Adam Bazaldua: Why I voted against the 2024 Dallas bond proposal

This week, the Dallas City Council voted to approve funding allocations for the 2024 bond propositions that will go to the voters on May 4. I cast the lone dissenting vote. After months of meetings, calls, emails, public speakers and more, I believe we as a City Council managed to find consensus and commitment to the most voiced needs of the city, such as streets and parks. However, several opportunities were ignored in this bond package, including dissatisfaction with the lack of funding allocated to some of our most pressing issues.

When children come to City Hall to speak about how housing insecurity is a worry in their young lives, it tells me it’s not a choice but an obligation. As a former teacher, I witnessed these stories on a daily basis firsthand. We have seen housing costs rise exponentially over the past few years, and it disappoints me that when we had the chance to have a greater impact on so many lives, we chose differently. My no vote also represented frustration regarding a lack of funding for critical improvements at City Hall. City Hall, an internationally recognized and extraordinary architectural structure designed for the people of Dallas, has experienced years of neglect since its opening in 1978. While I understand infrastructure doesn’t garner as much attention, City Hall’s current steam boiler system and associated piping are original to the facility’s construction and had an intended lifespan of 30 years. It is not for lack of trying, as each budget cycle other “priorities” take precedence over our own storefront. We’ve had one project this past year to install new boilers and piping, but that’s only scratching the surface of the building’s greatest needs. If you’ve been to City Hall, you know. I acknowledge the bond process requires give and take to reach compromise. However, I believe we as a City Council lack policy-guiding principles for a citywide vision that can align with our district goals. When there are so many conflicting interests, we must have leadership to help us see the city as a whole through our wide variety of lenses. Without our “north star,” every major decision leaves council members vying for the wants and needs of an individual district over the needs of our entire city. Sadly, it is the residents present and future who will suffer.