The mayor of Dallas has laid out his priorities for the city's next budget. The Dallas City Council will receive the city manager's proposal August 6.
Mayor Eric Johnson listed five issues he would like to address which were provided by his office:
Public safety: Mayor Johnson earlier this month outlined several public safety initiatives to help make Dallas safer. In the new memo sent Thursday, Mayor Johnson requested that the budget maintain or even increase the city's police officer hiring goals; allocate funding for crime-fighting technology; fund and scale programs recommended by the Mayor's Task Force on Safe Communities; set aside money for hate-crime prevention and awareness efforts; and provide additional support for firefighters' health, safety, and equipment needs.
Property tax relief: Mayor Johnson wrote that it was "imperative that a tax-rate reduction is included" in the city manager's proposed budget considering soaring property values. "I am pleased that we have already supported increasing the senior homestead exemption this year, and I believe an across-the-board tax-rate reduction for all homeowners and renters — who bear the hidden cost burdens of hundreds of dollars every month in property taxes as part of their rent — is in the best interest of our residents and our city's growth in the years ahead," Mayor Johnson said in his memo.
Code Compliance: Mayor Johnson requested "a greater investment in code enforcement" to address ongoing and increased needs and areas of concern, such as short-term rentals, food trucks, blight remediation, environmental issues, and parking requirements.
Streets and sidewalks: The mayor requested a continued commitment to funding streets to at least a net-zero degradation level, to implementing the Sidewalk Master Plan, and to replacing aging traffic signals. The mayor also requested that the city's efforts be focused primarily on infrastructure deserts in traditionally underserved and overlooked communities — particularly in the areas where the Dallas Police Department has focused its violent-crime reduction efforts.
Inspector General: The Dallas City Council last December voted unanimously for the mayor's historic ethics reform proposal, which included the creation of the city's first-ever Inspector General Division. With the inspector general now in place, Mayor Johnson called for fully funding the new office to ensure it is able to effectively monitor, investigate, and prosecute any unethical behavior in city government.
"I have been proud of our efforts to build a safer, stronger, more vibrant, more dynamic, and more resilient city. But it is clear that our city government still has many basic needs to address. And as the sole citywide elected official, it is my responsibility to advocate for an annual budget that reflects the best interests of our entire city," Johnson wrote in a statement.
Earlier this week, City Manager T.C. Broadnax sent the mayor and city council a plan for his next 100 days. In June, Johnson called for the council to fire Broadnax, but the two later announced a plan to work together on issues facing the city.
The letter sent Tuesday listed five "high priority" areas Broadnax said would help the city "move forward through the end of the fiscal year":
- Development Services
- Public Safety
- Homeless and Housing Solutions
- Technology, Data Analytics, and Business Intelligence
- Communications and Engagement
"We are committed to streamlining the process, continuing efforts to keep our residents safe, reduce homelessness, improve our technology, and increase communications and community engagement. Over the next several months, we will make sure that these areas have ongoing attention in the biennial budget that is presented to the Dallas City Council in August," Broadnax wrote in the letter.
Broadnax is scheduled for an evaluation before the council in August as well.
After he presents his budget proposal to the council, the city will schedule public hearings before adopting the plan by the end of September.
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