Early voting starts next week in local elections across North Texas. Some cities have elections for mayor and city council members; the City of Dallas will ask voters to approve a $1.25 billion bond.
Dallas' bond is broken into ten parts. The largest would provide $521 million for street improvements and $345 million for parks and recreation.
Proposition E would provide $75.2 million for cultural and performing arts facilities improvements.
"The same venues that continue to put Dallas on the map as a global destination need our help," says Dallas Arts District Executive Director Lily Cabatu Weiss.
The Dallas Arts District placed first in a USA Today poll identifying the ten best arts districts in the country earlier this year.
Several organizations met Monday at the Sammons Center for the Arts in Dallas to rally support for the bond.
The Dallas Bath House says it would receive $1.47 million.
"That pays for just a little bit of the repairs that are needed," says the center's Teresa Bond. "The roof leaks, and I've had to go over there and pull down artwork when it's raining so the art isn't destroyed. We're talking about electrical panels so the lights don't go out during a production."
The Meyerson Symphony Center would receive $7.32 million for "critical repairs." The Dallas Symphony Orchestra says the center has a roof leak, and the weight of pooling water is causing damage.
"The longer it takes to be repaired, the greater the risk of damage to the state, the hall, and the acoustics," says the orchestra's Terry Loftis.
Supporters say seats at Majestic Theater have not been upgraded or changed since it reopened 41 years ago.
"If the roofs leak, if the air conditioning doesn't work, if elevators get stuck, audiences, artists, and yes, the corporate relocations, are not going to come," says AT&T Performing Arts Center Chief Executive Warren Tranquada.
Chris Heinbaugh, the arts center's chief advocacy officer, says the measure would help keep tourists from leaving Dallas to attend shows in nearby cities.
"Our neighbors have figured out that's part of our secret sauce, and they are working to build their own performing arts centers and expand their cultural facilities," Heinbaugh says. "They see what's working here, so Dallas has to stay competitive."
The bond has not generated organized opposition. The measure would not increase the city's tax rate.
"Dallas has got amazing facilities that have put us on the map, but these buildings are falling apart," Heimbaugh says. "This is all just basic maintenance, just to take care of them, keep them in great shape and keep bringing tourists and visitors here and keep us competitive."
The Dallas City Council passed the bond 14-1. Only Adam Bazaldua voted against the package of ten items. In an op-ed for the Dallas Morning News, Bazaldua said more money should have been dedicated to affordable housing and improvements at Dallas City Hall.
In a separate piece for the Dallas Morning News, Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn said she supported Propositions A, which would provide money for streets, B, which would provide money for parks, F, which would fund public safety, and J, which would fund information technology.
She did not oppose Proposition E, which would fund arts projects, she simply wrote she would leave them to "resident choice."
"There is a value to all of these, but they could likely be paid for out of our general fund if we got serious about efficiency and cutting services that duplicate other government services," Mendelsohn wrote.
Early voting starts April 22 and runs through April 30. Election day is Saturday, May 4.
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