City Council Elections In Dallas, Texas (May 1, 2021, General Elections)

• On the Issues

Our district is only as prosperous as its residents, and too many people in Dallas are at risk of being left behind. District 2’s last election was only decided by 7% of its voters. It’s time for representation that can reach beyond the same interest groups and career politicians. Economic Prosperity As a first-generation American, I can tell you how necessary it is to have honest access to opportunity. Our district is increasingly becoming home to some of the largest real estate projects and corporations in the state. These projects add jobs, resources, and value to the district for many people. It’s our duty to make sure these companies know that with great power (and resources) comes great responsibility. I will stand up to any effort to raise taxes on low-income and middle-class families in District 2. Using my expertise and training in contracts, I can hold corporations and investors accountable for improving communities in District 2 after they have been invited to do business here.

• The Dallas Housing Crisis

Displacement

Access to homeownership, affordable rent, or basic shelter is District 2 and Dallas’ single greatest need. Too many minority communities are being pressured into selling their homes to developers, wiping away the decades of history, culture, and neighborhoods so many families have worked so hard to build. The result is displacement of families for the benefit of new and largely unaffordable housing options. This sends our neighbors the message that they are not wanted here. We need to be encouraging Black and Brown wealth, not stripping it away from them.

Housing Affordability

I have seen our housing affordability crisis up close during my time with Dallas Evictions 2020, where I helped tenants facing eviction during the pandemic. Redevelopment is happening in District 2 but we have a chance to revitalize not just gentrify. At City Hall, I will continue helping families remain in their homes without fear of eviction or displacement. We can get developers to invest more in revitalizing low-income areas. I’ll use my training in oversight to make sure that our Tax Increment Finance program is working faster in District 2 and across Dallas.

Keeping seniors and lower-income residents in their homes was an urgent need before COVID-19, and it is even more relevant now. This moment calls for permanent, stronger tenant protections in our city ordinances. If elected, I will promote the use of Community Land Trusts to allow residents to pool resources and gain equity in the neighborhoods they have called home for so long. I look forward to working on cost-effective permanent and transitional housing options for District 2, as well as proposals to expand and increase the budget for the city’s Housing Improvement and Preservation Program.

District 2 is sprawling across some of Dallas’ most dense areas. On city council, I will promote housing that is consistent with Connect Dallas, the city’s Strategic Mobility Plan. We have to build housing that makes sense by providing transportation options to every corner of the district.

Homelessness

I know from talking to experts and residents in District 2 that homelessness is on the rise across our city. The reality is that homelessness disproportionately affects children, veterans, minorities and those who suffer from addiction or mental illness. These individuals are our neighbors and are more likely to be met with arrest and criminal charges. The result is homeless people having to appear in court, address the charges, and potentially face a stay in jail, all of which puts people at risk of lost wages, termination, and prolonged housing insecurity. We need a permanent housing solution to this unique issue. On city council, I’ll work to strengthen diversion programs with the county.

Instead of using $500,000 to clear one encampment this year, we could have paid market rent for efficiencies to house up to 30 homeless individuals for a year. That stability enables people to get their lives back together and find employment. Refocusing spending towards public health workers, social work professionals, vocational specialists, and professional development aides for the homeless population to monitor conditions and provide support is a necessary tool to dealing with homelessness in the meantime.

• Public Health & Safety

The COVID-19 Crisis

One of the strongest indicators of inequity in Dallas are the huge disparities in public health access and outcomes. Seeking prevention or recovery from COVID-19 should not depend on a zip code or the color of your skin.

District 2 is home to the city’s prized Medical District, where we host some of the best healthcare experts in the state. The skill of our district’s professionals should be matched with a quality public health effort by the city to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and provide access to vaccines to all. After last year’s state and federal mismanagement of the pandemic, it’s up to cities to lead on preventing the spread of COVID-19 and its variants.

Fighting Poverty

If the great people of Dallas have money for conventions and fountains, then we certainly have money to keep our families healthy and thriving. Our city leaders must do more to fight the scourge of gun violence, substance abuse and domestic violence that residents deal with day-to-day. These are big problems, but they can be solved.

Dallas has a poverty problem. Poverty begets crime, a lack of education and stable home lives in childhood are why most of Texas’ prisoners are currently locked up. By attacking poverty, we can reduce much of Dallas’ petty crime. Aside from feeling unsafe from becoming victims of property crime, many constituents of D2 have felt unsafe in their own homes. The crime of domestic violence in Dallas cuts across every race and income bracket. It’s a major issue and results in regular homicides and suicides. Dallas needs to lead the way in Texas by keeping a register of serial harassers, stalkers and domestic abusers. We know after decades that these criminals become lethal and we currently don’t have a smart way to track them like we do with the sex offender registry.

Food Insecurity

Food insecurity in Dallas has been further exacerbated by the pandemic. Families should never have to wonder where their next meal will come from, and children should not have to rely on their school cafeteria as a source for food. If elected, I will support data-backed methods and transparency to end food deserts in Dallas. I will also work with residents who provide mutual aid to the people of Dallas in the meantime. Ending hunger will not happen overnight, and we need every tactic to get there.

I pledge to work with public health experts, not politicians, to define exactly how much investment is needed by the city for interlocal public health programs. By concentrating on harm reduction and prevention, Dallas can ease budget uncertainty during this time of economic crisis.

• Social Justice

As someone sworn to uphold the law, I believe that a cry for help should not be met with violence or excessive force. The legacy of systemic racism in our justice system shows us time and again that similar crises are not always met with the same type of intervention. I support existing police accountability initiatives and the work of so many of my colleagues and mentors who seek broad criminal justice reform in Dallas.

The backlog of rape kits to be tested in the city of Dallas is unacceptable. Our police department needs help, and it’s time to look for strategies to alleviate this workload. We need to send a strong message that we will do our best to get justice for victims and prevent future assaults.

If elected, I’ll strive to make sure our dollars are being spent to keep Dallas safe by rigorously reviewing methods, performance and contracts related to public safety to ensure the highest degree of police accountability that this city deserves.

Police Reform

One of the most important jobs in our community should be met with serious vetting. Amazon monitors its workers’ output and addresses their performance better than Dallas does with its police force. The consequences and value of police service require a new and modern sense of oversight for cities. This starts with HR. We need to take a good, hard look at DPD’s practices in hiring, firing, and everything in between. In addition to tightened HR procedures, police should be mandated to record all stops even if an arrest isn't made along with other improvements to data transparency and efficiency. By doing so, we can ensure we’re hiring the right people, which lends itself favorably to retention, while mitigating liability of the police department and city. We should get every bit of return on investment from this substantial portion of our public safety budget.

Police officers are tasked with one of the hardest jobs in society, which oftentimes requires them to wear multiple hats. We need to dedicate funding to addressing trauma before and after our officers hit the streets. By making this trauma-informed investment, we can help recruits understand that our city is one where they can thrive not just survive.

Commitment to Anti-Racism

All of our intentions should be guided by recognizing the segregated history of Dallas and its roots in racism. We also need to reevaluate how we’re prioritizing anti-racism. Dallas can show its dedication to this cause by requiring what many private companies require - that all employees complete annual diversity & inclusion/anti-racism training and community service initiatives aimed toward ending racism. By required immersion into this issue, we can slowly chip away at the virus of its own that is racism. The City Council’s March 2021 unanimous vote for the Racial Equity Resolution was a welcome moment of unity a a great start to some of this urgent work.

• Transparency & Accountability

Councilmembers need to be accessible and accountable to their constituencies. The City of Dallas spends millions of dollars on outsourcing to consulting and advisory companies, when many answers are right in front of us. I believe that our budget must become more accountable to the people and needs of Dallas going forward.

It matters how we elect our leaders. Only 7% of our district elected our outgoing councilman. If elected, the people of District 2 will be the first people I engage with on any issue. I will take their concerns into consideration when I determine how to vote. My training has taught me to look at all of the evidence and make an informed, ethical, and efficient decision. If constituents have questions, I consider it a duty to explain every side of a problem so people walk away feeling heard and championed.

• Environmental Justice

Infrastructure

I believe that if District 2 can have high-income housing and world class dining, it should also have safe streets that don’t cause driving hazards and waste. These concerns are echoed across our neighborhoods, and there are already residents ready to help identify areas that need improvement. I also pledge to partner with the county to fight for every dollar afforded by the state of Texas for road and traffic improvements.

A Greener Dallas

Residents of District 2 are concerned about our city's long-term plan to reduce its environmental impact. Dallas has a duty to recognize the consequences of growth, ensure healthy waste management, and negotiate for responsible development. I will use my formal training to stand up for the demands of minority communities who are disproportionately in proximity to environmental hazards. ^[21]

• Housing as a Human Right

We will fight to keep neighborhoods together against higher property taxes, increased rents, and predatory developers. We can revitalize without reallocation.

Creative solutions for our unsheltered population that expand services and shelters across the city. Let's end youth homelessness.

• Access & Relief

We can invest in community resources and human services that are open and easily accessible to ALL regardless of race, orientation, gender, language, migration status, socioeconomic level, or any other identity.

• Basic needs
• COVID care, health, & mental services
• Quality education & learning resources
• Protect & invest in small businesses

• Safe & Welcoming Communities

We can reimagine public safety beyond hiring more police by using a holistic approach that allows for transformative justice & racial healing. Let's serve everyone while still protecting our thriving migrant community.

• Mobility & Sustainibility

We need to mobilize Dallas by providing more accessible transportation options, better streets, and creating walkable, bikable solutions for our downtown neighborhoods.

We will fight for a clean, livable Dallas that seeks environmental justice and combats the climate change crisis. Let's eliminate food waste and prioritize real solutions. ^[21]

• Priorities
  • Supports Public Safety With A Well Funded Police Department
  • Local Economic Development Prioritizing Small Businesses and Residents of Dallas
  • Modernizing Our Streets And Vital Infrastructure
  • Cutting Out The Bureaucratic Waste Of Our Hard Earned Tax Dollars

• Public Safety: Michael's #1 Priority - Police, Fire, EMS/EMT

Michael is District 2’s strongest supporter of Public Safety. No one wants to live, do business, or grow a family in a city they do not feel safe in. Unfortunately, Dallas is in decline and Public Safety needs to be addressed immediately; which is why Michael has made it his top priority. The current city council voted to defund our police department $7 Million Dollars, Michael Pledges to restore and increase funding to our First Responders.

• In 2020, There were 253 Homicides in Dallas. a 23% Increase from 2019
• In 2019, Dallas experienced its highest Crime Rate in over 15 years
• Dallas’ Murder Rate is 90% Higher than the rest of the country
• The Average Response time for a Priority 1 Call is 9 minutes
• in 2018, The DPD was forced to abolish it’s VICE Squad
• Property Theft in Dallas is now Higher than Chicago – Our Current DA Has Stated they will not prosecute property theft under $750
• Last year, there was 30% More Violent Assaults and Gang Related Drive By Shootings have increased 148% over the past few years.
• Dallas is an epicenter of the Worst Human Rights Violation in our recent History: Human Trafficking. In Dallas alone, it is a $99M/year industry and an average of 400 people are Trafficked in Dallas EVERY DAY

Solutions:

• A Safer Dallas For All Citizens. We need to ensure our First Responders are provided the proper Funding and Resources they need to be able to combat the increasing crime levels in Dallas. Michael Supports:
• Restore and increase Funding for both Police and Fire Departments
• Support The Re-establishment of the VICE Squad to Combat the WORST HUMANS RIGHTS VIOLATION IN OUR RECENT HISTORY – Human Trafficking
• Establish Cyber Security Task Force to Combat the growing issues of Human and Drug Trafficking operating online in Dallas
• Hire up to an additional 2500 Diverse DPD Officers to reflect our Diverse Dallas (Currently there is approx. 1 officer per 1300 Citizens)
• Demand the DA enforce our laws and stop giving criminals a free pass to steal
• Improve the existing infrastructure and equipment our DFD Desperately needs
• Support a needed Increase of service fees for DFD to avoid our DFD turning into a Fire District. Let’s Take care of OUR City.
• Fix, Protect, and Fully Fund our First Responders Pension AT ALL COSTS. Promises were made and those Promises need to be kept.

• Economic Development

Transparency is something we have been missing from City Hall: Michael Plans on changing this.

We will Audit EVERY SINGLE DIME spent in city hall. We will then be able to identify where the bureaucracies or “fat” in our current $3.88B budget is. We will cut the bureaucracy by 20% or more. With these savings, we will be able to reallocate those funds to important projects that are currently under served.

Our tax payers deserve to understand and feel confident with how their hard earned dollars are being spent by the City. No more “sweet heart contracts” or “pet projects” that serve the interests of the current City Council – Michael will serve the interests of our community above all else.

• Opening and simplifying our Vendor Lists: Locally owned small businesses are the cornerstone of our economy and deserve to compete with national chains and big box stores to do business with our city.
• Incentivize Private Sector to Invest/Open in Under Served Areas: Through existing programs such as TIF’s, Tax Abatement, Tax Deferment, etc For businesses providing services that are not currently accessible in underserved areas

Let’s give the people who live in their own homes a Property Tax break:

• Property Taxes In Dallas has risen 56% over the last 5 Years
• Encourage home-ownership: for 1st-time home-buyers we should cut their Dallas property tax by 50% the 1st year, 37½% the 2nd year, 25% the 3rd year and 12½% the 4th year.
• Protect the elderly from property-tax foreclosures: many retired home owners live on small fixed incomes like Social Security. All property taxes that exceed 6% of their total income should be deferred – interest free – until the owner-resident either dies, sells, rents or transfers the property.
• (does not apply to rental property or a home that is not the owner’s primary residence. A 1st-time buyer is a person who has not owned a home anywhere in the world for the last 15 years.)

• Infrastructure
  • Let’s repair and modernize our decaying infrastructure – streets, bridges, water, gas and sewer lines. A crumbling city will not attract new business.
  • Dallas should be a clean city – no one should have to wait months for storm damage to be removed. Many of our “green zones” are filled with trash.
  • We need to have strong building codes and enforcement to put criminals who are trafficking drugs and humans out of business.
  • Use Existing Grant/Bonds To Fund Infrastructure Improvements and Repairs
  • Partner with Private Sector to Revitalize and repurpose vacant/decaying properties through P/PP Programs.

^[21]

My No. 1 priority will be working to improve the quality of life in district 2 and build on the progress we have made. I will ensure we have accountability in our city government and across city departments, and I have a known record of being accessible and transparent in achieving that.

District 2 is only as strong as its neighborhoods. This means letting neighbors determine the future of the places they live. As it evolves and progresses, it’s important that we stand up for residents and make sure everyone in Dallas has a safe place to live. My priorities include:

• Providing police the necessary resources to protect Dallas while holding them accountable for results
• Encouraging neighborhood-focused, conscious development
• Defending and increasing available affordable housing
• Helping our seniors stay in our communities
• Alleviating poverty and homelessness
• Improve our infrastructure to include sidewalks that are accessible to people of all abilities and improving our public transportation systems

^[21]

• Principled leadership: Representing all with fairness, empathy and passion

No one person has solutions to all issues, but together we will.

• Workforce training, creating jobs, & supporting small businesses

Financial independence provides dignity. During our Current Health and Economic Pandemics we must reimagine how business can be done, and what full time work can mean.

• • Develop City, Community, and Private sector collaboration for job training and utilize vacant lots to create popup business opportunities and urban farms (greener, healthier, productive.)
  • Make the permit process simpler and streamlined for small businesses which will create jobs. Things like forcing a coffee shop owner to pay $2000 to be able to put up a sign to attract walk-by businesses have no place in today's marketplace. (we will find a way to safely add more parklets that helps customers and the businesses both.) Housing permit problems likely cost Dallas over 580 new houses, $260M in tax base growth, expert says according to Dallas Business Journal. That is money wasted in the both ends. Delayed process cost us money, and City losing the tax/fee revenue! Put that money into a good use helping everyday people and small businesses.
  • Promote art and culture program

• Enhancing Public Safety

For our neighborhoods to thrive they must be safe. Holding the Police Chief accountable for the actions of their department is the job of our elected officials.

• • Police need the funding to be trained on de-escalation
  • Social workers should be dispatched for all non-violent calls, whenever possible (this will also create jobs in our community).
  • Focus on wrap-around services that address the root causes of crime (i.e. poverty and mental health)
  • Recruit police from within the community

• Sustainable Development & Balanced Preservation

Any growth that happens in District 2 must be in the best interest of the existing residents and businesses. We cannot allow the people who build our communities to be pushed out of them.

• • Before any development is proposed to the City, developers will be required to reach out to the community and neighborhood to collaborate from the beginning.
  • Accountability and transparency is not just a slogan, it is a mandate.

• Walkable Green City

As our population continues to grow we must make the investments now to increase walkability and reduce total dependency on cars.

• • City code needs to change to ensure that no sidewalk is closed during construction. We will require scaffolding so pedestrians can still safely walk on the sidewalk, like all other “large” cities.
• Repair and improvements to sidewalks must be a priority.
• Repair potholes and infrastructure.
• Plant more trees to provide shades to mitigate harsh Dallas summers for walking.
• Separate bulk trash into two different piles from the recyclables to nonrecyclable such as tree branch's.
• Promote recycling all one time use paper cups at coffee shops.

• All Issues need your input and especially listed below even more. Please contact me to come up with solutions together.

Frequently, misunderstandings and cultural insensivity stem from from our societally learned behavior that teaches “they” are different from “me.” A lot of us are not aware of it as we are living in it. And not all indifferences are malicious; Many of us have not had a misfortune to be in somebody else’s shoes. A few weeks ago there was a question posted by one of the current council members asking what the residents would like to see going forward with police. A quite of number of people voiced wanting to be treated with “kindness.” We need to promote the kindness in everything we do. People First.

• Minority & LGBTQ+ issues are our Issues

No band aide approach works. systematic implicit and explicit bias gives certain communities disadvantage from the get go. Let’s sit down, honestly acknowledge we all bear responsibility, and try to address the issues at the root level.

• Temporary and Chronic Homelessness

No one dreams to become homeless or ‘nuisance’ of society.  Simply speaking,  an opportunity to do better  is lacking in many cases for us to have a place called home and have a dignified living.  While we address mental wellness, we We must create opportunities for all citizens to be positively contributing to well-being of the district and the city.

• Affordable Housing throughout the City

Affordable housing is investing in workforce and also a good investment for the city.

• Controlled Property Taxes

Tax burden is too high for what City is providing for home owners and small businesses, especially for ones who have owned the same property for a long time. I’ve seen many of my neighbors pushed out of their houses for they could no longer afford skyrocketing property taxes.

Too many business suffer during the pandemic. City should at least make its rules and policies flexible enough to help the industry. ^[21]

• PRIORITIES

“My priorities are economic revitalization, exploring a trauma-informed public safety model, and addressing equity in education and housing.”

• Strengthen & Reform Public Safety

We have an opportunity to create more programs to retain officers, to expand the RightCare program and to focus police training on retraumatization of individuals and addressing secondary trauma within the police department. There is a compounding effect on residents who have endured chronic trauma and encounter police and there are compounding secondary trauma effects within the police department that must be addressed. Training focused on this also helps officers identify trauma symptoms and will allow officers to better triage cases, as resources expand and become more available for mental/behavioral health.

We missed an opportunity last year to build bridges with the Black and minority communities and strengthen the police department. There is a trauma informed policing model that has been employed at some police departments in the United States - this model could find a home here in Dallas as well.

The trauma informed model addresses the re-traumatization of individuals, particularly youth, and addresses secondary trauma among police. This model can be expanded to also address secondary trauma among fire fighters and paramedics.

Within this model, we are seeing people as people, without titles, and can then begin to have a conversation around racial healing when we acknowledge and address trauma and the criminalization of youth, which predominantly affects the Black community.

If we can holistically address crime, mental/behavioral health and substance abuse, we are helping our police focus on where they are needed most – addressing crime. And expanding training on trauma and working with hospitals and mental health partners will provide police and the city with critical resources to actualize change in how we address crime in our community.

• Improve Our Aging Infrastructure

We have planned for cars, not people. Changing that will take years and must be done with a sense of urgency. I’m encouraged by D2, but am concerned about the timeline and money spent on this. There must be clear milestones for achievement to ensure we are being mindful on dollars spent and delivering on this within a shorter time frame.

Our streets are horrible – there’s no denying this. I, like anyone who drives in Dallas, often cringe when I hit pothole after pothole. Some of our neighborhoods don’t even have sidewalks – some that do have breaks and buckles that make it unappealing to use. I’d like to see a more substantive plan for addressing sidewalks in our city. The effort to achieve more walkability is there, but we must include key target dates. We can provide more opportunities/feeders for runners and cyclists to get to our parks and trails safely. And I applaud DART board members efforts to focus the buses on where the people are. The care and intention is there.

• Find Lasting Solutions to Homelessness

We need to employ a thoughtful approach to homelessness to address the issue and protects our neighborhoods. Instead of the city attempting to lead the way in addressing homelessness with large budgets for administrators, that money would be better spent as grants and resources to non-profits such as City Square, The Bridge and Austin Street Shelter. Then investing in innovative solutions to shorten the permitting process so that affordable housing developers are incentivized to develop more affordable housing within the city and we can address the homeless crisis with shelter, food and mental health.

• Complete Recovery From COVID-19

Many of our local small business have been devastated by the restrictions to combat the pandemic. As more and more people become vaccinated, and we safely open up our economy the City needs to do more to help these businesses, who provide the bulk k of the jobs in our community recover. In addition, we need greater collaboration with the business community and the Small Business Administration to enhance workforce development. Programs focused on job interview training, job placement, entrepreneurial success help create a structured process and resources for those who have lost their jobs or had to close their businesses ^[21]

Hi there, I’m Candy Evans.

Business Owner, Real Estate Consultant, Volunteer, Board Member, Wife, Mother, Grandmother & City Council Candidate

“I will make District 11 the Best Place to call home!”

Born in snowy Chicago, Candy left the Windy City to attend college on the east coast at Wheaton (Norton, Mass.) and Dartmouth College. After receiving her Bachelor’s Degree, cum laude, she returned to Chicago to be one of the youngest assignment desk editors at WBBM-TV. From there she went to Columbia University in NYC for her M.S.J., where she met her husband, Walter Evans II, M.D. They moved to Dallas as newlyweds in 1980 and fell in love with the city. Now, 41 years, two children, and (almost!) four grandchildren later, Candy wants to give back to Dallas with her knowledge, skills, talents, and love.

One of the nation’s leading real estate reporters, she is the founder and publisher of an exciting and growing platform of real estate-focused news websites: her signature CandysDirt.com, SecondShelters.com, and MidlandDirt.com. She is also the North Texas real estate editor for Forbes.com, CultureMap Dallas, Modern Luxury Dallas, & the Katy Trail Weekly. Constantly breaking celebrity real estate news, she scooped former president George W. Bush’s Dallas home purchase in 2008 while on staff at D Magazine. Her verticals have won countless awards, including Best Blog by the venerable National Association of Real Estate Editors, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious journalism associations. Candy holds an active Texas real estate license. She is on the Board of Directors of Braemar Hotels & Resorts (BHR). An avid volunteer, Candy was President of the Dallas USA Film Festival in 2015 and remains on the board. She is a member of the Dallas County Medical Society Alliance (DCMSA), & chaired a home tour on its behalf, netting more than $115,000, one of the most successful in DCMSA history. She has been involved with the Dallas Arboretum, the Yellow Rose Gala, Paws Cause, Cattle Barons, and Presby Partners. She also worked as a tireless volunteer at her children’s schools, Hockaday and St. Marks. In 2012, she and her husband, Walter F. Evans II, M.D., co-chaired the Texas Medical Association annual gala in Dallas, “Going for the Gold”. Both are very active in the Columbia University and Dartmouth Clubs of Dallas. They also started one of the first neighborhood police patrols in Preston Hollow, and are leaders in the Hillcrest Estates/Northaven Crime Watch Patrol. She is on the Public Safety Committee of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce.

Married for 41 years, Candy & Walter are members of Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, with two Golden Doodles, and Josie, a yellow-naped Amazon parrot, who had a starring role in the “Real Housewives of Dallas”. Candy was featured in “Daughters of the Sexual Revolution: The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders” produced by Dana Adam Shapiro, based on the book she wrote in 1982.

Candy’s connections OUTSIDE of Dallas and in the real estate community will make her one of the most valuable CM’s in Dallas, as she pulls new business opportunities to the Preston Road corridor. But her commitment to her home District 11 will remain focused on the highest quality for homeowners and always, a good life in Dallas. ^[21]

• Panhandling/Homelessness

To protect our neighborhoods, property values and those who truly need help- we must take action. We must first understand that many panhandlers are not homeless, and addressing this issue takes a multi prong approach. Giving money to panhandlers, most of whom are NOT homeless, only exacerbates the problem. I’ve started working with local non-profits who serve the homeless community toward a solution to help those truly in need while discouraging the panhandlers who prey on our neighborly charity. We can show compassion to the truly needy while cracking down on those who prey on the charity of our citizens.

• Strong & Vibrant Neighborhoods

Building strong neighborhoods are critical for our future. While serving on City Planning Commission for 6+ years, I made sure our neighborhoods had a strong voice when it came to zoning issues. This is one reason we never had a contentious zoning battle- because our neighborhood’s concerns were heard and addressed.

​I secured improvements from developers that added amenities to the neighborhoods while strengthening the economic base of our district. Such as enhanced landscaping at Costco, neighborhood patrols in the Churchill area and parks in Preston Hollow Village.

​The key to strong neighborhoods is to have good communication. I regularly speak with every neighborhood and HOA leaders to hear about your issues. I have a plan to strengthen neighborhood associations and leadership and ensure they have a voice on the decision that impact their quality of life.

​As your councilmember, I’ll significantly invest my time to enhance communication with residents via social media, text messages and regular e-newsletters. The recent winter storm only highlights how imperative it is we are able to communicate quickly and with clarity to residents.

​My goal is to empower everyone to have a voice on the issues that impact your quality of life.

• Lower Crime

I will work closely with our first responders to ensure they have the tools and training they need to keep families safe and lower crime rates. I will foster cooperation between Dallas Police, DISD, RISD, and our neighborhood associations to build trust and transparent communication to fight crime. And we can do better on the little things. For instance, it’s proven that proper street lighting deters property crime. It’s a simple, yet effective tool we can deploy now.

• Grow the Tax Base, Not Taxes

To ensure we can offer great city services, while lessening the tax burden on homeowners we must grow the commercial tax base. This is one reason I have dedicated so much time toward the Preston Hollow Village project that brought desirable amenities like Trader Joe’s. As your next council member, I’ll make sure the Galleria/ Valley View development will be something we will all be proud of.

• Streets and Alleys

Many neighborhoods have streets and alleys in need of repair. I have reached out to city staff to find out the master repair schedule for both streets and alleys. Much of the problem with alleys is the sanitation trucks used by the city. I am working on ideas with staff and neighborhood residents to pilot some alternative measures for sanitation that would enable the city to repair alleys much more efficiently. ^[21]

• PUBLIC SAFETY

Prioritize public safety ensuring the police and fire departments have the resources they need to keep Dallas safe.

• REPAIR INFRASTRUCTURE

Repair Dallas' existing infrastructure to meet its growing service needs and demands.

• PROPERTY TAXES

Fight against rising property taxes while cutting wasteful spending.

• HOMELESSNESS

Address the growing situation of homelessness and panhandling by getting people off the streets and back on their feet.

• BOOST THE ECONOMY

Boost the economy by enticing people and businesses to move back to a city, not divided by districts, but united by the common goal for a safe and strong Dallas. ^[21]

• Public Health

Our city and its residents continue to feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in our everyday lives. We must listen to the experts and continue to actively address this public health crisis in a comprehensive, holistic manner, and we cannot continue to leave our neighbors behind in the process.

Once elected to City Council, Hosanna's top priority will be getting the current public health crisis under control and making sure that our neighbors who are struggling financially due to the pandemic get the support they need.

This means using common-sense policy solutions to help struggling businesses, particularly our bars and restaurants, recover and thrive by allowing establishments to reclaim outdoor spaces.

We must streamline COVID aid and PPE to targeted communities including first responders, front line workers, seniors and other vulnerable communities.

As the city receives additional federal COVID aid, Hosanna will fight to ensure that enough of those funds are allocated to helping renters and homeowners make payments.

• Housing + Homelessness

It is important that we address our rising homelessness numbers before Dallas follows the path of other cities that are now dealing with unsustainable practices. Luckily, the most cost-effective and efficient solution to homelessness is simple: housing.

As a member of the Dallas City Council, Hosanna will pursue the creation of permanent supportive housing for our neighbors currently experiencing chronic homelessness and work to provide our unhoused neighbors with access to shelters, food and mental health resources.

With the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing economic crisis, Hosanna will also work to ensure that Dallasites facing evictions have legal counsel and work to allocate funding to rental and mortgage assistance.

Together, we can address housing and homelessness needs in our city before we are faced with the crisis that cities across the country are already grappling with. It is always more cost-effective to deal with these issues today when the add-on costs are low rather than pushing it further down the road for future generations to deal with.

• Public Safety

We currently allocate over 60% of our general budget to public safety in Dallas. That's over 800 million dollars. Yet, our city is on track to pass a ten-year record on homicides in 2020.

It's time we reimagine public safety in Dallas and truly invest in crime reduction in our neighborhoods. We can no longer afford to do only what is most convenient: turn a blind eye to the root causes of crime that continue to overburden our neighborhoods and officers alike.

On City Council, Hosanna will fight for common-sense policies that decrease crime by investing into preventative measures such as environmental design, housing, jobs and mental health resources. She will work closely with community partners and city agencies to identify opportunities to efficiently and properly address violence and crime— such as directing non-police work to the appropriate city departments so that every 911 call is answered and resolved safely while reducing the burden on officers in the process.

Together, we can prevent and reduce crime as well as demand accountability from our city. We must refuse the status quo solutions that got us here in the first place and truly make a robust investment into public safety.

• Property taxes + Affordability

Dallas has seen incredible growth in the past decade and with every person that moves here, we see more demand for housing, transportation and jobs. It is integral that we build a Dallas that protects Dallasites that are already here while accommodating transplants. After all, more and more people are discovering what we already know: that Dallas can be a great place to live, work and raise a family.

But as Dallas grows, so does our need for affordability. Too many of our neighbors are being priced out of their homes because of rising rents and unsustainable property taxes.

Once elected, Hosanna will fight for property tax relief as a vital and necessary component of the city's housing policy. She will also fight for sustainable and affordable development in the district so that we can add to the value of our district, attract small business growth, and prevent displacement.

District 11 can be a role model for the city when it comes to affordability. All we need is the political will to ensure that Dallas is a city for Dallasites, not luxury development that continues to push out our neighbors and adds to the city's rising homelessness numbers.

• Infrastructure + Transportation

As our city continues to grow, so does our need for efficient public transportation. Studies have proven that increasing public transportation access leads to more efficient cities, sustainable development, property tax relief, and affordability. We must pursue creative solutions to meet the challenges posed by our transportation needs head-on without missing opportunities to make broader investments in our communities.

On Council, Hosanna will fight for heavy investments in our streets and infrastructure, including bike lanes, sidewalks, and urban planning which prioritizes walkability. She will also be a strong advocate for increasing public transportation within the city core, which has not gotten its fair share of investment as DART services continue to expand outward into the metroplex.

We know we can have a city that is safe and encourages connection between our neighborhoods. Hosanna will fight for comprehensive plans that prioritize the bread and butter of our city rather than the wasteful big ticket projects that do not add value to our neighborhoods.

• Community Budgeting

City Hall's decisions on our budget directly affect every Dallasite. It is important that residents have the power and ability to make active decisions in how our taxpayer money is being spent and that every resident should be empowered with enough information to make those decisions.

On Council, Hosanna will work to create a participatory budgeting process that will allow every District 11 resident the opportunity to have a direct say in how our tax money is being spent in our district. She will prioritize neighborhood led initiatives and will work with community members to get input on budgetary decisions.

• Sustainability

Climate change poses a vital threat to all Dallasites. As a member of the Dallas City Council, Hosanna will work to push innovative and neighborhood led sustainability measures that will increase the livability of our City and center sustainable practices as an integral part of all city wide comprehensive plans going forward.

​Hosanna will work to invest heavily into public transportation and green infrastructure including complete green streets, urban green spaces and dedicated bus routes that will ease traffic. She will demand accountability from the city and our partners to ensure that we do not experience another Shingle Mountain or any other polluting practices that pose a threat to our community’s health, and will work to ensure that the City is meeting the necessary requirements within its climate action plan to transition to a fully green economy that will bring along good jobs and increase the value of our neighborhoods. ^[21]

• Working For Diversity And Community

Hi, I’m Da’On Boulanger-Chatman, and I’m running for Dallas City Council District 13.

As a native Dallasite and teacher, I know the power of a hardworking and diverse group of people. As an educator, I bring the experience of working with varied communities, age groups, and socioeconomic levels. My practical and solution-based decision-making will be essential to continuing the positive movement of Dallas.

My plans include affordable housing for ALL Dallas citizens, community safety, criminal justice reform, and continuing effective programs that provide support and transparency to the public.

Continuing projects and initiatives like the OKR Plan and reviews of all money allotted and withheld to mandated city programs will help facilitate positive growth. I hope that with your support I can be elected as your representative for Dallas City Council District 13.

• Community Safety

I believe in keeping our children and community safe, and part of doing that includes adopting all CDC COVID-19 guidelines to improve and maintain community health. A key part in promoting those practices can come from our local government echoing the facts and procedures that keep our communities safe, healthy, and productive.

The Dallas City Council must also address panhandling and mental health awareness in order to improve public safety in our communities, especially along the US 75 corridor. This is a dangerous situation, and our city needs to focus on finding effective solutions for dealing with the often twin issues of mental health and homelessness in order to make sure all residents feel safe and comfortable in their neighborhoods.

• Affordable Housing

You’ve probably noticed that the housing market for both renting and homeownership is often too expensive for middle-class Dallasites to afford. Many of our neighbors are moving to surrounding cities and commuting in for their work and daily business in order to live more comfortable lives.

As your elected City Council Member for District 13, I will work to make life more affordable for ALL Dallas citizens.

• Criminal Justice Policy Reform

Much of the distrust of black residents stems from a lack of accountability and transparency and unfair treatment due to race and ethnicity. I want to maintain an atmosphere of open dialogue through policy and committees to allow the citizens of District 13 to have a voice and ensure their concerns are heard.

As a city councilman, I will demand accountability and transparency from law enforcement, through projects like New Directions for Public Safety and Positive Change created by the Dallas City Council, whose goal is to produce alternatives to armed police response and provide more opportunity for other types of intervention, like sending out caseworkers and psychiatrists to help officers mitigate situations before they can escalate. ^[21]

• A taxpayer’s perspective.

A strong fiscal conservative, Leland will bring a taxpayer’s perspective to City Hall. He’ll hold the line on taxes and focus our budget on basic services that impact our quality of life. And, he’ll fight against wasteful spending and look for smart ways to get taxpayers more for their tax dollars.

• Public safety.

A strong ally of our police who’s served as a volunteer leader for Safer Dallas Better Dallas, Leland will be an outspoken advocate for public safety. He’ll lead to fully fund police and look for ways to invest in innovative, research-backed community-based policing strategies that keep us safe and address root causes of crime.

• Quality of life.

Leland understands that great basic services elevate our everyday quality of life and serve our citizens, and they also attract quality growth. As our councilmember, Leland will make focusing on basics a priority, leading for investment in public safety, streets, alleys, parks and greenspaces that impact our daily quality of life.

• Smart economic growth.

With experience shepherding his own real estate and finance businesses through difficult economies, Leland has a keen understanding of our economy and how to promote growth. As our councilmember, he’ll use his experience to guide us through challenging budgets, while protecting key services that will enhance our quality of life and help attract new opportunities to Dallas.

• Strong leadership.

An engaged civic and non-profit leader who’s led and served on several boards that impact our community and our city, Leland believes that collaboration and consensus are not only keys to strong leadership, but they are also critical to building confidence and trust with taxpayers and citizens. As our councilmember, he will work to create strong lines of communication, build consensus, and be a leader for smart policy on Council. ^[21]

Even in a bustling city like Dallas, residents want peace-of-mind when it comes to their everyday life. After all, at the end of the day, we return to the core of our lives, our family, our homes, and our neighborhoods—and it should be safe and clean, and our City a place to be proud of. That’s why I start with…

Neighborhoods First!

• Protect Our Neighborhoods

Public safety and security is the cornerstone of our quality of life. I helped launch the Schreiber Extended Patrol in 2019, and value the service of those who protect us. Building our police and fire departments to where they should be and giving them the tools and training to keep us all safe is my top priority. Keeping officer pay in line with suburban counterparts, ensuring timely roll out of staffing recommendations to get more sworn officers into the community, and community policing practices that reduce violent crime are practices I’ll fight for.

• Fix Streets, Alleys, and Sidewalks

Streets, alleys, and sidewalks that meet the expectation of what you and I as taxpayers deserve—and I have the follow-through to make it happen. Our 2017 bond rollout for these improvements had fallen behind even before COVID-19. I’ll keep my foot on the gas to get these enhancements on track. There are inequities that exist from street-to-street and neighborhood-to-neighborhood in our district, and I am already gauging how to sensibly resolve this.

• Grow the Tax Base, Don’t Raise Taxes

Growing our tax base by accelerating the overdue improvements needed to unclog our commercial and residential permitting processes is a top issue for me. I will work tenaciously to resolve the backlog and technology issues that hamper smart development. Slowing down Dallas’ entrepreneurial spirit deprives us all of revenue generation that funds city programs and services we want and need. It is not how the 9th largest city in America should operate, and I will absolutely focus on resolving these critical needs.

• Smart Development Includes Neighborhood Input

Smart development that looks beyond property boundaries to know the impact of a project on those who live around it, and factors in the needs of our city with regard to landscape, mobility and our overall environment is development I can support. Neighbors want to be heard, and should be heard—with timely notifications of when and where they can share their perspective. I will champion communications between neighbors, the city and developers to ensure smart progress.

• Create better ‘Liveability’ in Dallas. Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Recreation!

Liveable cities support the quality of life of its’ citizens. I am dedicated to improving and expanding our parks and urban spaces, transportation networks including DART rail and buses, but also bike and walking trails, and equitable access to recreational, cultural, and community facilities. As a Friends of the Dallas Public Library Board member, I saw first-hand the critical role libraries play in so many lives. I am committed to these goals and will continue to improve the quality of life for all our citizens.

• Action on Homelessness

Besides the humanity of this issue, the resources required to address it are staggering. Collaboration to solve this concern requires representation from health and mental health, housing, education, workforce, and law enforcement. As a volunteer counselor at Interfaith Housing Coalition, I worked with single parents transitioning to stable employment and housing from homelessness. Through my appointment by Council member Gates to the Community Development Commission, I have seen how the HUD grants the city receives can assist in securing housing for low to moderate-income citizens. I support the work of the Continuum of Care Council of non-profits and will work to ensure meaningful collaboration with the City’s Office of Homeless Solutions.

• Better Prepare for Emergencies

Our community has shown great fortitude and came together during the COVID pandemic and the bitter cold snowstorm. Neighbors drove elderly neighbors to get their shots or went to the store to get critical supplies of food and water. That’s what a great community does! But our city and county governments need to be equally prepared and they could have done a better job. I will work with my fellow council members to review and update emergency preparedness for the new kinds of disasters we may face, so we can take immediate action in a crisis. ^[21]

• Tax-Based Redevelopment Strategies – Marsh/Walnut Hill

Projects like the Shops at Park Lane in Vickery Meadow have shown how thoughtful partnerships between the city, business community, and neighborhood leaders can transform parts of our district. While continued discussions about the future of Preston Center will undoubtedly continue, we must simultaneously pursue other fantastic opportunities to foster development such as the intersection of Marsh and Walnut Hill. With the right leadership, we can create and implement a vision for these areas that primarily reflects the needs and desires of the surrounding neighborhoods, while also providing housing and employment opportunities that will re-energize areas of the district that are not maximizing their potential.

• Budget & Tax Reform

While the City’s economic performance has understandably been impacted by COVID-19, revenue for fiscal year ’19-’20 fell short by approximately $40 million, and revenues are expected to decline in the current year from sales tax, franchise tax, and fines/forfeitures. However, overall, the current year’s budget has increased slightly by 0.5% over last year’s adopted budget, and steady growth is expected over the next 5 years.

Generally, I will advocate for a dedicated pursuit of development opportunities to expand the property tax base in an effort to compensate for future unforeseen events like we have recently experienced. I will also encourage the Council to return to our department budgets with a more critical eye and correct for potential inefficiencies instead of continuing to proportionally increase current expense items on an annual basis. Identifying opportunities to maximize the impact of our tax dollars will provide us far more flexibility in the event that cuts must be made so that residents will not be faced with increased tax bills in the midst of an economic downturn.

Rising property tax bills in Dallas are a major cause for concern. Property values are disproportionately rising as compared to resident incomes and the resulting property taxes owed have the potential of pricing residents out of their homes. A basic commitment to “lower taxes” lacks the creativity and tax-focused solutions that we need to realize long-term solutions for homeowners. Texas is the largest economy in the world without an income tax, yet our property tax system has not adapted to the needs of our cities and their residents. I am excited about the opportunity to work with our state representatives to reform our property tax regime so that local governments can have more flexibility to provide relief to property owners in times of unprecedented crisis without sacrificing the much-needed funds we use to keep our essential services and public safety resources intact.

• Communication Is Key

Representing all of District 13 requires that all residents be informed and given the opportunity to provide feedback. The current outreach efforts from City Hall have not reached all corners of our community. Whether we need to introduce a new method of sharing information or make a greater effort to enroll residents in existing programs, I am dedicated to connecting the people of District 13 to City Hall in order to increase awareness of the Council’s business and engage residents in the process. Our many city departments and offices have separate strategies of sharing their available services and important updates, but the job of our next councilmember is to make all of that information as accessible as possible.

(For example, did you know that the Dallas Public Library is out there tweeting up a storm? Check them out! @dallaslibrary)

• Advanced Services

We need to focus on efficiently and intelligently carrying out street and sidewalk improvement projects. We have projects funded from the 2017 Bond Program that have yet to even begin and others that have construction timelines slated for up to 2 full years just to reconstruct a small street.

Any time that a solution is causing more disruption than the original problem, we have failed to deliver on our promise to increase the quality of life of our residents. We need (i) data driven scheduling to maximize efficiency and (ii) to intelligently carry out projects so that we can maximize the results. For example, in the east of our district on Northwest Highway near Skillman, a guardrail was recently repaired and if only 10 more inches of concrete were laid, we could have had a new sidewalk connecting an isolated cul-de-sac neighborhood to shops and restaurants nearby. As we tackle the task of improving our transportation technology and strategic mobility plans, we must keep in mind how to improve pedestrian safety and such easy adjustments to current projects, like connecting neighborhoods with a short sidewalk, are the key to making progress.

• Comprehensive Safety Strategy

District 13 concerns vary by neighborhood with no one-size-fits-all solution.

In the center of District 13, petty crimes including car break-ins, vandalism, and package theft remain prevalent. Neighborhood crime watch groups and efforts to encourage residents to lock cars and remove valuables have lessened the amount of incidents.

Neighborhoods east of highway 75 within the Public Improvement District (PID) have been combating severe violent crime including murder, rape, aggravated assaults and robbery. The PID has invested in initiatives such as the Midtown Code Red 311 program to stay vigilant about code and regulatory compliance to create a cleaner and safer neighborhood. Also, the Midtown Blues program is a $225,000 annual investment by the PID to provide private security to supplement and support the Dallas PD, which has lowered crime by 75% since the inception of the PID.

For those in the west of the district, quality of life is uniquely diminished by the sounds of nearby gunshots that are increasing with frequency. We need to be working with our counterparts in District 6 to jointly develop solutions with the same effort and urgency that we would put forth if a problem arose in the middle of our District.

Our public safety solutions must be comprehensive. We must strategically fund our police to ensure that we can hire, train, and retain neighborhood patrol officers to reduce criminal activity and also incorporate a more holistic approach to our strategy. Affordable housing is a public safety issue. Redeveloping abandoned and dilapidated properties to create job opportunities, well-lit areas, neighborhood-centric green spaces, and increased foot traffic is a public safety issue. Improving our transportation infrastructure so that neighborhoods don’t fall into decline as their streets and sidewalks fall into disrepair is a public safety issue. Only when we seriously address the root causes of crime will we see the results our residents expect.

• Transformational Leadership

District 13 needs a leader with a fresh perspective to solving the problems we face instead of having someone simply step into the shoes of our current councilmember only to maintain the status quo.

I was not born and raised in this district like some of the candidates in this race, and because of that, I am not committed to the same vision and policy priorities that have been pursued by our councilmembers for the past 20+ years. My experience has prepared me to invest in new ideas and welcome innovative approaches to problem-solving so that we can not only bring more positive change to our District, but we can also create a more positive, collaborative environment at City Hall that will pay dividends all over our city for years to come.

In addition, my tax background will be a welcome respite from the development-centric agenda pursued by our representatives. I know how to spearhead our redevelopment strategies, and I have a studied plan to work with our state representatives to reform our property tax regime so that local governments can have more flexibility to provide relief to property owners in times of unprecedented crisis.

• Homelessness

Importantly, the 2017 Bond Program provided $20 million to fund housing facilities for the homeless. Almost all of these funds are still unissued. The Housing and Homelessness Solutions Committee must work with the Office of Homeless Solutions and advisory bodies (e.g., Citizen Homelessness Commission) to finalize project plans and commit these funds toward their implementation.

Further, ongoing collaboration with local organizations will also allow us to expand homeless services. These initiatives include: the rapid rehousing program with Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance; expanding shelter capacity with the Bridge Homeless Recovery Center; and providing housing and support services to help families regain self-sufficiency with City Square and Family Gateway.

We also need NEW ideas – I believe that we need to reimagine abandoned and functional property into temporary housing solutions for those without shelter. For example, Dawson State Jail is a facility on Commerce Street downtown that has been vacant since 2013. It is now owned by the Trinity Park Conservancy which is a missed opportunity because it was a government property with the ability to house, feed, and medically treat individuals in need. Vickery Midtown has adopted this vision as well and has been advocating for reimagining the former fire station into a homeless processing center to account for those experiencing homelessness and connect them to helpful resources. Only with a new perspective can we capture these otherwise overlooked opportunities.

• Workforce Development

The City currently provides a platform to promote opportunities to both job seekers and employers. With agency partners, Workforce Solutions of Greater Dallas and the Texas Workforce Commission, we provide information and direct individuals/business to helpful resources beyond job search assistance, such as connecting working parents to childcare and guiding young adults through career planning.

With DISD and DCCCD as additional partners, individuals can find adult education and literacy classes and other programs tailored to provide the skills and training necessary to qualify for the next great opportunity.

By ensuring that online job listings are up-to-date and by facilitating an applicant’s submission directly to employers, the City can play an integral part in workforce development. Providing these resources allows employers to trust that investing in and hiring from our workforce will result in talented employees, thereby establishing long-lasting relationships between employers and the City of Dallas that will create reliable opportunities for our residents looking for work. ^[21]

• WE ARE OVERTAXED

For the last ten years, at least, Dallas City property taxes have been rising about twice as fast as our incomes. Rents are rising and people are being taxed out of their homes.

Property tax valuations have been rising at 7% per year for at least 10 years while incomes rose at 3%. Instead of rolling back the tax rate, the City of Dallas has just collected the money and found new ways to spend it. The result is that the Dallas tax rate is 77.6 cents per hundred dollars of valuation while Houston and San Antonio are at around 56 cents. The Houston city charter limits spending growth to the rate of population increase plus the rate of inflation to keep the city budget from outstripping the taxpayer’s budgets. We need that provision in the Dallas city charter. We also need to freeze property tax revenue at 2020 levels for the next several years until our tax rates are in line with other major Texas cities. That would require a 2% reduction in this year’s proposed budget and a rollback to 74.6 cents. We need to put the City of Dallas on a diet. The required reduction in force can be accomplished by attrition.

• CRIME IS RISING

The buzzword today is “21 Century Policing”. What we know about “21st Century Policing” is that it doesn’t work. Murder rates in Dallas have doubled since the low point in 2014. That has been the general experience in big cities all over the country. The minority communities it was intended to help have suffered the most from it. In Dallas alone, the cost is an extra 140 lives a year, most of them minority. We need to keep whatever good may have come from it and go back to 20th century policing.

In a plea to defund the police, County Judge Clay Jenkins made the statement, “the police are still killing us.”. Many believe that. Let’s look at the facts. In 2019, Dallas police officers fired their weapons a total of 11 times. Think about that. Out of over three thousand officers, over the course of an entire year, only eleven fired their weapons. In 2020, only four officers fired their weapons. One person was killed. Is what Judge Jenkins said true? Are the police still killing us? Contrast those numbers with the 254 murders in 2020, and ask yourself: Is the problem police brutality, or criminal brutality? Would we be better off with fewer police; or, with more police?

This shameful rhetoric demoralizes the police, makes minorities afraid to call the police, discourages minorities from joining the police force and emboldens the criminals. The Dallas City Council should present the truth and stand up for the police department.

Two years ago, every council member ran on a promise to increase the number of police officers. Last year, the wind shifted and a number of them supported defunding the police.

If elected, I will work to RE-fund the police. We need an additional 500 officers to bring us back to 2014 staffing levels. With these extra officers, I expect the police to be pro-active and not re-active. Two summers ago, the DPS sent 15 officers into South Dallas because there had been 40 murders in a month. They were there for two months, arrested felons, took illegal guns off the street and drove down the murder rate. That is pro-active policing. Preventing crime instead of just investigating it. The police need to put a stop to street racing. It’s not that hard, but it won’t stop if we just ignore it. Eight police cars and sixteen officers could block all the streets at the intersection, ticket all the bystanders blocking the street, arrest the drivers and tow the cars. If they did that every time someone advertised a street race, they would soon stop. The tickets should pay for the operation. The police need to confront the homeless when they trespass, are publicly intoxicated, shoplift or create a public nuisance. (See What to do about the Homeless in another blog. ). The police also need to have a better plan for dealing with riots. Standing by and watching is not the answer. They need a system so that people that loot and destroy property can expect to be either arrested at the scene or photographed and arrested later.

• WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE HOMELESS

People who are temporarily homeless because of divorce, loss of job, injury, etc. need temporary housing until they regain their footing. Private sources exist for this purpose. The City’s role should be to connect them to the resources. That would be a good job for the Office of Community Care. They need quick help and the City does not usually act in a timely manner.

Homeless encampments are another matter. Seattle allowed homeless encampments to flourish. It has not turned out well. Google “Seattle is Dying” and watch the video if you don’t know what I mean.

There are many people who believe that we should help the hard-core, drug and alcohol addicted homeless to be more comfortable while they continue to destroy themselves. This is wrong. It enables them to continue their downward path and it entices others into the lifestyle. It is no accident that the Office of Homeless Solutions has a $12 million dollar a year budget and the number of homeless people increases every year.

The hard-core homeless need an intervention. The simple way to do that is to arrest them when they trespass, or steal, openly use drugs, etc. Sentence them to two weeks in jail. While they are in jail, the television plays motivational videos and life histories of people who once were homeless and got out of the lifestyle. At the end of two weeks, give them a shower, a shave, a haircut and new clothes from the Salvation Army thrift store and buy them a month’s stay at a shelter. Every morning, vans from the local day labor companies pull up and offer them a chance to work. If they want to get out they can. If not, you do it again the next time they violate the law.

At worst, they have a better bed and better food than they had at the camp. They just have to face the annoyance of getting sober and watching motivational videos. At best, they go to work and provide for themselves, like the rest of us. The solution to homelessness is to get people out of the lifestyle; not to make them more comfortable while they are in it.

For those still in camp, two cops and a drug sniffing dog should walk through the camp every day at random times.

• WHAT DO WE GET FOR OUR MONEY

The City budget document is over 700 pages long. There is a lot of information about goals and targets, but not much about whether targets are met, the value of what is accomplished and how the cost compares to other cities. I will press the city manager to provide a clear definition of what is to be accomplished, metrics to define success and to provide a report based on those metrics. Look at the Dallas budget for 2015-2016, or the Houston budget and you will see what I mean. I will press for a zero base budget for about 20% of the spending each year. That way, each department gets a thorough review and has to justify it's existence about once every five years.

• IF WE ARE GOING TO CUT TAXES, WE WILL HAVE TO CUT SPENDING.

If we are going to cut our taxes, we have to cut our budget. If we are going to increase funding for the police, we have to take it from somewhere else. The new council takes office on June 14. The new budget is approved in September. I will use that time to review the budget, ask hard questions and recommend items to cut. Government bureaucracies do not cut their budgets unless someone applies pressure. I am willing to apply the pressure. It will not be a quick fix. But, I believe that we can freeze spending and any required reductions in staff can be taken care of by attrition without undue hardship to city personnel. If we freeze spending, increases in property valuations will eventually bring us into line with the tax rate of other major Texas cities. We do not have to cut basic services to freeze spending. Other cities provide basic services with much lower tax rates. So can we.

We will have to re-align spending to find more money for the police. If elected, I will compare the 2015 budget when we had 3500 police officers with the current budget where we have 3000 to find what has been added to spend the money we saved on the 500 officers we cut. That will be ther first place to look for savings; but, every item will be under scruitny.

• THE CITY’S ROLE IN ALLEVIATING POVERTY

Low income families tend to concentrate in the central city because of older housing stocks, lower rents and more jobs employing unskilled labor.

Because of this concentration, the cost of alleviating poverty is too great for the central city, in this case Dallas, to bear.

In order to spread the burden, welfare efforts are, rightly, the province of the state and federal government. Otherwise, people who live in the suburbs will not bear their fair share and Dallas residents will be overburdened.

• WHAT CAN THE CITY DO

I. The Dallas Housing Authority administers public housing and rent subsidies. It is not part of city government but the City of Dallas appoints the governing board. The city can appoint board members who are knowledgeable and diligent to ensure that the program is administered fairly, that maximum results are obtained for each dollar spent and that all available state and federal aid is secured.

II. There are many welfare programs available to help low income families. Unfortunately, finding the sources of welfare is complicated and low income people are often ill equipped to find them. The City should have a department in the Office of Community Care with a staff devoted to helping our citizens take maximum advantage of available aid programs.

III. The city staff should ensure that the City takes maximum advantage of any grants, public or private, that are available to affordable housing or other poverty programs are secured and effectively spent.

IV. Public works money should be distributed equally across the City on a per capita basis. The council person in each district should guide, but not direct, the spending of public works money in his/her district.

V. Affordable housing is disappearing as older homes are razed and newer, more expensive ones are built on the lot. The City should begin planning and zoning for multi-family housing to provide for people who are displaced. Improvements to streets and utilities will likely be required to accommodate the higher densities and availability of public transportation should be considered.

VI. Enterprise Zones provide a unique opportunity to create relatively unskilled jobs in areas that sorely need them. The City can aid in this effort by offering a property tax rebate to the extent that companies that locate in these Enterprise Zones use the money to train their employees. The training and new jobs will increase incomes and make what was once unaffordable housing affordable.

• WHAT ABOUT CORRUPTION

Over the past years, we have seen several council members go to prison because of corruption. Why is it happening and what can we do about it?

One way is to take politics out of the money. When the award of grants or subsidies (free stuff) is subject to the whim of a council member, there is a temptation to offer the council member something to secure the free stuff. What is the alternative? There is a process for awarding design-build projects where, because of leeway for innovation by the bidders, an apples-to-apples comparison of the bids cannot be made. A committee is established to evaluate the bids on the basis of defined criteria (cost being a major consideration) and select the best value for the city. A similar process should be followed anytime the city awards a grant or a subsidy. I will work to endure that grants and subsidies are awarded on the basis of best value for the citizens and are guided by, but not subject to, the wishes of a council member.

The other way is to take the money out of politics. The typical council district has around 50,000 voters. It costs a great deal of money to reach that many voters. However, it doesn’t cost much for a voter to reach a candidate. You have done that by visiting this website. Encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same. You can reach out to a candidate for a lot less than it costs a candidate to reach out to you; and, you will get a lot more useful information from a website than a push card or a TV ad. If voters will do that, there will be no need for a candidate to raise a huge amount of money to run for public office.

That said, it costs something just to reach out to voters and make them aware that a candidate has a website. ^[21]