Before the Dallas City Council embarked Wednesday on a long meeting with more than 100 agenda items to consider, they welcomed two frisky visitors: Luna, a 4-month-old gray kitten, and Ruby, a 5-month-old puppy from Dallas Animal Services.
The animals were brought to City Hall as the shelter and city officials push to encourage adoptions. Several council members shared stories about pets they had adopted from the shelter.
“This may be the most animal-loving council in the city’s history,” Mayor Eric Johnson said.
From then on, the council turned to issues ranging from tax breaks to road safety projects.
Eyeing the city’s current budget crunch, council members voted unanimously to maintain the $175,000 homestead exemption for residents 65 or older or with disabilities in the next fiscal year. The exemption lowers a home’s taxable value by $175,000 when calculating the city’s portion of the owner’s property tax bill.
The city has consistently increased exemption rates since 2021, giving relief to homeowners grappling with high property taxes and rising costs. But doing so meant less revenue to fund city services.
Dallas received a $9.2 million grant from the federal government to reduce road injuries and risks to pedestrian safety. Five corridors on Maple Avenue, Camp Wisdom Road, Lake June Road, Ferguson Road and St. Augustine Road will see crosswalks, curb and sidewalk improvements.
The Salvation Army’s new campus for people experiencing homelessness and South Dallas’ Forest Theater will both receive $8 million in tax credits from the Dallas Development Fund. The fund was created for the city to apply for federal grants and received $55 million in the most recent cycle.