R-2024-67 Adopting 2025 Legislative AgendaTOWN OF PROSPER, TEXAS
RESOLUTION NO. 2024-67
A RESOLUTION BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF PROSPER,
TEXAS, APPROVING THE TOWN'S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR THE 89TH
TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION; AUTHORIZING CERTAIN PERSONS TO
REPRESENT AND COMMUNICATE THE TOWN'S LEGISLATIVE INTERESTS;
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND TOWN MANAGER TO SIGN ALL LETTERS,
PETITIONS, AND/OR OTHER DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN TO
PROMOTE THE TOWN'S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA; AND PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the 89th Texas Legislature convenes in January 2025; and
WHEREAS, the Texas Legislature and its administrative agencies will consider many
measures and actions that may affect the Town of Prosper, Texas; and
WHEREAS, Town staff has prepared and recommends approval of the Town of Prosper
2025 Legislative Agenda, attached hereto as Exhibit "A"; and
WHEREAS, the Town Council finds that the 2025 Legislative Agenda represents the
issues and priorities that are in the best interest of the Town and its citizens, should be adopted,
and should be forwarded to the Town's legislative delegation for consideration; and
WHEREAS, the Town Council is of the further opinion that the Mayor, the Town Manager
and/or the Town Manager's designee should be authorized and directed to take action with regard
to the 2025 Legislative Agenda as outlined below.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF
PROSPER, TEXAS, THAT:
SECTION 1
The Town of Prosper 2025 Legislative Agenda, attached hereto as Exhibit "A," is hereby
adopted and approved.
SECTION 2
The Mayor, the Town Manager, and/or the Town Manager's designee are authorized to
communicate the items included in the Town's Legislative Agenda to members of the Texas
Legislature, in general, and/or to the appropriate legislative committees, committee members,
and other persons or groups that may influence the 89th Legislative Session.
SECTION 3
For those items designated as "support," the Mayor, the Town Manager and/or the Town
Manager's designee are directed to actively pursue passage of the appropriate legislation if it is
introduced by some other entity. Efforts to obtain passage of the legislation may include drafting
appropriate legislation, seeking a legislative sponsor, and actively pursuing passage of such
legislation by providing testimony and through other means.
SECTION 4
For those items designated as "oppose," the Mayor, Town Manager, and/or the Town
Manager's designee are directed to oppose the passage of any such legislation.
SECTION 5
The Mayor and the Town Manager are specifically authorized to sign any and all letters,
petitions, and/or other documents on behalf of the Town in order to promote the Town's 2025
Legislative Agenda.
SECTION 6
When testimony before various committees is needed to support or oppose a bill, the
Mayor, the Town Council Members, the Town Manager, or the Town Manager's designee are
authorized to testify so long as the testimony is consistent with the approved 2025 Legislative
Agenda.
SECTION 7
This Resolution shall become effective from and after its passage.
DULY PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF
PROSPER, TEXAS, ON THIS THE 22ND DAY OF OCTOBER, 2024.
APPROVED:
David F. Bristol, Mayor
ATTEST:
Michelle Lewis Sirianni, Town Secretary
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
Terrence S. Welch, Town Attorney
TEXN
Resolution No. 2024-67, Page 2
EXHIBIT A
TOWN OF PROSPER
2025 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
LEGISLATIVE PHILOSOPHY
The following Legislative Agenda represents the Town of Prosper's legislative priorities for the
891h Texas Legislative Session and establishes the Town's position on key legislative issues. The
Town of Prosper is committed to providing efficient and effective municipal government services
to its residents, businesses, visitors, and community stakeholders.
Municipalities represent the level of government that is closest to the people, and local officials
are best equipped to determine the unique needs of their communities. Town of Prosper residents
desire and expect exceptional municipal services. They want a high quality of life that is delivered
through a beautiful and functional parks system, a variety of cultural amenities, exceptional public
safety services, well -maintained roads, and outstanding Town facilities.
The Prosper Town Council has established the following Strategic Visioning Priorities to guide
Prosper's growth into the future:
1. Acceleration of Infrastructure
2. Development of Downtown as a destination
3. Ensuring the Town's commercial corridors are ready for development
4. Continue to provide excellent municipal services
5. Work toward a growing and diversified tax base
The Town will support legislation that aligns with these priorities, protects home rule authority,
advances the principles of local decision -making, and enhances the health, safety and welfare of
its residents in the spirit of self -governance. Conversely, the Town will oppose legislation that
preempts or erodes municipal authority on local matters or impedes the Town's ability to allocate
resources to locally -determined projects and services.
Throughout this document, it is understood that a position statement supporting a legislative
action also establishes opposition to legislative measures that would have the opposite effect.
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
• Support legislation that provides funding for local transportation and infrastructure
projects.
• Support legislation that provides funding to maintain and rehabilitate existing and
aging infrastructure.
• Support legislation that promotes innovative financing tools and greater flexibility in
the funding of the construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of local transportation
and infrastructure projects.
• Support legislation that promotes pay-as-you-go financing for capital projects.
EXHIBIT A
LAND DEVELOPMENT
■ Support legislation that makes beneficial amendments to H.B. 2439 from the 86th
legislative session (the building materials bill), which excessively prohibits the Town
from regulating building products, materials, or methods used in the construction of
residential and commercial structures.
■ Support legislation that seeks to limit state intrusion in the land development process
by making beneficial amendments to H.B. 3167 from the 86th legislative session
regarding subdivision platting procedures (the 30-day shot clock bill).
• Oppose legislation that preempts or erodes municipal authority related to land use and
zoning, short-term rentals, local amendments to building codes, local building permit
fees, accessory dwelling units, lot size, and eminent domain.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Support legislation that preserves all economic development programs and tools
currently available under state law.
• Support legislation and programs that help municipalities attract and retain new and
existing businesses.
■ Support legislation that promotes new and innovative financing tools that would
leverage state funds to create jobs.
■ Support legislation that would maintain funding for grants and programs that improve
workforce training.
PUBLIC SAFETY
• Support legislation that strengthens the integrity, effectiveness, and transparency of
local law enforcement.
• Support legislation that preserves qualified immunity for public safety personnel acting
within the bounds of departmental policies and procedures in the performance of their
official duties.
■ Support legislation that clarifies the roles of state, county and municipal governments
in emergency management, and their respective authority, powers, and duties during
a local state of disaster.
FISCAL MANAGEMENT
• Support legislation and administrative rules that provide for the fair and equitable
distribution of local sales tax revenue.
In Support legislation that would preserve the Town's use of certificates of obligation
(COs) to fund necessary capital projects, and for the debt from COs to continue to be
funded from the Town's interest and sinking (I&S) tax rate.
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EXHIBIT
• Oppose legislation that would erode the Town's ability to control, manage, and collect
reasonable compensation for the use of municipal rights -of -way.
• Oppose legislation that imposes additional revenue caps or tax caps of any kind that
restrict the Town's capacity to generate the revenue needed to provide the high level
of municipal services expected by Town of Prosper residents.
• Oppose legislation that would erode local taxing authority, including measures that
would restrict the use of existing revenue streams or substantially erode the tax base.
• Oppose legislation that reduces the ability of municipalities to provide economic and
efficient methods of financing local purchases and projects, including limiting the Town
of Prosper's ability to control and manage its debt.
BROADBAND ACCESS
• Support legislation that treats broadband service as any other critical utility
infrastructure to ensure consistent and sustainable availability and affordability for
residents and businesses.
• Support legislation to incentivize and recognize the importance of broadband service
and the application of technology solutions through grants, awards, and other means.
• Support legislation that develops plans and revenue sources needed for greater
broadband connectivity to enhance public access to education, healthcare,
employment, information, and services.
WATER RESOURCES
• Support legislation that provides ample funding for developing affordable and reliable
water resources across North Texas.
• Support legislation that provides funding for the construction, maintenance, and
rehabilitation of new and aging water utility infrastructure.
• Support legislation that accelerates the permitting process for development of new
water resources in North Texas, preserves water storage options, and advances viable
projects in the statewide water plan.
RECREATIONAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES
• Support amendments to the hotel occupancy tax statute that allows the use of hotel
occupancy tax (HOT) revenue for park and recreation infrastructure projects.
• Support legislation and programs that directly benefit public library services that
support workforce, cultural, and educational programs.
Oppose legislation that preempts or would otherwise erode municipal authority related
to municipal parkland dedication ordinances and park improvement fees.
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EXHIBIT A
OPEN GOVERNMENT
■ Support legislation that would allow required legal notices to be published on a
municipality's website rather than requiring publication in an official newspaper.
• Support legislation that simplifies the budget and tax rate notification and adoption
process with the goal of improving transparency.
• Support legislation that promotes increased flexibility to the Texas Open Meetings Act
to allow for the expanded use of teleconference and videoconference technology in
public meetings.
ELECTIONS
■ Oppose legislation that eliminates the May or November uniform election dates.
• Oppose legislation that requires candidates for a Town office to declare party affiliation
in order to run for office.
PREEMPTION OF LOCAL AUTHORITY
■ Support legislation that preserves local authority for property taxation, budgeting,
permitting, and zoning decisions.
Oppose legislation that limits or prohibits the Town's current authority to use municipal
funds to advocate or hire representatives to communicate with legislators or effectively
participate in the legislative process on matters of public interest or pay dues to
organizations or entities that advocate on the Town's behalf.
■ Oppose legislation that provides for state preemption of municipal authority and/or
creates unfunded mandates at the local level.
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