During mayoral campaign season, the candidates tossed around a couple new ideas for City Council committees. Mayor Eric Johnson wanted a group he then called the “Education and Workforce Committee.” His opponent, Scott Griggs, called for the Economic Development and Housing Committee to break into two parts.
Today, Dallas’ City Council solidified its committee structure and both got their wish, with the aim of equity added to Johnson’s workforce committee. Homelessness is an addition to the newly split-off housing committee. The city also added an Environment and Sustainability Committee and dropped the “criminal justice” from public safety, among other changes. Overall, Dallas went from six committees to eight.
The next step will be for Johnson to approve Council members’ requests to sit on and chair those committees. Now in the second week of October, we’re beyond the point when mayors have made those appointments. Mike Rawlings made his selections by August.
Here’s how everything breaks down:
New:
1. Government Performance and Financial Management
2. Workforce, Education, and Equity
3. Public Safety
4. Quality of Life, Arts, and Culture
5. Transportation and Infrastructure
6. Economic Development
7. Housing and Homelessness Solutions
8. Environment and Sustainability
Old:
1. Government Performance and Financial Management
2. Economic Development and Housing
3. Public Safety and Criminal Justice
4. Quality of Life, Arts, and Culture
5. Mobility Solutions, Infrastructure, and Sustainability
6. Human and Social Needs
