The Brief
Plano will not hold a May election on leaving Dallas Area Rapid Transit following a city council vote Monday night.
City council members heard from DART officials on a new funding deal, which the Plano city council unanimously accepted.
The city became the first to cancel the scheduled withdrawal elections. Several more North Texas cities will vote later this week on canceling the planned elections.
PLANO, Texas – Plano city council agreed to cancel DART withdrawal elections that were scheduled for May after agreeing on a new DART funding plan Monday night.
What we know
DART officials spoke to the Plano city council Monday night on a new funding plan in an effort to keep their partnership with the city.
The new six-year plan included changes to how DART levies sales taxes on its member cities. City leaders previously stated that they paid too much in sales tax for the level of services.
The plan also called for all member cities to hold a seat on DART’s board, guaranteeing equal representation for all members. These changes were previously approved by DART’s board earlier in February.
The new plan was accepted in a unanimous 8-0 vote. Applause broke out at Plano city hall when the vote was announced.
The acceptance of the plan also means the withdrawal election scheduled for May was canceled, paving the way for DART to continue operating in Plano.
Local perspective
Supporters of keeping the DART partnership called it a compromise, and Plano city leaders said this is a step forward.
“I want you to understand the responsibility you’re taking on beyond just receiving funds. You are now going to be partially responsible for the citizens’ lives, how we move and how we operate in your city in the Metroplex and beyond,” Alex Flores, Plano resident, said.
Another city council member said the original argument wasn’t anti-mass transit.
“A lot of you thought we were against mass transit. What we’re trying to do is improve the mass transit within the city of Plano. And for a long time the DART board didn’t listen to us,” Rick Horne, a Plano city council member, said.
Several attendees of Monday night’s city council meeting asked for the creation of a permanent transit committee, made up of people who ride DART regularly to help improve the service.
The backstory
Several North Texas cities have planned elections in May on whether to leave DART. Plano becomes the first city to cancel those elections.
Plano had formed a committee on finding alternatives to DART last year. The committee had originally recommended Via, an app-based micro-transit service used in Arlington.
What’s next
After tonight’s vote, the city no longer needs to worry about leaving DART. It remains to be seen if other cities will do the same.
Farmers Branch city council will vote on canceling the DART withdrawal election. Irving will vote on Thursday.
The Source
Information in this story came from a Plano city council meeting and FOX 4 reporting.