Dallas budget town halls give residents a say before September votes

Dallas residents will have multiple opportunities to comment on the city’s proposed FY 2026-27 spending plan at in-person and virtual town halls scheduled from August 11 through August 25.

The meetings are part of the public input phase, not the final budget vote. Residents can weigh in on how city tax dollars should be spent, including priorities such as public safety, streets, sidewalks, alleys, homelessness response and sanitation service.

Town hall schedule

The official city schedule lists these meetings:

Tuesday, August 11: District 1 at 6 p.m. at Tyler Street Church, 927 W. 10th St.; District 3 at 6 p.m. at Thurgood Marshall Recreation Center, 5150 Mark Trail Way; District 9 at 6 p.m. at Lochwood Branch Library, 11221 Lochwood Blvd.; District 13 at 6 p.m. at Walnut Hill Recreation Center, 10011 Midway Road; District 14 at 6 p.m. at Oak Lawn Branch Library, 4100 Cedar Springs Road; District 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the District 4 Community Office, 4478 S. Marsalis Ave.; District 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Fretz Park Branch Library’s Black Box Theater, 6990 Belt Line Road; and District 12 at 7 p.m. at Renner Frankford Branch Library, 6400 Frankford Road.
Thursday, August 13: District 2 at 5:30 p.m. at Samuell-Grand Recreation Center, 6200 E. Grand Ave.; District 6 at 6 p.m. virtually; District 8 at 6 p.m. virtually; and District 9 at 6:30 p.m. virtually.
Monday, August 17: District 3 at 6 p.m. virtually; District 6 at 6 p.m. at West Dallas Multipurpose Center, 2828 Fish Trap Road; District 8 at 6 p.m. at Singing Hills Recreation Center, 6805 Patrol Way; Districts 9 and 14 together at 6 p.m. at Lakewood Branch Library, 6121 Worth St.; and District 11 at 6:30 p.m. virtually through Teams.
Tuesday, August 18: Districts 2 and 6 at 6 p.m. at KB Polk Recreation Center, 6801 Roper St.; District 7 at 6 p.m. at Exline Recreation Center, 2525 Pine St.; and Districts 10 and 13 at 6 p.m. virtually.
Thursday, August 20: District 2 at 5 p.m. virtually; District 10 at 6 p.m. at Willie B. Johnson Recreation Center, 12225 Willowdell Drive; District 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Dallas College Pleasant Grove Center, Room 108, 802 S. Buckner Blvd.; and District 12 at 7 p.m. virtually through Teams.
Monday, August 24: District 1 at noon virtually and at 6 p.m. at Tyler Street Church; District 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the District 4 Community Office; District 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Fretz Park Branch Library; and District 12 at 7 p.m. at Renner Frankford Branch Library.
Tuesday, August 25: District 3 at 6 p.m. virtually; District 6 at 6 p.m. at West Dallas Multipurpose Center; District 8 at 6 p.m. at Singing Hills Recreation Center; Districts 9 and 14 at 6 p.m. at Lakewood Branch Library; and District 11 at 6:30 p.m. virtually.

The schedule marks selected meetings for Spanish-language accommodation and identifies some meetings as English only. Virtual meetings use Webex or Teams, depending on the listing. Residents should use the city’s official budget town hall instructions for joining information. To request oral interpretation in another language, the city directs residents to contact its listed language-access email address.

Why the budget matters now

The City Manager’s Recommended Budget is scheduled for presentation to the City Council on August 11. That presentation starts the next stage of the process but does not enact the budget.

A May city update said the planned FY 2026-27 all-funds budget totals $5.39 billion, including a $2.05 billion General Fund. Updated forecasts showed the upcoming General Fund budget was currently out of balance because revenue growth was slowing while costs were rising. The city said those assumptions would be refined before the recommended budget presentation.

City priorities identified in the May update included public safety, streets, sidewalks, alley maintenance and homelessness response. The update also said a majority of council members favored maintaining the current property-tax rate, but that statement describes an expressed preference rather than a final tax-rate decision.

What happens after the town halls

After the recommended budget is presented, council members are scheduled to hold budget workshops and consider amendments. The city calendar lists a budget public hearing for August 26. September workshops are scheduled for additional amendments and final action, including adoption of the budget and tax rate on September 16.

That means residents’ comments at the August town halls can address priorities and service levels while the proposal is still subject to revision. No specific budget cuts, tax-rate change, fee increase or service reduction has been approved by the information reviewed for this article.

Sanitation rates and the alley-to-curb transition

Dallas Sanitation Services says it expects to propose tiered monthly rates for alley and curbside collection as part of the City Manager’s Recommended FY 2026-27 Budget. The city’s resident information page says the rate details will be published after the proposal is presented; the rates are not enacted policy.

The proposal is connected to a limited Alley-to-Curb transition. The city says about 200 alley blocks, affecting approximately 6,000 homes, are expected to move from alley collection to curbside service beginning February 1, 2027. That represents about 2% of sanitation customers, while approximately 98% are expected to see no change under the current plan.

The city says affected homes will receive written notice, keep the same collection day and begin placing garbage and recycling carts at the curb in front of the home instead of in the alley. Residents can use the city’s address-lookup information to check whether a property is included. Free cart assistance is available for eligible customers with disabilities who cannot move carts and have no household help.

What residents can address

Residents can use the town halls to comment on spending priorities, public safety, infrastructure maintenance, homelessness response, sanitation service, possible rates and the service levels they want the city to preserve or improve.

The August 3 Finance Committee meeting is related context but separate from the town halls. KERA reported that the committee was scheduled to discuss potential changes to the city’s Financial Management and Performance Criteria and issues involving city-owned property. That meeting should not be treated as a final FY 2026-27 budget decision.

Residents should check the official schedule and participation instructions before attending, particularly if they need virtual access or language interpretation.

Sources

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