Dallas citizens have successfully forced city officials to place a referendum before the voters next spring opposing a tax-funded hotel and convention center. But that isn't stopping -- or slowing -- the city council from pushing full-steam ahead on the plans. The Dallas Blog [1] notes Mayor Tom Leppert says the city will name a hotel operator later this month and start selling bonds in January to fund construction. This project is destined to be yet another Dallas boondoggle. At a bare minimum it pits the city against existing business owners, and tells potential entrepreneurs that at any time the city might just jump into their business, as well. And use the taxpayers' money to compete against those same taxpayers.