DART is warning the North Texans of rough rides if the bill cuts funds for the Regional Transportation Bureau. HB 3187 returns 25% of the sales tax revenue currently allocated to member cities to DART. The measure has already been voted by the Transportation Commission and is currently waiting for a full house vote.
“If we lose 25% of our revenue… it’s completely reduced,” said Jeamy Molina, DART’s chief communications officer.
CBS News Texas
DART is funded with a 1-cent share of sales tax revenue from member cities. But the leaders of the Dirt warn that those pennies have power.
“The size reduction is just over $400 million,” Molina said. “In some contexts, that’s the whole budget for our bus, our light rail. Our entire system. 125,000 customers lost access from the start, which is truly devastating for our area.”
Impact on local businesses
Lance Massie manages the Fillmore Pub in Plano. He says public transport moves people and money.
“Yeah, we’re just outside the truck here. People can ride from Dallas. They can ride from stops, which is the city line,” explained Mazey. “The fewer people have access to public transport, the less likely they will come out in neighborhoods they have never been to, and that is off the beaten path.
Ironically, Plano is one of the members’ cities who are concerned that their investment in darts is not rewarding.
Legislative perspective
Rep. Matt Shaheen, a North Texas state legislator who wrote HB 3187, says that suburban member cities are paying more to DART as economic growth pushes sales tax revenues higher, but they haven’t seen any more services. He believes they deserve a better deal.
“It’s called the Darts Reform Act,” explained Shaheen. “What it does is that you can get 25% back on the payments you pay to DART and then take those dollars and apply them to your local mobility, transportation projects.”
Shaheen added that he believes dirt warnings about the impact of the cut are exaggerated.
“And if Dart just sits down and treats these cities like a customer, I’m not in a situation where I have to file legislation. But Dart is refusing to work with his member cities.”
Dirt response
Dart denies these claims and insists that they cater to the needs of their members’ cities, but says that they cannot provide more services for less dollars.
“We have a mechanism in place to do what we already want in our home here, what we already want with this bill,” Molina retorted. “And we want to solve this issue locally, not Austin.”
More about CBS News
Robby Owens
