Dallas Council Members Criticize DART Tax Plan

Dallas City Council members on Tuesday criticized DART officials for what they called a “bait-and-switch” scheme to use sales tax money that Dallas residents have already paid.

The dispute relates to the construction of a new Silver Line rail transit project that will link Plano to the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport passing through North Dallas.

This was discussed Tuesday at a joint meeting of the Dallas City Council’s transportation committee and the DART board of directors.

Silver Line is a DART project where contractors are already working on construction and the Dallas part of the project has not yet been completed.

“In my experience as a professional engineer, I’ve never seen so many issues revisited at this stage of a project,” said DART president Nadine Lee.

The controversy along the Dallas track centered on the city’s demands for storm drains, traffic safety, and noise issues for trains that would run near the homes.

“We were told that if we wanted to get permission, we would have to do it. We were under attack. We had to promote our project as quickly as possible. We knew that accepting some of these things would move our project forward, which didn’t happen. Shame on us for thinking that. However, this money exceeds what is required for the project,” Li said.

Dallas city manager TC Broadnax rejected any such ultimatums over permits.

“These are not statements and approaches that I have ever used, and my employees would not use with a partner to threaten them with no permits,” Brodnaks said.

DART receives some operating money from tolls, but most of it comes from sales taxes in Dallas and 12 other DART cities.

DART received a windfall from sales tax, so the transportation agency agreed to return a portion to each participating city for transportation-related work.

Dallas was promised $111 million. Dallas officials have put together a list of things like bus stops that need to be improved throughout the city.

Now DART is insisting that at least $36 million of the sales tax rebate, maybe more, be spent on Silver Line’s problems blocking building permits instead of DART paying for those things.

District 12 City Councilwoman Kara Mendelsohn represents neighbors closest to railroad construction.

“It is outrageous to think that DART will be judge and jury if there is a delay or anything appropriate,” Mendelsohn said. “I’m just totally appalled that you’re trying to get sales tax money back for things that were really needed.”

Mendelsohn received support from Broadnax in a dispute with DART leader Nadine Lee over a new sales tax cap.

“I don’t believe it, it’s a partnership move that you should be willing to take. AND it’s unfair to this advice. And I think it’s a little unsettling and I would never do that,” Brodnaks said.

Other city council members joined in the complaint against the DART request.

“In general, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. And it leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth because we are supposed to be partners,” said council member Adam Bazaldua. “I don’t believe we owe you anything. We have the most members on your council. We give you the maximum return for your operating budget every year.”

Council member Janey Schultz said she was taken aback by the DART request.

“It’s not a District 12 issue. It’s a Dallas issue, and so we all need to stand by it and figure out how we’re going to move forward,” Schultz said.

City transit officials said they would sit in the same room with DART engineers and work out design details instead of messaging.

“It’s a plan to move these items forward to stop the goalposts from moving,” Dallas assistant city manager Robert Perez said.

Separately, Transportation Committee Chairman Omar Narvaez said he was forming a “working group” of several council members to discuss policy issues with DART.

Board member District 12 Mendelsohn was not elected a member.

“I don’t think most of the people you just nominated know the area the way I do, and I would love to be part of this committee,” Mendelsohn said.

“I appreciate your request and have already made a decision about who I would like to include in the working group. Thank you,” Narvaez said.

Mendelsohn later said that she would continue to be involved in the results of the Silver Line project for her county.

All 13 DART member cities were offered some amount of excess sales tax refunds from DART.

Issues have not yet been resolved.