Richardson officials approved a pair of agreements with Dallas Area Rapid Transit that aim to reshape the system's governance and funding models.
What you need to know
With six member cities heading toward May withdrawal elections, DART adopted a new plan to return money back to cities.
Under the new interlocal agreement, Richardson is expected to receive $26.12 million over the next six years, according to DART documents. Richardson City Council approved the new interlocal agreement Feb. 23, along with a second agreement that will reallocate voting power on DART’s board of directors.
“[Richardson] has some of the most robust usage in the system, and we need to try to maintain and sustain that,“ Richardson City Manager Don Magner said. “We were able to create an interim solution that I think is going to provide us with a lot of time ... to regroup and reconsider things and to work on a very important plan moving forward.”
Plano also approved the interlocal agreements Feb. 23, canceling its withdrawal election in the process. Farmers Branch and Addison will vote on canceling their withdrawal elections Feb. 24, while Irving is expected to follow suit Feb. 26.
The framework
The first interlocal agreement aims to return the equivalent of 25% of DART sales tax receipts to member cities over the next six years. DART and RTC’s contribution would provide a base of 10% sales tax return, and DART officials would work with other regional authorities to make up the rest of the 25% contribution.
The funds must be allocated to projects that benefit DART’s system or provide complementary services, Magner said.
DART board member Gary Slagel, a former mayor of Richardson, said the agency could consider transferring operation of the Silver Line to an independent management authority and going through the state Legislature to increase vehicle registration fees in nonmember cities as potential ways to create new revenue streams. He added that the agency could seek additional state and federal funding.
The second interlocal agreement will increase the DART board from 15 to 22 members, with each member city having at least one seat on the board.
The new structure will remove the city of Dallas’ control majority, and Dallas City Council voted Feb. 11 to reduce the city’s voting share on the DART board to 45%.
Looking ahead
Magner said that he anticipates DART services to be impacted by the new plan.
“You can't give up $360 million over the course of six years and not have to make some changes,” he said.
Magner added that the goal is to ensure that service in Richardson is maintained at “the levels they are.”
“Every city in DART’s system is gonna have some kind of an impact,” he said. “We have to make sure that those choices the DART board is going to have to make are the least impactful to our community as possible.”
