Maria Guerrero

Just going to say this - it's bad news but I've been telling Dallas residents this for quite a while... I hate to inform you, we are BROKE. How does the city manager/budget office expect to be able to pay rent? This is not a current expense. We can't add this to our budget. The city is so cash strapped it is thinking of closing 4 libraries to save $2.6 million over 2 years. We have continued to increase your water and sanitation bill, even forcing general fund expenses to the enterprise funds as a fee ($3/mo on your sanitation bill). The city manager is asking necessary, resident-facing departments to cut back significantly but wanting to keep functions of government unneeded or better outsourced at high staffing levels. Do you realize how much we pay for rec centers but they are barely open 40 hours a week? We need them to actually serve the community with robust hours to give teens a safe place to hang out, provide senior programming, after school care - this is how we build community and quality of life in Dallas. Why did the city manager add to the government relations department just to have staff attend the same meetings as elected officials? If you need a recap of a meeting, put an AI assistant on the virtual meeting and get it without a staffer. Dallas, wake up! You're paying the highest tax rate in the state (minus El Paso) and what are you getting? The give-away of your city hall to billionaires? This is why homeowner tax payments and rent are so high and stores have had to raise prices! Let's be real, the Mavs have said Valley View is a viable option for them. This keeps city hall and brings REVENUE TO SOUTHERN DALLAS through the mall TIF. This is the investment the whole city needs. Sorry if some folks can't stand under the banner of "I saved downtown Dallas." Downtown needs more residents, more police, more enforcement of homelessness and basic laws. Let's incentivize office to residential conversion and make downtown Dallas the most desirable place in the country for young professionals to live!