The Charter Review Commission of Dallas is reviewing more than 120 proposed amendments to the City Charter, some of which could alter the “framework” of the Dallas government.
After three months of soliciting potential amendments, the Charter Review Commission has received 123 proposals to consider. The deadline for residents to submit amendments for consideration expired on January 19.
“We are making good progress,” said Allen Vaught, chairman of the commission, per a Wednesday news release from the City.
“These first two meetings have allowed us to dispense of some amendments that were not appropriate for a document like the Charter so that we can focus on the weighty amendment discussions in the weeks ahead,” Vaught continued. “I expect robust conversation as we go forward and look at important changes to make local government in Dallas fairer and more efficient.”
The commission voted on January 23 to exclude 24 amendments from further consideration after they were deemed inapplicable, according to the City release.
Over the next two months, commissioners will hear arguments over the remaining amendments being considered.
“The Commission has already indicated that several headline items, such as council term lengths and limits, council salary, and election date will be among the main focuses,” the City’s statement read.
As previously covered by The Dallas Express, several high-profile amendments pertaining to council member terms and municipal elections are being considered. Council Member Cara Mendelsohn submitted a series of amendments that would introduce term limits for council members and promote transparency around the City budget.
Commission and city council members will host town hall meetings to gather public input on the proposed amendments.
A comprehensive list of amendments being considered by the commission can be found here.
The Charter Review Commission will meet through the spring before finalizing a list of recommended amendments to the City Charter, which will then be presented to the Dallas City Council. The council will consider the commission’s recommendations and determine which amendments will go before Dallas voters for final approval.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the commission advanced nine amendments on January 11 that focused on “technical changes” to ensure the charter is aligned with changes to state law and case law.
