Dallas South Blog Endorses 2006 Dallas Bond Package

I would like to go on record officially endorsing all twelve propositions of the 2006 Dallas Bond Program, which will be on the ballot on November 7. In August, I attended a briefing with my City Councilman Ed Oakley, and I recently walked through the 100 page, itemized breakdown of the Projects By Proposition.  Now, after viewing the city's official cheerleading piece at Vote Yes! It's Our Future, I feel pretty comfortable with the billion-dollar outlay.

One thing that worries me is that the council didn't put the program in as an all or nothing vote, but allows voters to pick and choose which proposition they want to support.  There will be an option to cast one vote for all 12 propositions, (like voting a straight party ticket), which is what I'm asking all my Dallas readers to do.  I can't help but think that Props 7 & 8 may be in for a close vote, but that's probably the conspiracy theorist in me. 

By passing this Bond Program, the average priced home in Dallas ($145,266) will see an annual increase in property taxes of $24.81.  Citizens over 65 living in an average priced home will see an annual increase of $11.15.  This is a no-brainer for Dallas citizens, as anyone can see that the city is in desperate need of repair.  The big ticket items, Props 1, 2, and 3 will provide much needed infrastructure repair to the city's streets, flood and drainage facilities, as well as park facilities.  These 3 items alone have a price tag north of a billion dollars. 

The Dallas park system is an absolute mess.  I have a blog in the hopper about a pee wee league football game I went to last week at Thurgood Marshall Rec Center.  The kids were playing on what seemed to be a combination of sand, weeds, and concrete.  The term "3-yards and a cloud of dust" never rang so true.  And I'm sure the so-called "goal-posts" were some old tetherball poles that someone had welded together.  The stands barely accommodated one tenth of the fanatical parents who were there backing their boys and girls (can't forget about the cheerleaders).  I'm amazed the city even put it's name on parks like this one and Beckley-Saner.  The Dallas Morning News featured the Parks and Rec Proposal in Sunday's paper, the first in their series dealing with the 2006 Bond Program.

I'll have more thoughts to share between now and November 7, but know that I plan to vote for all 12 items, and I've got the sign in the yard to prove it.  Visit some of the above links to get more info.  I've included the 12 Propositions below and the dollar amounts that they will require.

Proposition 1

Street and Transportation Improvements

$390 million

Proposition 2

Flood Protection and Storm Drainage Facilities

$334 million

Proposition 3

Parks and Recreational Facilities

$343 million

Proposition 4

Library Facilities

$46 million

Proposition 5

Cultural Arts Facilities

$61 million

Proposition 6

City Hall, City Services, and Maintenance Facilities

$34 million

Proposition 7

Land acquisition Under the Land Bank Program for the Development of Low and Moderate Income Single Family Homes

$1.5 million

Proposition 8

Economic Development in the Southern Area of the City, and in Other Areas of the City in Connection with Transit-Oriented Development……

$41.5 million

Proposition 9

Farmers Market

$6.6 million

Proposition 10

Land Acquisition in Cadillac Heights Area for Future Location of City Facilities

$22.5 million

Proposition 11

Court Facilities

$8 million

Proposition 12

Public Safety Facilities Including Police Facilities, Fire Facilities, and Emergency Warning Systems

$63.6 million