Texas AG Sues Dallas Officials Over Police Funding

Detected February 13th, 2026

Summary

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued the City of Dallas and its officials for allegedly violating a voter-approved measure (Proposition U) that mandates increased police funding. The lawsuit claims Dallas improperly calculated excess revenue, leading to underfunding of the Dallas Police Department and failure to conduct required compensation surveys.

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What changed

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the City of Dallas, City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, and Chief Financial Officer Jack Ireland Jr. The suit alleges that Dallas officials unlawfully refused to comply with Proposition U, a voter-approved measure requiring increased funding for police and public safety. Specifically, the lawsuit claims the city improperly calculated approximately $220 million in projected excess revenue for fiscal year 2025-26, reporting only $61 million and thereby failing to meet voter-mandated public safety priorities. Additionally, Dallas officials are accused of failing to hire an independent third-party firm to conduct an annual police compensation survey as required by the proposition.

This enforcement action demands that the City of Dallas comply with its charter by including all unrestricted revenue in its excess revenue calculations and allocating these funds to police pensions, officer pay, and increasing officer numbers as dictated by Proposition U. Failure to comply could result in court-ordered mandates and potential penalties. Regulated entities, particularly municipal governments in Texas, should monitor this case for implications regarding adherence to voter-approved funding measures and charter provisions related to public safety and law enforcement.

Source document (simplified)

Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Dallas city officials for unlawfully refusing to comply with Proposition U, a public safety measure approved by Dallas voters in the November 2024 election that mandates increased funding for police and other critical public safety priorities.

Despite the clear will of the voters, Dallas city leadership has failed to properly calculate and allocate excess city revenue as required by the Dallas City Charter. The lawsuit names the City of Dallas, City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, and Chief Financial Officer Jack Ireland Jr. as defendants for acting beyond their legal authority by underfunding the Dallas Police Department in direct violation of the charter. Compared to fiscal year 2024–25, the City of Dallas’s projected excess revenue for fiscal year 2025–26 is approximately $220 million. However, Chief Financial Officer Jack Ireland reported to the Dallas City Council that excess revenue totaled only $61 million, based on an improper calculation that excluded large categories of city revenue without citing any state or federal law restricting their use. As a result, the City’s proposed budget fails to fund voter-mandated public safety priorities and does not meet the requirements of Proposition U.

In addition, Dallas officials failed to comply with another mandatory provision of Proposition U that requires the City to hire an independent third-party firm to conduct an annual police compensation survey. Public information requests revealed that no such survey was conducted, despite the charter’s clear directive.

“I filed this lawsuit to ensure that the City of Dallas fully funds law enforcement, upholds public safety, and is accountable to its constituents,” said Attorney General Paxton. “When voters demand more funding for law enforcement, local officials must immediately comply. As members of law enforcement across the country increasingly face attacks from the radical Left, it’s crucial that we fully fund the brave men and women in law enforcement defending law and order in our communities. This lawsuit aims to do just that by ensuring Dallas follows its own charter and gives police officers the support they need to protect the public.”

Attorney General Paxton’s lawsuit demands that the City of Dallas comply with the Dallas City Charter. Specifically, the suit demands that the City include all revenue not restricted by state or federal law when calculating excess revenue and properly allocate those funds to police pensions, officer pay, and increasing the number of officers, as required by Proposition U.

To read the lawsuit, click here.