Do you think the City of Dallas should check in with voters before spending $550 million on a government-owned convention center hotel? If so, you can find out how to sign the petition that would amend the City Charter to prevent the hotel by going to https://www.notaxpayerhotel.com/?Page=WhereToSign.
The timing of this boondoggle is remarkable. The nation is facing an economic downturn and Texas cities are opposing taxpayer protections at the Legislature on grounds that they would be forced to cut vital services if their property taxes increased were limited to population plus inflation.
Against that backdrop, private hotel operators and fiscal conservatives in Dallas are more than justified in launching this petition drive which would force a referendum before such a huge sum of taxpayer dollars could be spent on a government-run convention center hotel.
If there was a sufficient market to support this hotel, surely the private sector would build and finance it. In fact, Dallas hotel occupancy rates are declining. Originally, the hotel was to be a public-private partnership, but the proposal ultimately approved by the Dallas City Council is for an entirely government-run operation.
What happened to city governments focusing on the basics like police, fire, and EMS? Cities should perform functions and do them well. Every dollar spent on hotels and other frills is another dollar taken from taxpayers or not spent on these vital services.
For more info, see the recent DMN article at:
https://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/092408dnmetdalhotel.269e0f4.html
