Dallas

Among Dallas Mayor's Budget Priorities is Property Tax Relief for Owners, Renters

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson wrote a memo Thursday listing his priorities for next year's budget, the city said

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson speaks during a news conference on March 13, 2020, the morning after the county's declaration of a public health emergency.
NBC 5 News

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson announced Thursday his top priorities for next year's fiscal budget.

According to a press release from the City of Dallas, the mayor sent a memo outlining his top five general fund priorities to City Manager T.C. Broadnax. The city manager is expected to deliver the proposed budget on Aug. 6, which will then be voted on and take effect on Oct. 1.

"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," said Johnson.

The city says the priorities Johnson listed in his memo are as follows:

  • Public safety: Johnson requested the budget maintain or 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; and provide additional support for firefighters' health, safety, and equipment needs.
  • Property tax relief: "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," Johnson said in his memo.
  • Code Compliance: 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, implementing the Sidewalk Master Plan, and to replacing aging traffic signals. Johnson also requested a primary focus on infrastructure deserts in traditionally underserved and overlooked communities - particularly where DPD has focused its violent-crime reduction efforts.
  • Inspector General: Dallas City Council unanimously voted in December for the mayor's historic ethics reform proposal which created the city's first-ever Inspector General Division. The inspector general is now in place and Johnson is calling for full funding for the new office to ensure it is able to effectively monitor, investigate, and prosecute any unethical behavior in city government.

The mayor's priorities included only discretionary general fund items paid for primarily by taxes rather than fees. The city said that in his memo, Johnson also called for a continued focus on other top issues, such as permitting improvements, which are paid for through an enterprise fund.

"Dallas is the place to be right now," Johnson said. "And through the next fiscal year's budget, we can provide even greater safety and opportunity for our city's residents."

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