Dallas Area Rapid Transit says it will return a portion of its funding to some member cities as the agency tries to stave off threats of a deeper cut in the legislature.
DART’s board of directors this week approved a resolution stating it will direct 5% of its annual sales tax collections to create a General Mobility Program for eligible cities to use for transportation projects.
That 5% would amount to roughly $42 million in the first year, which DART would have to come up with by reducing other areas of service.
“We would have to look at reductions in both operations in service and on the administrative side,” DART CEO Nadine Lee told board members at a meeting Friday to discuss the resolution.
Cities that could use funds from the program are those that a study last year found were paying more into the system than they get out, including Plano, Addison and Carrolton.
“What we need to do right now is tell all the cities we’re looking to the future and that we need to something to keep them," board chair Gary Slagel said during Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting. "There’s no reason for cities to be upside down continuously."
The General Mobility Program was part of a larger “commitment to local resolution of city requests” the board passed. It comes as DART tries to work with member cities dissatisfied with their services and stave off two identical pieces of legislation that would cut member city contributions by 25%. The agency warns the reduction would mean longer wait times, fewer routes and disruption to the entire system.
DART and member cities are currently in mediation to try to resolve the issue locally.
When asked Tuesday about how the talks are going, Dallas representative Randall Bryant told the board there hasn't been much progress so far.
"We don't have an agreement," he said. "That's how it's going."
Lee told KERA at a summit Thursday some member cities are continuing to push for the legislation.
"Our hope is that [cities] will come to the table because I think, you know, we have been told that, that it's not enough," Lee said. "We really were hoping through our mediation talks over this past week that, that we would have had some movement on their side."
On Wednesday the Dallas City Council passed a resolution in support of maintaining the current one-cent sales and use tax DART collects from member cities.
District 4 Council Member Carolyn King Arnold said she proudly supports DART as someone who used to ride the bus but that there’s more work to do.
“We must continue to support DART but we must focus as much as we can to make sure those grids are solid, the network is solid, so those individuals who are trying to get services for mental health, employment opportunities.... whatever the need... that it works,” she said. “We can’t afford to lose this very valuable source.”
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Adam Bazaldua said cuts would lead to a regression for the region and instead of drawing back, DART needs to expand.
"I think we're going to be much more successful in recruiting other municipalities to help us get to that place,” he said. “If we're doing it hand in hand with the other cities that are currently members, if we're going to approach a solution like that in disarray, we cannot expect to have a good outcome.”
District 12 Council Member Cara Mendelsohn voted against the resolution, noting the city already included DART funding in its list of legislative priorities.
KERA Growth and Infrastructure reporter Pablo Arauz Peña contributed to this report.
Olla Mokhtar is KERA’s news intern. Got a tip? Email Olla at omokhtar@kera.org.
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