City Budget Update

Dallas City Council nudges along 2014-15 budget process with life-saving compromise

Following some dramatic spreadsheet action, the City of Dallas budget for 2014-15 moved another step forward on September 3 with the approval of an amendment that scored increases for a couple of causes, including libraries and animal services.

The amendment was hammered out by Dallas City Council members Scott Griggs and Tennell Atkins and City Manager A.C. Gonzalez. Some council members, including Griggs and Philip Kingston, were not satisfied with the budget proposal presented by Gonzalez on August 12, one that came up short on funding for high-profile departments such as animal services.

Griggs created a spreadsheet showing areas where monies could be pulled, and a resolution was reached. Griggs posted a summary on his Facebook page that listed cutbacks, including a reduction of back-office staff by $500,000, as well as new allotments, including $300,000 each for the library and Dallas Animal Services, and $225,000 for "arts funding."

"It is not everything we wanted, but it has eight votes and will set us up for improvements in the budgeting process for next year," Griggs said, who posted the official letter from Gonzalez to the city council that summarized the final terms.

The money for the library would increase funding for operations, including self-service computers, scanners and copiers. All library branches would get Wi-Fi by the end of October. The money for Dallas Animal Services would fill vacant positions, including 10 animal control officers, as well as reduce the number of loose animals.

Among the trims made to find more money was the elimination of some back-office positions — eliminations that showed some pretty good salaries if you work for the City of Dallas. One such position that will not be filled was a public information coordinator to respond to open-records requests, a position that would have commanded a salary of $51,091.

The compromise received eight signatures from city council members Tennell Atkins, Scott Griggs, Sandy Greyson, Philip Kingston, Lee Kleinman, Jennifer Staubach Gates, Adam Medrano and Rick Callahan necessary to move it forward, although that did not include a signature from Gonzalez. The full budget will be voted on in the next two weeks.

The budget amendment means increased resources for Dallas Animal Services.

Photo courtesy of Dallas Animal Services

The budget amendment means increased resources for Dallas Animal Services.

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DPD News

Dallas signs off on lease on UNT campus for police training academy

DPD

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The Dallas City Council approved a lease with the University of North Texas Dallas campus for a proposed Dallas Police Training Academy. The lease paves the way for the development of a new Law Enforcement Training Center and Criminal Justice Center on a 20-acre site at UNT-Dallas, part of the City’s efforts to modernize police training and deepen academic partnerships.

The new facility, which was first proposed in 2021, will house the Dallas Police Department’s Basic and In-Service Training Academy, along with a Criminal Justice Center, creating a centralized, state-of-the-art campus for officer development.

Training spaces will include modern classrooms, indoor simulation labs, and areas for defensive tactics instruction.

“This partnership reflects our commitment to preparing officers through modern, state of the art, community-connected training,” said Dominique Artis, Dallas Chief of Public Safety. “The combination of a police academy and Criminal Justice Center at a university campus enhances recruitment, education, and public trust.”

Benefits of the Law Enforcement Training Center and Criminal Justice Center include

Academic Partnership: Collaboration with UNT-Dallas opens doors for research, continuing education, and career pathways for both officers and students alike - creating a pipeline to future cadets and expanding opportunities for local talent
.Modern Training Facilities: The campus will feature simulation environments, flexible classroom space, and the latest instructional technology.
Strategic Location: As the first police training academy in southern Dallas, the project brings long-term public investment to the area.
Dual-Campus Model: This site complements a planned Public Safety Complex elsewhere in Dallas that will serve as a field training location for both DPD and Dallas Fire-Rescue.

According to KERA, the training academy is estimated to cost $185 million, plus $90 million for the public safety complex, for a total of $275 million. There is currently $96.5 million committed including $50 million from the 2024 Bond Program passed by the voters in May 2024, along with state grants, money from the Caruth Fund at Communities Foundation of Texas, and private fundraising commitments. Construction is expected to begin in 2026.

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