Dallas' FY2012 Budget Could Be Approved Aug. 29

The city of Dallas is slated to have its fiscal year 2012 budget set by the end of the month.

The budget and the city’s financial situation were addressed during a called 5 p.m. work session of the Dallas City Council Monday. A 7 p.m. business session followed it.

Mayor Boyd Austin said the city's digest decreased by more $15 million in fiscal year 2011. He also said that Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax revenue has been in decline since FY2009. At its high point, SPLOST revenue was at $1.3 million. It is project to be $1.16 million in FY2012.

"The big difference between this year is that we intend to keep the millage rate the same," Austin said. Last year’s rate was 18.909 mills.

"Most of (the decrease in revenue) is applied to the rollback in property taxes," he added.

According to an amended budget report from city hall, the city’s expenditures totaled at $6,928,474 for FY2011. 

The council during the meeting reviewed the preliminary budget for FY2012. City officials declined a request from Dallas-Hiram Patch to provide the budget report.

The council is slated to approve the budget at its next scheduled meeting on August 29. The meeting will serve as the council’s September session as the normal meeting day—the first Monday of the month—would fall on Labor Day.

During the work session, Ryan Hogan of Triscapes Inc. was called to the podium to update the council on the construction happening at Seaboard Drive, which is currently closed for construction.

According to Hogan, the goal is to have the road paved by Friday. He says the road could be open to traffic that day, but he does not completely recommend it. He says the guardrail still needs to be installed, which will not happen this week, as does the sidewalk. 

"I wouldn't want to see it open until [Aug. 26]," he said.

Monday’s business session saw councilmen grant a blanket permit for all Dallas high schools to hold a homecoming parade.