 OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE INFORMATION AS WE GO ALONG THE WAY THE PATH BUT I REALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE YOU
46:29 HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO IF WE ARE STEPPING UP AND GETTING OUT AND MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR OUR
46:37 COMMUNITY, OUR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THIS GREAT CITY'S EFFORT.
46:41 SO WITH THAT MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN?
46:44 SO MOVED WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ANYONE WANT TO EXACT RIGHT TO YOUR HAND?
46:51 EVERYBODY RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL RIGHT.
46:54 SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH I BELIEVE.
46:57 IS THERE ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? I DIDN'T ONE AND NOBODY'S IN OPPOSITION SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP ON GOING.
47:03 THANK YOU EVERYONE