A local nonprofit is harnessing the power of the people to advocate for change in the City of Dallas.
According to a press release from earlier this week, Dallas HERO is a 501(c)(4) organization made up of local business leaders and residents working to bring citizen-powered amendments to the Dallas City Charter. It is focused on improving public safety and measures to hold City leaders and local government accountable.
The organization, described as “politically agnostic” on its website, claims the changes it advocates for will improve the quality of life for all Dallas residents.
“I believe that when we unite for change, championing citizen-driven amendments and demanding accountability, we don’t just revive a city — we redefine its destiny,” said Stefani Carter, the honorary chair of Dallas HERO, in a statement.
Carter is a Harvard-educated lawyer and former two-term Dallas-area state legislator. She said the coalition’s goal is to empower citizens and hold government leaders accountable.
The organization has outlined three proposed charter amendments.
“After speaking with over 100 civic leaders and business leaders in Dallas, I formulated the different charter amendments based on feedback,” Carter said in an interview with The Dallas Express.
“Those meetings … really helped inform the intent and the language of the proposed charter amendments, which evolved over time,” said Carter.
Increase Public Safety
Dallas HERO has proposed an amendment to increase the number of DPD sworn officers from 3,000 to at least 4,000, maintaining a ratio of just over three officers per 1,000 Dallas residents going forward.
Staffing shortages have been a long-running issue in the city of Dallas, leading to an alarming increase in police response times over the last few years, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. A prior City analysis recommended that Dallas maintain a ratio of over 3 officers per 1,000 Dallas residents to meet optimal emergency response times.
The amendment stipulates that salary and benefits for Dallas police should be on par with those of the top-paying police departments in North Texas in order to attract quality candidates for hire.
In a citywide poll of Dallas voters, 54% favored this amendment.
City Leader Accountability
The second amendment proposal focuses on accountability for the city manager, a position that is filled through appointment by the city council and not by voters and pays more than the salary of the president of the United States.
In a poll taken by Dallas HERO, 59% of citywide voters agreed that the Dallas City Charter should be amended to require an annual community survey of the City’s services, the results of which will determine the city manager’s compensation and whether they will remain in the position.
The city manager’s performance compensation would be weighed according to metrics that impact the quality of life of Dallas residents, such as homelessness, panhandling, cleanliness, crime, and street repair and condition.
The stated goals of this amendment are to provide the type of accountability everyday residents face in their day-to-day jobs and reward excellence.
This amendment was favored by 59% of voters who responded to the organization’s poll.
Citizen Enforcement
The third proposed amendment would grant citizens the power to go to court to force government officials and staff to follow the laws set forth in the City Charter and City Code, as well as the laws of the State of Texas. It would do so by waiving the City’s governmental immunity to suits and liability, allowing citizens to hold officials accountable.
Additionally, the same poll showed that 63% of citywide voters were in agreement with this proposed amendment.
Dallas HERO said it looks forward to voters having the opportunity to weigh in in November.