Back in April Dallas City Manager Mary Suhm warned the city council that the state's $27 billion budget shortfall would end up having significant impact on the city's coffers. On Wednesday, Assistant City Attorney Larry Casto, the city's Director of Legislative Affairs, will outline to the council exactly how it all played out when he gives 'em the Summary of Legislation with Municipal Impact, which spells out the good and bad news out of Austin, beginning with the bills that lift money out of the city's wallet. Let's look at those:
• Allocations of the city share of the mixed beverage tax will be reduced by roughly 25 percent which will result in a $1.7 million annual loss to City of Dallas.Read all 10 pages here. In advance, I fixed you a mixed beverage.
• Statewide library assistance will be cut from $54.3 million to $24.25 million for the biennium, a reduction of 55 percent, and a loss of over $300,000 to City of Dallas for 2012-2013.
• $20 million in homeless money secured in 2009 by Texas' 8 largest cities was eliminated in 2011. However, the cities successfully advocated for $10 million in the Governor's Enterprise Fund that can be used for homeless services. If able to access these funds, the City of Dallas and the Bridge should receive 50 percent of the 2009 amount or $1.7 million over the 2011-2013 biennium.
• Local parks grants will be cut from $36.2 million to $881,460, a reduction of more than 97 percent for the biennium, and eliminating capital grant funding for urban parks.
• $12 million in Law Enforcement Officer Standards & Education (LEOSE) funds were eliminated resulting in a loss of $233,000 for the City of Dallas.
• Commission on the Arts was cut approximately 50 percent resulting in a loss to the city of $77,800 for grants to local art groups.
