The Plano City Council voted unanimously yesterday to put a May 2026 special election on the ballot that will let residents decide whether the city withdraws from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system. The move follows months of escalating complaints from city leaders that Plano pays far more into DART than it receives back in local service. Voters will now get the region’s transit debate in a single, high-stakes question next spring.
At the special meeting, the council voted 8-0 to call a May 2, 2026, special election to ask residents whether Plano should leave DART. The decision joins Highland Park and Farmers Branch in moving a withdrawal question to voters and arrives shortly after DART's new Silver Line began service through parts of North Texas, as reported by Community Impact.
Public Reaction At City Hall
More than 100 people signed up to speak at the meeting, and the majority urged council members not to withdraw from DART, citing commutes, medical appointments, and jobs. A wheelchair user told the council, “It's going to mean that I won't be able to get any access to my medical care,” illustrating concerns about access for riders who depend on regional transit. KERA noted the public outpouring and the personal pleas from riders.
Officials Point To Spending Disparities
City leaders have pointed to a 2023 Ernst & Young Infrastructure Advisors analysis that found Plano paid about $109.6 million in sales tax to DART while receiving roughly $44.6 million in local spending in fiscal 2023. Director of Government Relations Andrew Fortune told the council that staff are sketching alternatives — from expanded GoLink zones to county partnerships — and the city has earmarked roughly $4 million as an initial investment for new or transitional service, as reported by Community Impact.
DART Officials Warn Of Immediate Disruption
DART leaders say the accounting and methodology behind that snapshot differ from the agency’s internal analyses and warned that service in Plano would stop immediately if voters approved withdrawal. CEO Nadine Lee called the prospect “devastating” and said the agency has offered concessions — including expanded GoLink coverage and a Legacy circulator — while urging continued negotiation. KERA reported on DART’s response and the agency’s warnings about systemwide impacts.
Regional Stakes And How We Got Here
The debate is rooted in a long-running tension between suburbs that call themselves “donor cities” and the agency over how a one-cent sales tax is allocated and which cities get the most service. D Magazine traced the pushback back to 2024 and earlier, noting that every six years, member cities can put a withdrawal question to voters and that Plano and others have pushed for more locally targeted funding and service changes.
Legal And Financial Implications
Even if voters approve an exit, Plano would likely remain responsible for its share of DART’s capital debt for several years, and the loss of a member city would reduce sales-tax revenue that funds systemwide operations. City staff have cast options like customer-city contracts and microtransit as alternatives, but elected officials and riders say the stakes go beyond local budgets and into access to daily life. FOX 4 News reported on the debt and budget implications.
