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A Look Inside Dallas’s Proposed $1.25 Billion Bond Has the City Wondering, ‘Where is the Money, LaShondra?’

DALLAS WEEKLY MAGAZINE — The city Dallas and the Department of Works would allocate funds to upgrade the city’s streets, and would go on to spend almost $289 million with two contractors for road improvements, which according to a 2022 audit, may not have been up to par. The audit, conducted by City Auditor Mark Swann, found that projects were “not consistently monitored and inspected for quality and timely performance” and that project information was “not centralized or reliable.” Swann also noted in his report that project expenditures had not been consistently verified as cost overages would occur without documented explanation.
The post A Look Inside Dallas’s Proposed $1.25 Billion Bond Has the City Wondering, ‘Where is the Money, LaShondra?’ first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

March 26, 2024

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By Marlissa Collier | Dallas Weekly Magazine

These Dallas streets have become notorious. But not for the summer day parties, life-threatening Deep Ellum nights or the random sighting of a front-facing scooter bike “gang” (because can it really be a gang if everyone’s knees are in front of them?). Instead, Dallas streets have become notorious for their condition, namely the countless gaping holes developed from sitting water, wear and tear and what we can only hope is the occasional trail ride function that has gone all the right ways. The kind of holes that are so disruptive and destructive that they make trying to record the next viral TikTok video en route to that job you’re hoping to quit once the content takes off, all but impossible, and unplanned tire, suspension and axle repairs all but inevitable. In fact, the streets are so bad in Dallas that they were at the center of a lawsuit against the city back in 2017, when a driver by the name of John Everhart sued the city for auto damages caused by these notorious potholes.

Needless to say, the city was able to have the lawsuit dismissed, denying it could be held liable for damages caused by its mean streets. Then, in 2019, the City Council was briefed on the state of Dallas’s 11,775 miles of streets, where they would learn that as a whole, the average “grade” of Dallas roads sat at a pathetic 65.4, or a D. During this 2019 presentation, city staffers briefed the council on what it would take to tutor the city’s byways up to a C grade or 75 average score. The team maintained that the city would need a budget of almost $100 million more than what was to be allocated to street maintenance in 2021 and an additional $230 million for projects in 2023. These ballooned budget needs, according to the city staff, would need to continue through 2028.

Soon, the city Dallas and the Department of Works would allocate funds to upgrade the city’s streets, and would go on to spend almost $289 million with two contractors for road improvements, which according to a 2022 audit, may not have been up to par. The audit, conducted by City Auditor Mark Swann, found that projects were “not consistently monitored and inspected for quality and timely performance” and that project information was “not centralized or reliable.” Swann also noted in his report that project expenditures had not been consistently verified as cost overages would occur without documented explanation.

The two contractors in the crosshairs of Swann’s audit, Heritage Materials, LLC and Texas Materials, LLC, both of whose almost non-existent digital footprint is troubling, especially since they are doing millions in business with the city of Dallas, were awarded in excess of $235 million and $53 million respectively. Swann’s audit exposed an estimated $15.5 million in cost overages, bringing the total spend between these two contractors in excess of the estimated cost to 12%. What’s worse though is that back in Fiscal Year 2015, the Office of the City Auditor conducted a similar audit, looking into street paving and maintenance, only to find a similar issue with the city’s oversight of these barrels of money, wherein auditors observed, “unmet inspection requirements,” “lack of documentation to demonstrate work was performed,” and “inconsistent or unreliable use of project management systems.” Now, because of Dallas’s history of financial mismanagement, specifically when it comes to road maintenance, a look inside Dallas’s $1.25 billion proposed bond should have the city wondering, “Where is the Money, LaShondra?”

Now, over at Dallas Weekly, we’re excellent at telling the stories that people need most. We don’t claim to be mathematicians by any stretch. But proof of basic knowledge of basic arithmetic is something that we do require upon joining the newsroom, and well, something just isn’t adding up. Not only have things not added up in the past, there’s something interestingly suspect about the potential $1.25 billion bond from whence the city Council is seemingly willing to allocate $500 million for the same notorious Dallas streets that were supposed to get a massive upgrade between 2019 and 2021. And if we can’t keep up with $289 million, ensuring that the work that is to be done with said funds is actually completed, on time and within budget, what makes us so sure that the city can keep up with a budget of $500 million?

The proposed bond, which, if agreed upon, would go to vote on May 4, has, as expected, been a major point of discussion for the council, with council members making cases for their causes of choice before their colleagues and the community. In a council meeting on Wednesday, January 31, the council voted 9-6 to approve a non-binding agreement, pitched by Mayor Pro Tem, Tennell Atkins, who represents District 8. That proposal included $310 million for parks, or $50.5 million more than the council average. The council also agreed to slash the average public safety budget by $5 million, allocating $90 million to the protection of the city and its citizens. Libraries booked a win (you see what we did there?), with the potential to grab $29 million more than the average council budget for $43.5 million of the bond and cultural arts facilities also won big, locking in a potential $75.2 million, $10 million more than the average.

While there doesn’t seem to be much push back on proposed allocations for any of the aforementioned factions of Dallas city life, one major line item received and is still receiving immense criticism: Housing. Housing was allocated just $61 million, a figure that means no more or less is proposed to be set aside than average, after housing advocates asked for $200 million to pour into the development of affordable units. Community members and some council members alike see this as a sign of trouble, especially given Dallas’s rising cost of living and shortage of affordable housing units. Though one councilwoman, Cara Mendelsohn, saw things differently, arguing just days before the council approved the aforementioned proposal that Dallas’ tax-paying citizens should not be required to pay for city-issued debt in order to get the affordable housing that other already established programs can help provide. Advocates pushed back on Mendelsohn, saying that the current city programs are insufficient to meet the need, pointing out that the city is currently 33,600 units short for low-income households. Again though, if the city already has established programs to combat the lack of affordable housing, where is the oversight? How have these programs maintained subpar performance and remained funded?

For some context, these bonds, also called “municipal bonds,” are a type of debt security issued by local, county or state governments to pay for “capital expenditures” or things like roads, dams, schools, etc. Because this bond is debt, it must be paid back, and the way that’s usually done is through a combination of taxes collected and revenue generated by the projects bond funds were invested in. In Dallas’s case, the Dallas Zoo is seeking to have $30 million of bond funds allocated to them (probably from the Parks & Recreations budget), because according to Former Dallas Park Chairman Bobby Abtahi, the “project is your best shot at making transformational change.” While the Dallas Zoo is certainly cool, because who wouldn’t want to hang out with the two emperor tamarin monkeys (Bella and Finn are their names) who were monkey napped at banana point and held hostage amongst a collection of cats and pigeons for two days, it may be a bit of an oversale to call the new leopard enclosure “transformation” — especially when Dallas’s people cannot (legally) live at the Dallas Zoo.

We now know that the bond will go to a vote. The council met on Wednesday, February 14 to finalize the bond proposal and approved calling it to a vote in a May election. So, the money will be borrowed, and the money will be spent. But the real question should be, who is watching the money? Who is ensuring that it’s actually going where it’s supposed to go and being used in a way that’s efficient and effective for all citizens of the city of Dallas? Because to Ms. Cara’s point, this is debt. Debt that, if approved, will mean that the people are on the hook on behalf of the city, in one way or another. It’s worth keeping a watchful eye on where the people’s funds flow, and it wouldn’t hurt to make sure this time around, the city keeps its promise of filling in a few more of those potholes that are costing residents new tires, shocks and the perfect take on their next TikTok video. Just saying.

The post A Look Inside Dallas’s Proposed $1.25 Billion Bond Has the City Wondering, ‘Where is the Money, LaShondra?’ first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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PRESS ROOM: This Little Light of Mine in Space: Topper Carew sends Payload up to the International Space Station: It was launched on January 30.

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Poll Shows Support for Policies That Help Families Afford Child Care

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

Oakland Post

By First Five Years Fund

New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

The national survey was conducted by UpOne Insight on behalf of the First Five Years Fund from January 13–18, 2026.

Key findings include:

• Parents need help: 80% of voters say the ability of working parents to find and afford child care is either in a state of crisis or a major problem.

• This is an affordability issue: 82% believe federal child care funding will help lower costs for working families — including 69% of Republicans, 84% of Independents, and 94% of Democrats.

• And there continues to be strong support (62%) for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), a federal program that makes it possible for hundreds of thousands of families to afford safe, quality care for their children while parents work or go to school, including a majority of Republicans, 63% of Independents and 72% of Democrats.

• Support for funding child care programs remains strong: 75% believe child care funding should be increased or kept at current levels — including 75% of Republicans, 85% of Independents, and 97% of Democrats.

• 74% say funding for child care is an important and good use of tax dollars, including a majority of Republicans, three-quarters of Independents, and nine in ten Democrats.

FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling said, “Voters across the country are sending a clear message: federal child care and early learning programs work. These investments help parents stay in the workforce, strengthen families, and support healthy child development. They have also long had strong bipartisan support in Congress. At a time when affordability is top of mind for families, continued federal funding is essential to ensure child care remains accessible and within reach.”

First Five Years Fund works to protect, prioritize, and build bipartisan support for quality child care and early learning programs at the federal level. Reliable, affordable, and high-quality early learning and child care can be transformative, not only enhancing a child’s prospects for a brighter future but also bolstering working parents and fostering economic stability nationwide.

We work with Congress and the Administration to identify federal solutions that work for families with young children, as well as states and communities. We work with policymakers to identify ways to increase access to affordable, high-quality child care and early learning programs for children. And we collaborate with advocacy groups to help align best practices with the best possible policies. http://www.ffyf.org

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Trump’s MAGA Allies are Creating Executive Order Plan to Steal the 2026 Midterms

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

Published

5 days ago

February 27, 2026

Oakland Post

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

A group of MAGA pro-Trump activists, who say they are working in coordination with the White House, are circulating a 17-page draft executive order that would claim without evidence that China interfered with the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential to President Joe Biden by over 7 million votes. Since Trump lost to Biden in 2020, he has repeatedly claimed that the election was “stolen” without evidence. The report of a group of “Trump allies” preparing an executive order to give Trump power over elections was first reported by The Washington Post.

The lies around the right-wing campaign that pushed falsehoods that the 2020 election was stolen was trafficked through right-wing media, particularly Fox News. Fox News was then sued for defamation for the claims by Dominion Voting Systems. Fox lost the case and had to settle for the largest defamation amount on record of $787.5 million in April 2023.

The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

The story in The Washington Post arrives as Trump increasingly signals that he may take actions that would alter the result of the 2026 midterms. The Republicans are widely expected to lose as their approval ratings plummet as a result of a failing economy under Trump. Over 50 members of Congress have announced they will retire this year and not return in 2027.

The Trump Department of Justice, which now has a large image of Trump on the side of it, “sued five new states Thursday [Feb. 26, 2026] demanding access to their unredacted voter rolls — escalating a campaign that has been rejected by multiple federal courts and faces resistance from Republican-led states as well,” according to Democracy Docket, a group that works to protect voting rights.

Trump claimed back in late 2020, the last year of his first term, that he had the authority to issue an executive order related to mail-in voting for the 2020 elections — which he would then lose. But the Constitution states that control of elections lies with the states. As the GOP works to place hurdles in front of voting, Democrats worked to make voting easier.

In March 2021, President Biden signed an executive order calling on federal agencies to expand voting access as part of the Biden Administration’s effort “to promote and defend the right to vote for all Americans who are legally entitled to participate in elections.”

Trump’s focus is clearly on altering the November 2026 midterm elections. Trump’s polling numbers and the elections and special elections that have taken place around the U.S. over the last year clearly indicate that Republicans are about to be hit by a blue wave of Democratic victories.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the founder of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears on #RolandMartinUnfiltered and hosts the show LAUREN LIVE on YouTube @LaurenVictoriaBurke. She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

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PRESS ROOM: NBA Hall of Fame Nominee Terry Cummings Joins 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to Launch Victory & Values Initiative

NNPA NEWSWIRE — NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th.

Published

6 days ago

February 27, 2026

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Cummings becomes an honorary member, joining other role model sports stars

NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings has officially become an honorary member of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County, marking a powerful new chapter for the 100 Black Men and youth development across the region.

Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th. The moment signified more than membership — it marked the launch of the organization’s transformative new platform, the Victory & Values Initiative.

The Victory & Values Initiative is a groundbreaking youth development program designed to empower elementary and middle school students through a dynamic blend of sports, mentorship, and STEM exposure. The initiative focuses on building health, discipline, character, leadership, and access to opportunity — creating pathways for long-term academic and personal success.

“This is about more than sports,” said Cummings during the ceremony. “It’s about using the platform of athletics to teach life lessons, create access, and build the next generation of leaders.”

The induction ceremony also featured notable guests including NASCAR’s newest Star Driver, Lavar Scott and NASCAR Director of Athletic Performance, Phil Horton, who joined Cummings for a powerful Victory & Values Town Hall discussion. The Town Hall was moderated by renowned Sports Emcee John Hollins and focused on leadership, resilience, discipline, and the importance of mentorship in shaping young lives.

A “Day at NASCAR” for 75+ Youth

Cummings wasted no time getting to work. On his first full day as an honorary member, he joined his new brothers of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to host a “Day at NASCAR,” escorting more than 75 youth to a once-in-a-lifetime experience at EchoPark Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway).

The youth participants received behind-the-scenes access including: an exclusive tour of Pit Row, access to the Garage Area and exploration of the interactive Fan Zone.

The experience culminated with a surprise meet-and-greet and Q&A session with NASCAR Superstar Bubba Wallace, who shared insights on perseverance, preparation, and breaking barriers in professional sports.

The day served as a living example of the ‘Victory & Values’ Initiative in action — exposing youth to new industries, expanding their vision for the future, and connecting them directly with high- level mentors and role models.

Building Leaders Through Access and Mentorship

The 100 Black Men of DeKalb County – a chapter of the largest, national mentoring organization in the county – continues to expand its footprint with programs focused on academic excellence, economic empowerment, leadership development, and health & wellness.

The launch of ‘Victory & Values’ represents a strategic expansion of the organization’s impact

intentionally integrating athletics and STEM to engage youth at an early age while reinforcing core principles such as integrity, accountability, teamwork, and perseverance.

“Our mission has always been to mentor the next generation,” said Vaughn Irons, President-Elect of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County. “With Terry Cummings joining the brotherhood, along with partners in NASCAR and professional sports, we are creating unprecedented access and exposure for our youth. Victory & Values is about turning inspiration into structured opportunity.”

By connecting elementary and middle school students to professional athletes, executives, STEM professionals, and community leaders, the initiative aims to:

Increase youth exposure to careers in sports business, engineering, and performance science
Strengthen mentorship pipelines
Promote physical wellness and mental resilience
Build character-driven leadership at an early age

Open Invitation to Youth and Families

All youth are invited to participate in the Victory & Values Initiative, along with the other countless, impactful programs offered by the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County.

Parents and guardians seeking mentorship, leadership development, academic enrichment, and transformative exposure opportunities for their children are encouraged to connect with the organization.

As NBA Legend Terry Cummings’ induction demonstrates, Victory & Values is more than a program — it is a movement designed to build champions in life, not just in sports.

For more information about the Victory & Values Initiative or to enroll a student, contact: 100 Black Men of DeKalb County at Phone at 404.241.1338, info@100bmod.org or Tee Foxx at 404.791.6525,