What is the Dallas City Charter, and how can neighbors change it?

By Michaela Rush Originally appeared in Dallas Free Press This coming November, the people of Dallas will vote not only for the presidential election, but also for proposed amendments to Dallas’ City Charter. Until this Friday, Jan. 19, anyone in Dallas is invited to submit an amendment proposal to be considered for the citywide ballot. Feedback on proposed amendments is welcomed by the CRC and City Council from now through the finalization of amendments before the November election.& What is the city charter? The City Charter is Dallas’ governing document, overseeing everything from the number of city council members to how much power the mayor has. The city’s first charter was created in 1856, and in 2005 an amendment was added to ensure the charter is reviewed every 10 years by a city council-appointed commission, the& Charter Review Commission. The full City of Dallas charter, including historical sections, can be found on the& City of Dallas’ website.& During a recent town hall meeting in South Dallas, Jake Anderson of the city’s office of government affairs said that the city charter is like Dallas’ constitution, whereas city codes are more like state laws.& “[The charter] is more about where the power...