May-be Voting 🥱

If history is any guide, voter turnout for this Saturday’s Dallas City Council elections will be abysmal, likely somewhere between 5 and 10 percent of registered voters.

By this measure of civic engagement, Dallas is a national embarrassment, consistently ranking among the worst cities in the country.

Thankfully, a push to move our municipal elections to November is closer than ever to becoming reality.

It has been a long journey.

Entering his last full year as Dallas mayor in May 2018, my then-boss Mike Rawlings decided that one of his final big goals was to move our elections to November, as D Magazine reported at the time.

A November election would guarantee increased turnout. More voters is good for democracy. It was “real simple,” as Rawlings likes to say about things that often are not actually simple (I served as his chief of policy and communications from 2015 - 2019).

After some research, we discovered that making the change would require three approvals: from the City Council, City of Dallas voters, and the Texas Legislature. A bill to allow the change for Dallas fizzled out in the final days of the 2019 state legislative session.

But the fight continued, with one of the leading political minds in Dallas, David de la Fuente, taking the mantle and pushing his Oak Cliff Council Member Chad West to do the same.

Opponents of the concept have historically pushed back on holding nonpartisan mayor and city council elections at the same time as partisan elections. To ease those concerns, while still ensuring increased turnout, advocates compromised and proposed the elections be moved to November of odd-numbered years.

In 2023, West appointed de la Fuente to represent their district on the City’s Charter Review Commission. De la Fuente made it his mission to let Dallas voters weigh in on the change in last November’s Charter election. With added backing from a coalition led by North Dallas Chamber of Commerce Chief Operating Officer Jeff Kitner, Dallas City Council members sent the issue to the voters, who approved the measure overwhelmingly.

Now, state Senators Nathan Johnson and Royce West, and Rep. Rafael Anchia are carrying identical bills to allow for the move. The senate bill passed 30-0. The House version is pending before a committee.

If the legislation becomes law, all that would remain is for Dallas City Council members to approve an ordinance moving elections to November of odd years. Kitner, a candidate for Dallas City Council District 11, may find himself in position to cast that critical vote alongside West and the rest of the City Council members in time for the 2027 mayor and city council elections.

Early voting leading up to what will hopefully be our last May election runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow and Tuesday. Election Day is Saturday, May 3.

You can read more about who is on the ballot in my “Candidates of Interest” series here.

📖 Table of Contents

• 📰 Highlights From Last Week's Meetings

• 📝 Memos of Interest

• 🤝 Meetings of Interest: April 28 - May 2

  • Tuesday, April 29

    • DART Committee-of-the-Whole

    • DART Board of Directors

    • Shared Dockless Vehicles Public Hearing

  • Thursday, May 1

    • DFW Airport Board

    • Dallas Park & Recreation Board

📰 Highlights From Last Week’s Meetings of Interest

• City Council members are considering a crackdown on Christmas lights for displays that cause major traffic congestion and draw police response. But Quality of Life, Arts, and Culture Committee Chair Paul E. Ridley cautions against becoming “Grinches.” The discussion is expected to continue before this committee in June.

• Dallas City Council members on Wednesday approved:

  • Item 2, preliminary adoption of the nearly $30 million budget for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development annual grants. A public hearing is set for May 28 to receive comments on the proposed use of funds.

  • Item 23, a $7 million loan agreement with an affiliate of developer Sycamore Strategies, LLC, for the development of a 48-unit affordable housing complex at a building along the Dallas North Tollway that once housed the Braniff Hostess College.

  • Item 26 to amend the City’s commercial remodel fee structure to correct a fee calculation error that resulted in a loss of millions of dollars in anticipated fee revenues.

  • Item 38 authorizing a public hearing on May 14 to receive comments on amending the Downtown Connection Tax Increment Financing District to facilitate a nearly $30 million development agreement for a new fire station. The station would replace the one currently located at 660 North Griffin Street. The new station No. 18 would be located west of Field Street between San Jacinto and Patterson streets.

  • Item 39, a nearly $3 million City contract with nonprofit Housing Forward to continue the Street to Home initiative to rehouse people experiencing homelessness. The initiative has housed more than 180 people from Downtown public spaces since last year.

  • Items 49 and 50, authorizing the City to spend up to $51.7 million to purchase part of developer Ray Washburne’s former Dallas Morning News property for the redevelopment of the Downtown convention center. Washburne was reportedly in the process of selling the property to a data firm. Read more from KERA.

  • Item 53, the appointment of new DART Board member Maureen Milligan, a former city official

  • Item 57 to reappoint City Auditor Mark S. Swann to another two-year term with an annual base salary of $214,240.

• Dallas City Council members punted to May 14 a decision on pay raises for City Secretary Bilierae Johnson, City Auditor Mark S. Swann, and City Attorney Tammy L. Palomino.

• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) on Thursday announced the promotion of Chris McLaughlin to be the airport’s next Chief Executive Officer. McLaughlin will succeed current CEO Sean Donohue, who is retiring after more than a decade leading DFW. McLaughlin most recently served as the airport’s executive vice president of operations since 2021. The appointment is effective May 19.

📝 Memos of Interest

• The City’s Office of Economic Development just released these handy new fact sheets about the City (see above) and each City Council district, based on 2024 data.

• Here’s a breakdown of millions of dollars in project funding requests (commonly referred to as “earmarks”) City Hall sent to various Dallas Congressional delegation members.

• Here’s the complete City Manager memo packet for Friday, April 25, 2025

🤝 Meetings of Interest: April 28 - May 2

Tuesday, April 29

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Committee-of-the-Whole, 1 p.m., DART Conference Room C - 1st Floor, DART HQ, 1401 Pacific Ave., Dallas

• Agency officials will present a preliminary $18.2 million FIFA 2026 World Cup service plan, with heavy use of the Trinity Railway Express train, buses, and light rail. Nine matches are being played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, with the Fan Festival held in Fair Park, and the International Broadcast Center hosted at the Downtown convention center. Read more.

• DART may soon enter into agreements with its service area cities to contribute to Tax Increment Financing Districts that include a transit anchor and comply with other DART guidelines. Read more.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Board of Directors’ Meeting, 6 p.m., Board Room, DART HQ, 1401 Pacific Ave., Dallas

• Board members are expected to vote whether to exercise a one-year option on a transit security officer contract, for an additional $8.2 million. The additional officers help protect DART properties and riders on trains, streetcars, buses, etc.

Shared Dockless Vehicles Public Hearing, 6 p.m., L1FN Auditorium, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St. (Teams link here)

• This hearing will include discussion of proposed rule changes for electric scooters, as well as open comments from operators and the public.

• Want to speak? Email [email protected] or call 214-670-3111 by 6 p.m. tomorrow.

Thursday, May 1

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Board, 8 a.m., Board Room, DFW Airport HQ Building, 2400 Aviation Drive, DFW Airport, TX 75261

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

• Board members (including me) will continue deliberations on a recommended budget allocation for fiscal 2025-26.

🗣️ Quote of Interest

Did I miss anything? Do you have any questions? Just want to talk about meetings and memos and other fun stuff? Hit me up.