Campaign Supporting $1 Billion Bond Program In Dallas Begins
DALLAS (CBS11) - Samuel Jimenez has lived along Lenel Place in northwest Dallas since 1971. "This road has been real bad throughout the years."
He says the potholes, cracks, and uneven pavement have wreaked havoc on his vehicles. "I've messed up the front end of four or five vehicles and each one cost me around $1500 to replace the front end of it."
It's been like this he says for as long as he can remember. "40 something years," he said.
Next month, Dallas residents will vote on a $1 billion bond package and if it passes, nearly $534 million will be spent to fix up Lenel Place and dozens of other city streets.
Aside from streets, there are nine other propositions to the bond program that address libraries, parks and recreation, economic development, helping the homeless, flood protection and public safety.
District 6 Councilman Omar Narvaez said, "I'm very confident the street bond will pass."
If it doesn't pass, Narvaez says the city won't have the money to keep up the roads. "Then we're going to be in some pretty tough shape because our budget we approved keeps us at zero degradation for the next year, but I don't know if we can maintain that if the bond doesn't pass."
He says the streets would become worse.
Mayor Mike Rawlings agrees. "The streets need to get fixed," he said.
The Mayor says the bond is crucial to continuing the city's growth and solving other problems, too.
"We now have money for housing for the homeless and Fair Park is starting to crumble in front of our eyes and we've got to fix what we believe is the crown jewel of Dallas. So if we don't do these things, we're going to slow up our growth," said Mayor Rawlings.
A campaign to support passage of the bond program started this week.
Election Day is November 7. Early voting begins October 23.
