Support our New City Hall
Richardson Coalition Editorial
Support our New City Hall
(No tax rate increase!)
We are all fortunate to call Richardson home. Aside from being extremely well-run with outstanding services and amenities, our people and leaders are tremendously resilient and able to navigate everything from tornadoes to the economy. A fire at city hall is no exception, which brings us where we are today.
Less than 48 hours after a devastating blaze attacked the city hall last summer, all services were re-established, employees reconnected, and some semblance of normalcy was restored. However, the concept of returning to “normal” soon faded as the structural damage was reviewed and assessed, and the building was deemed a near total loss. More than 3,000 feet of the second-floor slab would need to be replaced, copper plumbing was melted, electrical systems corroded, water damage was extensive and the list goes on.
The City’s preliminary estimates showed that reconstruction of the existing city hall would be close to 70 percent of the cost of an entirely new building. With that in mind, our city council wisely decided that completely replacing the structure would be a better outcome for our city than trying to repair and remodel. In February, the City Council opted to place a referendum on the May ballot that will allow us to start from scratch…to totally rethink what a modern, efficient, welcoming, and warm facility we could have.
The new $46 million bond will enhance existing and already available dollars in what can be considered a truly unique opportunity. At the end of the day, the expenditures will give Richardson residents a state-of-the-art facility to rival our competition from other cities. It will also provide a source of pride for our citizens, now and well into the future.
If approved, no tax rate increase will result. Today’s Richardson residents are standing on the shoulders of those who came before us – the creators, leaders and forward-thinkers who built the foundation we have today. The Richardson Coalition encourages voters to enthusiastically approve this bond.
Early voting starts April 24, 2023. More election information: https://www.cor.net/government/city-secretary/elections
