Dallas officials are proposing using part of next year’s $1 billion bond for upgrades to the City’s IT department.
During a Wednesday council briefing session, financial officials for the City proposed allocating $25 million of taxpayers’ money toward the City’s Information and Technology Services (ITS).
This comes after the City was allegedly hit with a ransomware attack on May 3 from which it still has yet to fully recover.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the City is still purportedly unable to provide accurate crime data due to the ransomware attack. In a prior statement to The Dallas Express, the City said it is continuing to “investigate and address the cybersecurity incident.”
“We continue working diligently to restore full functionality as quickly as possible and will continue to keep the community informed with relevant updates throughout this process,” the statement read.
In a press release sent to The Dallas Express on Friday, the City said its most recent update has fully restored the Dallas Public Library’s catalog system “after more than seven weeks of all-analog service at the library” following the ransomware attack.
Yet the City has failed to fully restore its capacity to report crime statistics. Despite showing an “updated” date of June 22, data in the crime analytics dashboard post-April are not currently reliable, Public Information Officer Kristin Lowman told The Dallas Express. Meanwhile, the Dallas Police Department’s operational dashboard indicates it was last updated on May 3.
Now, City officials are suggesting that $25 million of the 2024 Capital Bond Program be directed toward ITS.
The department has requested $135 million from the bond, but council members have not supported giving ITS that much of the $1 billion pie.
The average figure suggested by council members has been $16.9 million, according to a presentation from City officials.
Furthermore, officials have proposed allocating bond funds throughout City departments as follows:
- Streets — $400,000,000
- Park & Recreation — $150,000,000
- Transportation — $50,000,000
- Flood Protection, Storm Drainage, and Erosion Control — $50,000,000
- Housing Infrastructure — $80,000,000
- Economic Development — $30,000,000
- Public Safety Facilities, Fire — $25,000,000
- Public Safety Facilities, Fire Training Facility — $5,000,000
- Public Safety Facilities, Police — $5,000,000
- Public Safety Facilities, Police Training Facility — $50,000,000
- Cultural and Performing Arts Facilities — $50,000,000
- City Facilities — $25,000,000
- Library Facilities — $35,000,000
- Homeless Assistance Facilities — $20,000,000
- Information Technology — $25,000,000
The newly inaugurated City Council is expected to vote to approve the bond package in January 2024. It will then go before Dallas voters in May.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Fire-Rescue have requested $730 million from the bond, as department officials say new facilities are needed and existing facilities must be rehabilitated.