Mayor Johnson vows to ‘preserve and protect the Dallas Dream’ during 2023 Dallas City Council Inauguration Ceremony address
DALLAS — Mayor Eric L. Johnson on Tuesday delivered a mayoral address at the City of Dallas’ 2023 Inauguration Ceremony for the Mayor and City Council. The ceremony was hosted at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at Meyerson Symphony Center. Mayor Johnson noted in his address that he stood on the same stage as a high school senior and delivered the commencement address for the Greenhill School Class of 1994.
The mayor discussed Dallas as a place of “genuine opportunity for all” and a leader on the national stage.
“As you can see, in four years, we’ve made undeniable progress toward preserving Dallas as a city of dreams,” Mayor Johnson said. “And just last month, Dallas voters reiterated their support for my vision of a Dallas where anybody can achieve anything.”
He also committed to three goals for the new term: bringing Dallas closer to becoming the safest major city in the United States, the major city with the best park system in Texas, and the major city with the lowest tax rate in the North Texas region.
The mayor cautioned that throughout the next term, cynics will attempt to divide the new Dallas City Council and tell them to pick sides. He encouraged all to “choose greatness every single day for every single Dallas resident.”
“In this ‘either/or’ world, you have a ‘both/and’ mayor, which Dallas deserves — despite what the cynics and the dividers tell you,” Mayor Johnson said.
United States Senator John Cornyn administered Mayor Johnson’s oath of office. The mayor’s other distinguished ceremony guests included United States Senator Ted Cruz and former United States Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson.
The following is the full text of Mayor Johnson’s prepared address.
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Thank you so very much. What an incredible day!
I’d also like to thank United States Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz for being here today. It is truly amazing that both of our United States Senators are present today to celebrate this joyous occasion for our city. I know they both have to leave now to take votes later today in Washington, so please join me in thanking them for being here.
Members of the Dallas City Council, City Manager Broadnax, city staff, distinguished guests, family, friends, and my fellow Dallasites:
I am honored beyond all possible description to continue serving as the 60th Mayor of the City of Dallas, Texas.
I thank God every day for this opportunity, and I am overwhelmed by all of your continued support.
This city is and always will be my home. And I am Dallas’ number one champion and cheerleader because I have benefitted personally from this city’s greatness.
And where I stand right now — literally — is proof.
You see, exactly 29 years and 18 days ago, I stood on this very stage as a high school senior and delivered the commencement address for the Greenhill School Class of 1994 — a school that I attended on a scholarship because my first-grade teacher at C.F. Carr Elementary School in West Dallas, Miss Faris, saw potential in me.
29 years and 18 days ago, I stood right here and shared my hopes, my dreams, and my aspirations for my high school classmates.
It is impossible for me to overstate what a blessing it is to stand here today — 29 years and 18 days later — to share my hopes, my dreams, and my aspirations again — this time — for nearly 1.3 million Dallas residents as their mayor.
My dreams came true because of the love and support of this community, which is why I’ve made it my life’s mission to ensure the dreams of others can come true in this city, too.
For four years, I have fought for kids growing up in disadvantaged circumstances — just like I experienced. I’ve fought for children like my own little ones, William, George, and Lela. I’ve fought for native Dallasites and newcomers alike who are in pursuit of the Dallas Dream.
That’s why I’m so excited that our city has united behind my “back-to-basics” agenda to make Dallas a place of genuine opportunity for all.
It is because of the unprecedented unity in this city behind this straightforward agenda that we have achieved such remarkable gains.
Four years ago, none of us could have imagined the trials that awaited us: a global pandemic, the fury of an EF3 tornado, and devastating winter storms, alongside a nationwide surge in violent crime and civil unrest. Yet, despite these challenges, Dallas not only weathered these storms but emerged as a beacon of resilience and a leader on the national stage.
There is a reason why Dallas is capturing the attention of people around the world.
We’re the ninth largest city in America, and we’re the economic and cultural engine of the fourth largest and fastest growing metro area in the United States. We’re home to 11 Fortune 500 company headquarters and one of the world’s finest international airports, which was recently ranked as the world’s second busiest.
The United States Travel Association called us America’s “Comeback City” coming out of the pandemic. And since then, Dallas has been described as the “Wall Street of the South” and, even, the “new Dubai” because of our city’s noteworthy luxury restaurants.
Recently, Dallas was named the top city in the United States for sports business. And now, as a confirmed host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Dallas is competing with cities like New York and Los Angeles to host the final World Cup match.
And if you don’t already live in Dallas, you’re probably trying to move here — or at least visit. Dallas is ranked as one of the top 10 moving destinations in the country and leads the United States in the number of hotel projects currently under construction.
The Dallas market added 400,000 new jobs in the last three years, which is more than any other market in the country. And recent data reveals that Dallas also added more apartments over the last decade than any other place in the country.
Renowned global firms are also choosing Dallas. New York-based financial giant Goldman Sachs will soon break ground on its new $500 million office campus not far from here. Upon its completion, Goldman Sachs’ Dallas campus will be the only American office in that firm’s portfolio that has every single function of the firm represented.
That’s right. Dallas is the place to be. And Dallas is well positioned to win the future.
But Dallas’ future prosperity is not guaranteed. People can choose to live and work just about anywhere these days — which is why Dallas is in competition not only with our neighbors in the North Texas region but also with other major American cities. And in Dallas, when we compete, we compete to win.
For example, according to the Wall Street Journal, New York City — the largest and most famous American city — lost nearly 470,000 people between April 2020 and July 2022 because of Covid lockdowns, rising crime, and an ever-rising cost of living. That’s more people than live in the entire city of Miami. We don’t want to be like New York, clearly!
We also don’t want to follow in the footsteps of Los Angeles, another great American city, that, sadly, has become overrun by people experiencing homelessness and is shedding corporate headquarters every year to cities like Dallas. To name just two, the world’s leading commercial real estate firm CBRE moved its global headquarters from California to Dallas in 2020, and construction giant AECOM followed in 2021.
Worse still, Dallas could become like Chicago — a city that these days is less known for its exceptional culture, cuisine, or attractions — and is more known for its truly shocking levels of violent crime and steadily declining population.
To date, Dallas has made very different choices than our big city rivals. We’ve applied “both/and” solutions to address complex problems. We’ve focused on data-driven policymaking. And we’ve honored our residents by uniting behind an agenda that prioritizes those who have to live with the consequences of our decisions.
We’ve taken a firm stance against public corruption. We’ve invested in restoration projects and major new developments that will bring jobs, entertainment, and new life to our city. And we’ve made workforce development a top priority for the first time in our city government’s history. But most importantly, we’ve prioritized the three biggest generators of opportunity for Dallas residents: public safety, parks, and property tax relief.
The primary responsibility of any government is to protect its citizens. If Dallas residents don’t feel secure, our city’s other objectives are guaranteed to fail. I am incredibly proud that we have prioritized public safety above all else here in Dallas — no matter which way the national political winds blew. And as a result, Dallas recently became the only top 10 city in America to record two consecutive years of year-over-year reductions in every major violent crime category tracked by the FBI.
No other top 10 American city has achieved results like we are seeing in Dallas. Period. Full stop.
This achievement is a testament to the dedication of the incredible men and women of the Dallas Police Department. But it is also a testament to the collective strength of our city. In response to national protests following the tragic killing of George Floyd, several mayors and city councils across the country — including right here in Texas — voted to cut their police department budgets by arbitrary percentages. But not Dallas. We said that Dallas needs more and better trained police officers in addition to a data-driven violent crime reduction plan and community-based solutions to improve the safety of every Dallas neighborhood.
Dallas has also become a national model for excellence in developing innovative green spaces. Because of our significant investments in our park system, Dallas jumped 10 positions, from 53 to 43, on the ParkScore index — a respected national ranking of park systems in the 100 largest U.S. cities.
I couldn’t be more excited about the direction this city is going in terms of increasing our residents’ access to parks, trails, and other green spaces. I hear often from Dallas residents who are just as excited as I am about our progress toward a greener and greater Dallas. In fact, just last month, I was stopped at a Target by an employee named Gracie, who asked if I am the Mayor of Dallas. When I confirmed I was, she excitedly told me that she receives my weekly newsletter and that she was thrilled to read about the vision for Harold Simmons Park — a 250-acre community park that is going to transform the Trinity River Corridor and become an iconic Dallas destination. I must admit, I couldn’t agree more with Miss Gracie.
Finally, I’m proud to have supported tax-rate reductions every year that I have been your mayor.
And I’m even more proud that, last year, we reduced the city’s property tax rate to its lowest level in 15 years with the largest single-year rate cut in four decades.
As you can see, in four years, we’ve made undeniable progress toward preserving Dallas as a city of dreams.
And just last month, Dallas voters reiterated their support for my vision of a Dallas where anybody can achieve anything.
That is why I am committing to three goals as we look to build for the future.
First, I will work tirelessly to get us even closer to our goal of becoming the safest major city in the United States.
Second, I will lead us further down the path toward becoming the major city with the best park system in Texas.
And third, I will advocate fiercely for additional property tax relief so that Dallas becomes the major city with the lowest tax rate in the North Texas region.
It is steady progress toward these three goals that will ensure that Dallas remains a place where dreams can and do come true. Why?
Because opportunity begins and ends with safety.
And because a vibrant park system creates opportunities for kids and families like mine growing up — those without big backyards or swimming pools or private country club or gym memberships — to experience a decent quality of life.
And because without meaningful property tax relief, residents may choose or be forced to forgo the opportunity to live and work in our great city.
Dallas is recognized nationally — and even internationally — as a rare value proposition. We truly represent American urbanism at its best.
However, like any dream, the Dallas Dream could fade. Which is why standing united behind these three goals is essential.
I want to thank again our outgoing councilmembers — Casey Thomas and Adam McGough. Both of you have my sincerest gratitude for the significant contributions you’ve made to this great city!
And to all of you returning and new councilmembers, congratulations! It is an honor to share in this blessed occasion with you and your families.
Know that throughout the next term, cynics will tell us that we have to pick sides — and those who thrive on division and conflict will encourage us to believe them.
They will tell us that we have to choose between a safe city or protecting the rights of people of color. Affordable housing or new, beautiful public green spaces. Delivering high quality services to all Dallas residents or lowering our tax rate.
But over the last four years, we’ve proven that these are all false choices and that Dallas residents can have it all.
In this “either/or” world, you have a “both/and” mayor, which Dallas deserves — despite what the cynics and the dividers tell you.
Dallas is a great city. And that is why we must choose greatness every single day for every single Dallas resident and never settle for anything less.
If you had told me when I was 18 years old that someday I would be standing here again, in this exact spot, but this time to deliver my second inaugural address as the Mayor of Dallas, I wouldn’t have believed you.
29 years and 18 days ago, my presence on this stage was possible because of my family, my friends, and a loving and supportive Dallas community. The same holds true today. “Thank you” doesn’t begin to convey the extent of my gratitude.
I’ll end this address the way I started it: Dallas is and always will be my home. And it is the honor and privilege of a lifetime to continue serving the incredible residents of this city.
I look forward to working with my colleagues and with all of you to preserve and protect the Dallas Dream. I have confidence in all of you, which makes me confident that the dream will stay alive for generations to come — for my children and for my children’s children, and for all of yours.
Thank you all for your time, your presence, and your support.
And with that, it’s time for your new Dallas City Council to get to work.
May God bless each of you. And may God bless the great city of Dallas, Texas.
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