Dallas County is lining up a borrowing package of up to $350 million that would bankroll a long list of projects, including buying and prepping land for a new jail, and it can all move forward without a direct vote from taxpayers.
The county is pursuing certificates of obligation, a kind of public debt that does not automatically go on the ballot and would be repaid through property taxes. The money would not just go to jail-related projects. It would also cover courthouse work, health services facilities, road and bridge improvements, a new fire station with a hazardous-waste collection site and smaller upgrades like electric-vehicle charging stations.
The plan has already taken a key procedural step. In a special-called meeting in March, commissioners advanced the move toward issuing the debt, setting up a formal notice process and opening a window for any legal challenges.
What’s Packed Into The $350 Million Plan
According to KERA News, the draft list sets aside roughly $60 million to buy and develop land for a new jail and $25 million for a jail-alternative deflection center in District 2…