Texas Attorney General Sues Dallas Over Police Funding
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced a lawsuit against Dallas city officials, alleging they have not sufficiently funded the police department as mandated by a voter-approved security measure.
Paxton, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, claims that Dallas has unlawfully ignored Proposition U, a measure that city voters passed in 2024. This proposition stipulates that 50% of the city’s new annual revenue should be allocated to police and fire pensions. Moreover, it requires maintaining a minimum of 4,000 police officers, which is about 900 more than what the department is projected to have in 2024.
The lawsuit was made public on Friday and names Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizer Tolbert and Chief Financial Officer Jack Ireland Jr. among the defendants.
“I filed this lawsuit to make sure the City of Dallas fully funds its law enforcement agencies, safeguards public safety, and is accountable to voters,” Paxton stated in a press release. “When voters demand increased funding for law enforcement, local officials must respond right away,” he added. “Given the growing challenges faced by law enforcement across the nation, it’s essential to fully support those who uphold law and order in our communities. This lawsuit is aimed at ensuring that Dallas adheres to its own charter and provides its officers with the necessary resources to protect the public.”
Paxton asserts that Dallas officials miscalculated the current budget surplus intended for Prop. U safety measures. He claims that the additional revenue expected for the 2025-2026 fiscal year amounts to $220 million, while the city reported only about $61 million in excess revenue.
The lawsuit further alleges that Dallas has neglected to hire an independent third-party firm to conduct the required annual police compensation review.
The complaint is asking the city to correctly distribute the excess revenue from Proposition U to police pensions, salaries, and the hiring of more officers.
According to reports, Dallas city leaders have made strides to comply with Proposition U. In December, the City Council approved a long-term pension funding plan totaling $11 billion for police over the next 30 years.
