$629 Million Cost to Repay Dallas Public Safety Bond
Voters will decide on a $443 million bond for police and fire facilities and a new county tax rate for homelessness services in November.
By Salma Farouk ·
The City of Dallas projects it will pay $629 million to repay a $443 million bond package aimed at rebuilding public safety infrastructure. The ballot measure, known as Proposition A, was placed on the November ballot by an 11-4 City Council vote on August 12. Councilmembers Adam Bazaldua, Paula Blackmon, Cara Mendelsohn, and Paul Ridley voted against the measure.
The bond funds several major construction projects. It allocates $82 million to close a funding gap for the Law Enforcement Training Center at the University of Texas at Dallas. The project has a revised budget of $227 million. The city has secured $50 million from a 2024 bond, $25 million in state grants, and $31.5 million in private philanthropy. It expects another $38.5 million from private donors. An additional $149 million will build a Public Safety Training Complex at Dallas Executive Airport, which includes outdoor, driving, tactical, and range capabilities. A further $150 million will create a unified facility for police evidence storage, a property room, and a crime lab. The remaining $40 million will relocate the 9-1-1 call center and emergency operation center from City Hall, and $22 million will replace Fire Station #4 on Akard Street downtown.
Supporters describe the bond as an investment in modernized fire stations, a weatherproofed 911 center, and critical crime labs. They argue the project will replace old buildings without raising taxes. Opponents, including a group calling itself Bust the Bond, argue the bond adds new debt to the city's $8.6 billion outstanding debt. They describe the amount as too high with too little accountability and suggest the city return with a smaller bond for the police academy in May 2027.
Dallas County also has a Proposition A on the ballot. This measure is a tax ratification election. It would raise the county tax rate from $0.215500 per $100 of valuation last year to $0.248650 per $100 this year. The increase would generate approximately $100 million for homelessness services, mental health treatment, and stable housing programs through Housing Forward. The County Commissioner’s Court approved the rate on August 11 by a 3-2 vote. Commissioners Elba Garcia and John Wiley Price voted no.
For a home valued at $350,000, the tax bill would increase by about $84 annually. County officials state the plan aims to get more people off the streets and resolve encampments faster. Commissioner Garcia posted on Facebook this week that while addressing homelessness matters, the plan lacks clearly defined costs and measurable results. Commissioner Price told Inside Texas Politics that an increase is an increase, challenging the city’s focus on affordability.
The League of Women Voters Dallas provides a nonpartisan guide at Vote411.org where residents can enter their address to see a personalized ballot explanation. The city’s property tax rate for 2026-27 will actually decrease slightly from $0.6988 to $0.6978 per $100 of taxable value, but total revenue will rise because property values have increased. The city serves a population of approximately 1,336,000 residents.
Moody's has assigned the city an A1 credit rating for its tax-supported debt. The agency changed the city's outlook to stable from negative in June 2026. If voters approve the county tax increase, the county will fund the anticipated $100 million for homeless services. If voters reject it, the tax rate will remain at the state-calculated maximum of $0.224650 per $100, and the county will not fund the additional services.
Voters in Dallas County will cast their ballots in the upcoming November election. The bond and tax measures are separate items on the ballot. Residents can print their personalized ballot guides from the League of Women Voters website, as electronic devices are not permitted inside the ballot box.
