Leaders in Plano want voters to decide next year whether or not to withdraw from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system.
The Plano City Council voted 8-0 Wednesday to hold an election next May, following a similar move made Tuesday by Highland Park and Farmers Branch.
All three cities have raised concerns that they pay more into the system than they get out. Plano is one of seven cities DART calls “donor cities” that were recently eligible for a return of funds as part of the agency’s General Mobility Program.
"Supporting a withdrawal election doesn't mean abandoning public transportation," said council member Steve Lavine. "It means giving Plano citizens, all of them, the right to decide whether DART as it exists today is the best way forward."
Andrew Fortune, Plano's director of policy and government relations, told the council the city has the opportunity to hold a withdrawal election every six years. He said before May's election, city staff would seek out alternative options that could include micro-transit similar to DART's on-demand GoLink service or Arlington's Via.
"We're not taking away transportation from our residents," Fortune said. "It's a question of which partner should the future Plano really rely on. ... Our goal and plan would be to have whatever alternative stood up well before that date."
Fortune added the council has 45 days to choose whether or not to rescind the ballot measure for a withdrawal.
Before taking a vote, the council heard from more than 100 speakers — the majority of them opposed to the measure. Some were years-long Plano residents who shared personal stories of how they use DART's services to get to and from the city.
Jane Harmon, a wheelchair user, told KERA losing DART means losing her only means of transportation.
“It's going to mean that I won't be able to get any access to my medical care in Plano, and it'll sever the long relationship I've had with my therapist in Plano,” Harmon said. “I’m scared.”
Susan Maley told KERA she doesn’t own a car and moved to Plano because of access to DART.
“Micro transit is a great supplement but cannot replace a regional rail system,” Maley said.
Others, like Rohit Joy, said they support holding an election.
"DART might've made sense in 1983 when Plano first became a member. At the time we were a commuter suburb," Joy said. "Now we are a city in our own right. People's transportation patterns have changed."
Some speakers also brought up crime and safety issues surrounding DART stations in Plano.
Plano leaders have criticized DART's funding structure over the past year; the agency gets a penny for every sales tax dollar from each of its 13 member cities.
Anthony Ricciardelli, a former city council member who represents Plano on the DART board, alluded to a withdrawal at a board meeting in September.
“The penny comes from the voters, the voters make that decision,” Ricciardelli said. “The voters could change that.”
DART CEO Nadine Lee said during a press conference last week that Plano’s decision to discuss pulling out is “devastating.” She said DART service would end immediately in Plano if it withdraws, meaning the city would lose its two new Silver Line stations as well as its downtown and Parker Road stops.
“If we were ending services, say, the day after the election, obviously we'd want to [notify] the riders in those areas," Lee said at the press conference.
During the council meeting Wednesday, Lee told city leaders DART has been working in good faith to address Plano's concerns, including offering the city $28 million, expanding a citywide GoLink zone and adding a circulator in the Legacy neighborhood.
"The progress we've made comes from standing together and confronting our challenges as one region," Lee said. "I invite you to work with us with transparency, collaboration, and good faith to resolve these issues in place of withdrawal."
Plano has been leading the charge to cut DART's funding since a 2024 report that said the city contributed $109 million to the agency, while only $44 million was spent within the city.
Some members of the DART board have questioned that study and say it doesn't take into account the added value of the Silver Line, which opened last month.
Matt Shaheen, a state representative for Plano, also filed a bill during the recent regular session that would have defunded the agency by at least 25%. While the bill failed to make it out of the House, the talks between DART and donor cities have continued to be contentious as the agency tries to balance its budget while also addressing their concerns.
Plano voters will decide on May 2 whether to continue DART services in one of the most populous North Texas cities.
The Irving City Council will vote Thursday on whether to call its own withdrawal election.
Pablo Arauz Peña is KERA’s growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org.
Dylan Duke is KERA’s news intern. Got a tip? Email Dylan at dduke@kera.org.
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