Dallas leaders approve $5.66 billion budget after 14-hour debate

Dallas leaders approved a $5.66 billion budget Wednesday after 14 hours of debate and several revisions, with council members divided over spending priorities and cuts.

The budget passed 10-5 and takes effect Oct. 1.

"This year's budget was probably the most difficult budget the city has ever seen," council member Jesse Moreno said.

The spending plan increases funding for public safety, streets and other city services while also including cuts and layoffs.

Council member Adam Bazaldua said the budget does not reflect the priorities residents identified.

"We asked our residents lots of questions what their priorities are but those aren't really the things we funded," he said.

Moreno said the budget still invests in public safety, parks, libraries and city employees.

"But what we did do is fund public safety, increase funding for our parks and libraries and we invested in our people," Moreno said.

The budget includes an additional $82.3 million for police and fire, including funding to add 750 police officers over the next two years.

Starting pay for Dallas police officers will increase to $83,822.

The city also allocated $142.8 million for street improvements, with plans to improve or maintain 800 lane miles.

After a late-night vote, the council restored 25 library positions. Six city pools that had faced closure will also remain open.

The budget includes 108 layoffs of city workers.

The property tax rate will drop from 69.88 cents to 69.78 cents per $100 of valuation, marking the 11th consecutive annual reduction.

District 1 council member Chad West said Dallas has faced financial challenges, including stagnant property values.

"This year for Dallas has been a tough year. We are very much tied to our economy," West said.

He said the city also had to find $50 million in cuts to account for required increases in police pay.

"So with that being said, the city had the difficult job of finding $50 million in cuts given the required increases that we have to pay our police more," West said.

West said the average Dallas resident is unlikely to see major changes in city services as a result of the new budget.

"The average voter in Dallas, my neighbors here in Oak Cliff, we'll see that you're not going to see much change in terms of services. There's not going to be any extras added," he said.

The budget does not include funding to address deferred maintenance at Dallas City Hall.

That decision has drawn criticism from preservation advocates.

Sarah Crain with Preservation Dallas said the issue continues to be pushed back.

"And yet again, the can is being kicked down the road. So when we come back to this issue next year and no maintenance has been done," Crain said.

Crain said the lack of funding is concerning because deferred maintenance has been a priority in city discussions for about a year.

"And so, for the deferred maintenance not to be a priority, when it's been a priority for, gosh, about a year now, really feels like there is other conversations at play that maybe the public's not privy to," she said.

West acknowledged that deferred maintenance has not received the attention he believes it needs.

"Deferred maintenance is a category in the budget that never seems to get the attention it needs," West said.

However, he said the lack of funding in this year's budget does not mean City Hall is in immediate danger of being torn down. West said proceeds from the sale of city-owned real estate could eventually be used to help repair and restore the building.

"Any real estate that is sold that those proceeds could go to repairing City Hall and restoring it," West said.

The new budget takes effect Oct. 1.