Remarks by Ted Bui
204 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 8 of 9
- Play at 2:18:59
“Yes, I want to see if we could have some clarifications on the language, which is on page 226. It's talking about AD, I understand the need for this impact fire fees, you know, as population growth and having, you know, three or four or five story buildings. I understand the need that we are, we need to prepare for that for the future. But I'm also concerned that if we are going to create new fees, remember this is, we never had this fee before. So we create new fees to our resident here. And I understand the need for it behind that. But I'm also concerned for seniors that are in this…”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:23:17
“Understood, but because you're proposing the language here, so, I mean, I'm okay, but just tweak the language to be more, you know, so it doesn't leave room for interpretations. What do you mean? That's what I'm trying to say. I support it, but you need to be, take out the ambiguity in the interpretation down the road.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:23:42
“No, to include by more detail rather than say we are rather than the language I think you put here is consistent with government section code. Okay, what do you mean consistent? Well, I laid out this more specific rather than consistent.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:25:01
“OK. I guess that's another way of interpreting. Thank you. I see what you're saying. Yeah. OK. All right.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:27:34
“I assume because that's a finalized part of the application, which is 1,000 square foot, not 750. I think that's my understanding. But why would you put, because we have a clear understanding that if it's less than 750, there's no fee. So why would you want to include the fee here in here graph? What's the intent there?”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:28:25
“It's how you calculate, but in terms of charging, the applicant is not, right?”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:28:41
“Okay, now I understand. Okay, I want that clarification. Okay, thank you.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:31:37
“Her point, I think, to Council Member Constantine's point is the concern is the interpretation of staff reading at this. You know, it's not clear if, you know, also there's a section talk about ADU, but when they look at collecting fee, they don't look at the graph, right? I think that's her point.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:34:09
“Yeah, so that's, to me, the way I look at it, then it's really not true exam 750 because you take different element in to start doing the calculation. So it's not really true to that statement. Because you just laid out the example. You take the primary and 50% ratio of that primary is it less than 750 square feet. If it's less, then no fee. But if it's more, then there's a fee. So it's controlled.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:37:19
“I guess at the end of the day, it's up to the prerogative of the city council to make it simplified, right? I mean, there's a state law, but let's say just to simplify things. Okay, if you do less than 750, you're exempt. Without it, I'll go through all the calculations.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:37:33
“Yeah, but if we want to do it a little bit different, how is that going to stop us? Because if you don't adopt nothing, the state laws are not the same. You have to adopt it. Correct.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:37:44
“Basically, I'm saying that if you could simplify it, OK, if you bill less than $750, you're exempt without having to go through these calculations of this. That's the way it is currently written. Yeah, it's already written that way. OK. All right, so make sure.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:45:33
“Yeah, so to your point, Sergeant, so if the bill fell, like you said, it's not passing. So it's actually going to put our resident more vulnerable, right, position. So therefore, if we make an ordinance reference to this, it still stands, am I correct?”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:46:00
“OK. I just wanted to get clarification on that. Thank you.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 2:56:50
“I'll support it, especially if this is not natural kratom we're talking about here. We're talking about the synthetic one. That's the component that is at risk for the city. So I'll support it, and I'll move alternative number one.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 3:16:40
“I'd like to ask a follow-up question. I think this is a great idea that you brought up, and you mentioned that you are able to help the nonprofit organization. I think that's a great idea. If that was the case, because obviously you know we have many good nonprofit organizations in the city, if you are going to be able to help the one organization he just mentioned, does that also mean that if there's other nonprofit organizations we want to bring to your attention, would you be able to help as well?”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 3:17:39
“Okay. So for example, I'm thinking, for example, the Farm Valley School Foundations, right? They do a lot of great things for the kids. So indirectly, it's kind of like, you know, underneath the school, you know, hopefully we could help something there. Yeah.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 3:18:16
“I just want to share a little bit of my experience with Townsend at the beginning of the year. I think it's end of January. So I went out to Washington, D.C. and meet with Congressman Trent and his staff, continuing asking for the $2 million. And I have to say that I had a great experience with the representative in Washington, D.C. and Townsend. It was very interesting. Pleasant experience. He really showed me around and explained the role, how much Townsend played a role in Washington, D.C., advocate for many cities. So I just want to share that was a really good experience.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 3:33:35
“Okay, yeah, I mean, I agree with Council Member Green is that I find a little bit strange to, I mean, how other cities or other businesses that are in a business that they need wall separations, I mean, I'm sure they're not bound to one vendor as well.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 3:34:18
“But if you're doing that, you're going to bound yourself in the future with the same predicament. Track suspension to remain. Because it's the same track. You're not changing tracks so you don't run to one manufacturer of product.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 3:42:53
“I agree with him, with the Council of Harper. I think it's just the dynamic that we're in, and it has a lot to do with prevailing wage. That plays a big factor, because when you look at the size of it, it's not a big issue. If you calculate it out by the square footage, it's huge. But I guess there's not much we could do as a public agency, given the factor that we're in and the regulations that we must be compliant with.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 3:44:04
“Maybe I can share some story. Maybe I put some light into this perspective. As you know, San Francisco, their city council will want to introduce one public restroom. Out in the public way. So those who don't have a home so they can go there and use the restroom rather than be a city of poop, right? It cost them $1.2 million. Just one restroom. And they scrape it once they heard the number.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 3:44:39
“So I guess for two restrooms we pay, what, $450,000. I guess we could feel good about it, right? That's the only thing I can think of.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 3:50:09
“Yeah, I think we need to move on because I think even when I've heard all the colleagues here are concerned on the cost, but I think at the end of the day, at this point, like the city manager has stated, we are being put on notice and there's a code compliance to the ADA. One thing is there's an exit point for us. And you laid out all the code already. So at this point we just have to move on and And it'd be compliance. We don't have any other options at this point unless there is others options you can think of but I don't see any Mr. Mayor, I have a question. That's from Constantine.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 4:08:24
“Yes, can you bring it back to the slide that's referenced to the expenditure? Next one.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026