By Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 FM reporter
Dallas, TX – Dallas 2012 committee members have been saying for months that without a "yes" vote, the games just can't happen here. That's because it says the International Olympic Committee insists on a 100 million dollar government guaranty from all competing cities, in case the games lose money. So if approved November 6th, Dallas would set aside up to 14 million dollars in sales tax revenue for the guaranty fund, with another 86 million from the rest of the state. But the Dallas Morning News reported Saturday that a tax-based government guaranty may not be required. Acting CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee, Scott Blackmun, confirms there are several funding options.
Scott Blackmun, Acting CEO, U.S. Olympic Committee: Which can be the state, city or a third party approved by the USOC for any deficits that arise from the staging of the games.
Zeeble: A third party could be insurance. Blackmun: It could be a financial institution, I suppose.
Zeeble: But Dallas 2012 President, former Arlington mayor Richard Greene, says that doesn't change the fact that city and state officials must still sign documents committing their financial support. In Texas, he says, that requires voter approval.
Richard Greene, President, Dallas 2012: The legislature likes to leave local decisions in the hands of local the community. In other states - legislatures in those states have all passed legislation allowing for public guaranties without holding a vote.
Zeeble: Greene believes the vote will make the applications from Dallas and Houston stronger than those from other states because their bids will reflect public support. He suggests Los Angeles and San Francisco, which are relying solely on private guarantors, will fail in their Olympic bids. So he says the Dallas push for a "yes" vote remains as strong as ever. Campaigners on the "no" side, led in part by Dallas City Councilperson Laura Miller, remain equally committed to their cause
Laura Miller, Dallas City Councilwoman: We want to put citizens first, road repair first, fixing parks first. That's what this is about; that's what taxpayers want. They don't want another big project like the Olympics. They wan to take care of Dallas streets.
Zeeble: Miller and Councilmember Mitchell Rasansky led two busloads of Dallas residents through the city over the weekend to fill pot holes and distribute bumper stickers that read, "Put us first. Vote no 2012 tax!" Miller adds says she loves the Olympics. She just doesn't want to spend taxpayer money on the games.
Miller: I voted "yes" three years ago because business said, "We'll pay for this. It'll cost $2 billion, and we'll raise it; and everyone will be happy." And that's not what they're doing.
Zeeble: 2012 Committee members counter that a "yes" vote will be more than worth it, bringing Dallas positive exposure, thousands of jobs, and hundreds of millions of tax dollars. 2012 Committee member and Dallas County Judge Lee Jackson rejects Miller?s argument.
Lee Jackson, Dallas County Judge and 2012 Committee member: I think it's a false dichotomy to say we can never do anything major until every pot hole's patched or at least until we have all our basic services in perfectly good shape, and we ought not be reaching for broader goals. There's no reason you can't do both if you apply yourself.
Zeeble: Neither Jackson nor Miller miss the irony of the vote's timing. On October 26th, the USOC is expected to cut some cities from the current field of eight. So it's possible Dallas could be gone from the running a week and a half before the November 6th election date. For KERA 90.1, I'm Bill Zeeble.