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<br />213. <br /> <br />2004 <br />TML RESOLUTION COVER SHEET <br /> <br />Sponsoring Entity: The City of San Marcos <br /> <br />Brief Background: State universities are valuable assets in host communities throughout <br />the State of Texas. They serve their core purpose of providing higher education, and they <br />also provide employment opportunities and contribute indirectly to local revenue through <br />sales taxes on purchases by students, faculty and staff members. <br /> <br />State university facilities also contribute significantly to demands for city infrastructure <br />and programs funded with drainage utility fees. Moreover, regulations of the U.S. <br />Environmental Protection Agency are requiring more Texas cities to control water <br />pollution from stormwater runoff. In spite of the need of cities for a revenue stream to <br />meet this unfunded federal mandate, the 78th Texas Legislature enacted a statute (Section <br />430.003 of the Local Government Code) exempting state universities from paying <br />drainage utility fees. The legislature did not adopt concurrent legislation requiring state <br />universities to provide, at their own expense, for control of excess water or storm water <br />caused by or attributable to their facilities. The cost for needed drainage infrastructure <br />and programs is therefore borne by the property owners and residents in the host cities. <br />The year prior to the exemption, Texas State University - San Marcos paid approximately <br />$82,000.00 in drainage utility fees. <br /> <br />What the Resolution is Intended to Accomplish: State law should be changed to once <br />again allow state universities to bear the costs of drainage infrastructure and programs <br />associated with their facilities. Payments towards these costs would result in significant <br />good will for the universities, and a much more equitable situation than the current <br />system that imposes the financial burden for these costs on the cities' property owners <br />and residents. <br /> <br />Statewide Importance: State universities are located in host cities throughout the state. <br />A change to state law to once again allow cities to charge drainage utility fees to state <br />universities would create opportunities for all of these communities to fairly recover the <br />cost of drainage infrastructure and programs associated with university facilities. <br /> <br />Submitted by: Name: Susan N arvaiz <br /> Title: Mayor <br /> City: San Marcos <br /> Telephone: 512/393-8085 <br />