Records show council members recently spent donated dollars on steakhouse dinners, gifts and donations to other campaigns.
DALLAS — Several Dallas City Council members expressed interest in raising decades-old limits on how much money donors can give to their political campaigns in a committee meeting this week.
The city’s existing limits date to 1984 and restrict contributions to $1,000 from individuals to council candidates and $5,000 from individuals to candidates for mayor, the city secretary said in January. Limits are higher for political action committee donations.
“I know cost of living has gone up” said Council Member Maxie Johnson during the May 5 meeting. “Canvassing is not the same and prices have increased tremendously.”
Deputy Mayor Jesse Moreno said said the city’s recent decision to move the municipal election date from May to November is expected to increase costs as well — and expressed support for a proposed increase of the limit to $5,000 for Council members.
“We’re moving these elections to November, so we’re going to have a bigger pool of residents to reach and so I’m open to the $5,000 threshold,” he said.
Council Member Cara Mendelsohn also expressed interest in raising campaign contribution limits — but conditioned her support on more clarity and regulation for council member’s separate campaign officeholder accounts — which are donor-funded but largely unregulated.
“I believe campaign contribution amounts should be limited and modest to ensure they do not influence an elected official’s position on any matter that comes before the city council,” she said in an emailed statement. “Campaign officeholder accounts circumvent the intent of limiting campaign contributions from any single entity and lack transparency in local government. I would like to see an end to this type of account.”
Others opposed the proposal to increase the current limits. Council Members Laura Cadena and Adam Bazaldua both expressed concerns about the influence of additional donations could have on campaigns — though Bazaldua said he would be open to “more of a reform” of the existing system.
Council Member Paul Ridley said he might consider an inflation adjustment — but thought a proposal to increase individual donations to Council members to $5,000 was “way too much.”
“I’m firmly in the camp of not wanting municipal elections and campaigns to go the way of state campaigns where big money speaks the loudest,” Ridley said.
Other council members contacted by WFAA didn’t respond to requests for comment, declined to comment or said they wanted to continue to examine the issue further.
Hey big spender!
Here’s how Dallas council members spent their campaign funds from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2025, according to an analysis of their campaign finance filings. The candidates are listed in order of their districts.
Total campaign spending: $11,372
Notable campaign donors: Dallas Firefighters Association ($1000)
Notable campaign expenses: Extra Space Storage ($150), MailChimp (six charges of $203 each), Campaign contract labor ($10,000).
West declined to comment.
Total campaign spending: $16,144
Notable donors: Monty Bennett (billionaire hotelier behind HERO amendments; $1,000), multiple leaders at Matthews Southwest (company with multi-billion dollar convention center redevelopment contract; at least $4000 total).
Notable campaign expenses: Brass Ram (Dallas steakhouse; $698), Uber (Sixteen in district and out of district rides, totaling $426), Talulah & Hess (listed as “gifts,” Downtown Dallas boutique; $810), North Texas Senior Source (Dallas nonprofit; $1000), William Lipscomb Elementary School ($1,000), Clear (travel fastpass company; $209), Siren Consulting (political consulting company; $4,100), Walmart (listed as “supplies”; $448).
Moreno didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Reported no contributions nor expenditures for the filing period.
Reported no contributions nor expenditures for the filing period.
Total campaign spending: $14,250
Notable campaign expenses: Contract labor (two expenses, listed as “campaign workers”; $12,139), multiple campaign donations
Rezendez didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Total campaign spending: $5,033
Notable campaign expenses: Las Palmas (Uptown restaurant; $500), Goodwins (Greenville Ave. restaurant; $174), Senior Source (Dallas nonprofit; $500), Urbano Café (East Dallas restaurant; $425), multiple campaign donations
Cadena said she has purchased meals for supporters of her campaign to thank them and “continue the conversation on how to move our district forward.”
Total campaign spending: $14,972
Notable donors: Communication Workers of America union ($1,000)
Notable expenses: Eataly ($185), State Fair of Texas (two expenses; listed as “community donation”; $1,500), Trulucks (Austin seafood restaurant; $193), Chuys ($179), Kona Ice (listed as back to school event, $325), multiple campaign donations.
Bazaldua said he has, on occasion, “opened a tab” with supporters and campaign staff to talk strategy and said he purchased and handed out tickets so community members could go to a soccer game at the State Fair of Texas — accounting for those expenses.
Total campaign spending: $13,444
Notable campaign donors: Harlan Crow and other Crow family members (multiple donors; $4,500)
Notable campaign expenses: Beyond the Slogan (listed as “campaign”; $7,260), RD images (listed as “photos”; $1,000), Edward and Patterson Signs ($2,328), 1 Message Media (listed as “advertising expense” ; $1,000), Edmund McWoods (listed as “event expense”; $1,250)
Blair did not respond to a request for comment.
Total campaign spending: $18,631
Notable campaign expenses: NGP VAN (Democratic campaign database, 8 expenses totaling $3,573), Big Bend Coffee Roasters (Marfa, Tx coffee shop, listed as “refreshments”; $328.75), Eagle Postal Center (PO Box, $600), Shutterfly (listed as “holiday cards”; $989), Trulucks Seafood (two expenses, Austin seafood restaurant; $539), Taco Flats (two expenses; Austin restaurant; $284), multiple campaign donations
Blackmon said she will use campaign funds to “take folks out for coffee and the sort” while campaigning.
Reported no campaign contributions nor expenditures for the filing period.
Total campaign spending: $6,467
Notable donors: Harlan Crow and other Crow family members and business associates (multiple donors; $5,500), Mike Rawlings (former Dallas mayor; $959).
Notable campaign expenses: Catalyst Advisors Group (listed as “consulting fee”; $5,000).
Roth did not respond to a request for comment.
Total campaign spending: $32.24
Notable campaign expenses: n/a
Mendelsohn said she did not solicit the $200 donation to her campaign and said “the current balance in my campaign account is used primarily for reimbursement of continued communication efforts and services as an elected official, mostly related to enhanced security.”
Total campaign spending: $2,665
Notable campaign expenses: Gay Willis (listed as “loan repayment/reimbursement, campaign fees/expenses”; $457), Gay Willis (listed as “loan repayment/reimbursement, reimbursement/storage”; $1,710), Mailchimp (listed as “advertising expense”; $480)
Willis did not address campaign expenses specifically in a response saying she wanted to study the issue of increasing limits further.
Total campaign spending: $499
Notable campaign expenses: Junius Heights Historic District (listed as “buy ad in home tour brochure”; $300).
Ridley’s campaign filings also showed $3,569 in investments in a Charles Schwab money market fund. He said invests money in his campaign account, partially to make up for inflation while it is not being used.