A person looks out at the Dallas skyline from City Hall on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026.

Credit: Texas Tribune / Manoo Sirivelu DALLAS - Texas cities have floated unusual proposals to slash their spending as they face yawning budget gaps, from laying off employees and charging non-residents higher zoo ticket prices, to asking voters to reconsider public funding to a new arena for the San Antonio Spurs.

These desperate maneuvers - some of which have not come to fruition - underscore how inflation, a slower economy and moves by state lawmakers have put Texas' biggest cities in a tightening financial noose that will take big moves to get out of.