HP to Consider Resolution Supporting Cities Seeking DART Funding Changes

The Highland Park Town Council has asked staff to draft a resolution supporting cities that have requested Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) reconsider the formula it uses to collect revenue.

DART receives one percent of the sales tax collected by the state comptroller on behalf of 13 member cities. At least five of those cities — Farmers Branch, Carrollton, Rowlett, Plano, and Irving — have requested that DART reduce this amount by a quarter to 0.75 of a cent per dollar.

With a resolution, Highland Park’s aim would be to push DART to provide “right-size” services for the community, explained Town Administrator Tobin Maples. 

“DART is important,” he said in a break during the July 16 meeting. “And no one wants to pull out of DART, but let’s better understand their business model and have a little more transparency.”

Highland Park expects to contribute $6.7 million to DART in the fiscal year that begins in October 2024. But the only service it receives in return is the operation of Bus Route 237, which travels north-south along Preston Road.

The town, Mayor Will Beecherl said during the meeting, is paying the equivalent of an “Uber amount of money” for people to ride the bus.

Also at issue is a lack of information from DART that makes it difficult to understand how funds are used or how many riders benefit from its services, Beecherl said.

Member cities don’t have the power to change how much funding DART collects. A funding claw back could only be accomplished with approval from DART’s board, or through a legislative fix, Maples said during the meeting.

The Town Council could consider passage of a resolution in August.

During a July 2 meeting, University Park tabled a resolution supporting the cities that have requested DART reduce its sales tax collection. City Council members discussed moving the item back onto the agenda after completion of a DART value study from Ernst & Young, the city’s marketing and multimedia coordinator Abby Mancini said.

Also during the July 16 meeting, the Highland Park Town Council:

• Granted an extension on a construction permit for a new single-family residence at 4200 Arcady Ave.
•  Ratified a service agreement for the emergency dredging of Exall Lake, which was required to prevent the breeding of mosquitos and growth of algae.