Plano residents will no longer vote on staying in the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system this May.
At their Feb. 23 meeting, Plano City Council voted to rescind the call for a withdrawal election from the transit agency after several months of negotiations. Instead, the city and DART are coming to a new agreement geared towards promoting local transportation projects.
What’s happening?
After a series of recent regional meetings, Plano moved to cancel its previously called withdrawal election, and several other DART member cities may follow suit.
Plano City Council approved four items related to the withdrawal election, including a new interlocal agreement that will return approximately $61 million to Plano over the course of six years, according to DART meeting documents.
“Our expectations in the next six years are high, but we look forward to working with the agency in this renewed partnership to better serve the mobility needs of Plano,” Mayor John Muns said.
Some context
At its Feb. 10 meeting, DART officials voted to approve initial proposals for a new funding and governance model for the agency. The modified interlocal agreement detailing the new funding plan was approved by DART’s board of directors Feb. 20.
Andrew Fortune, Plano’s director of government relations and policy, said the interlocal agreement represents a “fair and meaningful offer” from DART.
On Feb. 11, Dallas City Council voted to reduce the city’s voting share on the DART board to 45% and give up its majority control.
Additionally, transportation leaders with the Regional Transportation Council, a 45-member group of area transportation leaders, approved dedicating nearly $75 million to help support DART’s proposed funding model.
What it means
DART’s proposed funding model would return the equivalent of 25% of sales tax receipts to its 13 member cities for six years.
DART and the Regional Transportation Council’s contribution would provide a base of up to 10% sales tax return, and DART officials would work with other regional authorities to make up the rest of the 25% contribution.
Funding would be distributed based on sales tax contributions and cities would be required to use the money for local transportation-related projects.
What they’re saying
DART board Chair Randall Bryant said he looks forward to a continued partnership with Plano and the other DART member cities.
“What we’ve come up with so far, it’s not perfect, but it is progress,” Bryant said. “The real work still lies ahead of us.”
Bryant said in a Feb. 23 letter to mayors of DART service area cities that the negotiations reflect the beginning of a unified future for the region.
“It is my hope to see all 13 of our member cities remain partners of DART as we move into this next chapter and that, together, we will also begin welcoming new member cities into our system in the years ahead,” Bryant said.
He added DART will be employing safety initiatives moving forward, including implementing new security cameras and increasing uniformed presence on train cars and station platforms.
Several speakers advocated for a permanent standing transit and mobility committee, similar to a Parks and Recreation board. The city previously appointed residents to a local transit committee to provide a recommendation on Plano’s alternative transit system.
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Rick Horne said the council has been working to improve public transit in Plano and in the region as a whole.
“We were working as hard as we could to come up with a solution where we can improve the mobility within the city. That’s what we’ve been doing for the past year and a half,” Horne said. “It’s not perfect, but it’s a starting point.”
Council member Steve Lavine said the new interlocal agreement provides the ability to expand transit services in Plano moving forward.
“I support this plan, but I do so with the expectation that it is not the end of the conversation,” Lavine said.
Looking ahead
The six-year interlocal agreement would expire Sept. 30, 2031, according to city documents.
“At that point, it would allow for a future council in any of the DART cities to consider a withdrawal election in 2032 should they wish to,” Fortune said.
Plano would submit potential transportation projects by June 30, and DART would make the first year funding payment Oct. 1.
Additionally, city documents note DART officials and member cities would start pursuing legislative priorities in January to achieve the new revenue sources to make up the remaining 25%.