Voters in Addison will decide this spring whether the city stays in or leaves Dallas Area Rapid Transit after city leaders voted to move forward with a planned withdrawal election.
The city council on Tuesday voted 5-2 not to rescind the election, even as Plano and Farmers Branch canceled theirs.
Addison is one of six cities that called for a withdrawal election amid concerns with DART’s funding and governance structure. The vote came after months of negotiations between DART and the several member cities looking to leave the system over funding and governance.
In a deal struck between the agency, city leaders and the Regional Transportation Council, DART will give $360 million to member cities over the next six years to use on transit-related projects — if they sign onto the agreement.
Addison would receive $8 million back.
The DART board of directors is also set to be restructured for each member city to have a representative on the board. This reduces voting power for the city of Dallas.
Council member Chris DeFrancisco said the deal isn’t perfect, but “it represents progress.”
Plano on Monday approved its agreement with DART; Farmers Branch City Council voted Tuesday to cancel its election.
Elections are still scheduled in Highland Park, Irving and University Park.
Addison leaders said the question of whether to stay in DART should go to voters.
"The poison pills that DART puts in their agreements are absolutely unacceptable and ... take away the right of the people voting," council member Randy Smith said.
After a failed vote in December, council members voted 5-2 last month to call the election, citing DART's financial accountability.
Ahead of Tuesday's discussion, residents urged council members to protect DART in the city. Addison’s only light rail station is on the newly opened Silver Line.
Dallas resident Rhanda Halsey, who has been blind her whole life, comes to Addison often and said she relies on public transit.
“Without it, I would not have the measure of independence that I do now to go to work, to involve myself in other social activities,” she said.
Smith, who had previously voted against calling an election, said DART benefits the city.
"It attracts employers, it boosts our local economy, and allows us to have sustained economic development," he said. "That's why I support canceling the May election."
Farmers Branch rescinds election
In Farmers Branch, a split city council voted during a special called meeting to rescind its election after hours of discussion.
"I'm confident we're moving in the positive direction," council member Elizabeth Villafranca said ahead of Tuesday's vote. "Is this the perfect deal? No. Is it progress? Absolutely."
Mayor Terry Lynne said if the city were to hold an election, it would lose out on $11 million over the next several years under the proposal put forward by DART.
"That's a very expensive gamble," he said.
Numerous residents at Tuesday’s meeting urged the council to "take the deal."
Some council members said the proposal before the board didn’t feel like a compromise.
“I just personally feel like it's an ultimatum, you telling us that we need to accept this deal or we get nothing at the end,” council member Lupe Gonzalez said.
Council member David Reid agreed, calling it a "threat." He said voters should be given the decision to stay in or leave DART.
"If it's that important, it's going to impact that many people, then perhaps the people should have a voice,” he said.
Villafranca said the council would be "naive" to continue with the election.
"In a negotiation, nobody gets everything that they want," she said. "It's offensive to call it an ultimatum, a threat, a coercion. This is a negotiation."
Any city that holds a successful withdrawal election will lose all train and bus service as soon as the election was canvassed. Resident Pamela Silver said moving to a local transportation alternative would be more affordable than DART. She urged the council to let the election move forward and not wait until the next opportunity in six years.
"The citizens deserve the right to have a say in continuing to participate in this failing poorly managed program," she said. "The potholes are behind us, but the sinkhole is ahead of us."
Mayor Terry Lynne acknowledged issues with DART, but said he believes the agency is making changes.
"If Farmers Branch elects to stay, I will be a hawk to make sure promises are delivered," he said.
Irving will meet on Thursday to address its DART withdrawal election.
Avery Escamilla-Wendell is KERA’s news intern. Got a tip? Email Avery at aescamillawendell@kera.org. You can follow heron Instagram @by_avery_escamilla.
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