# Dallas Can't Afford Proposition A

> Dallas County voters should reject Proposition A's 22% property tax hike that would cost $102.9 million annually for homeless programs.
- Title: Dallas Can't Afford Proposition A · Dallas Express | Shortify
- Summary: Dallas County voters should reject Proposition A's 22% property tax hike that would cost $102.9 million annually for homeless programs.
- Keywords: dallas, prop a, property tax, housing forward, dallas county commissioners, homeless programs, property tax rate, dallas county, news, politics, Can't, Afford
- Source: Dallas Express — https://dallasexpress.com/opinion/opinion-dallas-cant-afford-proposition-a
- Author: Dallas Express
- Published: 2026-10-09T16:43:39+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: dallas, prop a, property tax, housing forward, dallas county commissioners, homeless programs, property tax rate, dallas county, news, politics
## Proposition A
Proposition A is Commissioner Andy Sommerman's unaffordable and reckless 22% property-tax hike.

> Proposition A is Commissioner Andy Sommerman’s unaffordable and reckless 22% property-tax hike
## County Rate Increase
The measure would raise the county rate to 24.865 cents per $100 of value and send about $102.9 million a year to Housing Forward.

> The measure would raise the county rate to 24.865 cents per $100 of value and send about $102.9 million a year to one nonprofit, Housing Forward, for homeless programs
## Tax Burden Impact
On the median homestead with taxable value $268,056, Prop A would set the county bill at $666.52.

> On the median homestead, taxable value $268,056, Prop A would set the county bill at $666.52
## District 2 Tax Burden
District 2 already carries about 40% of the county property-tax burden by a tally of taxable value in District 2 precincts.

> District 2 already carries about 40% of the county property-tax burden by a tally of taxable value in District 2 precincts
## Opposition
John Wiley Price and Elba Garcia, both Democrats, voted against putting Prop A on the ballot.

> John Wiley Price and Elba Garcia, both Democrats, voted against putting Prop A on the ballot
## Housing Forward Contracts
Two Housing Forward contracts were separate from the Real-Time Rehousing contract, and both were barely used.

> Two Housing Forward contracts were separate from the Real-Time Rehousing contract, and both were barely used
## Audit Findings
The City Auditor's report of June 18, 2025, found Housing Forward contracts were barely used and unspent funds exceeded $5.3 million.

> The City Auditor’s report of June 18, 2025, is the diligence the Court skipped
## Homelessness Costs
Dallas County Health and Human Services put the 2023 cost of homelessness in Dallas and Collin Counties at about $194 million.

> Dallas County Health and Human Services put the 2023 cost of homelessness in Dallas and Collin Counties at about $194 million
## Prop A Failure
If Prop A fails, the rate does not fall back to last year but stops at the voter-approval rate of 22.465 cents.

> If Prop A fails, the rate does not fall back to last year. It stops at the voter-approval rate, 22.465 cents, still 10.2% over no-new-revenue
## Key takeaway

Dallas County voters should reject Proposition A's 22% property tax hike that would cost $102.9 million annually for homeless programs.