DALLAS—The Dallas City Council has approved and adopted a balanced budget of $5.20 billion for the 2025-26 fiscal year, which includes a reduction in the property tax rate for the tenth consecutive year. The budget passed on an 11-3 vote.
Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson, who voted against the budget, released a statement arguing that the budget "doesn't deliver meaningful tax relief for our residents."
"This is the first Dallas budget to exceed $5 billion," said Mayor Johnson. "To pass the largest budget in history without the City Council making a real effort to combat waste is unconscionable."
The new budget, which begins on October 1, totals $5.20 billion, with the General Fund at $1.9 billion, a 3.1% increase from the previous year.
A key focus of the budget is public safety. The combined budget for the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Fire-Rescue has been increased by $63.1 million. The city plans to hire 350 police recruits with the goal of ending the fiscal year with 3,424 officers, the highest number since 2016. The budget also allocates funds for a new Dallas Police academy at the University of North Texas-Dallas and increases city contributions to the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System.
For residents, the City Council approved a property tax rate reduction of 0.59¢, bringing the new rate to 69.88¢ per $100 valuation. The city also increased the property tax exemption for residents aged 65 and over or living with a disability from $153,400 to $175,000.
Mayor Johnson noted that he challenged his colleagues to identify and eliminate wasteful spending and commended several council members for proposing amendments to cut $6.5 million in spending. However, he said the council did not support the majority of the amendments, "resulting in a tax rate that remains too high, a rate reduction that will not offset rising property values, and higher tax bills for too many residents."
Other budget highlights include:
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Improving 750 street lane miles and roadway infrastructure.
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Investing in bike infrastructure to expand the city's bike network.
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Advancing the 2024 voter-approved bond program.
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Investing in housing for unsheltered residents and strengthening homeless prevention efforts.
"The newly created Committee on Government Efficiency now faces the crucial task of identifying and eliminating waste at City Hall wherever it can be found," Mayor Johnson concluded.
