Remarks by Lorenzo Gonzalez
99 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 3 of 4
- Play at 1:08:50
“Would that apply to all city employees across the board or would that have to be in meeting confer with?”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 1:12:09
“if they have a heart attack at HEB because they don't have an HEB out there, then it will be us taking care of them.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 1:13:49
“So this is gonna sound like I'm making a joke and I really don't mean to, but I feel like we've had this conversation before. So my two cents is if you get into the river for free, then you get the resident discount for EMS.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 1:14:08
“I mean, it is costing us money and staff and everything else at the river.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 2:28:49
“It's not overwhelming either way. If the alternative that I was going to propose is that I'll make a motion to keep it the same and then that will get it passed first reading”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 2:32:17
“So I get the argument about the bond rating, but fundamentally, I think when you're broke, the answer isn't to go borrow more money. So I'm not entirely concerned about our bond rating.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:05:05
“So I just want to point out that I wish that we would have just had the gumption to increase the tax rate, because essentially that's what we're doing. We're robbing Peter to pay Paul, but we're robbing our more economically disadvantaged Peters to pay the collective, Paul, because, and I forgot what the dollar amount was monthly, $7 and something cents, that comes out to $94.92 a year on a typical household. Now, if that typical household has a taxable value of $150,000, that would be the equivalent of a 6.3 to 8% tax increase. But if that typical household has a taxable value of $400,000,…”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:06:13
“And everybody in an apartment lives in an apartment owned by a landowner that will pass or... then they will pass the fees on to the residents. So whether they're paying it directly or not.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:07:09
“But also I voted to not raise the tax rate and I have consistently voted to not raise any of these utility rates either. So I've been consistent. And that's, that's my point is I'm saying if y'all want to raise rates or tax, if y'all want more money, y'all should just have the balls to raise the tax rate is what I'm saying.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:07:32
“And what's funny is you're the one who raised the tax rate, so I commend you on that. I apologize for using the term balls, but yes, at least you had the gumption to actually... put your head out on the edge.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:08:44
“I mean, there is a way to raise our maximum tax rate. It would just kick the can down the road one more meeting. But either way, I don't want to raise taxes, the tax rate either.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:34:43
“I plan on voting no on this, so I'm willing to postpone it indefinitely, but until December is fine with me.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:34:51
“Either way, so postpone it as long as you want because postponing it indefinitely would actually be my option. But yes, to answer your question, yes, I'm willing to postpone it.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:35:09
“If that's the way you want to phrase it, yes. I don't have the energy to argue with you tonight.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:44:52
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:45:25
“I agree with you, but my concern is we're agreeing to a max rate effective January 1st with the hopes that we figure out how to implement it by December 31st. But if we don't, then January 1 would just hit with the max rate. I would be more interested in postponing the entire item until we figure out all these things. And then pass that.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:48:08
“It's giving that we're doing it backwards, honestly, but...”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:48:13
“I said it's giving that we're doing it backwards. We're essentially accepting... doomsday and then saying, hopefully we could avoid doomsday before doomsday. But if we don't, then we're agreeing that January 1st is doomsday because if we don't figure out how to, I just don't think we need a workshop or figure anything out.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:55:23
“I'm just trying to figure. So Mr. President, I have a quick question about your motion. So again, is your intention that between now and whatever date we settle on, that we discuss some sort of rollout fee, whether that's a multi-year, staggered increase, or is your intention that whatever date that we agree on, this max rate takes effect?”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:56:10
“By soften the blow, what? What are you recommending?”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:06:56
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:19:47
“So at this point, we vote on the motion as amended. If that fails, then we're back at the original motion with no amendments. Then we can vote on that, or we could amend it again, and then vote on the new motion.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:20:00
“Well, that's what I'm saying. So now we vote on the motion as amended. If that fails, we still have the opportunity to vote on the motion without amendments. And at that point, you could bring another amendment.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:22:43
“So October 1st, 2026, We implement 60% of the delta. October 1st, 2027, we implement the additional 40% of the delta. To finish everything off. So we still end up with the same request.”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:23:34
“So 60% of implementation would... happen effective immediately almost, 29 days from now. Full implementation would happen in a year. And yes, that does benefit the big developers, which is not what I want, but at this point- Then why did you vote for it? Because the small developers are at least gonna get a 40% discount for the next 365 days. So, I mean, or we just kill the whole thing now. The original proposal was to kick the can down the road for four months. RESTARTING TAKES THREE MONTHS, SO WE JUST VOTE NO ON THE ENTIRE THING, WE GO BACK TO SQUARE ONE, WE FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR EXEMPTIONS…”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026