Dallas, Texas, Parks Bond Issue, Proposition B (November 2017)

• Text of measure
  • Ballot question
• Path to the ballot
• See also
  • External links
  • Footnotes
• More
  • Local ballot measures
  • State ballot measures
  • Local politics

Proposition B: Dallas Parks Bond Issue
The basics
Election date:
November 7, 2017
Status:
a Approved
Topic:
City bonds
Related articles
City bonds on the ballot November 7, 2017 ballot measures in Texas Dallas County, Texas ballot measures
See also
Dallas, Texas

A bond issue proposition to fund improvements of parks and recreation facilities, Proposition B, was on the ballot for Dallas voters in Dallas County, Texas, on November 7, 2017. It was approved.

A yes vote was a vote in favor of authorizing the city to issue $262 million in general obligation bonds—a type of government debt—to fund the improvement of parks and recreation facilities.

A no vote was a vote against authorizing the city to issue $262 million in general obligation bonds—a type of government debt—to fund the improvement of parks and recreation facilities.

The exact amount of the bond is $261,807,000. The bonds must be repaid within 20 years. The total repayment amount for Proposition B bonds—principal and interest—was estimated at $355,610,250.

Election results

Proposition B
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		36,285	73.57%
No		13,035	26.43%

Election results from Dallas County Elections Office

Project list

Full list

A full list of the proposed projects to be funded by the Proposition B bond revenue—including both projects that require matching funds and those that don't—is below:

Description Council district Cost Funding to re-develop/develop three downtown parks: Carpenter Park, Harwood and the West End Plaza. $44.6 million in match 2, 14 $35,000,000 Trail Conservancy, Dallas County, and NCTCOG for the development of the Trinity Forest Spine Trail, the Trinity Skyline Trail Link, Baker Pump Station Gateway and Circuit Trail Connection. 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 $20,000,000 Supplemental funding for Phase 1 Aquatic Centers: Fretz Park RFAC, Samuell Grand Park RFAC, Crawford Park RFAC, Kidd Springs Park CFAC, Lake Highlands North Park CFAC and Tietze Park NFAC 1, 2, 5, 10, 11 $11,000,000 Neighborhood Aquatics Centers at Exline and Improvements to Bahama Beach 3, 7 $13,200,000 Land acquisition for future parks SW $2,200,000 Connects Lake Highlands Trail Phase 1 to White Rock Creek Trail and from Lake Highlands High School to Watercrest Park. Match funding provided by NCTCOG TAP grant of $2.3 million 10 $2,300,000 Creation of a new major skate park in Dallas at Bachman Lake Park 6 $4,000,000 Sidewalk connection along Garland Road from E. Lawther to Gaston Pkwy 9 $400,000 Completion of White Rock Lake Loop Trail Improvements to current trail standards from Bath House to Sunset Bay 9 $3,500,000 Bring park amenities into compliance with ADA and other regulatory codes SW $150,000 Phase 1 development of signature park, includes creation of a lake and a reconstruction of southern loop trail 5 $7,700,000 Trail from Timberglen Park to Preston Ridge Trail 12 $4,165,000 Implement Phase 1 of the park master plan which includes extension of loop trail, parking 10 $400,000 Match funding of $165,000 from the Jordan Speith Foundation for an all-inclusive 10 $165,000 Singing Hills Recreation Center Replacement - Gym addition and connection to the DART Station 8 $8,000,000 Facility - interior renovation including restrooms and building exterior envelope 6 $3,900,000 Addition of a senior addition to the existing recreation center 10 $3,800,000 Addition of a gym to the existing recreation center 10 $7,800,000 Thurgood Marshall Recreation Center - Interior renovation including restrooms, gym and exterior envelope. 3 $1,400,000 Land Acquisition and initial funding for the planning of Midtown Park located northwest of LBJ and Preston Road. Match funding of $6 million from the Dallas Midtown Park 11 $6,000,000 Match funding of $280,000 from the White Rock Conservancy for restoration of the historic stone tables, developing ADA accessible parking and additional site improvements 9 $280,000 Critical parking enhancements and Improvements to accommodate attendance growth. Match funding of $3.5 million provided by the Dallas Zoological Society. 4 $3,500,000 Match funding of $1 million provided by Dallas Arbotertum to construct additional restrooms to accommodate increase visitors 9 $1,000,000 Match funding of $7.1 million from the Regional Transportation Commission for the structural support to accommode deck park at I-35 and Ewing 1, 4 $7,100,000 Development of a linear hike and bike trail from Buckner DART Station to Crawford Memorial Park. $1.2 million in match funding from Dallas County. 5 $1,200,000 Connection of Northaven Trail west of US Hwy 75 to White Rock Creek Greenbelt Trail that also includes amenities. $2.615 million in match funding from TxDOT and Dallas County 11 $2,615,000 Land acquisition for future parks and partnership match funding SW $5,000,000 Match funding of $7.5 million from the Dallas Wetlands Fondation to develop a new water garden park in the Cedars Neighborhood 2 $7,500,000 Match funding of $10 million from the Woodall Rogers Park Foundation for the expansion of Klyde Warren Park 14 $10,000,000 Building envelope for Fretz Park, Harry Stone, Hattie R. Moore, K.B. Polk, and Umphress Recreation Centers SW $1,600,000 HVAC replacements for Grover C. Keeton Golf Course, and Martin L. King, Jr., Mildred Dunn, Pike, Ridgewood / Belcher, and Tommie Allen Recreation Centers SW $700,000 Natural spring daylighting, erosion control, landscaping, lake de-silting, and Japanese Garden Restoration Phase I 1 $1,600,000 Hampton/Davis to Moss Park 1 $2,000,000 Elmwood Parkway to Polk to Gannon Park 1 $2,000,000 Loop Trail Extension to Greenbelt 1 $1,300,000 Site development 1 $200,000 Dog park, basketball court, pavilion restoration, walking trail and soccer field 2 $1,115,000 Playground replacement, parking and ADA improvements 2 $250,000 Sprayground 2 $2,000,000 Shade Structure at playground 2 $150,000 Sprayground, walking trail, playground and shade pavilion 2 $2,000,000 Land acquisition for the Cedars 2 $500,000 Development of a new park in the Cedars 2 $500,000 Site development (location TBD) 2 $1,085,000 Regional Family Aquatic Center Phase I 2 $2,500,000 Dam safety and erosion control 3 $2,075,000 Parking lot 3 $200,000 Supplemental funding for renovation 3 $200,000 Parking and lighting 3 $400,000 Historic barn restoration 3 $725,000 Senior Addition - Supplemental Funding (with CD 8) 3 $1,000,000 Playground expansion 4 $150,000 Playground expansion 4 $150,000 Land Acquisition for future sites 4 $400,000 Parking lot (rear) renovation and walking trail 4 $350,000 Walking loop tail - 6' wide - 1/4 mi. new 4 $150,000 Park furnishings 4 $60,000 Renovate backstop at two softball fields 4 $400,000 Develop Master Plan 4 $40,000 Playground expansion 4 $150,000 Memorial Tree Grove Phase I 4 $250,000 Playground equipment 5 $100,000 Site development - Phase 2 5 $600,000 Creek bank stabilization 5 $273,000 Parking lot, clearing and signage 5 $150,000 Football complex 5 $3,300,000 Walking trail, park furnishings, drinking fountain and facility enclosure 5 $400,000 Walkways and security lighting 5 $150,000 Parking lot, lighting, land acquisition 5 $127,000 Erosion control 6 $400,000 Soccer field 6 $200,000 Bleachers 6 $50,000 Sprayground 6 $1,885,000 Sprayground 6 $2,000,000 Playground replacement, ADA drinking fountain (with dog fountain) and park furnishings 6 $250,000 Playground and park furnishings 6 $220,000 Master Plan and Phase I implementation 6 $350,000 Master Plan 6 $40,000 Lighting at outdoor basketball gym 6 $30,000 Regional Family Aquatic Center Phase I 6 $3,500,000 Park furnishings package and drinking fountain 6 $40,000 Picnic pavilion and water fountain 6 $300,000 Connecting walkway to neighborhood 6 $775,000 Park furnishings, fencing and drinking fountain 6 $60,000 Exercise stations at loop trail 7 $150,000 Historic bench restoration 7 $10,000 Playground replacement 7 $250,000 Gym floor cover 7 $12,155 Portable toilet enclosure 7 $70,000 Site improvements 7 $661,845 ADA drinking fountain 7 $11,000 ADA drinking fountain and portable facility enclosure 7 $75,500 ADA drinking fountain, park furnishings and signage 7 $42,000 New basketball court and ADA drinking fountain 7 $85,500 ADA drinking fountain, park furnishings and sidewalk replacement 7 $70,000 Convert tennis court to basketball, ADA drinking fountain, park furnishings and portable facility enclosure 7 $162,000 Playground replacement 8 $200,000 Playground replacement (at end of life) 8 $220,000 Supplemental funding for Recreation Center plaza development 8 $200,000 Supplemental funding for technology and senior center addition 8 $3,000,000 Sprayground 8 $1,480,000 Site development (Phase II) 9 $200,000 Picnic pavilion and basketball 9 $460,000 Walking trail 9 $400,000 Player bench enclosure and security lighting 9 $74,493 Park furnishings 9 $65,507 Basketball renovation, pedestrian bridge, ADA parking, park furnishings and drinking fountain 9 $415,000 Sidewalk along Fisher Rd 9 $250,000 Field grading and irrigation, parking furnishings and ADA drinking fountain 9 $165,000 Neighborhood family aquatic center 9 $6,200,000 Site development, security lights, walking trail, exercise stations and picnic pavilion 10 $600,000 Parking lot expansion at Recreation Center 10 $223,000 Historic restoration - pavilion 10 $200,000 Portable facility enclosure, park furnishings and parking lot lighting 10 $200,000 Walking trail 10 $300,000 New playground 10 $260,000 Supplemental funding for Master Plan Implementation 10 $1,100,000 Payground Replacement (Supplemental Funding) 10 $135,000 Site development and recreation center improvements 10 $400,000 Site development 10 $250,000 Trail Design 10 $300,000 Supplemental funding 10 $500,000 (to match $1M from System-wide Allowance) 10 $1,000,000 Spraygrounds or other recreational amenity (TBD) 10 $332,000 Creek bank stabilization, playground and soccer field renovation 11 $500,000 New playground 11 $220,000 Renovate Soccer Field #3 with lights and bleachers 11 $500,000 Major maintenance and HVAC 11 $250,000 Playground equipment 11 $150,000 Parking lot expansion and playground 11 $650,000 Acoustical treatment 11 $95,000 Pedestrian bridge 11 $350,000 For development of a neighborhood/community park 11 $4,000,000 TBD 11 $1,600,000 Supplemental funding for bridge at I-75 11 $385,000 New parking area 11 $400,000 Phase II site development - playground and pond improvements 12 $1,400,000 New park with furnishings 12 $220,000 Trail connection with low water crossing at Kiowas Branch 12 $700,000 Site improvements 12 $900,000 Softball outfield fence, sprayground and pavilion 12 $2,600,000 Supplemental funding 12 $6,500,000 Tennis court benches and park furnishings 12 $50,000 Park furnishings 12 $32,000 Supplemental Funding 12 $500,000 Park furnishings 12 $50,000 Pavilion, park furnishings, ADA drinking fountain and lighting 12 $650,000 Park furnishings and ADA drinking fountain 12 $100,000 Walking trail and park furnishings 12 $400,000 Playground replacement 13 $220,000 Playground replacement 13 $200,000 Playground equipment and park furnishings 13 $200,000 Basketball court and softball field renovations 13 $390,000 Playground expansion, shade structure and site development 13 $350,000 Playground at Library site 13 $240,000 Sidewalk extension and playground replacement 14 $415,000 Historic restroom renovation 14 $200,000 ADA parking, site improvements and shade structure 14 $200,000 Shade structure 14 $100,000 Playground expansion 14 $200,000 Park furnishings 14 $15,000 Historic pavilion restoration 14 $250,000 Playground replacement 14 $220,000

Matching funds required

Certain projects for Proposition B, listed below, are 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.

Description	Council district	Cost
Funding to re-develop/develop three downtown parks: Carpenter Park, Harwood and the West End Plaza. $44.6 million in match	2, 14	$35,000,000
Trail Conservancy, Dallas County, and NCTCOG for the development of Circuit Trail (the Loop).	2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9	$10,000,000
Match funding of $10 million from the Woodall Rogers Park Foundation for the expansion of Klyde Warren Park	14	$10,000,000
Match funding of $7.5 million from the Dallas Wetlands Fondation to develop a new water garden park in the Cedars Neighborhood	2	$7,500,000
Match funding of $7.1 million from the Regional Transportation Commission for the structural support to accommode deck park at I-35 and Ewing	1, 4	$7,100,000
Land Acquisition and initial funding for the planning of Midtown Park located northwest of LBJ and Preston Road. Match funding of $6 million from the Dallas Midtown Park	11	$6,000,000
Critical parking enhancements and Improvements to accommodate attendance growth. Match funding of $3.5 million provided by the Dallas Zoological Society.	4	$3,500,000
Match funding of $1 million provided by Dallas Arbotertum to construct additional restrooms to accommodate increase visitors	9	$1,000,000
Match funding of $280,000 from the White Rock Conservancy for restoration of the historic stone tables, developing ADA accessible parking and additional site improvements	9	$280,000
Match funding of $165,000 from the Jordan Speith Foundation for an all-inclusive	10	$165,000

Text of measure

Ballot title

The following is the bond issue proposition title:

“

THE ISSUANCE OF $261,807,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS, THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF REPAYMENT, INCLUDING PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST BASED ON CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS BEING $355,610,250.

”

Ballot question

The following is the ballot proposition language:

“

Shall the city council of the city of Dallas, Texas, be authorized to issue general obligation bonds of the city in the aggregate principal amount of $261,807,000 for the purpose of providing funds for permanent public improvements; to-wit: planning, designing, constructing, improving, renovating, repairing, replacing, expanding and equipping park and recreation facilities and the acquisition of land therefor; said bonds to mature serially over a period not to exceed twenty (20) years from their date, to be issued in such installments and sold at any price or prices and to bear interest at any rate or rates as shall be determined within the discretion of the city council under laws in effect at the time of issuance, and to provide for the payment of the principal and interest on said bonds by levying a tax sufficient to pay the annual interest on and to create a sinking fund sufficient to redeem said bonds as they become due; where $355,610,250 is the estimated amount of repayment, including principal and interest, based on current market conditions?

”

Support

The Dallas Bond Campaign led the support of the 10 bond proposals on the ballot in 2017.

Supporters

Officials

• Tom Leppert, former Dallas mayor
• Laura Miller, former Dallas mayor
• Ron Kirk, former Dallas mayor
• Lee M. Kleinman, Dallas City Council member

Organizations

• AIA Dallas
• African American Museum, Dallas
• American Heart Association
• BikeTexas
• Circuit Trail Conservancy
• Dallas Area Cultural Advocacy Coalition
• Dallas Arts District
• Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce
• Dallas Citizens Council
• Dallas Parks Foundation
• Dallas Regional Chamber
• Dallas Summer Musicals
• Friends of Dallas Parks
• Friends of Fair Park
• Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Dallas Planning Council
• Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance
• North Dallas Chamber
• Regional Black Contractors Association
• Regional Hispanic Contractors Association
• Southeast Dallas Hispanic Chamber
• State Fair of Texas
• Stonewall Democrats of Dallas
• Texas Discovery Gardens
• The Real Estate Council

Media

• Dallas Morning News said: "Green spaces and what comes with them — trails, rec centers, playgrounds and aquatics — pack a powerful one-two punch: They boost our health as well as our tax base. That's why we recommend a "yes" vote on the city of Dallas Proposition B, which would allocate $261.8 million for parks and recreation improvements."

Opposition

Arguments against

Opponents made the following arguments in opposition to the bond package:

• The language for some of the 10 bond propositions is vague which gives too much room for city officials to use the bond money for something other than what was listed.
• Some opponents of the bond package argue that Dallas should not borrow money for road maintenance.
• Some opponents argue that organizations charged with managing Fair Park and other private-public partnerships are poorly run.

Background

At the beginning of the city's fiscal year, which was October 1, 2017, the city carried an aggregate amount of $1,632,595,997 in tax-supported debt obligations, with $1,007,772,469 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. Since all bonds in this package were approved, an additional $374,875,500 was set to be added to the amount owed in outstanding interest, for a total of $1,382,647,969, which city officials estimated could increase the ad valorem tax rate used to pay the city's interest owed.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in Texas

Proposition B was part of a 10-proposition bond package totaling $1.05 billion in proposed new debt added to the November 2017 ballot by a vote of the Dallas City Council.

The bond proposal started out as an $800 million proposal as of mid-June 2017. On June 28, 2017, the Dallas City Council voted 13-2 to increase the proposal, giving initial approval of a $1.025 billion bond package and 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 also voted 14-1 to put the propositions 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.

Additional resources

• More data on Proposition B and other land conservation ballot measures is available at the LandVote database of the Trust for Public Land (TPL).

• More information about the Dallas' 10-proposition bond package is available here.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Dallas parks bond issue Proposition B. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Dallas, Texas, Parks Bond Issue, Proposition B (November 2017) - Google News

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2017
• City bonds on the ballot
• Local environment on the ballot
• Dallas County measures

Texas

• November 7, 2017 measures in Texas
• Local ballot measures, Texas
• Dallas, Texas

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas

External links

Suggest a link

• Dallas City Secretary website
• Dallas County Elections Office website
• Landvote conservation measures database