Arts groups in Dallas have held several forums to find out what city council candidates would do to support the arts. KERA also wanted to know, so we asked those competing in contested races. Here’s what they told us.
District 2
Vernon Franko / Age: 48 / Insurance agent who previously ran for Dallas City Council / vernonfranko.com
Ricky Gonzales / Age: 50 / General contractor / rickygonzales2013.com
Adam Medrano / Age: 37 / Former Dallas parks & recreation supervisor, current DISD school board trustee / adammedrano.com
Herschel Weisfeld / Age: 52 / Adaptive re-use real estate investment and property manager / herschelfordallas.com
Question #1: What is your plan for a reliable source of arts funding that is outside the city’s general budget?
Franko: Seriously, when did the City Council become responsible for raising arts funding outside of budget?
Gonzales: Private sector money is always good. Pay as you go is always cheapest. Bonds are the next best thing but should not be abused.
Medrano: We seriously need to consider non-resident fees.
Weisfeld: I would consider a small fee that could be added to every municipal ticket, citation, and city service bill as well as a surcharge for all tickets sold to events at city owned venues. In addition, I would cultivate our benefactor/philanthropic community, develop expanded public/private/corporate partnerships from a Business Committee for the Arts perspective and evaluate the economic viability of a full time grant writer in order to find funding sources world-wide.
Arts Question #2: What is your position on the PID (public improvement district) tax that’s currently being discussed by the Klyde Warren Park board and the stakeholders in the Arts District? It would levy a small tax on downtown businesses in order to help maintain the park and possibly the district.
Franko: I guess it's a good idea if your plan is to run individuals and businesses out of downtown. We have been working very hard to get people and businesses back into downtown. Levying a special tax on DT business will only discourage further development.
Gonzales: I think it is a ridiculous position for the city to take. Why build anything that would cause a tax hike. It is the money generated from the area that provided an opportunity of relaxation. To share the thought of “responsible use” alone would go a long way.
Medrano: I need more information on this issue.
Weisfeld: I believe that if a PID was created, it should be designed to benefit the entire area and distributed fairly and equally amongst all of the players without favoring any one organization or entity considering the fact that The Arts District was the impetus for the KWP and the reality that the Perot is now one of the biggest draws in this area.
District 3
Michael Connally / Age: 50 / Information technology professional / michaelconnallydallas.com
Vonciel Jones Hill (incumbent) / Age: 64 / Attorney, minister / voncieljoneshill.com
Claudia Meyer / Age: 71 / Retired assisted living facility director, medical social worker / meyer4dallas.com
Kermit Mitchell / Age: 72 / Minister, former Congressional candidate / kermitmitchell.com
Arts Question #1: What is your plan for a reliable source of arts funding that is outside the city’s general budget?
Connally: (Did not respond)
Jones Hill: The most reliable source of arts funding is the general budget. However, outside of that source, the best possibility is private funding.
Meyer: A budget based on funding supported by patrons of the arts could be augmented by a plan that involves a network of multiple traditional and non-traditional sources. Performances in non-traditional venues have a freshness and a value for a wider audience.
Mitchell: The new tax revenues from gas drilling would be partially used to fund the arts. The Federal and State budgets are pressed for other priorities such that those sources are not reliable.
Arts Question #2: What is your position on the PID (public improvement district) tax that’s currently being discussed by the Klyde Warren Park board and the stakeholders in the Arts District? It would levy a small tax on downtown businesses in order to help maintain the park and possibly the district.
Connally: The PID must be supported by those who would be paying for it.
Jones Hill: The Klyde Warren PID idea needs more discussion among all of the groups in the District so that they will approach any additional tax on a unified -and shared- basis.
Meyer: I would not support this. When this park was initially proposed, its backers assured all Dallas residents that it would be off the city budget. Its website, even today, claims it is entirely funded from private sources. These entities should honor their commitments—taxpayers have already spent significant bond money on this project. That said, the park itself is a great addition to downtown and helps make Dallas a more livable city.
Mitchell: The arrow is already in the air. The bullet has already been fired. There is no turning back. The park has been built with significant resources from across the board. The focus was on building the park. Surprising it is that there was no requirement to discuss operations and maintenance of the park. It shows that the well-heeled are not always wise. The PID is a currently essential revenue source. There is no present alternative. The PID funding must be continued at least as long as the projected revenue from the 7-9% surcharge to the restaurant can carry the freight. I feel the pain of the objecting taxed neighbors that 99% of the people who use the park are not residents in the area. On the other hand, the park is a neighborhood asset that serves to increase the property values and business revenues of all entities that surround it. Therefore those benefits well support the current call for contributions from those who reap the long term gain.
District 5
Rick Callahan (did not respond)
Jesse Diaz / Age: 64 / Realtor, former City Council and DISD school board candidate / jessediazfordallas.com
Bruce E. Shaw / Age: 58 / Truck driver / bruceeshaw.com
Yolanda Faye Williams / Age: 44 / Paralegal / yolandafayewilliams.com
Arts Question #1: What is your plan for a reliable source of arts funding that is outside the city’s general budget?
Diaz: The City of Dallas has an incredible source of leverage. As a City official, I will utilize that leverage to cultivate relations with the private sector and local, state and national foundations promoting the arts. More so we must strengthen the role of the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Commission.
Shaw: There are several avenues that can be used to attain the additional funding that we are missing for the fine arts. One idea would be to hold events for funding and supporting the arts; as well as seeking direct donations from art enthusiast.
Williams: I would seek the private sector to assist with funding.
Arts Question #2: What is your position on the PID (public improvement district) tax that’s currently being discussed by the Klyde Warren Park board and the stakeholders in the Arts District? It would levy a small tax on downtown businesses in order to help maintain the park and possibly the district.
Diaz: As an elected official, I will be willing to listen to all sides of every issue and will maintain an open door policy
Shaw: I believe PID’s can be very useful in some communities that lack Home Owner Associations to help maintain the community. I think when those who might oppose realize the benefit it will be appreciated.
Williams: I support the small tax levy on the downtown businesses as well as the businesses in the other district. I strongly, feel that the businesses surrounding (PID) should share the responsibility. City of Dallas should work to bring balance between both the Northern and Southern Sector.
District 6
Monica Alonzo (incumbent) / Age: 48 / Community Volunteer / monicaalonzo.com
Ozumba Lnuk-X (did not respond)
Sixto Raymond Salinas (did not respond)
Arts Question #1: What is your plan for a reliable source of arts funding that is outside the city’s general budget?
Alonzo: First of all, as a supporter and advocate of the Arts, I believe the City of Dallas should continue its funding of the cultural arts in the city. Working with the Arts community, I have pledged my support and advocacy in better promotion opportunities for the Arts and to come together for the purpose of developing positive, creative suggestions regarding increased funding, including outside the city’s general fund.
Arts Question #2: What is your position on the PID (public improvement district) tax that’s currently being discussed by the Klyde Warren Park board and the stakeholders in the Arts District? It would levy a small tax on downtown businesses in order to help maintain the park and possibly the district.
Alonzo: I support communities of interest such as the Stakeholders in the Arts District or a defined neighborhood community in coming together for the creation of a PID for the purpose of improvement of quality of life.
District 7
Carolyn Davis (did not respond)
Ona Marie Hendricks / Age: 29 / Community activist, self-employed / onamariehendricks.com
Arts Question #1: What is your plan for a reliable source of arts funding that is outside the city’s general budget?
Hendricks: To advocate awareness in a productive and proactive manner is a daily habit for me, both personally and publicly. I get calls last minute or on the spot to provide support for different causes both big and small. The only efforts needed to gain reliable sources for the arts funding will be consistent networking throughout the community as a whole.
Arts Question #2: What is your position on the PID (public improvement district) tax that’s currently being discussed by the Klyde Warren Park board and the stakeholders in the Arts District? It would levy a small tax on downtown businesses in order to help maintain the park and possibly the district.
Hendricks: Of course there are a number of advantages for the benefit of Klyde Warren Park however; proper protocol should be followed and view points of the businesses involved should be heard along with any others whom could be impacted negatively once plans have moved forward.
District 8
Tennell Atkins (did not respond)
Subrina Lynn Brenham (did not respond)
District 11
Lee Kleinman / Age: 53 / Chief operating officer, Bridge Metrics / leekleinman.com
Ori Raphael / Age: 29 / Vice president of business development, FreshLoc Technologies / orifordallas.com
Arts Question #1: What is your plan for a reliable source of arts funding that is outside the city’s general budget?
Kleinman: I plan to work with the citizens of Dallas and the private sector to fund this important aspect of our culture. When properly managed, public-private partnerships can make for vibrant and successful venues. In the Parks Department we successfully privatized the Zoo, and the Arboretum has been privatized for years.
Raphael: I believe in private funding of the arts.
Arts Question #2: What is your position on the PID (public improvement district) tax that’s currently being discussed by the Klyde Warren Park board and the stakeholders in the Arts District? It would levy a small tax on downtown businesses in order to help maintain the park and possibly the district.
Kleinman: A collaborative PID between the Arts District and the Klyde Warren Park would be a good way to help fund maintenance operations in this area of downtown. A PID allows property owners in the designated area to self-tax to improve that specified area. If the owners agree to tax themselves to benefit the users of public space, I am in favor.
Raphael: That is up to the property owners of the PID area.
District 13
Leland Burk / Age: 51 / President and chairman, Burk Interests / lelandburk.com
Jacob P. King (did not respond)
Richard P. Sheridan / Age: 66 / Retired civil and environmental engineer, former City Council candidate
Jennifer Staubach Gates / Age: 46 / Registered nurse, community volunteer jenniferstaubachgates.com
Arts Question #1: What is your plan for a reliable source of arts funding that is outside the city’s general budget?
Burk: As a strong supporter of the arts, I understand the major challenges of arts funding. I am proud to have many leaders in the arts community supporting me including Cindy & Howard Rachofsky, Marguerite Hoffman, Deedie Rose, VelettaLill, Dolores Barzune and many others. I fully understand the arts mean business and jobs and that a strong arts community is a draw for new companies to locate here. I certainly believe we should explore the funding options cities and states across the country are using and will work with our arts community and others to find a stable source of funding.
Sheridan: The reliable source for the arts has been Dallas residents and wealthy benefactors. If we continue to properly promote the arts, the support will continue.
Staubach Gates: Our Arts District is a regional, national and global draw, and we must not only ensure that it is well maintained, but also look for ways to further enhance this asset and create an even stronger economic driver. Our Arts District has thrived due to major private donations, so I would support raising private dollars for an endowment to support ongoing maintenance and enhancements of this asset.
Arts Question #2: What is your position on the PID (public improvement district) tax that’s currently being discussed by the Klyde Warren Park board and the stakeholders in the Arts District? It would levy a small tax on downtown businesses in order to help maintain the park and possibly the district.
Burk: That is entirely up to the property owners in the PID area. The property owners petition the council. I would defer to the council person representing the district the PID is in.
Sheridan: I'm not opposed to it. I m opposed to the bait and switch tactics that we've seen. First, we hear that the maintenance will be taken care of, then we hear they have their hands out for funds.
Staubach Gates: This PID has not been able to secure the support it needs among the stakeholders, so at this point I would not be supportive.
District 14
Bobby Abtahi / Age: 31 / Attorney / bobby4dallas.com
David Blewett / Age: 47/ Real estate and mortgage professional / davidblewett.com
Kevin M. Curley II / Age: 26 / Financial adviser / curley4dallas.com
Philip Kingston / Age: 40 / Commercial litigator / philipkingston.com
Chuck Kobdish / Age: 43 / Chiropractor / choosechuck.com
Judy Liimatainen / Age: 60 / Community volunteer, former school board candidate in Lebanon, Penn. / judy4council.com
Jim Rogers / Age: 65 / Attorney, Certified Public Accountant / jimrogersdallas.com
ArtsQuestion #1: What is your plan for a reliable source of arts funding that is outside the city’s general budget?
Abtahi: We must find a reliable source for arts funding. I will explore new sources of funding such as the (TPID) tourism public improvement district and examine what other cities have done to address their arts funding. Houston appears to have a larger pool of funding as they are leveraging a variety of sources, including a small portion of the hotel/motel tax. Private organizations such as TACA have been successful in building funding sources for performing arts groups. Can that model be expanded? Once we collectively determine the best practices for funding, we can then work towards implementation with stakeholders.
Blewett: My plan for Arts Funding hinges on their ability to grow their revenue. The city of Dallas should help promote arts tourism for all of our art venues and highlight the entertainment options that we offer.
Curley: I disagree with the question. There is no such thing as a reliable source of revenue. If the Arts community wants dedicated source of revenue then my idea would be to take a portion of the hotel occupancy tax. A driver behind this idea is that the arts district is responsible for a portion of that revenue. The general fund is a more reliable source of revenue as the HOT is very unpredictable.
Kingston: Continuation of the public art requirement for new development, but the more important aspect of Arts funding is finding a source of funding that is both reliable and within the city's general budget. I support an open and transparent process, probably managed by a strengthened Cultural Affairs Commission, by which Arts groups have a fair shot at city funding. A portion of the hotel/motel tax might be a good source of revenue.
Kobdish: The Arts District has been very successful with leading the initiative in public/private partnerships. I feel like the City needs to make good on the allocated funds we have set aside for the Arts and continue to fund the Arts in a responsible way.
Liimatainen: The city of Houston uses their hotel tax for funding their arts program. It can still fluctuate, but it is much more reliable than the arts district waiting to see how the city’s budget is. The problem with this solution for Dallas is that the convention center presently uses all of those dollars, but as the convention center is fully booked, perhaps the monies could be split.
Rogers: The contribution of the arts community to our city cannot be measured in dollars and cents but the Deloitte study shows that the arts have a positive economic impact to the area in excess of $1B. Allocating some portion of the Hotel Occupancy Tax to support the arts makes logical sense.
Arts Question #2: What is your position on the PID (public improvement district) tax that’s currently being discussed by the Klyde Warren Park board and the stakeholders in the Arts District? It would levy a small tax on downtown businesses in order to help maintain the park and possibly the district.
Abtahi: PIDs have proven to be a successful economic development pool in enhancing services in neighborhoods. The Dallas City Council ensures that there is consensus for the plan and it meets the standards for adoption. This particular application appears to have caught some of the neighbors/stakeholders off guard. At this time, I believe we should take a step back and communicate amongst the stakeholders to define a consensus plan the larger neighborhood. The Arts District is a neighborhood just like any other and we must take an inclusive approach to solving their unique issues.
Blewett: I am against the PID for Klyde Warren Park and Arts District. It is another tax and a poor substitute for efficient management and revenue growth/usage fees.
Curley: I believe the park is a great addition to the city. However, this plan is unpopular. The Uptown PID and Downtown improvement district surround the park area. Therefore it is unlikely another PID overlapping will gain the needed support.
Kingston: If Mr. Grant is successful in selling it to the land owners, then I think it could be a reliable source of funding for operations and maintenance at the Klyde. The controversy arises from 2 sources: 1) the representation that KWP operations and maintenance would not require tax dollars, and 2) insufficient consensus building within the Arts District. Neither of these is an insurmountable barrier.
Kobdish: This is a question for the business owners, and they have said no. Question should have been raised before they built the park. PIDs are a good way to finance Improvements, but we can't force a tax on these business owners.
Liimatainen: In our Private/Public partnerships, the council must proceed cautiously to make sure that the city has the funds to sustain these wonderful projects. I do not think that the stakeholders in the Arts District should now become responsible for the park that came after they were established entities. I don’t think they should be punished for being there already.
Rogers: As I said previously, I am opposed to raising taxes. That a tax is needed to maintain this park that just opened indicates either poor financial planning or a lack of transparency, or both. We, the taxpayers (city and county), keep being surprised by new revelations about various projects. That is one of the reasons I am running for city council. We need the perspective of a C.P.A. like me to raise questions about these projects and the resulting expenditures in the planning stage and demand transparency from inception, not at or after completion. If the adjacent property owners are willing to tax themselves to support the park, that is their choice but the city should not in any way impose such a tax. While the question refers to it as a “small” tax, the initial rate would be $250 per $1M, but after seven years it could escalate to $1,500 per $1M. That is a six-fold escalation. That is no longer a “small” tax. If the area property owners are inclined to willingly establish a PID to, in some way, benefit all the public spaces and facilities within the area which probably do benefit them and their property values, that would be a gracious and generous gift to the City of Dallas and its citizens but I, as a council member, will not be involved in imposing such a tax on unwilling participants.
