Office Budget and Evaluation

Click here for more information on FY2025 Budget/Record Vote, and TY2024 Tax Rate Increase.

The Dallas County Office of Budget and Evaluation (OBE) is charged with the responsibility for developing a proposed County budget for consideration, modification, and adoption by the Dallas County Commissioners Court. Each annual budget cycle is approximately five months long, beginning with department heads preparing their requests and ending with budget and tax rate adoption in September.

The Office of Budget and Evaluation is responsible for assisting departments with their requests and with offering a funding recommendation to the Commissioners Court after evaluation of the critical nature of the need, the stated policy objectives of the Commissioners Court and the overall financial climate in which county government operates. Department heads and the public at large are given the opportunity to present their arguments for additional resources, after which the Commissioners Court renders its budgetary decision.

OBE also operates as an analytical arm of the Commissioners Court, conducting operational analysis of programs, and assisting departments with performance measures. A quarterly performance reporting system has been established by OBE. The most recent performance reports and the annual budget and capital improvement plan are available on this web site.

OBE is headed by the County Budget Officer, Ronica Watkins, PhD, who can be reached at (214) 653-6363. Staff in the office consists of one Program Analyst, two Junior Policy Analysts, one Grants Coordinator, three Budget & Policy Analysts, two Senior Budget & Policy Analysts, one Budget System Administrator, and one Assistant Budget Officer. Contact Us has staff contact information along with staff phone number and departmental assignments.

GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for FY2024

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is a significant achievement. It reflects the commitment of the government body and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, Dallas County had to satisfy the nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity's budget serves as:

a policy document
a financial plan
an operations guide
a communications device

Budget documents must be rated "proficient" in all four categories, and in the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories, to receive the award.