The City of Dallas proposed $3.83-billion budget does not defund the police.
But it does manage to make relatively few cuts in the next year without raising the property tax rate and while adding funding for social services that could lead to crime prevention and fewer arrests.
The proposed budget would spend $5.8 million to make equitable investments in streets, and $9.4 million would go to implementing the city’s sidewalks plan. Another $2.9 million would be spent to bring water and wastewater to Dallas communities, such as Sandbranch, that don’t have access to those services.
Besides that, the city would add funding to expand the R.I.G.H.T. Care Program that responds mental health crises, divert drunk people and those with addictions from jail, create more youth programming, implementing new housing policies and many other tactics to relieve crime.
The budget does cut funding for bike infrastructure in half to $500,000.
Have your say on the proposed budget at a virtual town-hall meeting.
The city is expected to approve a budget on Sept. 23.
