Leaders at Dallas Area Rapid Transit say legislation filed in the Statehouse last week would have a 鈥渄evastating economic impact鈥� on the region if the bills become law.
The identical bills 鈥� and 鈥� would reduce member cities' contribution to a regional transportation authority by 25%. DART gets most of its funding from a one-cent sales and use tax from its 13 member cities, which adds up to millions of dollars.
鈥淲e can say without question that this legislation will dramatically reduce bus and rail service reliability, expansion plans, and long-term infrastructure investments,鈥� DART Board Chair Gary Slagel said in a statement.
The bills would redirect up to a quarter of that sales tax revenue back to member cities to fund a "general mobility program." That could include sidewalk and bike trail maintenance, street light installation and drainage work.
"HB 3187 gives cities, who are paying more into the DART system than the city is receiving in services, a 25% reimbursement of hard- earned taxpayer funds for the city to use for priority transportation projects to improve mobility for its residents," the House bill's author, Republican Rep. Matt Shaheen of Plano, told 四虎影院 in a statement.
四虎影院 has also reached out to Republican state Sen. Angela Paxton of McKinney, who, along with Sens. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) and Brent Hagenbuch (R-Denton), authored the Senate version of the bill. They did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The legislation comes after months of conflict between DART and a group of suburban member cities 鈥� including Plano, Irving and Carrollton 鈥� that have passed resolutions in support of reducing their contributions to the agency.
Steve Stoler, spokesperson for the city of Plano, said the legislation is a response to years-long concerns from the city about 鈥渉igh costs and low value of services鈥� for its residents.
鈥淲e gave them ample time to work with us on a fair and equitable solution to their spending problem,鈥� Stoler said in an emailed statement. 鈥淲hen they failed to act, we had no choice but to ask our taxpayer champions in the Texas Legislature to step in on our behalf.鈥�
He added the intent of this legislation is to correct and protect against 鈥渋nequities鈥� highlighted in a study released last September by consultant Ernst & Young that was requested by cities but paid for by DART. The report showed that Plano received only a fraction of what it paid to DART in sales and use taxes.
DART leaders had been in talks over how to keep the legislation from being filed before a February deadline set by the Regional Transportation council. The council ultimately voted this month to stay neutral in the debate.
A spokesperson for DART told 四虎影院 the potential cuts mean the agency鈥檚 budget to plan for capital projects, like the Silver Line, could be reduced by as much as half.
鈥淭hese changes would dramatically reverse the upward trajectory the agency has been headed in to create a more clean, safe, and reliable system as well as the extensive plans in place to modernize the system,鈥� Slagel said in the statement.
He added DART leadership will continue working with member cities to resolve the funding debate 鈥渨ithout the need for state intervention.鈥�
Pablo Arauz Pe帽a is 四虎影院鈥檚 growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org. You can follow him on X .
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