Civic Transparency
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Budget & taxes

What Dallas adopted—and what residents pay

The adopted budget, tax rate, and fees stay separate from contracts and money already paid.

What changed

$51M shortfall during planning → adopted budget

Dallas began budget planning with a projected $51M gap. Council adopted the later budget as amended on September 16. “Balanced” does not mean no cuts, fee changes, or service changes.

$51M gapEarlier planning estimateBudget adoptedFinal motion capped it at $5.974B
Gap source ↗Current City budget page ↗

Current adopted budget

What is happening now

Approved spending, commitments, and year-end estimates are different numbers.

2025–26 budget year · report through Apr. 30Adopted budget—now being tracked

Forecast is not final spending.

Approved budget$1.963BGeneral Fund spending plan
By Apr. 30$1.078Bspent or committed
Expected by year-end$1.976BDallas estimate for Sep. 30

The middle number combines money already spent with purchase orders Dallas has promised to pay. It is not all cash already paid.

Revenue is expected to match the latest budgetDallas expects spending to finish $12.8M above the latest approved budget.
Largest expected differences

Why departments may finish over or under budget

Compared with the latest approved budget
Dallas Fire-RescueOvertime and medical exams.
+$8.4M
Dallas PoliceOvertime, recruiting, and academy timing.
+$6.3M
Facilities & Real EstateHVAC failures, temporary rentals, and brokerage.
+$2.1M
Dallas Animal ServicesCruelty and public-safety demand.
+$1.2M
Office of Arts & CultureContract staffing and event security.
+$557.8K
Environmental Quality & SustainabilityVacancies and deferred work.
−$891.4K
Official department table ↗
Property-tax rate$0.7047 → $0.6988

Rate down 0.84% (−$5.90 per $100K taxable value). A bill can still rise if taxable value rises. Dallas budgeted $63.7M more total revenue.

Who approved it?11 yes · 3 no · 1 absent
See voters

Next seat election: November 2, 2027 · Running status unknown.

Yes11

  • Chad WestDistrict 1
  • Zarin D. GraceyDistrict 3
  • Maxie JohnsonDistrict 4
  • Jaime ResendezDistrict 5
  • Laura CadenaDistrict 6
  • Adam BazalduaDistrict 7
  • Paula BlackmonDistrict 9
  • Kathy StewartDistrict 10
  • William RothDistrict 11
  • Gay Donnell WillisDistrict 13
  • Paul E. RidleyDistrict 14

No3

  • Eric JohnsonMayor · Citywide (Place 15)
  • Jesse MorenoDistrict 2
  • Cara MendelsohnDistrict 12

Absent1

  • Lorie BlairDistrict 8
Official council roles ↗Election resolution ↗
Official adoption page ↗
Open April report ↗

Adopted budget + proposal archive

What changed—and what still needs reconciliation

Council adopted the budget as amended. The searchable 233-row table remains the City Manager's original proposal until Dallas publishes the final adopted book.

2026–27 budget yearAdopted as amended

Council approved the budget, tax rate, and fee ordinance Sept. 16

Original proposal changes$35.9M233 City Manager changes combined
Fee comparisons123104 up · 6 down · 13 same
Typical household example−$48.92per year in Dallas's example
Official sources checked33monitored records for this site
By City priority

Total proposed funding change

Added, reduced, and moved money combined
Safe
+$70.1M
Vibrant
-$15M
Growing
-$2.3M
Livable
-$2.3M
Sustainable
-$12.8M
Fiscally Sound
-$1.8M
Organizational Support
-$36.8K

A negative amount can mean money moved or delayed—not always a service cut. Open an item for Dallas's explanation.

Adopted September 16

What Council made final

Final motion cap$5.974B$5,974,342,745
Property-tax rate$0.6978per $100 taxable value
Added tax revenue$76.26Mgeneral + debt service
Fee ordinanceApprovedmost sections effective after publication

Why another City document says $5.9726B: the printed agenda carried $5,972,586,745. Council's final motion added $1,756,000 for amendments, making the cap $5,974,342,745. Ordinance 33562 contains the enacted line items.

Final motion video and transcript ↗Adopted budget ordinance ↗Adopted tax rate ↗Adopted fee ordinance ↗
Proposed byCity Manager

Submitted the recommended budget.

Approved byDallas City Council

Adopted as amended September 16.

Handled byNamed department

Each item shows its responsible department.

Every displayed amount links to an official page. Detailed tables below preserve the original proposal until Dallas publishes the final adopted budget book. Open the complete 774-page proposal ↗