DALLAS, Texas — The HERO amendments that will be on the ballot for Dallas voters come November 5 will be just words and small paragraphs on paper.
They aim to increase officers and their pay in the city -- but if they pass, some council members say they could create financial chaos and a long court battle.
But multi-millionaire Monty Bennett doesn't see it that way. The founder and CEO of Ashford, Inc., a hospitality real estate company in north Dallas, told WFAA that he's been "involved as much as they'll let me" with the Dallas HERO Initiative. He admitted that he'd contributed his support, office space, and even cash to the initiative, although he wouldn't say how much — just that it's not as much as he's donated to other GOP initiatives.
According to campaign finance records, Bennett made a $100,000 donation to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in June 2023.
Bennett is also the publisher of the Dallas Express. This online publication has heavily supported the HERO Initiative and has written at least two dozen articles about it -- without disclosing Bennett's involvement.
It's a secret that was reasonably obvious: Dallas HERO executive director Pete Marocco is a friend of Bennett's.
Stefani Carter, whose LinkedIn page identifies her as president of Dallas HERO, sits on the Braemar Hotels and Resorts board. As with the hospitality real estate firm Ashford Inc., Bennett also controls Braemar.
Cathy Cortina Arvizu, who legally challenged counter-amendment proposals passed by city council members to nullify the HERO amendments, works as a paralegal at Bennett's Ashford, Inc., according to her LinkedIn page.
Bennett grew up in Houston and then went to school in New York. He returned to Texas in 1989 and has called North Texas, primarily Dallas, his home ever since.
But Bennett says he doesn't like how Dallas looks or where it's headed right now.
"This has always been my home, and I love it," Bennett said. "I recently turned my attention to Dallas because I needed to get involved more in my community here. And I noticed that a lot of major cities have gone to pot, right? Portland, Seattle, Chicago -- all of these cities are on this downward trajectory. And I think that Dallas is on this path as well. It's just not as far down, and I'm worried about it. I have great loyalty to this city, and I don't want it to be mocked like some of these others."
The HERO Initiative addresses some of Bennett's concerns in a big way, much to the ire of multiple Dallas City Council members.
The effort claims to have collected almost 170,000 signatures from residents -- much more than needed -- to place its three charter amendments on the November ballot.
The most crucial asks voters to approve an item that would take 50% of the city's revenue each year to shore up the police and fire pension fund that narrowly dodged insolvency. It also requires using the remainder of those funds to hire 900 more officers until the department has at least 4,000 in its rank and file, along with bettering their pay to stay competitive with top departments in North Texas.
Council Member Paula Blackmon thinks that the amendment's goal is too lofty and that it would require pulling money from other departments to be successful. She's also not a fan of another proposed HERO amendment, which, if passed, allows citizens to sue city leaders if they don't follow through on promises.
"It puts us $175 million in the hole to hire 900 more officers," Blackmon said. "Departments would be wiped out -- the whole library system would be wiped out. And if we don't do it, they can sue us, and we'll be in court, but that's not how to run a city. I was elected by voters -- if you don't like me, fire me at the ballot box."
Councilman Adam Bazaldua said voters have already elected a council to make financial decisions, and that passing the public safety amendment, which requires the council to spend money in a certain way, removes power from those who elected him.
"You're simply saying that the at-large votes don't matter," Bazaldua said. "It would have a long court battle if this passes. The city would sue over this, arguing their constitutionality."
Dallas will soon be without its top cop, Chief Eddie Garcia. He's leaving for an assistant city manager position overseeing public safety in Austin. But, when HERO's amendments were first proposed, Garcia expressed concern about hiring 900 officers and being held accountable in civil court if he couldn't. But, despite what some on the council have suggested, he told WFAA that the HERO amendments were not a factor in his decision to leave the city.
Even so, Blackmon told WFAA that these rules could deter qualified candidates from taking the chief job Garcia's vacating.
Bennett heavily disagrees.
"If you're coming in as a police chief and these pass, 50% of the increase in future dollars will be spent on more police and higher pay for police," Bennett said. "Well, who wouldn't want that?"
Another HERO proposal Dallas voters will decide on come November is to make the city manager's salary based on performance, which would be determined from the results of an annual survey taken by Dallas residents. That role is another vacant one in the city, and Blackmon argued that a salary "based on performance" might not attract top candidates.
Since a city manager position is similar to that of a CEO, WFAA asked Bennett if he would take the city manager job in Dallas if it were based on performance.
"Someone who has lived a life with no accountability will not like it at all," he said. "Someone who likes accountability and likes to get paid for their performance will love it. I'd love it. I wouldn't even take the pay. I'd love to be the city manager."
He continued: "Look, the council thinks they know what the city needs better than what the people know. It's a clown show -- it's terrible. And these people are in charge of a $5 billion budget? Meanwhile, the people are neglected."
"Crime is a big problem," Bennett added. "Homelessness is a big problem. Do you know why the Bank of America building sold? Bank of America moved a third of a mile out of downtown, and instead of paying $20 a foot, they're going to pay $63 a foot to get out of downtown. And if you ask the right people, they'll say it's because of crime, homelessness, street repair and all these things."
One council member told WFAA that people who don't even live in Dallas are pushing the HERO Initiative. Bennett admitted that he no longer lives within the city limits, but he has a business in town and moved away from the city because of what it's become.
"The 169,000 who signed those petitions -- where do you think they live?" Bennett said. "They live here."
Extended interview: