Sunday, November 17, 2024

Good evening:

Opponents of City Charter Proposition S and U — including Downtown Dallas, Inc. (DDI) — warned the proposals would bring financial chaos upon Dallas City Hall.

Just nine days after voters approved the two amendments, those fears are being realized. Late Thursday, City officials received word that Moody’s Investors Service had revised the City’s General Obligation outlook from stable to negative.

“The negative outlook reflects the expected credit impact of Proposition U, which will reduce the city’s fiscal flexibility and increase the pension liability,” the report notes.

Proposition U mandates the City allocate 50% of new revenues every year to the struggling Dallas Police and Fire Pension System (DPFPS) and other public safety priorities, including increased police pay and the hiring of 900 new officers. Dallas already settled on a long-term plan to fund the pension, so the Charter mandate is an unnecessary complication.

The Moody’s report notes that “at a time when operating expenses are growing especially for public safety, the proposition constrains the city’s financial flexibility.”

Former Dallas mayor Tom Leppert, one of the leaders of the campaign against the propositions, says the outlook will have real consequences.

“The action taken by Moody’s will impact our ability to attract businesses and increase City expenses, which will be borne by the taxpayers of Dallas,” Leppert said. “Unfortunately, this is probably only the beginning.”

Moody’s makes no mention of Proposition S, which is also certain to negatively impact City operations. The measure allows any Dallas resident or business owner to sue City Hall over any perceived violation of City or State laws.

City leaders have been working diligently for years to stabilize the pension, which nearly collapsed because of a history of questionable investments under prior leadership.

The non-Dallas residents who funded and ran the campaign for Propositions S and U claimed they would make the City safer and more accountable, and help secure the pension. Instead, they are already having the opposite effect.

Voters were warned.

Read on for more on:

• Continued struggles with Dallas Police 911 response times.

• Why you might be seeing robots on Downtown sidewalks soon.

• A proposed $49 million deal for a West End residential development.

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⚡ Highlights From Last Week’s Meetings of Interest:

— Dallas City Council members on Wednesday:

• Approved an initial $7.55 million Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) contract with Trinity Alliance Ventures, LLC, for the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas redevelopment. DDI President & CEO Jennifer Scripps spoke at City Council in favor of the contract with a joint venture led by two DDI member companies, AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction.

• Voted to repeal sections of a 1988 City ordinance that set a goal for Dallas to staff three police officers per 1,000 citizens. Backers of Charter Propositions S and U cited this ordinance as evidence that Dallas is not following its own laws related to police staffing.

• Approved item 44, a $626,000 two-year professional services contract with Gresham Smith for a Dallas Streetcar Operations and Maintenance (O&M) study, which DDI has long supported.

— Dallas area residents want more regional transportation options, according to a North Central Texas Council of Governments survey discussed during a public meeting last Monday. The Dallas Morning News reports on the survey results, which comes as some cities are pushing to cut Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) funding.

Thanks to DDI's Nikia Summerlin, Urban Planning Manager, for monitoring hours of meetings every week and contributing to these summaries.

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📝 Memos of Interest:

— Overall crime in Dallas is down by nearly 10 percent as compared to the same time last year, according to the latest Dallas Police Department data. Police response times also continue to improve as compared to last year, though the department is still falling far short of response time goals.

— Avride six-wheeled delivery robots (pictured) will be mapping Downtown sidewalks in the coming months, with plans to deploy for Uber and Uber Eats deliveries in the near future, according to this memo. The City Council Public Safety Committee will get a Dec. 9 briefing on the robots and potential ways to regulate them.

— Nearly $19 million in “discretionary” City Council bond funds remain available from the 2017 and 2012 bond programs, according to this memo.

— Jake Anderson has been appointed interim director of the Office of Government Affairs (OGA), according to this memo. A top deputy in the department since last year, Jake oversaw the year-long Charter Review process. He replaces Carrie Rogers.

— The City Manager’s Office is exploring ways to make the Council Chambers better accessible for seniors and those with physical challenges, according to this memo.

— Check out all City Manager Memos here.

Meetings of Interest: Nov. 18 - 22, 2024

Watch City of Dallas Meetings Live

Tuesday, November 19

City Council Ad Hoc Canvassing Committee, 8:30 a.m., 5ES, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

— This is (usually) a routine step in the process of certifying the Nov. 5 election results.

Special Called Dallas City Council Meeting, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

— City Council members will vote whether to accept the results of the Nov. 5 election.

— Also on the agenda is the appointment of an interim Inspector General reporting directly to the City Council. Voters earlier this month approved the independent position in the Charter. The position previously reported to the city attorney.

City Center TIF District Board of Directors, 11 a.m., 6DN Conference Room, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

— Board members will consider a $49 million subsidy for the West End Lofts development, a mixed-use, mixed-income, and transit-oriented development at 805 Elm Street, 711 Elm Street, and 211 N. Austin Street. Read more about the project in documents submitted to the City earlier this year.

Wednesday, November 20

City Council Ad Hoc Judicial Nominating Committee, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

— Committee members will consider Judicial Nominating Commission recommendations for Municipal and Associate Judge positions.

Thursday, November 21

City Plan Commission, 9 a.m. Briefing, 12:30 p.m. Public Hearing, Council Chambers 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

— Item 19 is a proposed new subdistrict to allow for a supergraphic advertising sign on the east wall of The Lawyers Building on Main St. near S. Austin St.

Dallas Park & Recreation Board, 10 a.m., 6FN Conference Room, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

— Board members will consider an agreement for Dallas County to provide $250,000 for Klyde Warren Park maintenance and improvements.

— The Board (on which I serve) will also be briefed on design for the planned Fair Park community park.

Did we miss anything? Do you have any questions? Just want to talk about meetings? Let me know.

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Have a great week.

Best,

Scott Goldstein

Communications & Government Relations Consultant

Downtown Dallas, Inc.