Voters are close to deciding whether the city of Dallas should issue $1.25 billion worth of bonds to address its most pressing infrastructure needs.
More than 5,000 projects are being considered under 10 separate proposals that would authorize borrowing to cover needs such as new road improvements, building repairs, park space and storm-drainage management.
Early voting for the bond program began Monday, April 22 and ended on April 30. Municipal elections are Saturday, May 4, when North Texas communities will vote on spending plans, charter changes and electing local officials.
The bulk of Dallas’ funding request — about $512 million — would go toward road improvements such as bridges, highways, sidewalks and bike paths.
Parks projects and plans for new recreation centres and playgrounds have the second-highest allocation at $345 million, with funding also earmarked for a new police academy, library upgrades, museums and arts and culture facilities.
This election will be the fourth bond program Dallas voters have had to vote on. All three previous bond programs have been approved. Dallas took on $1.35 billion in debt for capital projects in 2006, $642 million in 2012 and $1.05 billion in 2017.
City officials say they don’t plan to raise property taxes to fund the bond, even though home prices and property taxes continue to rise.
During an August meeting, Dallas Chief Financial Officer Jack Ireland said the city has $16 billion worth of unfunded infrastructure needs. Some of these facilities have been waiting years for upgrades.
Late last year, city staff recommended a program that would allocate $500 million to roads, $250 million to parks and $65 million to housing and homelessness.
Those recommendations differed from those put forward by the 15-member Community Bond Task Force, which included five Parks Commission members appointed by the mayor and City Council. Their plan included $375 million for roads and transportation projects, $350 million for parks and recreation, and $25 million for housing and homelessness projects.
Click on the links below to read more about each of the 10 suggestions.
• Proposition A – Roads and Transportation: $521.2 million
Shall the Dallas, Texas City Council be authorized to issue $521,200,000 in city general obligation bonds for the purpose of planning, designing, constructing, reconstructing, improving, lengthening, reconfiguring, expanding, and acquiring land for roads, off-street parking, circulation elements, thoroughfares, highways, intersections, alleys, medians, sidewalks, bridges, pedestrian and bicycle paths, and the like?
• Proposition B – Parks and Recreation: $345.3 million.
Shall the Dallas, Texas City Council be authorized to issue $345,270,000 in city general obligation bonds for the purpose of planning, designing, constructing, improving, renovating, repairing, replacing, upgrading, expanding and equipping parks and recreation facilities, and acquiring related lands?
• Proposition C – Flood Prevention and Storm Drainage: $52.1 million
Should the City Council of Dallas, Texas, be authorized to issue $52,100,000 in city general obligation bonds for the purpose of providing funds for the planning, design, construction, improvement, renovation, repair, replacement and expansion of flood prevention and storm water drainage facilities and improvements, erosion control, relocation of necessary and appropriate utility facilities, and acquisition of land?
• Proposition D – Libraries: $43.5 million
Shall the Dallas, Texas City Council be authorized to issue $43,530,000 in city general obligation bonds for the purpose of planning, designing, constructing, improving, renovating, repairing, replacing, expanding and equipping library facilities, and acquiring related land?
• Proposition E – Cultural and Arts Facilities: $75.2 million
Shall the Dallas, Texas City Council be authorized to issue $75,200,000 in city general obligation bonds for the purpose of planning, designing, constructing, renovating, repairing, replacing, improving, expanding and equipping cultural and performing arts facilities, and acquiring related land?
• Proposition F – Public Safety: $90 million
Should the City Council of Dallas, Texas, be authorized to issue $90,000,000 in city general obligation bonds for the purpose of planning, designing, constructing, improving, renovating, repairing, replacing, expanding and equipping public safety facilities, including police stations, fire stations, administrative facilities, police and fire training and related facilities, and acquiring related lands?
• Proposition G – Economic Development: $72.3 million
Will the City Council of Dallas, Texas, be authorized to issue $72,300,000 in City general obligation bonds for the purpose of funding the City’s economic development programs, pursuant to the City of Dallas Economic Development Incentive Policy, including by subsidizing the bond proceeds and providing assistance and incentives for commercial, industrial, retail, residential, mixed-use development, other economic development and redevelopment, land acquisition, demolition, and infrastructure development?
• Proposition H – Housing Infrastructure: $26.4 million
Should the Dallas, Texas City Council be authorized to issue $26.4 million in city general obligation bonds for the purpose of providing funds for permanent public improvements, such as the planning, design, construction, improvement, renovation, repair, replacement and expansion of the City’s affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization initiatives, including land acquisition, housing construction, and neighborhood infrastructure that supports affordable housing?
• Proposition I – Homelessness: $19 million
Should the Dallas, Texas City Council be authorized to issue $19,000,000 in city general obligation bonds to plan, design, construct, renovate, repair, improve, expand and equip facilities serving the city’s homeless population, including permanent housing, supportive housing, short-term housing and related land acquisition?
• Proposition J – Information Technology: $5 million
Should the Dallas, Texas City Council be authorized to issue $5,000,000 in city general obligation bonds for the purpose of providing funds for permanent public improvements, such as the planning, design, construction, improvement, renovation, repair, replacement, expansion and equipment of information technology facilities, including the acquisition of land?
