City of Laredo, Texas Economic Development Advisory Committee, 7 Mar 2019

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From YouTube: 03-07-19 Economic Development Advisory Committee

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03-07-19 Economic Development Advisory Committee

A

Good afternoon everyone it's it's past, 12 o'clock, so we will uh start our feedac meeting today. uh First item on the agenda is the is a roll call.

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Roll call, uh mr mr fred dickey here uh miss maida, hernandez yeah.

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So we have a quorum.

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So they're absolutely.

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Then, of course we have this, this uh uh rosario cabello.

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We also need to go call you discover here and also have mr robert eats. He is out of trouble. Okay, very good, very good. So we have a core next item on the agenda is: are the minutes from the december the february 7 2019 meeting uh they were emailed to you all.

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Have you all had a chance to review the minutes.

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Are there any? Are there any uh comments or changes to the minutes?

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If not, do I hear an approval for the approval of the minutes? Mr dickey makes a motion. Second says all those in favor. All right motion carries um next item on the agenda is a discussion by dr robert byam, jack jack ryan tammy, your professor uh and also mr juan captain cyrus. Is that you, sir? Yes, sir, for the irs.

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Let's not be afraid, that's right, your.

C

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Yeah, wonderful, is it possible.

D

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Have the horse yeah and you want the keypad.

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No, no, no need the keypad just want to put.

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It in presenter mode.

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Over here and then we can scroll through it. Okay, um my name is dr jack. Bayer I work at tamiu. I teach political science there and I really like my job. As I know, myra knows, but I've been involved by the program for a few years now and mr juan garizales is our irs liaison for the program.

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He'll he'll be presenting along with me, um juan you want to tell them who you are yes,.

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Everybody knows the three initials are the ones that matter right. The irs.

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2009, it's a privilege for me to to be part of this program, the wider program that you're going to find out. If you don't know what the vita program is, is the volunteer income tax assistance? So we partner here with pretty much everybody from the city uh all the way down to business leaders and workforce solutions? Goodwill?

C

U so! We've grown this program when I first took over and we'll show you some numbers here when I first came into laredo we're only doing about 1300 returns and no funding, and so we've grown this program a lot from getting people involved to the volunteers. uh So.

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It's a very special program and I thought we're the only.

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Arm of the irs, that's here to help people so give.

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Us a few minutes and we're gonna.

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C

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Is a very special.

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Program I cover from corpus christi all those counties around race, county, uh sapata, uh webb, county, all the way down to eagle pass maverick county, all those. So I've been doing this for for nine nine ten years uh and it's a very special program. We also go to overseas as well. So uh so that's a little bit about me. I got here for the university of texas in austin, I'm a longboard welcome!

C

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Just a little bit about me and uh I'll turn.

D

C

Mr jackson, we can continue with the presentation all.

D

Right, wonderful, one and I will be presenting together so um just so, you can be prepared for that. Let's just begin because I know our time is limited.

D

Juan already mentioned a little bit about what our program is about. Here's some more specific things. What we do in our program is is provided.

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A

Sorry about that doctor.

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Not a problem at all.

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I uh I teach in the classroom every day, and this is no.

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You know students come in whenever.

H

D

Okay, so the vita program- I don't want to mentioned a little bit about what we do. um Here's here are some more specific um things. We provide free tax preparation for individuals and families, making less than 66 thousand dollars per year. That's the way um we market the program, um although officially there is no income limit. The the groups of persons, benefiting primarily from our program, are listed there on the left, low to moderate income, elderly disabled limited english proficiency and, of course, the military every fall semester.

D

We train our volunteers. One sometimes offers the classes as well, sometimes in spanish, and so all our volunteers need their certification. In order to to prepare up here, you have just the mission statement as described by the irs. This is an irs document. I just cut and pasted a little snippet of it there.

D

So we are sponsored by the internal revenue service and we operate the program under their guidance and collecting.

C

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Could just emphasize.

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The last part on there, the irs certified volunteers we're the only ones that we certify our volunteers pay preparers. Nobody right now get certified by the irs. So that's very important when we tell the community a lot of people are on happy houses because they want a bigger refund. But our point are: is the educational part? Is we want to make sure that we educate them? It's not.

D

About getting the bigger refund.

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C

It's better to sleep better at night than have the irs come knock down your door a few days later to pick up the money that you weren't corresponding to. So that's. What we take pride is making sure that we do the taxes correctly.

C

D

Next slide a little bit about how we operate the program here in laredo, there are now two vita programs in the riddle since 2004 the vita program. Oh, that was like magic since 2004 the program has been delivered in laredo by the laredo family economic success coalition, the lfbcsc for short for a coalition of community organizations and partners and representatives meet about once a month to strategize how best to to succeed. Each year, each filing season, um uisp united isd, set up their vital sites in 2010 under the umbrella of this same coalition.

D

A

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D

United isd has delivered its own via program. Okay, so that's what I mean when I say there are now two vita programs. We have the lfesc and, of course, united isds and I'll share with you, some of the sites and partners here coming up shortly.

D

We work together to come up with a mission. Our mission in the laredo family economic success coalition goes beyond nearly free tax preparation to financial to.

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Financial literacy.

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So there's our mission statement: we want to make a positive difference in the lives of low to moderate income families and, in addition to free tax preparation.

D

uh We also, we also do things that are designed to increase financial knowledge and means promote certain federal tax benefits and as well as classes in financial literacy, asset building and home home ownership. In the past couple of years, we've worked with different banks to put on financial literacy classes um for the community, attended by by members of the community.

A

You've gone with ibc bank, I work for ibc.

D

Yeah we um we, I was going to highlight our relationship with ibc, which is uh most recently begun in earnest this this year.

D

One you want to.

C

You know the banks uh on and off we've done from ibc chase bank bank of america they've contributed not only financially but as far as the asset building as world classes. uh Bbna compass is another one that we've done classes with them. So our program is just more than tax preparation. We we we hook up with these financial institutions, so we can educate people on on buying a car buying a home.

E

You know one of the most interesting things that I.

C

Find is that when you get somebody, oh, I have a new mustang. Well, what is.

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The interest rate well, I.

C

Don't know I'm paying like 700, but how.

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Much is your interest rate. Nobody really.

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And that's what the educating part is that we want to make sure that they understand what they're buying before they buy something. So that's one of the big assets that we have with the financial institutions here in the community.

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We think that, uh combined with the returns, the federal returns, this kind of financial literacy helps people eventually get out of poverty, especially if they get a sizable return. You know, if they use it wisely, then it increases their chances of becoming more financially stable. So that's the overall mission of our program.

D

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A look at some of.

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Our partners, actually all of our partners in the laredo family economic success coalition. We've got as amazing as techa. The boys.

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And girls club.

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Catholic charities of diocese of the radio, the city of the radio, of course, through its libraries, l'oreal public library and bruni.

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D

The consulate downtown as well goodwill industries of san antonio helping to ensure laredo's prosperity is a new and upcoming non-profit here in town organized for charitable purposes. uh The radio.

E

D

Prepare taxes at all all four of the laredo isd, high schools and by four I'm, including valdez high school neighbor works, laredo, south texas food bank, new partner this year, tamiu workforce solutions. So at each of these sites, or most most of the names that are listed here, we also have a tax site where volunteers will go.

D

These organizations will provide us with space and internet access and some tables and shares, and our irs trained volunteers will go to these sites and they will prepare taxes for the community and, of course, we we spend part of our funds to promote this opportunity for free tax preparation among the community and our funding partners are listed down here.

D

Irs, we receive a federal grant from the irs which helps us to fund part of the administrative part of the program and then, of course, heb and ibc uh are two of our uh our our main. Our main two founders heb has given us um 10 000. That was the extent of my spanish that hopefully.

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It was um about ten thousand dollars.

D

A year for the past, how many years won.

C

They started in 2010.

D

Yeah great so one of the things we're unable to do with the grant from funds from the federal government, because it's coming from the federal government it's quite narrowly tailored. We can't spend it on food for volunteers or things to benefit volunteers. So that's what we do with these other funds that we receive.

D

Here are uisd vita sites, the four high schools we have tax sites or uisd. I should say that program has top sites at each of their high schools.

C

And if I can mention.

D

C

Thing uisd is the only school district run program in the whole country. They've been recognized by the irs at the national level, the last two years for what they've done at their high schools. So they've done an outstanding job the last couple of years, and that's what they've actually recognize wow.

C

Besides that, I can write pretty good.

D

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A look at some numbers.

D

And I'm again back to vita and laredo and just to explain some of what's going on up here. I know it's it's busy, but it's a lot of information so.

E

D

You have the laredo family, economic success coalition numbers and over.

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D

You have the uisd production report. This includes the four high schools. This line here is highlighted 2014 because.

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That was the last year that.

D

Uisd was part of our coalition, but we report the numbers separately now because of course they are their own coalition operating their own program, so you can see um 2012 leading up to 2018, we've got number of accepted returns and by and large our program has seen a lot of growth here.

D

This is the dollar amount of federal refunds that has come back to residents living in in laredo, in webb, county and sometimes in zapata county. These are the numbers for the moscow, the earned income credit return to the race. We never see that earned income credit. We are helping. Low-Income families earned income tax credit requesting.

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Direct deposit, so most of our program, most of the taxpayers who.

D

Who come request direct deposit and we can provide that for them? It's the same information. Of course the numbers are different for the uisd, so you can. You can see some comparison there.

D

Of course, we have several sites in the laredo family, economic success coalition, and only four, but both coalitions are are very, very productive and down here some overall numbers um for the last couple of years, total number of returns- and this would be combined between both programs, both coalitions and and then here are the fees that we've saved taxpayers in order to arrive at that fee. It's an estimate when we figure about two hundred dollars per per return that would have been paid at a paid preparer that taxpayers were able to save.

D

So this is a lot of money um being saved by taxpayers and a lot of money in terms of federal refunds. Coming back into the community.

C

And this is where we really want to target the message to you guys is those are 200. Trust me, those.

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Are very modest.

C

You know people are paying power, six, eight hundred dollars for tax preparation and just.

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To give you the impact.

C

That you guys have that would be money, that's leaving! If you go to jackson, hewitt, h, r block, that's leaving the community with us being able to provide the service that money is staying here in the community. You don't spend the money.

H

At walmart hebrew.

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Local, so that's money, that's very important that staying here not going out of the web county. So that's very what I wanted to highlight here, for you guys is and the reason you don't have 15 and 16 over there, because I didn't represent whatever they shipped me out for two years and then we had a revolt.

C

So I had to come back so 2017 when I uh I started again, but as you can see those refunds, the 4 million and the 9 million, I mean that's about 14 million just coming back into the community here with refunds alone, and then you add, the multiplier harvard uh university had a multiple effect on the impact it has on the financial financial entity of the communities and these units about seven times. So you figure that 14 million times seven.

C

That's the impact that's happening here in the community or for you guys, that's impacting and creating jobs, creating businesses. So all that is staying in laredo and all this money is free that we're having providing for our your citizens here web county. So.

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It's very important to to acknowledge those numbers, because it is a huge impact and those especially those preparation.

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Fees- those preparation fees, that's money- that's paying here to be spent here locally, so.

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As you can see, uic the reason they pulled.

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Out is because you see 2014, they started building their own entity and now we.

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Have zero dollar amounts coming in, especially from.

C

The federal government for this program- I one of the things that I fought for for webb county for our coalition, because you guys really have a special coalition. uh If you have a chance, uh dr jack can provide you information for our next coalition meeting. I would invite you guys to attend one of our meetings, so you can see the impact that we're having uh they get from the irs about 84 000. The grant and uisd gets about 42 000 from the grant per year from the irs to provide the services. But as mr jack.

E

Saying we're very limited to.

C

How much we can spend that money? That's why we need that help from the community from hiv ibc other banks. uh We, this has been built over the years. It wasn't built overnight, as you can see, so what we need to help is for the financial impact that's coming in is we want to keep our volunteers happy because it's a volunteer driven program and it's funny because we just ran into somebody a volunteer before I took over, and I said no, our program has gotten better when we take care of the volunteers, because.

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That's where you're.

C

Seeing these numbers, you know when I first came in with 2010, we had about 23 volunteers. Now, roughly we can have 200 or 300 a year that we have for people that come back and help us, but we.

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Always need more, you know the numbers that you see up.

C

There we're not even touching and.

E

C

Been recognized by again nationally by the highest penetration level in the community is here in webb. County nationwide is under one percent of the help that the water program is doing you guys for us, it's roughly between 500 right now that we're impacting the community. So that's.

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Why the irs loves.

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This community, it loves uisd because of the fact that all.

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Those from uic just like liz.

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Lic just started: they did about a little bit under 600 returns this year for three high schools, so.

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They're building their program.

C

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It took them a while to.

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Get them on there. I used to come here every year that I used to come here from 2010 to get them involved. And, finally, when I.

A

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They're, like oh, we want to be part of it, but now that I'm back they're building the program as well and they want to emulate what uisd is doing. You know, as you can see there, with the uic numbers, it's very important, because all those are done by students high school students.

C

The teachers are the ones acting as site coordinators, which they oversee the site. It's like a manager of the site, but.

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All those returns are done by students, we're talking about programs, so they're learning how to do taxes. We.

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Have a program called understanding taxes, that's implemented into a curriculum at the high school level. uh So that's what they're, using and and again they're following final final grade is the test to get certified for the irs program. So these kids and especially, has a great model. They are going to find it from the freshman year the accounting students they're coming in by their sophomore and junior year. We got them in the program as volunteers to prepare taxes.

C

So it's not that just one year they got a very special program and that's why they've been recognized like I said at the national level, but yeah.

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And so this brings us back to a conversation. We've had as a committee that, in terms of economic development, the workforce skill is not there and it seems that you want to see some point when it's it's trying to develop the skill worker as.

C

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Graduate what does that mean.

C

Yes and so you're correct, so what you're seeing is a lot of these students? You know I.

G

Don't know when.

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You guys were in high school, but when I was in high school I didn't know what a w2.

C

E

And I didn't know how to do my taxes and these kids are really already defending themselves by having the skill, knowledge.

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To fill out a w-4, because I guarantee.

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You how many people here that you know of adults that don't know.

C

Where to go before, is I just put a bunch of ones and zeroes.

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Well now these.

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Kids are understanding what it is to put, because that's true withholding on your w-2, so the education level that they're getting at uic and lisd is way above what.

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Was graduating so.

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That's why it's.

C

Important you develop a stronger workforce with this kid staying here in the community already knowing how to contribute. What to look for how to save money, because part of understanding taxes is also how to save an asset. Building that they're doing it as part of this irs curriculum that we have at the school.

I

Out of curiosity, do you have any numbers that show like you know if the returns for an individual are increasing due to this program versus just because I'm sure all of these numbers people that just don't even know how to file taxes now.

C

When you say increase number the refunds or what are we talking about yeah like in other.

I

Words, if I just tried to do my tax credit with no knowledge, I would get a hundred dollars back well.

C

I'm gonna tell you that our refunds are what they're supposed to be you're, going to pay, prepare and they're going to give you more because.

E

One of the reasons the paper.

C

Pairs work is they're going to charge you more based on how much money you get back so.

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If your refund's higher they're going to charge you more so it's in their best interest.

C

To cut corners, as we say to give you a better refund, even though it's not the correct refund, but that's why the irs comes in and we audit people we.

J

Have a program that waits a year.

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For your father return.

J

B

C

Gives us the other information and then we send you a letter, guess what your credits, your information, is wrong. Here's your what you're going to owe with us! You don't get that because we're going to prepare your terms, correct and I'll have to pay.

I

Interest in everything.

B

And you're it's no longer a deductible anymore. As far as the the fees are concerned, it's no longer the tax preparation is no longer difficult. Yeah.

C

That's one of the new jobs that got passed that you no longer can write off any employee expenses and tax preparations. One of them you can now put on there so.

I

That's what our benefit is is that you're gonna get your taxes.

E

Done right, like I told.

C

You earlier you'll be able to see better at night because you can get a bigger refund, but we're going to come after you eventually yeah and that's the key is that you don't want to have.

I

That situation well yeah, you might have got 10 000 more this year, but.

E

Two years from now.

C

You own those 3 000.

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Plus interest plus penalties.

C

F

It doesn't benefit anybody.

C

F

You all go after somebody who, or you gotta prove that they did it on purpose, not.

C

Necessarily now we can, we can prove that you're committing fraud. We can open up your tax returns, so the first one you.

F

Follow but I'm talking about the tax preparers that are uh that are.

C

Committing the fraud yeah, yes, you can we've actually shut down with ours with our with our job. uh We've shut down one here in laredo uh two years ago, because we got a tip from one of our volunteers and what we do. I I went for the nice part of the irs, but I'm.

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Just one form and I send it to the ci criminal.

C

Investigations, oh yeah, and they they're the ones.

H

Who take care of the job? And mr dick he's asking for a friend.

H

F

A guy and if a guy is going to get a more refund and this guy's going to charge more. You know in spanish, I said let myself refund. If.

C

You can identify somebody's doing that you just let me know who they are and.

H

You get audited.

A

Well, I want to turn in joke.

A

E

C

Anybody, but the tax program is big, that when we we, we have enough to help the people that need the help and if you can pay, we have plenty of people that will go pay so.

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This this program.

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It's not just for paper prepared, that's what people get misconception, we're taking money away. No! This.

C

The tax program is big, where there's.

E

Enough for the pay, preparers and there's enough for us to help the people that need the help and that's what we do.

C

J

uh And, like I said, the preparation fees.

C

Yeah I mean they're outstanding, I mean and that's money that's being spent here in the community. So um unless.

A

You guys have any other questions on the numbers- yeah, oh no, just separate, but so how do you all compare the program? You all use understanding taxes compared to like turbo tax? Well,.

C

The understanding, texas is the program that we have for a curriculum. The tax layer. Software is what we use for the program. What's it.

E

Called tax later so it's always it's also like turbo tax.

C

It's a commercial product, but they have a contract with the government with the irs and they tailor it for us at our program. So we can use it on all of our sites worldwide.

F

How what it said that from uh moderate low to moderate, how high is moderate well.

C

We advertise 66 000 and the reason we do that is we don't really.

J

C

An income limit, but.

E

If I, if I say we don't have an income limit, we have 300 000 or wage earners coming.

C

In trying to help us well we're really tailoring it for the low to moderate, so there's.

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No income limitation.

C

But under irs policy we can only advertise 66, 000 or less and that's.

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Actually, a special thing.

C

That I got for garedo because it's really 54 000., we get permission every year for laredo to use the 66 000. So we can get more people in the park.

H

Since I can't write off my tax preparation fees, I know where I'm going now. That's great.

C

And our volunteers uh signed what is called 13615 and it's a confidentiality everything discussed and nobody can discuss anything and we've never had a problem because that's one.

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Issue we had when we started.

C

Our the high school program well they're high school kids, but once we explain to them what the rigorous steps that we take to provide your confidentiality, we never had that problem from the first year.

D

C

D

To show you, I don't know why it's not staying there.

D

But uh on this first slide here um this is the 1365 that uh juan just mentioned.

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E

Volunteers, in addition to.

D

Being trained in tax law, they have to sign um basically an agreement.

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A standards of conduct agreement.

D

Certain sort of ethical rules that they agree to abide by as long as they're volunteers. In our program, which.

E

Of course is very.

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Important they can't volunteer unless they sign.

D

That form, let's try the presenter mode one more time. Okay and.

C

One thing I like to add on these numbers that this is where we would need the help from the community. Obviously we're always looking for volunteers, but there's a special thing called if you guys are familiar with ida's individual development accounts. uh What those.

E

C

Is our asset building uh that we use for for low to moderate income families? So if you want to buy a car, you know you can put in a thousand and then obviously, whatever uh uh represent the ida matches. That thousand and that's where most cities uh that uh that have run successful programs come from the city. It.

E

Is a it is a grant.

C

That you have to apply for so obviously some money that the city has to obviously put in, but it's a matching one for uh taxpayers, so we have families that are making 18 20 000 a year. You know we can put them in this program because one of the things that we can compete to be honest with y'all is those refund anticipation. Rules they've changed names. What it does is people and I'm pretty sure, everybody's seen a commercial come to our taxi with us. We'll give you 3 000 up front so.

E

Those are the ones that you know they don't look at the interest that they're charging them. So you know they're getting you know. Eight nine hundred.

C

Dollars taken out just because they wanted three thousand up front instead of waiting for us if they get accepted by the irs, we transfer everything from our side to the irs by thursday they're, getting it the next wednesday no later than the last the friday, but they can't wait a week. So they want those three thousand dollars, and this is the educational part of educating the community, because we want them to understand that you can wait a week, your landlord's going to wait a week.

C

Your bills are going to wait a week, just call them, but there's no need for you to pay sometimes 800 to 1500, just because you're trying to get 3 000 upfront. Thank you, sir.

J

But it's the education.

C

Yes, but that's what we would you know, that's something that, for you guys to consider, is looking into an idea where you can help the coalition you know apply, for you know it could be anywhere from 30 40 000 ida.

C

I can get you guys, information for those that don't know what it is and you can help the coalition, because we can match those lower income people into an idea and that's something we can advertise to fight off these predatory lenders, because that's really what they are they're they're preying on these uh slow income, payday loans, dr.

J

F

On the list of.

J

uh Your partners there, I know that laredo college has a uh really big emphasis on the vita program through our continuing education yeah. um So I was just wondering: if did you just leave.

D

Us out, or are they not there, do they ever have to college? Oh! Well, that's a mistake. Yeah. That was just that's purely a mistake. No they're, one of our best partners.

D

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One of our great partners.

C

Yeah they're, we.

J

Have two sites, sir: both guys are really big and we're very proud of the vital program. No thank you.

D

Yeah, no, I'm certainly glad you mentioned that it's purely an error. Thank you, yeah, of course, it's.

J

F

How long does it.

E

Take as an average reason why you volunteer, you know to.

C

Prepare yeah uh roughly, I would say anywhere about 10 10, 15 minutes.

F

Then they're not real, complicated.

A

No, I'm sure, there's something that llamas didn't bring like a shoe box.

C

The way we address that is, we have different levels of certification. We.

E

Have the basic level certification.

C

We have the advanced and we have military where we handle the more complicated ones so, depending on what you have so yes, stocks and dividends will put you at the advanced level of volunteer and at the basic moment. So.

F

These guys are trying to do a little more.

C

Yeah, so we cover everything. As I said, we don't have an income limitation, so you come in with unless.

E

You come into something like.

G

You're a day trader with.

E

You know a thousand trades we're.

C

Not gonna help you, but if it's something that we can help you here at the site, then yes, we there's no income limitations. So as far as the amount.

E

G

Varies but roughly, like I said most of the ones that we see are w-2s.

C

With our name compared to things like that, but we do see uh stocks different, especially walmart employees,.

I

So we we help everything we cover like llc's and stuff. Coming no.

C

We don't do all those things, because that would be a form 1065. That's a separate one.

E

A

Yeah we do partnerships, okay, once which, if you already have a k1 yeah.

C

So if somebody already did the 1065 for you on a partnership, you can bring us your k1 and we can put an individual return. That.

A

We will do. I was just talking to my my daughter, I mean she graduated in december and she got a little. She got a.

G

A

But I had gifted her some stock, so we were just a coincidence. We were talking about well, first of all, are you a dependent or not, and then second of all, if it's gifted it will do you have to follow 10.99 and, of course, maybe she's in brownsville man? I don't know if you all have a program over there.

C

The valley, the whole valley, we're covered.

A

E

Nationwide and.

G

H

C

With the the military.

H

Installations please vote at 12, 35 yeah.

J

Just one final question: do you serve rural communities or counties as well? Yes,.

C

We actually do have an ad hoc site in sao paulo, okay, but uh we're in the right of college.

J

Yeah, that's! Oh now you want to mention that.

C

Right now, we're at crystal city um we're everywhere.

J

C

Yes, like surrounding.

J

Areas, yes, thank you.

D

All right, just a few more slides, a few more slides.

A

D

uh We've got plenty of economic success stories. You know from uh from working over the years, um taxpayers will come and and tell us how they were benefited by their returns. These are just a few of the ways that we that taxpayers have mentioned. They've been helped. You know sometimes we'll get taxpayers.

G

Who are really grateful.

D

For the fact that it was free and they'll try to pay us, of course, we can't accept any funds um from the city, but what they'll do when they discover they can't give us.

G

D

Is often they will go and they'll get like donuts or something and they'll bring it to the site or if they work at heb, they brought us food, you know, and then um it's very, very friendly. A lot of them are very grateful.

H

All my groceries.

D

Yeah here's some of the benefit benefits of uh the vita program for the community just listed in a kind of general way.

D

We increase federal tax compliance, more people, paying taxes, promoting accuracy and filing returns through our training and our certification programs, of course, we're saving money on tax preparation fees for for families and individuals, um we're strengthening the community and civic engagement, because it's not just students who are volunteering in our program. We have. We have scores of community members who want to get involved every year and they'll come to our trainings, which are typically held at tmu.

D

At least they have been for the past few years, and um they'll get trained and they'll go out and be coordinators, or just that are some of our advanced preparers. We have a core of community members who come and return year after year and they really enjoy the program. Well,.

C

We strengthen your economy, that's the the biggest thing that we do is we do strengthen the economy with the amounts that's coming into the community.

F

People are screwed and.

D

Of course, volunteers are being provided with new.

A

Skills, I mean everybody knows like the cars and homes. The best time to sell is in the first quarter of the year. That's what refunds.

C

Well, that's why you see some auto sales where they we're preparing taxes here, if you use your down payment for you know your refund, we you'll see a lot of those, especially in the bigger markets, austin houston.

J

Will do taxes here, they'll match.

A

It right ourselves, one of my friends- was a it was a used car dealer. He said, look, don't buy a car right now, you're gonna buy carpet. Your son buy it in the summer, because right now, prices are higher because of the disposable.

F

Income they're praying on poor and in the north.

C

That's that's exactly what they're doing.

A

Well, it's time they get the money they can get it and for someone they get a house, I mean they have their own home as opposed to.

C

But that's why education is important because you know working with the city. uh It's amazing to me that you know the first quarter comes. They have the money, but then they spend it like within the first month and then they come in asking payroll for the utility bills. You know and that's where we come in with the education level. That's what we like to partner with financial institutions to educate them like hey.

C

I know you want that big screen tv, but guess what your bills are more important than buying that tv right now and that's where the education part comes in from the partners that we have in the community. But that's during the super golden picture.

C

Go to your neighbor's house go once again.

D

This is the last slide I have for you um just some ways that um our partners can support us listed there and again, a general way. You send us new volunteers, we always love it. I mean the worst thing in the world is to be at a tax site where you've got 25 taxpayers and you know just two volunteer preparers.

D

It doesn't happen very often, but the more volunteers we have the more it's likely never to happen, providing direct, flexible funding. That's very important. We spend that on our volunteers, advertising.

G

Promoting program services.

D

Our coalition partners help us by by distributing information.

G

D

Services through their channels that they use through their to their clients, which is a great help aligning.

E

Program, services with city priorities.

D

E

Partners about program benefits and.

D

Assisting and planning and promoting financial literacy workshops so several ways that that is possible.

A

So, as a city yeah, you know you mentioned all of these. So what would you like to see from the city of laredo to assist the right, of course,.

D

I would say first thing would be the the city council, persons, maybe could take uh money, increased interest and promote it through the to their constituents. That would be the first thing that comes to mind. Okay,.

B

And we kind of do that already from our library, so I know that we do send out emails and math emails to saying hey it's out here, we're available, you know come do it with us. I know we do that. As far as internal to our city and bicycles, we do have that we can probably.

A

Or is that the vita program, the vita.

B

Yes, and so we we do have quite a lot of people who do go to the public library to to get it done. What we could do also is through our pio office. I guess promote that for the whole city and give it to send it to.

D

Different media- oh sure, that'd,.

E

Be great, you could do that.

C

And I have let me pray what I'm going to say. You know proceed by saying: uh I have a lot of circumstances she's on an excellent job, because she's been there longer than we've been a coalition.

C

But what I like to see is uh expand the hours because we're only really open fridays and saturdays for like three hours each day and.

E

They do about a thousand returns every year.

C

And those just a small amount of time, so I'd like to see more uh more hours uh and see if we can have more uh that more of the library because they they have volunteers there. But we like to see if they can increase the amount.

B

Of time that they they belong to, I.

E

B

It would depend on the volunteers themselves.

F

The amount of retired people um would think that you'd have.

E

We could have volunteers.

F

You know to during regular hours and they don't you know my friends had to retire. Don't do anything, we'd go to mcdonald's and have coffee send them our way. That's fine.

H

A

A

Yes, communities.

E

Because that's what we did.

A

The high schools involved, because they had navy community service.

C

To graduate so that's why our program is popular and uic just finished this past year, but the way they tailored their program. We got them in partnership with els uh laredo college at creating lccc.

J

It's okay to college transition, college.

C

And the board of education for the state of texas, so the understanding.

E

C

Class at uic up until this past year was part of the distinguished graduation that they got like graduating with honors. That's how the level that we took at uisd.

C

I know that there's some changes with the board of education in texas, so we stopped that, but we're trying to figure another way that we can get something similar back. So our graduates that are doing the writer program can be distinguished graduates based on what they're doing with the wider part.

D

I know that uh city council persons have a limited amount of discretionary funds. You know even even even little bits help not not here in arizona.

B

No, it's not broken border only yeah, I'm sorry! It's for brick and mortar. Only there. Oh.

H

B

H

All right: well, I didn't need a building on the tamiu and lc campus.

J

We have facilities.

H

So I'm saying move those and let the city hey.

D

H

E

D

Any kind of funding helps because it seems like we're always scrounging around for for money to pay for food for our trainings and.

E

Our volunteers, yeah.

D

That's the main thing you know we just want to feed our volunteers when they come to get our training classes. The reason our volunteers are good is because it's a 16 hour training class, and so it either takes place on two consecutive saturdays or week nights. Let.

B

Me ask you what kind of background investigations do you do on your volunteers, because there's going to be um social security numbers that are being put in there and things like that? So we want to make sure that the person doesn't have a a big criminal record. I'm sure it'd be a fine it'd, be a traffic ticket of some sort. But then, when there's something worse,.

C

The irs doesn't listen to the coalitions to do that. Obviously, that would require funding for the coalition to do that. But right now the only thing that we have is. We do have a registry that once we identify somebody that has something that we don't trust them with our program. We do put them on a national registry.

C

We do have a few people that we put up in the areas they represent, but as far as doing a background investigation, that's what we like to partner with with the high schools with the universities with colleagues.

B

We still haven't gotten to that level of criminal.

H

You don't know my.

E

A

Okay, very good, so is there any possible action that we should take committee members or.

H

I think just going back to our council people and telling them that there's this program and it would be beneficial not just for the city generally through the pio office, but then uh promoting it on their websites to their constituency, etc. I mean badly. I know I think would would is the.

F

Target demographic, at least his his district he's in four: that's so targeted.

D

He's also the district in which we have the most sites in colley's.

B

District one check about the hours, I'm not sure the hours are only restricted because of the volume of people that come in or because of the volunteers. So, but if it's lack of volunteers, then we know why we only do those two days. But if, if it's not that, then we'll work on extending the hours.

B

That would be good.

A

B

C

But uh that would be very beneficial because, like I said, we could get rid.

E

Of the predatory lending by.

C

Matching some of these families with an incentive for them to do the taxes with with the wider program.

G

What is ada individual.

C

Development account again it's a grant that you would apply for just to match the taxpayers.

B

Okay, we could do that all right. You can make a motion of that and we'll.

F

B

A

So it's a motion to.

B

A

For an ideology.

A

Very good next item is uh discussion with possible action to happen. Inner city housing incentive policy policy presented to the radio city council.

E

G

A

Direct city staff to find funding sources for the.

I

Policy- and this is more of a clarification from our last discussion.

A

So the actual inner city housing incentive policy was presented in a previous and previous meeting. I believe uh two meetings ago.

H

A

H

And then, in february we were going over the minutes and didn't have actually an action item. Yeah.

A

E

H

Item that's correct, so, okay.

B

um I just received this um today was reviewing it. As you know, we have quite a lot of members out on the water, speed, washington, legislative trip and I'd like the opportunity to sit down with you police department, with building department and with the other departments involved to see we could work some of the things out. Come back to you and tell you. Yes, we agreed these things or we can't do them because it is.

B

How can we work it better, and so I just like that opportunity to be able to come back to the next meeting. On that. I.

A

Think it's, I think that sounds reasonable, because either way we would go to the council and then direct you guys so.

B

A

And so by next meeting then then we can have. uh You know something from the city.

B

Staff and we'll have city staff here also presenting um if there are issues and how we can work them out and see if, um if it is viable or maybe we have other ideas for you at this point,.

I

I think the reason this was brought up is because the motion was to give it to staff and we never got feedback from that.

B

I

B

Right, and so this is the new staff, this is the first I see.

F

We asked for it and we received so why don't.

A

We then table it, and I guess so just keep in mind our next. Our first agenda item for our next month's meeting is is for the city staff to to make a presentation on the inner city, housing project.

B

And provide you recommendations.

J

Clarification can we make sure that every individual that needs to be here to answer questions the recommendations is here because then we don't want it to keep going.

B

From here, and maybe have it in a different room, because we're already pretty crowded here and.

A

They ran us out, there was another committee and actually.

G

We said at the earthquake.

B

Is that they have cameras available at the airport? I don't know if they have them at the airport, but we can.

A

B

Out and then get back.

A

But if you have it here I mean we can.

B

We've got the chairs right here.

A

Well, that's that's great, and it is in our our committee. You know julian and for I mean all of us, it's like we want to sort of be able to get to an issue and and have a finality to it together, be great. If we could do it talk about.

F

It we're going to vote.

I

F

We can meet.

I

Before the next meeting is on a forum to have micro discussions on.

A

Right and if there's clarification, that's another thing we could use without getting the forum.

A

Okay, that would be good or emails. I don't know, I mean that emails can be disseminated to maybe maybe have a subcommittee right and we can have a subcommittee of four without having a forum where we're eight right now right so.

E

A

That would that constitute a that wouldn't constitute a quorum.

I

There's nine spots and that that one vacancy does still count towards quorum. So five.

G

So five is your chorus.

A

So, who would want to be in that in that subcommittee form? Okay, so we've got julian maida rodney.

A

So, let's see we can have something maybe meet at least once or twice. Maybe maybe in two weeks meet with the subcommittee of course and then like that, when we come in next month, you have to.

J

Go through everything.

B

Yeah, for example, because utilities in itself may be a big, a big.

H

B

And so I'll bring in utilities department, and we all know that that subcommittee will talk about utilities, utilities and building or something like that and then by the time we come. We know that all you need to do is approve, or you know, talk about.

I

So just to discuss briefly the concept behind the whole thing is we, and I think we discussed especially on part of utilities, because I think someone was here or someone brought them up- um is that the people.

E

At the end of the day,.

I

It's not about what gets waived in necessarily in departments, because, as long as we have a good funding source, we can use that to possibly cover those fees. So it's not that they're truly weighed for utilities.

E

I

You know the funds there to cover those costs for the for it to be, and.

B

That's a good point, because I need to talk to legal about one of them in particular as far as the loans is constrained and how we would deal with that. Okay, so.

E

That's why I wanted.

B

I briefly looked at it and I'm thinking, okay, how would we do this? I know maybe other cities may do it, but I'm.

I

B

They do or how they do it.

I

So this one is specifically modeled after san antonio's, so.

G

If you'd like you guys, are capable.

E

Of calling them.

I

um I think ibc worked with um san antonio's version of this.

G

Was this part of the sa2020.

I

uh This was before when san antonio implemented this. This was before sa 2020.

G

But is it now embedded into the sa 2020.

I

They just updated their incentives.

G

So there's now this.

I

Newer, actually bigger incentive now that they put in place, but I'm not sure if that was tied into.

G

It this past weekend, uh I met with the city manager well now soon to be retired city manager. This friday, uh the the mayor and one of the things they talked about was obviously housing, and so the person you may want to contact is molly cox, she's um actually similar to aviva.

A

Former city manager of.

G

No no she's, now the executive director to essay 2020. so.

E

G

San antonio established the essay 2020., it was part very similar to viva la radio plan. Yes, but mayor castro opted that it needed to make sure that they would execute their strategic plan and so what they did is they developed the 501c and the 501c became sa 2012.

I

It's the overseer of their complex, correct.

G

And so they were pretty much community engagement initiative, which is now they hold everybody accountable, and so it's not a binder in anybody's shell. Just collecting does like somebody's actually making sure that every project is being executed, and you know what I took.

B

Out the comp plan today and then started looking at okay, so we need to start the strategic plan for the comp plan, so that was our next vision to do and- and you know, take us to that next step. So I think that everything is going to fall in line with this and everything else. That's.

A

Right, that's something that we need to do. Is you know, get that strategic plan and get it.

F

Get it going right now.

B

So um I did want to thank you for maybe um doing this together, because I think that if we do it.

F

I

Be here a long time to.

F

God's ears there was.

E

A group and I'll try to get you that name. Yes, yes, yeah, yeah, okay, awesome.

B

Well then: okay, yes, yeah! So so I know where you're going, and I just want to make sure that awesome how we can do it.

I

Okay, because I think everyone is agreeing.

A

With that so we're tabling the the the second item: yeah yeah.

G

I I heard a motion, I believe, did you second, it was ready.

A

That's right, okay, so it's.

E

A

So there was, there was a motion. There was a second all those in favor motion carries and then the other motion is for a subcommittee to look at the inner city, housing incentive policy to be brought. You know to be with.

I

City staff to be brought.

G

A

In the next meeting, and that will be comprised of.

A

Seconded by julian, all those in favor aye, aye aye.

F

A

Karen, it's very good for the right.

F

Now I don't know if we can have.

A

Another business there's no emotion, but just to discuss uh the the any z uh from the county. Just to mention that that I spoke to lalo.

B

I have communications too, on that one um I spoke to nathan broughton and to the judge at one point and they're telling me they're, not free they're, not eliminating their process, they're just right now, reviewing it and they'll come back! That's what I.

A

Want yeah and that's what donald told me that they're on on.

E

A

Now he said we're having legal look at it. The only thing is what we were talking about right now that how long will that go? You know what I mean.

B

What does that mean? Why are.

I

They reviewing.

B

Their review to ensure to see if it's financially, um I guess beneficial for them to continue or or if they continue. What are the triggers for them to be able to continue as far as and.

I

I think that's why we need to continue that discussion because, obviously, if you just look at it financially, it's never going to look good. But if you look at it through the scope of economic development, that's the.

B

Value that it's going to bring, and so I did invite them, they said it was too preliminary for them to be able to come. At this point, I did reach out to them, as I promised them so.

F

I was like kick the head down.

A

Yeah, it is so I.

E

Mean we can't make it it's not.

I

Part of our agenda, but just a discussion yeah can we approach it. Yeah.

A

I think we could.

I

We were going to speak to someone you know or yeah.

A

Well, I I spoke to lavo, but I think now we need to go to the politics. I mean I salado yesterday at la posada. By the way, those the the buffet is very good. On winter.

A

Who was a former councilman? I didn't mention today. Well cindy was one of the architects of the nec when she was a city councilman, and I know I mean you know I guess they're like everything goes down on money, and so I guess I know that this that the county has a or they used to have a economic development uh person. I don't know who that person is.

B

It wasn't it, um there was.

F

Money but they bought the heb, take it off the tax rolls, because now it's owned by a public entity.

F

Right generating money, but now they bought it so now the taxpayers has to pay for something that there's not bringing any revenue. That's.

A

It so again without getting a quarter, maybe some of us can go and I can't we can't make a motion, but not a commercial. Just.

F

A

Together and see if we can go meet with them and one last thing I'd like to congratulate mina, she was uh been selected to the texas leadership, not the laredo leadership.

G

Actually, you know this is definitely something that I I would love to share with miss rosario, something that I hope you consider for next year. I'm definitely going to throw your hat in there and a couple of city and people within women within our community.

G

It's a women's leadership. Normally that's discrimination.

G

A

Let me talk about that.

E

G

I think that it's it's it's fantastic to to be part of that program. um We met with very influential people in the san antonio market. um We understand what has thrived that city and, at the end of the day it was community engagement. People sat down at the table and talked politics.

E

Were thrown out the window.

G

And it was all about civic engagement and what is the best thing to do for the community, not for personal growth.

G

They went through a tough time, and so it was a surprise to to the to the team to learn that the city manager is partying ways, but the great thing that came out of that is uh the co-city managers that were there all competing for the position and they were all uh very, very qualified over-qualified, which is again speaks volumes, and so, hopefully that we will replicate that same concept and it all started with basic principles, core values.

G

um I think that that's definitely and by the way when I was there, I was searching right away. I'm like okay, yeah, I'm not a millennial, but definitely use my phone a lot, and so I started researching on our city like what? What what are our core values? um Who do we want to get.

A

Julian and represent.

G

A

And this is something that I did want.

E

To bring what is our mission statement.

G

Our mission statement wasn't even at the forefront of our website as the city, um and so as an administrator. That's one of the things that I pride myself at the university is, if we're introducing our students to our university. The first thing we need to set is our values who we are. If you want to come into this family of tamiu, and so again I wanted to share that with you and definitely encourage all women in our city to to consider this program, because it does put a lot of perspective.

A

And y'all are going to be meeting where is it like every.

G

Month, we're going to be meeting four times throughout the year. We're meet we're meeting at different cities, the next city, which, by the way, is laredo, so we're making sure that that these women come here. It's very very interesting because a lot of time, a lot of people when I was being sent off said, are you ready to answer the whole uh border issue and challenges? I'm like? I think I am so. Let's see it was contrary belief.

G

These women are so eager to come and have tequila and have not yet let's see what they're talking about, because they just they're really excited to come to the border. It was nothing no issues by the way they were they saying about violence and whatnot. They are interested. Some of them by the way are coming a couple of days earlier to shop around so I mean.

I

B

Of years to be ambassadors, I don't know the city, yes, contest, convention, business bureau. We do have an ambassador um yeah program and we'll be happy to throw them around with our questions and if there's anything.

A

That you know, as a bank ibc can do you know we've. I think we've had email about some of our our.

G

Ladies she's actually hosting us awesome.

A

So and I believe she's.

F

An alum from the program.

G

But we definitely bring again that that we met phil from um the laredo reserve of dallas. He brought a lot of information to the table for south texas. We met with dr henrich who's, the president for ut health science.

G

Again, he just disclosed a lot of information and what they're doing to revive the the concept of alzheimer's to to the latino community in in in texas that by 20 20 40, I believe he said it will be 56 percent of the population, but yet we're the most more prone to be attacked by this disease of alzheimer, and so what does that mean to the healthcare? How is that part of economic development and economic impact in the community?

G

He talked about the development they have with the city of san antonio and how the city of san antonio actually funds some of their internship programs with all the universities and community or colleges within their their areas.

G

The the city manager again spoke highly about some of your initiatives. The mayor as well, heb was there. uh We had the military industry, was there and so it'll be. Those are some of the plans that we have for these. Ladies, when they come to laredo, is talk to key representatives and learn about border town challenges. We're.

E

G

San antonio and we are loreto, and so it's, how do we brand who we are and the challenges that we encounter uh in comparison to other big cities? We.

I

Should be out alive about that from what cities.

G

Actually, I am they're they're sending um we had a democrat.

E

Demographic study, there you go opendata.gov.

G

I

G

Detailed information I mean, of course I was writing down. I have some slides here, but they said they were going to send all this information, so I'm giving them till friday. um So as soon.

B

As they get on this data is.

G

B

G

Okay and sending all this information that they they gave us um my hair was spinning when I was getting all this information thinking of many of you, I'm like okay, I need to send this to these people, the colleges, the universities, even the school district of how do we send all this information out so everybody's on the know of what what uh what's impacting a community very similar which similar in the sense that uh they want the same things that we do. They have very similar challenges to what we do.

G

But we are true hispanics, that's the only thing I said, and I think that's a record, but um their hispanics are really not first generation like ours are theirs is like fifth, seventh tenth generation. We do have a lot of first generation, and so the struggles are much much different.

F

Congratulations.

E

Congratulations.

F

But san antonio would like to drive the real brand up there. Next to me.

G

A lot, of course, we're competitive in nature, so yeah. The these ladies, are excited to be here and again. You have women from all range.

E

A

Talking executives to entry level or anything we can do, we need to get a strategy, our comprehensive plan and see how we can we need to make that a dynamic plan not just have it sit in the show.

I

A

Any recommendations from our committee that we can we can, you know, make it you know improve it, we'll be wondering, and one last thing I want again. I want to offer my condolences to rodney on the passing of his mother, his condolences. Thank you. Thank you. So much for.

J

Your support and your well wishes. I really do appreciate it. Thank you.

A

With that, uh do I hear a motion for the adjournment perspective. Second of rodney, I was in favor all right. Thank you all very much american doctor. Thank you. Thank you very.

H

A

Thank you for having us.

B