Chad West

City Hall Roundup: Dallas Council Set to Authorize $6.3 Million For Home Repairs in 3 TIF Districts

By April Towery / September 22, 2024 /

About $6.3 million could be added this fiscal year to a fund for home repairs in the Oak Cliff Gateway, Fort Worth Avenue, and Deep Ellum tax increment financing districts, pending a City Council vote on Wednesday.  North Oak Cliff Councilman Chad West has championed the City’s home repair program, which recently was streamlined to…

Mendelsohn: Lower Tax Rate is a Farce, Property Owners Will Be Writing Bigger Checks

By April Towery / September 19, 2024 /

Dallas property owners got a little relief Wednesday as the City Council approved the largest tax reduction in recent history along with a $4.97 billion city budget.  But Far North Dallas Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn wasn’t giving hugs or high-fives at the horseshoe. Shortly before the budget and tax rate were adopted, Mendelsohn introduced an amendment…

Dallas Council Could Revisit Short-Term Rental Ordinance: ‘It’s Not Working’

By April Towery / September 17, 2024 /

Short-term rentals are operating legally within Dallas neighborhoods while the matter is under legal injunction but the action approved by the City Council in June 2023 is punishing good operators and “isn’t working,” Councilman Chad West said during a Monday meeting of the Quality of Life, Arts, and Culture Committee.  Last year the CIty Council…

Councilwoman Blackmon Playing Budget Jenga to Help Save Skillman Southwestern Library 

By April Towery / September 5, 2024 /

The Dallas City Council is poised to adopt a $4.97 billion budget this month, and elected officials introduced amendments Wednesday to set priorities that were not included in the city manager’s original proposal.  District 9 Councilwoman Paula Blackmon, who represents White Rock Lake and East Dallas, asked to reduce the Office of Economic Development’s transfer…

Dallas Housing Policy 2033 Focuses on Action But Not Data

By April Towery / September 2, 2024 /

How does the Mark Twain quote go? “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” The City of Dallas loves a good survey and sky-is-falling data, but when the numbers don’t support the narrative of a particular individual or advocacy group, they’re quickly dismissed. And to be fair, there’s also probably another survey…