Dallas, TX
Dallas City Council closer to finalizing $1.25 billion bond package ahead of May election
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/dmn/VKJBSY5IZZDEPBEYMVLFD5FRXU.jpg?ssl=1 "Dallas City Council closer to finalizing .25 billion bond package ahead of May election")
The Dallas City Council on Wednesday threw support behind a proposed $1.25 billion bond program that would include dedicating $500 million for road projects, $310 million for parks, $61 million for housing and $75 million in unreserved money divided evenly among the 15 members for their individual discretion.
The 9-6 straw vote for the funding allocations is nonbinding and could change before a Feb. 14 scheduled vote that would send finalized propositions to voters for a May 4 election. The group is next scheduled to meet about the bond on Feb. 7, when it will start narrowing down specific projects and cost.
The $75 million drew split reactions from the City Council, with some saying it was necessary to ensure needed district-specific projects get funded, while others argued it took away from infrastructure needs that impact the city as a whole.
Council member Adam Bazaldua, who was against the scenario, said he believed it sent “a very bad message” to the public. The favored allocations reduced money in a separate scenario Bazaldua was the lead supporter of, such as $100 million for housing, $45 million for economic development, $27.9 million in City Hall upgrades and $20 million for homelessness-related projects.
The favored allocations set money for economic development at $29.2 million, homelessness projects at $8.5 million and no money for City Hall fixes. Among the repairs planned for City Hall were electrical, fire suppression and HVAC upgrades.
“This amendment, to me, tells the public ‘I’m not concerned with everything that we’ve learned on the needs of our city, but I am more concerned with having the autonomy with millions of dollars,’” Bazaldua said.
Council member Tennell Atkins, who proposed the allocations that got majority approval, said he believed the group could work together to use their discretionary money to boost some categories. He noted a recent community survey showing streets and parks listed among the top concerns of residents.
Atkins’ scenario had increases in a few areas over Bazaldua’s initial proposal, such as boosting money for parks by $10.5 million, bumping up libraries by $7 million and adding $5 million for city information technology projects.
“We work for the citizens of Dallas,” said Atkins, the council’s mayor pro tem. “They are our boss. They tell us what to do.”
Mayor Eric Johnson and council members Atkins, Jesse Moreno, Zarin Gracey, Carolyn King Arnold, Omar Narvaez, Kathy Stewart, Cara Mendelsohn and Paul Ridley supported the funding allocations.
Wednesday’s decision comes after the City Council in a similar nonbinding vote on Jan. 19 favored increasing the bond total from $1.1 billion to $1.25 billion, which was hoped would allow the city to cover more projects in the upcoming bond program.
Parks, housing and arts have been the top requests for bond funding voiced by the public during three City Council meetings on the bond, including on Wednesday.
But the tentatively approved scenario falls well short of the $200 million in bond money housing advocates have been requesting to boost the city’s stock of affordable homes.
“If we choose not to significantly invest in housing, we’re only digging ourselves into a deeper hole and putting our residents in more dire straits,” Bryan Tony, an organizer with the Dallas Housing Coalition, told the City Council ahead of its decision.
Council member Jaynie Schultz, before the straw vote, said she didn’t understand the rationale behind the proposed bond money for housing and homelessness when they have been among the top issues the public has voiced to the council that need to be addressed.
“If we’re going to borrow money in order to move this city forward, these items in these bond recommendations ought to be moving our city forward,” Schultz said. “So I would like to see the justification, particularly for the discretionary fund, on how everybody’s discretionary fund is actually going to move this city forward and be worth borrowing the money for.”
Here are the tentative $1.25 billion bond program allocations that received the majority of the Dallas City Council’s support on Wednesday:
• Streets and transportation: $500 million
• Parks and recreation: $310.5 million
• Public safety: $90 million
• Cultural arts facilities: $75.2 million
• Council discretionary: $75 million
• Housing: $61 million
• Flood protection and storm drainage: $52.1 million
• Libraries: $43.5 million
• Economic development: $29.2 million
• Homelessness: $8.5 million
• Information technology: $5 million
DALLAS – Slow-moving thunderstorms brought localized flash flooding to parts of North Texas on Tuesday evening, blocking highways near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and dropping several inches of rain in portions of Tarrant and Parker counties.
Flash Flood Warnings
Local perspective:
Flash flood warnings are in effect for Hopkins, Hunt, Rains and Van Zandt counties until 7:45 p.m.
Flooding was reported along Texas 183 near Valley View Lane south of DFW Airport, where stranded vehicles and water-covered roadways created hazardous travel conditions.
A flash flood warning remained in effect near the airport, although rainfall rates had begun to diminish as the storm weakened.
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings
The National Weather Service also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for northern Hood County, citing the potential for gusty winds and small hail. Forecasters reported hail ranging from pea-sized to marble-sized in parts of Hood, Parker and Denton counties.
Forecasters attributed the weakening storms in Denton County to an outflow boundary, a meteorological feature that can disrupt thunderstorm development.
The warning area was reduced as the storm weakened near sunset.
LIVE RADAR
What they’re saying:
FOX 4’s Kylie Capps said the storms moved unusually slowly from east to west, allowing heavy rain to accumulate over the same areas for several hours.
Rainfall estimates showed some locations in eastern Parker County and western Tarrant County received nearly 5 inches of rain during a six-hour period, while areas near DFW Airport recorded more than 2 inches.
Elsewhere in North Texas, northern Rains County received nearly 5 inches of rain.
7-Day Forecast
What’s next:
Forecasters expect a quieter overnight period, with only isolated showers lingering into the evening. Additional thunderstorms are possible Wednesday afternoon, though coverage and the threat of severe weather are expected to remain limited.
Temperatures are forecast to reach about 90 degrees Wednesday.
Rain chances are expected to continue through the remainder of the workweek and into the weekend as an upper-level low-pressure system sends multiple disturbances across North Texas.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 4’s Weather Team
Monday was a wild day for the NFL with two blockbuster trades. First was Myles Garrett, who both the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles were rumored to have interest in.
Cowboys fans never bought into these rumors, knowing that Jerry Jones was unlikely to make such an investment. The Eagles, however, have been known to get aggressive. Thankfully for Dallas fans, they didn’t make the move as the Cleveland Browns sent Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse and a package of picks.
Not long after that trade was finalized, the Eagles did wind up making a trade. After months of speculation surrounding A.J. Brown and the New England Patriots, the two sides made it official as Brown was reunited with Mike Vrabel in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
Dallas Cowboys could take the NFC East crown in 2026
The writing has been on the wall all offseason regarding Brown, who has been unhappy with the Eagles for a while. His departure seemed confirmed when they traded up with Dallas in the 2026 NFL draft for USC receiver Makai Lemon.
While Lemon has the tools to be a difference-maker, he won’t be able to perform at the same level as Brown during his rookie season. The Eagles do still have DeVonta Smith at receiver as well as running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts.
That said, there’s no denying that they’re weaker this season than they were with Brown. Just as important, however, is the fact that general manager Howie Roseman didn’t pull off a shocking move for Garrett, which would have made them the overwhelming favorites in the division.
Cowboys chances hinge on defensive changes
Another reason the Cowboys are confident they can hang with Philadelphia this season is the presence of Christian Parker, who they hired as their defensive coordinator after he spent the past two seasons as the passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach with the Eagles.
Parker brings in a new scheme and plenty of confidence, but more importantly, he has several new weapons at his disposal. Dallas traded for veterans Rashan Gary and Dee Winters, signed Jalen Thompson and Cobie Durant, and selected Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence in the draft.
Those are just some of the moves they made on defense, and they’re banking on that to be enough to help propel them past the team that has won the division the past two seasons.
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