Plano, Farmers Branch, Highland Park and Irving have all decided to ask voters in the spring whether to withdraw from the transit system.

ADDISON, Texas — The Town of Addison decided not to call an election on whether to leave DART Tuesday night, declining to join four other North Texas cities set to ask voters about membership in the transit network next May.

The 4-3 vote came after more than an hour of public comment, the vast majority of which was opposed to calling a withdrawal election. 

Addison said a study by consultancy firm EY showed a nearly $7 million deficit between the amount of sales tax revenue Addison sends to DART versus the value of the service it receives. 

“It has not been even remotely a level playing field for the Town of Addison,” said Council Member Dan Liscio. 

Plano, Farmers Branch, Highland Park and Irving have all decided to ask voters in the spring whether to withdraw from the transit system — mostly over concerns about the value of the transit services. 

“This is too big a decision for just four of us to make,” said Council Member Howard Freed, who advocated in favor of calling the election. “I think it’s best to let everyone speak.”

But a majority of Town Council voted against holding the election.

“A lot we hear about this situation is about the numbers, about the dollars. And those are compelling,” said Mayor Bruce Arfsten. “But the other part of the story is the human factor. It’s not just about the dollars.” 

He specifically mentioned one comment from DART rider Madison McNair, who has a disability and utilizes the transit service’s paratransit service. 

“For me, DART isn’t just public transportation, it’s freedom,” she told the Town Council. “Without DART, many of us wouldn’t be able to get to work, to school or even to a doctor’s appointment.”

While Addison declined to hold the election, the other cities are still set to ask voters about withdrawing from DART next May.Â