Dallas Furloughs 4,200 City Employees to Close $30 Million Budget Gap

Dallas will require roughly half its civilian city workforce to take three unpaid furlough days between July and September after officials disclosed a $30 million shortfall driven by softer sales tax revenue and rising overtime and health care costs, the Texas Tribune’s Joshua Fechter reported June 30. It is the city’s first furlough since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert said additional cost-cutting measures remain under review. Police, fire, and other essential-service staff are exempt from the furlough days.