DALLAS, Texas - Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson has outlined his priorities for the city's Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget, urging city leaders to reduce spending, protect core services and continue lowering the city's property tax rate without raising taxes.
In a memo to City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Johnson called on city staff to present a budget that eliminates unnecessary spending while maintaining public safety and other essential services. The city manager is expected to present the proposed budget to the Dallas City Council on Aug. 11, with council members expected to consider amendments before adopting the budget ahead of the Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year.
Johnson said the city faces increasing financial pressure from rising operating costs, lower-than-expected sales tax revenue and growing pension obligations.
"Our number one priority must be keeping Dallas safe," Johnson wrote. "That includes competitive pay for our police and firefighters, funding their pension plan, and increasing recruiting."
The mayor credited those investments with helping the city achieve five consecutive years of declining violent crime while emphasizing that public safety spending should continue to be managed efficiently.
Johnson also called for city leaders to continue reducing Dallas' property tax rate, saying higher taxes would place an unnecessary burden on residents and reduce the city's competitiveness with surrounding suburbs.
The mayor proposed several strategies to control spending, including reducing what he described as unnecessary bureaucracy, standardizing the city's vehicle fleet to lower maintenance and insurance costs, and reviewing services that could be provided by other government agencies or the private sector.
Among the examples cited in the memo, Johnson suggested Dallas County should oversee public health-related services currently provided by the city, while privately operated businesses could manage amenities such as Southern Skates.
He also encouraged city officials to identify new non-tax revenue sources, including expanding public-private partnerships, leasing space in public libraries to coffee shops or cafes, reviewing fees charged for city facilities and exploring technology such as smart loading zones that could generate additional revenue from commercial delivery vehicles.
Johnson further argued that non-residents should pay more to use city-supported attractions and facilities because Dallas taxpayers bear much of the cost of maintaining them. He specifically pointed to destinations such as the Dallas Zoo and the Dallas Arboretum, where he said residents currently pay the same admission prices as visitors from outside the city despite local taxpayers helping fund the attractions.
In the memo, Johnson said city government has grown beyond what is necessary and should refocus on its primary responsibilities, including public safety, streets, infrastructure, parks, planning and development, and code compliance.
"We are spending people's hard-earned money, and we should only spend as much of it as is absolutely necessary," Johnson wrote.
The Dallas City Council will review the proposed budget over the coming weeks before voting on a final spending plan that will take effect Oct. 1.
