Dallas Area Rapid Transit could forego reallocating funds for several member cities if they support legislation to defund the agency.
In a letter sent last month, DART Board of Directors Chairman Gary Slagel gave seven cities a deadline of Aug. 31 to adopt city council resolutions requesting General Mobility Program funds and committing to ceasing support for legislation that would reduce or divert DART funding.
Those seven cities – Addison, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Plano, Richardson, University Park, and the town of Highland Park – were found to pay more into the DART system via a one-cent sales tax than they receive in services. The DART board approved a new program in March that will return 5% of its annual sales tax revenue to those cities through a new General Mobility Program to fund non-DART transit projects.
Though less than the 25% cut proposed during the recent regular legislative session, the 5% reduction would still severely impact DART's most vulnerable riders, Slagel said in his letter. He said DART is investigating all options to mitigate the effects of the GMP allocation.
"We took this step because we listened and responded to the issues they raised,” Slagel told KERA News in a statement, “with the hope and belief that our locally passed GMP would bring an end to efforts at the state legislature that threaten the agency’s ability to deliver services to our riders through an uncompromising 25% reallocation of sales tax revenues.”
But after the mayors of some of those cities – Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Highland Park and Plano, along with Irving – sent a letter in late June to Gov. Greg Abbott asking to revive legislation that would cut funding for DART by 25%, Slagel wrote it would not be “appropriate” to move forward with the GMP.
“Due to these conflicting actions, we ask you to clarify your position on receiving the GMP by committing not to pursue any further legislation against DART,” he wrote.
The University Park City Council had not considered or taken any formal action regarding the letter from DART as of Thursday, a city spokesperson said in a statement.
Greg Sowell, Richardson communications and engagement director, said in a statement the city appreciates DART’s effort to open a "constructive dialogue" about the future of regional transit and shared challenges. In February the Richardson City Council approved a resolution in support of full funding for DART.
Sowell added the city is committed to working in good faith with DART leadership.
"We believe any path forward should strengthen public transit, respect the diverse needs across the DART service area, and ensure transparency and accountability in decision-making," he said. "We welcome continued conversations on how best to achieve these shared goals."
KERA reached out to all seven cities listed in the letter and will update this article with additional response.
Although Irving isn’t eligible for GMP funds, Mayor Rick Stopfer, who signed the initial letter to Abbott calling for legislation to reduce DART funding, addressed Slagel’s response during a council work session Thursday.
He said he was bothered by the tone of the letter and frustrated with DART's use of funds.
"To get a letter like this that basically says if I agree that they're going to give some money back that I can't go to the legislature next year," Stopfer said, "to me that's, you know, it's disingenuous.”
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