Overview
- Plano’s city council voted to hold a May special election on whether to withdraw from Dallas Area Rapid Transit, making it the largest member city to advance a ballot measure.
- Highland Park and Farmers Branch have already approved May withdrawal elections, and Irving is set to consider a similar move on Thursday.
- Member cities point to costs and usage, noting DART requires half of local sales tax; Plano says it contributed about $109 million in 2023 while roughly $44 million was spent within the city, and Irving’s mayor says only about 1% of residents ride DART or TRE daily despite more than $115 million invested annually.
- DART urges cities not to proceed with withdrawal votes, with CEO Nadine Lee warning that losing Plano’s roughly $110 million in annual sales tax would hit revenues and could lead to systemwide service reductions, while leadership has defended spending and executive bonuses.
- Farmers Branch officials cite nearly $500 million paid into DART since 1983 and DART data showing rides originating there fell from over 180,000 to about 120,000 in a comparable quarter over five years, as a consulting firm’s polling reported about 60% of residents in Farmers Branch and Plano prefer staying in DART.