Dallas County Sheriff Chad Leonard has scheduled more than 100 meetings in his barnstorming campaign to inform voters about the need for a new Dallas County Law Enforcement Center. Leonard will give his presentation at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Perry Public Library.
“I’d encourage everyone to come to one of these meetings and get accurate information,” Leonard said. “There’s a lot of misinformed people out there and a lot of people who still haven’t even heard of it.”
The May 2 special election will be the Dallas County Supervisors’ fourth attempt since 2013 to secure voter approval for bond financing of the new sheriff’s administration and jail complex. In spite of the repeated referendums, Leonard said he still meets people who have never heard about the issue.
“I was in Dawson just a week or so ago,” Leonard said, “and somebody said it was the first he’d heard of it. So we really want to make sure people are going to the polls with a true understanding of the matter.”
Along with Leonard’s efforts simply to bring the facts to Dallas County voters, a citizens group is also giving talks around the county and urging people to support the Dallas County Law Enforcement Center by voting yes in May.
The group, Citizens for Dallas County, advocates approving the bond financing May 2. Mark Powell of Dallas Center is one of the organizers of Citizens for Dallas County, and educating the public — along with persuading — is a big part of his mission, he said.
“It’s amazing how badly informed many people are about this issue,” Powell said. “And it’s usually they guys with the biggest mouths, the Facebook blowhards and so forth, who actually know the least about it. That’s why the town hall meetings in Perry and around the county are so important. People really need to be equipped with an accurate understanding of the situation and the options.”
Other upcoming town hall meetings include Saturday, March 25 at 10 a.m. at the Dexter Roundhouse and at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 30 at 105 E. 2nd Street in Woodward.
When is the vote for the center?
The special election is Tuesday, May 2.
I went last night. I still did not get all of the answers that I need in order to vote yes. Why is this being funded from a property tax levy, which is unfair and unjust, instead of an income tax surcharge like the school districts have? There are more people in Dallas County that pay income tax than pay property tax.