Archives > News Update
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
Plano has no plans to leave DART
Plano city officials said there are no plans to leave the DART program; they were only making citizens aware that some of the numbers had changed in the projected time it would take to finish paying off DART. (Ronnie Baker / Staff Photo)
By Zach Markovic, zmarkovic@acnpapers.com
The big yellow train is not going anywhere other than the normal north and south routes through Plano.
The city is neither leaving nor planning on leaving DART at any point in time, said Tom Muehlenbeck, Plano city manager.
Muehlenbeck said the city responded to a citizen inquiry regarding what it would take to withdraw from the Dallas DART service area. Plano staff has worked with DART to determine the steps required to initiate such a process for the citizens, and that is all. He said they were handling this like any other request a citizen would make of the city government.
Morgan Lyons, DART spokesperson, said the reason cities have to wait to vote on a withdrawal from DART is the legislation that was written in regard to the program.
“Legislation is set up so a city can only hold elections to withdraw every six years,” Lyons said. “That was done in the early ‘90s as a way to give DART some stability.”
Lyons said the last chance for withdrawal elections was in 2008, and 1996 was the last time a city held withdrawal elections.
Services to Plano would immediately cease if voters provided the required majority to approve withdrawal, Lyons said. However, contractual payment of sales tax to DART would continue for an estimated 8.8 to 16 years, depending on collection rates at that time.
Muehlenbeck said a change in those numbers was why they wanted to inform the public of what it would mean if they left DART. The number had been projected at seven years from this point six years ago.
Now it fluctuates between the eight- and 16-year mark. This is another change that can be chalked up to the ailing economy. The city pays for DART through sales tax, and as it goes up and down, so does the amount that can be given to DART.
“The reason for the change in the years is because of the volatility with sales tax payments to DART,” Muehlenbeck said.
Since joining DART in 1984, Plano has contributed nearly $794 million, with $53.1 million in sales tax funding the current 2009 contribution.
While criticism of DART and the city’s funding contribution has been questioned by some of Plano’s citizens, there is no indication how a public vote for withdrawal might go.
Plano officials acknowledge the downside to any future savings would be the elimination of both bus and light rail service to Plano residents. Nine Plano bus routes currently boast ridership of more than 974,000 persons annually, with light rail service making Plano a regional destination for not only daily commuters but also tourists and visitors as well.
DART estimates it has invested more than $126 million in direct infrastructure improvements in Plano through permanent transit facilities, with an additional $40 million invested in street and signal improvements. Future plans call for connections to DART’s western service area, including DFW Airport.
Other plans also include the extension of the DART light rail line from Plano to McKinney. Michael Morris, director of the transportation department for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, addressed this hot-button issue for transportation in Collin County at a town hall meeting on March 11. He said before they can move forward on the project, the cities that such a rail line would affect need to have a discussion on it. McKinney and Allen are not member cities of DART, so both would have to be brought in or an arrangement made to make the extension possible.
“We have had the conversation and will continue to have the conversation. Allen, McKinney and Collin County have to decide what they really want and how they would go about getting it funded,” Morris said. “There are a lot of concerns as to the equity and fairness.”
Morris said the numbers are there to support the expansion to the north; it is just a matter of getting a consensus on the project.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: News Update «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
