Will Dallas voters approve $50 million for new police training facility?
DALLAS - North Texans start heading to the polls Monday to early vote in the May 4 municipal elections. Dallas voters have a $1.25 billion bond to consider.
There are ten ballot propositions included in the bond and most of the money would go toward fixing potholes and upgrading streets and alleys. The bond also includes money for parks and recreation, flood control projects, upgrading public libraries, helping the homeless, economic development, upgrading the city's information technology, expanding affordable housing, and arts and cultural facilities.
But the biggest single-ticket item is $50 million for a new Dallas Police Training facility at UNT in South Dallas. It's a public-private partnership.
Supporters say a brand new facility is long overdue because the existing space has long been outdated.
"Anybody who's toured it I think is just appalled," former Dallas council member, Jennifer Staubach Gates said. "If you want a great police department, it starts with the training, and this is going to help us retain and recruit, which we desperately need."
But not everyone supports this project.
"We believe that will result in more over-spending and repression in our communities and we think that money could be utilized elsewhere," said Tamera Hutcherson, an organizer with the group, Stop Cop City Dallas. "Why not invest money in updating that facility instead of constructing a new facility entirely?"
Staubach Gates says if voters approve, there will be a total of $80 million committed to the project.
The total cost is $140 million, and she says she's speaking with a number of foundations with the goal of having private money pay for the rest of the project. Staubach Gates says the private money won't come without a commitment from voters.
Watch this Sunday's episode of Eye on Politics for a full deep dive of the Dallas bond election.