CBS Texas interviewed Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, finding that both North Texas mayors share important priorities they want to accomplish in the next several years.
Mayor Johnson said his number one priority is public safety, an issue Dallas and other major cities have faced as rising crime numbers have marred life in urban centers across America.
“My stated goal for our city is to become the safest big city in the United States,” Johnson told CBS.
But a sharp rise in homicides since the start of the year seeks to undermine that goal.
The most recent publicly available data from the Dallas Police Department show a 33.85% increase in non-family violence homicides through April compared to the previous year.
Updated crime data are not currently available, allegedly due to a ransomware attack against Dallas in early May that the City has yet to successfully recover from, as The Dallas Express has reported.
Moreover, DPD is facing a vast shortage of police officers, Chief Eddie Garcia recently told The Dallas Express in an interview.
“We need hundreds of more officers in the city of Dallas. There’s no question about it. You know, not only is the recruiting portion important, but the retention part as well,” Garcia said.
Beyond lowering crime, Johnson also said that lowering taxes is a major priority for his second term, which he was recently re-elected to serve with no opposition. Johnson said he wants to push for the lowest tax rate in the region.
“I want a property tax rate reduction that’s going to result in actual tax savings for our residents.”
Finally, Mayor Johnson said he wants to improve Dallasites’ quality of life by enhancing the city’s public parks and recreation facilities. He said he wants Dallas parks to be the best in Texas and cited Harold Simmons Park as a facility the City needs to focus on building.
“I’m on a big push to green up our city over the next four years.”
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said his first, second, and third priorities are creating jobs for citizens of the suburb and entertainment mecca. He noted that other challenges the city faces, including housing, homelessness, and crime, will be solved by well-paying job creation.
“It’s jobs, jobs and jobs,” Ross told CBS.
The mayor cited General Motors’ $500 million investment in a local assembly plant as an example of how Arlington builds and maintains long-term relationships with job creators and industry.
“We’ve had a long-term relationship with GM and we’re excited about continuing that.”
In addition to industry, Ross said the city is looking to expand the already teeming entertainment district, which includes professional sports and amusement parks, by enhancing the area’s walkability.
