Greener Dallas
Every Dallas resident and family deserves access to quality greenspaces, and this announcement will go a long way toward building a greener and greater city.
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This city just took a major step toward achieving the goal of having a park or trail within a 10-minute walk of every Dallas resident.
Greening Czar Garrett Boone, Trust for Public Land, the Dallas Park and Recreation Department, and the Dallas Park Board worked for months to identify unused or underused city-owned properties that were suitable for park development. While Dallas has become great at building large signature parks, I created this initiative last year to focus on gaps in the parks system by working to create smaller recreational gathering places for neighborhoods that need them.
And this week, this partnership announced a plan to move forward with transforming five vacant spaces into beautiful and much-needed neighborhood parks.
While conducting their data analysis, Trust for Public Land prioritized vacant land in areas of the city without adequate park access. Then, they evaluated health disparities, urban heat islands, and other data points to decide on the top priority locations.
This is a big first step — with more to come. The plan is to develop 10 more greenspaces in the coming years in communities that currently lack quick and easy access to existing parks.
Every Dallas resident and family deserves access to quality greenspaces, and this announcement will go a long way toward building a greener and greater city.
Falling Violent Crime
Near the end of 2020, as Dallas grappled with a sharp increase in crime during the pandemic, I was incredibly frustrated, sick, and tired of the violence Dallas was seeing — and especially tired of the apathy of other local leaders who weren’t prioritizing public safety. The people of Dallas deserved better. Every resident of this city has a right to live in a safe neighborhood.
In late 2020, it became abundantly clear that Dallas needed to hire a new, more experienced police chief to lead the Dallas Police Department. Dallas also needed a new, evidence-based violent crime reduction plan. And this city needed its City Council and city staff to put public safety first and provide Dallas police officers with the tools and the support they needed to keep residents safe.
In the months that followed, Dallas got all of the above. And in the three years since 2020, violent crime has fallen in Dallas by about 24%, which is remarkable. While other major cities struggled to confront violence, Dallas also achieved three-straight years of year-over-year violent crime reductions — an outstanding achievement.
This Administration’s fight for a “kitchen-sink” approach to reducing violence has been working, and it has saved lives. But that is not enough. The Dallas Police Department needs to hire more police officers. This city must continue to be relentless about combating violence and exploring new ideas and strategies. And Dallas needs local judges and prosecutors to ensure that the criminal element stays off the streets.
Everyone must remain focused on making Dallas the safest major city in America and continue to view public safety as the top priority.
The Year Ahead
While public safety is Job #1, there are many issues this city will take on in the year ahead. And on Thursday, it was a privilege to join the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce for a conversation about this Administration’s plans for 2024.
In addition to public safety, the discussion focused on the 2024 bond proposals, the ongoing City Charter review process, the enormous benefits of parks, and the need for more property tax relief for Dallas residents.
As the only citywide elected official in Dallas, I will continue to prioritize ideas and plans that help make this city safer, stronger, and more vibrant.
EBJ
One final note: this week, Dallas said farewell to a legendary and beloved leader, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson. While it was heartbreaking to say goodbye to a dear friend and mentor, it was an honor to speak at her funeral service.
Congresswoman Johnson’s legacy is secure. While in Congress, she authored and co-authored more than 177 bills that became law, and she worked with both Republicans and Democrats to get the job done for Dallas. She was the single most effective federal legislator this city has ever had; nobody knew how to navigate Washington better for the people of Dallas.
May she rest in the peace she deserves after a life well lived, and may her legacy continue to inspire and shape Dallas.
That’s all for today. Stay safe, stay warm, and go Cowboys!
