Dallas’s $5 billion budget and $8.2 billion debt demand City Council members with the integrity and skill to steward taxpayer dollars responsibly. Yet a litany of financial mismanagement—from Council Member Chad West’s ethics probe to a $5.7 million Fair Park discrepancy, the city manager’s admission of misspent funds, and now the $29 million Stemmons building debacle—reveals a City Hall failing its residents. With taxpayers already burdened by rising debt, Dallas deserves leaders who prioritize the public good, not personal or political gain.
Council Member Chad West’s Ethics Probe
Council Member Chad West, who represents District 1, is facing a Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) complaint filed on January 10, 2025. The complaint alleges he misused campaign funds and committed Category One violations—among the most serious under state ethics rules. West allegedly reported four expenditures in his July 2024 campaign finance report that could be classified as personal lifestyle expenses: a $502 payment to himself listed as “contract labor,” $96.58 at “The Pub on the Drive,” $20 at “Eagle Wilton Manors Bar,” and $139.52 at “Crew Club,” a D.C.-based men’s bathhouse.
The $502 self-payment may violate Texas laws against personal use of campaign funds and could result in fines up to $5,000 or three times the amount in question. If found to be intentional, West—who is an attorney—could face criminal penalties or even disbarment. He acknowledged the investigation during a recent appearance on the Let’s Talk Local podcast.
West’s transparency issues don’t end there. The City of Dallas campaign finance portal shows that he filed a multitude of correction affidavit in 2024 to fix a report. These affidavits—while legal—are part of a broader pattern of sloppy reporting that continues to plague City Hall. Residents can review his full affidavit history using the city’s public database.
The ‘Lemon on Stemmons’: A $29 Million Misstep
In April 2025, City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert released an after-action report detailing the city’s mishandling of the $29 million purchase and renovation of an office tower at 7800 N. Stemmons Freeway. The 11-story building, acquired in 2022 for $14.1 million with an additional $14.9 million spent on repairs and maintenance, was intended to house the Development Services Department and other city offices.
However, it was shuttered in April 2024 after 39 fire code violations were discovered, including an inoperable fire alarm on most floors. Employees were relocated, and the city continues to incur $73,000 monthly to maintain the vacant property.
The report acknowledges significant oversights in due diligence and planning, noting that a “surface-level review” by JLL Commercial Real Estate missed critical deficiencies in HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and ADA compliance. Additionally, the building lacked sufficient parking for the expected number of employees and city vehicles. Tolbert attributed the debacle to former leadership, including ex-City Manager T.C. Broadnax and former Development Services Director Andrew Espinoza, who are no longer with the city.
A Pattern of Mismanagement
These incidents are not isolated. In 2019, several council members—Tennell Atkins, Lee Kleinman, Scott Griggs, and Omar Narvaez among them—filed correction affidavits to address violations ranging from excessive donations to questionable contributions from minors. Despite the filings, few faced consequences.
In November 2024, as reported by DX, a developer pleaded guilty to bribing Council Members Carolyn King Arnold and Dwaine Caraway in exchange for favorable treatment on housing projects. The plea reignited long-standing concerns about corruption and transparency at City Hall.
City-wide mismanagement continues to surface. A 2024 audit revealed that Fair Park First and its operator Oak View Group misallocated $5.7 million in donor funds meant for capital improvements—like the long-promised Community Park—instead diverting the money to cover day-to-day operational costs. Council Member Adam Bazaldua condemned the breach of “public trust,” as $6 million in unpaid vendor invoices piled up. Interim City Manager Kimberly Tolbert promised urgent reforms, but accountability remains lacking.
Tolbert also recently admitted to another instance of misused public funds—described only as a “large sum”—as first reported by The Dallas Express. The details remain murky, but taxpayers should monitor the publication for updates on this potentially explosive disclosure.
Conclusion
Dallas’s $8.2 billion debt—spanning the city, county, and Dallas ISD—dwarfs its annual budget. Truth in Accounting gave the city a “D” grade for fiscal health. Ethical lapses and reckless spending continue to erode public confidence in a government that appears incapable of managing taxpayer dollars—or its own credibility.
The TEC’s probe into Chad West, the abundance of correction affidavits, and scandals like the Fair Park audit and the Stemmons building fiasco raise serious questions. Dallas needs leaders with the competence and ethics to manage billions responsibly. Until then, residents are right to doubt whether this council can fix the mess it helped create.