The Citizens of Dallas authorize the City Council to issue debt to finance capital construction projects. Usually, these are large projects with a useful life of at least twenty years or extend to the life of the bonds. The debt is issued in the form of bonds that are governed by specific laws. Citizens vote to accept a bond package listing specific projects with requested funds.
June 6, 1872
Bond Election held to issue $100,000 in bonds for the Southern Pacific Railroad. Passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 1, p. 93.
1875 to 1882
Bond information unavailable.
1882-1899
There is evidence that bonds were sold, but specific references to bond elections could not be found. Projects included Waterworks, Water Supply, East Dallas City Public School Building, East Dallas Street Construction, Funding Bonds, Street Improvement, Sewer Improvement, Crematory, and City of Oak Cliff Waterworks. Bond Certificates are available in
Collection 1991-111: Municipal Bond Certificates.
January 1, 1902
Bond Election held to vote for waterworks improvements, amount unknown, mentioned in minute book volume 27, p.397. Unclear whether this issue passed or if election was held; canvass not found.
August 26, 1902
Bond Election held to vote on three (3) capital improvement propositions, totaling $175,000.00. Minute book volume 28, p. 175-76. Passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 28, p. 175-176.
• Waterworks
• Police and fire stations
• Street paving and improvements
February 29, 1904
Bond Election held to vote on $30,000.00 in gold coin to be spent on public schools. Ordinance book volume 12, p. 201. Passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 29, p. 523.
November 14, 1905
Bond Election held to vote on five (5) capital improvement propositions, totaling $328,280.00. Ordinance book volume 12, p. 445. Mixed Results. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 31, p. 340.
• Water supply - failed
• High school building - passed
• School buildings - passed
• Street improvements - passed
Minute books renumbered beginning with Volume 1 in 1907.
April 7, 1908
Bond Election held to vote on a $25,000.00 for a reformatory or industrial or truant school for refractory or unprotected boys and girls. Ordinance book volume 13, p. 537. Passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 2, p. 152.
April 6, 1909
Bond Election held to vote on two (2) capital improvement propositions, totaling $700,000.00. Ordinance book volume 14, p. 203. Both propositions passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 3, p. 261.
• Improve water supply by constructing a reservoir dam and pump station with connecting mains.
• Construct Grade School Buildings
April 5, 1910
Bond Election held to vote on seven (6) capital improvement propositions, totaling $1,300,000.00. Ordinance book volume 14, p. 533-535. All propositions passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 4, p. 459.
• Sanitary sewers
• Public schools
• City hospital
• Street improvements
• Waterworks
• Divert sewage from discharging into the Trinity River
April 4, 1911
Bond Election held to vote on $250,000 for public school buildings. Ordinance Book Volume 15, p. 416-417. Passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 6, p. 35.
April 2, 1912
Bond Election held to vote on six (5) capital improvement propositions, totaling $1,300,000.00. Ordinance book volume 16, p. 464-465. All propositions passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 7, p. 96.
• Sanitary sewers
• Public schools
• City hall (2014 Main)
• Waterworks
April 1, 1913
Bond Election held to vote on three (3) capital improvement propositions, totaling $1,150,000.00. Ordinance book volume 17, p. 237. All propositions passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 8, p. 189-90.
• Schools
• Parks and playgrounds
• Municipal electric lighting plant
April 7, 1914
Bond Election held to vote on two (2) capital improvement propositions, totaling 650,000.00. Ordinance book volume 18, p. 85. All propositions passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 9, p. 230.
• Sanitary sewers
• Public schools
April 4, 1916
Bond Election held to vote on four (4) capital improvement propositions, totaling $1,050,000.00. Ordinance 138. All propositions passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 11, p. 502.
• Repeal lighting bonds passed April 1913
• Park lands acquisition
• Storm sewers
• Municipal electric lighting plant
April 3, 1917
Bond Election held to vote for capital improvement bonds totaling $500,000 for public schools. Ordinance book volume 21, p. 32. Passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 13, p. 321.
April 1, 1919
Bond Election held to vote for three (3) capital improvement propositions, totaling $2,300,000.00. Ordinance 439. All propositions passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 15, p. 550.
• Parks and playgrounds
• Street improvements
• Public schools
April 6, 1920
Bond Election held to vote for five (5) capital improvement propositions, totaling $2,700,000.00. Ordinance 517. All propositions passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 16, p. 585.
• Public schools
• Hospital building
• Municipal abattoir or slaughter house
• Waterworks
• Sanitary sewers
April 5, 1921
Bond Election held to vote for two (2) capital improvement propositions, totaling $650,000.00. Ordinance 609. All propositions passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 18, p. 77.
• Water filtration plant for White Rock Reservoir
• Incinerators
September 17, 1921
Bond Election held to vote for $1,250,000.00 bonds for street improvements. Ordinance 682. Passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 18, p. 532.
April 4, 1922
Bond Election held to vote for two (2) capital improvement propositions, totaling $650,000.00. All propositions passed. Ordinance 763. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 19, p. 289-90.
• Public schools
• Sanitary sewers
April 3, 1923
Bond Election held to vote for seven (7) capital improvement propositions, totaling $8,325,000.00. All propositions passed. Ordinance 924. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 20 p. 136.
• Public schools
• Waterworks
• Streets
• Sewage disposal plant
• Sanitary sewers
• Fire stations
• Parks and playgrounds
April 7, 1925
Bond Election held to vote for six (6) capital improvement propositions, totaling $3,000,000.00. All propositions passed. Ordinance 1306. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 24 p. 136.
• Public schools
• Sanitary sewers
• Street improvements
• Storm sewers
• Incinerators
• Parks and playgrounds
December 15, 1927
Bond Election held to vote for fourteen (14) capital improvement propositions, totaling $23,900,000.00. This election included the final items from the years-long city planning project known as the Ulrickson Plan. Ordinance 1776. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 28, p. 665.
• Public schools
• Parks
• Building lines, street openings, etc.
• Sewage plant and sanitary sewer
• Storm sewer
• Street paving
• Central fire station
• Incinerator
• Library
• Institute of Fine Arts
• Public auditorium
• Hospital enlargements
• Waterworks
• Airport improvements
April 7, 1931
Bond Election held to vote for $300,000.00 bonds for establishing, owning and operating a municipal airport. Passed. Ordinance 2291. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 36, p. 366.
October 30, 1934
Bond Election held to vote for $3,000,000.00 bonds for Parks. Passed. Ordinance 2671. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 42, p. 438.
April 6, 1937
Bond Election held to vote for $2,350,000.00 bonds for Public Schools. Passed. Ordinance 2858. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 46, p. 261.
April 5, 1938
Bond Election held to vote for two (2) capital improvement propositions, totaling 1,300,000.00. Both propositions passed. Ordinance 2948. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 48, p. 67.
• Storm sewers
• Enlargement of the airport
October 15, 1940
Bond Election held to vote for two (2) capital improvement propositions, totaling $750,000.00. Ordinance 3153. Both propositions passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 52, p. 280.
• Airport improvement
• Airport improvement revenue bonds
June 28, 1941
Bond Election held to vote on two (2) capital improvement propositions, totaling $650,000.00. Ordinance 3231. Both propositions passed. Canvass Report 41-553.
• Public market
• Public schools
April 6, 1943
Bond Election held to vote to expend unexpended funds from December 15, 1927, bond election, totaling $52,387.65. Ordinance 3406. Passed. Canvass Report 43-380.
December 28, 1943
Bond Election held to vote on five (5) capital improvement propositions, totaling $15,000,000.00. Ordinance 3473. All propositions passed. Canvass Report 43-1730.
• Airports
• Storm Sewers
• Building lines, street openings, underpasses, overhead crossings
• Waterworks and pump stations
• Street openings
December 8, 1945
Bond Election held to vote on seventeen (17) capital improvement propositions, totaling $40,000,000.00. All propositions passed. Ordinance 3722. Canvass Report 45-2988.
• Public schools
• Public auditorium
• Public market
• Fire stations
• Enlarge the public library
• Storm sewer
• Municipal airport improvements
• Agricultural livestock building
• Street openings, underpasses, overhead crossings
• Street paving
• Waterworks
• Sanitary sewers
• City hall construction
• Parks
• Street lights
• Municipal garage
• Remodel existing city hall
December 2, 1947
Bond Election held to vote on two (2) capital improvement propositions, totaling $11,000,000.00. All propositions passed. Ordinance 4161. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 69, p. 170.
• Waterworks
• Sanitary sewers
November 20, 1948
Bond Election held to vote on five (5) capital improvement propositions, totaling $22,400,000.00. Ordinance 4364. All propositions passed. Canvass Report 48-3918.
• Street paving
• Street widening and opening
• Storm sewers
• Sanitary sewers
• Water purification plant, pumping stations, and water mains
June 20, 1950
Bond Election held to vote on six (6) capital improvement propositions, totaling $14,800,000.00. Ordinance 4789. All propositions passed. Canvass Report 50-2533.
• Street opening and widening
• Storm sewer construction
• Municipal garage
• Sanitary sewers and sewage disposal
• Waterworks improvement, pumping facilities, purification plant, and distribution mains
• Revenue bonds
January 29, 1952
Bond Election held to vote on seven (7) capital improvement propositions, totaling $19,185,000.00. Ordinance 5355. All propositions failed. Canvass Report 52-420.
• Improvements and paving
• Street opening and widening
• Storm sewers
• Traffic signal system
• Municipal garage and maintenance yards
• Sanitary sewers and sewage disposal plant
• Waterworks improvement, pumping facilities, purification plant, and distribution mains
May 1, 1952
Special Election held for a variety of issues including Charter Amendment establishing a Bond Limit, not to exceed $125,000,000.00. Ordinance 5429.
Bond Election held in conjunction with the above Special Election to vote on ten (10) Capital Improvement Propositions, totaling $49,985,000.00. Ordinance 5433. All propositions passed. Canvass Report 52-1621.
• Public street improvements and paving
• Street widening and opening
• Storm sewer construction
• Traffic signal system
• Municipal garage and maintenance yards
• Sanitary sewers and disposal plant
• Waterworks improvement, pumping facilities, purification plant, and distribution mains
• Improvements to municipal airports and landing fields
• Enlargement of the library and a new library building
• Health administration building
January 27, 1953
Bond Election held to vote on the issuance of $12,500,000.00 bonds to enlarge and improve municipal airports and landing fields and public buildings used in connection therewith. Ordinance 5663. Passed. Canvass Report 53-202.
January 31, 1956
Bond Election held to vote on six (6) capital improvement propositions and a contract with the Sabine River Authority. The bond issuance total is $41,000,000.00. Ordinance 6804. All propositions passed. Canvass Report 56-516.
• Permanent park improvements
• Fire station construction
• Storm Sewers and bridges
• Permanent street improvements
• Waterworks improvements including purification plants and distribution system
• Extension and enlargement of the sanitary sewer system
• Contract with the Sabine River Authority
December 2, 1958
Bond Election held to vote on seven (7) capital improvement propositions, totaling $51,800,000.00. Ordinance 7833. All propositions passed. Canvass Report: 58-5246.
• Permanent street improvements
• Storm sewers and bridges
• Park improvements
• Library improvements
• Fire station construction
• Extension and enlargement of the sanitary sewer system
• Waterworks improvements including purification plants and distribution system
January 23, 1962
Bond Election held to vote on seven (7) capital improvement propositions, totaling $50,700,000.00. Ordinance 9092. All propositions passed. Canvass Report 62-336.
• Street improvements
• Storm sewers and bridges
• Park improvements
• Library improvements
• Fire station construction
• Extension and enlargement of the sanitary sewer system
• Waterworks improvements including purification plants and distribution system
April 7, 1964
Bond Election held to vote on seven (7) capital improvement propositions, totaling $52,500,000.00. Ordinance 10232. All propositions passed. Canvass Report: Minute book volume 150, p. 504-511.
• Street improvements
• Storm sewers and bridges
• Park improvements
• Central municipal facilities
• Fire stations
• Sanitary sewer system
• Waterworks
December 21, 196
Bond Election held to vote on two (2) capital improvement propositions, totaling $6,000,000.00. Also includes tax levies. Ordinance 11285. All propositions passed. Canvass Report 65-6716.
• Permanent airport improvements
• Permanent public transit improvements
August 8, 1967
Bond Election held to vote on fourteen (14) capital improvement propositions, totaling $173,000,000.00. Ordinance 11877. All propositions passed. Canvass Report 67-3684.
• Fire station improvements
• Libraries
• Public parks
• Street improvements
• Storm sewer system improvements
• Combined Municipal Services Building (New City Hall)
• Land acquisition for combined municipal services building (new city hall)
• Improvements for city's Memorial Auditorium (convention center)
• Fair Park improvements and enlargement
• Facilities for the city's neighborhood development of people and property program
• Street and alley improvements for the city's neighborhood development of people and property program
• New regional airport construction and development (DFW Airport)
• Waterworks improvement
• Sanitary sewer system improvement
February 25, 1969
Dallas City Council passed resolution 69-884 endorsing the Dallas County Road Bond Program.
November 24, 1970
Resolution 70-4377 called for City Manager and City Attorney to provide instruments to call a special bond election for 11/24/70 to complete City Hall. Resolution 70-4466 authorized ballot for an election with two propositions (no amounts given).
• Complete new city hall including fire-police communications center and Civil Defense Center
• Finance three buildings for Crossroads Community Center in South Dallas
Resolution 70-4468 - Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce supported the need for an election to complete City Hall. (Motions, File Number 704650)
• Motion from Mayor Pro-Tem McKinney indicating that $5,000,000.00 to $7,000,000.00 would not complete the City Hall project, and that bids be rejected
• Councilman Allen offered a substitute motion that the bond election be held anyway
• Motion 1 - passed
• Motion 2 - failed
No evidence exists in the City Council Minutes that an election was held on 11/24/1970.
June 27, 1972
Bond Election held to vote for fourteen (14) capital improvement propositions, totaling $172,000,000.00. Ordinance 13665. All propositions passed. Canvass Report 72-2237.
• Fire fighting facilities
• Library facilities
• Park facilities
• Street construction and Improvement
• Flood control and storm drainage
• 6A. Police facilities
• 6B. Public Works service centers
• 6C. Transportation terminal facilities
• 6D. City equipment storage, use, and service facilities
• 7A. Street and alley improvements in connection with the city's neighborhood development of people and property program
• 7B. Child care center in connection with the city's neighborhood development of people and property program
• City Transit System Facilities
• Waterworks Improvements and Extension
• Sanitary Sewer Improvements
December 9, 1975
Bond Election held to vote on twelve (12) capital improvement propositions, totaling $149,494,000.00. Ordinance 15044. All propositions passed. Canvass Report 75-3605.
• Fire protection facilities
• Library facilities
• Expansion of the municipal produce market facilities
• Drainage and flood protection facilities
• Improvement of streets and related pedestrian and parking facilities
• Traffic and transportation system improvements
• Police and multiple service facilities
• Animal Control Center
• Solid waste disposal facilities
• Park and recreation facilities
• Extending waterworks system
• Improving and extending sanitary sewer system
June 10, 1978
Bond Election was held to vote on seventeen (17) capital improvement propositions, totaling $285,173,000. Ordinance 15828. Mixed Results as indicated below. Canvass Report 78-1614.
• Fire protection facilities - passed
• Library facilities - passed
• Park and recreation facilities - passed
• Trinity River Greenbelt improvements, including construction for town Lake - failed
• Public cultural facilities - failed
• Street System constructions and improvements- passed
• Downtown pedestrian way, truck terminals, and parking facilities - passed
• Transit way for North Central Expressway travel corridor from central business district to Forest Lane and Coit Road - passed
• Improvements to Fair Park Boulevard/transit way - passed
• Dallas floodway levee – failed
• Flood protection and drainage facilities – passed
• Police and multiple service facilities – passed
• Criminal justice facility - passed
• Convention center expansion - failed
• Municipal produce market improvement - passed
• Solid waste disposal - passed
• Waterworks system improvements - passed
November 6, 1979
Bond Election held to vote on seven (7) capital improvement propositions, totaling $54,622,000.00. Ordinance 16342. All propositions passed. Canvass Report 79-3281.
• Street and storm drainage facilities
• North Central Expressway improvements
• Pedestrian ways and truck terminals
• Dallas Museum of Fine Arts facility and renovation of the existing at Fair Park Museum facilities
• Concert hall construction
• Majestic Theater renovation
• Convention center expansion
August 3, 1982
Bond Election held to vote on eleven (11) capital improvement propositions totaling $247,070,000.00. This election was the first in Dallas County to use the 'punch-card' voting equipment. All propositions passed. Ordinance 17448.
• Fire protection facilities
• Flood protection and storm drainage
• Police and multiple service facilities
• Arts district concert hall
• Library facilities
• Park and recreation improvements
• Dallas Transit System facilities
• Fair Park improvements
• Dallas Zoo improvements
• Farmers Market improvements
• Street and thoroughfare improvements
November 5, 1985
Bond Election held to vote on 11 capital improvement propositions totaling $428,060,000.00. Also included Proposition 911. All propositions passed. Action 85-2864. Ordinance 18855. Canvass Report 85-1135.
• Fire protection facilities
• Street and traffic control improvements
• Fair Park improvements
• Police and multiple services facilities
• Arts district site acquisition
• Solid waste disposal facilities
• Flood protection and storm drainage
• Zoo improvements
• Park, recreation, and community facilities
• Trinity Park development
June 25, 1988
Bond Election held for Dallas Area Rapid Transit.
November 7, 1989
Bond Election held for two (2) capital improvement propositions, totaling $60,700,000.00. All propositions passed. Ordinance 20453. Canvass Report 89-3637.
• Street and thoroughfare
• Central Expressway construction and outfall drainage
May 6, 1995
Bond Election held to vote on eight (8) capital improvement propositions, totaling $174,700,000.00. All propositions passed. Action 95-0881. Ordinance 22349. Canvass Report 95-1734.
• Street and thoroughfare
• Police headquarters
• Storm drainage improvements
• Major park, recreational and community facilities
• Neighborhood park, playground and recreational facilities
• City facilities repair and improvements
• Fire protection facilities
• White Rock Lake improvements
May 2, 1998
Bond Election held to vote on eleven (11) capital improvement propositions, totaling $543,500,000.00. All propositions passed. Action 98-0741. Ordinance 23455. Canvass Report 98-1355.
• Street and thoroughfare
• Park, playground, recreation, and community facilities
• Police headquarters facility
• Fire protection facilities
• Library facilities
• Flood protection and storm drainage improvements
• Cultural arts facilities acquisition and improvement
• City facilities repair and improvements
• Furtherance of the city's economic development neighborhood revitalization and business expansion programs
• Animal control facilities
• Trinity River Corridor Project bonds, including floodways, levees, waterways, open space, recreational facilities, Trinity Parkway, and related street improvements
May 3, 2003
Bond Election held to vote on seventeen (17) capital improvement propositions, totaling $579,290,000. All propositions passed. Action 03-0647. Ordinance 25186. Canvass Report 03-1305.
• Street and transportation Improvements
• Park, playground, recreation, and community facilities
• Flood protection and storm drainage facilities
• Library facilities
• Cultural arts facilities planning and improvement
• City facilities repair and improvements
• Animal control facilities
• Land acquisition for the development of low and moderate income homes
• Flood protection and storm drainage improvements (McCommas Bluff Landfill) street projects
• Major and citywide park and recreation facilities
• Cultural arts facilities
• Street, utility, and other infrastructure improvements in southern area of the city
• Fire protection facilities
• Farmers market improvements
• Police headquarters facility
• Homeless assistance facilities
November 8, 2005
Bond Election held to vote on the issuance of $23,800,000 general obligation bonds for homeless assistance facilities, including housing facilities for the homeless. The proposition passed.
Action 05-2527. Ordinance 26094. Canvass Report 05-3336.
• Assistance and housing facilities for the homeless
November 6, 2012
Bond Election held to vote on three (3) general obligation bonds propositions, totaling $642 million. All propositions passed. Action 12-2057. Ordinance 28740. Canvass Report 12-2800.
• Street and transportation
• Flood protection and storm drainage improvements
• Economic development program
November 7, 2017
Bond Election held to vote on ten (10) general obligation bonds propositions, totaling $1.05 billion. All propositions passed. Action 17-1196. Ordinance 30554. Canvass Report 17-1808.
• Street and transportation
• Park and recreation facilities
• Fair Park improvements
• Flood protection and storm drainage improvements
• Library facilities
• Public safety facilities
• Service and administrative facilities
• Economic development program
• Permanent, supportive, and transitional housing facilities for the homeless
May 4, 2024
Bond Election held to vote on ten (10) general obligation bonds propositions, totaling $1.23 billion. All propositions passed. Action 24-0280. Ordinance 32658. Canvass Report 24-0695.
• Street and transportation
• Park and recreation facilities
• Flood Protection and Storm Drainage
• Library Facilities
• Cultural and Performing Arts Facilities
• Public Safety Facilities
• Economic Development
• Housing
• Information Technology