Dallas voters reject police facilities bond, homelessness relief tax

On election night, Dallas voters rejected two major local ballot propositions, denying funding for new police facilities and homelessness relief programs.

The measures come amid a consequential midterm election that saw 52% of Dallas County voters turn out to the polls.

The two local propositions were near the bottom of Tuesday’s ballot but represented hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money.

City of Dallas residents rejected the City’s bond measure to fund the construction of public safety facilities, with 56.34% of voters casting an “Against” vote, according to Dallas County’s unofficial election results.

The now-rejected proposition would have allocated $443 million for Dallas Police training facilities, storage rooms and an operations center, as well as a replacement fire station. The estimated repayment for the bond would have been about $629 million.

Opponents of the bond rallied around the “Bust the Bond” campaign. Although the campaign’s website and social media accounts name no specific endorsers, District 12 Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn filed as campaign treasurer in September.

Along with Mendelsohn, Councilmembers Adam Bazaldua, Paula Blackmon and Paul Ridley opposed the measure when City Council voted to place it on the ballot in August. 

Opponents considered the bond too expensive, with insufficient accountability and saw the move as a first step toward abandoning and demolishing Dallas City Hall, as the building’s future remains uncertain.

Campaign finance reports show Bust the Bond raised nearly $70,000, with $50,000 coming from attorney and potential mayoral candidate Ben Abbott. Mendelsohn’s campaign contributed more than $14,000.

Supporters of the bond included the Dallas Citizens Council, with endorsements from police and fire associations, local chambers of commerce and other business entities.

Dallas Citizens Council president Kelvin Walker filed as treasurer on Oct. 14, and Together for Dallas’ 8 Day report shows more than $376,000 raised from people and entities who reflect the endorsements.

A version of the bond could be proposed again in the May 2027 elections.

Meanwhile, Dallas County residents rejected a countywide tax increase to fund homelessness relief programs, with 51.87% of voters casting an “Against” vote.

The county tax increase would have raised about $100 million to resolve homeless encampments, increase access to mental health treatment, and support programs that provide “stable housing and self-sufficiency” for unsheltered residents through Housing Forward.

The proposition would have increased a tax bill on a $350,000 home by about $84 annually. 

No formal campaign was formed against the tax, but County Commissioners Elba Garcia and John Wiley Price opposed the measure when it was added to the ballot in August, later posting on social media and giving media interviews against the proposition.

Garcia and Price both opposed approving an additional financial burden to residents as the cost of living rises.

Supporters of the tax included the “Dallas County Homeless Solutions” campaign, which names local organizations, elected officials and community leaders. Some overlap existed between supporters of the county and city propositions, such as the Dallas Citizens Council, the Dallas Regional Chamber, the Dallas Police Association and Hunt Realty Investments.

 Former Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall was named treasurer in a Sept. 18 filing. 

Campaign finance reports show Dallas County Homeless Solutions raised more than $360,000, with $50,000 coming from 1601 Elm Holdings, LP, the property ownership group associated with the former Thanks-Giving Square. County Judge Clay Jenkins’ campaign contributed $12,500.

Following the defeat, Jenkins issued a statement saying he supported asking voters to decide on an investment in the county’s future.

“I believe it was a chance to make our neighborhoods safer, strengthen our economy, and improve quality of life for all Dallas County residents,” he said. “While this isn’t the outcome I hoped for, my commitment to building a safer, stronger Dallas County remains unchanged.”