Grand Prairie’s approved $78.5 million public-safety bond: What Proposition B funds
Grand Prairie voters approved Proposition B in the May 2, 2026, bond election, authorizing the city to issue up to $78.5 million in general-obligation bonds for public-safety facilities and technology infrastructure.
The City Council canvassed the election on May 12, 2026. The authorization covers three purposes: replacing the North Radio Tower at 2201 109th Street, designing, constructing and equipping a multipurpose public-safety facility in the southern portion of the city, and acquiring and installing a traffic-safety communication network.
What Proposition B authorizes
The city’s Proposition B project page describes replacement of the North Radio Tower at 2201 109th Street. The city says the existing tower was built more than 25 years ago and that replacement would help maintain and improve public-safety radio coverage and communication reliability.
The measure also authorizes a multipurpose public-safety facility in the southern part of Grand Prairie. The city describes the proposed resource center as a way to provide public-safety programs and services closer to residents in that portion of the city.
A specific site has not been selected. The city says potential sites would be evaluated during project development, with City Council review and opportunities for community input before any Council action.
The third component is a traffic-safety communication network. The city says the upgrade is intended to improve communication among traffic-management staff and traffic signals, school-zone flashers, cameras, sensors and electronic message signs. The system could help reduce response times to crashes, congestion and signal problems, according to the city’s project description.
What the tax estimate means
Grand Prairie estimates Proposition B’s maximum annual tax impact at $9.36 per $100,000 of taxable value, based on assumptions outlined in the city’s voter-information materials.
The estimate assumes the bonds would be issued in 10 series, with the proposed and existing debt repaid over 20 years, 3% annual growth in taxable value, a 5.55% interest rate for the proposed debt and a 99% annual tax-collection rate. The voter-information document estimates $52,726,218 in interest and $131,226,218 in total principal and interest for the proposed $78.5 million authorization under those assumptions.
That figure is an estimate, not a guaranteed bill increase for every property owner. Actual effects can vary with interest rates, the timing and size of bond sales, project timing, taxable-value growth and other financial conditions.
The official ballot language designated Proposition B as “THIS IS A TAX INCREASE.” It authorizes the city to impose taxes sufficient to repay bond principal and interest, along with costs connected to credit agreements. Repayment would occur through the debt-service portion of city property taxes.
Authorization is not immediate borrowing
The vote approved a maximum borrowing authorization; it did not mean Grand Prairie would sell the entire $78.5 million immediately.
The city says bonds will be issued over multiple years as projects reach readiness. Staff is developing a sequencing framework that considers design readiness, operational priorities, right-of-way or land needs, City Council direction, procurement timing, funding availability and financial conditions.
The city’s Proposition B page lists estimated project costs of $3.3 million for the radio-tower replacement, $33.2 million for the southern public-safety resource center and $42 million for the traffic-safety communication network. Those figures are planning estimates, not a final contract or a guarantee that each project will proceed on the listed schedule.
Specific project schedules and procurement timelines had not been finalized in the city’s latest bond-program update. Residents therefore should not treat the voter-approved measure as a completed bond sale, a construction notice or a final completion schedule.
Future City Council actions, bond-program updates and purchasing notices will provide the clearest information about site decisions, design work, bids, contracts, bond sales and construction timing.
How the vote became final
Unofficial results reported by KERA News on May 3 showed Proposition B passing with 3,711 votes for and 3,279 against. The City Council’s May 12 canvass resolution formally declared the election results and authorized the city to issue bonds for propositions that received majority support.
For Grand Prairie residents, the practical result is authority for a long-term public-safety investment program—not an immediate project opening or a single borrowing transaction.
Sources
- City of Grand Prairie 2026 Bond Election page
- Grand Prairie City Council bond-election canvass resolution
- Grand Prairie Proposition B voter-information document
- KERA News election-results coverage
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