A bond issue package consisting of ten separate bond propositions was on the ballot for Dallas voters in Dallas County, Texas, on November 7, 2017. The proposed bond issues appeared on the ballot as ten separate bond propositions totalling $1.05 billion. The bonds would have to be repaid within 20 years. The total estimated repayment cost—principal and interest—for the entire bond package is $1,424,875,500.[1]
The specific amounts, purposes, and estimated repayment costs of each of the ten propositions are below:[1][2][3]
- Proposition A: $533,981,000 for streets
- Estimated repayment amount: $724,650,750
| Proposition A |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
 a Yes | 38,891 | 78.7% |
| No | 10,524 | 21.3% |
- Proposition B: $261,807,000 for parks and recreation facilities
- Estimated repayment amount: $355,610,250
| Proposition B |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 36,285 | 73.57% |
| No | 13,035 | 26.43% |
- Proposition C: $50,000,000 for Fair Park
- Estimated repayment amount: $67,781,500
| Proposition C |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 31,864 | 64.77% |
| No | 17,333 | 35.23% |
- Proposition D: $48,750,000 for flood protection, storm drain facilities, and erosion control
- Estimated repayment amount: $66,088,750
| Proposition D |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 38,037 | 77.1% |
| No | 11,298 | 22.9% |
- Proposition E: $15,589,000 for libraries
- Estimated repayment amount: $21,124,500
| Proposition E |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 37,192 | 75.75% |
| No | 11,906 | 24.25% |
- Proposition F: $14,235,000 for cultural and performing arts facilities
- Estimated repayment amount: $19,294,500
| Proposition F |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 33,816 | 69.06% |
| No | 15,149 | 30.94% |
- Proposition G: $32,081,000 for police and fire facilities
- Estimated repayment amount: $43,491,250
| Proposition G |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 37,230 | 76.42% |
| No | 11,489 | 23.58% |
- Proposition H: $18,157,000 for City Hall and other city facilities
- Estimated repayment amount: $24,608,750
| Proposition H |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 30,292 | 62.14% |
| No | 18,459 | 37.86% |
- Proposition I: $55,400,000 for economic development and housing
- Estimated repayment amount: $75,109,500
| Proposition I |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 30,128 | 62.08% |
| No | 18,406 | 37.92% |
- Proposition J: $20,000,000 for homeless assistance facilities
- Estimated repayment amount: $27,115,750
| Proposition J |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 37,976 | 77.39% |
| No | 11,098 | 22.61% |
Specific projects funded by the bonds include parks in downtown Dallas, including a deck park over Interstate 35 by the zoo; new connections in the city trail system; new fire stations; two new libraries in northeast Dallas; new recreational facilities; and building renovations in Fair Park.[4][5]
Certain projects for Propositions A and B, listed below, were contingent upon the city receiving matching funding from private grants or donations. The matching funds must be received before the city orders the next bond election following the November 7, 2017, election.[1]
- Proposition A
- UT Southwestern Medical District Urban Streetscape Initiative Phase I: $7.5 million
- Proposition B
- Downtown Parks: $35 million
- Circuit Trail (the Loop): $10 million
- Midtown Park: $6 million
- White Rock Stone Tables: $0.028 million
- Dallas Zoo: $3.5 million
- Dallas Arboretum: $1 million
- Flag Pole Hill Playground: $0.165 million
- Dallas Water Gardens: $7.5 million
- Klyde Warren Park: $10 million
Support
Supporters
Speaking of the process and the final bond measure details, Council Member Mark Clayton said, "I really feel like it rounded into good form. The best thing about the compromise is that not everybody gets everything they want. But most people got enough to go to their district and say the most critical needs were addressed."[4]
Opposition
Opponents
Councilman Lee Kleinman, who was the one dissenting vote for the final approval of the bond package, said the bond would put too much debt on taxpayers and said that he couldn't support "maxing out the credit card."[2]
Background
At the beginning of the city's fiscal year, which is October 1, 2017, the city carried an aggregate amount of about $1.63 billion in tax-supported debt obligations, with just over $1 billion in outstanding interest. Prior to the election, the ad valorem tax rate was 78.25 cents per $100 in valuation, with 22.24 cents of that tax used to pay principal interest on the city's outstanding general obligation debt. If all bonds in this package are approved, an additional $374,875,500 would be added to the amount owed in outstanding interest, for a total of approximately $1.38 billion which could increase the ad valorem tax rate used to pay the city's interest owed.[1]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in Texas
The Dallas City Council voted 13-2 to give initial approval of a $1.025 billion bond package on June 28, 2017, pushing the proposal forward in the process. Council members Lee Kleinman and Philip Kingston were the two dissenting votes. On August 9, 2017, the city council voted 11-4 to add $25 million to the bond package and voted 14-1 to put it on the November 2017 election ballot. Councilman Kleinman was the only dissenter in the final vote. The added $25 million was earmarked for expansion of Klyde Warren Park, streetscaping in the Medical District, and a downtown water gardens project.[2][4][6]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Dallas bond issue propositions. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Dallas City Secretary, "November 7 Bond election Order," August 10, 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Dallas News, "Dallas voters will decide on $1.05 billion bond package loaded with parks, street repairs," August 9, 2017
- ↑ Ballotpedia staff writer Josh Altic, "Telephone correspondence with Dallas City Secretary office," August 11, 2017
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Dallas Morning News, "Billion-dollar bond moving forward with Dallas City Council vote," June 28, 2017
- ↑ Fox 4 News, "Dallas council gives initial approval to $1 billion bond package," June 28, 2017
- ↑ Dallas Morning News, "Dallas City Council finds tentative solution for gridlock on $800M bond package: spend $1B instead," June 21, 2017
