Dallas city leaders split on $443 million public safety bond
DALLAS - Voters in Dallas will soon decide on a public safety bond that would fund new Dallas police training facilities. Critics argue the bond would be the beginning of the process for the city to abandon Dallas City Hall.
Dallas Proposition A
What we know:
On the November ballot, voters in Dallas will decide whether to approve Proposition A, a $443 million bond package.
The bond proposition combines funding for a much-needed Dallas police training facility and a measure that would move the city's 911 call center out of Dallas City Hall.
It would add up to $629 million in debt for the city when including interest.
The Dallas city manager said in a statement that the bond proposition is an important step to strengthen public safety by modernizing public safety operations.
Maxie Johnson and Dallas safety representatives
Local perspective:
On Thursday, Dallas City Councilman Maxie Johnson voiced his support for Proposition A during a news conference. He was joined by representatives from the Dallas Police Association, Black Police Association, and Black Firefighters Association.
"We're doing everything we can to be accountable and transparent to our community," Johnson said. This bond will go toward the training facility and it will get done."
The Dallas Police training facility broke ground at UNT Dallas in September, and a gun range near Dallas Executive Airport is also planned. But the projects don't have enough funding without Proposition A, with the facilities costing more than $300 million.
"There was not enough money from the beginning when they asked for this. And so I don't know why the amount was asked for, why the entire amount was not asked for. So I cannot give an account for something that I was not a part of," Johnson said. "However, I can tell you this now that what we're having to do is go back to our citizens. And say enough money was not done."
The other side:
Critics of Proposition A believe language in the bond would give Dallas a blank check of sorts, one that could end up with the city leaving Dallas City Hall altogether.
"We’ve got to have clarity on the language. I cannot support asking voters to approve something if two years down the road, it never gets funded," Dallas Police Association President Sean Pease told FOX 4's Lori Brown last month.
Cara Mendelsohn
Dallas City Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn tried to get clarity on the language during a Dallas City Council meeting, but her proposal failed 8-7. Now, she's part of the group trying to ‘bust the bond’.
"One of the items is to move the 911 center out of City Hall. This is the first step in abandoning City Hall, so a lot of support to bust the bond and say no from people who would generally say yes to this has been a hard line that says, 'No, we're not gonna leave City Hall, and we're gonna give you this big pot of money'," Mendelsohn said.
Mendelson wants to put an amended bond before voters next May that was written by a bond committee to mandate it be used for the police training facilities.
Dallas City Hall
What's next:
Early voting in North Texas starts on Monday, October 19. Election day is Tuesday, November 3.
The Source: Information in this story comes from a news conference with Maxie Johnson and Dallas safety representatives, an interview with Cara Mendelsohn, and previous FOX 4 reporting.