Dallas County residents will decide on Proposition A this November, a measure that would lift the county property‑tax rate by 22% to 24.865 cents per $100 of assessed value. The increase would generate roughly $102.9 million each year for the nonprofit Housing Forward, which administers homeless‑service programs.
What the numbers mean for homeowners
For a median homestead valued at $268,056, the proposed rate would raise the annual county bill to $666.52 – an increase of $107.55 over last year’s $558.97 payment and $120.26 more than the bill calculated at the current no‑new‑revenue rate.
Even if Proposition A fails, the rate would not revert to last year’s level; it would remain at the voter‑approved 22.465 cents, still 10.2% above the no‑new‑revenue baseline. Homeowners in the upper half of the market would see larger jumps.
Bipartisan opposition
Both Democratic Commissioners John Wiley Price and Elba Garcia voted against placing Proposition A on the ballot. Price argued that the county should not shoulder the entire cost of a regional homelessness issue and warned that landlords would likely pass the tax onto renters. Garcia objected to the $100 million pass‑through to a single nonprofit that has not been fully vetted, noting that details of the funding would be provided later.
Republican nominee Barry Wernick echoes these concerns, citing conversations with voters who say rising costs for housing, food, and energy already strain household budgets. He points out that District 2 already carries about 40% of the county’s property‑tax burden based on taxable value.
Audit findings raise questions
The Dallas City Auditor’s June 18 2025 report, covering October 1 2022 through February 29 2024, shows that two Housing Forward contracts received only a fraction of their allocated funds. Master leasing spent $52,326 of a $3 million allocation, while the Real‑Time Rehousing outreach program spent $1,707 of $2,354,314 – together representing about 1% of the $5.3 million budget, with roughly $5.3 million still unspent.
The audit also noted that the Point‑in‑Time count met only 18 of 23 HUD requirements, with veteran status not required and the 2024 count’s timing unverified. Wernick argues that these gaps undermine confidence in the program’s effectiveness.
Comparisons to other homeless‑tax initiatives
Wernick references similar measures in other cities. Portland voters approved a 1% homeless tax on businesses and high‑income households in 2020; five years later, homelessness rates were higher than when the tax began. In Austin, voters rejected a comparable property‑tax increase by a margin of 63.5% to 36.5%.
He suggests a pragmatic approach: focus on contracts that move inmates to state prisons within a 45‑day window, enforce encampments, and avoid creating a dedicated tax without clear oversight.
Call to action
Wernick urges Dallas County voters to reject Proposition A, emphasizing that a compassionate and fiscally responsible plan must involve Dallas and Collin counties, the City of Dallas, surrounding suburbs, and the State of Texas. He frames the measure as an unaffordable tax increase that does not guarantee better outcomes for the homeless or taxpayers.
Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.
