Plano City Council approves new DART funding agreement, rescinds May withdrawal election

Under the new funding structure, DART will return 10% of its sales tax contributions to the city through phases over six years.

PLANO, Texas — Days after Dallas Area Rapid Transit introduced a new funding plan intended to address concerns, Plano City Council has approved the agency’s new funding agreement.

With this approval, council members also voted to rescind the May election where voters would consider withdrawing the city from DART membership.

Plano Mayor John Muns said the actions tonight reflect Plano’s persistence and compromise.

“Plano pushed for meaningful change, and we achieved it,” Muns said in a statement. “This agreement guarantees a minimum funding return and creates a stronger framework moving forward. While it is not everything we initially proposed, it represents real progress for our community and the region.”

If the plan is approved by each city council of DART’s 13 member cities, DART says it would provide requested funding to the cities from DART. The transportation agency would send some of its 1% sales tax revenue to member cities. Each member city would receive 5% in the first year, with that number increasing gradually to a maximum of 7.5% in six years.

“This solution is a victory for North Texans,” DART Board of Directors Chairman Randall Bryant said. “When the DART Board, DART staff, member cities, and regional partners work together to find common ground, we are able to focus on solutions.”

This comes after the Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments met earlier this month to approve 75% million in funding for transportation-related projects in the member cities. With this and DART’s contribution, each member city would receive 10% in funding by the sixth year.

The city of Plano said the agreement also allows member cities to replace or exchange some local transit services, while DART continues to provide paratransit service.

Also during the meeting, council members approved a contract with Via Transportation to provide microtransit service this spring. The contract reportedly won’t exceed $4 million.