Dallas voters rejected a $443 million general‑obligation bond on November 3, breaking a nearly five‑decade record of successful city bond measures. The single‑question ballot combined funding for a police academy, evidence storage, emergency‑operations facilities and fire‑department upgrades.
Historical context
City archives show the last time Dallas voters rejected any bond was June 10, 1978, when four of 17 proposals failed. Every bond election since then – including those in 1998, 2003 and 2024 – saw all measures approved. The 2026 defeat therefore ends a 48‑year streak of voter support for city financing initiatives.
What the bond would have funded
The proposal sought $443 million in principal, with an estimated total repayment of $629.6 million over a 20‑year period – roughly $186.6 million in interest, depending on market conditions. The bond would have covered the remaining $82 million needed for the UNT‑Dallas police training center, which the city estimates will cost $227 million in total. Existing funding includes $50 million from the 2024 bond, $25 million in state grants, $31.5 million in pledged private contributions and $38.5 million in expected private donations.
Official reactions
Mayor Eric Johnson supported the measure, arguing that modern facilities are essential for public‑safety readiness, recruitment and training. “We want Dallas residents to feel like they are in the safest big city in the country, and it takes facilities to do that,” he told The Dallas Express before the election.
City Council Member Cara Mendelsohn (District 12) criticized the process, saying voters were not given a clear plan or meaningful public input. “This is actually the fifth time voters are voting on a police academy, and the first three times that money was redirected,” she told the paper. Mendelsohn also objected to the inclusion of a proposed relocation of the 911 center out of City Hall, calling it an “unacceptable” attempt to override a petition to preserve the historic building.
Polling snapshot
An early Fox 4 report at 9:30 p.m. showed about 56 percent opposition, but only 1 percent of precincts had reported at that time. The outlet noted that the figure was a snapshot, not a final result.
County measure
Separately, Dallas County voters considered Proposition A, a tax‑rate increase of $0.248650 per $100 of taxable value to fund homelessness‑related programs. The measure was trailing with roughly 80 percent of precincts reporting, and its official outcome remained pending pending canvass.
Next steps
The “Bust the Bond” campaign, which opposed the measure, declared victory and indicated it will develop a revised proposal for 2027, likely separating the police‑academy component and adding spending restrictions. No new bond election date has been set.
While the bond’s failure does not erase previously authorized funding, it does leave the city to explore alternative financing options for the police‑training center and other public‑safety projects.
Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.
