By Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter
Dallas, TX – Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter: For months, Council members touted the need for a city bond proposal nearly as big as the school district's billion dollar package, which passed last year. But then property values soared, the economy slid, people lost jobs, and the city raised taxes to balance the budget. So city leaders like Mayor Laura Miller pulled back
Laura Miller, Dallas Mayor: Unfortunately, because of the economy, I just don't think it's time for a rate increase when we just had one. Perhaps if we hadn't had a slight increase to balance the budget, we might've done a slight increase to do the bond package.
Zeeble: Other council members, like Alan Walne, always favored the smaller, $360 million proposal because it requires no tax increase. But he also has another concern.
Alan Walne, Dallas City Council member: I think there's a strong reality that the council this next budget year will have to face another rate increase on property, just to balance the budget. To have a big bond issue with a tax rate increase, which is following a rate increase we had last year, I think is a huge mistake.
Zeeble: Dallas City Council member Mark Housewright had been getting phone calls and emails expressing the same tax hike concerns. But then he started holding town hall meetings.
Mark Housewright, Dallas City Council member: They're telling me if we do the right things - take care of basics - parks, libraries, streets, the core - they'd be willing to pay a tax increase to get a larger bond package.
Zeeble: Many bigger projects like libraries, additional street repairs, night lighting and park improvements aren't part of the smaller package. Like Mark Housewright's constituents, Ann Folz told her councilperson Veletta Lill, she too would pay higher taxes for better services.
Ann Folz, Dallas resident: I think it's ridiculous to go this low with all the needs we have. Our roof has already fallen in and if we don't do something, the whole house will fall in. We need to get in there and get a whole lot more into this bond program and get some things done (applause).
Zeeble: While Folz echoed many in southern and central council districts, resident Stan Aten sounded like citizens in far north Dallas. He's worried about recent tax hikes and the economic decline.
Stan Aten, Dallas resident: I want to do investing in city. But it would make more sense with the economic situation the way it is, to do a two-year bond program, to see if things come back. Some road programs, maybe they can be postponed. We want basic services. At this point in time, $360 million is about as far as we can go. People are hurting now.
Zeeble: If the council proposes the smaller bond issue, councilwoman Lill will try to steer some funds towards other citywide needs like Fair Park and a homeless facility. A new feature in this bond issue gives each councilperson $4 million to use as he or she sees fit. Lill hopes each member will release $500,000 of that into a pool to pay for needs not necessarily in the councilperson's district.
Veletta Lill, Dallas City Council member: I think we not only represent our districts, we represent the city as a whole, and I'd like to see additional monies go into some of those projects.
Zeeble: Lill will offer her proposal at Wednesday's meeting, but doesn't know yet how it'll be received. Meanwhile, more Town Hall meetings continue tonight, tomorrow, and into next week. For KERA 90.1, I'm Bill Zeeble.
To contact Bill Zeeble, please send emails to bzeeble@kera.org.