DALLAS — The Dallas City Council approved the budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year on Wednesday.
The roughly $5 billion budget, which goes into effect Oct. 1, is the city's largest in 16 years and makes significant investments into public safety, along with a historic property tax rate cut.
The city council approved setting the property tax rate at 70.47 cents per $100 valuation, a decrease of 3.10 cents. City officials tout this as the largest single-year tax rate cut in Dallas’ modern history. It marks a savings of $62 per year on a $200,000 home.
The budget also includes a property tax exemption for residents who are age 65 and over or living with a disability from $139,400 to $153,400 for the sixth time since 2017, according to city officials.
Of the $4.97 billion budget total, the General Fund is $1.9 billion, which is $65.1 million, or 3.5% more than the budget adopted by the City Council last September. The General Fund budget includes a $78 million increase for the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Fire-Rescue, and the hiring of 250 police recruits, 63 firefighters, and four single-function paramedics.
“I am pleased to support a city budget that includes an historic property tax rate reduction for Dallas residents while prioritizing public safety, investing in parks, focusing on basic city services, and increasing government efficiency,” said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson.
There was a lot of discussion around the Skillman Southwestern Branch Library, which is funded for another year.
Despite the debate over using $485,000 in one-time funds for recurring expenses to maintain the library and its staff, city council member Paula Blackmon said she supported keeping the building open for now.
“Yes, it is a one time but as we’ve seen in the reports, we have a hard time closing a building. So maybe this gives us a year to figure out what we’re going to do because I’m not going to have what is happened in other parts in this," Blackmon said. "Yes, I’ve bought a year and they know it.”
On Dallas Police and Dallas Fire Rescue, the city also budgeted $38 million to cover pension shortfalls. Another $42 million is set aside for both police and fire to cover equipment and fleet upgrades.
Meanwhile, all other departments within the general fund would see a decrease in funding by a combined $13.5 million.
The budget also calls for:
- Increasing the minimum wage for city workers from $18.50 to $19.25 per hour in fiscal year 2024-25
- Funding to contribute to the city's effort to cut unsheltered homelessness 50% by 2026
- $48 million for park maintenance, including $1 million to operate and maintain new parks, trails, and facilities
- $129.5 million in funding for street improvement and maintenance of approximately 710 lane miles, alley maintenance, sidewalk projects, bridge maintenance, and more
- Investing $26.2 million to address City facility maintenance needs