Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is proposing changes to the city’s upcoming $5.2 billion budget, aiming to lower the property tax rate and fund aquatics programs in southern Dallas by eliminating the city’s four-member state lobbying team and closing the Skillman Southwestern Library branch.
These proposals would reverse decisions the majority of the City Council recently signaled it would support. Johnson’s amendments are among at least four budget proposals planned for discussion next week before the council finalizes the city’s spending plan for the next fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.
In a memo sent Friday to the City Council, Johnson outlined two amendments that would shift more than $725,000 to other priorities and reduce the property tax rate by 0.032 cents.
“While a 0.032¢ reduction may appear minor on its own, if each member proposes similar amendments — eliminating wasteful spending without affecting essential services like public safety and infrastructure maintenance — then we as a City Council can build off of the City Manager’s proposed 0.5¢ reduction and provide meaningful tax relief to our residents,” the mayor wrote.
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Johnson’s proposal would add his rate reduction to City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert’s recommendation, which would lower the property tax rate from the current 70.47 cents per $100 valuation to 69.97 cents. The Council previously set a maximum possible rate of 70.22 cents on Aug. 27. Under Tolbert’s proposed rate, a home valued at $382,010 — with a $175,000 homestead exemption — would see an average tax bill reduction of about $12.66 next year, though individual tax bills could still rise or fall depending on changes in home values.
The City Council is scheduled to make its last set of changes to the budget, set the property tax rate and vote on the final budget on Sept. 17.
Johnson’s proposal targets three of the four lobbyist contracts, which total $339,000 annually from the general fund. The fourth contract, funded through $60,000 in the Dallas Water Utilities Fund, would return to that fund under Johnson’s plan. During the Aug. 27 meeting, Johnson criticized the city’s lobbying team as “not very good” and questioned whether any of the lobbyists had the relationships or influence needed to secure results in Austin, such as getting phone calls returned by the governor, lieutenant governor or speaker of the house.
“We’ve got a problem with the whole lobby team in my opinion,” Johnson said. “And if you’re wondering why we’re not getting the results we’re wanting to get down in Austin, I don’t think you need to look any further than the lobby team, to be honest with you.”
While the City Council rejected a proposed pay raise for one of the lobbyists, Johnson and the 14 members unanimously approved renewing their contracts, each of which includes a single two-year renewal option.
On Sept. 3, the council signaled support — through a nonbinding straw vote — for using $386,612 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to keep the Skillman Southwestern Library branch open for another year. The funding was originally earmarked for a city program to help mostly southern Dallas homeowners connect septic systems to city water and sewer lines. Under the proposal, the library would operate three days a week for eight hours, down from its current five-day schedule. Last year, the council approved a similar amendment to keep the library open after Tolbert’s draft budget initially slated it for closure.
Johnson’s memo does not specify where in southern Dallas the ARPA funds from the library would be reallocated for aquatics programs. However, the proposal comes as city officials consider closing all nine of Dallas’ community pools over the next three years.
At least two other budget amendment proposals are planned to be heard next week. Council member Paula Blackmon, who represents the area where the Skillman Southwestern Library is located and proposed the amendment to keep it open, is suggesting shifting $90,589 in membership dues for the Texas Municipal League and Transportation Excellence for the 21st Century to increase funding for speed bumps, street pavement markings and crosswalks.
Council members Zarin Gracey and Lorie Blair have a joint proposal to reverse support for the $386,612 in ARPA funding for the Skillman Southwestern Library and return it to the city’s septic program.
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