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Where should Dallas tax dollars go? Here's how residents can help shape the city budget

Dallas City Hall building in downtown Dallas.
Yfat Yossifor
/
KERA
From Dallas City Hall to libraries and roadways, Dallas residents can tell their council members how to focus next year's budget. The city is scheduling multiple town halls.

Dallas residents have a chance to help shape their city's budget at a series of town halls this month.

City Council members from all fourteen districts will host town hall meetings from March 23 through March 26 for residents to weigh in on how they want their tax dollars spent.

The town halls are happening as city council members debate whether to invest millions of dollars into either keeping its current city hall building or relocating it elsewhere in downtown.

The Dallas City Council approved the $5.5 billion budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year in September, which included a lower property tax rate.

City staff were pushed to focus on spending cuts and prioritized street infrastructure and public safety.

There was debate during last year's budget season about funding for libraries and community pools. The city has looked at transitioning to a regional library model and has also considered decommissioning at least nine community pools due to aging.

Ultimately council members cut funds to the Skillman Southwestern Branch Library, closing it, and reallocated funds for community pools in the city's Southern sector.

Here's when Dallas budget town halls are happening:

Monday, March 23

  • District 1: 6 p.m. in-person, bilingual at Tyler Street Church 927 W. 10th St.
  • District 2: 6 p.m. in-person, bilingual at Samuell Grand Recreation Center 6200 E. Grand Ave.
  • District 9: 6:30 p.m., virtual, bilingual
  • District 10: 6:30 p.m., in-person at Lake Highlands North Recreation Center 9940 White Rock Trail
  • District 13: 6:30 p.m., virtual

Tuesday March 24

  • District 6: 6 p.m., virtual, bilingual
  • District 3: 6:30 p.m., in-person, bilingual at Park in the Woods Recreation Center 6801 Mountain Creek Pkwy.
  • District 5: 6:30 p.m., in-person, bilingual at Pleasant Grove Branch Library 7310 Lake June Rd.

Thursday March 26

  • District 8: 6 p.m., in-person, bilingual at Singing Hills Recreation Center 6805 Patrol Way
  • District 4: 6:30 p.m., in-person, bilingual at District 4 Community Office 4478 S. Marsalis Ave.
  • District 11: 6:30 p.m., in-person at Fretz Park Branch Library 6990 Belt Line Rd.
  • Districts 2,7,9,14: 6:30 p.m., virtual, bilingual
  • District 12: 7 p.m., in-person at Renner Frankford Branch Library 6400 Frankford Rd.

Got a tip? Email Megan Cardona at mcardona@kera.org.

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Megan Cardona is the Dallas Accountability Reporter for KERA News, covering city government and issues impacting Dallas residents. She was born and raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and previously worked at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.