<\/p>\n
Voters will decide whether to approve the massive borrowing package.<\/p>\n
Amanda McCoy<\/p>\n
amccoy@star-telegram.com<\/p>\n
The Fort Worth city council unanimously approved sending an $845 million bond package to voters for the May 2 municipal elections.<\/p>\n
The package includes money to fix roads, build libraries, a new animal shelter, and sets aside funds for affordable housing.<\/p>\n
Speakers at the Feb. 10 council meeting praised the package for adding funding for affordable housing; however, many speakers pushed the council to increase the amount.<\/p>\n
The package sets aside $10 million to support affordable housing; however, former city council member Ann Zadeh noted previous city plans stated the need was closer to $100 million<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what the city is proposing in the bond package.<\/p>\n Proposition A – Streets and Mobility – $511,480,700<\/p>\n The proposal includes funds for 12 major thoroughfares, most of which are in the far north part of the city. This includes expanding several sections of Bonds Ranch Road from two lanes to four.<\/p>\n The largest amount of money in Proposition A \u2014 roughly $129 million \u2014 will go toward rehabilitating neighborhood streets.<\/p>\n Other funds will go to improving intersections, traffic signals, streetlights, adding sidewalks, and improving safety for street crossings around schools.<\/p>\n Proposition B – Parks and Open Space – $185,140,000<\/p>\n The proposition sets aside $30 million for the Atatiana Carr-Jefferson at Hillside Community Center, $25 million for Gateway Park, and $25 million to buy more open space.<\/p>\n It also includes roughly $17 million to build a pool at North Z Boaz Park, and funds to improve the Botanic Gardens, Alliance Park and Water Gardens.<\/p>\n Proposition C – Libraries – $14,586,000<\/p>\n Part of this proposition will go toward restoring the Seminary South library, which was converted into the Fort Worth History Center after the closure of the city\u2019s Central Library. The Worth Heights neighborhood has been vocal for years trying to get the Seminary South library reopened.<\/a><\/p>\n The proposition also includes funds to improve the Diamond Hill\/Jarvis Library and the Southwest Regional Library.<\/p>\n Proposition D – Affordable Housing – $10,000,000<\/p>\n This item sets aside funds to acquire land, and help fund construction of affordable housing.<\/p>\n Proposition E – Fire Stations and Emergency Communication – $63,919,300<\/p>\n This item will fund the construction of a new fire station near Tarleton State University in southwest Fort Worth. It will also rebuild fire station 40 near Boswell High School.<\/p>\n It also sets aside roughly $28 million to improve the city\u2019s 911 center.<\/p>\n Proposition F – Animal Control – $59,874,000<\/p>\n This item will build a new animal shelter to replace the Chuck & Brenda Silcox Animal Care Shelter<\/a> in southeast Fort Worth. That shelter was built in 1998 and is regularly full.<\/p>\n The new shelter would fund a new state-of-the-art shelter to provide quality care to the city\u2019s animal population.<\/p>\n