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North Texas cities to consider leaving DART

By
S.E. Jenkins
Digital Content Producer, CBS Texas
S.E. Jenkins is a digital content producer for CBS Texas and the South region.
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S.E. Jenkins

/ CBS Texas

Several North Texas cities will hold meetings next week to debate withdrawing from DART transit services.

Plano, Farmers Branch and Highland Park each pay one cent of their local sales tax to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system. Each will hold council meetings next week to consider withdrawing from DART or exploring alternative transit options.

The biggest question city leaders hope to answer at the meetings: Is the money contributed to DART worth the services each city receives?

Plano

said an independent study conducted by Ernst & Young Associates showed a "clear disparity in spending: in 2023, Plano taxpayers contributed $109 million to DART, while only $44 million was spent within our city."

The city said that it has worked for years to hold DART accountable "for the millions of tax dollars contributed" by residents.

"As Plano continues to grow, our community's needs are evolving," said City Manager Mark Israelson. "We need transit solutions that evolve with us to provide flexible and responsive options for everyone who lives and works in Plano."   

The Plano City Council will meet on Nov. 5 to consider calling a special election next year to vote on the city's future with DART.

Plano said no matter the outcome of a potential vote, it is committed to accessible transportation for all residents and has funding set aside to implement a "fast, efficient Microtransit solution tailored to the community's needs."  

Famers Branch

also references the study conducted by Ernst & Young, saying it "revealed a clear disparity in spending: in 2023, Farmers Branch taxpayers contributed approximately $24.3 million to DART, while only $20.8 million was spent within the City."

"Despite this significant investment, the return in local service and reliability has not kept pace," the city said in a statement. 

The city said it is not withdrawing from transit and remains committed to accessible and reliable transportation for its residents; however, city leaders say that residents deserve transit service levels that reflect Farmers Branch's "substantial financial contribution."

The Farmers Branch City Council will meet on Nov. 4 to consider calling a special election next year for voters to consider the city's future relationship with DART.

Highland Park

A member of DART since 1983, said it has contributed over $107 million to date.

The town also cited an independent study, stating the analysis found that "in 2023, Highland Park contributed approximately $6.3 million to DART, while approximately $1.9 million was expended within the Town."

"Despite this longstanding contribution, Highland Park currently receives minimal direct transit service, with no light rail operations within its boundaries and only a single bus route along Preston Road," the town said in a statement.

The Highland Park Town Council will meet on Nov. 4 to consider an ordinance calling for a special election on May 2, 2026, so residents can vote on the town's membership in DART. If a special election is called, Highland Park voters would have the opportunity to determine whether to remain in DART under the current structure or pursue a different path.

Highland Park said that, regardless of the outcome, it intends to "continue working with DART on transportation solutions and future projects that benefit both the Town and the region, while also noting that the current financial and governance model is not sustainable or fiscally feasible for Highland Park."

DART responds

All this is happening as DART is preparing to move thousands of fans and volunteers around when the FIFA World Cup comes to the Dallas area next year.   

DART held a news conference on Wednesday afternoon "to reaffirm the agency's commitment to Plano riders and businesses."

The agency said that if cities approve withdrawing from DART, all services would stop in those cities.

"We obviously would be very concerned about the impacts it would have across our entire network of services for our riders," said Nadine S. Lee, the CEO and president of DART.  

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