The “general mobility program” was part of the transit agency’s compromise after legislation pushed by Plano representatives threatened up to 25% of its funding.
DALLAS — Plano may opt out of a transit program that DART says would force bus route cuts. The program was part of a compromise after Plano pushed state legislationthat could have redirected up to 25% of DART’s funding back to member cities — a change the agency warned would cause severe service reductions.
Plano Mayor John B. Muns said the city would not agree to the proposed terms under the “general mobility program” that would require the city to pay back the money if it lobbied for more legislative changes to redirect DART funds, or called for an election to leave the network.
The news that the largest city eligible for funds may sit out the general mobility program is another twist in the years-long struggle DART has faced as it works to balance an increasingly fragile transit alliance.
In addition, the agency now finds itself under fire from both ends of its Red Line; a previously unreported letter from a Democratic lawmaker in Dallas questions DART’s leadership and critiques its handling of the legislative challenges.
“Public transit is vital to our region’s continued economic success,” a DART spokesperson said. “DART is working tirelessly with city leadership and agency staff to develop and implement solutions tailored to each city’s unique needs and vision.”
A compromise leads to cuts
The general mobility program proposal was borne out of a compromise for DART. Lawmakers were considering a bill, filed by Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Plano), to redirect up to 25% of DART sales tax revenue back to the cities themselves.
DART said the proposal would devastate the transit system and cause widespread service and job cuts. Proponents of the legislation argued that cities like Plano were putting millions of sales tax dollars into DART and receiving only a fraction back in return.
In March, the DART board of directors, who are appointed by each member city’s government, voted for a compromise: they would design a “general mobility program” to return 5% of the sales tax revenue to the cities that contributed more to the agency than they received in transit services.
“This action was taken to avoid proposed legislation,” DART Board Chair Gary Slagel wrote in a June letter to mayors and city managers. “Even at just 5%, these reductions severely impact DART’s most vulnerable riders.”
In part to pay for the general mobility program, DART has proposed cutting seven bus routes and reducing frequency on others.
The agency found the $24 million proposal would “disparately affect minority communities.”
The DART board voted 8-7 on Tuesday to delay for two weeks a vote on the service changes, a move which the agency said would cost approximately one million dollars as it continued to run the routes slated for closure.
Compromise comes with conditions
DART is still considering whether to make the general mobility program (GMP) come with strings attached for the seven cities eligible to participate.
The agency wants cities that get the funds to agree not to call an election to leave DART and to commit to not supporting legislative action that would divert funding from DART.
“It would not be appropriate to proceed if the GMP does not resolve the cycle of taking local issues to the Texas Legislature in contravention of the resolution strongly adopted by the DART Board,” Slagel wrote.
But Plano Mayor Muns said he is willing to forgo the money entirely if it comes with conditions.
“Plano has not, and will not at this time, pass a resolution that would bind us to a permanent position,” he said. “The DART resolution in March was not a permanent commitment, so it’s premature to ask for a permanent commitment from our city.”
Muns said an approach “without strings attached” is the only way to move forward.
Carrollton Mayor Steve Babick said his city is also anticipating a “no-strings-attached” mobility program, which it plans to use to invest in “transit zones” around DART stations.
“We believe the DART Board should honor the commitments made under the mobility fund—starting with returning excess funds collected from member cities that exceed the amount spent in those communities,” he said in a statement.
Other cities, however, expressed interest in working with DART. The town of Addison, for example, said it “looks forward to proceeding with the GMP” and passed a resolution in February in support of fully funding DART.
University Park said it has not yet taken any action.
“Once an interlocal agreement for the General Mobility Fund is approved, the city of University Park will carefully review and consider if signing the agreement is in the best interest of the city,” a spokesperson said.
A DART spokesperson said, “The board is working on interlocal agreements that will have to be agreed upon by each individual city eligible for the GMP.”
Criticism from the south end of the Red Line
But DART is not just facing critiques from Plano. In a scathing letter obtained by WFAA, State Rep. Yvonne Davis (D-Dallas) questioned the agency’s leadership and criticized how it approached the legislative proposal to return 25% of its funding to member cities.
“DART leadership failed to address the critical issue that has been looming over the agency for the last two plus legislative sessions – a very clear directive from two legislative committees to address this issue at home before the next upcoming legislative session,” she wrote. “The board’s last minute action that provided for an unrealistic and unsustainable agreement impacted the Southern sector, as well as their most vulnerable customers, clearly demonstrates that the intent was to ‘stall and/or do nothing.’”
She said this at minimum, “questions the judgment of DART’s leadership.”
Davis said she participated in a meeting where Plano proposed an offer to resolve their concerns without legislative action. Muns said the proposal was a 25% reduction in the sales tax for DART phased in over 5 years.
“DART’s response was that the proposal was unacceptable, without offering any recommendation or suggestions,” Davis wrote.
A DART spokesperson said. “A 25% reduction over 5 years would destroy the ability for DART to operate and maintain the system. No official proposal was ever submitted to DART that was not legislation submitted to the legislature.”
Davis said she would return a call from WFAA, but did not do so on Tuesday.
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