District 9 City Councilman Mark Clayton held his first of three town hall meetings tonight to discuss the 2017 budget. Nearly 25 people and a handful of city employees gathered in the cafeteria of the Lakehill Preparatory School talk to the councilman.
Clayton started the meeting by sharing some of the highlights of the proposed $3.1 billion budget. It includes:
- Approximately $14.1 million in cost reductions and efficiencies made to the $1.2 billion general fund.
- Retail water and sewer rate increase of 2.6 percent. The increase will raise the average monthly water bill to $65, up from $63.
- Sanitation rates for residential properties to increase $1.53 per month.
- Hiring 549 new police officers. The new hires would raise the city’s fleet to 3,700 officers and would cost $13.9 million.
- A $20 million street and alley improvement fund.
- Dallas Animal Services will add an on-duty overnight shift four times a week to combat loose dogs.
Questions and comments came about the need for more Dallas arts funding, mosquito spraying, DART access, the possible privatization of Fair Park and senior programing at recreation centers.Â
Clayton’s next town hall meeting will be Aug. 16 at Lake Highlands Baptist Church located at 642 Brookhurst. District 14  Councilman Philip Kingston will have his first town hall meeting on Aug. 26. Kingston will host a town hall meeting at Klyde Warren Park at 2012 Woodall Rodgers.
