Mayor Johnson: Your property taxes are too high

One of this Administration’s goals is to ensure Dallas becomes the major city with the lowest property tax rate in the North Texas region.

The following is adapted from my email newsletter. To subscribe, click here.

Yes, the news is true. I protested the appraised value of my home, and you should consider doing the same.

Every Dallas homeowner deserves a fair and accurate appraisal of his or her home’s value. And the Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) needs your factual input and evidence to ensure the tax roll is accurate.

It is also likely that you qualify for one or more exemptions that will lower your property tax bill. Find out if you qualify for any exemptions and then apply to receive them. If you need assistance, there are property tax consultants in Dallas who are willing to help save you money (for free).

Why is your Mayor sharing this information? Because I am serious about using every possible tool to relieve your property tax burden. Disputing the appraised value of your home and applying for exemptions are two ways to lower your taxes while your Mayor and City Council work to lower the city property tax rate applied to your home’s appraised value.

Last year, the Dallas City Council reduced the city’s property tax rate to its lowest level in 15 years with the largest single-year rate cut in four decades. But there is still more work to do. Without meaningful property tax relief, Dallas residents may choose or be forced to forgo the opportunity to live and work in this great city.

That is why one of this Administration’s top three goals is to ensure Dallas becomes the major city with the lowest property tax rate in the North Texas region. Your Mayor will advocate fiercely in the upcoming budget cycle to move Dallas closer to achieving this critical goal.

Review the report

Another one of this Administration’s top priorities is addressing Dallas’ worsening unsheltered homelessness problem.

That is why this Administration created the Task Force on Homelessness Organizations, Policies, and Encampments (HOPE) in February 2023. The HOPE Task Force — which included ten (10) members led by three co-chairs — was directed to leverage data-driven and evidence-based approaches to identify, develop, and recommend concrete solutions to reduce homelessness and encourage healthier and safer communities in Dallas. For four months, its members met weekly with experts and gathered and studied data.

The HOPE Task Force completed its work and released a report with its recommendations.

I am incredibly grateful for the time and effort that each member of the HOPE Task Force contributed to generate this report. Their work highlights the interwoven challenges associated with unsheltered homelessness and contains valuable recommendations, such as calls for enhanced behavioral health support for individuals experiencing homelessness, reductions in the redundancy of homelessness response efforts, and required data sharing among public and private funders of homeless services to improve collective problem solving.

Similar to the process employed after the release of the Mayor’s Task Force on Safe Communities’ report in January 2020, the HOPE Task Force’s report will be referred to one of the city council’s standing committees for consideration and possible council action. I strongly urge the Dallas City Council to carefully review this report.

As discussions about the report progress, this Administration will advocate for the implementation of data-driven, evidence-based strategies that are considerate of the health, safety, and quality of life of all Dallas residents and businesses.

Back and better

The ever popular and wildly successful Teen All Access Pass program is back and better than before! Thanks to the Dallas Park and Recreation Department, Amazon, and other outstanding partner organizations, up to 10,000 Dallas teens ages 13–17 will have free access to Dallas’ first-rate cultural facilities and entertainment venues, including the African American Museum of Dallas, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, the Dallas Zoo, Southern Skates Roller Rink, and more.

It is not too late to claim an exclusive pass for your teen to enjoy! Visit any City of Dallas recreation center during normal operating hours to register your teen by demonstrating proof of Dallas residency. Access more details and a complete list of participating venues here.

The Teen All Access Pass program is one of many tools that this city is leveraging as part of the second annual Summer of Safety initiative. This initiative is designed to encourage the participation of Dallas’ young people in the city’s free and low-cost activities. As you’ll remember, last year’s Summer of Safety initiative was a great success and contributed to the remarkable fall in violent crime in Dallas in June and July.

This year’s Summer of Safety campaign is about building on this positive momentum to achieve an even safer summer in 2023.

Please take note of the incredible array of free and reduced-cost programming offered by the City of Dallas, spread the word, and make it your business to ensure Dallas kids have a fun — and safe — summer!

A few quick updates…

• There is still time to register to participate as a student, volunteer, or vendor in the 27th Annual Dallas Mayor’s Back to School Fair. Dallas students can register to receive free school supplies and access to immunizations, dental screenings, vision exams, and other health and social services provided by more than 100 vendors on August 4 at Fair Park. Volunteers and vendors are still needed to power this family-friendly event.
• Friday marked seven years since five police officers were tragically murdered in Downtown Dallas on July 7, 2016. May we never forget the sacrifices our brave officers make in service to this great city.
• Effective July 3, certain non-emergency offenses must be filed online through the Dallas Police Online Reporting System. This online reporting requirement will free officers to respond faster to high-priority calls involving violent crimes and reduce officers’ workloads, which will translate to even safer neighborhoods in Dallas. According to Police Chief Eddie Garcia, calls voluntarily reported online and over the phone last year saved the Dallas Police Department about 51,000 patrol hours, which equates to the work of about 24 police officers.

The work continues

The Dallas City Council’s July recess is underway, which means there are no public meetings until August.

However, this Administration’s work continues. The Office of the Mayor is working every day to lead Dallas down the path toward becoming the safest major city in the United States with the best park system in Texas and the lowest tax rate in the North Texas region.

Take care of yourselves and each other.