so listen today you’re gonna have to
deal with this voice because I decided
to bring the Batman who I saw today but
today’s interview is one I’ve been
looking forward to for a long time
because I decided to take a completely
different direction with this interview
I wanted to bring the mayor of the
fastest growing city in America and
that’s Frisco Texas and by the way this
is not me saying it I have this census
year I have Dallas knows I have USA
Today
I have US news I have so many different
publications that say Frisco is the
fastest growing city in America where
today I believe the only competition
they have is one next door which is
Richards and a couple other people that
are competing all within the same County
so I wanted to find out as a mirror of
Frisco nine years three terms to want to
have you in Frisco what can you do to
attract as many entrepreneurs as he has
attracted to the city of Frisco so with
that being said Mara ma so thank you so
much pleasure to be here thank you with
us before one becomes a mayor what
decided what decision did you make why
did you all of a sudden say I want to
become a mayor of risk of what goes
through your mind to say I want to be
the mayor how does that happen you know
you know it doesn’t I get asked that you
know I do a lot of career days of the
schools and one of the questions is hey
you know did you always want to be mayor
and I said well no not really
you know I served for council first and
Frisco from 2000 2007 then as mayor from
2008 to 2011 teen and now I’m the CEO of
the prosper Economic Development
Corporation but how it really started I
would say I was an activist I moved to
first go in 92 it was just a farm I was
about 6,500 people a lot of related
related families there some 500 dirt
roads one blinking yellow light in town
and I wanted to build a circle or
driveway on my new home I was building
there and the HOA said no you can’t do
it I didn’t think that was appropriate
so I actually became gone on the board
of the HOA became president HOA and got
my circular driveway so from there you
run and you become the mayor
oh I look at the stats 19 you’re saying
1992 you you’re living in Frisco mm-hmm
there’s 6500 people there in 2000 I
think you guys are like a hundred eleven
thousand people no in 2000 over thirty
three thousand to two thousand thousand
three two thousand ten one hundred three
hundred thirty six thousand sixty and to
the year at 170 mm a hundred seventy two
hundred seventy two thousand what the
hell happened here I mean from it did
people just start like all of us and
having a bunch of babies and Pfizer
moved out here and so that’s that’s me
you know high 15 it’s a really cool
story I mean so you hit you hit a great
point in the year 2000 the US does a
census every 10 years
so the 2010 census Frisco is a
fast-growing City in the country it’s
really important to note that many other
North Texas communities as you mentioned
earlier are also fast growing well first
there’s no state or personal income tax
it’s a business friendly state it’s a
property right state it’s a
right-to-work state
so all those combined make it easily
facilitates companies growing relocating
here starting here those are really
really important so Texas has created
the atmosphere of successful business
state so why are people moving to Brisco
why are people moving to prosper well
will you invested in public safety
they’re very safe no one wants to
relocate their families to an area that
they’re not safe in so that’s a priority
the education system where when I get
asked this question by other mayor’s
around the country first question I ask
them back is what’s your relationship
with your school district in your
college well really we don’t have one
when we talk about the stadiums that the
the Cowboys headquarters the Rough
Riders stadium the FC Dallas
professional soccer stadium that are all
in Frisco those are all partnerships
with the school district those are high
school Stadium the important thing is
the education level and let me tell you
why when all the companies that I’ve
ever sat with that are looking to
relocate whether it’s the Boeing’s or
the Toyotas if you look at them closely
almost all their search committees are
made up and headed by Human Resources
why because that’s the one probably the
number one priority for companies is
finding the right workforce
having the right workforce where they
want to locate actually drives where
they want to locate they will not locate
an area sting you know the big story
today is Amazon right yeah you just came
right here I bet you that number one
thing on their list is where are the
right employees for them because the
employees make them successful so that’s
why education comes back it has become a
critical component the public safety
education infrastructure all critical to
make that fast growth community why do
you think Texas is doing a better job
recruiting businesses more than the
other states that are also 0% Washington
state 0%
Alaska zero let’s go to Alaska site
Florida zero Nevada 0 u 0 why do you
think you were doing a better job as a
state than the other states well I think
several things I would say to you
Texas obviously the numbers show that
Texas is doing a better job but there’s
several more things that go into besides
income tax whether it’s corporate or
personal regulations you know how hard
is it to develop to get a permit well I
think that the the leadership both of
the state and local levels understand
that government doesn’t create jobs the
companies do and the people I’ve run
across in Texas that are in a leadership
position they all think the same way
every family deserves to have the
opportunity to earn a living wage to
earn a to feed their families to take
care of their families and so what we
try to do is ask questions is how can we
make that happen I’ve run across other
states where they have a head tax no
income tax but if you hire an employee
you’re gonna pay an extra tax right
those things add up Boeing did a study
way back of what or the best places to
do business in and as you imagine that
list is long the criteria it’s not just
the taxes but its quality of life
education Public Safety and Texas was in
the top to top the one thing that that
for some reason some elected officials
do not understand is businesses have a
choice they will go find the place that
will help them make successful be
successful to give a return of their
shareholders to give a return of their
customers and when you place burden
on these companies they’ll leave or they
may hire those three new employees in
another state and another division and
you’ll never know about it and so
business needs to be treated as your
partner and that’s what we did in our
area the public-private partnership is
not something we just pay lip service to
we actually created those models the
presence of every professional team in
the dallas-fort Worth area is in Frisco
why because we partnered with them and
they returned to our citizens has
allowed the tax rate to be low has
allowed the quality of life to be high
and so it works and I don’t think
everyone understands that memo so why
don’t we go in the other room and let’s
look some of these stats and see if you
can break down how sales taxes works to
benefit us daily
so look before we get into these stats I
got a curveball for you New York
tourism California tourism Miami Florida
tourism Texas I don’t know how’s tourism
look in Texas well let me let me use
Frisco as an example let me draw you a
really quick thing one of the problems
you know first goes one of the
fastest-growing cities in the country
right so its prosper and it looks good
when you when you draw when you graph
the revenue let’s say we’re starting
here which we did it was nobody living
there the revenue went up pretty you
know other mayor’s would look at and say
wow look three point seven billion
dollar property value increase in one
year that’s pretty that billion in one
year in Frisco right so but then if you
look at this line you got the expense
line that comes up here right and then
one day this line is going to flatten or
haven’t flattened yet but it will
but this expense line is gonna keep
going up California’s dealing with that
expenses go up taxes go up the services
go down this right here is a problem
every city around the country faces so
in Frisco and and prosper what we’re
looking at is how do we how do we solve
that how do we solve this line whether
it’s Dallas or Plano they all will
flatten but the expenses go up what does
a business do what do you do every day
you’re always doing research and
development new products new services
ways to keep vibrant otherwise you’ll be
done your business will go under cities
in Texas for example only have two
revenue streams property taxes
tax we can’t do research and development
as you know it to create new revenue but
how do we break the cycles one of the
questions we spend a lot of time early
in the process on and how we broke it
was really tourism okay how do we
strengthen sales tax property tax so in
Frisco
you have Toyota Stadium which is
professional soccer with 17 tournament
fields and Jimmy Buffett and the FCS
national championship six million dollar
impact every time we have a big event
there right then you have the Cowboys
world headquarters and practice facility
Dallas Cowboys right on Frisco they got
a lot of fans from everywhere so billion
dollar development that’s in Frisco
are the five billion dollar mile the
Rangers have their double-a affiliate
the Rough Riders the Mavericks have
their their minor league the G League
they the basketball team professional
basketball team headquarters of the
Dallas Stars professional hockey wait a
minute how did you since these four
teams to be in your city though
public-private partnership and keeping
your word once we did the deal with the
Dallas Stars and the Rough Riders we
have we got a reputation that we know
how to put these things together and we
know what your needs are we know what
our needs are you get all five of them
every one of them and so that tourism
now has helped the revenue stream
continue so sustainability is the key
question so I thought that was really
important to share that because those
things happen by design you have to
think a good elected official will be
thinking 30 and 40 years from now not
five years so what what do you do like
for instance City of LA okay City
Ballet’s got a lot of different issues
going on over there what do you look at
from an outside if you were hired as a
consultant say DLA was to hire us
consultant we want former mayor of
Frisco come to LA we want a week with
you and they’ll be on the ground
whatever the number is what would you
look at and what metrics what trends
would you look at to say here’s I can
fix LA the basic foundational things do
not change okay they just lose sight of
them sometimes so if I was in LA and we
have given tours to all cities all over
the country we focus on public safety
you know LA needs to be a safe city so
what have they done to do that
it’s not just police on the ground
handles public safety issues after the
fact whatever your first first in public
safety is key that’s your number one one
number one public safety with education
I really tie those together right
because you want to have the right
workforce people want to live there okay
they want you need them to live there
because that’s where the companies come
in and if you don’t have the right
workforce they don’t come in so public
safety education are two of the biggest
things I would sit with them and ask him
let me show you what we did in Frisco
for example on the public safety and
educational side we built the safer
system situational awareness for
emergency response typical high school
in Frisco and we were opening one high
school every year so a new one a typical
high school would have over 180 video
cameras you can see inside and outside
the school every police car every
firetruck they know who the teachers are
in a room they know where the chemicals
are instantly we design that system from
the ground how many how many cities and
states do that this is a custom system
this one with a worldwide award from an
organization called ESRI it’s a one of a
kind
this is nuts no one else you don’t you
can’t go by it Wow you have to build it
so you I’m in LA and I say we can
add this thing with all these hundred
eighty cameras the parents gonna feel
safer right communities community is
gonna want to invest in and you’re
saying no one’s doing this
nobody has built that system okay so and
if you look at Las Vegas Las Vegas and
Frisco probably lead the country in
automation for for traffic automation
for example if you have a new Audi in
Frisco or Vegas the only two cities in
the country
our traffic lights will speak to that
car it’ll tell you what speed to do so
you can make all the green lights on
your – yeah it’ll tell you how long that
light will be red
okay so Stefan yeah that’s so safety it
takes four people working together so if
I’m in LA school systems a key public
safety is the key and then treat your
businesses fairly work with them what
are their needs ask him sit down with
him what is it you need to be successful
you can’t do everything they need okay
so you need to at least understand what
they need and that’s how you keep them
there so very simple things very
foundational things it’s not rocket
science you know but sometimes
we lose sight of that so very
interesting I want I want to go through
some of the ground here and then I want
to see what you think about so this is
GDP by state which state in America and
produces the most obviously u.s. is 19
trillion dollars of that number one is
California two point six fourteen point
seven four percent Texas one point six
number two they passed New York one
point five four to nine to six then it’s
Illinois Pennsylvania Ohio Jersey
Georgia Carolina at the bottom number 50
is Vermont 31 billion
many companies are bigger than the state
of Vermont Wyoming Montana okay and just
to kind of give an idea California’s
economy is the fifth largest economy
bigger than UK India France Brazil Italy
Canada Texas at one point six is bigger
than Canada bigger than Russia it’s a
big economy right that we have and when
you come on this side this states taxes
as of yesterday according to Business
Insider they came out literally
yesterday taxes came out Texas
California highest taxes right from a
low of one but the top thirteen point
three it is the only state that’s double
digits or thirteen point three Oregon’s
right there at nine nine minutes
Minnesota Iowa Jersey Vermont DC New
York I thought New York would have been
higher New York is actually lower than
California’s number eight Hawaii
Wisconsin and in the bottom is the Texas
Florida South Dakota Alaska Wyoming
Washington state with zero right so I
look at this I look at this can I look
at this which states have the most
fortune 500 companies in America number
one New York 54 makes sense financial
capital the world number two California
53 makes sense Silicon Valley all that
stuff they got going on over there Texas
350 then Illinois 36 Ohio Virginia
Jersey Pennsylvania Connecticut
Minnesota what does this say about this
number and where do you foresee Texas
going with the amount of fortune 500
companies how to be headquartered here
sure well I think to you to two things
from this you would look at one I would
say is that you know how would your not
having here but I would say Texas
ending up you’ve seen the Toyota
locations you know Amazon is now looking
who knows we can end up but you can tell
you they’re not gonna end up in
California you know they’re not going to
end up in most likely in New York
there’s no small chance but the reality
is Texas is trending up but more
importantly is I don’t put much stock in
the number of fortune 500 companies
because we’re truly becoming a
diversified economy worldwide you have a
lot of these companies have offices
everywhere their headquarters may be 50
employees may be in a certain state but
where they’re doing business where
there’s labs where their production
facilities you take company like
Greatbatch they’re just relocated from
Buffalo went to Frisco and then play no
they have play facilities all over the
world and so this number can be a little
misleading it doesn’t mean number of
jobs
it doesn’t mean you know how much
they’re doing in that state they’re
paying taxes in that state and that’s
what they’re finding out is these
companies when they’re doing their work
all over the world is words can be the
most beneficial place to do business and
you’re finding them moving so why don’t
we go over here I want to talk about
this side of it here Paul so I showed
already what’s happened with the
population so we already know this you
guys are projecting 2035 375,000 is what
I keep thinking about this is sales tax
and I say you’re the mayor okay I think
one of the things sometimes as a voter
the voter doesn’t know how much
influence a mayor has so for instance
one should I go campaign and become a
mayor of my city I’m ticked off about a
permit I didn’t yet and I’m gonna go be
the mayor
maybe the motivation is bigger right if
I do one time you and I were talking
about what portion comes to you and I
asked you I said out of this 8.25 and
sales tax what portion comes to the
voter votes I like this guy good
personality I like her she’s amazing
this person’s for health care that
person’s for free enterprise this
person’s for this but I want to see the
logical Drive standpoint what happens to
you with these rate
the two main revenue streams for cities
and and counties to a lesser extent in
Texas are property taxes and sales tax
so there’s two revenue streams there’s a
lot of little things like permit fees
and fines and court costs and all those
things to go by the two major ones
property and sales tax in Texas the
state gets six point two five most
products in Texas anywhere you buy an
item in the state of Texas the state
gets six and a quarter that’s set okay
and then on top of that so we’ve to call
that the state okay city we’re gonna
calm cities municipalities okay and in
some cases there’s some exceptions to
the law because again Texas is a huge
state very rare exceptions but some
counties get sales tax but typically
only the state and cities collect sales
tax game that’s the general rule and
cities can do up to one they don’t have
to not every city does most do and they
don’t have to do one full cent they can
do under that but most cities in Texas
will collect that one cent at one
percent you got Ashland who’s at six
point seven five so they’re only doing a
half a percent so you choose then
special use we’ll call it special use up
to one more cent is dedicated special
use that only can happen through an
election okay for example Dallas has
dart Dallas Area Rapid Transit giant
they had an election they allocate 1% to
that okay is that based on time line or
no if they have an election until until
the voters decide not to do anymore it’s
one sense so so let’s let’s jump back a
minute so the maximum is in Texas
anywhere you go is a point two five you
cannot get higher than this you cannot
get camera now that one cent becomes
critical okay what can you use it for
you can use it for transportation you
can use it for public safety to add
additional money to fund
public safety you can use it for buying
down the property tax that other revenue
stream you want to lower that you can
put sales tax to buy it down but what’s
really important to us in the city of
the newer cities have done is what we
call for a and or for be okay for a and
for B is basically the enabling
legislation the state allowed cities to
do again through election to fund what
we call Economic Development
Corporation’s and Community Development
Corporation’s so Frisco prosper Allen
McKinney all have what we call for a
economic development for B is Community
Development what they can do is based on
what type of election they have so I
don’t want to complicate it
but let’s just talk about for a EDC we
call that for short EDC Economic
Development Corporation
you may assume that every city has an
EDC they don’t Dallas does not have an
EDC Plano does not have an EDC they have
what they call an e do economic
development organization it’s part of
the city it’s a it’s an effort inside
the city but it has its funding from the
city okay Frisco prosper I’m the CEO of
the prosper Economic Development
Corporation we get our funding from half
a cent because the other half cent is
used for Public Safety okay so in
prosper out of that one cent they
allocated 2005
so basically half set point okay yeah to
EDC okay and point five currently its
property by down but it’s gonna they’re
gonna have election to go to public
safety okay define public safety cop
police cars police infinitives of a
certified fire all that they’re putting
additional funds towards that okay so
that half set and prospers over two
million a year and growing as we add
redo so you take two million to have
your firefighters and your police
officers here yes and we take two
million for Economic Development
Corporation asked you that two million I
have to pay for the property have to pay
for the police department equipment
everything Public Safety there’s certain
rules they have to follow but overall
it’s good it’s geared towards possible
what do you do with that two million so
now let’s go to our mission our mission
in prosper is to help companies relocate
to our community okay
through cash incentives through
additional means so I get to that a
minute and so the idea behind the
prosper EDC is create jobs create
investment in our community and that
involves helping companies relocate
helping companies grow they’re already
there and starting our own companies
helping them get started got it so
that’s our mission is to provide jobs
and investment in it so let me ask you
this goes in every state if they’re
watching during Illinois the state goes
to the state yes okay that’s their
revenue in Illinois in Alaska in New
York do these work in a different way
yes can you give me some examples of how
some work well some in some states the
cities do not get any sales tax again
remember the state funds them the state
sends them to check so they may collect
all of this and just allocate certain
portions through their budget into those
sorts you have make your city work make
yourself some question now I’m a citizen
I’m in a city okay what should I do to
get educated on this to one have
influence to as a citizen what things
should I be looking for to know am i
living in a city that’s a good place for
my kids for my family for myself my
opportunity entrepreneurship would think
should I be looking well the first thing
you said is you should ask you should
you should this should be important to
you
it’s amazing to me a lot of our
residents may not you know they just go
to work come home and and that’s but you
know the government shouldn’t intrude on
them but they should also ask questions
who do you have their money
City Council’s mayor’s for example let’s
talk about the EDC a moment Economic
Development Corporation is just that
it’s a corporation the City Council of
the town appoints the board members of
that corporation then they hire person
like me to operate it okay so it is an
arm’s length away but yet the City
Council appoints those board members so
those board member
are typically made up out of residence
citizens of that city so what can you do
as a citizen apply to be on these boards
apply look I’m a broker or I’m gonna
jarate anybody as long as I live there
and there’s parameters you have to be a
citizen you have to have lived there at
least a year in some cities but what if
you’re a resident in that town get
involved help make the decisions okay
that those opportunities exist in almost
every citizen you need to be living
there for a year or whatever that may be
so I asked you one time and I remember
the answer but I want to hear yours I
asked you what do you make every month
as a mayor yes available you say patty
it’s a joke if I told you yeah and then
when you told me to your mom I was
flabbergasted nine years as a mayor what
did you make so as again every mayor in
Texas is a little different every city
remember that Charter we talked about
and first go
I basically received $500 a month
towards expenses but that’s before taxes
taxes were taken so my net was about 380
probably cover myself home for the most
part you kidding yeah it’s a volunteer
role you didn’t do it to make money and
that’s really one of the big things that
jumped out of me
first goes in New York City right did
you play wait a minute
380 dollars so are you able to work full
time when you’re a mayor so you can run
your business while you’re a mayor so we
have family business and my family made
the decision that we want to give back
to the community and I was that person
in other words I received a salary I had
a real job but my hours spent being the
mayor was anywhere from fifty to eighty
a week so it was a full-time it was
eight days but look I volunteered to do
it so I’m not gonna complain about it if
you work 70 hours a week for four weeks
that’s 280 you were making a buck 25 an
hour
thanks for doing the math for mister I
never did it I didn’t want to know 25 an
hour can you imagine that but it was an
honor to represent the city and Pasco so
let me ask you the question based on
that you got some places that mater’s
make a lot of money yes I mean I’m
talking like a lot of serious like a
serious plan what do you think about
that as an elected official use that
your boss is the citizens you serve them
and it should be about one and
be a servant leader by giving back to
the community so I really believe that
these jobs shouldn’t be high-paying jobs
okay
should they be more than 500 I also want
to make sure that everyone has
opportunities serve and not be precluded
because they don’t make enough money
then so the answer somewhere between
that the other part of that is I’m a
real believer in our system which was a
council-manager form of government I
really am not a strong believer in
strong mayor strong mayoral it means I
come in I bring in my own people I fire
people I don’t like
and that’s great but the success of
Frisco’s successful prosper is based on
staying the course having a good master
plan knowing where you’re going with a
strong mayor form of government once the
mayor leaves the next numeric comes in
brings in his own people and they change
direction that consistency sometimes is
lost so the strength really is building
a good team and B having consistency so
the I know you didn’t ask that second
part that question but is it a full-time
job it can be should it be a well-paid
full-time job as an executive I’m not
sure I agree with that as a public it’s
called a public servant for reason
reason right yeah that’s how what’s at
the beginning anyway yes right yeah
that’s how was at the beginning fair
enough this was very interesting so
let’s look at this let’s look at this a
you talk to somebody in California and
they’ll say something like you know your
taxes are too high
somebody from Texas will tell California
California will say go replace the
weather I dare you to go to a nicer
place the weather is so beautiful the
beach Hollywood all this other stuff do
you think an entrepreneur that right now
as a free agent man I say free agent
they’re willing to move anywhere Nevada
New York Chicago ever sells me kind of
like how your brother-in-law was looking
at you going to here Illinois whatever
pitch me sell me to go to state I am
California on new york new york is gonna
get business no matter what cuz a
financial capital and there still have
some decent
what do you think somebody states like
California have to do for them to start
getting attention of entrepreneurs that
are moving in rather than leaving the
state sure so I think we can all agree
that corporations employ people
companies employ people yes okay that’s
really important companies invest okay
so we want to make it easy for them to
do that that’s the goal so California I
think they do have beautiful weather
beautiful beaches I can go visit any
time I want to go visit okay the problem
is I think they lost sight that
businesses are their partners they
should work with them to grow the
community government is there for really
three things public health safety and
welfare okay we shouldn’t be getting
involved in the day-to-day operations of
companies we should set the rules but
then quit micromanaging him because
companies have a choice and what’s
happening is I think you’re seeing with
the the traffic with the companies
leaving there they’re starting to voice
their concerns a lot of companies the
Silicon Valley they had a great think
tank their workforce was excellent okay
but now other communities around the
country the Austin Texas area our star
in Denver is starting to really compete
on that level also so companies have a
choice you cannot sit there and wait for
things to happen as you as a company is
a private company you’re always creating
new things to succeed
I think communities need to do that and
they’re not they’re not when I served on
the Select Committee and economic drama
for the state of Texas that’s what we
were doing hey we know we’ve created
most of the jobs in this country last 20
years but how do we stay doing that
let’s not take it for granted that’s not
taking for granted companies are moving
here
what are we failing at let’s improve
that that question has to be asked more
often in these cities and so let me ask
you you know sometimes I lived in Iran
okay in Iran for the longest time was
the most incredible empire and people
were doing great the shock came things
changed you know and then yeah tourists
come in Frank Sinatra was performing
Elizabeth Taylor was dating our
ambassador saw happy
beautiful concert BG’s caviar like ice
cream just a beautiful place and then
all of a sudden well I didn’t they okay
and it shift and at the guy like me now
I want to go to Iran today I’m think
about my kids my family all these other
thoughts do you think sometimes states
become so arrogant that they don’t think
they’ll ever have a massive fall like
some nations head falls do you think
states think will never fall people are
always gonna want to come to California
people are always gonna be wanting to
living here using they cross they think
about that at all yeah I think
communities do and stage do get
complacent I really believe that I think
that you have a choice where you’re
gonna raise your family you absolutely
have a choice and if it’s not conducive
to that what are you gonna do you have a
choice where to look at your business
okay and and one of the things that’s
showing that some are starting to
recognize it I keep hearing word of exit
tax they’re gonna charge you an exit tax
to leave will fix the problems and they
don’t leave come charge no penalizing
for leaving yeah Wow
so that mentality is we have a problem
let’s put on the burden let’s put the
burden on the business community that
doesn’t work so on so what do you think
about this what do you think about the
article that was written sane Chicago is
offering the homeless in the city a
one-way crown how greyhound ticket to
Texas what do you think about that
because that’s what’s being wrought
right now you’re given a one-way ticket
to the homeless to say go to Texas
weather is warmer over there it’s better
over there will pay for one thing one
way 69 bucks oh yeah I haven’t I’ve not
read that article but you know
homelessness in every city is is an
issue and I think that is that well you
know you have to figure you’ve got to
create jobs for people you have to give
them an opportunity look we all know
that some some forms of homelessness
have to do with mental health you got to
make sure you cover that field some part
of it is down on your luck somebody
loses their their job and they just need
a little help to get back on their feet
you need the local organizations to help
support that you need to support them so
there’s not one easy answer I firmly
believe cities want to solve them but
some cities have taken the wrong stance
on it part of the answers
making sure you have a very vibrant low
unemployment economy okay you have to
make sure that there’s jobs available to
those people that want it if you look at
the North Texas area unemployment so low
right now I would almost tell you
there’s really no unemployment if you
want a job you can get a job that’s a
mess yeah yeah so that and we’re on the
same page because I believe homeless you
know folks that we have there some got
there by pure accident some you may see
sentimental and some just maybe the
government keeps producing and because
there’s set an environment that that
kind of is being created I think
entrepreneurship solves that I think
education solves that I think
environment so is that and I think tax
is doing a pretty good job in that area
so here’s what I would say any final
thoughts you have so we’ve covered a lot
of different yeah and you probably
weren’t expecting us to talk about all
these things today
you brought me done I’m gonna go tell my
story and that’s it we’ve covered a lot
of data a lot of stats here today final
thoughts for somebody watching this and
I’m not saying a recruiting message to
Texas my purpose of this video isn’t for
there to be a floodgates of people I did
one video Nixon you know everybody’s
moving to Texas this is not the purpose
of this video the purpose of this video
is say somebody doesn’t want to leave
their state I don’t want to leave
California I don’t want to leave
argument I don’t wanna leave Minnesota I
want to stay here what can I do that
last message of what can I do to make an
impact in the community I mean before it
gets to the point where you say you know
what it’s too late I gotta leave yeah
just say then that would be that’s the
catch a key is make an impact the
community and get involved get on City
Council’s I got when I was you know I
told the story of how I got on the HOA
board pretty soon people started asking
me to run and do other things I always
gave it my best I was learning a lot and
one day somebody said came up to me said
once you run for City Council and you
know what I told them
what’s that I wasn’t involved in
government I had no clue I didn’t so
they know that’s what right what is that
and they said hey they told me don’t
worry about it we’ve seen what you’ve
done on these volunteer groups we want
to help you get there we want you to run
we’re gonna help you so that’s what I
would tell people is get involved and
not just sitting on City Council’s EDC
boards planning zoning
community development boards library
boards okay get involved my wife’s on
the Samaritan in which is a for homeless
but it’s not we don’t even call it
homeless anymore its transitional living
the point is to help somebody get from
not having a place to stay to a point
where they can do it on their own its
transition as long as you were helping
veterans you’re helping the trends
you’re teaching them new skills you’re
providing for their family so get
involved in the community we want other
communities to succeed there is a right
way to do it we believe that how this so
my message when I was in India last week
this is what I said to it was 5,000
engineers and entrepreneurs in the
audience and I said he got three
challenges number one make your country
number one in GDP exciting India could
fight for to cut the populace and the
young exciting people to do that to
fight against America because that’s
gonna be a lot of work I said to find a
way to make your money go make your
money I like your story 500 bucks a
month 380 a month but you had the money
what you didn’t need to sell or write go
make your money take care of your wife
you have kids you have to take care of
your kids your sad a pilot you it’s like
you do you raise a good family then the
other side is figure out a way to give
that public service I’m extremely
grateful for a country like America that
took an immigrant like me from Iran I
lived in a refugee camp two years and
then here you allow me to go out there
make all this money yeah I can’t even
believe it I feel public services
automatic part of it so here’s my
thought last thoughts one if you have
any questions thoughts comments comment
on the bottom we cover a lot of things
by the way if you’re still here with us
because today is not this motivation
I’ll talk a lot look I’m sorry I just if
you’re still here more power to you post
your comments on the bottom ear mouth so
where can people find you are you
Twitter or Instagram
I got Twitter I got Instagram I got
LinkedIn I have my email we get down on
the screen somewhere put all of that
star up we’ll put all that stuff up here
the links you can see it on the bottom
as well
and last but not least whatever city
you’re in whatever city you’re in you
just heard it from the mayor nine years
he went three terms in Texas it’s three
years per term he went three times he
got elected three times a full nine
years and one month he served he
grew the city from what was with his
team to where it’s at today he kind of
knows what he’s doing the
fastest-growing city in America with
Frisco I would share this video with
your mayor in your town I would share
this video with your congressman
congresswoman I would share it with them
I would sit and watch this video with my
family this is what I would be doing I’d
sit right there said honey baby kids sit
down what is this guy talking about do
you agree with them posit write it down
verified on the internet this visit true
is this not true everything I just told
you do your research and then spread
this message amongst other people
because when you’re single
whether you’re married whether you’re
divorced whether you have kids what do
you not have kids you’re gonna have to
pay taxes so I had to sooner or later
you learn how this stuff works the more
money stays in your pocket the more
money stays in your pocket less you need
from the government and you can actually
breathe and go do the things you want to
do in your life so that’s the reason why
we did this video today even though I
have this Batman Boys today I was so
excited about today’s episode so I
appreciate you coming out thank you oh
it’s a pleasure Patrick keep up the
great work yes
deal with this voice because I decided
to bring the Batman who I saw today but
today’s interview is one I’ve been
looking forward to for a long time
because I decided to take a completely
different direction with this interview
I wanted to bring the mayor of the
fastest growing city in America and
that’s Frisco Texas and by the way this
is not me saying it I have this census
year I have Dallas knows I have USA
Today
I have US news I have so many different
publications that say Frisco is the
fastest growing city in America where
today I believe the only competition
they have is one next door which is
Richards and a couple other people that
are competing all within the same County
so I wanted to find out as a mirror of
Frisco nine years three terms to want to
have you in Frisco what can you do to
attract as many entrepreneurs as he has
attracted to the city of Frisco so with
that being said Mara ma so thank you so
much pleasure to be here thank you with
us before one becomes a mayor what
decided what decision did you make why
did you all of a sudden say I want to
become a mayor of risk of what goes
through your mind to say I want to be
the mayor how does that happen you know
you know it doesn’t I get asked that you
know I do a lot of career days of the
schools and one of the questions is hey
you know did you always want to be mayor
and I said well no not really
you know I served for council first and
Frisco from 2000 2007 then as mayor from
2008 to 2011 teen and now I’m the CEO of
the prosper Economic Development
Corporation but how it really started I
would say I was an activist I moved to
first go in 92 it was just a farm I was
about 6,500 people a lot of related
related families there some 500 dirt
roads one blinking yellow light in town
and I wanted to build a circle or
driveway on my new home I was building
there and the HOA said no you can’t do
it I didn’t think that was appropriate
so I actually became gone on the board
of the HOA became president HOA and got
my circular driveway so from there you
run and you become the mayor
oh I look at the stats 19 you’re saying
1992 you you’re living in Frisco mm-hmm
there’s 6500 people there in 2000 I
think you guys are like a hundred eleven
thousand people no in 2000 over thirty
three thousand to two thousand thousand
three two thousand ten one hundred three
hundred thirty six thousand sixty and to
the year at 170 mm a hundred seventy two
hundred seventy two thousand what the
hell happened here I mean from it did
people just start like all of us and
having a bunch of babies and Pfizer
moved out here and so that’s that’s me
you know high 15 it’s a really cool
story I mean so you hit you hit a great
point in the year 2000 the US does a
census every 10 years
so the 2010 census Frisco is a
fast-growing City in the country it’s
really important to note that many other
North Texas communities as you mentioned
earlier are also fast growing well first
there’s no state or personal income tax
it’s a business friendly state it’s a
property right state it’s a
right-to-work state
so all those combined make it easily
facilitates companies growing relocating
here starting here those are really
really important so Texas has created
the atmosphere of successful business
state so why are people moving to Brisco
why are people moving to prosper well
will you invested in public safety
they’re very safe no one wants to
relocate their families to an area that
they’re not safe in so that’s a priority
the education system where when I get
asked this question by other mayor’s
around the country first question I ask
them back is what’s your relationship
with your school district in your
college well really we don’t have one
when we talk about the stadiums that the
the Cowboys headquarters the Rough
Riders stadium the FC Dallas
professional soccer stadium that are all
in Frisco those are all partnerships
with the school district those are high
school Stadium the important thing is
the education level and let me tell you
why when all the companies that I’ve
ever sat with that are looking to
relocate whether it’s the Boeing’s or
the Toyotas if you look at them closely
almost all their search committees are
made up and headed by Human Resources
why because that’s the one probably the
number one priority for companies is
finding the right workforce
having the right workforce where they
want to locate actually drives where
they want to locate they will not locate
an area sting you know the big story
today is Amazon right yeah you just came
right here I bet you that number one
thing on their list is where are the
right employees for them because the
employees make them successful so that’s
why education comes back it has become a
critical component the public safety
education infrastructure all critical to
make that fast growth community why do
you think Texas is doing a better job
recruiting businesses more than the
other states that are also 0% Washington
state 0%
Alaska zero let’s go to Alaska site
Florida zero Nevada 0 u 0 why do you
think you were doing a better job as a
state than the other states well I think
several things I would say to you
Texas obviously the numbers show that
Texas is doing a better job but there’s
several more things that go into besides
income tax whether it’s corporate or
personal regulations you know how hard
is it to develop to get a permit well I
think that the the leadership both of
the state and local levels understand
that government doesn’t create jobs the
companies do and the people I’ve run
across in Texas that are in a leadership
position they all think the same way
every family deserves to have the
opportunity to earn a living wage to
earn a to feed their families to take
care of their families and so what we
try to do is ask questions is how can we
make that happen I’ve run across other
states where they have a head tax no
income tax but if you hire an employee
you’re gonna pay an extra tax right
those things add up Boeing did a study
way back of what or the best places to
do business in and as you imagine that
list is long the criteria it’s not just
the taxes but its quality of life
education Public Safety and Texas was in
the top to top the one thing that that
for some reason some elected officials
do not understand is businesses have a
choice they will go find the place that
will help them make successful be
successful to give a return of their
shareholders to give a return of their
customers and when you place burden
on these companies they’ll leave or they
may hire those three new employees in
another state and another division and
you’ll never know about it and so
business needs to be treated as your
partner and that’s what we did in our
area the public-private partnership is
not something we just pay lip service to
we actually created those models the
presence of every professional team in
the dallas-fort Worth area is in Frisco
why because we partnered with them and
they returned to our citizens has
allowed the tax rate to be low has
allowed the quality of life to be high
and so it works and I don’t think
everyone understands that memo so why
don’t we go in the other room and let’s
look some of these stats and see if you
can break down how sales taxes works to
benefit us daily
so look before we get into these stats I
got a curveball for you New York
tourism California tourism Miami Florida
tourism Texas I don’t know how’s tourism
look in Texas well let me let me use
Frisco as an example let me draw you a
really quick thing one of the problems
you know first goes one of the
fastest-growing cities in the country
right so its prosper and it looks good
when you when you draw when you graph
the revenue let’s say we’re starting
here which we did it was nobody living
there the revenue went up pretty you
know other mayor’s would look at and say
wow look three point seven billion
dollar property value increase in one
year that’s pretty that billion in one
year in Frisco right so but then if you
look at this line you got the expense
line that comes up here right and then
one day this line is going to flatten or
haven’t flattened yet but it will
but this expense line is gonna keep
going up California’s dealing with that
expenses go up taxes go up the services
go down this right here is a problem
every city around the country faces so
in Frisco and and prosper what we’re
looking at is how do we how do we solve
that how do we solve this line whether
it’s Dallas or Plano they all will
flatten but the expenses go up what does
a business do what do you do every day
you’re always doing research and
development new products new services
ways to keep vibrant otherwise you’ll be
done your business will go under cities
in Texas for example only have two
revenue streams property taxes
tax we can’t do research and development
as you know it to create new revenue but
how do we break the cycles one of the
questions we spend a lot of time early
in the process on and how we broke it
was really tourism okay how do we
strengthen sales tax property tax so in
Frisco
you have Toyota Stadium which is
professional soccer with 17 tournament
fields and Jimmy Buffett and the FCS
national championship six million dollar
impact every time we have a big event
there right then you have the Cowboys
world headquarters and practice facility
Dallas Cowboys right on Frisco they got
a lot of fans from everywhere so billion
dollar development that’s in Frisco
are the five billion dollar mile the
Rangers have their double-a affiliate
the Rough Riders the Mavericks have
their their minor league the G League
they the basketball team professional
basketball team headquarters of the
Dallas Stars professional hockey wait a
minute how did you since these four
teams to be in your city though
public-private partnership and keeping
your word once we did the deal with the
Dallas Stars and the Rough Riders we
have we got a reputation that we know
how to put these things together and we
know what your needs are we know what
our needs are you get all five of them
every one of them and so that tourism
now has helped the revenue stream
continue so sustainability is the key
question so I thought that was really
important to share that because those
things happen by design you have to
think a good elected official will be
thinking 30 and 40 years from now not
five years so what what do you do like
for instance City of LA okay City
Ballet’s got a lot of different issues
going on over there what do you look at
from an outside if you were hired as a
consultant say DLA was to hire us
consultant we want former mayor of
Frisco come to LA we want a week with
you and they’ll be on the ground
whatever the number is what would you
look at and what metrics what trends
would you look at to say here’s I can
fix LA the basic foundational things do
not change okay they just lose sight of
them sometimes so if I was in LA and we
have given tours to all cities all over
the country we focus on public safety
you know LA needs to be a safe city so
what have they done to do that
it’s not just police on the ground
handles public safety issues after the
fact whatever your first first in public
safety is key that’s your number one one
number one public safety with education
I really tie those together right
because you want to have the right
workforce people want to live there okay
they want you need them to live there
because that’s where the companies come
in and if you don’t have the right
workforce they don’t come in so public
safety education are two of the biggest
things I would sit with them and ask him
let me show you what we did in Frisco
for example on the public safety and
educational side we built the safer
system situational awareness for
emergency response typical high school
in Frisco and we were opening one high
school every year so a new one a typical
high school would have over 180 video
cameras you can see inside and outside
the school every police car every
firetruck they know who the teachers are
in a room they know where the chemicals
are instantly we design that system from
the ground how many how many cities and
states do that this is a custom system
this one with a worldwide award from an
organization called ESRI it’s a one of a
kind
this is nuts no one else you don’t you
can’t go by it Wow you have to build it
so you I’m in LA and I say we can
add this thing with all these hundred
eighty cameras the parents gonna feel
safer right communities community is
gonna want to invest in and you’re
saying no one’s doing this
nobody has built that system okay so and
if you look at Las Vegas Las Vegas and
Frisco probably lead the country in
automation for for traffic automation
for example if you have a new Audi in
Frisco or Vegas the only two cities in
the country
our traffic lights will speak to that
car it’ll tell you what speed to do so
you can make all the green lights on
your – yeah it’ll tell you how long that
light will be red
okay so Stefan yeah that’s so safety it
takes four people working together so if
I’m in LA school systems a key public
safety is the key and then treat your
businesses fairly work with them what
are their needs ask him sit down with
him what is it you need to be successful
you can’t do everything they need okay
so you need to at least understand what
they need and that’s how you keep them
there so very simple things very
foundational things it’s not rocket
science you know but sometimes
we lose sight of that so very
interesting I want I want to go through
some of the ground here and then I want
to see what you think about so this is
GDP by state which state in America and
produces the most obviously u.s. is 19
trillion dollars of that number one is
California two point six fourteen point
seven four percent Texas one point six
number two they passed New York one
point five four to nine to six then it’s
Illinois Pennsylvania Ohio Jersey
Georgia Carolina at the bottom number 50
is Vermont 31 billion
many companies are bigger than the state
of Vermont Wyoming Montana okay and just
to kind of give an idea California’s
economy is the fifth largest economy
bigger than UK India France Brazil Italy
Canada Texas at one point six is bigger
than Canada bigger than Russia it’s a
big economy right that we have and when
you come on this side this states taxes
as of yesterday according to Business
Insider they came out literally
yesterday taxes came out Texas
California highest taxes right from a
low of one but the top thirteen point
three it is the only state that’s double
digits or thirteen point three Oregon’s
right there at nine nine minutes
Minnesota Iowa Jersey Vermont DC New
York I thought New York would have been
higher New York is actually lower than
California’s number eight Hawaii
Wisconsin and in the bottom is the Texas
Florida South Dakota Alaska Wyoming
Washington state with zero right so I
look at this I look at this can I look
at this which states have the most
fortune 500 companies in America number
one New York 54 makes sense financial
capital the world number two California
53 makes sense Silicon Valley all that
stuff they got going on over there Texas
350 then Illinois 36 Ohio Virginia
Jersey Pennsylvania Connecticut
Minnesota what does this say about this
number and where do you foresee Texas
going with the amount of fortune 500
companies how to be headquartered here
sure well I think to you to two things
from this you would look at one I would
say is that you know how would your not
having here but I would say Texas
ending up you’ve seen the Toyota
locations you know Amazon is now looking
who knows we can end up but you can tell
you they’re not gonna end up in
California you know they’re not going to
end up in most likely in New York
there’s no small chance but the reality
is Texas is trending up but more
importantly is I don’t put much stock in
the number of fortune 500 companies
because we’re truly becoming a
diversified economy worldwide you have a
lot of these companies have offices
everywhere their headquarters may be 50
employees may be in a certain state but
where they’re doing business where
there’s labs where their production
facilities you take company like
Greatbatch they’re just relocated from
Buffalo went to Frisco and then play no
they have play facilities all over the
world and so this number can be a little
misleading it doesn’t mean number of
jobs
it doesn’t mean you know how much
they’re doing in that state they’re
paying taxes in that state and that’s
what they’re finding out is these
companies when they’re doing their work
all over the world is words can be the
most beneficial place to do business and
you’re finding them moving so why don’t
we go over here I want to talk about
this side of it here Paul so I showed
already what’s happened with the
population so we already know this you
guys are projecting 2035 375,000 is what
I keep thinking about this is sales tax
and I say you’re the mayor okay I think
one of the things sometimes as a voter
the voter doesn’t know how much
influence a mayor has so for instance
one should I go campaign and become a
mayor of my city I’m ticked off about a
permit I didn’t yet and I’m gonna go be
the mayor
maybe the motivation is bigger right if
I do one time you and I were talking
about what portion comes to you and I
asked you I said out of this 8.25 and
sales tax what portion comes to the
voter votes I like this guy good
personality I like her she’s amazing
this person’s for health care that
person’s for free enterprise this
person’s for this but I want to see the
logical Drive standpoint what happens to
you with these rate
the two main revenue streams for cities
and and counties to a lesser extent in
Texas are property taxes and sales tax
so there’s two revenue streams there’s a
lot of little things like permit fees
and fines and court costs and all those
things to go by the two major ones
property and sales tax in Texas the
state gets six point two five most
products in Texas anywhere you buy an
item in the state of Texas the state
gets six and a quarter that’s set okay
and then on top of that so we’ve to call
that the state okay city we’re gonna
calm cities municipalities okay and in
some cases there’s some exceptions to
the law because again Texas is a huge
state very rare exceptions but some
counties get sales tax but typically
only the state and cities collect sales
tax game that’s the general rule and
cities can do up to one they don’t have
to not every city does most do and they
don’t have to do one full cent they can
do under that but most cities in Texas
will collect that one cent at one
percent you got Ashland who’s at six
point seven five so they’re only doing a
half a percent so you choose then
special use we’ll call it special use up
to one more cent is dedicated special
use that only can happen through an
election okay for example Dallas has
dart Dallas Area Rapid Transit giant
they had an election they allocate 1% to
that okay is that based on time line or
no if they have an election until until
the voters decide not to do anymore it’s
one sense so so let’s let’s jump back a
minute so the maximum is in Texas
anywhere you go is a point two five you
cannot get higher than this you cannot
get camera now that one cent becomes
critical okay what can you use it for
you can use it for transportation you
can use it for public safety to add
additional money to fund
public safety you can use it for buying
down the property tax that other revenue
stream you want to lower that you can
put sales tax to buy it down but what’s
really important to us in the city of
the newer cities have done is what we
call for a and or for be okay for a and
for B is basically the enabling
legislation the state allowed cities to
do again through election to fund what
we call Economic Development
Corporation’s and Community Development
Corporation’s so Frisco prosper Allen
McKinney all have what we call for a
economic development for B is Community
Development what they can do is based on
what type of election they have so I
don’t want to complicate it
but let’s just talk about for a EDC we
call that for short EDC Economic
Development Corporation
you may assume that every city has an
EDC they don’t Dallas does not have an
EDC Plano does not have an EDC they have
what they call an e do economic
development organization it’s part of
the city it’s a it’s an effort inside
the city but it has its funding from the
city okay Frisco prosper I’m the CEO of
the prosper Economic Development
Corporation we get our funding from half
a cent because the other half cent is
used for Public Safety okay so in
prosper out of that one cent they
allocated 2005
so basically half set point okay yeah to
EDC okay and point five currently its
property by down but it’s gonna they’re
gonna have election to go to public
safety okay define public safety cop
police cars police infinitives of a
certified fire all that they’re putting
additional funds towards that okay so
that half set and prospers over two
million a year and growing as we add
redo so you take two million to have
your firefighters and your police
officers here yes and we take two
million for Economic Development
Corporation asked you that two million I
have to pay for the property have to pay
for the police department equipment
everything Public Safety there’s certain
rules they have to follow but overall
it’s good it’s geared towards possible
what do you do with that two million so
now let’s go to our mission our mission
in prosper is to help companies relocate
to our community okay
through cash incentives through
additional means so I get to that a
minute and so the idea behind the
prosper EDC is create jobs create
investment in our community and that
involves helping companies relocate
helping companies grow they’re already
there and starting our own companies
helping them get started got it so
that’s our mission is to provide jobs
and investment in it so let me ask you
this goes in every state if they’re
watching during Illinois the state goes
to the state yes okay that’s their
revenue in Illinois in Alaska in New
York do these work in a different way
yes can you give me some examples of how
some work well some in some states the
cities do not get any sales tax again
remember the state funds them the state
sends them to check so they may collect
all of this and just allocate certain
portions through their budget into those
sorts you have make your city work make
yourself some question now I’m a citizen
I’m in a city okay what should I do to
get educated on this to one have
influence to as a citizen what things
should I be looking for to know am i
living in a city that’s a good place for
my kids for my family for myself my
opportunity entrepreneurship would think
should I be looking well the first thing
you said is you should ask you should
you should this should be important to
you
it’s amazing to me a lot of our
residents may not you know they just go
to work come home and and that’s but you
know the government shouldn’t intrude on
them but they should also ask questions
who do you have their money
City Council’s mayor’s for example let’s
talk about the EDC a moment Economic
Development Corporation is just that
it’s a corporation the City Council of
the town appoints the board members of
that corporation then they hire person
like me to operate it okay so it is an
arm’s length away but yet the City
Council appoints those board members so
those board member
are typically made up out of residence
citizens of that city so what can you do
as a citizen apply to be on these boards
apply look I’m a broker or I’m gonna
jarate anybody as long as I live there
and there’s parameters you have to be a
citizen you have to have lived there at
least a year in some cities but what if
you’re a resident in that town get
involved help make the decisions okay
that those opportunities exist in almost
every citizen you need to be living
there for a year or whatever that may be
so I asked you one time and I remember
the answer but I want to hear yours I
asked you what do you make every month
as a mayor yes available you say patty
it’s a joke if I told you yeah and then
when you told me to your mom I was
flabbergasted nine years as a mayor what
did you make so as again every mayor in
Texas is a little different every city
remember that Charter we talked about
and first go
I basically received $500 a month
towards expenses but that’s before taxes
taxes were taken so my net was about 380
probably cover myself home for the most
part you kidding yeah it’s a volunteer
role you didn’t do it to make money and
that’s really one of the big things that
jumped out of me
first goes in New York City right did
you play wait a minute
380 dollars so are you able to work full
time when you’re a mayor so you can run
your business while you’re a mayor so we
have family business and my family made
the decision that we want to give back
to the community and I was that person
in other words I received a salary I had
a real job but my hours spent being the
mayor was anywhere from fifty to eighty
a week so it was a full-time it was
eight days but look I volunteered to do
it so I’m not gonna complain about it if
you work 70 hours a week for four weeks
that’s 280 you were making a buck 25 an
hour
thanks for doing the math for mister I
never did it I didn’t want to know 25 an
hour can you imagine that but it was an
honor to represent the city and Pasco so
let me ask you the question based on
that you got some places that mater’s
make a lot of money yes I mean I’m
talking like a lot of serious like a
serious plan what do you think about
that as an elected official use that
your boss is the citizens you serve them
and it should be about one and
be a servant leader by giving back to
the community so I really believe that
these jobs shouldn’t be high-paying jobs
okay
should they be more than 500 I also want
to make sure that everyone has
opportunities serve and not be precluded
because they don’t make enough money
then so the answer somewhere between
that the other part of that is I’m a
real believer in our system which was a
council-manager form of government I
really am not a strong believer in
strong mayor strong mayoral it means I
come in I bring in my own people I fire
people I don’t like
and that’s great but the success of
Frisco’s successful prosper is based on
staying the course having a good master
plan knowing where you’re going with a
strong mayor form of government once the
mayor leaves the next numeric comes in
brings in his own people and they change
direction that consistency sometimes is
lost so the strength really is building
a good team and B having consistency so
the I know you didn’t ask that second
part that question but is it a full-time
job it can be should it be a well-paid
full-time job as an executive I’m not
sure I agree with that as a public it’s
called a public servant for reason
reason right yeah that’s how what’s at
the beginning anyway yes right yeah
that’s how was at the beginning fair
enough this was very interesting so
let’s look at this let’s look at this a
you talk to somebody in California and
they’ll say something like you know your
taxes are too high
somebody from Texas will tell California
California will say go replace the
weather I dare you to go to a nicer
place the weather is so beautiful the
beach Hollywood all this other stuff do
you think an entrepreneur that right now
as a free agent man I say free agent
they’re willing to move anywhere Nevada
New York Chicago ever sells me kind of
like how your brother-in-law was looking
at you going to here Illinois whatever
pitch me sell me to go to state I am
California on new york new york is gonna
get business no matter what cuz a
financial capital and there still have
some decent
what do you think somebody states like
California have to do for them to start
getting attention of entrepreneurs that
are moving in rather than leaving the
state sure so I think we can all agree
that corporations employ people
companies employ people yes okay that’s
really important companies invest okay
so we want to make it easy for them to
do that that’s the goal so California I
think they do have beautiful weather
beautiful beaches I can go visit any
time I want to go visit okay the problem
is I think they lost sight that
businesses are their partners they
should work with them to grow the
community government is there for really
three things public health safety and
welfare okay we shouldn’t be getting
involved in the day-to-day operations of
companies we should set the rules but
then quit micromanaging him because
companies have a choice and what’s
happening is I think you’re seeing with
the the traffic with the companies
leaving there they’re starting to voice
their concerns a lot of companies the
Silicon Valley they had a great think
tank their workforce was excellent okay
but now other communities around the
country the Austin Texas area our star
in Denver is starting to really compete
on that level also so companies have a
choice you cannot sit there and wait for
things to happen as you as a company is
a private company you’re always creating
new things to succeed
I think communities need to do that and
they’re not they’re not when I served on
the Select Committee and economic drama
for the state of Texas that’s what we
were doing hey we know we’ve created
most of the jobs in this country last 20
years but how do we stay doing that
let’s not take it for granted that’s not
taking for granted companies are moving
here
what are we failing at let’s improve
that that question has to be asked more
often in these cities and so let me ask
you you know sometimes I lived in Iran
okay in Iran for the longest time was
the most incredible empire and people
were doing great the shock came things
changed you know and then yeah tourists
come in Frank Sinatra was performing
Elizabeth Taylor was dating our
ambassador saw happy
beautiful concert BG’s caviar like ice
cream just a beautiful place and then
all of a sudden well I didn’t they okay
and it shift and at the guy like me now
I want to go to Iran today I’m think
about my kids my family all these other
thoughts do you think sometimes states
become so arrogant that they don’t think
they’ll ever have a massive fall like
some nations head falls do you think
states think will never fall people are
always gonna want to come to California
people are always gonna be wanting to
living here using they cross they think
about that at all yeah I think
communities do and stage do get
complacent I really believe that I think
that you have a choice where you’re
gonna raise your family you absolutely
have a choice and if it’s not conducive
to that what are you gonna do you have a
choice where to look at your business
okay and and one of the things that’s
showing that some are starting to
recognize it I keep hearing word of exit
tax they’re gonna charge you an exit tax
to leave will fix the problems and they
don’t leave come charge no penalizing
for leaving yeah Wow
so that mentality is we have a problem
let’s put on the burden let’s put the
burden on the business community that
doesn’t work so on so what do you think
about this what do you think about the
article that was written sane Chicago is
offering the homeless in the city a
one-way crown how greyhound ticket to
Texas what do you think about that
because that’s what’s being wrought
right now you’re given a one-way ticket
to the homeless to say go to Texas
weather is warmer over there it’s better
over there will pay for one thing one
way 69 bucks oh yeah I haven’t I’ve not
read that article but you know
homelessness in every city is is an
issue and I think that is that well you
know you have to figure you’ve got to
create jobs for people you have to give
them an opportunity look we all know
that some some forms of homelessness
have to do with mental health you got to
make sure you cover that field some part
of it is down on your luck somebody
loses their their job and they just need
a little help to get back on their feet
you need the local organizations to help
support that you need to support them so
there’s not one easy answer I firmly
believe cities want to solve them but
some cities have taken the wrong stance
on it part of the answers
making sure you have a very vibrant low
unemployment economy okay you have to
make sure that there’s jobs available to
those people that want it if you look at
the North Texas area unemployment so low
right now I would almost tell you
there’s really no unemployment if you
want a job you can get a job that’s a
mess yeah yeah so that and we’re on the
same page because I believe homeless you
know folks that we have there some got
there by pure accident some you may see
sentimental and some just maybe the
government keeps producing and because
there’s set an environment that that
kind of is being created I think
entrepreneurship solves that I think
education solves that I think
environment so is that and I think tax
is doing a pretty good job in that area
so here’s what I would say any final
thoughts you have so we’ve covered a lot
of different yeah and you probably
weren’t expecting us to talk about all
these things today
you brought me done I’m gonna go tell my
story and that’s it we’ve covered a lot
of data a lot of stats here today final
thoughts for somebody watching this and
I’m not saying a recruiting message to
Texas my purpose of this video isn’t for
there to be a floodgates of people I did
one video Nixon you know everybody’s
moving to Texas this is not the purpose
of this video the purpose of this video
is say somebody doesn’t want to leave
their state I don’t want to leave
California I don’t want to leave
argument I don’t wanna leave Minnesota I
want to stay here what can I do that
last message of what can I do to make an
impact in the community I mean before it
gets to the point where you say you know
what it’s too late I gotta leave yeah
just say then that would be that’s the
catch a key is make an impact the
community and get involved get on City
Council’s I got when I was you know I
told the story of how I got on the HOA
board pretty soon people started asking
me to run and do other things I always
gave it my best I was learning a lot and
one day somebody said came up to me said
once you run for City Council and you
know what I told them
what’s that I wasn’t involved in
government I had no clue I didn’t so
they know that’s what right what is that
and they said hey they told me don’t
worry about it we’ve seen what you’ve
done on these volunteer groups we want
to help you get there we want you to run
we’re gonna help you so that’s what I
would tell people is get involved and
not just sitting on City Council’s EDC
boards planning zoning
community development boards library
boards okay get involved my wife’s on
the Samaritan in which is a for homeless
but it’s not we don’t even call it
homeless anymore its transitional living
the point is to help somebody get from
not having a place to stay to a point
where they can do it on their own its
transition as long as you were helping
veterans you’re helping the trends
you’re teaching them new skills you’re
providing for their family so get
involved in the community we want other
communities to succeed there is a right
way to do it we believe that how this so
my message when I was in India last week
this is what I said to it was 5,000
engineers and entrepreneurs in the
audience and I said he got three
challenges number one make your country
number one in GDP exciting India could
fight for to cut the populace and the
young exciting people to do that to
fight against America because that’s
gonna be a lot of work I said to find a
way to make your money go make your
money I like your story 500 bucks a
month 380 a month but you had the money
what you didn’t need to sell or write go
make your money take care of your wife
you have kids you have to take care of
your kids your sad a pilot you it’s like
you do you raise a good family then the
other side is figure out a way to give
that public service I’m extremely
grateful for a country like America that
took an immigrant like me from Iran I
lived in a refugee camp two years and
then here you allow me to go out there
make all this money yeah I can’t even
believe it I feel public services
automatic part of it so here’s my
thought last thoughts one if you have
any questions thoughts comments comment
on the bottom we cover a lot of things
by the way if you’re still here with us
because today is not this motivation
I’ll talk a lot look I’m sorry I just if
you’re still here more power to you post
your comments on the bottom ear mouth so
where can people find you are you
Twitter or Instagram
I got Twitter I got Instagram I got
LinkedIn I have my email we get down on
the screen somewhere put all of that
star up we’ll put all that stuff up here
the links you can see it on the bottom
as well
and last but not least whatever city
you’re in whatever city you’re in you
just heard it from the mayor nine years
he went three terms in Texas it’s three
years per term he went three times he
got elected three times a full nine
years and one month he served he
grew the city from what was with his
team to where it’s at today he kind of
knows what he’s doing the
fastest-growing city in America with
Frisco I would share this video with
your mayor in your town I would share
this video with your congressman
congresswoman I would share it with them
I would sit and watch this video with my
family this is what I would be doing I’d
sit right there said honey baby kids sit
down what is this guy talking about do
you agree with them posit write it down
verified on the internet this visit true
is this not true everything I just told
you do your research and then spread
this message amongst other people
because when you’re single
whether you’re married whether you’re
divorced whether you have kids what do
you not have kids you’re gonna have to
pay taxes so I had to sooner or later
you learn how this stuff works the more
money stays in your pocket the more
money stays in your pocket less you need
from the government and you can actually
breathe and go do the things you want to
do in your life so that’s the reason why
we did this video today even though I
have this Batman Boys today I was so
excited about today’s episode so I
appreciate you coming out thank you oh
it’s a pleasure Patrick keep up the
great work yes
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