On Wednesday the Dallas city council passed a $4.3 billion budget that because of higher-than-expected property and sales tax revenues, includes increased funding to improve streets, public safety and long-standing city inequities.
Federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act is also part of the spending plan.
In part of the budget, nearly $600 million will go to the Dallas Police department. Part of that will go to hiring 250 new police officers and 60 new civilians staffers for the 911 call center.
Earlier this month, the city council voted to put $10 million into a reserve and if the department needed it, they had to request it from the safety committee.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson voted to give the money back, citing the city's efforts to lower crime and a staff shortage in the department.
But councilman Chad West who pushed for the measure, says keeping the money in the reserve will keep the department more accountable on how they spend their money. And while a while a preliminary audit showed no abuse, there were some irregularities.
The proposed budget also calls for a $0.3 drop in the property tax rate, but with property values increasing most homeowners will see a higher tax bill.
The budget passed on a 13-2 vote.
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