Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the number of cities that have passed resolutions to cut contributions to DART.
The board of directors for Dallas Area Rapid Transit voted Tuesday evening to approve a new budget that avoids service cuts but still caps spending beyond what had been previously proposed.
The decision came after weeks of debate over how much the agency should limit growth in its operating budget over last year. The board had been split over whether it should approve a staff-recommended budget, which increased operating expenses by 5.5%, or one approved by the agency’s finance committee that would have increased the operating budget by 4.6%.
During a committee of the whole meeting Tuesday afternoon, director Flora Hernandez, who represents Dallas on the board, proposed a “compromised” budget with a 4.9% cap on growth.
“We do not want to leave DART in any way weakened,” Hernandez said. “We're not cutting, we are growing the budget. We are not eliminating service in any way, shape or form.”
Some members of the board opposed Hernandez’ budget. Director Patrick Kennedy, who also represents Dallas, proposed an amendment that would have added at least $1 million to employee pension contributions.
“It would be the fiscally prudent option, perhaps not this year, but for the long term, and this is a commitment to our longest serving and most loyal employees,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy’s motion failed to pass both in committee and in the general meeting. Ultimately, the board approved the nearly $1.8 billion budget in a 9 to 4 vote.
Paul Wageman, who represents Plano and chairs DART's Finance committee, has been a proponent of spending cuts. Plano is one of the cities that earlier this year passed a symbolic resolution to reduce its one-cent sales tax contribution to the agency by 25%.
He said the final budget reduces proposed operating expenses "by a very small amount.
"It's redirecting some of these funds so that it can be put into a fund that will actually help the agency execute this year, if they're ready to do it, on some of the goals that are identified in the strategic plan,” Wageman said.
Prior to the board vote in the general meeting, more than a dozen transit advocates spoke out against a growth cap lower than 5.5%.
“The 5.5% budget already compromises on benefits for employees who are really the people that make DART run,” said Brinda Gurumoorthy, a member of the advocacy group Dallas Area Transit Alliance (DATA.) “I also remain baffled by the concept of there being too much growth for DART. As people who lead DART and who should be operating in DART’s best interest, how can you believe that there's such a thing as investing too much in riders or workers?”
Connor Hulla, president of DATA, said while the budget wasn’t what the group was hoping for, the board avoided the worst-case scenario.
“We didn't get a 5.5% increase, but we avoided the service cuts, so that's good,” Hulla told KERA. “Still, some on the board have passed the budget that spends less money than DART has, and there's no good reason to do that.
"They have the money. They should just spend it.”
The vote comes as several of DART’s member cities have passed resolutions to reduce their funding to the transit agency. Board chair Gary Slagel said that issue will be discussed at future meetings.
Pablo Arauz Peña is KERA’s growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org. You can follow him on X @pabloaarauz.
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