3/16/09  $$$ --- City Manager's Buckets Of Money ---$$$
Rad Field

Time is passing quickly, yet too few Dallas citizens and businesses have yet to express their outrage at the skyrocketing debt being created daily by a handful of politicians at Dallas City Hall  (heavy debt without voter approval). 

To begin with, the City's operating budget is reportedly over budget by approximately $100,000,000.

A Referendum "lurks" in May of 2009 which could easily HALT expenditures for the proposed $386,000,000 Convention Center Hotel.  However, City Officials continue to proceed with Design, Construction, and Procurement expenditures as if the citizens of Dallas have approved the projects. 

City authorizations have included Architectural contracts, Engineering contracts, land purchases  (parking lot procurement for tens of millions of dollars), and actual demolition and other pre-construction outlays.

We have to assume that an environmental impact study, report, and final approval have already been completed for the hotel project and grounds. 

Non-funded cost estimates already approach or exceed $40 million of non-voter approved expenditures, plus expenses for the special referendum election in May brought about because the City Council did not allow  the voters to voice opinions earlier (not even in traditional town hall meetings which render issue pros and cons).  Such political techniques are not common in a normal municipal democratic society, but resemble some form of abstract  dictatorship.

As if the Convention Hotel costs were not extremely troublesome, the Trinity River Toll Road Project is reportedly nearing $1.5 Billion in unfunded costs, according to NTTA spokespersons. 

The NTTA explains simply that the funding is just not available.  Very sorry! 

The City Manager, however, stated in a publicly attended Council Meeting that the shortfall is absolutely no problem at all --- "there are buckets of money available" from many sources.   When asked (by Councilman Rasansky) if those  "buckets of money" were taxpayer dollars, the answer was not clear at all nor was it forthcoming. If not taxpayer dollars, then from where do the buckets of money come?

Such flippant responses by a City Manager are completely irresponsible.  These anticipated overrun dollars are horrendous. 

If left unchecked, the City Of Dallas will have to purchase a currency printing press (such as those at the U.S. Treasury Department) in order to cover payments to those to whom the City has contracted for labor and materials. 

Dallas taxpayers must not be held liable for these gross over-expenditures.

Tax rates must not be raised upon individuals nor businesses to cover these gross over-expenditures. 

Some in Dallas City Government must be held liable for thish reckless financial misbehavior. 

Rad Field
Dallas, Council Dist. 11

Also see City Owned Convention Center Hotel  by Rad Field, DallasArena.com, 3/4/8