Letters — Will Dallas taxpayers end up paying for the GOP convention?

Re: "GOP convention costs unclear — City officials question event's expense to taxpayers, reimbursement details," Aug. 20 Metro & Business story. To Republicans, pay Dallas in advance or no services. Today, the Republican Party is one of the richest political parties ever. They plan to hold a rally in Dallas that will cost us millions. Your story says no one knows if, when or how we will be reimbursed for those millions. If I were mayor, I would insist on advance payment of Dallas' estimated costs, plus 25%, or simply tell them if no payment, no services. Let them provide their own security. You better believe the American Airlines Center is being paid in advance. So should Dallas. Paul Schmidt, Dallas/Lakewood The Dallas City Council seems unclear or even confused about whether the city will be left holding the bag for perhaps millions of dollars after the GOP convention leaves town. Perhaps they should do some research into how many cities and vendors have been left holding that bag during the president's many rallies. My Magic 8 Ball says better begin saving now for that rainy day post-convention invoice because they have a very poor track record for reimbursement. Dan Siculan, Royse City Excuse me, but you have to be kidding about no answers for payment questions. In the next few weeks, our fair city will be overrun with GOP eventgoers and their families filling up the American Airlines Center and no one, no one knows what this is going to cost our city. Wake up and smell the roses, Dallas. This is not funny. Look at all the city has lost recently and now we'll have a big bill to pay? I'm not footin' this one and neither should the residents of Dallas. David McLintock, Dallas/Lake Highlands Dallas has decided to redevelop the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center for over $3 billion, so it seems like the city values the positive effects that a convention can bring. No such benefits are implied for the Republican gathering in at least five articles The Dallas Morning News has run that question whether any Dallas tax dollars will be spent to host it. The city collects a 9% tax on all hotels and short-term rentals. They also collect 5% on all rental cars (originally established to fund the arena where the GOP is meeting). Assuming thousands of people who otherwise would not come to Dallas will be spending money. There would be very significant revenue for the city. There will no doubt be some extra expenses for security for the president and for protestors, but it should not be exorbitant. Somehow, I think if Taylor Swift were coming to Dallas, you would not focus solely on any possible negative effects for the city. Try for a little balance in the reporting. Jim Mixtacki, Carrollton If you are going to include news about the meeting in Dallas planned by the Republicans, you should put convention in quotes. The party's platform reportedly will not be discussed, and no national issues are scheduled. This is nothing more than another Trump rally. He will probably make a grand speech each day and host several meetings to raise money. Maybe he could write an executive order to make this a convention. Goebel Vaughn, Plano Please stop referring to President Donald Trump's gathering in Dallas as a "convention." It's merely a Republican rally-fundraiser. It's an attempt to maintain the GOP's decades-old monopoly on Texas power and to prevent a much-needed reckoning for a corrupt president who is a pathological liar. He betrayed his MAGA supporters by stoking inflation with nonsensical tariffs and got the U.S. into another long-term Mideast war without a strategic plan for victory. Texas voters will remember this record come November. Bernard Diemer, Saginaw For the past few weeks, The Dallas Morning News has continued to print articles about the GOP convention coming to Dallas with biased stories mostly condemning it because of the costs to the city. Why not write an article about the financial benefits to the city and North Texas? The News might also print something as to why most of North Texas supports having a convention in Dallas. Oh, how the editors believe they are not biased. Jim Hovanec, Double Oak Re: "Activists planning to protest GOP event — Organizers are seeking permit, lining up legal help before September convention," Aug. 16 Metro story. I find it laughable, although not surprising, that Democrat activists (Dallas Against Trump Agenda coalition) are planning to protest at the upcoming GOP midterm convention in Dallas. This made me ask the question: When was the last time we saw any organized protests by Republicans at a Democratic convention? None that I can recall in my lifetime. Instead of spending time and money on official protests of Donald Trump both locally and nationwide, shouldn't the Democratic Party start focusing on their own problems and get their act together for the 2028 national election? Who will be their leader? What is their message? How will they manage the Democratic Socialists of America group that has infiltrated their party? And on this one, they need a better message than their uniform response that they are a big-tent party. Certainly, the Republicans have their work cut out for them if they want to be successful in the midterms, but organizing and participating in protests against the Democratic Party and their agenda will not be one of their tactics. Kay Wrobel, Plano