Former DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa wants to be in City Hall

Michael Hinojosa is banking on his experience as the former Dallas superintendent to lead the city out of a financial hole if he’s elected as mayor. 

Hinojosa, the first candidate to enter the race, said Tuesday he’s running now because the city needs “strong, proven, transparent leadership.”

Dallas is facing a $30 million shortfall in its current budget year and expects to face a $51 million deficit in its next budget. Hinojosa said he has the experience to balance the budget. 

In 2008, Dallas ISD faced a $64 million shortfall that led to teacher layoffs. By 2022, when Hinojosa left the district, Dallas ISD had $1 billion in reserves. 

Hinojosa said the city’s spending needs to match its revenues.

“Nobody likes a tax increase,” Hinojosa said ahead of a news conference in front of City Hall, adding that he wouldn’t push for a tax increase just yet. 

Hinojosa announced his candidacy more than a year before the next election in November 2027. Mayor Eric Johnson is ineligible to run again because of term limits. The race for his successor is expected to attract a crowded field. 

The former superintendent said he plans to visit every City Council district during the next 15 months to ask the community what they want from the city’s next leader. 

Born in Mexico and raised in Oak Cliff, he spent more than a decade as the school system’s top administrator and is widely credited with helping modernize DISD.     

Here are key issues the next mayor will face: 

The mayor represents one vote in a 15-member City Council. The mayor has the power to choose committee members, run meetings and establish the overall tenor of debates. 

But some political leaders are pushing to give the mayor more executive power over the city’s decisions. 

Hinojosa said he would support the change. 

“I’m going to vote for it,” he said. “I’m not going to campaign for it because that would be self-serving. And if it’s proposed and it fails, I’m not going to whine about it.” 

The City Council doesn’t agree on what should happen to the I.M. Pei-designed City Hall. A majority support relocating to another building downtown, as recommended by the city manager. 

But several say business should continue in the current building. The debate has caused two City Council members to sue the city. And Dallas residents have packed council chambers during discussions. 

Hinojosa said the city needs more time to let the community mull the options and needs to find a way “to honor the past.” But, a decision is likely before next year’s election. 

In the meantime, Hinojosa said he has already met with eight of the nine returning council members.

“They’re good people. Sometimes they don’t like each other. Sometimes they don’t like the city manager. But I can work with all of them and whoever gets elected,” he said.

Crime reduction is one of Hinojosa’s top priorities. “If you don’t feel safe, you’re not going to be happy,” he said. 

But, the city is also facing a budget deficit in part because of police and fire overtime costs. 

Public safety spending makes up more than half of the Dallas budget, and that cost may grow. The Dallas Police Department is mandated to employ 4,000 officers. The force is currently 3,370. 

Voters approved a proposition in 2024 that requires the city to put half of any additional revenue year over year into the police and fire pension system. 

AT&T and the Dallas Stars plan to move to Plano. The Dallas Mavericks, Comerica and Bank of America are moving out of downtown. 

The next mayor will have to confront stiff competition from its suburban peers and will be asked to represent the city to attract business. 

Hinojosa said the recent relocations presented an opportunity for city officials to diagnose what went wrong.”Efforts are good but results are better,” he said.