Dallas voters supported more City accountability by voting to pass Propositions S and U on Election Day, but City Councilmember Paula Blackmon says these amendments could have unintended consequences.
Propositions S and U were two of three amendments calling for more City accountability, brought forth by Dallas HERO, a local nonprofit “focused on improving public safety and measures to hold our city leaders and city government accountable.”
Proposition S will eliminate government immunity and allow residents to file lawsuits against the City. Proposition U will ensure that the Dallas Police Department has at least 4,000 officers on staff, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
While many voiced their approval of these changes, Blackmon claimed over the weekend that issues would arise as a result of these propositions.
Blackmon explained that the price of adding new officers would likely exceed $175 million before accounting for training, which would add even more expenses to the already high price tag.
“But it means that you would have to get rid of your Parks Department, your libraries and 10 more million dollars,” Blackmon said, as reported by WFAA. “So, that library that I saved this past year, it’s the frog in the pot. People are going to experience a real hit to those quality of life things that make a city vibrant and viable.”
While Blackmon admits not all parks and libraries are likely to close, she says their combined cost is roughly equivalent to the money needed to support the new proposition.
“If you look at your own household income, and if you’re making cuts, you go okay, vacation’s off the table, right? You go, that car payment that has to be made, but you know what, I may not be driving it as much. So, you start looking at your budgets and what are those big pots,” said Blackmon.
Dallas HERO, for its part, says the shortfall can be covered by year-over-year revenue increases and prioritizing police funding until targets are met.
Blackmon says the City is investigating whether it has any legal recourse for opposing the greenlit propositions.
“Anything can happen when you go to the courts… But I think the voters have made it clear what they want from their city government,” said Blackmon, per WFAA.
Dallas HERO gathered almost 169,000 signatures to get the amendments on the ballot.
Although Blackmon pointed to some of the negative consequences of these amendments, many have taken a different approach and see these changes as necessary for the City.
The Dallas Express publisher Monty Bennett recently discussed these propositions and said he was “very pleased with the election results” because it will bring meaningful change.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for seeing the wisdom in these charter amendments. If I can make it so, DallasHERO will not stop fighting for your priorities, because no one else will,” Bennett said.