Dallas voters rejected a $443 million public-safety bond on Tuesday, according to the city's proposal and its municipal archives. The archives identify June 10, 1978, as the last election in which voters turned down any City of Dallas bond propositions. The bond covered police training, evidence storage, emergency operations and fire facilities. All five projects appeared in one question, so voters could not approve them separately.
On the same ballot, Dallas County Proposition A, which sought a higher property tax rate for homelessness-related programs, was also trailing in Wednesday morning returns. Neither result has been officially canvassed.
Dallas City Council Member Cara Mendelsohn (District 12) spoke at an election-night event hosted by The Dallas Express, before all results were reported. She said voters have now been asked about a police academy five times and that money was redirected in the first three. She said the academy money approved in 2024 was being used appropriately. Mendelsohn said the bond lacked meaningful public input and a clear plan, and she objected to including the relocation of the 911 center out of City Hall. She said people are not rejecting public safety but are asking for a better plan.