DALLAS — The city of Dallas voted to approve a $5.2 billion budget -- its first under new voter-approved mandates to spend millions more on public safety -- but not without last-minute cuts to library programs, closing three pools and lobbying efforts in Austin.
The vote was 11 to 3, with Mayor Eric Johnson, Cara Mendelsohn and Jesse Moreno voting against the measure.
The budget increases starting salaries for police officers to more than $81,000 and sets a goal of hiring 350 new officers. It also includes an increase of about $37 million toward investment in street maintenance.
But the final budget will close a beloved library on the city's Northeast side, close several pools and re-allocate 277 jobs -- mostly to hire new police officers.
"Closing libraries makes Dallas less s