(From the April 3, 2024 Dallas Express article, “Charter Review Commission Hosts TeleTownhall”)
The City of Dallas Charter Review Commission held a TeleTownhall to discuss proposed changes to the city charter. Over 3,500 residents participated, providing feedback and voting on various amendments. The commission, consisting of 15 members, reviews proposed amendments and recommends them to the city council. The charter, reviewed every 10 years, outlines the city’s government structure and functions.
The commission has reviewed 125 proposed amendments and advanced 31 for further consideration. Topics included notification processes, police oversight, board service eligibility, ranked-choice voting, and council member pay raises.
Key poll results:
- Public Notices: 74% supported expanding notification methods.
- Petition Process: 70% favored extending the signature collection period to 120 days; 56% supported lowering the signature requirement from 10% to 5%.
- Police Oversight: 52% supported having the oversight director report to the city council.
- Board Service Eligibility: 70% opposed allowing non-U.S. citizens to serve.
- Voting System: 55% preferred general runoff elections over ranked-choice voting.
- Council Salaries: 51% felt current salaries ($60,000 for council members, $80,000 for the mayor) were too low; 52% thought proposed increases ($125,000 for council members, $140,000 for the mayor) were too high. Additionally, 44% supported tying salaries to the consumer price index for inflation adjustments.
The meeting facilitated community engagement on crucial governance issues.
Read the entire article here.