For the second year in a row Dallas must look for ways to cut the budget or risk operating in the red. Last year city management was able to balance the budget with a range of maneuvers but the gap covered was half as large as this year’s and the economy was not in near the shape it is today.
Right now deep budget cuts are expected across all city departments up to and including layoffs and pay cuts. These cuts do not include emergency services.
This time last year hiking existing fees and creating new ones went a long way towards bridging the $50 million gap in Dallas’ city budget but fees alone will not put a dent in this year’s projected $100 million shortfall.
Right now city officials claim tax hikes are not on the table, nor should they be. Texans are on alert during this political season and are not open to the idea of new taxes being created to address the obvious shortcomings of a city gone wrong.
Meanwhile, the city is the final stages of signing a deal with Omni to construct a Dallas Convention Center hotel. The idea here is clear, build it and tax dollars will come. Might be a good adapted line from Field of Dreams but it does not constitute good policy or use of taxpayer dollars.
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