Dallas OKs Pay Raises for Police, Fire in New Budget

In an 11-2 vote, the Dallas City Council passed a new property tax rate and a new city budget that increases police and fire pay.

According to the plan, base pay rises to $60,000 and sworn personnel already  making more than that base rate get a 3 percent raise across the board.

City leaders who approved the budget hoped the increase will help retain and hire more officers.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and councilman Lee Kleinman voted no.

Kleinman cited an increase in the arrest of police officers including Officer Amber Guyger who shot and killed a man in his own apartment by mistake. Kleinman said city support for public safety unions is "shameful."

"When our community is in the streets asking for justice, it just does not seem appropriate to reward that kind of behavior with an increase across the board," Kleinman said. "How can we stand with our citizens while Kowtowing to these bullies in these unions?"

Mayor Rawlings has said in the past the budget increase is too large and the tax rate reduction should have been larger.

The property tax rate was reduced, but only slightly.

Most council members said the money is needed for quality services that residents demand.

No public speakers complained about the budget on Tuesday.

"The reason you don’t see people down here telling us they want a tax cut is because they don’t," Councilman Philip Kingston said. "It’s not because they're apathetic. It’s because our citizens understand the value that they’re getting for the money that they’re paying. They understand the city’s portion of their property tax bill is the smallest portion."

The public safety pay increases will be added in January.