University Park joins Highland Park in putting the transit service to voters
University Park has joined five other cities planning to hold special elections to determine whether to continue their membership in the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system.
The UP City Council voted unanimously on Jan. 6 to ask residents whether to withdraw from DART. Highland Park, Plano, Irving, and Farmers Branch all decided in December to put the exit issue to voters. Addison scheduled its own special election in January.
If University Park voters approve DART withdrawal at the May 2 election, services in the city will immediately cease, though it will remain responsible for a share of DART’s debt and long-term contracts. University Park city manager Robbie Corder said after the meeting that the city’s payments could continue for about a decade to fulfill those obligations.
University Park has contributed more than $122 million to DART since its inception in 1983 and sent $7.3 million to the system last year.
In addition to a bus route on Preston Road, DART provides a portion of the cost of an SMU shuttle, paratransit, and GoLink services in University Park — all of which could be replaced at a fraction of the amount of the city’s contribution, council member Phillip Philbin explained.
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“I understand and believe in the value of safe, clean, and reliable regional public transportation,” he said. “I’m concerned about DART’s model, and … in particular how it applies to University Park.”
Philbin said that dedicating 1 cent of the city’s local sales tax to DART — half of what it is allowed to retain locally — places University Park at a competitive disadvantage compared to nonmember cities that keep all of their 2-cent tax.
He also argued that withdrawing from DART will only become more expensive. DART claims University Park already owes an additional $91.7 million to the system for its share of DART debt. The city would be on the hook for an additional $22.55 million in debt if it spends six more years as a member.
“The numbers are stunning,” Philbin said. “I’m not saying it should be a one-to-one correlation, but this is nowhere close.”
Residents who spoke in favor of remaining in DART included users of Go Link, an SMU student, and parents of children with disabilities who rely on paratransit.
They said that DART’s reliable and affordable transportation enables their young adults to be independent, and to access employment and essential services.
“Accessible transportation is not a luxury for our kids,” Julie Collier explained. “It is a necessity that enables people with disabilities to live a full, independent, and connected life.”
Philbin responded that the city could contract with the provider that supplies DART with paratransit services at a cost of less than $50,000 annually based on the number of University Park rides DART provided last year.
DART board chair Randall Bryant asked for more time to address the city’s concerns.
“DART does not need any additional cities to call for this election right now to make us understand the severity and the seriousness of this issue,” he said. “That won’t be accomplished by adding one more city to that pile.”
