Most years around this time, Dallas City Council members spend hours over multiple meetings debating proposed budget amendments that amount to mere pennies relative to the overall general fund that next year could total $2.04 billion.
The process can be jarring for outside City partners that are left monitoring memos and deliberations — sometimes late into the night — in case of any cuts that impact their operations.
This year, City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert is trying a different approach.
“I would like the opportunity to resubmit certain aspects of the FY 2026-27 recommended budget considering feedback that you have now provided after reviewing my August 11 recommended budget,” she wrote. “This has not been part of our typical process, but we would like to pilot a change to the amendment process to improve efficiency and effectiveness.”
Tolbert asked the mayor and her other 14 bosses to submit feedback by noon tomorrow.
“I will review your feedback, and if it is a component that I would recommend, then I will propose a means of making the change,” Tolbert wrote.
Council members will be asked to take non-binding straw votes on Tolbert’s proposed changes during Wednesday’s budget workshop. They will still have at least one more chance to propose their own amendments, which will be voted through another round of straw votes during the Wednesday, September 2, City Council meeting.
Some might argue this revised process is good management. Others might say the messiest part of the budget process is the one most people can see playing out live.
Either way, the deadline for round 1 is tomorrow.
Let’s keep this conversation going on the Meetings of Interest Community page here.