TAMPA CITY COUNCIL Meeting
Thursday, July 23, 2015
9:00 a.m.
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09:01:33 >>HARRY COHEN: Good morning, everyone.
09:01:35 Welcome to this morning's session of City Council.
09:01:36 We are very happy to welcome Bruce Toms, lead pastor at
09:01:41 Palma Ceia United Methodist Church.
09:01:43 He'll be giving our invocation this morning.
09:01:46 Please rise for that and remain standing for the Pledge
09:01:49 of Allegiance.
09:01:50 >> Shall we pray together?
09:01:54 Almighty and gracious God, at the start of each day we
09:01:59 pause to give you thanks for the many blessings we have.
09:02:02 The blessings of your created world, the blessings of
09:02:05 life itself.
09:02:06 The blessings of community and civil order and peace.
09:02:09 We give thanks for opportunities for service and the
09:02:12 privilege of responsible citizenship.
09:02:16 May we always be mindful of those less fortunate who have
09:02:19 the -- who haven't the means or ability to improve their
09:02:22 condition.
09:02:23 We give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy in our nation
09:02:26 and the men and women who have sacrificed and will
09:02:28 sacrifice much to protect that freedom.
09:02:31 O, God, you know our every need before we ask.
09:02:35 Yet we are not so self-sufficient that we fail to seek
09:02:38 your help.
09:02:39 So we ask your blessings on these proceedings today,
09:02:44 especially as they consider the Mayor's budget.
09:02:48 So we ask that you guide the councilmen and women, the
09:02:51 Mayor and staff, to make decisions based on fairness and
09:02:55 for the general good of the residents of our city.
09:02:58 Grant them wisdom, grant them courage.
09:03:00 Bless them with your steadfast love and abundant mercy we
09:03:04 pray, Amen.
09:03:06 [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
09:03:23 >>HARRY COHEN: Okay, thank you very much.
09:03:24 Roll call, please.
09:03:27 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: Here.
09:03:30 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Here.
09:03:31 >>YVONNE CAPIN: Present.
09:03:35 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: Here.
09:03:37 >>HARRY COHEN: Here.
09:03:38 >>HARRY COHEN: Let me note for the record, we have a
09:03:40 memorandum from Chairman Reddick that he is unable to be
09:03:43 here this morning.
09:03:44 He asked that that be read into the record for the clerk.
09:03:47 Thank you.
09:03:49 We are here to welcome the Mayor this morning for the
09:03:55 budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
09:03:57 Good morning.
09:04:00 >>MAYOR: Good morning, Councilmembers.
09:04:02 It's good to be back in familiar territory.
09:04:05 First of all, if we can get someone to bring the
09:04:10 presentation up.
09:04:11 There we go.
09:04:12 This is the one time of the year that we really get to
09:04:20 celebrate the accomplishments of the previous year.
09:04:22 As all of you know and with the exception of
09:04:25 Councilmember Maniscalco, for whom this is his first
09:04:28 budget, all of us have been together for the last four
09:04:31 years.
09:04:31 And it has been a difficult time for our city, it's been
09:04:36 a difficult time for our state, difficult time for our
09:04:39 country.
09:04:40 We have emerged from the greatest recession since the
09:04:43 great depression.
09:04:44 And that I can tell you in no uncertain terms and you
09:04:47 know this, has taken a toll on our finances, taken a toll
09:04:51 on our ability to do what we would like to do.
09:04:53 But I think we have persevered throughout this budget and
09:04:57 we have done so in a fiscally responsible way, balancing
09:05:00 the needs of this community with the strategic
09:05:02 investments that we need to make as a community, try to
09:05:05 do the best we can to get ahead of the deferred
09:05:08 maintenance that had occurred for five, six years.
09:05:12 We have emerged out of this recession, I think, in pretty
09:05:17 good shape, all things considered.
09:05:19 Now, I say that with this caveat.
09:05:21 This budget that I'm about to present to you is not sexy.
09:05:24 It balances the budget as we always do, unlike our
09:05:29 friends in Washington, D.C.
09:05:30 Local government doesn't get to kick the can down the
09:05:33 road.
09:05:33 Those of us who serve here recognize that we have to
09:05:35 balance that budget.
09:05:36 Revenues have to meet expenditures at the end of this
09:05:39 process.
09:05:40 And we have done that.
09:05:41 We have done it without raising the property tax millage.
09:05:44 You should be proud as a city that we have not done that
09:05:48 in four years and you should be even more proud that we
09:05:50 as a city have not done it since 1988.
09:05:53 That is a record that I think all of us should be proud
09:05:56 of as we maintain our fiscal house and run this budget in
09:06:00 a very, very conservative fashion.
09:06:02 But this budget is not going to include a lot of glamour,
09:06:06 but it gets the job done.
09:06:07 It continues to make strategic investments in our
09:06:11 infrastructure.
09:06:11 It continues to put money where money is needed and money
09:06:16 is warranted.
09:06:17 But at the same time, we all need to recognize that we
09:06:20 are $23 million less in property tax revenues than we
09:06:25 were in 2007.
09:06:27 In spite of the gains that we have made as a community,
09:06:29 in spite of the increased permit activity, in spite of
09:06:33 the increased valuations, our ability to recapture that
09:06:36 money that we lost as a result of the decrease in
09:06:39 valuations of our residential property, is going to take
09:06:43 a long time.
09:06:44 And it is largely because of the three percent cap on
09:06:47 residential properties.
09:06:48 It will take us decades perhaps to get back to those 2007
09:06:52 numbers, although we will continue to try so.
09:06:55 I set that parameter for you as we move forward.
09:06:58 I couldn't do this today without the amazing staff that
09:07:01 is behind me, particularly Sonya Little and Mike Perry
09:07:06 and the folks in revenue and finance, that literally we
09:07:10 start this process in January.
09:07:12 It is not easy.
09:07:13 These folks have worked a lot of hours to get to this
09:07:17 point.
09:07:17 To make all the pieces work.
09:07:19 To put this budget to bed, balancing the needs of the
09:07:23 community, balances the desires of the City Council
09:07:26 within the confines of the revenues that we have.
09:07:29 So, I stand here before you to make this presentation.
09:07:32 But it's the people behind me that really made this
09:07:36 possible and I am eternally grateful for the amazing
09:07:39 staff that we all have and thankful that they will be
09:07:42 with me for another four years as we proceed down this
09:07:45 journey.
09:07:46 So let's get started.
09:07:47 All right.
09:07:50 These are the goals of what we have attempted to do this
09:07:53 year.
09:07:54 Obviously, this is on the screen for both you and for the
09:07:57 folks in the audience.
09:07:58 We intend to put this budget, talk a little bit about the
09:08:03 legacy, the recession, talk about some of the investments
09:08:06 for our future.
09:08:07 We're going to look at the 16 recommended budget overview
09:08:10 and we're going to look at the capital improvement
09:08:12 program, enterprise department budgets and then we are
09:08:14 going to get to the budget calendar that you as City
09:08:17 Council will set.
09:08:18 The last couple years have been positive for us.
09:08:21 I think all of us would acknowledge and recognize that
09:08:24 this is a different city than we started four years ago.
09:08:27 It is a place that has become the choice of intellectual
09:08:31 capital of young professionals who are flocking here in
09:08:34 droves.
09:08:34 The days of us losing our best and brightest to places
09:08:38 like Charlotte and Austin and Raleigh Durham are over.
09:08:41 We have become that destination.
09:08:42 Not only our sons and daughters and grandsons and
09:08:45 granddaughters not leaving for other places, they are
09:08:48 coming back here after college and bringing their friends
09:08:50 with them.
09:08:51 12,000 more people in the City of Tampa are working than
09:08:54 they were four years ago.
09:08:56 Our unemployment rate -- and I want you to think about
09:08:59 this.
09:08:59 In 2011 our unemployment rate was 10.6.
09:09:02 When all of us took office with the exception of council
09:09:06 Maniscalco.
09:09:06 In April of 2015, this year, our unemployment rate is
09:09:09 down to 5.1%.
09:09:11 In two out of the last four years, the Tampa Bay area has
09:09:15 created more jobs than any place else in the state of
09:09:17 Florida.
09:09:18 And we have to thank our economic development partners.
09:09:21 The EDC and Rick Homans and our friends at the county for
09:09:25 helping us to move that needle.
09:09:27 It has been an exciting time for us.
09:09:29 The growth of our residential development is astounding,
09:09:32 with more to come.
09:09:33 There are 10,000 more residential units in the works
09:09:37 between Tampa and Westshore, bringing those young people
09:09:41 to our community in droves.
09:09:42 Which will sustain our economic development for the next
09:09:45 decade.
09:09:47 Some of the things that we have tried to do in this
09:09:49 budget and focus on, are things that I think you would be
09:09:53 proud of.
09:09:54 Protecting our children and enhancing our quality of
09:09:57 life, investing in our infrastructure, balances the
09:10:00 budget without -- let me underline that because we have
09:10:03 all struggled with this for the last couple years --
09:10:06 without tapping the reserves.
09:10:07 And then streamlining the budget, protecting our
09:10:11 children, enhancing our quality of life -- who the heck
09:10:14 is that?
09:10:15 [LAUGHTER]
09:10:18 >> It's bad enough me one at a time!
09:10:22 >> Without tapping the reserves.
09:10:24 I know we are not tapping the reserves.
09:10:26 I just said that.
09:10:27 All right.
09:10:39 (Technical difficulties with sound system)
09:10:39 [Pause]
09:10:40 >> THE MAYOR: I think you would be very proud to know
09:11:40 that it has been an amazing success.
09:11:43 You know we opened the parks up and recreation centers
09:11:46 for 7 days a week and we opened them until midnight.
09:11:50 We offered free recreation cards to teenagers.
09:11:54 We doubled the capacity of our camp programs and we
09:11:59 quadrupled the number of scholarships.
09:12:01 So far, we have served over 6,300 young people in our
09:12:05 summer camps this summer.
09:12:07 Those are 6,300 young people that are not out on the
09:12:10 corner, possibly making bad decisions and being in harm's
09:12:14 way.
09:12:15 Over 900 teenagers have signed up for rec card.
09:12:18 So I think by all measures, that investment was
09:12:21 worthwhile.
09:12:22 Even if it cost us a couple hundred thousand dollars, you
09:12:26 can't put a Price on the life of one of our children and
09:12:29 I think it was an investment that was worthwhile.
09:12:32 As all of you know, we also engaged in a gun buy-back
09:12:37 program that took over 500 guns off the street you can
09:12:40 argue about whether or not the criminals are going to
09:12:42 turn their guns in.
09:12:43 They're not.
09:12:43 But to get the guns out of houses that potentially are
09:12:46 candidates for break-ins, where the guns will end up on
09:12:50 the street, those 500 guns are 500 less guns that will
09:12:53 potentially fall into the hands of criminals.
09:12:56 We are establishing an afterschool all stars program.
09:13:01 In partnership William the Hillsborough County school
09:13:03 board.
09:13:03 It is a national program, targeting kids at risk and I
09:13:08 think it has worked successfully in a number of cities
09:13:10 around the country.
09:13:11 It has no impact on our budget.
09:13:13 It is funded by the afterschool all stars.
09:13:16 We are heavily engaged, as all of you know, in trying to
09:13:20 end veterans homelessness.
09:13:22 The president issued us a challenge.
09:13:25 I along with a number of other mayors around the country
09:13:28 agreed to participate.
09:13:30 Operation reveille last year led by Vanessa McClary
09:13:37 took 80 veterans literally off the streets, on Veterans
09:13:40 Day, and provided housing for them.
09:13:43 In 2015, we are looking to house approximately 160
09:13:48 veterans.
09:13:49 Homeless veterans, get them off the streets, wrap them
09:13:51 with services and give them a roof over their heads.
09:13:55 Our goal is to end veterans homelessness in this
09:13:58 community as we know it.
09:13:59 We're investing in, obviously, our urban core.
09:14:04 All of you participated in the envision project.
09:14:07 That laid out the blue print for development for this
09:14:10 community in the urban core and all the neighborhoods
09:14:12 that touched the urban core, hopefully for the next 20
09:14:15 years.
09:14:16 It is a significant investment.
09:14:17 We had 1800 folks in this community participate in some
09:14:21 way, shape or form, whether online, whether it was in the
09:14:25 charettes, whether in the walking tours, whether it was
09:14:27 in the meetings.
09:14:28 It is designed to create a livable, walkable
09:14:31 pedestrian-friendly transit oriented environment with the
09:14:35 downtown as the hub and all of the neighborhoods from
09:14:37 Ybor City all the way to north Hyde Park and West Tampa
09:14:42 connected.
09:14:43 Connected physically, connected literally, connected
09:14:45 emotionally and I think it will provide for us what will
09:14:49 be a master plan for what is to come in this community.
09:14:52 All of us have seen the development starting to leap the
09:14:54 river.
09:14:55 Four years ago we set out to do that.
09:14:58 We set out to make the river the center of everything
09:15:00 that we do and it is happening now.
09:15:02 Starting at the armory, which will become the Jewish
09:15:05 community center, in partnership with our parks and
09:15:07 recreation folks, moving all the way through north Hyde
09:15:09 Park, extending all the way to Columbus Avenue with the
09:15:12 west river project.
09:15:14 You saw the announcements for the tribune site.
09:15:16 There will be others forth coming as we look to develop
09:15:19 the west side of the Hillsborough River.
09:15:20 It is amazing opportunity for us.
09:15:22 We have developed three new parks in our urban core.
09:15:27 These parks are not inexpensive.
09:15:29 As we all know.
09:15:30 Waterworks Park, which has been an amazing success.
09:15:33 We just broke ground and some of you were there two days
09:15:37 ago at Perry Harry park.
09:15:39 Perry Harvey Park has been a decade in the making.
09:15:43 It has not been without its challenges.
09:15:44 But we have overcome those.
09:15:47 That park, I think will be of significance, not only to
09:15:52 the young people that will play there.
09:15:54 But the opportunity to pay homage to the history of our
09:15:59 African-American community, in a substantive, symbolic
09:16:03 way, I think will remind us not only of our history but
09:16:07 will give our young people an opportunity to learn from
09:16:10 that history and learn of the families that made a
09:16:12 difference in our community.
09:16:13 I think for our community, that investment in partnership
09:16:18 with the Tampa housing authority will be long lasting and
09:16:23 very, very significant and important to our
09:16:26 African-American community.
09:16:27 Here we are with permit revenues.
09:16:31 You heard me say earlier that we are on track to set
09:16:35 records in terms of permit activity.
09:16:38 We permitted about $8 billion worth of construction in
09:16:41 the four years that we have been here, together.
09:16:43 Last year, just last year alone in the City of Tampa, we
09:16:47 permitted about $2 billion worth of work.
09:16:49 We are on track to break all kinds of records.
09:16:52 Now, understand this.
09:16:53 Those look like big numbers.
09:16:56 But the work that we permitted last year probably won't
09:16:58 come online till next year and the year after when they
09:17:01 get certificates of okay passengers.
09:17:02 So a lot of these towers we are seeing coming out of the
09:17:05 ground will not be on the books until next year.
09:17:08 So moving forward, even though this budget is tight, it
09:17:11 is getting better and better and better every year.
09:17:14 Some of the highlights.
09:17:17 We -- I hope you all will be there with me tonight as we
09:17:21 cut the ribbon on SkyHouse.
09:17:26 >>HARRY COHEN: We'll be here doing land use.
09:17:29 >>MAYOR: Good.
09:17:29 Generating more.
09:17:30 Sorry about that.
09:17:31 That's more permit activity.
09:17:32 Keep developing.
09:17:33 We will cut that ribbon tonight.
09:17:35 23 stories.
09:17:36 You got the Martinet Meridian which is scheduled to
09:17:39 hopefully come out of the ground this year.
09:17:42 Crescent Westshore, another 374 units.
09:17:45 We have a lot of activity in Ybor City.
09:17:47 Harbor Island, one tower is under construction.
09:17:51 Hopefully another tower will be forthcoming.
09:17:53 You have the proposed development at the Tampa Tribune
09:17:55 site.
09:17:56 You have a lot of things that are going on here.
09:17:59 Tampa Heights is poised to start construction.
09:18:03 The Encore project, which is the project in conjunction
09:18:07 with the Tampa Housing Authority, there are three
09:18:10 buildings that have been completed with some commercial
09:18:14 opportunities that will be forthcoming.
09:18:16 One of the things that I, and I know you are as well,
09:18:20 most proud of is the completion of the Riverwalk.
09:18:22 We could not have done that without president Obama's
09:18:25 support with the Tiger grant that he awarded us in 2012.
09:18:30 I can't tell you -- I'm sure it happens to you.
09:18:34 I get stopped probably five or six times a day from
09:18:36 people who perhaps had not come downtown in 15 years, had
09:18:39 not seen the river in 10 years.
09:18:41 Who had never walked around downtown at 5:00 or on the
09:18:44 weekends.
09:18:46 And they tell me when they come down and walk on that
09:18:48 Riverwalk, it is transformative.
09:18:50 They never realized how beautiful that river is.
09:18:54 What a spectacular skyline it is.
09:18:57 And to come down in the evening to see those bridges lit
09:18:59 up and see the minarets lit up and our skyline lit up and
09:19:04 see people walking and jogging and riding bikes slowly.
09:19:07 [ Laughter ]
09:19:09 >>MAYOR: And walking their dogs, I mean really, really
09:19:16 reminds me satisfy what strategic investments in
09:19:20 infrastructure can mean to a city.
09:19:22 What will happen as a result of that, I promise you, is
09:19:25 that investment of public dollars, both ours and the
09:19:28 federal government, will lead to private capital being
09:19:31 deployed along that Riverwalk, which will more than
09:19:35 recoup what we have spent on that.
09:19:36 That was six mayors and 40 years in the making.
09:19:39 Every one of the mayors participated and contributed to
09:19:43 make it happen.
09:19:43 It was great to be able to celebrate with those mayors
09:19:47 when we cut the ribbon.
09:19:48 But that really was a team effort and we just happened to
09:19:52 be the ones that were able to bring it in for a landing.
09:19:55 Obviously, Channelside is embarking on a historic
09:19:59 transformation, thanks to upwards of a billion dollar
09:20:03 investment by Jeff Vinik and Bill Gates.
09:20:05 Your role as CRA is going to be absolutely critical
09:20:10 moving forward.
09:20:10 It will be the CRA that will make the strategic
09:20:13 investment decisions with those CRA dollars in terms of
09:20:17 infrastructure and what we will do to participate with
09:20:19 that.
09:20:20 That is a very, very important role and I am thankful
09:20:24 that you share the vision of certainly the administration
09:20:27 and Mr. Vinik.
09:20:28 I'm also very thankful that Governor Scott chose to
09:20:32 approve the money for the USF med school.
09:20:35 I can tell you in no uncertain terms, that may go down as
09:20:39 one of the singular most important events that have
09:20:41 occurred in the last five years in our community.
09:20:43 Moving that med school and moving that HART institute
09:20:46 into the urban core and creating an economic than gin
09:20:49 that going to drive that environment for decades to come.
09:20:52 Bringing bright young people that will fill condos,
09:20:54 attract the retail, create a livable, walkable district
09:20:57 is, and I have said this even more significant than
09:21:00 bringing a baseball stadium to the urban core, which I
09:21:04 would obviously welcome.
09:21:05 I'm not getting myself in trouble.
09:21:09 [ Laughter ]
09:21:11 >>MAYOR: Charlie would like me too.
09:21:13 But I'm not even going there.
09:21:14 But that -- that medical school is really, really going
09:21:22 to be important.
09:21:22 I anticipate construction will start on the
09:21:24 infrastructure probably within six months.
09:21:27 And you will see tower cranes on the med school in the
09:21:30 adjoining spec office building probably in the next 12 to
09:21:34 18 months.
09:21:35 The streetcar is going to play an important part of that.
09:21:38 As all of you know, we are looking at, thanks to a grant
09:21:41 from DOT and working with our partners, City Councilman
09:21:43 Suarez over at HART, looking at reimagining what the
09:21:46 street car could be.
09:21:47 Possibly extending the line, looking at modernizing the
09:21:51 vehicles.
09:21:52 We got a grant from DOT, required a partial match from
09:21:55 us.
09:21:55 We are moving forward with that study.
09:21:57 So hopefully by the ends of next year, we will know in
09:22:01 more certain terms what the cost of that expansion will
09:22:03 be.
09:22:04 How far we can take it.
09:22:06 And what that potentially will look like.
09:22:08 But I'm excited about the ability to connect our
09:22:11 downtown.
09:22:11 You heard me talk a little earlier about the west river
09:22:14 project that all of you had participated in.
09:22:17 It affects some of your district more than others.
09:22:19 Councilmember Maniscalco particularly, Councilmember
09:22:22 Reddick.
09:22:23 This is a massive undertaking.
09:22:25 But I also think this is transformative.
09:22:27 I think it will take a very, very dangerous downtrodden
09:22:32 environment in North Boulevard homes and create an entire
09:22:35 new neighborhood that would support and pay homage to the
09:22:38 history of main avenue and the history of old historic
09:22:41 West Tampa.
09:22:42 The opportunity to re-create 120 acres in conjunction
09:22:47 with our investment in Julian B. Lane Park, which will
09:22:50 transform that park, giving us 150 acres to work with, to
09:22:53 create a new life for those children in North Boulevard
09:22:57 homes who deserve the same opportunities that our kids
09:22:59 have.
09:22:59 I think for me would be an amazing legacy for all of us
09:23:04 to leave.
09:23:05 The literally reshape and rechange 150 acres of property
09:23:09 now that is vastly underutilized in a public housing
09:23:12 project that is dangerous, that is gang infested.
09:23:15 Riddled with drugs.
09:23:16 I think that is what government can and should do and I
09:23:19 think the investment that we will make will also trigger
09:23:22 a lot of private capital being deployed.
09:23:25 We established, thanks to you, a CRA in that area, which
09:23:29 was near and dear to Council chairman Reddick's heart.
09:23:33 What folks I don't think really understand is the
09:23:35 revenues that will be derived in that CRA will be
09:23:38 entirely plowed back and reinvested into that West Tampa
09:23:41 neighborhood.
09:23:42 It will not go anywhere else.
09:23:44 All of the development that will occur, all the private
09:23:46 capital that will be added to the tax rolls and the
09:23:49 revenues from those increased valuations will remain in
09:23:53 the West Tampa district to be used to improve that
09:23:56 district.
09:23:57 It's a great opportunity.
09:23:58 To rebuild and to reshape and to reinvest in a community
09:24:02 that has needed it for a long time.
09:24:04 I could not be more excited about that.
09:24:06 We have gotten a lot of new companies looking at us.
09:24:09 I can tell you there are a lot of deals in the pipeline.
09:24:11 There are some big deals potentially in the pipeline.
09:24:14 Some of the companies and again, I have to thank our
09:24:17 friends at the economic development corporation,
09:24:20 particularly Rick Homans who transformed that
09:24:24 organization.
09:24:25 These are some of the companies that you've seen that
09:24:27 have opened or expanded here.
09:24:28 We are growing the jobs of the future.
09:24:30 But yet we're still retaining the jobs that we have here.
09:24:34 And I think that is a critical, critical thing for us as
09:24:38 we continue to move forward.
09:24:39 One of the things that all of us have always believed in
09:24:42 and our budgets have reflected this, is to make sure that
09:24:45 as these opportunities avail themselves of us as the
09:24:50 prosperity continues, that every neighborhood has an
09:24:52 opportunity to rise and to participate.
09:24:54 That means the quality of life in the neighborhoods that
09:24:58 we serve is important.
09:24:59 People go home at night, they go home to a neighborhood.
09:25:02 And as a city, we can't entirely be focused on building
09:25:06 the shiny skyline while ignoring the neighborhoods.
09:25:09 We have got to continue to invest in the fundamentals.
09:25:12 That's what city government does.
09:25:13 Some of the things that you have seen and participated
09:25:16 with us on, we are very, very aggressive about code
09:25:20 enforcement, which I know is near and dear to the hearts
09:25:22 of all of you.
09:25:24 Particularly in some of our more challenging
09:25:26 neighborhoods.
09:25:27 Operation win, where we go out there and maintain alleys
09:25:30 and clean up abandoned lots, has been a huge success in
09:25:34 some of our more challenging neighborhoods.
09:25:35 Sulphur Springs and north Tampa, our folks in clean
09:25:40 cities and code enforcement have really, really gone
09:25:44 after the flagrant violators and taken it upon ourselves,
09:25:49 knowing full well some of these absentee landlords are
09:25:52 not going to take responsibilities for their properties.
09:25:55 But if you leave that junk in the alley, it just breeds
09:25:58 more and more junk.
09:25:59 So we have invested in new equipment, we have invested in
09:26:02 people power.
09:26:04 And we have targeted some of these neighborhoods.
09:26:08 Just to give you an example.
09:26:09 In 2014, we removed 1,891-tons of debris.
09:26:16 Now, but for us, that 1,891 tons of debris would still be
09:26:23 there.
09:26:24 Which leads to decay in the neighborhoods, which leads to
09:26:28 more crime in the neighborhoods, which leads to the folks
09:26:31 who work hard every day, who own their houses, to flee
09:26:34 and abandon their properties because of this debris.
09:26:36 So we are aggressive about this.
09:26:38 We are also training the leaders of the future.
09:26:42 As many of you know, I started the Mayor's neighborhood
09:26:45 university for that reason.
09:26:48 Some of the same neighborhood leaders that were here when
09:26:50 I started in 1987 are still here.
09:26:52 We all know we have to breed that next generation.
09:26:55 We need young people like Councilmember Maniscalco to
09:26:58 step up to the plate and take their responsibilities and
09:27:00 take their role seriously.
09:27:02 So we are in the process of training that next generation
09:27:06 to do this.
09:27:07 To perhaps serve as Councilmembers but more importantly
09:27:10 to serve as community activists and leaders.
09:27:12 They don't have to be neighborhood presidents but they
09:27:14 can participate.
09:27:16 And that neighborhood university teaches them about this
09:27:19 city, roles of the people behind me, roles of the Council
09:27:22 and how they can interact with them.
09:27:25 We have had four graduating classes.
09:27:27 We have trained over 160 neighborhood, hopefully new
09:27:29 neighborhood leaders.
09:27:31 The Nehemiah project in Sulphur Springs, a neighborhood
09:27:34 that was teetering on the verge of collapse, became a
09:27:38 priority for us.
09:27:40 We have demolished 53 structures, abandoned houses in
09:27:45 Sulphur Springs.
09:27:46 And have encouraged the private sector to come to the
09:27:50 plate using these empty lots as bait, if you will.
09:27:54 11 new homes have been constructed.
09:27:56 We're starting fades two in the fall of this year.
09:28:00 We have taken 193 donees of junk out of Sulphur Springs
09:28:04 alone.
09:28:05 Just Sulphur Springs.
09:28:06 But, if you don't go in and have an intervention, that
09:28:10 was a neighborhood that we were going to lose.
09:28:13 We were going to lose that neighborhood.
09:28:14 And so we have spent considerable resources and will
09:28:17 continue to spend resources to make sure that we
09:28:22 stabilize that neighborhood.
09:28:23 Part of the legacy of this recession is, we are doing a
09:28:28 lot more with a lot less people.
09:28:30 I mean think about this.
09:28:32 In 2008, we had 728 more employees at the city.
09:28:40 That is a lot of people.
09:28:42 We have a total employee base of about 4500 employees.
09:28:46 So 728 folks that are no longer here is a significant
09:28:54 chunk of our workforce.
09:28:55 But yet we are doing the same work.
09:28:58 I think we're doing it better.
09:29:00 I think we're more efficient.
09:29:01 And those employees that have done this work for the last
09:29:04 five or six years have done it in some cases with
09:29:08 certainly less resources, less teammates and less pay.
09:29:15 We're going to try and change that in this budget.
09:29:18 These folks work hard and they deserve to be paid for
09:29:21 what they do.
09:29:22 But 728 positions makes a big difference.
09:29:26 We're going to keep this budget lean and we're going to
09:29:30 keep this city lean.
09:29:31 So even as we move forward and even as this recession
09:29:35 wanes, we are not going to add a lot of people.
09:29:38 In the four years that I have been the Mayor, we are 15
09:29:41 less people than when I started.
09:29:43 So, you may find this hard to believe, but I approve, I
09:29:48 approve every hire that the city makes.
09:29:52 I approve every, or disapprove largely, every travel
09:29:59 request that is made by city employees.
09:30:02 Has to cross my desk because I know this.
09:30:06 It's the personnel costs that drive this budget.
09:30:09 It's adding bodies to this mix that drive -- pension
09:30:13 costs that drive health care costs and for me I would
09:30:16 rather keep our employee base lean and invest those
09:30:19 resources in things that are important, like
09:30:21 infrastructure, like parks and recreation.
09:30:24 So I'm going to continue to approve every hire.
09:30:28 And approve every travel request.
09:30:29 This is where we started six months ago.
09:30:33 Eight months ago.
09:30:34 We were down $6.7 million.
09:30:37 That's the deficit that we were facing.
09:30:39 That's what we came to you and told you over the last
09:30:42 couple months, as Sonya has briefed you, this was our
09:30:45 reality.
09:30:46 This shows you right here that we were not out of the
09:30:48 woods by any stretch of the imagination.
09:30:50 So we had to do what we have done for the last four
09:30:53 years, which is find a way to balance this budget, to
09:30:56 make sure revenues match expenditures and to do some of
09:30:59 the things that we would like to do as city government,
09:31:02 that we need to do.
09:31:03 Some of the things that priorities that the Council has.
09:31:06 How did we fix it?
09:31:07 We got about a million nine more increased property tax
09:31:10 revenue.
09:31:11 We had estimated conservatively at about 5% increase in
09:31:14 valuations.
09:31:15 Valuations actually came in at about 8%.
09:31:17 We reduced some of our departmental expenditures by a
09:31:21 million three.
09:31:22 Reduced some personnel costs by a million four.
09:31:25 Our pensions are performing west so our pensions
09:31:28 contributions dropped about $2.1 million, which enabled
09:31:31 us to balance this budget, to zero it out, and most
09:31:35 importantly, to contribute a million dollars back to the
09:31:38 reserves.
09:31:39 Some of the things that we are investing in.
09:31:44 And let me stop here and compliment the City Council for
09:31:49 taking the initiative, certainly Councilmember Cohen,
09:31:53 Councilwoman Montelione, in addressing our stormwater
09:31:56 problems.
09:31:56 I mean we all know.
09:31:58 We live here.
09:31:59 It has been a challenge and will continue to be a
09:32:01 challenge for decades to come.
09:32:02 Our topography doesn't lend itself to our ability to move
09:32:06 stormwater quickly.
09:32:07 There are pockets of our community that are lower than
09:32:09 others, that tend to collect water during heavy storms.
09:32:13 Certainly in South Tampa and in north Tampa specifically.
09:32:17 We have areas that are difficult to deal with.
09:32:20 I'm appreciative of the facts that you are looking at
09:32:24 enhancing the stormwater fee calculations.
09:32:34 The investments will which we will make and will be
09:32:37 meaningful.
09:32:38 For the first time in probably decades, allow us to have
09:32:41 a very, very significant impact on that stormwater
09:32:44 problem.
09:32:45 You saw the county did the same thing.
09:32:47 You're seeing jurisdictions all over the Tampa Bay area
09:32:51 taking an aggressive posture to deal with stormwater.
09:32:54 We cannot just continue to patch pipes.
09:32:57 We just can't.
09:32:58 I mean that is our reality.
09:33:00 And I think our customers know that when we say we're
09:33:03 going to do something, we do it.
09:33:05 The return that they get on their investment is not
09:33:08 wasted.
09:33:09 It is warranted.
09:33:10 And we get about the business of fixing a problem.
09:33:14 We know what the problem.
09:33:15 We have identified what the problem is.
09:33:17 All of you know where the bad areas are.
09:33:19 You also know with the plan Brad Baird has laid out, that
09:33:24 investment at this level will make a significant impact
09:33:27 on alleviating some of those problems.
09:33:29 You can see where these projects are on the map
09:33:31 potentially.
09:33:32 Obviously, there's a preponderance up in Councilmember
09:33:36 Montelione's district and Councilmember Cohen's district
09:33:39 because that is largely where the problems exist.
09:33:41 It is a significant investment, as you can see by this
09:33:45 chart, in stormwater capital projects.
09:33:47 We are making a commitment to fix the problems to the
09:33:50 extent that we can.
09:33:51 If we ignore it, it just gets worse.
09:33:54 Part of this includes ditch cleaning, part of this
09:33:57 includes cleaning out the retention ponds.
09:33:59 Part of this includes brick and mortar concrete
09:34:02 investment into pipes and other things.
09:34:04 But this chart I think reflects the commitment that we
09:34:08 have made as a city to dealing with the stormwater
09:34:11 problem.
09:34:11 I think all of us and certainly those of you that were on
09:34:14 the campaign trail, over the last couple of months, heard
09:34:18 volumes about our stormwater problem.
09:34:20 And you heard the pleas to do something about it.
09:34:23 We're doing something about it.
09:34:25 Some of the investments in our parks and amenities, you
09:34:30 heard me talk about Perry Harvey Park recently.
09:34:34 It was amazing to see the families and descendants of
09:34:37 folks like Mr. Harvey and Mr. Sanderson and Arthenia
09:34:41 Joyner's daddy that were there, there last week literally
09:34:44 with tears in their eyes knowing their relatives and the
09:34:48 contributions of their families was going to be
09:34:50 recognized like it had never been before.
09:34:52 It certainly was not recognized when they were alive.
09:34:55 It will be recognized now.
09:34:56 And that is an amazing tribute to the contributions of
09:34:59 our African-American community.
09:35:01 Waterworks Park, you know, there's nothing that I love to
09:35:04 do better than go down is there on a weekend and see
09:35:07 those young children playing in that splash pad.
09:35:09 Many of them coming from neighborhoods where they have
09:35:12 nothing.
09:35:12 And to know that they are there enjoying that bucket and
09:35:18 that amazing splash pad and to see the families
09:35:21 picnicking really, really reminds me of what government's
09:35:25 role is.
09:35:27 And the positive and strategic investments that we can
09:35:29 make that can transform neighborhoods.
09:35:31 That park I think will lead to reinvestment of private
09:35:35 dollars in Tampa Heights in ways we haven't even
09:35:38 imagined.
09:35:39 Swan pond, where all of you were, partnership with the
09:35:41 neighborhood.
09:35:42 They came to me four years ago and said we'd like you to
09:35:45 do this I told them I'd like you to help.
09:35:47 And so I said whatever you will raise, I will match.
09:35:51 They raised half a million dollars, thanks to the
09:35:54 generosity of people like Norman Jean Lykes and the Funk
09:35:59 family and a number of others.
09:36:00 We took what was a nasty retention pond and turned it
09:36:04 into waterfront property.
09:36:05 When you look at the private investment that will be made
09:36:08 in Hyde Park Village, this will complement it.
09:36:12 Blue this is another example of the city's strategically
09:36:15 seeding an environment when private capital is going to
09:36:18 be deployed afterwards and will generate increasingly
09:36:21 more property tax revenue.
09:36:22 Clarence Fort Freedom Trail, many of you were out there
09:36:25 as we opened that recreation trail in East Tampa at
09:36:28 Osborne and 30th street to honor a civil rights activist
09:36:33 who led at the Woolworth's right down on Franklin Street,
09:36:37 the sit-ins that led to peaceful integration of Tampa
09:36:42 back in the 1960s.
09:36:43 Something near and dear to Councilmember Montelione, New
09:36:45 Tampa Rotary dog park.
09:36:49 That's another partnership with the Rotary.
09:36:51 They contributed significantly to that.
09:36:53 And the city put money in as well.
09:36:55 That was long overdue and pretty exciting.
09:36:59 We have made some investments in Herman Massey park as
09:37:02 well.
09:37:02 Included in this budget and hopefully else watching, is
09:37:08 the $75,000 investment for the bathrooms at Ragan Park.
09:37:12 Councilwoman Reddick --
09:37:17 [ Applause ]
09:37:18 >>MAYOR: Councilmember Reddick, something near and dear
09:37:20 to hills heart.
09:37:21 He made his case.
09:37:22 We listened.
09:37:23 We are doing our share.
09:37:25 He has committed to getting the other half from the East
09:37:28 Tampa CRA but we are doing our part and we are going to
09:37:31 put the money in for those bathrooms.
09:37:34 So, Councilmember Reddick that one's for you.
09:37:38 Other investments, Westwood Park, the Courtney Campbell
09:37:42 trail, which gets heavily used.
09:37:45 Those of you that drive down Bayshore Boulevard and I
09:37:48 swear I get more compliments about Bayshore Boulevard
09:37:51 than almost anything that we do.
09:37:52 That transformation with the landscaping that we invested
09:37:55 during the RNC and continue to change the colors, really,
09:37:59 really has taken our most scenic Boulevard and our
09:38:06 signature street and turned it into something that's
09:38:08 really, really special.
09:38:09 We have some issues with some of the palm diseases, but
09:38:13 we're working on that too.
09:38:14 The downtown interchanges, I hope you've noticed that the
09:38:17 gateways to our community are significantly better over
09:38:20 the last four years.
09:38:21 Investing in arts and culture, we are going to be in
09:38:25 conjunction with the Jewish community center at the Bryan
09:38:28 Glazer family JCC, going to be moving our arts programs
09:38:33 into that facility, in a very modern facility that will
09:38:39 enable the participants -- and our art programs serve
09:38:42 about 2200 people -- but that art studio will be
09:38:47 something really, really exciting and anchor the west
09:38:50 river development.
09:38:51 Our aquatics programs, obviously, we run a lot of pools.
09:38:55 Do a lot of swimming lessons for the Councilmembers,
09:38:59 something I know near and dear to your hearts.
09:39:02 We committed last year to do the planning money for
09:39:05 Cuscaden Park, which we have done.
09:39:07 That process is coming to a conclusion in this year's
09:39:10 budget will be the money for the completion of Cuscaden
09:39:13 Park, which will add another historic pool to go along
09:39:18 with Roy Jenkins, which we did last year.
09:39:20 We have a lot of programs that we do for young people.
09:39:25 We have added program at Ragan Park for seniors.
09:39:27 We have about 1200 senior programs for adults 50 and
09:39:32 over.
09:39:32 So it's not just kids that we are interested in serving.
09:39:35 This budget year I made a commitment to you last year
09:39:40 that we were going to get about the bills of fixing the
09:39:43 defend maintenance.
09:39:44 We had a lot of roads that were in really bad shape.
09:39:48 Platt and Cleveland come to mind.
09:39:50 Swann comes to mind.
09:39:53 We had potholes around the city that had not been able to
09:39:57 be fixed because we just candidly didn't have the
09:40:00 revenues.
09:40:01 Last year, as a result of the budget that you approved,
09:40:04 the commitment the administration made, we resurfaced 200
09:40:10 lane miles.
09:40:11 A lot of it in Councilmember's Maniscalco's district.
09:40:16 I hear just like he does from people in west Tampa that
09:40:18 are happy the road got fixed and potholes repaired.
09:40:22 200 lane miles have been resurfaced or re-done.
09:40:24 Some of them have been more expensive than others, Platt
09:40:26 and Cleveland whereas an expensive endeavor.
09:40:29 But those of you that drove that, I mean it was like
09:40:33 going through a mogul corals.
09:40:35 It would desperately needed.
09:40:37 Looks great now.
09:40:39 Almost finished.
09:40:40 Cleveland was a little more challenging than we thought,
09:40:43 once we got into the ground, but it's almost done.
09:40:45 This year's budget we have a couple complete street
09:40:48 projects.
09:40:49 Councilmember Montelione's district in Bougainvillea.
09:40:52 Armenia Avenue and Busch Boulevard intersection
09:40:54 improvements.
09:40:55 We have got Cypress and north O'Brien over in the
09:40:58 Westshore Business District improvements.
09:41:01 We have half a million dollars in sidewalk maintenance
09:41:04 that we are adding to this year's budget.
09:41:06 This is the chart that I am really, really proud of and I
09:41:09 hope you'll take a second to look at it.
09:41:12 While I drink this water.
09:41:13 Look at where, when we came in 2011, this is investment
09:41:20 in our neighborhoods.
09:41:21 This is the nitty-gritty stuff that we do in our
09:41:25 community that makes a difference.
09:41:27 This is where the folks that we serve really see the
09:41:30 impact of your decisions.
09:41:32 In 2011, the city was investing $10 million that had
09:41:37 grown from when Mayor Iorio started at 2.6.
09:41:41 She took it up to $10 million.
09:41:43 If you look at what we are projecting for 2016, it is a
09:41:47 $20 million investment in our neighborhoods.
09:41:51 And that ranges.
09:41:53 >> Parks facilities expansion, sidewalk construction,
09:41:56 stormwater, street resurfacing, transportation signage.
09:42:01 Since we have been here collectively, we have doubled the
09:42:05 investment in our neighborhoods.
09:42:06 That is important stuff.
09:42:08 That is exactly what city government should be doing.
09:42:12 Some of the great things that we have got in there,
09:42:14 something near and dear to Councilmember Cohen's district
09:42:16 is some partial funding for Friendship Park.
09:42:19 We have tried to listen to what your concerns have been.
09:42:22 Over the last year and we tried to the extent that we
09:42:25 can -- and obviously we can't get them all -- make those
09:42:28 strategic investments in areas that you have raised
09:42:30 issues and brought to our attention.
09:42:32 So these are some of the amounts of funding for some of
09:42:37 the projects in the '16 budget.
09:42:40 It is extensive.
09:42:43 Since 2003, we have invested 1 -- $138 million in
09:42:50 neighborhood projects.
09:42:59 All right.
09:42:59 This is what our budget looks like.
09:43:03 2016.
09:43:03 We have a gross budget of about a billion one.
09:43:06 Net is about $850 million.
09:43:08 And this is how it breaks out.
09:43:10 This pie chart shows you where that money goes to a large
09:43:16 degree.
09:43:17 Obviously, we have enterprise funds and we have generally
09:43:20 funds, which are the bulk of our revenues.
09:43:22 We have a number of other things that either absorb parts
09:43:25 of that, from debt service to utility tax service.
09:43:30 It ranges, but this to a large degree is how we look at
09:43:35 our budget.
09:43:36 These are the expenditures.
09:43:40 Now.
09:43:40 I would point out that very large blue blob.
09:43:47 [ Laughter ]
09:43:51 >>MAYOR: Yeah, Pacman about to eat the rest of the
09:43:53 budget.
09:43:54 See these two gentlemen right here?
09:43:58 Behind me?
09:43:58 That are smiling?
09:43:59 That's their money.
09:44:02 If you think about the magnitude of what our amazing
09:44:08 Tampa Fire Rescue and Tampa Police Department folks do,
09:44:13 you realize that it's expensive.
09:44:15 Fully 65% of our budget, of our general fund expenditures
09:44:22 is consumed by the police department and the fire
09:44:26 department.
09:44:26 I mean that is what it is.
09:44:29 Those are departments that are employee rich.
09:44:34 But we are much safer community because of it.
09:44:38 I mean I would not trade an investment in public safety
09:44:42 for anything.
09:44:43 The fact that we are 60%, our crime rate has dropped 60%
09:44:47 in the last 10 years means that we are a safer city.
09:44:51 I can tell you this that we can't attract all that
09:44:54 investment in this community if we are not a safe city.
09:44:57 We have got the best police department and the best fire
09:45:00 rescue service in the country.
09:45:01 So when folks ask me, I don't make any apologies for
09:45:04 investing this kind of money in these departments.
09:45:06 We are a safer city because of it.
09:45:08 Now, some of the other departments are a little jealous.
09:45:11 But, you know, chief ward has got a gun.
09:45:16 [ Laughter ]
09:45:17 >>MAYOR: All right.
09:45:18 This is the millage rate I talked about.
09:45:20 We have not raised it certainly since I have been here.
09:45:23 We don't plan on raising it as long as I stay here.
09:45:27 You should be proud of that.
09:45:29 We are committed to keeping that property tax burden low.
09:45:32 And let me just give you an example what that translates
09:45:36 to to the average house in the City of Tampa.
09:45:38 The average house in 2016 in the City of Tampa is valued
09:45:42 at about $146,000.
09:45:44 Now, with this budget that we're presenting to you, the
09:45:51 tax burden that we will place on that individual for city
09:45:55 taxes alone is $550.
09:45:59 Think about all that they get from us for an average
09:46:06 contribution of $550.
09:46:07 Now, when you add in the county's burden and all the
09:46:10 other burdens on that $146,000 house, that property tax
09:46:14 bill is about $2,025.
09:46:16 But our portion of it, because we keep this lean and
09:46:20 because we're efficient, is $550.
09:46:23 I think you all should be proud of that.
09:46:27 And that's a great story to tell.
09:46:28 But, here's the challenge.
09:46:30 You can see in fiscal year 2007 we generated $166 million
09:46:35 in property tax revenues.
09:46:37 You can see that red line growing and growing and growing
09:46:43 over the last four years.
09:46:44 When all of us took office in 2011, we were down to
09:46:49 $122 million.
09:46:50 The fact that we balanced that budget coming into office
09:46:54 in April of 2011, facing a $30 million deficit, with
09:46:58 reducing revenues, increasing health care expenses, is
09:47:03 amazing.
09:47:04 And it's largely attributed to the people that are right
09:47:07 here behind me.
09:47:08 Fortunately that red line is receding.
09:47:11 But because of the three percent cap on owner occupied
09:47:15 homesteaded properties, our ability to get out of that
09:47:18 ditch using single-family homes is not going to occur.
09:47:23 It will take us a long time to recoup those revenues that
09:47:29 were at its peak in 2007.
09:47:31 Now, when folks ask us, and when they ask me, Mayor, why
09:47:35 do you spend so much time focusing on downtown and
09:47:38 Westshore?
09:47:39 Well, here's the reason.
09:47:40 We can't cut our way out of the ditch.
09:47:44 We have had to grow our way out of the ditch.
09:47:46 And if you're not putting commercial properties on the
09:47:48 tax rolls that are not capped at three percent, if you're
09:47:51 not adding residential rentals, if you're not adding
09:47:53 hotels, if you're not adding office buildings, we'll
09:47:57 never get out of the dump.
09:47:59 So the focus on downtown has been strategic and there is
09:48:01 a larger reason for it in terms of developing our urban
09:48:04 core.
09:48:05 But the most property tax revenue is being thrown off by
09:48:07 these commercial properties.
09:48:08 So that's the only way we get out of this situation as to
09:48:12 continue to grow that sector and to encourage people to
09:48:15 invest in our communities because if we have to rely on
09:48:18 increased valuations of single-family properties, we will
09:48:21 never get back, or it will take us 15 years to get back.
09:48:24 Fortunately this number is receding.
09:48:26 This year we'll generate about $143 million in property
09:48:30 tax revenues.
09:48:32 The next slide is sort of how we anticipate this growth
09:48:35 occurring.
09:48:37 For fiscal year '17 and '18, we are taking a very, very
09:48:40 conservative approach.
09:48:42 The numbers that you see in purple are the property tax
09:48:45 base contributions.
09:48:47 The numbers that you see in red are the increased to the
09:48:51 tax base, so that would be the 8% this year that we have
09:48:54 got increased valuations.
09:48:55 And the green is the new development that is occurring
09:48:59 that we anticipate adding to the property tax rolls.
09:49:01 I would submit to you that if we keep going at the pace
09:49:04 we're going, '17 and '18, green numbers will be a lot
09:49:08 higher because of all the things about to come on line or
09:49:11 about to be announced.
09:49:12 All right.
09:49:13 This is the scary chart.
09:49:14 We generate $143 million in property taxes each year.
09:49:19 The cost of our police department alone is
09:49:22 $154.6 million.
09:49:24 One department costs more than all we generate in
09:49:29 property tax revenues.
09:49:30 And combined with fire, it's a total of $233 million for
09:49:36 just two departments.
09:49:37 And so that is the balance.
09:49:40 That is what we struggle with every year.
09:49:42 But I can tell you this.
09:49:43 For the last four years, when other cities around the
09:49:47 state were laying off cops and closing fire stations, we
09:49:50 never stopped hiring.
09:49:51 As you know the drop program has encouraged a lot of our
09:49:55 senior police officers and fire rescue personnel to
09:49:58 retire.
09:49:58 We never stopped hire is the.
09:50:01 We have maintained our amazing ratio of law enforcement
09:50:07 personnel to the population, because I knew and I was not
09:50:10 willing to risk that declining crime rates and leave our
09:50:13 citizens at risk.
09:50:15 It is important that we put bodies on the street.
09:50:17 Both in the police shop and in the fire shop.
09:50:21 We built three new stations since all of us have been
09:50:24 here.
09:50:25 Our officers per thousand is one of the highest from the
09:50:29 state.
09:50:29 We have 2.7 officers per thousand citizens.
09:50:33 By comparison, Hillsborough County sheriff's office has
09:50:36 one deputy per thousand.
09:50:37 So, we are committed to keeping that crime rate and the
09:50:43 way you keep the crime rate down is to make sure that you
09:50:45 adequately staffed and manned and the same is true with
09:50:49 Tampa Fire Rescue.
09:50:50 We have continued to add classes.
09:50:52 We're not leaving slots unfilled and in spite of this
09:50:55 recession when other cities were doing the exact
09:50:57 opposite, we have continued to maintain those personnel
09:51:02 numbers.
09:51:02 All right.
09:51:03 Something else you should be proud of.
09:51:05 We have obviously during the first, during '11 and '12
09:51:10 and '13, in order to get through this recession, we had
09:51:13 to tap the reserves.
09:51:14 I am very, very thankful and you've heard me say this for
09:51:17 four years now, that I followed Mayor Iorio.
09:51:21 She had the foresight to leave those reserve in a very
09:51:25 healthy position.
09:51:25 Wall Street generally encourages we have reserves at
09:51:28 about 20%.
09:51:29 As you can see the City of Tampa has maintained higher
09:51:32 than that and we are consistently staying at that 23 to
09:51:35 25%.
09:51:36 Even though we tap reserves first three years, we put
09:51:39 money back last three years and again we are putting
09:51:42 upwards of a million dollars back into the reserves this
09:51:45 year.
09:51:45 This is our personnel count.
09:51:48 You heard me talk about how many folks we have, less than
09:51:56 we had in 2007.
09:51:57 We continue to do that even though our population
09:52:00 increases.
09:52:01 I am committed to maintaining that personnel count at a
09:52:06 lean, lean point just because I know what more bodies
09:52:11 does to the budget.
09:52:13 Our employees, as all of you know, we negotiated three
09:52:18 year deal with our fire and police unions.
09:52:21 With the PBA and local 754 as well as our ATU employees,
09:52:27 we are in the last year of that contract.
09:52:29 They -- this negotiated increase is at 3.5%, plus their
09:52:34 step increases.
09:52:35 For our non-bargaining unit employees, we are proposing
09:52:40 and including in this budget a pay increase of up to 4%.
09:52:44 It can either be a merit increase or cost of living
09:52:48 increase, but however you get there, the maximum is going
09:52:51 to be four percent, which is identical to what the county
09:52:53 is doing as well.
09:52:54 Folks, we have good people working for us and they
09:52:57 deserve to be paid a decent wage.
09:52:58 The years that I have been here, I've tried to do that.
09:53:01 In spite of the recession, we made do because for a
09:53:04 number of years, they had not gotten any pay increases.
09:53:07 And they make us proud every day and I'm darned proud to
09:53:11 pay them for what they can do.
09:53:12 I can never pay them for what they deserve.
09:53:15 But I can try and pay them the very best I can and I'm
09:53:18 happy to do that and take the heat for it.
09:53:20 Fortunately our general employees pension and our F and P
09:53:23 pension, our costs are diminishing because of the
09:53:26 performance of the market.
09:53:27 So our contributions are less this year.
09:53:29 Something else you should be proud of is our F and P
09:53:35 pension and general employee pension are rated in the top
09:53:38 one percent of 7,000 public pensions.
09:53:41 Our pension is a model, pensions are a model for how
09:53:47 pensions should perform.
09:53:48 You know, by comparison, if you look at Jacksonville's F
09:53:51 and P pension, they're funded at 30 percent, 35%.
09:53:55 Our F and P pension is funded at 92%.
09:53:59 Our general employees pension is funded at 99.5%.
09:54:03 I would bet you that there is not a city in the country
09:54:07 that has this consistent rate of return and this
09:54:10 consistent performance and this consistent level of both
09:54:14 city government and mayors that preceded me as well as
09:54:17 the members of the pension that have contributed on a
09:54:19 regular basis, never taking pension holidays.
09:54:22 Even during the downtimes, making the contributions,
09:54:25 sharing the pain when the market collapses and benefiting
09:54:28 from the gain when the market rebounds.
09:54:30 But this is something that is almost unheard of --
09:54:33 unheralded in municipal government and I know that I'm
09:54:36 proud of it.
09:54:37 Health care costs continue to rise.
09:54:39 Thankfully the City of Tampa is keeping those health care
09:54:43 costs below the national averages.
09:54:44 As all of you know, we are self-insured.
09:54:47 We don't get to pass that buck on to anybody.
09:54:50 And so this has been a challenging year for us.
09:54:52 We have had some major claims from some of our employees
09:54:55 that have bumped the budget up.
09:54:57 But as you see, that green line is where we are.
09:55:01 And where the blue line is what the national trend is.
09:55:03 So we have performed much better.
09:55:05 We have been rigorous about trying to get our employees
09:55:08 healthier.
09:55:08 Encouraging them to quit smoking.
09:55:12 We have our own clinics that we set up that are very,
09:55:14 very popular by our employees.
09:55:16 Very well used.
09:55:17 We are trying to be preventive in terms of how we
09:55:22 approach health care.
09:55:24 And I think the end result is what you see on these
09:55:26 charts is that we are well below the national average.
09:55:31 Even with contemplated premium increases, which all of us
09:55:35 recognize is just a cost of doing business.
09:55:38 By comparison to other jurisdictions though, you see
09:55:41 where we are and we are with the exception of the school
09:55:43 board of Pasco County, well below the increases
09:55:47 contemplated by some of our other jurisdictions.
09:55:57 All right.
09:55:57 This is our capital improvement program.
09:55:59 You can see where we are investing our money.
09:56:02 It runs the gamut from the convention center to water and
09:56:05 wastewater, transportation, T and I.
09:56:08 These are all investments in many case that is have been
09:56:10 defend.
09:56:11 We are trying to catch up as best we can.
09:56:13 We are not there yet.
09:56:14 But we are getting there.
09:56:16 And these, you know, if you don't take care of what you
09:56:21 have, it doesn't matter if you build new stuff.
09:56:24 You have to maintain what you have.
09:56:26 You can't put a new addition on your house if you have a
09:56:29 hole in the roof.
09:56:30 These are some of the capital improvement projects in
09:56:33 some of the various districts.
09:56:35 I no he this is hard to read.
09:56:36 This will be included in your books when you get them
09:56:38 right after the meeting.
09:56:40 Councilmember Cohen's district, Councilmember Reddick's
09:56:45 district, you know, a lot of these are not sexy things
09:56:49 but they're things that are important.
09:56:50 Each district is different.
09:56:52 For example, Councilmember Montelione up in the north end
09:56:55 of New Tampa is newer.
09:56:57 A lot of the stuff is maintained by CDDs.
09:57:01 The lower part of her district is in more need of the
09:57:04 north end.
09:57:04 But we tried to accommodate everyone.
09:57:06 As you can see, the lower end of her district is going to
09:57:11 get significant dollars, including something near and
09:57:14 dear to Councilmember Montelione's heart, Forest Hills.
09:57:17 We're going to make some monies available for some work
09:57:19 at the Forest Hills recreation center, which I know some
09:57:24 members of the community there are excited about.
09:57:26 These are our enterprise funds.
09:57:29 This chart indicates our water, sewer, solid waste,
09:57:34 parking, golf courses.
09:57:36 I can tell you solid waste is on firm financial footing
09:57:39 now, which it was not when we got here.
09:57:41 We have got new leadership there and the budget and the
09:57:45 books look good and we're able to set aside money, which
09:57:49 we basically had burned through before.
09:57:51 That was a department that was on the verge of some
09:57:53 serious issues.
09:57:55 Water and wastewater are doing great.
09:57:58 Parking, as you know, we have new leadership in parking
09:58:00 as well.
09:58:01 And Ocea has grabbed that tiger by the tail and
09:58:06 straightening out the parking department, which was
09:58:09 desperately needed.
09:58:10 This is something else I know Sonya loves.
09:58:12 I'm just going to take a drink and let Sonya gaze upon
09:58:16 this.
09:58:17 [ Laughter ]
09:58:17 I know how proud she is of this and how deserving she is
09:58:24 of your praise.
09:58:27 These numbers represent what I doubt any city in Florida
09:58:33 and most city around the country have achieved in the
09:58:36 last couple years.
09:58:37 Every one of those that is highlighted in green
09:58:41 represents an increase from the Wall Street rating
09:58:46 agencies in our bond rating.
09:58:49 That is unprecedented.
09:58:52 Three of them moving to triple A.
09:58:54 Another one to double A plus and another one to A 2.
09:58:58 What that in essence means, it's like your personal
09:59:01 credit rating.
09:59:02 That means you can borrow money at a lower rate.
09:59:04 That means that over time, when we issue long-term debt,
09:59:08 that we're paying less money for it, which inures to the
09:59:11 benefit of the people that we serve.
09:59:14 This is important stuff.
09:59:15 It's complicated.
09:59:16 Most people don't understand what it means but I can tell
09:59:18 you I never got three As on my report card.
09:59:21 [ Laughter ]
09:59:22 >> But getting AAA rating from the Wall Street rating
09:59:26 agencies for our debt tells you that Wall Street has sent
09:59:29 the signal in no uncertain terms that this place is well
09:59:32 run.
09:59:33 That we are financially sound and to quote them, in their
09:59:37 analysis, very strong management, strong financial
09:59:40 policies and practices, very strong budgetary flexibility
09:59:44 and very strong liquidity.
09:59:46 This is Sonya's work.
09:59:49 Good job.
09:59:49 [ Applause ]
09:59:59 >>MAYOR: All right.
10:00:00 So what do we set out to do?
10:00:03 This is in it a nutshell.
10:00:04 Creating new jobs and growing our economy, protecting our
10:00:08 kids, enhances our quality of life, improving our
10:00:12 infrastructure, retaining and rewarding our employees,
10:00:14 balancing the budget again without raising property taxes
10:00:18 and without using the reserves and creating a regulatory
10:00:21 environment that people want to come and do business with
10:00:24 us.
10:00:25 As I wrap this up, I will tell you this.
10:00:27 The state of the city is good, but more importantly, it's
10:00:30 getting better.
10:00:31 The next four years together is going to be an amazing
10:00:34 time for all of us.
10:00:35 As I look forward to what this city will look like in
10:00:39 four years, when we pass that torch to another
10:00:41 generation, to another Mayor, to new Councilmembers, I
10:00:44 can promise you this.
10:00:45 This city is going to be in better shape than it was
10:00:48 given to us.
10:00:48 That's what we do as community leaders.
10:00:50 That's what we do as parents, that is our moral
10:00:54 obligation.
10:00:54 And I can promise you when we close these books four
10:00:57 years from now, this will be a great place.
10:00:59 The budget is bald.
10:01:01 Lay it is groundwork for what I think will be an amazing
10:01:04 period in Tampa's history.
10:01:05 I don't even think we know now what this city is going to
10:01:09 look like over the next couple years.
10:01:11 But I do know this.
10:01:11 I'm excited about it.
10:01:14 I know you are as well.
10:01:16 Hold on.
10:01:17 It's going to be a great ride.
10:01:18 We could not have done this without your party on most
10:01:21 importantly we could not have done it without the people
10:01:24 behind me.
10:01:24 So thank you.
10:01:25 [ Applause ]
10:01:34 >>MAYOR: Councilmembers, I am done.
10:01:36 The budget is bald.
10:01:38 It is in your hands now.
10:01:39 The books will be given to you shortly.
10:01:41 Thank you for all that you do.
10:01:43 I think together we have changed this city in ways that
10:01:47 we never imagined four years that we could do, given what
10:01:49 we were facing.
10:01:50 But I proposals you this.
10:01:51 The best is yet to come.
10:01:53 And thank you for your teamwork and your support.
10:01:55 Let's go git'r done.
10:01:56 Thanks.
10:01:57 [ Applause ]
10:02:04 >>HARRY COHEN: Thank you, Mayor, and thank to your our
10:02:08 staff.
10:02:08 I should remind everyone that we do have two public
10:02:11 hearings on the budget scheduled already on the calendar.
10:02:14 The first one will be September 3rd at 5:01 p.m.
10:02:19 And the second one will be September 15th at 5:01 p.m.
10:02:24 Between now and then, I know we all look forward to
10:02:27 delving into the books and having our budget advisory
10:02:30 committee do the same.
10:02:31 And I see a lot of those members here.
10:02:33 If I could have a motion to receive and file, please.
10:02:36 We have a motion to receive from Councilwoman Montelione,
10:02:40 seconded by Councilman Suarez.
10:02:42 All those in favor, please indicate by saying aye.
10:02:46 We are going to be adjourned until 6:00 p.m. tonight.
10:02:49 But in about five minutes, we're going to come back as
10:02:51 the CRA and Councilwoman Capin will take up the gavel
10:02:56 then.
10:02:56 [ Recess ]
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