[00:00:01]
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I NOW DECLARE THAT
[Call to Order]
PLANO CITY COUNCIL HAS CONVENED IN THE SPECIAL CALLED SESSION THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.I DON'T HAVE A GAVEL, SO I APOLOGIZE.
[1. An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Plano, Texas, ordering an election to be held in and throughout the City of Plano, Texas, on May 2, 2026, to dissolve the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System in the City of Plano, Texas, subject to the continued collection of sales taxes for the period required by law; providing for location of polling places to be designated at a later date; providing for early voting; and providing an effective date.]
WE'LL BEGIN THE MEETING WITH A PRESENTATION FROM ANDREW FORTUNE, DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS. ANDREW?>> FORTUNE, DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS.
THIS EVENING, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TRANSIT IN PLANO.
A FEW FACTS FOR BOTH YOU AND THE COMMUNITY, FROM ITS INCEPTION IN 22025, PLANO HAS CONTRIBUTED OVER 2.2 BILLION TO DART.
PLANO SALES TAX CONTRIBUTION TO DART IS NOW WELL OVER 120 MILLION A YEAR, MORE THAN PLANO SPENDS ON POLICE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMBINED.
TONIGHT, COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER EMPOWERING PLANO CITIZENS TO ANSWER THE QUESTION SHOULD DART CONTINUE AS PLANO'S TRANSIT PARTNER.
NOW, I SHOULD EMPHASIZE, PLANO HAS A LONG HISTORY OF BEING COMMITTED TO TRANSIT.
PLANO CITY COUNCIL HAS IDENTIFIED SERIOUS CONCERNS RELATED TO SERVICE, SAFETY, RELIABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED THOSE IN PREVIOUS LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS AND EFFORTS, AND WE'VE ATTEMPTED REFORMS. NOW, IN TERMS OF PLANO'S ENGAGEMENT, WHILE I REALIZE MANY AMONG THE COUNCIL ARE AWARE OF THE DIFFERENT PROPOSALS WE PUT FORWARD.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY KNEW WHERE PLANO HAS ENGAGED AND HOW WE HAVE IN TERMS OF PROPOSALS OVER THE YEARS.
PRIOR TO THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, PLANO ACTUALLY MET WITH DART LEADERSHIP AFTER IDENTIFYING THAT THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS RELATED TO INEQUITY OF FUNDING TO NEGOTIATE A GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM, TERM I THINK MOST ARE FAMILIAR WITH AT THIS POINT, THE IDEA THAT FUNDING COULD BE RETURNED BACK FOR GENERAL TRANSPORTATION PURPOSES.
THERE WERE CONCERNS FROM THE DART BOARD.
THAT WAS TIME BOUND BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING AT A LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WAS ABOUT TO START.
ULTIMATELY, THERE WAS NO ACTION TAKEN BY THE DART BOARD PRIOR TO THE BILL FILING, AND SO WE MOVED FORWARD.
WE HAD A 25% GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM, WE SOUGHT TO ADVANCE AGAIN TO LOOK AT CHANGING AND REFORMING THE 42-YEAR-OLD SYSTEM.
DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AS OFTEN HAPPENS, WE WERE ASKED TO COME TO THE TABLE BY LEGISLATORS AND THE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION CHAIR TO OFFER A COMPROMISE. PLANO DID SO.
WE OFFERED A PHASED IN GLIDE PATH TO REACH THAT 25%.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WAS NOT ACCEPTED.
AS WE MOVED FORWARD, WE'VE CONTINUED TO SEE THE INEQUITY.
WE'VE NOT SEEN PROGRESS FROM STAR PERSPECTIVE THAT WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH YET.
AS OF MONDAY, THE MAYOR, MYSELF, AND THE CITY MANAGER MET WITH CHAIR BRYANT, AND WE PROPOSED A RAIL ONLY SOLUTION WITH A 50% GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE DO REMAIN ENGAGED REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE OUTCOME IS THIS EVENING.
WE ARE AT THE TABLE CURRENTLY WITH DART AND ALL THE OTHER 13 MEMBER CITIES WITH THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, LOOKING FOR A WAY TO REFORM THE CURRENT SYSTEM.
AGAIN, CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING UP TO THIS POINT.
IN TERMS OF WITHDRAWAL ELECTIONS, FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROCESS, SHOULD YOU MOVE FORWARD THIS EVENING, COUNCIL DOES HAVE UP UNTIL 45 DAYS BEFORE MAY TO RESCIND THE CALL.
SHOULD THAT BE THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL THIS EVENING? WE MOVE FORWARD TO ADD THAT TO THE BALLOT.
DART COMES FORWARD WITH A PROPOSAL THAT FIXES THE CONCERNS OF SAFETY, RELIABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, FINANCIAL INEQUITY.
THAT IS AN OPTION THAT IS AVAILABLE TO YOU AS A BODY.
REAL QUICK, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH DART AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND OUR INVESTMENT AND LOOKING TO REFORM THE SYSTEM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
THE TIMELINE THERE FOR BOTH YOU AND THE COMMUNITY SHOWS YOU THE INITIAL RETURN ON INVESTMENT REQUESTS, WE'RE PUTTING IN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TAX DOLLARS. WHAT ARE WE GETTING IN RETURN? THAT WAS MADE IN 2020. IN THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE SESSION WHERE THIS ISSUE CAME UP, THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO COMPEL THAT, LIKE MANY DATA AND AUDIT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
THAT WAS PULLED DOWN DURING THAT SESSION WITH THE PROMISES THAT PLANO WOULD RECEIVE THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAD ASKED FOR.
UNFORTUNATELY, IN 2022, WE RECEIVED WHAT WE PARTIALLY BELIEVED TO BE A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS ON REALLY THE BENEFITS OF TRANSIT.
IT DIDN'T GET TO THE HEART OF THE QUESTION ON WHERE ARE THE DOLLARS BEING SPENT THAT WE'VE INVESTED IN PLANO? ANOTHER STUDY WAS DONE.
AGAIN, IT WAS USING SOME METHODOLOGY THAT WE AND LEGISLATORS HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT.
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E MOVED FORWARD IN THE 88TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND FILED SENATE BILL 1370.ONCE AGAIN, TO TRY AND COMPEL INFORMATION ABOUT A RETURN ON INVESTMENT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND.
AGAIN, WHILE THAT PASSED THE SENATE, IT DID DIE IN THE HOUSE WITH THE INSTRUCTION TO GO HOME AND WORK IT OUT HERE LOCALLY.
THE CITY ADVANCED CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER CITIES ABOUT LOOKING AT TRANSIT AS A REGION, AND WITH TRANSIT 2.0 IN THE COG.
BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY, DART DID ENGAGE IN AN INDEPENDENT STUDY.
THROUGH ERNST AND YOUNG, SO E Y, A WORLD RENOWNED FIRM, CONDUCTED A STUDY LOOKING AT 2023.
THE RESULTS ARE THERE ON THE SCREEN AS PROBABLY NOT NEW TO MANY OF YOU.
BUT THAT STUDY, WHILE INDEPENDENTLY COMMISSIONED, IT WAS CONDUCTED WITHOUT DART STAFF OR BOARD MEMBERS INPUT.
IT DID HIGHLIGHT SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES.
YOU SEE THERE, PLANO BEING ONE OF THE LARGEST WHERE WE PUT IN 109.6 MILLION IN 2023, AND ONLY 44.6 MILLION WAS SPENT IN THE CITY OF PLANO, NOT EVEN $0.50 ON THE DOLLAR.
WE REALIZE IT'S NOT ALWAYS A DOLLAR IN DOLLAR OUT KIND OF SYSTEM, BUT TO BE THE SECOND LARGEST PAYER AND TO SEE THAT GROSS OF INEQUITY WAS RIGHTFULLY SO A CAUSE FOR ALARM.
BACK TO THE JOURNEY, WE MOVED FORWARD.
AS I MENTIONED IN 2024, WE SOUGHT TO PUT FORWARD A SOLUTION, AN AGREEMENT THAT WOULD KEEP US OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE.
WE WEREN'T ABLE TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT.
WE FILED A BILL TO AGAIN REFORM THE CURRENT SYSTEM, TO TRY AND WRITE THAT INEQUITY AND PROVIDE A MECHANISM IN THE FUTURE TO GUARD AGAINST FUTURE INEQUITIES.
NOW WE'VE REACHED, AND WE'RE UPCOMING 2026.
IN STATE LAW, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, IT ACTUALLY DICTATES THAT THE CITIZENS CAN BE APPROACHED ONLY ONCE EVERY SIX YEARS TO RECONSIDER THEIR PARTICIPATION IN DART.
THIS ISN'T SOMETHING WE COULD PUT OFF TO NEXT YEAR OR TWO YEARS FROM NOW.
THIS IS A SINGULAR WINDOW THAT IF THE COUNCIL DOES NOT ACT AND DOES NOT WISH TO HEAR FROM THE CITIZENS, IT WILL BE ANOTHER SIX YEARS BEFORE THE PLANO RESIDENTS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPINE ON THAT.
THE GOAL. I SHOULD NOTE, THE GOAL HAS REALLY BEEN CONSISTENT, IT'S BEEN THE SAME.
I THINK IT WOULD REMAIN THE SAME, PURSUANT TO COUNCIL'S DIRECTION, REGARDLESS OF WHERE WE GO THIS EVENING, BUT WE NEED MODERNIZED EQUITABLE SERVICE COMMENSURATE WITH OUR INVESTMENT.
WE NEED TO RE-IMAGINE THE 42-YEAR-OLD MODEL. THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.
WE HAD A PANDEMIC. WE'VE HAD, POPULATION GROWTH OFF THE CHARTS.
I MEAN, PEOPLE'S MOVEMENT HAS CHANGED.
WE NEED TO FIND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR THOSE MOBILITY NEEDS, AND WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON COLLECTIVE REGIONALISM RATHER THAN REGIONALISM AT THE EXPENSE OF JUST A HANDFUL OF CITIES OR ENTITIES.
JUMPING INTO THIS, I WANTED TO SHOW AGAIN, THOSE AROUND THE DICE IN THE COMMUNITY DART'S CURRENT SERVICE AREA.
THE AREAS SHADED IN THAT SALMON REDDISH COLOR ARE A GO LINK ZONES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU CANNOT TRAVEL ZONE TO ZONE VERY EASILY WITHOUT HAVING TO AGAIN CONNECT.
MAKE A CONNECTION.THE COUNCIL HAS ASKED ON THE RECORD MANY TIMES FOR A CITYWIDE GO LINK OPTION SO THAT YOU REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CONNECTIONS THAT ONE HAS TO MAKE.
YOU SEE ALSO THE BUS LINES IN ORANGE AND BLUE, WHERE, AGAIN, IF YOU'RE HAVING TO MOVE FROM NORTHERN PLANO AND YOU WANT TO CONNECT TO THE STATION IN DOWNTOWN PLANO, YOU'RE MAKING A COUPLE CONNECTIONS TO GET THERE.
I SHOULD ALSO KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE THE SECOND LARGEST PAYER INTO THE SYSTEM, ALL OF THE AREA GRADE OUT IS UNSERVED POPULATION CENTERS IN PLANO, INCLUDING AREAS ALONG THE GEORGE BUSH TOLLWAY, MAJOR EMPLOYMENT CENTERS.
THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT GAPS IN SERVICE AS WE SEE THEM TODAY.
WE HAVE TRIED TO ADDRESS THOSE WITH REQUESTS.
AGAIN, THE IDEA OF A GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM WOULD BE THAT THOSE FUNDS WOULD COME BACK TO THE CITY FOR US TO ENGAGE WITH OUR RESIDENTS TO BETTER DEPLOY THEM.
THAT WE CAN FIND A SOLUTION AND FILL THOSE GAPS AND FILL THOSE NEEDS.
ALTERNATIVES. I PUT A BLANK MAP UP THERE BECAUSE, SHOULD THE COUNCIL DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD TONIGHT WITH PUTTING THIS ON THE BALLOT.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THE OTHER TRANSIT OPTION.
TONIGHT, WHAT'S BEFORE YOU IS NOT TRANSIT OR NO TRANSIT.
WE'RE NOT TAKING AWAY TRANSPORTATION FROM OUR RESIDENTS.
IT'S A QUESTION OF WHICH PARTNER SHOULD THE FUTURE PLAINTIFF REALLY RELY ON.
TOP OF MINE, STAFF RECOMMENDS CONTINUITY OF SERVICE.
WE DON'T WANT TO DISRUPT EXISTING SERVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WHO RELY MOST ON IT, WITH OUR PARATRANSIT, OUR MICROTRANSIT.
IN ANTICIPATION OF POTENTIAL DISCUSSIONS, STAFF HAS BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH POTENTIAL VENDORS.
OUR FIRST CONVERSATIONS ACTUALLY LAST YEAR, JUST TO SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE, TO SEE WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE.
WHILE WE DON'T WANT TO EVER GET IN FRONT OF OUR COUNCIL,
[00:10:02]
WE DO HAVE A DEFINED PLAN AND SET OF OPTIONS THAT WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO BOTH BRING TO THE COUNCIL, BUT ALSO TO OPEN UP TO THE COMMUNITY.I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE AS STAFF ARE NOT THE SINGULAR VOICE FOR SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AND INTEGRAL TO THE DAILY LIVES OF OUR CITIZENS.
WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THOSE WHO USE IT DAILY, WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT WORKING? HOW COULD YOU MAKE THAT BETTER? AGAIN, TO KIND OF LEAN INTO THAT.
BACK TO WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE, I TALKED ABOUT HOW YOU HAVE TO MAKE MULTIPLE TRANSITIONS TO GET FROM MODE TO MODE TO GET DOWN OUT OF PLANO INTO DALLAS.
WITH A CITY WIDE SERVICE, IF YOU'RE IN NORTH PLANO, YOU CAN CALL, YOU CAN HAVE AN APP, CAN PICK YOU UP, AND THEY CAN DRIVE AND DROP YOU WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO GO IN ONE TRIP.
NOW, THEY CAN GO OUTSIDE OF PLANO.
THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS THAT WE'D WANT FROM COMMUNITY INPUT.
DRAWING THE MAP AND DECIDING, WHETHER IT BE A RALLY POINT AT AN EXISTING DART STATION IN ANOTHER CITY, WHETHER IT BE, COORDINATING PARATRANSIT SERVICES WITH OTHER CITIES, NOT JUST DART CITIES, BUT ALSO CITIES TO THE NORTH.
OUR RESIDENTS GO NORTH JUST AS MUCH AS THEY DO SOUTH THESE DAYS.
LOOKING AT DCTA, WHAT PARTNERSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE THERE, LOOKING AT MCKINNEY'S CONTRACTED SERVICES, POTENTIAL FUTURE SERVICES, AND INVESTMENT FROM THE COUNTY.
REALLY, AGAIN, I POINT BACK TO THIS BLANK MAP BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY SHOULD THE COUNCIL MOVE FORWARD.
THAT'S REALLY KIND OF WHAT YOU HAVE IS A BLANK CANVAS AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITIZENS TO COME IN.
WHILE, AGAIN, WE DO HAVE OPTIONS. WE HAVE PRICING.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT LEVERS THAT COULD BE PULLED BASED ON THE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT WE WANT TO INVEST IN.
THIS IS STILL A BLANK CANVAS THAT COULD BE ULTIMATELY SOMETHING THAT BENEFITS US, POTENTIALLY EVEN BETTER THAN THE EXISTING OPTIONS.
WITH THAT, I'M THROWING A LOT OF INFORMATION AT YOU.
A FEW THINGS, I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, DART HAS BEEN AROUND, AS I MENTIONED, FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
DURING THAT TIME, NOT ONE CITY HAS JOINED.
THAT'S NOT A LEGAL PROHIBITION.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S A WILLINGNESS CONCERN ON DART'S PART TO BE FAIR.
I DO THINK THE MODEL AND THE PROPOSITION OF THE $0.01 PENNY BUY END IS JUST NOT FEASIBLE. IT'S OUTDATED.
IT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THE DYNAMICS THAT WE HAVE NOW TODAY.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, AGAIN, WHILE WE HAVE TRIED AND BEEN ON THIS JOURNEY TO TRY AND REFORM, SEEK RELIEF, FIND CHANGES THAT FIX THE CONCERNS THAT THIS BODY HAS HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY ON.
WE'RE NOW REACHING THIS WINDOW THAT STAFF FELT IT IMPORTANT THAT THIS CONVERSATION IS SOMETHING WE OUGHT TO EDUCATE THE BODY ON AND REALLY SEEK YOUR DIRECTION.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE AT THIS TIME.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. ANDREW, YOU MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE CURRENT PROPOSAL WAS A 50% RAIL ONLY.
NOW, THE OTHER 50% CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THIS WOULD COME BACK FOR LOCAL MOBILITY PROJECTS.
THAT WE COULD DO USE THAT MONEY FOR PARATRANSIT, FOR ON DEMAND SERVICE.
ESSENTIALLY EVERYTHING YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT AS AN ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE COVERED STILL BY THAT $0.01 OR 1%.
TO THAT POINT, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT MENTION THAT DART DID, IN FACT, OFFER A 5% GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM DURING NEGOTIATIONS IN AUSTIN.
OF COURSE, THAT CAME NOWHERE CLOSE TO THE REFORMS THAT THIS BODY AT THE TIME WAS SEEKING.
IT WAS SOMETHING WE WERE STILL FOLLOWING AND TRACKING WITH ERNEST.
UNFORTUNATELY, ADDITIONAL STRINGS AFTER THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WERE ADDED TO THAT PROGRAM.
THOSE WERE FUNDS THAT COULD HAVE COME BACK TO US HERE SOON, UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE ADDITIONAL STRINGS ARE SUCH THAT IT MAKES IT LARGELY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY CITY TO IN GOOD CONSCIENCE.
BUT IT'S NOT A NEW CONCEPT, AND IT'S ONE THAT WE WOULD HAVE FLEXIBILITY TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS AND IMPROVE ON WHAT WE HAVE.
>> TO THAT POINT, IF DART WERE TO REJECT THAT PROPOSAL OR HAS REJECTED THAT PROPOSAL.
WE DID FIND THAT THE RESIDENTS WISHED TO LEAVE DART.
IS THERE ANY PROHIBITION THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF DART NEGOTIATING WITH THE CITY OF PLANO TO RESTORE TRAIN SERVICE AT SOME COST?
ONE WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR LEGAL TEAM TO LOOK AT, THE STATUTE IS PRETTY CLEAR.
ONCE A WITHDRAWAL ELECTION OCCURS, ALL SERVICE STOPS.
HOWEVER, THE STATUTE DOES ALLOW FOR DART TO CONTRACT SERVICES WITH CITIES AND ENTITIES, WHICH YOU ALREADY SEE THEM DOING CURRENTLY WITH MCKINNEY, FOR EXAMPLE.
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AS A PART OF THAT, WE DO BELIEVE THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CONTRACTING SERVICE FOR EITHER ACCESS BACK TO THE SILVER LINE, WHICH IS A NEW ASSET, AND IT'S GREAT FOR THE REGION, OR TO POTENTIALLY LOOK AT CONTRACTING AND COOPERATION FOR PARATRANSIT.THOSE THINGS ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT WE BELIEVE ARE POSSIBLE.
IT DOES TAKE A WILLINGNESS TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
BUT AS A REMINDER, I KNOW THIS BODY HAS MOVED FORWARD WITH THIS, BUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY.
IN THE LAST BUDGET, WE ACTUALLY SET ASIDE $4 MILLION AS AN INITIAL INVESTMENT THAT WE ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO ACHIEVE MATCHING FUNDS FROM OTHER SOURCES TO BE ABLE TO INVEST INTO THIS.
WHEN WE SAY, WE HAVE A PLAN, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT UM, PREEMPT ANY ACTION OR DIRECTION FROM THIS COUNCIL, BUT WE ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD, SHOULD THAT BE THE DESIRE OF THIS BODY TO START HOSTING COMMUNITY INPUT MEETINGS, TO BE VISITING WITH VENDORS, AND LOOKING AT SERVICE MODELS BACK TO THOSE LEVERS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT SERVICE DOES WORK FOR PLANO, AND WHAT DO WE WANT TO PROVIDE?
>>THAT PLAN COULD BE IMPLEMENTED EVEN BEFORE THE VOTE?
BACK TO CONTINUITY OF SERVICE, I THINK THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WE LOOK AT IMPLEMENTING WHATEVER THAT ALTERNATE PLAN WOULD BE, MONTHS IN ADVANCE OF THE VOTE.
STARTING THAT SO THAT YOU CAN EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY.
THE COMMUNITY CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE, CAN GIVE FEEDBACK.
WE CAN MAKE TWEAKS AS NECESSARY AND BY THE TIME YOU COME TO A VOTE, IF THE COMMUNITY CHOOSES THAT THEY WISH TO LEAVE DART, THERE'S ALREADY AN ALTERNATIVE IN PLACE.
IF THEY CHOOSE TO STAY FOR THE REMAINDER PORTION OF THAT CONTRACT, IT IS AN ADDITIVE, AND A BENEFIT FOR THE COMMUNITY, EITHER WAY, I THINK THE COMMUNITY WOULD WIN IN THAT SCENARIO.
>>THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, ANDREW. JUST TO ITERATE, AGAIN, FROM THIS PLAN, AS YOU SAID, WE'D BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IT WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS BEFORE THE ELECTION.
ALSO, WITH LOOKING AT THAT PLAN, WOULD YOU CONSIDER IT TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE NIMBLE, A LITTLE BIT MORE SERVING OF THE COMMUNITY IN THAT RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE WORKFORCE TO THEIR BUSINESSES TO WORK.
WE'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC ENGINE, IF YOU WILL, BETWEEN BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANTS, AND ETC, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
DO YOU THINK WITH THE COMBINATION OF AN OUTSIDE SOURCE TO PROVIDE THAT TRANSIT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT MICROTRANSIT, STILL CONTINUE WITH THE GO LINK, DOOR TO DOOR, CONTINUE WITH PARATRANSIT, BUT ALSO HANDLE THE STANDARD BUS ROUTES?
>> YES, SIR, I DO BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT MICROTRANSIT AND PARATRANSIT IS YOU HAVE BETTER ACCESS TO DATA.
WHERE WE FIND THAT THE PATTERN OF PEOPLE ARE MOVING, IF THAT CHANGES OR SHIFTS DEPENDING ON AN EVENT, THE FIFA WORLD CUP IS ONE THAT CONSTANTLY COMES UP.
WE'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT HEAD ON.
MICROTRANSIT DATA WOULD ALLOW US TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THOSE CHANGES IN TRENDS IN POPULATION INFLUXES SO THAT WE COULD PREPARE AND MANAGE NOT ONLY JUST THE TRANSIT SYSTEM, BUT ALSO TRAFFIC ON OUR ROADS.
WE HAVE A FEW UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON MAKING SURE THAT THOSE THINGS GET MOVED QUICKLY, BUT TO YOUR POINT, WE HAVE ASKED PREVIOUSLY, NUMEROUS TIMES FOR AN OLE CART MODEL FROM DART, AN OLE CART OPTION, WE'VE ASKED FOR FULL COVERAGE OF OUR CITY, GIVEN THE 120 PLUS MILLION THAT WE INVEST.
THOSE REQUESTS ACTUALLY LAST IN WRITING, I THINK WE'RE DECEMBER OF 2024, IN A LETTER TO THE BOARD, AND THEY ARE STILL UNFULFILLED TODAY.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BEING RESPONSIVE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE WHAT OUR RESIDENTS ASK FOR, I DO THINK THAT THIS WOULD PROVIDE A DIFFERENT AND PERHAPS MORE RESPONSIVE OPTION.
>> IF THE CITIZENS VOTE TO DISSOLVE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH DART, SERVICES TO PLANO WILL STOP AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT, CORRECT?
>> YES, SIR. AFTER THE VOTE IS TALLIED AND CANVASSED AND DECLARED, SERVICES WOULD STOP AT THAT POINT.
>> I'M GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MICROTRANSIT SYSTEM OR A TRANSIT SYSTEM WITHIN THE CITY OF PLANO, WE'LL STILL HAVE CONNECTIVITY TO THE RAIL STATIONS, SO THE FOLKS THAT ARE STILL COMMUTING DOWNTOWN OR MOCKINGBIRD STATION OR EVEN GOING TO TERMINAL B, THEY'LL STILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE TRAINS, BUT THEY'LL HAVE TO COME THROUGH USING A TRANSIT SERVICE THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE, CORRECT?
>> YES, SIR. AS I MENTIONED A LITTLE EARLIER, THAT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW THE COMMUNITY INPUT COMES TOGETHER OF HOW YOU DRAW THE MAP OF SERVICES.
IF THE COMMUNITY SAYS, REALLY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE RAIL STATIONS, AND PERHAPS WE'RE MIDWAY THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS WITH DART FOR A POTENTIAL AGREEMENT ON ACCESSING THOSE STATIONS, WE COULD STILL HAVE SEVERAL LEGS THAT GO OUTSIDE OF PLANO AND GO TO SEVERAL LOCATIONS DEPENDING ON COMMUNITY INPUT AND WHERE OUR RESIDENTS NEED TO GO.
[00:20:02]
SIMILARLY, I SHOULD NOTE, WE KNOW OTHER CITIES ARE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.THE IDEA AND ABILITY FOR THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN VISITING WITH, AT LEAST, FOR THEM TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS AND DO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS AND SERVICES, VERY NIMBLE, SO WHETHER THAT BE THE TRANSIT SYSTEM TO THE NORTH, OUR CURRENT PARTNER, OTHER CITIES, AND WHATEVER SOLUTIONS THEY IMPLEMENT, THAT'S THE NICE PART ABOUT THOSE OPTIONS.
>> ANDREW, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
>> I'VE BEEN ON THIS JOURNEY WITH YOU SINCE 2019.
>> I THINK I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT'S SITTING HERE TODAY THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN MOST OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT YOU BRING BACK IN BRIEFING WITH REGARD TO THE STAFF'S DISCUSSION WITH DART.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, THOUGH.
NOW, I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE MONEY PART, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE THIS IS OUR MONEY THAT WE'RE GIVING TO DART.
WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT IN ONE YEAR WE GIVE $109 MILLION TO DART, IT'S ONLY ONE YEAR, AND THAT'S, I THINK BACK IN 2023; AM I RIGHT?
>> HAS THAT AMOUNT INCREASED EACH YEAR SINCE 2023?
AGAIN, TO BE FAIR TO OUR PARTNER, THAT PARTICULAR STUDY DID NOT INCLUDE THE SILVER LINE.
WE DID, AND ARE GOING TO GAIN TWO STATIONS, AND WE HAVE THOSE, THEY ARE ONLINE.
THE QUESTION WOULD BE, WE HAVE ASKED FOR, ACTUALLY, THE SAME STUDY TO BE REPLICATED WITH THE SAME METHODOLOGY TO SEE, DOES THAT COVER THE GAP? I WOULD BE VERY SKEPTICAL, IT'S A $65 MILLION A YEAR, IN THAT YEAR GAP, EVEN THOUGH OUR SALES TAX HAS GROWN AND SERVICE IN PLANO HAS LARGELY REMAINED UNCHANGED FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
WE'VE WELCOMED THAT CONVERSATION.
I WILL SAY, AND I THINK SOME OF YOU KNOW, THE DART BOARD HAS UNFORTUNATELY ALREADY ADVANCED DISCUSSIONS ON CHANGING THE METHODOLOGY.
THEY WERE UNHAPPY WITH THE RESULTS OF THE EY STUDY, DESPITE ITS BEING INDEPENDENT, THEY BELIEVED OTHER FACTORS SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED, AND SO THEY WERE ACTIVELY DISCUSSING MAKING CHANGES TO THAT METHODOLOGY.
DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE WE GOT TO THAT POINT WITH THIS PARTNER, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT EVEN WITH THOSE COMING ONLINE WILL HAVE A DIFFERENCE.
>> IN OTHER WORDS, EVEN THOUGH IN 2023, MAYBE $109 MILLION, BUT OUR $0.01 NEVER CHANGE.
IF OUR SALES TAX CONTINUE TO GROW BECAUSE BUSINESSES ARE DOING REALLY GOOD, WE ARE STILL CONTRIBUTING THAT $0.01 WHICH WILL INCREASE IN TIME. AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT?
>> BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING ANYTHING REALLY IN RESPOND TO THAT INCREASE IN SERVICES.
>> AGAIN, I'D POINT BACK TO THE MAP I'VE PUT ON THE SCREEN.
A LARGE AREA WHERE MANY OF OUR BUSINESSES CURRENTLY RESIDE, WHERE MONEY IS SPENT, DOESN'T EVEN HAVE SERVICE.
THEY'RE GENERATING MONEY FROM THE SYSTEM, AND THERE'S LITTLE TO NO SERVICE TO GET IN AND OUT OF THOSE BUSINESSES ACTUALLY FEEDING THE SYSTEM.
>> WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING, WE WERE SAYING, LOOK, DART, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US BACK MAYBE A QUARTER? THEN LET US USE THAT MONEY FOR MAYBE POSSIBLY DEVELOP OUR OWN MOBILITY, OR MAYBE TO DO ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MAYBE TO FIX THE POTHOLES ON THE STREET.
LET US DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THE MONEY THAT YOU'RE NOT REALLY USING FOR THE BENEFIT OF CITY PLANO. DID WE DO THAT?
>> WHAT HAPPENED? WE WERE TOLD THAT IT'S NOT A $1 AND $1 OUT SYSTEM, AND THAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE SPOKEN FOR.
THE GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM OF 5% WAS OFFERED.
THAT GAVE US SOME AMOUNT OF HOPE.
IT WASN'T QUITE WHAT WE WANTED IN TERMS OF STRUCTURAL LONG TERM CHANGE, BUT IT WAS A STEP UNTIL THOSE EXTRA RESTRICTIONS WERE ADDED AFTER THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN WHICH CASE [OVERLAPPING]
>> I SEEM TO REMEMBER THAT FROM, I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR.
THEY GAVE US A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY THAT WE COULD USE FOR SOME MOBILITY, BUT THEY HAVE A LOT OF STRINGS ATTACHED, AND THEY HAVE TO APPROVE WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE IT FOR.
>> THAT IS CORRECT. IT WAS A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, BUT YES, THERE WAS FUNDING RETURNED.
>> LET ME ALSO ASK YOU ABOUT THE OLD MODEL.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OLD MODEL, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE REAL SYSTEM.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUSES THAT ARE GOING ON OUR PAVED STREETS EMPTY MOST OF THE TIME; AM I RIGHT?
[00:25:06]
>> YES, MA'AM. BUT THAT'S PART OF THE OLDER MODEL. YES, MA'AM.
>> WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND WHAT WE TALKED TO DART ABOUT, WAS IT ABOUT HAVING SOME NEW MODEL THAT WOULD REALLY BETTER SERVE PLANO RESIDENTS, AND DID WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT THIS?
>> YES, AND IN FACT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT DART'S NUMBERS AND UTILIZATION OF GO LINK, WHICH IS THE MICROTRANSIT SERVICE, WE'RE AT THE TOP.
WE ARE USING THIS SERVICE REGULARLY.
YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING YOU'D WANT TO LEAN INTO AND EXPAND AND MOVE INTO THE FULL CITY WIDE COVERAGE, WHICH IS WHY WE REQUESTED IT, THE COUNCIL DID.
UNFORTUNATELY, TO THIS POINT, WE'VE NOT SEEN A LOT OF THAT COME TO FRUITION.
>> I WOULD SAY WE'VE BEEN MET WITH SOME RESISTANCE AND CONCERN. YES.
>> ALSO, WITH REGARD TO THE MICROTRANSIT, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE SO FOCUSED ON MICROTRANSIT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZENS AND HANDICAP USERS OF THE TRANSIT SYSTEM.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE SO FOCUSED ON IT; AM I RIGHT?
>> YES, MA'AM. THAT'S THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT AN ALTERNATIVE.
IF WE TALK ABOUT A PLAN, THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SET PRICING LEVELS TO ENSURE THAT MEMBERS OF OUR DISABILITY COMMUNITY ARE NOT OUT PRICED OUT OF WHATEVER OPTION THERE IS.
YOU MAY REMEMBER YOU SIGNED ON TO THE LETTER, I BELIEVE, ASKING DART TO NOT INCREASE THE COST OR REDUCE SERVICES FOR PARATRANSIT.
THAT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY OF THIS BODY AND FORMER COUNCIL AS WELL.
WITH AN ALTERNATIVE OPTION, YOU WOULD HAVE LEVERS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT.
>> WERE WE ABLE TO GET ANY ADVANCEMENT ON THAT PROPOSAL WITH THE DART?
>> I DO BELIEVE THEY MITIGATED SOME OF THE SERVICE REDUCTIONS.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS A PRICE INCREASE, YES.
>> THAT BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER POINT WITH REGARD TO THE MANAGEMENT OF SOME OF THE TRANSIT SYSTEMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN CITY OF PLANO.
THERE ARE SOME CONSEQUENTIAL COSTS THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY INCLUDED INTO THE ERNST & YOUNG ANALYSIS; AM I RIGHT?
>> I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT IS NECESSARILY CORRECT.
I THINK ERNST & YOUNG WAS PRETTY ALL INCLUSIVE.
THEY HAD VARIOUS CATEGORIES, AND THEN THEY HAD A SYSTEM WIDE COST THAT WAS SHARED ACROSS THE CITIES.
>> LET ME ASK YOU SPECIFICALLY.
HOW ABOUT OUR PLANO POLICE DEPARTMENT? HAVING TO RESPOND TO [OVERLAPPING]
>> NO MA'AM. THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED.
>> HOW ABOUT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO HAS TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES ON OUR DART RAILS OR ON BUSES?
>> NONE OF THOSE COSTS ARE ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN THE ERNST & YOUNG ANALYSIS, AND YET WE'RE STILL PAYING 50% MORE, ACTUALLY ABOUT 60% MORE TO SUBSIDIZE OTHER CITIES WHO DO NOT HAVE THE CONTRIBUTION IN DART? AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT, TOO?
>> YES, MA'AM. THAT'S CORRECT.
I WOULD SAY, I UNDERSTAND THE SENSITIVITY TO THE FUNDING, BUT I ALSO MUST REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE HAVE MUCH BROADER CONCERNS, SAFETY, SECURITY, RELIABILITY, CLEANLINESS.
EQUITY OF THOSE FUNDS IS A COMPONENT TO ALL OF THAT, AND WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE PROGRESS ON THOSE CONCERNS, AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RESTRUCTURING THE MODEL TO BALANCE THE EQUITY, IT'S SO THAT WE CAN TAKE THOSE FUNDS AND REINVEST TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
>> MY FINAL QUESTION. WITH ALL THOSE CONSIDERATION TAKING INTO ACCOUNT, AND IF WE WERE TO SET UP OUR OWN PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM TO BASICALLY BENEFIT THE PLANO RESIDENTS.
WOULD THAT COST AS MUCH MONEY AS WE ARE PAYING DART TODAY?
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, TOO, FOR ASKING SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THE COST.
I HAVE A BASIC QUESTION TO START WITH.
>> YOU USE THE WORD RALLY POINT, AND PRETEND THAT I AM THE STUPIDEST PERSON YOU'VE EVER MET IN THE WORLD.
WHEN YOU SAY RALLY POINT, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THAT MEANS?
>> NO, ABSOLUTELY. IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP THAT WE HAVE THERE, LET'S PRESUME THE VOTE HAD MOVED FORWARD AND ALL SERVICE STOPPED, AND THEN WE HAD OUR ALTERNATIVE SITUATION STOOD UP.
YOU MIGHT SEE A SITUATION WHERE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY ARE NOT EXACTLY THERE, BUT IN FACT, REACH DOWN INTO OTHER CITIES.
AS I USED THE EXAMPLE EARLIER, IF I LIVE IN NORTH PLANO AND I HAVE TO TAKE FROM MY HOUSE MICROTRANSIT TO EITHER THE BUS OR TO ANOTHER ZONE, THEN TO THE RAIL STATION, THEN I CAN GO DOWN TO DALLAS, WITH AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION YOU WOULD HAVE A SINGLE ZONE, AND SO YOU WOULD CALL IT FROM THERE,
[00:30:01]
AND PERHAPS YOU WANTED TO GET ONTO THE RAIL.WELL, RAIL WOULD HAVE ENDED IN PLANO AT THAT TIME.
A RALLY POINT WOULD BE A STATION IN RICHARDSON, OR PERHAPS A POINT TO THE WEST, OR PERHAPS YOU WANTED TO GO NORTH, AND THERE'S A DEDICATED AREA IN THE NORTH THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT, YES, THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE WANT ACCESS TO.
THOSE ARE ALL LEVERS THAT THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY COULD CONSIDER WHEN WE EVALUATE THE DIFFERENT PARTNERS WHO WOULD BE COMING BEFORE US.
>> THANK YOU, ANDREW. JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO OUR COMMUNITY OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
THAT'S VERY MUCH A PASSION PROJECT FOR ME BECAUSE OF WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING.
I WANT ASSURANCES THAT IF WE PROCEED WITH BRINGING TRANSIT INTO PLANO, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO FULLY SERVE THEIR NEEDS.
THIS IS THEIR WAY TO BE INDEPENDENT.
SOMEONE WITH IDD, BEING ABLE TO POP PUBLIC TRANSIT TO GO TO A CLASS, TO GO TO APPOINTMENT, TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ACTIVITY, IT'S A WAY TO MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE FOR THEM.
ARE WE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT IF WE DESIGN OUR OWN SYSTEM, WE CAN MEET THOSE NEEDS PERHAPS TO A GREATER LEVEL THAN WHAT THEY'RE BEING MEANT NOW IN A MORE COST EFFICIENT MANNER?
>> BECAUSE OF THE EMPHASIS OF THIS BODY, YOU ARE THE POLICY MAKERS.
I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE WE COULD ACHIEVE THAT.
THE PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE VISITED WITH, IT REALLY IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THIS BODY.
AGAIN, THE STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND YOU TAKE COMMUNITY INPUT, BUT I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE THAT WE COULD DO THAT AND I THINK WE SHOULD, QUITE FRANKLY.
THE CURRENT MODEL AND I'VE VISITED WITH MANY OF THE RESIDENTS WHO'VE CALLED SINCE WEDNESDAY, AS I'M SURE YOU HAVE.
THAT IS WHY CONTINUITY OF SERVICE IS SO IMPORTANT AND TO STAND UP THAT OPTION MONTHS IN ADVANCE SO THAT WE CAN EDUCATE ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE A SYSTEM THAT THEY ARE ALREADY USED TO, SO IT'S NOT A DISRUPTION.
BUT NOT JUST FOR THEM BUT FOR THEIR FAMILIES WHO ALSO HAVE TO WORK JOBS AND CARE FOR THOSE IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD.
I'M ASSUMING AND PRESUMING THAT WE COULD DO THE SAME FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS AND THE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS.
AS I EXPRESSED TO YOU IN AN EMAIL, I HAVE SCENARIOS.
AS A PLANNER FOR A LIVING, MY SCENARIOS ARE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS.
HOW DOES THE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL THAT WORKS OUTSIDE OF PLANO OR INSIDE OF PLANO GET TO AND FROM WORK? HOW DOES THE YOUNG FAMILY DO THAT? HOW DOES THE PERSON WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES DO THAT IN A WAY THAT IS EASY WITHOUT JUMPING BACK AND FORTH INTO DIFFERENT APPS AND DIFFERENT SYSTEMS? IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO THOSE THINGS, I'M INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. TO YOUR POINT ABOUT EXAMPLES.
FOR THE WORKING PROFESSIONAL, I USE MYSELF.
I LIVE IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF DALLAS, NEAR A TRAIN STATION.
I COULD GET ONTO THE TRAIN STATION, TAKE THE TRAIN ALL THE WAY UP TO ONE OF THE RICHARDSON STATIONS, GET ON THE PLANO TRANSIT APP, CALL MY OPTION, AND IT WOULD TAKE ME FROM THERE TO CITY HALL.
NOW, I'M A YOUNG WORKING PROFESSIONAL.
I PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE THE SAME DISCOUNT AS PERHAPS OUR SENIOR CITIZENS OR PARATRANSIT.
AGAIN, THOSE ARE LEVERS THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN HELP WEIGH IN ON, AND THIS BODY CAN DECIDE AND MODIFY AS NEEDED.
>> HI, ANDREW. I'D LIKE TO REVISIT THE FINANCIAL DISCREPANCIES.
>> NOW, THERE WAS THE EY STUDY IN 2023.
>> DO WE KNOW MORE ABOUT OTHER YEARS, PARTICULARLY PRIOR YEARS ABOUT THAT?
>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. IT'S ONE THAT WE ASKED ACTUALLY, THE CONSULTANTS IF WE COULD HAVE A LOOK BACK BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT NOT JUST TO HAVE A SNAPSHOT IN TIME.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE TOLD BY THE CONSULTANTS THE DATA WAS NOT IN A POSITION WHERE THEY COULD COLLECT IT AND REPLICATE IT BACKWARDS, BACK TO WHERE WE'D LIKE TO SEE.
WE WERE INTERESTED. LET'S LOOK ALL THE WAY BACK.
LET'S SEE THE TREND OVER TIME.
LET'S IDENTIFY THE INVESTMENT.
THAT'S WHY WE INSISTED, MOVING FORWARD.
WE FELT IT IMPORTANT TO REPLICATE IT, SO WE COULD SEE 2024, 2025, BUT WE WERE TOLD BY THE CONSULTANTS, I BELIEVE OUR CITY MANAGER WAS WHEN ASKED DID THEY BELIEVE THIS WAS INDICATIVE OF A PATTERN THAT HAD BEEN HAPPENING OR WAS IT AN ANOMALY? THEY DID BELIEVE IT WAS INDICATIVE OF A PATTERN.
WHEN YOU WALK AROUND PLANO AND YOU LOOK AT, BUS STOPS HERE COMPARED TO MAYBE WHERE I LIVE, AND THE DIFFERENCE IN QUALITY AND SERVICE AND OFFERINGS, IT DOES BECOME APPARENT.
>> I KNOW THAT THEY OFFER THE BUDGET ONLINE.
IT INDICATES SOME ALLOCATIONS, TOO.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE ALLOCATIONS TOWARDS PLANO ARE APPROPRIATE?
>> I THINK THAT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE PRIORITY OF THIS BODY.
WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD FROM PREVIOUS COUNCILS AND THIS COUNCIL IS THAT, NO, THEY ARE NOT APPROPRIATE TO BE THE SECOND LARGEST PAYER INTO THIS SYSTEM, TO INVEST OVER 100 MILLION INTO A TRANSIT SOLUTION, AND TO FIND THAT ONLY 44,45 MILLION HAS BEING SPENT IN OUR CITY.
WHEN WE HEAR COMPLAINTS, WE HAVE CONCERNS, WE HAVE GAPS OF SERVICE IN THE MAP.
[00:35:03]
THAT IS VERY CONCERNING AND NOT ACCEPTABLE.>> NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IF THEY DID PUT A NUMBER OF ALLOCATION, DO YOU FEEL IT WAS ACCURATE?
>> IN PRIOR STUDIES, THERE WAS A STUDY THAT WAS PRODUCED VERY QUICKLY IN ADVANCE OF A SENATE HEARING IN THE 2023 SESSION WHERE THERE WAS A PIECE OF STATUTE THAT WAS REFERENCED AS PART OF THE METHODOLOGY.
IT REALLY DIDN'T DIVE INTO THE MECHANICS OF A TRANSIT SYSTEM, SOMEWHAT ARBITRARY.
IT ALLOCATED, SOMETHING LIKE 40 MILLION IN CAPITAL OR SOME NUMBER TO PLANO.
AGAIN, WHEN WE SAID WE HAD QUESTIONS AND LEGISLATORS HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE METHODOLOGY AND REPORT, I THINK THOSE REMAIN.
THAT'S WHY THE EY STUDY WAS SO IMPORTANT TO US AND OTHER CITIES.
>> THANK YOU. DART REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY DATA TO OFFER UP REGARDING THESE THINGS EITHER.
>> THEY HAD DATA. IT ALL CAME DOWN TO THE METHODOLOGY.
COUNCILMAN, I WANT TO BE FAIR. THEY DID OFFER DATA.
THEY OFFERED REPORTS, BUT THEY DIDN'T GET TO THE HEART OF THE QUESTION, AND THEY DIDN'T DIVE INTO THE METHODOLOGY IN THE WAYS THAT PLANO AND OTHER CITIES WERE ASKING FOR.
>> WE'VE BEEN IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THEM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND TO TRY TO ALIGN BETTER WITH WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THOSE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE GONE?
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE, AS I MENTIONED, PREVIOUSLY, ON A PREVIOUS SLIDE, WE'VE OFFERED DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND PROPOSALS ON THE TABLE.
WE'VE BEEN CONSISTENTLY MET WITH RESPONSES OF OUR SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.
WE CAN'T OFFER ALL A KART BECAUSE THAT ISN'T THE STYLE OF TRANSIT SYSTEM WE HAVE.
WE NEED MORE MONEY, NOT LESS MONEY.
PERHAPS, THERE WERE ATTEMPTS TO PERHAPS THE STATE WOULD PROVIDE MONEY.
I AM YOUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR, I WILL TELL YOU THERE IS NOT MONEY AT THE STATE TO BE HAD FOR THAT.
THAT WE'RE STILL STRUGGLING TO PAY OUR TEACHERS.
I'M NOT SURE THE STATE HAS A CHECK TO WRITE FOR A PUBLIC TRANSIT IN NORTH TEXAS, BUT, ONE THING THAT'S BEEN CONSISTENT, WE'VE BEEN AT THE TABLE.
IF YOU TAKE ACTION TONIGHT, NOTHING ABOUT THAT CHANGES, IT SIMPLY PUTS THE BALL IN DART'S COURT.
>> YOU FEEL THAT IN THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES, WHERE THEY WERE UNWILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE WHEN IN PARTICULAR OF SOME OF OUR TALKING POINTS?
>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER, THE MEETING I DISCUSSED WITH THE CHAIR OF THE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE WITH OTHER LEGISLATORS INVOLVED, WE CAME TO THE TABLE.
WE MET WITH A DART REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE BOARD.
WE WERE TOLD BY THE LEGISLATORS TAKE A FEW HOURS, BRING BACK A COMPROMISED PROPOSAL.
PLANO DID THEIR HOMEWORK. WE CAME BACK.
DART WENT HOME. THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE OF WHERE UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE NOT BEEN MET WITH THE SAME PARTNERSHIP SPIRIT.
>> I'M GOING TO SHIFT GEARS A LITTLE BIT.
I'M THINKING ABOUT THE OTHER CITIES IN COLLIN COUNTY, AND THE WAY THE WORLD HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
DO YOU FEEL THAT DART IS ABLE TO BECOME A 2.0 SO THAT WE CAN REALLY ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS AND OUR RESIDENTS HERE?
>> I HOPE FOR THE REGION, I HOPE SO.
REGARDLESS OF WHAT DECISION THIS COUNCIL MAKES, I DO HOPE THAT DART WILL CONTINUE PURSUING MODERNIZATION AND TO BE MORE OF RESPONSIVE AND TO MEET THE NEEDS OF NOT JUST THE CITIES LIKE PLANO AND OTHERS WHO ARE CONSIDERING THIS DECISION, BUT FOR THE REGION AS A WHOLE.
NOT ONE MEMBER CITY ADDED IN OVER 40 YEARS. THAT'S DIFFICULT.
>> DO WE FEEL THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEEDS ARE REALLY IN PLANO IN TERMS OF PARATRANSIT ELDERLY, THAT SORT OF THING.
WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEEDS ARE?
>> SEE, THAT IS AGAIN WHY I AS A STAFF MEMBER RECOMMEND TO THIS BODY THAT SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE TO START TOMORROW MAKING CALLS TO CONVENE CITIZEN GROUPS AND MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHO ARE THE EXPERTS WHO LIVE THIS.
AS STAFF, WE HAVE, PLANNERS AND PROFESSIONALS AND TRANSIT EXPERTS, BUT WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY.
THE ANSWER IS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET THAT INFORMATION, BUT I NEED THE DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL TO GO TO THE COMMUNITY.
>> DO YOU FEEL THAT EXPANDING TRANSIT IN COLLIN COUNTY IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR COUNTY AND FOR OUR CITY?
I THINK THERE'S AN APPETITE FOR IT.
MCKINNEY, AS I MENTIONED, HAS ALREADY BEEN TRYING TO CONTRACT SERVICES.
YOU LOOK AT THE ACTIVITIES AND THE POPULATION GROWTH ESTIMATES FROM THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
ABSOLUTELY. IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH AN ALTERNATIVE, THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY AND THE CITIZENS WOULD BE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT FOR HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RESPOND AND PARTICIPATE?
>> MY LAST IS REALLY A STATEMENT.
I FEEL THAT WE JUST NEED TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE USING THE SYSTEM NOW.
WHETHER IT'S THE IDD COMMUNITY, ANYONE WHO NEEDS TO GO TO THE VA, ALL THOSE THINGS.
I JUST WANT TO BE SURE WE'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE ANYBODY
[00:40:01]
OUT IN THE COLD AND NO ONE'S GOING TO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
>> IF I MAY, COUNCILMEMBER, THAT IS, AGAIN, BACK TO THE 45 DAY WINDOW PRIOR TO THE ELECTION.
OUR GOAL AND PLAN WOULD BE TO HAVE WHATEVER ALTERNATIVES STOOD UP WELL BEFORE THAT DATE.
IF WE HAVE NOT MET THOSE EXPECTATIONS, THE COUNCIL RESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL THAT BACK AND TO CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS, TO CONTINUE DOWN WHATEVER ROAD THAT THE BODY WISHES.
YOU HAVE A WINDOW, BUT GIVEN OUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES WITH DART'S RESPONSIVENESS AND WILLINGNESS TO MOVE TOWARDS CHANGE, THIS IS A TIMELY CONVERSATION.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. ANDREW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I KNOW IT WASN'T EASY TRYING TO PUT IT TOGETHER AND ALL THAT CONTENT THAT QUICKLY.
BUT JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR, AND I KNOW IF IT'S ALREADY BEEN STATED, BUT THIS IS NOT OUR FIRST DISCUSSION ABOUT DART.
WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS, MULTIPLE DATA REQUESTS, MULTIPLE NEGOTIATIONS WITHOUT THE NEEDLE BEING MOVED, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT. WE THOUGHT PERHAPS THE NEEDLE HAD MOVED WITH THE 5% GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM AGAIN UNTIL THOSE STRINGS WERE ADDED AND UNFORTUNATELY, WELL.
>> WHICH BRINGS US WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY?
>> NOW REGARDING ALTERNATIVES, HOW PREPARED ARE WE TO MAKE THAT AND GO LIFE OUR RESIDENTS OR HOW QUICKLY CAN WE MOVE? I KNOW WE BUDGETED FOR IT, BUT JUST TO REST AND REASSURE OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
STAFF HAS DISCUSSED THAT AS A TIMELINE, BUT WE WOULD OF COURSE MOVE AT THE COUNCIL'S PLEASURE.
AGAIN, IF THAT SOLUTION IS NOT STOOD UP TO WHERE THE COUNCIL IS COMFORTABLE, YOU STILL HAVE OPTIONS.
>> JERRY, DO YOU MIND EXPLAINING HOW THE GOVERNANCE MODEL WORKS AT DART?
>> ABSOLUTELY. YOU'LL FORGIVE ME.
I FOCUS MORE ON PLANO'S COMPONENT OF THAT, BUT TO START, THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THE GOVERNMENT'S MODEL IS ACTUALLY SET BY STATUTE, GUIDED BY STATUTE.
THE GOVERNMENT'S MODEL ALLOWS DALLAS TO MAINTAIN A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD, AND THERE'S POPULATION ELEMENT THAT GOES INTO THAT.
BUT SO DALLAS CONTROLS THE MAJORITY.
I REALIZE WE'VE ENJOYED OUR TWO REPRESENTATIVES.
WE HAVE ONE FULL REPRESENTATIVE, AND WE SHARE A REPRESENTATIVE WITH THE CITY OF FARMERS BRANCH.
THANKFULLY, THE CITY OF FARMERS BRANCH AND PLANO WORK WELL TOGETHER, AND SO WE'VE ENJOYED A GREAT RELATIONSHIP THERE, BUT FOR BOTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES, THERE'S REALLY ONLY TWO VOICES ON A BOARD OF 15.
DESPITE HAVING MEMBERS OF OUR APPOINTEES AND OUR BOARD MEMBERS ON COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIP, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, EVEN IN THOSE LEADERSHIP LEVELS, CITY OF DALLAS STILL CONTROLS THE BOARD.
THAT'S BEEN A POINT OF CONTENTION FOR MANY OF THE CITIES WHO YOU'VE SEEN AND UNHEARD OR DISSATISFIED.
FOR US, I THINK THE FINANCIAL CAME AS A SHOCK, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE TACKLED, BUT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GOVERNANCE REFORM AS WELL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HORNE, YOU HAD ONE MORE THING.
>> ONE MORE THING. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, FOR THIS.
ONE OF THE ISSUES I GUESS I'M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH IS THE ONE CENT MODEL.
I MEAN, IT WORKED PROBABLY IN 83, BUT RIGHT NOW, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME OF THE TAX NUMBERS THAT WE'VE JUST LOOKED AT BECAUSE APPARENTLY THE BOARD WAS NOT AWARE OF IT.
IN 2020, WE GAVE DART EQUIVALENT ABOUT 86 MILLION.
IN 21, WE GAVE THEM 92 MILLION, 2022, WE GAVE THEM 108 MILLION, 2023, 114 MILLION.
LAST YEAR, WE GAVE THEM 118 MILLION.
THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM ABOUT 131 MILLION.
I'M JUST PRESENTING THAT TO YOU RIGHT NOW IS WHAT WE'VE GIVEN HIM OVER THE PAST SINCE 2020.
I'M NOT SURE OUTSIDE OF THE SILVER LINE, THAT I SEE ANY CHANGE IN SERVICE.
THE WAY THE ONE CENT MODEL IS GOING I'M NOT SURE THAT IT'S GOING TO HELP US IN THE LONG RUN.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER, TO YOUR POINT, TO BUILD ON YOUR COMMENT, ONE CONCERN WE VOICED AT THE LEGISLATURE AND TO DART FROM 2019-2024, 2025, WE SAW REVENUES INCREASE BY 600 MILLION.
I BELIEVE IT'S 600 MILLION. YEAH, 300 MILLION, SORRY.
LOT OF INFORMATION, 300 MILLION.
DURING THAT SAME TIME, OF COURSE, WE HAD A PANDEMIC, AND OF COURSE RIDERSHIP SUNK NATIONWIDE.
BUT RIDERSHIP IS STILL NOT AT PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS.
WE'RE CLOSE, BUT WE'RE IN 2025.
WE HAD HOPED THAT WE'D RECOVER A LOT FASTER GIVEN THAT SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN FINANCES.
>> WE HAVE NOW THE OPPORTUNITY
[00:45:02]
TO WE'LL RECEIVE COMMENTS ON ALL SPECIAL CALLED SESSION AGENDA ITEMS. ALL SPEAKERS WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE.LISA WILL BE ABLE TO CALL YOUR NAME AND THEN CALL THE NEXT COUPLE OF NAMES BEHIND IT SO WE CAN KEEP THINGS MOVING.
BUT WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU BEING HERE AND WE APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE US.
PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU LIVE.
WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE.
IF WE'RE ALL READY, LET'S BEGIN.
>> WE ARE READY. THE FIRST SPEAKER IS NADINE LEE, AND SHE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY RANDALL BRYANT AND GARY SLAGEL.
>> NADINE LEE, CITY OF DALLAS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF DART.
IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION AND TRANSPARENCY, I WANT TO UNDERSCORE HOW DART HAS WORKED IN GOOD FAITH TO ADDRESS PLANO'S CONCERNS.
THROUGH FIVE SEPARATE ACTIONS, THE DART BOARD AUTHORIZED AND FUNDED THE GENERAL MOBILITY PROGRAM REQUESTED BY PLANO LAST DECEMBER, OFFERING TO PLANO 28 MILLION DOLLARS IN A SINGLE YEAR.
THE BOARD APPROVED AND EXPANDED GO LINK ZONES THAT COVER 100 PERCENT OF PLANO WITH ZONE TO ZONE TRAVEL ACROSS THREE OF THESE ZONES.
ON SEPTEMBER 9, THE BOARD APPROVED THE LEGACY CIRCULATOR AS ENVISIONED BY THE CITY.
OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS, DART HAS INVESTED MORE THAN 110 MILLION DOLLARS TO IMPROVE SAFETY, RELIABILITY, AND CLEANLINESS.
CRIME ON DART IS DOWN BY DOUBLE DIGITS.
OUR NET PROMOTER SCORE IS UP BY MORE THAN 40 POINTS.
THE PROGRESS WE'D MADE COMES FROM STANDING TOGETHER AND CONFRONTING OUR CHALLENGES AS ONE REGION.
WITH TRANSPARENCY, COLLABORATION, AND GOOD FAITH TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES IN PLACE OF WITHDRAWAL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MAYOR, MANAGER, COUNCIL, WE GOT ONE MINUTE.
LET'S TRY THIS FAST. MY NAME IS RANDALL BRYANT.
I SERVE AS A DART BOARD CHAIR FROM DALLAS, TEXAS.
IN 1983, LET'S CORRECT A FEW THINGS HERE.
DALLAS WAS 78 PERCENT OF THE FUNDS THAT WERE IN DART.
WE HAD 60 PERCENT OF THE BOARD.
WE DID NOT COMPLAIN ABOUT ANY INEQUITIES.
IN FACT, WE ENSURED THAT OUR LEADERSHIP OF THE BOARD BUILT NOT ONLY THE RED LINE THAT WE HAVE TODAY, BUT THE ENVISIONMENT OF THE SILVER LINE THAT JUST OPENED UP LAST WEEK.
ON THE HEELS OF THAT, 12 HOURS INTO MY NEW CHAIRMANSHIP, I UNFORTUNATELY RECEIVED CALLS THAT PARTNERS OF OURS WERE TAKING THESE PAINSTAKING VOTE THIS WEEK.
MAYOR AND MANAGER, I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT WE DID SPEND, AND I'VE SPENT A FEW MOMENTS WITH SOME OF YOU ALL, AS WELL.
I HOPE THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS IN EARNEST CONTINUE.
BUT THIS VOTE TONIGHT HURTS THAT ABILITY.
WE'VE SEEN THE HISTORY FROM THIS COUNCIL AND OTHERS, WHEN YOU TAKE AN ACTION ON ONE SIDE AND YOU FORCE THE OTHER SIDE TO GO ON THE OTHER CORNER.
THE OPPOSITION DO NOT MEET IN THE MIDDLE, AND THE COMPROMISE DOES NOT HAPPEN.
THAT'S NOT HAPPENED IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE FALLING FOR THE TRAP AGAIN FOR IT TO NOT HAPPEN TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> I'M GARY SLAGEL, FARMER, BOARD CHAIR, AND I LIVE IN RICHARDSON, TEXAS.
ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, THE CITIES, PLANO, IRVING, CANTON, FARMERS BRANCH, JOINED BY THE BALANCE OF THE CITIES AND DART, ASKED THE RTC OR THE COUNCIL GOVERNMENTS TO PUT TOGETHER SOME PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
THAT WAS RELEASED TO US DURING THE SUMMER.
OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS OR SO, WE'VE BEEN HAVING MEETINGS ON UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE FUTURE OF TRANSIT MIGHT BE IN NORTH TEXAS.
THERE'S A COMMITTEE THAT HAS BEEN FORMED OF ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE RTC WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT DILIGENTLY MEETING TWICE A MONTH TO TRY TO WORK THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN WHERE WE MAY GO IN THE FUTURE.
THAT IS STARTING TO MATERIALIZE.
THE WAY THE GOAL IS LOOKING, WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY TRANSIT OVER A FOUR COUNTY AREA.
ALL THE GAPS WOULD BE FILLED IN SO THAT ALL CITIES WOULD BECOME A PART OF THAT TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY. IS THAT A MINUTE?
>> THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE SAYING. THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS REPRESENTATIVE VAN JONES, AND THEY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ALEX FLORES AND TYLER WRIGHT.
[00:50:10]
>> IS REPRESENTATIVE JONES HERE?
>> HE WAS DRIVING UP. I DON'T THINK HE'S HERE YET.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS ALEX FLORES, AND I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF PLANO MY ENTIRE LIFE.
I LOVE THIS CITY, SO MUCH SO THAT WHEN IT WAS TIME TO MOVE OUT OF MY PARENTS' HOUSE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT I WORK IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS, I CHOSE TO STAY IN PLANO.
I LOVE THE PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE, AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT I HAVE ACCESS TO DART.
WITHOUT DART, AS AN AUTISTIC ADULT, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO WHAT I DO WITH MY LIFE.
WHEN I THINK OF DART, I THINK OF SAFETY, AND I THINK OF A GUARANTEED TRIP TO AND FROM MY HOME AND WHATEVER DESTINATION I HAVE, WHETHER THAT'S WORK, SCHOOL, DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, THE GROCERY STORE, OR VISITING FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
WITH MICROTRANSIT SERVICES LIKE VIA AND ARLINGTON.
I HAVE BEEN STRANDED IN ARLINGTON MULTIPLE TIMES USING THEIR MICROTRANSIT SERVICES TO THE POINT THAT I HAVE NOT GONE BACK TO ARLINGTON SINCE 2024, BECAUSE OF HOW TERRIFIED I AM TO USE THAT SERVICE.
I STRICTLY STICK WITH DARK ACCESSIBLE CITIES BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I WILL GET THERE SAFELY.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS TYLER WRIGHT.
I LIVE IN ADDISON, BUT I ACTUALLY WORK HERE LEGACY WESTERN PLANO.
I TAKE THE 239 AND GO LINK BECAUSE LEGACY WEST DOESN'T HAVE A RAIL, AND COMING FROM MADISON, I WOULD IMAGINE IT'D BE HARD TO SERVE THAT AREA.
IF YOU GUYS PULL OUT OF DART, I'M NOT SURE HOW I'M GOING TO GET TO WORK.
ADDITIONALLY, I'M NOT SURE IF YOUR GOVERNMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR IS AWARE THAT HE CAN TAKE THE TRAIN ALL THE WAY UP HERE TODAY.
[LAUGHTER] THAT IS SOMETHING HE CAN DO.
ANOTHER COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO CLARIFY IS THAT THIS PRESENTATION DIDN'T MENTION THAT PLANO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEBT FROM LEAVING DART FOR NEARLY NINE YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN PROVIDE MORE SERVICE, BETTER SERVICE, WITHOUT RAISING TAXES AND NOT BE IN DART.
FOR SEVEN OF THE PAST 10 YEARS, A PLANO REPRESENTATIVE ON THE DART BOARD WAS EITHER CHAIR OF THE DART COMMITTEE OR OF THE FINANCES COMMITTEE.
YOU GUYS HAVE NOT ONLY BEEN AT THE TABLE, YOU HAVE OFTEN BEEN AT THE HEAD.
PLEASE STOP THIS VOTE AND COME TO THE TABLE, TALK TO THE RIDERSHIP AND WITH DART, AND WE'LL FIGURE THIS OUT. [APPLAUSE]
I LIVE IN RICHARDSON, BUT I GREW UP IN PLANO, EARNING MY EAGLE SCOUT RANK IN TROOP 1,000, UNDER NOW COUNCIL MEMBER STEVE LEVINE.
BUT I'M HERE TO VOICE MY OPPOSITION TO THIS SPECIAL ELECTION.
THE CRUX OF THIS ENTIRE DEBATE HAS BEEN THE DISPARITY BETWEEN THE TAX CONTRIBUTIONS AND DIRECT SPENDING, BUT I BELIEVE THAT'S A FLAWED METRIC.
PLANO DOESN'T EXIST IN AN INFRASTRUCTURE BUBBLE.
ANYTIME YOU DRIVE DOWN 75 FOR A WORKER FOR LEDGER, ANYONE RIDING ON THE RED LINE, WHETHER THEY BOARDED AT PARKER ROAD OR AT MOCKINGBIRD STATION, IS MAKING THAT DRIVE SAFER BY REDUCING VEHICLES ON 75.
YES, THERE'S ROOM FOR TRANSPARENCY AND EFFICIENCY, BUT THE SOLUTION IS NOT TO CUT OFF PLANO'S CONTRIBUTION; IT'S FOR DART TO PROVIDE PLANO WITH MORE SERVICES, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THE SILVER LINE IS.
YOUR RESPONSE TO ITS OPENING IS TO ABANDON ALL THIS INFRASTRUCTURE AND INVESTMENT.
DART BENEFITS PLANO FAR MORE THAN YOU THINK, AND MAYBE IT TOOK ME LIVING OUTSIDE THE CITY TO REALIZE THAT, BUT THIS COUNCIL NEEDS TO REALIZE THAT, TOO.
I AM A HOMEOWNER HERE IN PLANO.
I HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 19 YEARS.
I HAVE OWNED MY HOME FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT.
I WORKED DOWN IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS FIVE DAYS A WEEK, SO I TAKE THE RED LINE FROM PARKER ROAD STATION FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
I WAS ACTUALLY GETTING VERY CLOSE TO MOVING TO DOWNTOWN PLANO, JUST TO AVOID THE DRIVE FROM MY HOUSE TO THE STATION.
I WAS VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO WALK FROM A UNIT THERE TO THE STATION.
UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THIS HANGING OVER OUR HEADS, I CAN'T MAKE THAT DECISION.
I'M NOW RECONSIDERING MOVING TO CITY LINE INSTEAD.
I WAS REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO DOWNTOWN PLANO.
I LIKE IT A LOT MORE THAN CITY LINE.
BUT THE WHOLE POINT WAS TO BE ABLE TO WALK TO THE STATION, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT JUST MIGHT NOT BE AN OPTION.
I WOULD URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER. THANK YOU.
>> LISA, GIVE ME THE NEXT NUMBERS OR THE NAMES.
[00:55:01]
>> DANIEL RODRIGUEZ, THEN SANDRA HERNANDEZ AND MICHAEL BRADLEY.
>> HI, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SANDRA HERNANDEZ.
I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATOR, AND MY HUSBAND AND I ARE RESIDENTS OF PLANO.
WE ARE AVID USERS OF THE DART SYSTEM, AND WE URGE PLANO LEADERSHIP TO STAY IN DART.
WHEN I FIRST MOVED TO PLANO, I USED THE START BUSES TO GET TO AND FROM WORK EVERY DAY.
CURRENTLY, WE LIVE WITHIN A 15-MINUTE DRIVE TO THE PARKER ROAD STATION, AND WE LOVE TO PARK AND RIDE TO TRAVEL WITHIN THE METROPLEX FOR LEISURE AND ENTERTAINMENT.
FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, I FELT SAFE USING THE DART TO GET TO SMU FROM PLANO TO FURTHER MY EDUCATION.
THE STRESS-FREE DART RIDE GAVE ME TIME TO WORK ON MY HOMEWORK ON THE WAY BACK TO PLANO, HELPING ME MAKE THE MOST OUT OF MY COMMUTE.
FURTHERMORE, THE LONG-AWAITED OPENING OF THE SILVER LINE WAS A HUGE TESTAMENT TO DART'S DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO PLANO RESIDENTS, AND WILL ALLOW MY HUSBAND AND I AND MANY OTHERS, TO ACCESS THE DFW AIRPORT WHEN WE TRAVEL.
AS A CONSTITUENT OF PLANO, HEARING THAT MY TOWN'S LEADERSHIP IS CONSIDERING WITHDRAWING FROM THE DART SYSTEM MAKES ME FEEL DISAPPOINTED.
THIS DECISION TO WITHDRAW FROM DART WILL LEAVE MANY WORKERS AND STUDENTS IN A PREDICAMENT.
THEY WILL NEED TO SWITCH THEIR METHOD OF TRANSIT, CAUSING MORE TRAFFIC ON OUR HIGHWAYS AND MY HUSBAND AND I DON'T SEE OURSELVES SETTING OUR ROOTS DOWN IN PLANO IF IT'S NOT SERVICEABLE BY DART.
THE DART SYSTEM IS ESSENTIAL TO SO MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND I URGE PLANO LEADERSHIP TO RECONSIDER WITHDRAWING FROM DART. [APPLAUSE]
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS MICHAEL BRADLEY, AND I AM A CITIZEN OF GARLAND.
IT'S NICE TO MEETING YOU ALL. WHAT WAS IT? I DON'T WANT PLANO TO MISS OUT ON ANY WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE OF THE STIGMA OF TRANSIT AND THINKING ALL ABOUT MONEY, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE OPENING OF THE SILVER LINE, WHICH I DID NOT SEE PLANO REALLY DO MUCH REAL ADVERTISING TO PROMOTE IT ALL THAT MUCH IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I WANT PLANO TO WORK WITH DART AND WANT TO EXPAND IT TO TRULY HELP EVEN MORE.
NONE OF THAT MICROTRANSIT AND UBER PARTNERSHIP.
WE ARE A GROWING METROPLEX, AND WE NEED THE TRANSIT TO REPRESENT THAT.
WITH MORE TRAINS AND BUSES, AND JUST MORE WORKING TOGETHER TO TRULY FIX THE PROBLEMS WE DO HAVE ALTOGETHER.
YOU TAKE AWAY A CITY, YOU MESS UP THE WHOLE SYSTEM, AND AS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THE ELDERLY, INCLUDING ME AND MY MOM OR MOST OF MY FAMILY IN GENERAL, WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED, IT WOULD AFFECT US A LOT GREATLY, TOO, BECAUSE SEE DART IS THE MAIN WAY TO GET AROUND IN ALREADY CAR-CENTRIC TEXAS.
COMPARED TO MOST PLACES, NORTH TEXAS IS SURPRISINGLY GOOD, AND I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT WORSE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
BY NOW, YOU WILL HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO RECEIVE AND READ THE LETTER THAT I WROTE TO EACH OF YOU OUTLINING MY REASONS FOR ASSERTING THAT WITHDRAWING FROM DART WOULD BE A MISTAKE.
BUT I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT ANOTHER PROPOSAL.
MY PROPOSAL IS THAT BEFORE YOU INVOKE THE NUCLEAR OPTION AND CALL AN ELECTION, THAT YOU DIAL DOWN THE RHETORIC, DE-ESCALATE, AND POSTPONE A DECISION ON CALLING AN ELECTION AND USE THE TIME TO BRING IN THE ONE PERSON WHO COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH DART.
THAT PERSON WOULD BE A PROFESSIONAL MEDIATOR.
I SUGGEST THAT YOU CONTACT AN ORGANIZATION SUCH AS THE JUDICIAL ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION SERVICE, KNOWN AS JAMS, WITH WHICH THE CITY ATTORNEY WOULD NO DOUBT BE FAMILIAR, AND LET THE MEDIATOR BRING IN ALL THE RELEVANT PARTIES, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CITY, FROM DART, FROM THE NORTH TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AND ASSIST Y'ALL IN WORKING OUT AN AGREEMENT THAT WOULD ALLOW DART TO REMAIN IN THE CITY UNDER TERMS AND CONDITIONS THAT ALL THE PARTIES WOULD FIND ACCEPTABLE.
I THINK THAT IS A BETTER SOLUTION.
>> I'M GOING TO TRY TO MAKE THIS QUICK. GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS BENJAMIN GOODIN, AND I LIVE IN THE CITY LINE AREA IN RICHARDSON, RIGHT ON THE PLANO BORDER.
I'M A UTD STUDENT WITH MY MAJOR IN ACCOUNTING AND A MINOR IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS WITH A FOCUS ON URBAN PLANNING, AND I'M THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF COMMERCE FOR BETTER TRANSIT, WHICH IS A STUDENT ADVOCACY GROUP FOR BETTER TRANSIT.
I AM STRONGLY OPPOSED TO PLANO WITHDRAWING FROM DART BECAUSE THE ERNEST AND YOUNG STUDY IS INCOMPLETE.
IT IGNORES THE SILVER LINE AND THE PROVEN ECONOMIC RETURN OF TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT LIKE DOWNTOWN PLANO AND RIDERS LIKE ME WHO SPEND OUR TIME AND MONEY IN DOWNTOWN PLANO, WHICH STRICTLY DEPENDS ON TRANSIT ACCESS.
IT NEGLECTS MY DOLLARS THAT ARE BEING SPENT IN YOUR CITY.
DFW IS A GROWING, FAST HUB WITH HIGHWAYS AND MICRO TRANSIT SOLUTIONS STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP.
I'VE BEEN STRANDED WITH USING MICROTRANSIT, WHEREAS I KNOW A FIXED ROUTE BUS WILL COME, EVEN IF IT'S IN 40 MINUTES OR AN HOUR.
WHEN YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT EMPTY BUSES, IT'S UP TO YOU, AS THE CITY, WHAT THOSE BUS ROUTES LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU DEVELOP YOUR CITY, AND YOU HAVE LAND USERS IN YOUR CITY.
[APPLAUSE] YOU CANNOT COMPLAIN ABOUT A SYSTEM THAT'S FAILING YOU WHEN YOU ARE FAILING THE SYSTEM.
WITH THIS BRAND NEW SILVER LINE AND THE BRAND NEW SWELL STREET STATION,
[01:00:02]
THERE IS TONS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS THAT CAN HAPPEN, AND IT'D BE A WASTE OF MONEY TO THROW THAT OUT, AND IT IS A LACK OF COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE.>> THE NEXT GROUP OF SPEAKERS IS FRANCIS GOODING, COLIN WONG, NATHANIEL ADAM, AND SHYAM GANGIHRAM.
>> HELLO, PLANO CITY COUNCIL. MAYOR AND STAFF.
MY NAME IS COLIN WONG, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF PLANO.
I HAVE TAKEN DART WITH MY FAMILY TO GO TO REGIONAL EVENTS LIKE THE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL IN IRVING, OKTOBERFEST IN ADDISON, AND OTHER EVENTS IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
IT'LL BE A BIG SHAME TO SEE DART GO FROM THE CITY.
NOW I'M A STUDENT AT UTD, AND I USE DART TO GET TO AND FROM HOME, AND I ALSO USE DART TO VISIT DOWNTOWN PLANO TO VISIT LEGACY WEST.
I JUST USE IT TO GET AROUND EVERYWHERE, AND USING DART IS A BIG PRO IN MY LIFE.
DART HAS ENABLED ME TO HAVE A HASSLE-FREE COMMUTE.
I HAVE A CAR, BUT I CHOOSE NOT TO USE IT BECAUSE DART IS JUST SO MUCH BETTER.
IT ENABLES ME TO AVOID TRAFFIC ON 75, CONGESTION ON MAJOR THOROUGHFARES LIKE CUSTER AND PARKER WHEN I GET HOME AND IF DART DISAPPEARED FROM PLANO, WELL, CONGESTION WOULD ONLY GO UP ON OUR ROADWAYS.
>> MY NAME IS NATHANIEL ADAM, AND I LIVE AND WORK IN PLANO.
I DEPEND ON DART TO GET GROCERIES, TO GET AROUND THE CITY, TO SHOP AND EAT AND TO GET TO APPOINTMENTS.
THIS IS ALL ON THE FIXED BUSES THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY, NOT ON MICROTRANSIT.
IF THE VOTE PASSES, I WILL IMMEDIATELY LOSE ACCESS TO ALL THESE BUSES.
I DON'T USE MICROTRANSIT BECAUSE THE WAIT TIMES CAN BE VERY UNPREDICTABLE.
IN OTHER CITIES THAT RELY HEAVILY ON MICROTRANSIT FOR THEIR TRANSIT SERVICES, PEOPLE LITERALLY CANNOT BOOK RIDES DURING RUSH HOURS.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I CAN RELY ON.
I ALSO WANT TO BE ABLE TO TRAVEL TO OTHER CITIES IN THE REGION, AND MICROTRANSIT WILL FORCE ME TO TAKE AN EXTRA TRANSFER THAT I CANNOT TIME BECAUSE OF THE UNPREDICTABLE WAIT TIMES.
IN MY VIEW, DART IS LISTENING TO YOU ALREADY, AND HE IS GIVING US A CITYWIDE GOLFING, A LEGACY CIRCULATOR, AND $28 MILLION.
BUT IF YOU APPROVE THE ELECTION TONIGHT, YOU MAY AS WELL BE THROWING AWAY THAT MONEY.
>> HELLO. I AM A 14-YEAR-OLD FRESHMAN, AND I LIVE IN FRISCO, TEXAS, SOME 5035.
I'M SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO WHAT DRAWING FROM DART.
I BIKE FROM ELDORADO AND COIT TO CATCH THE BUS FROM LEGACY AND COIT.
I USE MULTIPLE BUSES THAT RUN THROUGH PLANO TO GET TO MY CLASSES, WHICH ARE IN PLANO.
I ALSO USE DART TO SHOP IN PLANO, ESPECIALLY AT LEGACY WEST IN DOWNTOWN PLANO.
GETTING RID OF DART WOULD HURT PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO RELY ON DART TO GET INTO PLANO AND ACROSS DF.
ADDITIONALLY, REPLACING FIXED ROUTE WITH PAIR TRANSIT IS NOT VIABLE.
AS FOR VIA, THE LAST VAN CANCELED ON ME, LEAVING THE STRAND IN ARLINGTON FOR 2.5 HOURS.
AS FOR GO LINK, IT HAD BEEN SCHEDULED AN HOUR LATER THAN I WANTED, AND GO ZONE HAS JUST NEVER BEEN CONVENIENT FOR ME.
THAT'S WHY I AVOID MICROTRANSIT AND USE A FIXED ROUTE INSTEAD.
A CAR IS NOT A VIABLE REPLACEMENT FOR LARGER VEHICLES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO HANDLE LARGER CAPACITIES.
THANK YOU. I YIELD MY TIME. [APPLAUSE]
>> THE NEXT GROUP OF SPEAKERS IS SHANNON ADAMS, KATHERINE WALSH, KHALED SHAHEED, AND RICHARD ROTH.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SHANNON ADAMS. I LIVE IN PLANO. I RIDE DARK PARATRANSIT DUE TO MY MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
ONE OF THEM, MR ANDREW, MENTIONED THAT HE RIDES DIFFERENT THINGS.
THAT WOULD BE GOOD, BUT SOME OF US, LIKE ME, IF I GET ON TOO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS, THEN I GET LOST.
TWO, I HAVE OTHER CONDITIONS THAT CAUSES ME NOT TO DO THAT.
TAKING DART OUT OF THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A GOOD IDEA FOR PLANO OR ANY OF YOUR RESIDENTS.
ONE, I'M ALSO A STUDENT THAT I HAVE TO CATCH TWO REGULAR BUSES TO GET TO MY SCHOOL, WHICH IS IN DALLAS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY TRANSPORTATION.
[01:05:01]
EVERYONE AT DART THAT WAS ON THE BOARD, 11 OF THEM, FELL ASLEEP WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT FINANCES. I'M JUST GOING TO TELL YOU.>> YOU WILL LOVE. I LISTED IT HERE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KATHERINE WALSH, AND I'VE LIVED IN PLANO SINCE 2016.
I ALSO WORK, VOLUNTEER, AND VOTE HERE.
I'M VERY CONCERNED BY THE PROPOSAL TO WITHDRAW FROM DART.
WHEN I CHOSE DOWNTOWN PLANO AS MY HOME, ACCESS TO THE LIGHT RAIL WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS.
I'VE USED DART EXTENSIVELY OVER THE YEARS TO COMMUTE TO WORK TO GET MY GRADUATE DEGREE AND TO CULTURAL EVENTS IN DALLAS, OR TO MEET UP WITH FRIENDS.
IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING RESOURCE THAT'S LET ME BE LESS RELIANT ON A CAR.
FOR MANY RESIDENTS, STUDENTS, THE DISABLED, WORKING FAMILIES, IT'S NOT JUST A CONVENIENCE, IT'S A LIFELINE.
I UNDERSTAND WE'D STILL BE OBLIGED TO PAY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DEBT TO DART FOR YEARS TO COME AND LOSE VITAL SERVICES SUCH AS OUR BUS ROUTES AND THE SILVER LINE.
I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER. THANK YOU.
>> KHALED SHAHEED. NEXT, RICHARD ROTH.
>> HI. RICK ROTH, I AM A 20-YEAR BRAIN CANCER SURVIVOR AND FORMER CITY PLANNER FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I'M UNABLE TO DRIVE OR WALK SIGNIFICANT DISTANCES DUE TO BRAIN INJURY-RELATED ISSUES, INCLUDING EPILEPSY, EXTREME FATIGUE, SHORT-TERM MEMORY DEFICITS, CONFUSION, AND OTHER PROBLEMS. I'M A LONG-TIME MEMBER OF THE BRAIN INJURY NETWORK OF DALLAS.
CLUBHOUSE IN PLANO, WHERE I ATTEND SEVERAL TIMES WEEKLY.
MANY OF MY FELLOW MEMBERS USE TRANSIT AND PARATRANSIT DAILY.
IF THE CITY OPTS OUT, SOME OF THEM COULD BE COMPLETELY CUT OFF FROM ACCESS.
THE DART SYSTEM CONNECTS WITH TRANSIT PROVIDERS NORTH OF THE DART SERVICE AREA, WHERE MANY OF OUR BRAIN INJURY CLUBHOUSE MEMBERS RESIDE.
TRANSFERRING TO PLANO SERVICES MAY BECOME MORE DIFFICULT OR INFEASIBLE.
REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME, PLEASE MAKE SURE MOBILITY FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE IS NOT COMPROMISED. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
IS JANE HARMON, DARIEL SOLIS, IAN GALLAGOS, AND JOSHUA MCNAIR.
>> THANK YOU. I'M JANE HARMON FROM CARLTON.
I HAVE, FOR MANY YEARS BEEN SEEING MY MEDICAL PROVIDERS AND MY THERAPISTS IN PLANO, AND I'M TERRIFIED AT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF YOU VOTE ME OUT.
OBVIOUSLY, I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE, AND MANY OTHERS WOULD BE SAYING THE SAME THING IF THEY EVEN KNEW THIS MEETING WAS HAPPENING TONIGHT.
I HOPE THAT YOU CAN FIND SOME WAY IF YOU PROVIDE FOR SOME ONGOING STUDY OF THIS TO GET REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUTSIDE OF PLANO WHO ARE COMING IN TO PLANO TO SPEND THEIR MONEY TO GET THEIR SERVICES.
I CAN'T ASK YOU ANY MORE STRONGLY THAN THAT.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO HOLD MY TEARS BACK FOR DAYS OVER THIS.
I DON'T WANT TO LOSE ACCESS TO MY MEDICAL CARE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE].
REPRESENTATIVE JONES IS AVAILABLE TO SPEAK NOW.
>> STATE REPRESENTATIVE JONES.
[01:10:02]
MY NAME IS STATE REPRESENTATIVE VINTON JONES, AND I REPRESENT THE CITY OF DALLAS, BUT ALSO SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF THE DALLAS LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
AT FIRST, I WASN'T GOING TO BE ATTENDING THIS MEETING, AND I STARTED AT SIX O'CLOCK AND REALLY FELT COMPELLED TO BE HERE, MAKING IT FROM O'CLIFF RIGHT NOW TO BE ABLE TO GET HERE AND ADDRESS YOU IN PERSON.
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMMENTS ABOUT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LEGISLATIVE BODY THIS YEAR THAT I THINK THAT ARE UNTRUE.
WHEN WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET AS A LEGISLATIVE BODY.
I MET WITH EACH AND EVERY PARTNER THAT WERE ENGAGED AROUND THIS DART DELIBERATION, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE NORTH TEXAS AREA.
WHAT WAS DISCOVERED WAS THAT THE ONLY THING THAT WAS USED AS A NEGOTIATION POINT WAS THE LEGISLATION THAT DID NOT PASS.
WHY? BECAUSE IT WAS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND AGREEMENT THAT THIS SHOULD BE HANDLED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
I'VE HEARD AS RECENT AS DECEMBER THAT, THINGS WERE BROUGHT UP TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE BODY, BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY EARNEST GOODWILL NEGOTIATION SINCE THEN.
I AM ASKING YOU ALL TO STRONGLY CONSIDER BEFORE USING THIS METHOD TO COME TO THE TABLE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN CREATE A WIN WIN, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S THE COMMUNITIES THAT SUFFER IF WE DON'T GET THIS RIGHT.
>> MY NAME IS DANIEL SOLIS, AND I'M A PLANO RESIDENT.
I'M ALSO A RESEARCHER AT UT SOUTHWESTERN WHO TAKES THE ORANGE LINE TO GET TO DALLAS.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TO EXPRESS MY PROFOUND DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE PLAN TO WITHDRAW FROM DART.
DART ABSOLUTELY HAS ITS ISSUES, AND WE MUST HOLD IT ACCOUNTABLE, BUT ABANDONING IT WILL NOT RESOLVE ANYTHING.
THE WORLD CUP COMING UP, THE OPENING OF THE SILVER LINE STATIONS IN PLANO AND DARTS PREVIOUS, 5% BUDGET CUTS BEING REDIRECTED TO MEMBER CITIES.
NOT ONLY IS DART PLAYING BALL WITH YOU ALL, BUT PLANO HAS ALL THE CAPACITY TO BENEFIT FROM STAYING WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
IF YOU ABANDON DART, YOU ARE LIKEWISE ABANDONING YOUR CONSTITUENTS LIKE ME THAT RELY ON AND USE DART DAILY.
FOR WHAT? A RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH DART.
WE CANNOT WITHDRAW FROM IT. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING. I AM IAN GALES AND I AM A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF CARLTON, AND I ALSO WANT TO URGE THE PLANO CITY COUNCIL TO STAY IN DART.
FIRST OFF, WITHDRAWING FROM DART WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON NOT ONLY PLANO, BUT ALSO THE AGENCY, ITS USERS, AND COMMUNITIES, WHICH DART SERVES.
WHAT THAT MEANS FOR PLANO, IS THAT THE CITY WILL LOSE OUT ON JOBS, ACCESSIBILITY? MOBILITY CONNECTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES.
FURTHERMORE, EVERY USER OF DART, INCLUDING MYSELF, DEPENDS ON THE SERVICES PROVIDED TO GET US TO OUR DESTINATION.
THIS MEANS THAT LEAVING DART CAN TAKE AWAY RELIABLE FORM OF TRANSPORTATION FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING PLANO RESIDENTS, WHICH I USED TO BE ONE MYSELF.
FINALLY, THE SAFETY OF DART HAS NOT AT ALL DIMINISHED.
DART HAS GREATLY INCREASED SECURITY AND POLICE PRESENCE ON THEIR PROPERTY IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.
NO CONCERNS SHOULD BE RAISED OVER THAT.
WITH THIS BEING SAID, I ONCE AGAIN URGE THE PLANO CITY COUNCIL TO STAY IN DART AND TO WORK WITH THEM INSTEAD OF AGAINST THEM. THAT IS ALL.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS CHANCE MCNAIR, SUNRISE MOVEMENT.
LIVE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND I'M HONESTLY NOT SURE WHAT THE FOLKS HERE ARE SO UPSET ABOUT.
I THINK THIS PROPOSAL IS FANTASTIC.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULDN'T FUND ANY PROGRAM THAT COSTS MORE MONEY THAN IT BRINGS IN, REGARDLESS OF THE GOOD IT MAY ACTUALLY PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY.
THUS, IN THAT SPIRIT, I'M PROPOSING WE COMPLETELY DEFUND THE PLANO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
POLICE GENERATE LESS THAN 10% OF THE REVENUE THAT IT COSTS TAXPAYERS TO FUND THEM, AND THAT IS JUST NOT FINANCIALLY EFFICIENT.
AS A SIDE NOTE, JUST AS WE SEE EMPTY BUSES HERE IN PLANO, I DO SEE STREETS EMPTY OF POLICE ON MY TRAVELS.
THE CONCEPT OF OBJECT PERMANENCE AND THE FACT THAT THIS IS NEVER DURING RUSH HOUR IS FRANKLY IRRELEVANT.
IF I DON'T SEE THEM AT THAT SPECIFIC TIME, THEY'RE CLEARLY NEVER ACTIVE OTHERWISE.
IN CASE IT ISN'T OBVIOUS, THIS IS SATIRE, REGARDING THE ABSURDITY OF THIS VOTE, AND I STAND VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED TO TENDING DARK SERVICES HERE.
ARLINGTON ALSO SAID THEY'D MAKE A BETTER RAIL SERVICE AND LOOK AT WHERE THEY'RE AT NOW.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [APPLAUSE].
>> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS CHRIS KAUFMAN, AND I LIVE WORK AND VOTE IN PLANO, AND I TOOK THE DART HERE TODAY.
WHEN I RELOCATED HERE FOR WORK, IT WAS OVERWHELMING FIGURING OUT WHERE IN THE METROPLEX TO LIVE.
I CHOSE TO MOVE TO PLANO NOT FOR ITS HIGHLY RATED SCHOOL DISTRICT OR ITS AWARD WINNING PARK SYSTEM.
[01:15:03]
SURE, THOSE WERE FACTORS, BUT I DECIDED TO LIVE IN PLANO BECAUSE OF DART AND THE AFFORDABLE ACCESS THAT PROVIDES TO THE REST OF DFW.WHEN I WAS A WORKING COLLEGE STUDENT, I COULD NOT AFFORD A CAR, AND I RELIED ON THE BUS EVERY DAY TO GET TO CLASSES IN MY JOB.
THANKFULLY, I LIVED IN A CITY WHICH INVESTED IN ITS TRANSIT AGENCY, AND I COULD TAKE A BUS OR SUBWAY TO GET WHERE I NEEDED TO GO, SO I DIDN'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT LOSING MY JOB OR MISSING A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT.
I HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TODAY, BUT I CANNOT FORGET WHERE I CAME FROM.
I KNOW THERE ARE MANY RESIDENTS OF PLANO WHO RELY ON DART EVERY DAY AS I ONCE DID.
THIS YEAR, MY WIFE AND I WERE RENEWING OUR LEASE.
WE WERE CONSIDERING MOVING TO RICHARDS CENTER CARLTON, BUT DECIDED TO STAY HERE BECAUSE OF THE NEWS OF THE SILVER LINE OPENING.
I TRAVEL REGULARLY FOR WORK USING THE SILVER LINE TO GET TO DFW NEXT WEEK.
DART AND THE ACCESS TO RELIABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS WHAT KEEPS MY FAMILY IN PLANO.
PULLING OUT A DART GIVES US LITTLE INCENTIVE TO STAY IN PLANO, AND I HOPE THE CITY WILL WORK WITH DART TO COME WITH A MORE EQUITABLE SOLUTION. THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS IS HEATHER MCNAIR, SEAN MCKENNA, ADAM COLOGNE, NATHAN PRICE, AND KEITH WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I LIVE IN GARLAND, BUT I DID GRADUATE FROM PLANO SENIOR HIGH IF THAT MEANS ANYTHING AT ALL.
I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF BYTE DFW, AND WE'RE A REGIONAL NONPROFIT WORKING FOR MORE AND SAFER CYCLING IN THE DALLAS FORT WORTH REGION.
WE WORK TO MAKE CYCLING SAFER AND MORE CONNECTED ACROSS NORTH TEXAS.
TONIGHT I'M ASKING YOU TO KEEP PLANO IN DART.
FOR MANY PLAINTIFF RESIDENTS, MOBILITY IS COMMUNITY.
BIKES AND TRANSIT WORK TOGETHER.
A STUDENT BIKES TO A STATION TO REACH CLASS, A NURSE TAKES THE EARLY BUS TO A SHIFT, A PARENT COMBINES TRAIN AND BIKE TO AVOID A DANGEROUS ROADWAY.
AN OLDER ADULT OR A NEIGHBOR WITH A DISABILITY USES PARATRANSIT TO GET TO THE DOCTOR.
WHEN WE DISCONNECT FROM DART, WE DON'T JUST CUT A ROUTE.
RECENT CONCERNS DESERVE ATTENTION, BUT WHEN DRUG RELATED INCIDENTS ARE SEPARATED, OVERALL CRIME ON DART HAS IMPROVED THIS PAST YEAR, NOT GOTTEN WORSE.
THE ANSWER IS TO KEEP IMPROVING THE SYSTEM, NOT ABANDON IT.
PLANO IS GROWING. WE CAN'T PAVE OUR WAY OUT OF CONGESTION. THANK YOU.
>> HELLO. I'M SEAN MCKENNA, AND I LIVE IN PLANO.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO YOUR MOTION TO CALL FOR A DART WITHDRAWAL ELECTION.
I USE DART TO GET TO WORK IN THE TELECOM CORRIDOR IN RICHARDSON.
IT IS PAINLESS, AND IT SAVES ME THE TROUBLE OF HAVING TO FIGHT CONSTRUCTION RELATED CONGESTION, ESPECIALLY ON PARKER ROAD.
IF PLANO WITHDRAWALS FROM DART, THIS ROUTING WILL NO LONGER BE POSSIBLE.
I'M SKEPTICAL THAT A PLANO RUN MICROTRANSIT REPLACEMENT COULD WORK FOR ME OR ANY OTHER CURRENT DART RIDERS.
I PERSONALLY DO NOT LIKE MICROTRANSIT SERVICES SUCH AS G LINK, AS I HAVE FOUND THEM TO BE UNRELIABLE DURING PEAK TIMES.
NONE OF THE OUTSOURCED RIDE SHARE DRIVERS WANT TO PICK UP A G LINK PASSENGER BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO OPTION TO TIP.
DART ALSO PUSHES G LINK PASSENGERS INTO THE LEAST PROFITABLE CATEGORIES, SO THEY DO NOT WANT US ON THEIR RIDE SHARE SERVICE.
I ALSO HAVE CONCERNS THAT PLANO CANNOT AFFORD CREATING ITS OWN TRANSIT SERVICE.
I AM A RESIDENT OF PLANO SINCE 1994.
FOR 10 YEARS, I HAVE USED DART AND OTHER TRANSIT SERVICES TO GET TO MY JOB IN FORT WORTH.
I BOARD THE RED LINE AT PARKER ROAD STATION AT 5:00 A.M. AND RETURN AROUND 9:00 P.M.
I HAVE NEVER HAD NO WITNESSED A PROBLEM REGARDING PERSONAL SAFETY IN ALL OF THAT TIME, AND DART HAS IMPROVED SECURITY SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE 2016 ON BOTH TRAINS AND PLATFORMS. THE NEW SILVER LINE IS EVEN BETTER.
THERE IS A CONDUCTOR IN EACH CAR AND EVERY ONE'S TICKET IS CHECKED.
IT ALIGNS WITH A TEXT RAIL SCHEDULE SUCH THAT A TRIP TO DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH IS ONLY 90 MINUTES.
IT IS A TRUE REGIONAL TRANSIT SOLUTION.
WHAT IS THE TANGIBLE BENEFIT THAT WE WILL SEE IN RETURN FOR PULLING OUT OF DART? WHAT ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE BETTER THAN WHAT DART CURRENTLY PROVIDES FOR COMMUTERS? EXCLUDING OURSELVES FROM REGIONAL TRANSIT IS A DISINVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE AND WILL DISRUPT THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EACH DAY. THANK YOU.
>> HI THERE. MY NAME IS KEITH WILLIAMS. I AM A RESIDENT AND HOMEOWNER HERE IN PLANO.
I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING THAT THE PLANO PUBLIC DOES DEPEND ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO GET AROUND.
I DO AGREE THAT OUR CURRENT LEVEL OF INVESTMENT DOES NOT MATCH WHAT WE CONTRIBUTE.
HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT A CLEAR PLAN.
I THINK IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE TO TAKE ACTION WITHOUT
[01:20:02]
DEFINING EXACTLY WHAT IT IS WE WANT TO DO FROM HERE ON OUT.AS MR. FORTUNE HAS SAID, IT IS A BLANK CANVAS, AND THAT INVESTMENT MIGHT BE A MUCH HIGHER UPFRONT COST THAN WE EXPECT.
THAT'S WHY I PROPOSE CHANGING THE BALLOT LANGUAGE INSTEAD TO MATCH A RANK CHOICE FORMAT, ONE THAT VOTERS SEVERAL DEGREES OF ACTION TO CONSIDER.
MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO, PASS THE GMP RESOLUTION, RENEGOTIATE BY WITHHOLDING FUNDS, SLOW WITHDRAW AND REPLACEMENT, OR A FULL EXIT FROM DART ENTIRELY.
I THINK THE PLANO RESIDENTS DESERVE TO DECIDE WHAT LEVEL OF INVESTMENT IN DART BEST REFLECTS THEIR NEEDS, AND A SIMPLE, YES OR NO VOTE JUST WILL NOT CAPTURE WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND PRIORITIZES.
>> THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS ARE BRETT COOPER, COREY RINKER, NATHAN RAKU, PHYLLIS SILVER, AND DAVID EVANS.
>> GOOD EVENING. BRETT COOPER IS A SEVEN YEAR RESIDENT OF PLANO.
DISAPPOINTED. THAT'S HOW I FEEL TONIGHT FOR ALL EIGHT OF YOU ON THIS DAYS.
WHEN I VOTED FOR EACH OF YOU, I BELIEVE YOU SHARED MY VISION FOR PLANO TO MOVE FORWARD AS A REGIONAL LEADER.
INSTEAD, THIS RUSH TO LEAVE DART SENDS THE OPPOSITE MESSAGE.
WE WANT TO TURN INWARDS AND BE OURSELVES.
DOES DART HAVE ITS PROBLEMS AS A REGULAR WRITER? I KNOW THEM. BUT THE WAY TO FIX DART IS FROM WITHIN, NOT FROM WITHOUT.
ACCESS TO THE LIGHT RAIL, INCLUDING BOTH AIRPORTS WAS ONE OF THE TOP TWO REASONS.
MY HUSBAND AND I MOVED TO THIS CITY SEVEN YEARS AGO.
IT CONNECTS US AFFORDABLY AND CONVENIENTLY ACROSS THE METROPLEX FOR LEISURE AND WORK.
THIS DECISION IS RUSHED AND LACKS A CLEAR ALTERNATIVE, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
IF WE CAN'T REVISIT IT AGAIN UNTIL 2032, TAKE THE TIME TO GET IT RIGHT.
FORM A TASK FORCE, STUDY THE OPTIONS AND MAKE A THOUGHTFUL, NOT CHAOTIC CHOICE.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR MUNS, CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER.
MY NAME IS COREY RINKER. I'M A PLANO RESIDENT.
MORE THAN 15 YEARS AGO, I MOVED TO DOWNTOWN PLANO.
WE BOUGHT OUR HOME HERE, WALKING DISTANCE TO THE TRAIN STATION.
MY PROFESSION AS AN ARCHITECT, IS BASED HERE.
WE WELCOME GUESTS HERE FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
I AM INVESTED IN THIS PLACE FINANCIALLY, CIVICALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY.
I AM DEEPLY WORRIED WHAT THE DAY AFTER A SUCCESSFUL WITHDRAWAL ELECTION LOOKS LIKE FOR DOWNTOWN PLANO.
THE IMMEDIATE TERMINATION OF TRANSIT SERVICES, VACANT TRAIN STATIONS, AND 7-10 YEARS OF DEBT TO PAY OFF.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS IN OUR BEST INTERESTS.
MOBILITY. THE CAPACITY TO ACCESS ALL OUR REGION HAS TO OFFER IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR REGIONAL DYNAMISM AND COMPETITIVENESS.
THE VOTERS DESERVE A POSITIVE VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY IN OUR CITY.
I HAVE YET TO SEE ANY SUCH POSITIVE VISION FROM MY CITY'S LEADERSHIP.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS NATHAN, AND I AM A RICHARDSON RESIDENT.
AS A YOUNG PERSON WITHOUT A LICENSE, DART GIVES ME FREEDOM TO ENJOY MY COMMUNITY, GIVING ME ACCESS TO MY FAVORITE RESTAURANTS, PARKS, AND EVEN THE PUBLIC HEARING HERE TODAY.
SOME OF MY BEST MEMORIES OF MY FAMILY IN THIS VERY DOWNTOWN WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH DART.
NOW WITH THE NEWLY OPEN SILVER LINE, PLANO'S MEMBERSHIP WITH DART ALLOWS ME TO VISIT OUR WONDERFUL NEIGHBORING CITIES, ADDISON AND KOPPEL.
WITH PLANO'S DART MEMBERSHIP TERMINATED, I AND OTHER REPRESENTED MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, SUCH AS THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD OTHER MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, AND THOSE WHO SIMPLY DON'T WISH TO DRIVE, WE LOSE OUR ACCESS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD.
WE ARE VALUABLE PARTICIPANTS IN THIS CITY, AND WE DESERVE TO HAVE THE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION TO CONTINUE OUR PARTICIPATION.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I URGE YOU TO KEEP THE PART OF PLANO WITHOUT HIS OWN SET OF WHEELS IN MIND WHEN VOTING ON THIS MATTER.
INSTEAD OF SEVERING PLANO FROM DART, CONSIDER WORKING TOGETHER WITH DART TOWARDS A MORE FAIR, COST EFFECTIVE, AND CONSIDERATE SOLUTION INSTEAD.
>> HELLO, I'M PHYLLIS SILVER OF ADDISON.
WITHDRAWAL WOULD BE VERY DETRIMENTAL TO RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THAT YOU SERVE.
MANY OF YOUR SERVICE WORKERS IN HOTELS, RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS LIVE OUTSIDE PLANO AND DEPEND ON DART FOR THEIR COMMUTE.
ALSO, MANY PLANO RESIDENTS WORK IN OTHER CITIES IN DART SERVICE AREA, AND THEY RELY ON DART.
THIS SHOWS THAT DART PROVIDES A REGIONAL NETWORK THAT IS VITAL FOR OUR MOBILITY.
I REMEMBER WHEN THERE WERE ONLY A FEW SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS IN DOWNTOWN PLANO, THESE BUSINESSES LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMING OF DARTS RAIL.
THEN THE RAIL ARRIVED, AND YOU'VE BUILT A VIBRANT, BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY IN DOWNTOWN.
CUSTOMERS TRAVEL TO PLANO USING DART TRAINS AND BUSES TO ENJOY YOUR LOVELY CITY.
WHEN CUSTOMERS USE TRANSIT, IT REDUCES TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
I URGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE AND WORK OUT ISSUES WITH DART,
[01:25:01]
DEVELOP COMPROMISES THAT WOULD BE FAVORABLE TO YOUR BEAUTIFUL CITY AND THE REGION.>> GOOD EVENING, MAYORS, COUNCIL.
AS MANY OF YOU ALL KNOW, I KNOW YOU ALL PERSONALLY, AND I CAN SAY THAT I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE'RE HERE AT THIS POINT.
HOW DID WE GET HERE AND NOT HAVE TOWN HALL MEETINGS OR COMMUNITY MEETINGS WITH THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY? NOW WE VOTE THIS IN OR IF YOU DO THIS, THEN YOU NOW GO BACK AND HAVE THESE RESEARCH STUDIES.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENED AND WHY DID IT HAPPEN.
MARIA, YOU SERVE MY COMMUNITY, EAST PLANO.
WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT ANY OF THIS, AND YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE 2019 WITH ANDREW.
IT'S JUST DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, MY COMMUNITY JUST DID THE UNVEILING OF THE 12TH STREET STATION, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING, RICK, AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAD OTHER PLANS AND EVERYTHING, BUT YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DART FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND NONE OF THIS HAS BEEN MENTIONED.
A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT WE'RE HEARING IS NOT ADDING UP.
I'M ASKING YOU NOT ONLY TO WITHDRAW THIS, BUT TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE PROCESSES. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS IS PAM HOLLAND, JUNE JENKINS, JAMES SMITH, JAMES LOFFLER, AND KATHY BAKER.
>> PAM HOLLAND, DOWNTOWN PLANO.
IF WE INSIST THAT DART BE TRANSPARENT AND HONEST, WE SHOULD BE TWO.
WE KNOW DART PAYS OFF WELL BEYOND SERVICE NUMBERS.
EVEN BEFORE SILVER LINE OPENED, ED DIRECTOR MCDONALD TOUTED TOP-TIER TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND AIRPORT ACCESS AS MAJOR STRATEGIC ASSETS IN A RECENT ARTICLE TITLED, WHY INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES ARE CHOOSING PLANO.
THEY CHOOSE US OVER OTHER AREA SUBURBS BECAUSE PLANO IS CONNECTED, AS OTHERS ARE NOT.
PROVINCIAL MICROTRANSIT IS NO EQUIVALENT.
MONEY WE PAY IN FOR TRANSIT ACCESS THAT ATTRACTS CORPORATE RELOCATIONS TO OUR GREAT BENEFIT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS LEVERAGED, LIKE OTHER CARROT-ON-A-STICK INCENTIVES WE FUND.
THIS GAME OF CHICKEN IS PLAYING WITH FIRE FOR OUR REPUTATION AND ECONOMIC FUTURE.
PARTNERS NOW SEE THAT WE ARE WILLING TO DITCH LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS, FLUSH OUR MILLIONS OF DOWNTOWN INVESTMENT, AND BETRAY BUSINESSES, DEVELOPERS, AND OUR RESIDENTS.
PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS. [APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JUNE JENKINS.
I'M A PLANO RESIDENT AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLIN COUNTY NAACP.
MANY OF THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT I WAS GOING TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, IN PARTICULAR, THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER, ABOUT THE IMPACT TO THE CORPORATIONS THAT CHOOSE PLANO AS A PLACE TO DO BUSINESS.
I'M JUST GOING TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS.
I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO DISCLOSE HOW MUCH WE WILL STILL HAVE TO PAY DART IF WE CHOOSE TO REMOVE OURSELVES.
WHY IS THE COMMUNITY JUST NOW BEING ASKED, AS OPPOSED TO PRIOR TO YOU COMING TO THIS CONCLUSION? IF YOU'VE BEEN AT THIS SINCE 2019, WHY DID PLANO WAIT UNTIL THREE DAYS AFTER THE SILVER LINE OPENED TO PULL THE RUG? YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO DECIDE TONIGHT.
TO LISTEN TO ALL OF THE WONDERFUL COMMUNITY SPEAKERS TODAY, THEY'VE GIVEN YOU OPINION.
DART HAS THEIR PROBLEMS; HOLD DART ACCOUNTABLE, AND PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR DECISION. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> HI, MY NAME IS JAMES SMITH.
I LIVE IN DALLAS IN MY OWN APARTMENT, AND I GO TO MY POSSIBILITIES MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
ON TUESDAYS, I GO TO TAEKWONDO AND RICHARDSON, BUT I HAVE TWO ACTIVITIES I DO IN PLANO.
MY POSSIBILITIES AND THE PLANO PARK RECREATIONAL SPECIAL NEEDS DANCE. MY MOTHER GOT ME INTO THIS GROUP.
I USED DART. WHEN MY MOTHER WAS DYING OF ALZHEIMER'S, I TOOK THE DART TO SEE HER.
MY OTHER BUYS WERE BUSY WITH THEIR KIDS, THEIR LIVES, AND NONE OF THEM WENT TO SEE.
I'M THE OLDEST OF FOUR BOYS, AND IF THIS HAPPENS, I WON'T BE ABLE TO GO TO MY POSSIBILITIES ANYMORE, AND I WON'T BE ABLE TO GO TO THE PLANO PARK DANCES, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
[01:30:02]
UBER'S TOO EXPENSIVE.IF IT WAS A DARK CALLING ME UBER, I'D BE A HOMEBODY. [APPLAUSE]
>> WELL, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR LISTENING TONIGHT.
OUR FAMILY HAS LIVED IN PLANO FOR 17 YEARS.
IN 2015, MY SON WAS HIT BY A CAR AND SUFFERED A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. HE SPENT TWO MONTHS IN DALLAS MEDICAL FACILITIES. MY WIFE AND I BOTH TOOK TIME OFF OF WORK TO BE WITH HIM AROUND THE CLOCK SO THAT WHEN HE WOKE UP, HE WOULD SEE A FAMILIAR FACE.
FRIENDS OF OURS GAVE US A DARK PASS, AND THAT ENABLED US TO GO ANYWHERE IN DFW TO BE WITH OUR SON DURING HIS RECOVERY.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PARKING.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GAS OR TRAFFIC, ANY OF THAT.
DART WAS AVAILABLE FOR US WHEN WE DESPERATELY NEEDED IT.
I WILL GLADLY PAY MORE IN WHAT I ALREADY DO IN TAXES SO THAT EVERY RESIDENT OF PLANO HAS THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO USE DART WHEN THEY DESPERATELY NEED IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS KATHY BAKER, AND I'M A 20-YEAR RESIDENT OF PLANO NOW LIVING NEAR THE DART LINE IN DOWNTOWN PLANO.
I SEE EVERY DAY HOW DART HAS BECOME A LIABILITY FOR OUR CITY.
WHAT WAS MEANT TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION NOW BRINGS CRIME, DISORDER, AND FEAR INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'VE PERSONALLY WITNESSED PUBLIC DRUG USE INDECENT EXPOSURE, URINATION, AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR NEAR HAGGARD PARK, ESPECIALLY THE PLAYGROUND STEPS, RIGHT THERE WHERE OUR FAMILIES BRING THEIR CHILDREN.
THESE PROBLEMS ARRIVE ON DART TRAINS, AND THEY STAY HERE.
DART POLICE ARE LARGELY ABSENT.
THE FEW TIMES THEY RESPOND, THEIR ACTIONS ARE INEFFECTIVE.
MEANWHILE, PLANO POLICE ARE LEFT CLEANING UP A MESS, SPENDING CITY RESOURCES, DEMANDING TO MANAGE ISSUES DART IGNORES, AND PLANO TAXPAYERS ARE FUNDING A SYSTEM THAT DRAINS PUBLIC SAFETY, LOWERS PROPERTY VALUES, AND DIMINISHES OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
IT'S TIME TO STOP SUBSIDIZING WHAT IS CLEARLY NOT WORKING.
>> PLANO SHOULD END THE FUNDING FOR DART AND PURSUE OUR OWN.
>> HI. I'M MADISON NOEL MCNAIR.
I'M A GARLAND RESIDENT, A DART AND PARATRANSIT CUSTOMER, AND NEW PARATRANSIT ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY GROUP MEMBER.
I AM ALSO AN INTERN WITH SUNRISE MOVEMENT, DALLAS, COMING TO ASK YOU, PLEASE DO NOT PULL OUT OF DART.
AS A DISABLED AND CRITICALLY ILL YOUNG ADULT, I HAVE SEEN AND EXPERIENCE SO MUCH INACCESSIBILITY THROUGHOUT OUR BEAUTIFUL METROPLEX, BUT ONE THING REMAINED TRUE EVEN AT THE WORST OF ROADBLOCKS, I HAD DART AND DART PARATRANSIT SERVICES TO REACH MY DESTINATION.
REMOVING PLANO FROM DART WOULD MEAN DISABLED DALLAS AREA RESIDENTS AND MANY OTHERS THROUGHOUT OUR CITIES WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO COME TO PLANO FOR ANYTHING, AND OUR DISABLED NEIGHBORS AND EVERYONE WITHOUT A CAR IN PLANO WOULD BE UNABLE TO ACCESS THE REST OF OUR BEAUTIFUL METROPLEX.
DART REMAINS ONE OF OUR MOST ROBUST ACCESSIBILITY RESOURCES FOR DISABLED RESIDENTS SEEKING TO BUILD AND SUSTAIN A LIFE HERE.
WE CANNOT LOSE DART WITHOUT GIVING UP ACCESSIBILITY IN THE PROCESS.
FINALLY, IN CLOSING, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY TO PROMOTE EQUITY AND INCLUSIVITY, YOU MUST BE PRIORITIZING ACCESSIBILITY. THANK YOU. [NOISE]
>> SORRY, LITTLE TALL. GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY FIANCEE AND I AGREE THAT THE BEST STATE START WITH TAKING THE RED LINE UP TO PLANO TO PATRONIZE LOCAL GEMS LIKE PRESTON'S OR WOODEN SPOON WITHOUT EVER HAVING TO GO ONTO TRAFFIC.
WE LIKE IT SO MUCH THAT WE KNOWINGLY AND GLADLY PAY 14% MORE RENT VERSUS SIMILAR UNITS, SO THAT WAY WE HAVE THAT EASY ACCESS.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, DART LET US HAVE OUR AMERICAN DREAM.
I WAS ABLE TO AFFORD ATTENDING COLLEGE BECAUSE DART BUSES GAVE ME A SAFE WAY TO GET TO WORK AND SCHOOL WITHOUT MASSIVE CAR EXPENSES, HELPING ME LAND MY DREAM JOB AT A FORTUNE 500 COMPANY IN PLANO WITHOUT RESORTING TO STUDENT LOANS.
NOW, THE DART SILVER LINE IS SET TO CHANGE THE TRATE OF MY FIANCEE'S LIFE.
HE HAS AN INCURABLE EYE CONDITION, BUT HE CAN GET TO WORK USING THE SILVER LINE, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE LONGER AS A YOUNG FAMILY, TO GO AHEAD AND BUILD SAVINGS RESERVES, SO THAT WAY WE DON'T NEED AS MUCH PUBLIC ASSISTANCE IN THE FUTURE, AND HE CAN WORK FOR YEARS LONGER.
PLEASE KEEP DART, WE NEED IT. [APPLAUSE]
[01:35:04]
>> THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS IS ROB ADAMS, KATHERINE CASSAVANT, SUSAN MALLEY, CHELSEA ROSEN.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ROB ADAMS. I'M A RESIDENT OF PLANO VETERAN, AND AT&T RETIREE.
FOR MY TENURE AT AT&T, I TOOK THE RED LINE BACK AND FORTH, AND IT WAS A GREAT WAY TO COMMUTE AND AVOID THE MADDENING TRAFFIC OF DALLAS, TEXAS.
WHAT WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT IS A LOT OF QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES, HOW IT RELATES TO DART AND LIFE ISSUES.
I HOPE YOU FOLKS WILL OBVIOUSLY RECONSIDER OPTING OUT OF DART.
IT MAKES US A CITY OF EXCELLENCE, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE ALONG THAT VEIN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>> HI. I'M KATHERINE CASSAVANT, AND I AM A RESIDENT OF PLANO.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PLEASE ASK YOU TO VOTE NO ON AN ELECTION TO LEAVE DART.
I LOVE LIVING IN PLANO, BUT I DO NOT LOVE 75 IN RUSH HOUR.
FOR ME, AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER PLANO PROFESSIONALS, DART IS NOT A NICE-TO-HAVE.
WE'RE NOT JUST PAYING FOR THE STOPS IN PLANO; WE'RE PAYING FOR THE NETWORK.
WE'RE PAYING FOR ACCESS TO THE ENTIRE REGION AND FOR THE BRAND-NEW SILVER LINE.
WE JUST WAITED YEARS FOR IT TO OPEN.
PLEASE DON'T STRAND OUR RESIDENTS.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS.
MY NAME IS SUSAN MALLEY, AND I'M A BRAND-NEW RESIDENT TO DOWNTOWN PLANO.
PRIMARILY, I CHOSE THIS AREA BECAUSE OF DART.
I DO NOT HAVE A VEHICLE, AND I CHOOSE TO LIVE THAT WAY BECAUSE OF ALL THE CRAZY CONGESTION, ACCIDENTS, AND THE COST OF HAVING A VEHICLE.
I UNDERSTAND WHY THE CITY IS CONSIDERING WITHDRAWING FROM DART.
IN 2023, PLANO CONTRIBUTED ABOUT $109 MILLION AND ONLY RECEIVED $44 MILLION IN DIRECT COMPENSATION.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THE TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND EXECUTIVE BONUSES ARE A MAJOR ISSUE.
THE DART RAIL SYSTEM IS A MAJOR REASON WHY THE DOWNTOWN THRIVES TODAY.
BUSINESS, RESTAURANTS, AND DEVELOPERS CHOOSE THIS AREA BECAUSE OF THE RAIL.
PROPERTY VALUES AROUND THE DART STATIONS HAVE CONSISTENTLY IMPROVED PEOPLE LIKE ME.
>> HI. MY NAME IS CHELSEA ROSEN, PLANO RESIDENT.
I'M HERE TO OPPOSE ANY ELECTION TO DISSOLVE DART.
I'VE MADE MAJOR LIFE DECISIONS AROUND THE ACCESSIBILITY DART PROVIDES.
I BOUGHT MY HOME IN PLANO, KNOWING THE PROXIMITY TO DART WOULD EXPAND MY CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, AND THAT DID PAY OFF.
I ACCEPTED A POSITION IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
I LIVE FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM THE PARKER ROAD STATION AND CURRENTLY TAKE THE TRAIN EVERY WEEKDAY.
I RELY ON DART SAFETY AND CONSISTENCY.
I AM UNINTERESTED IN ADDING AN ADDITIONAL MICROTRANSIT STEP TO MY ALREADY LONG COMMUTE.
DART ADDS REAL VALUE, NOT JUST TO MY LIFE, BUT TO PLANO ITSELF.
IT'S WHAT DREW MY HUSBAND AND I TO BUILD OUR LIVES HERE.
IT SETS OUR CITY APART FROM OTHER DALLAS SUBURBS.
FOR MYSELF, MY FAMILY, AND MY COMMUNITY, I SUPPORT DART AND OPPOSE ANY ACTION TO DISSOLVE IT. THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS, DOLLY THOMAS, EMBERT CHAFFIN, MIA FILES, NATHAN PANTALION, AND JULIA PENDRY.
>> HI, MY NAME IS EMBERT CHAFFIN.
YOU GUYS PROBABLY ALL RECEIVED MY 1,800 EMAILS. I'M SORRY.
LAST TIME I HAD THREE MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT WHY I WANTED CHICKENS IN PLANO, SO NOW I'M GOING TO TRY TO SPEND A MINUTE TALKING ABOUT WHY WE NEED TO DELAY OUR VOTE, HOLD THE PUBLIC FORUM, AND LET THE COMMUNITY SPEAK BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL THAT I THINK WE ALL VOTED FOR DECIDES TO MAKE A CHOICE.
I JUST WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE STORY.
[01:40:02]
I GUARANTEE YOU THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WANTED HIM ON THE DART GOING TO SCHOOL IN RICHARDSON, THEN ON 75.ADDITIONALLY, THERE WERE SOME STATS SHARED EARLIER ABOUT HOW BAD THE CRIME IS.
FROM WHAT I CAN SEE, WE HAVE ABOUT 10-15 INJURY-CAUSING ACCIDENTS PER 1,000 RESIDENTS, AND BELOW ONE AND 1000 INCIDENCES ON DART INVOLVING RIDERS.
I'M VERY CONCERNED AS TO WHY WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT REVITALIZATION, AND INSTEAD TALKING ABOUT REPLACEMENT.
THERE IS MONEY IN SOME OF THESE POCKETS.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE, BUT THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MIA, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF PLANO REMAINING A MEMBER OF DART.
WHAT HAPPENS HERE IN PLANO AFFECTS THE ENTIRE DART NETWORK, INCLUDING NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE.
I'M FROM RICHARDSON. I LIVE NEXT TO THE NEW SILVER LINE AT THE STOP AT UT DALLAS.
THE SILVER LINE IS A GREAT NEW CONNECTION THAT ALLOWS ME AND NOW COUNTLESS OF OTHER COLLEGE STUDENTS TO TAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT DIRECTLY TO AND FROM SCHOOL.
I EVEN TOOK IT TO GET HERE TONIGHT.
IT'S ONLY THROUGH CONTINUED FUNDING AND CITY PARTICIPATION THAT OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS CAN EXIST.
DART IS MORE THAN JUST A LOCAL SERVICE.
IT'S WHAT KEEPS OUR CITIES CONNECTED.
WHEN PLANO CONTRIBUTES TO DART, IT SUPPORTS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
WITHDRAWING FUNDING DOES NOT JUST AFFECT PLANO RESIDENTS.
IT IMPACTS THE ENTIRE EFFICIENCY, REACH, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF TRANSIT ACROSS THE ENTIRE DFW AREA.
EVERY CITY IN THE NETWORK BENEFITS WHEN ALL MEMBERS PARTICIPATE AND EVERY WITHDRAWAL THREATENS THAT COLLECTIVE STRENGTH.
PLANO'S CONNECTIONS TO DART POSITIONS THE CITY AS AN ACCESSIBLE, FORWARD-LOOKING, AND ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT CITY.
I URGE THE COUNCIL TO THINK BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE BUDGET LINE, BECAUSE STAYING INVESTED IN DART STRENGTHENS NOT JUST PLANO, BUT THE ENTIRE REGION OF DFW. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
AS I READ ON DART AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF PLANO, I HAVE REPEATEDLY SEEN MESSAGING COMING FROM THE CITY THAT DART IS NOT PROVIDING FAIR VALUE TO THE PLANO TAXPAYERS.
A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THIS MESSAGING IS CENTERED AROUND WHAT DART SPENDS INSIDE OF PLANO.
FOR MY WIFE AND MYSELF, THE VALUE DART DELIVERS GOES BEYOND PLANO'S BORDERS.
IT IS 21.4 MILES FROM MY HOUSE ON CROSS BEND TO MY WIFE'S JOB IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS, WHERE SHE DID DRIVE, THAT'S 214 MILES A WEEK AND 856 MILES A MONTH.
THE PROPOSAL TODAY IS THAT WE SHOULDER MORE OF THAT BURDEN ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, THROUGH PAYING FOR GAS OR WAITING FOR A POTENTIAL SOLUTION THAT MIGHT RUN LATE.
UNDER TODAY'S PROPOSAL, THIS BURDEN IS OUR REWARD FOR CHOOSING TO PUT DOWN ROOTS IN PLANO.
IT IS A DISPROPORTIONATE SHIFTING OF THE TAX AND TIME BURDEN TO THOSE WHO HAVE NO CHOICE.
THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS WORKING FOR US.
WITHDRAWAL DAMAGES OUR QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I LIVE ABOUT THREE BLOCKS AWAY IN THE APARTMENTS ON THE DART LINE ON EAST 15TH.
WHEN I SOLD MY FARMERS BRANCH HOME OF 42 YEARS, I STARTED LOOKING FOR APARTMENTS ON A DART LINE BECAUSE I WORKED IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
I LOOKED IN CARLTON FARMERS BRANCH, DALLAS, ETC.
PICKED THIS PLACE BECAUSE OF OLD DOWNTOWN PLANO, HAGGARD PARK, THE DART LINE, EVERYTHING RIGHT THERE.
I SPEND MOST OF MY MONEY IN PLANO, TEXAS, AND IT DOES NOT OFFEND ME TO HAVE A PORTION OF THOSE TAXES I PAY HELP THE WHOLE DART SYSTEM.
I USE IT TO WRITE TO THE ZOO, THE STATE FAIR, THE EISEMANN CENTER, MOCKINGBIRD STATION, ETC.
IT'S RIDICULOUS TO SAY, WE'RE NOT GETTING BACK EVERY DOLLAR WE SPENT.
[LAUGHTER] WE CAN AFFORD A LOT MORE DOLLARS THAN A LOT OF OTHER TOWNS WHO AREN'T AS WELL TO DO AS PLANO. THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS IS JEREMY MATTHEWS, DANNY MARTIN, COLEEN AGUILAR EPSTEIN, RACHEL SCARBOROUGH AND RIKA SHENOI.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JEREMY MATTHEWS.
I LIVE IN PLANO, AND I'M SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THE ORDINANCE.
I FEEL THAT WE HAVE COME TO AN EXTREME UNNECESSARILY.
WE ARE ENTERTAINING THE POSSIBILITY OF LEAVING A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT HAS BECOME PART OF THE FABRIC OF PLANO.
AS AN EXAMPLE, I CAN'T IMAGINE DOWNTOWN PLANO WITHOUT ITS DART RAIL STATION.
THE STATION HAS HELPED ATTRACT SO MUCH DEVELOPMENT AND HELPED MAKE DOWNTOWN A VERY THRIVING PLACE.
THAT SAID, I DO UNDERSTAND THE CITY'S COMPLAINTS WITH DART.
THE INDEPENDENT STUDY IN 2023 SHOWS A SUBSIDY THAT LOOKS QUITE UNFAIR TO PLANO.
I HAVE HEARD THAT THE STUDY DID NOT INCLUDE THE JUST OPEN SILVER LINE.
THAT WOULD MAKE SOME DIFFERENCE,
[01:45:01]
BUT WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH? I DON'T THINK WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE THERE NEEDS TO BE A THREAT TO LEAVE DART.FOR ONE THING, WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE FOR THOSE WHO DEPEND UPON IT? THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT MENTION ONE.
WHAT HAPPENS ON MAY 3RD IF LEAVING DART WINS? THAT SHOULD BE KNOWN IN THE ORDINANCE, NOT STILL TO BE DISCUSSED AFTER VOTING FOR IT.
I ASK FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE IMAGINATION FROM BOTH SIDES.
LET'S STILL TRY TO MAKE DART WORK FOR PLANO RATHER THAN RISK LOSING THE GOOD THAT WE HAVE.
>> HI, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RACHEL SCARBOROUGH.
I'VE LIVED IN EAST PLANO FOR 32 YEARS.
I JUST HAVE THREE QUICK POINTS.
ONE, I'VE HEARD PEOPLE HERE SAY THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT USING MICRO TRANSIT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE SAY HERE, THEY'RE SCARED OF MICRO TRANSIT.
WE DON'T WANT OUR RESIDENTS SCARED.
WE NEED OUR RESIDENTS TO HAVE FAITH AND TO HAVE COMFORT.
TWO, THE SEVERAL LINE JUST OPENED.
DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG WE'VE WAITED? WE CAN'T CLOSE THAT OFF.
WE NEED THAT. GIVE IT A CHANCE, LET IT TRY.
THIRD, WE'VE ALREADY PAID DART AT A LOT OF MONEY.
DO WE STILL HAVE TO PAY THEM MONEY IF WE PULL OUT? IF WE DO, WHAT ARE WE GETTING FOR THAT? NOTHING. WE'VE PULLED OUT, AND WE'RE GETTING NOTHING BACK.
PLEASE CONSIDER THESE THREE POINTS WHEN YOU LOOK AT MAKING YOUR DECISION.
>> MR. MAYOR. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE TODAY.
MY NAME IS DANNY MARTIN. I'M A RESIDENT AND HELP RUN A COUPLE OF BUSINESSES HERE IN PLANO.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THIS FINE CITY FOR A FEW YEARS.
THE THING I'VE LIKED ABOUT IT THE MOT IS THAT WE'VE NEVER BEEN AFRAID TO INVEST IN THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE OUR FUTURE BETTER.
IF SOMETHING'S NOT GOOD IN OUR DOWNTOWN, WE SPRUCE IT UP.
WHEN WE WANT SOMETHING, OUR PARK SYSTEM IS GREAT.
OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE REGION.
EVERYTHING ABOUT US IS A CITY OF EXCELLENCE.
PART OF THAT EXCELLENCE IS OUR ACCESS TO THE BEST REGIONAL TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT YOU CAN GET UNTIL YOU HIT ONE OF THE EAST OR WEST COASTS IN THIS COUNTRY.
PULLING OUT OF THAT JUST SEEMS TO ME TO BE A DISAPPOINTING STEP BACKWARD IN OUR PATH TOWARDS EXCELLENCE.
OH, YEAH, IT'S ALSO GOING TO STRAND EVERY DISABLED PERSON WITH LESS GOOD ALTERNATIVES.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE]
>> I'M COLEEN AGUILAR EPSTEIN, A PLANO RESIDENT FOR 32 YEARS.
GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU.
SHOULD VOTERS DECIDE TO DISSOLVE THE CURRENT DRT CONTRACT, COUNCIL COULD VOTE TO ISSUE 20 YEAR BONDS TO IMMEDIATELY PAY OFF OUR DART DEBT AND AVOID PAYING DART FOR EIGHT MORE YEARS.
THE BOND COULD BE PAID OUT SLOWLY AS THE IMMEDIATE FUNDS FROM THAT $0.01 TAX GET ADDED TO OUR CITY'S AVAILABLE CASH.
FOR THE FIRST EIGHT YEARS, IN ADDITION TO SERVICING OUR BOND DEBT, WE WOULD STILL HAVE THE NEEDED AVAILABLE CASH TO PAY FOR THE CITY'S ALTERNATIVE MOBILITY PLAN, AND PLENTY LEFTOVER EACH YEAR TO PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF TO PLANO RESIDENTS OR EVEN TO PAY OUR BOND DEBT OFF EARLIER.
IF I WERE TO SIT IN YOUR SEATS ONE DAY IN THE FUTURE, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD DO.
THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY IDEA.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RIKA SHENOI, AND I'M A HOMEOWNER, LIVING IN PLANO WITH MY FAMILY FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER THE BALLOT MEASURE ON BEHALF OF MYSELF, AND A FRIEND THAT HAS BEEN TAKING DART TO WORK FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.
HE'S OUT OF TOWN AND CANNOT BE HERE TODAY.
WE NEED TO HAVE SOME MEANS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT WITHIN THE REGION TO REMAIN A VIABLE CITY OF EXCELLENCE.
I'VE HEARD SEVERAL REASONS FOR THIS WITHDRAWAL, THE CHIEF ONE BEING THAT PLANO PAYS MORE THAN IT BENEFITS FROM.
IT'S A CATCH 22 SITUATION BECAUSE YOU NEED TO HAVE ROBUST PUBLIC TRANSIT BEFORE RIDERSHIP WILL INCREASE.
THE SOLUTION MUST BE TO EXPAND SERVICES, NOT SCRAP THEM.
DO NOT THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER.
[APPLAUSE] WHAT WOULD THE ALTERNATE BE FOR PEOPLE THAT RELY ON BUSES AND TRAINS? PLEASE DO NOT LET PEOPLE'S LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS BECOME COLLATERAL DAMAGE.
[01:50:06]
NOT TO MENTION THAT MORE CARS ON ROADS WILL JUST WORSEN AIR QUALITY AND INCREASE OUR COMMUTE TIMES.PLEASE CAN AND SHOULD BE A REGIONAL LEADER IN IMPROVING OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORT.
>> THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS ARE HEXO COLORADO, MATTHEW BUSBY, SAYAH CLARKE, AND STEPHANIE COLLINS.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS HEXO COLORADO.
I'M A DALLAS RESIDENT, AND I'M HERE TO OPPOSE THIS WITHDRAWAL ELECTION.
I GOT HERE BY RAIL FROM DOWNTOWN DALLAS, AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE A TRANSFER.
I TAKE EXPRESS BUS TO NORTHWEST PLANO TO ATTEND CONFERENCES AT THE CORPORATE CENTERS THERE THROUGH A COMEDY SHOW AT LEGACY WEST.
I'VE EVEN USED THE BUS FROM DOWNTOWN PLANO TO DOWNTOWN GARLAND, AND TO GO TO MY FAVORITE FILIPINO MEXICAN DESSERT SHOP.
WHEN MY FELLOW ASIAN AMERICANS ASK IF PLANO IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, I SAY, YES, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SILVER LINE, WHICH ALLOWS OUR FAMILY VISIT US FROM DFW AIRPORT OR TAKE THE LIGHT RAIL TO LOVE FIELD.
AND IT ALLOW PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING HERE TO WORK AS NURSES OR WORK IN A MEDICAL FIELD OR IN SCHOOLS, TO ABLE TO WORK ANYWHERE WITHIN THE EL ZALES AREA WHILE STILL LIVING CLOSE TO THEIR FAMILY IN PLANO.
IF YOU GUYS WITHDRAW FROM DART, YOU'RE NOT JUST LEAVING INFRASTRUCTURE BEHIND, BUT YOU'RE LEAVING FAMILIES BEHIND, AS WELL.
I URGE YOU TO PLEASE RECONSIDER, KEEP THESE FAMILIES AND THIS REGION WHOLE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE TO BE TOGETHER. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR, COUNCIL, THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MATTHEW BUSBY.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF PLANO SINCE 2016.
WITH MY MORTGAGE RATE, I'M NOT GOING TO MOVE FOR AT LEAST 21 MORE YEARS.
I'M HERE TO VOICE MY OPPOSITION TO TAKE AN ELECTION TO THE VOTERS TO LEAVE DART.
I AGREE THAT WE, THE RESIDENTS OF PLANO, DESERVE TO RECEIVE EQUITABLE VALUE FROM DART, THAT'S COMMENSURATE WITH OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORGANIZATION.
AS AN ENGINEER IN THE MUNICIPAL REALM, I'M A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
I THINK WE, PLANO, YOU ALL STAFF, DO A GREAT JOB AS STEWARDS OF MY TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL'S EFFORTS TO MONITOR DART'S PERFORMANCE IN THE CITY OF PLANO.
DART RECENTLY OPENED THE SILVER LINE.
WE'VE GOT TWO BRAND NEW STATIONS.
THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING VALUE TO THE CITY.
THEY'RE GOING TO CONTRIBUTE MORE VALUE TO THE CITY IN THE FUTURE, AND I URGE THE COUNCIL TO CONTINUE WITH A MORE DIPLOMATIC APPROACH TO GET ACCOUNTABILITY FROM DART INSTEAD OF HITTING THE BIG RED BUTTON. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS SAYAH CLARKE.
MY ADDRESS IS 1510 MUNICIPAL AVENUE APARTMENT C3.
I LIVE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
I'M A PROUD PLANO RESIDENT AND A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FOR DSA, NORTH TEXAS, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THIS RECKLESS IDEA TO LEAVE DART.
I MOVED TO PLANO FOR MANY REASONS, CHIEF AMONG THEM, THE BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN AREA AND ITS ACCESS TO ROBUST PUBLIC TRANSIT.
I USE DART EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR WORK TO SEE MY LOVED ONES, TO SPEND TIME IN THE COMMUNITY, FOR MY MEDICAL NEEDS, IN SHORT, TO LIVE MY LIFE IN THE METRO.
I HAVE TO BE BLUNT AND SAY THAT WITHDRAWAL, ANY DISRUPTION TO SERVICES, EVEN TEMPORARY OR A SWITCH TO AN INFERIOR SYSTEM WOULD DRASTICALLY NEGATIVELY AFFECT MY QUALITY OF LIFE AND FORCE ME TO FIND COSTLY AND UNRELIABLE ALTERNATIVES.
I HAVE NEVER ONCE FELT UNSAFE OR THREATENED WHILE USING DART IN PLANO.
IT IS SAFE, SECURE, RELIABLE, AND CLEAN.
EVERY PENNY OF MY TAX DOLLARS IS WORTH IT, AND THAT'S WHERE I WANT THEM TO GO.
IT STRIKES ME HOW THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPOKEN HERE TONIGHT ARE AGAINST THIS RECKLESS DECISION.
YOU ASKED FOR COMMUNITY INPUT. YOU GOT IT.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE COLLINS, AND I'M A PLANO RESIDENT.
I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO VOTE AGAINST LEAVING DART.
MY WIFE AND I WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PURCHASE OUR FIRST HOME TOGETHER LAST YEAR, AND A HUGE DECIDING FACTOR IN CHOOSING DOWNTOWN PLANO WAS ITS PROXIMITY TO THE DART RAIL STATION.
WE LOVE TAKING THE RED AND ORANGE LINES TO DOWNTOWN DALLAS FOR VARIOUS FESTIVALS.
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEW SILVER LINE, AND EASE OF TRAVEL IT WILL PROVIDE WHEN FLYING IN AND OUT OF DFW.
WE WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT ITS OPENING.
WE WROTE IT EACH OF THE PAST TWO WEEKENDS, SPENDING TIME IN CYPRESS WATERS, GRAPE VINES, MAIN STREET, AND MEETING UP WITH MY MOM IN DOWNTOWN CARROLLTON.
AS WE ENJOYED SPENDING OUR TIME AND MONEY IN THOSE CITIES, I'M SURE MANY OF THE OTHER RIDERS ENJOYED DOING THE SAME IN OUR BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN THAT WE LOVE TO CALL HOME.
I WORRY THAT IN PULLING OUT OF DART, NOT ONLY WILL WE BE CUT OFF FROM EASILY TRAVELING TO THESE OTHER CITIES, BUT ALSO CUT OUT OTHERS FROM VISITING OUR GREAT CITY.
>> THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS, RUBEN LANDA, MATTHEW PEYTON, DOMINIC JOSEPH, JOSHUA HOPT AND ZACHARY MCCALL.
[01:55:02]
>> GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS RUBEN LANDA FROM DALLAS, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER DALLAS PLANNING COUNCIL REPRESENTING THOUSANDS OF MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS ACROSS THE REGION.
TODAY, PLANO BENEFITS FROM THE ECONOMIC GROWTH CREATED BY DART LRT STATION IN DOWNTOWN PLANO.
IT ALSO BENEFITS GREATLY FROM THE FACT THAT YOU WILL HAVE SERVICE FROM A NEW $2 BILLION SILVER LINE REGIONAL RAIL PROJECT CONNECTING TO SIX OTHER CITIES AND ALSO A DIRECT CONNECTION TO DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
NOT TO MENTION, YOU BENEFIT FROM THREE NEW STATIONS.
A RAIL LINE CONNECTING TO DFW AIRPORT IS SOMETHING THAT PLANO HAS WANTED FOR DECADES, AND YOU FINALLY HAVE IT.
CITY OF PLANO'S POSITION THAT THEY DO NOT GET ENOUGH OUT OF THEIR DART MEMBERSHIP IS DISINGENUOUS AND LACKS VISION.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS THAT DART BRINGS TO THE CITY OF PLANO SIGNIFICANTLY OUTWEIGHS THE CAPITAL COSTS AND INVESTMENT BY A LONG SHOT.
I ASK THAT YOU RETHINK ABOUT WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY OF PLANO AND THE REGION AND DO WHAT MOST CITIZENS WANT, WHICH IS FOR PLANO TO WORK WITH DART TO DEVELOP A SOLUTION, AND THAT'LL ALLOW DART AND PLANO TO BE LEADERS IN TRANSIT, SOMETHING THAT WE ALL DESPERATELY NEED AND DESERVE. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS MATT PEYTON, AND I LIVE IN CITY LINE 75082 JUST DOWN THE STREET.
I'M AN ARMY VETERAN, BIKE COMMUTER, LEGAL PROFESSIONAL, AND LEAD THE RICHARDSON BICYCLE COALITION.
GUYS, WE JUST OPENED UP SILVER LINE.
WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? SERIOUSLY. I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO VOTE AGAINST THE DART PULLOUT ELECTION PROPOSAL.
I VISIT, SHOP, AND ATTEND MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS IN PLANO BY BOTH BIKE AND TRANSIT, AND MANY OF OUR COALITION MEMBERS DO THE SAME.
PUBLIC TRANSIT IS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF BIKE COMMUTING, AS IT ALLOWS FOR LONGER COMMUTES BY USING A BICYCLE FOR THE FIRST AND LAST MILE.
WE TALK ABOUT THAT A LOT IN URBAN PLANNING AND BIKE COMMUTING.
GUYS, WHAT I'VE HEARD TONIGHT IS YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN TO BACKFILL DART.
UNLIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW, BLAMING DART IT WILL ALL REST ON YOU IF YOU FAIL, AND I HAVE A REAL SINKING FEELING THAT YOUR PLAN, WHICH ISN'T A PLAN, IS GOING TO FAIL MISERABLY, AND YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO WANT PEOPLE CENTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'RE TIRED OF ALL THESE CARS.
WE'RE TIRED OF BEING IN TRAFFIC.
PEOPLE GET KILLED ON YOUR ROADS BECAUSE YOU DON'T PRIORITIZE PEOPLE.
>> DOMINIC JOSEPH, FAR NORTH DALLAS.
I'M HERE TO OPPOSE ANY ATTEMPT TO PULL PLANO OUT OF DART.
SPEAKING BEHALF OF MYSELF AND ALL THE WORKING CLASS NEIGHBORS WHO CAN COME TO A MEETING THAT STARTS AT 5:00 PM.
THANKS FOR THAT, BY THE WAY. LIKE ALMOST EVERYONE ELSE IN THE DALLAS AREA, I HAVE FELT LESS AND LESS SAFE DRIVING ON PLANO'S ROADS.
ROADS THAT ARE SO WIDE, THEY ENCOURAGE RECKLESS SPEEDING WHEN THEY'RE NOT A PARKING LOT AFTER WORK.
STOP LIGHTS THAT ARE GUARANTEED TO HAVE CARS FLYING THROUGH THEM WELL AFTER THEY'VE TURNED RED, A HIGHWAY 75 THAT TURNS INTO A SUDDEN STOP REFLEX TEST MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, AND BY THE WAY, MICRO TRANSIT WILL MAKE THIS WORSE.
THE DALLAS AREA IS THE ONLY PLACE I'VE EVER BEEN TO WHERE THE ADVICE EVERY TRANSPLANT HEARS FIRST IS BY A DASH CAM.
DART IS THE REASON WHY I CAN COME OUT TO DOWNTOWN PLANO, HAVE FUN DINNER AND DRINK, SPEND MY MONEY, AND I KNOW I CAN GET HOME SAFELY.
I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I'VE NEVER FELT LIKE MY SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED ON DART.
NOT LIKE I DO, WHEN I DRIVE ON PLANO'S ROADS, DO THE RIGHT THING.
DO NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE JOINING US VIA ZOOM.
>> I KNOW. MY CONCERN IS, AGAIN, AS EVERYONE MENTIONED, SILVER LINE WAS JUST OPENED UP.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BOTH THE SILVER LINE, TO TWO SILVERS LINE STATION, SHALLOW ROAD, AND TALL STREET, AS WELL AS TO OLDER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RED LINE, OR AS SILVER LINE, PARKER ROAD, AND DOWNTOWN PLANO.
AGAIN, EASY WAY TO GET DOWNTOWN TO DOWNTOWN DALLAS AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE ALTERNATIVE MICRO TRANSIT WITH MULTIPLE TRANSITIONS BETWEEN WHAT PLANO HAS TO TEN RICHARDSON.
I DO AGREE THAT BUSES CAN BE UNDER UTILIZED AT TIMES AND MICRO TRANSIT MIGHT BE SOME BIG LOOK INTO, ESPECIALLY PARTNERSHIP WITH UBER LYFT OR FOR CITYWIDE COVERAGE.
[02:00:07]
BUT FOR TRAVELING BETWEEN THE CITIES, THE RAIL SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE INTERSTATE BUSES ARE CENTRAL.>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] TONIGHT TO VOICE MY OPPOSITION TO THIS VOTE TO HAVE PLANO LEAVE THE DART SYSTEM.
EVER SINCE 2022, I'VE BEEN RESTRUCTURING MY LIFE TO INCORPORATE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION INTO ASPECTS OF MY LIFE, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY AS OF NOW, IT ACCOUNTS FOR MORE AN 90% OF MY COMMUTES.
WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE ISSUES BETWEEN THE CITY AND DART, AND THERE IS A NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT, I DO BELIEVE THAT DART AS A SYSTEM CAN FORGE ITS OWN IDENTITY, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO BE LOOKING AT THE LIKE BOSTON'S MBTA, NEW YORK CITY'S MTA, DC METRO, AND DC, OR METRA CTA IN CHICAGO.
BY PULLING OUT A DART, WE LOSE SOME OF OUR IDENTITY, AND WE ARE RESTRICTING OUR OWN GROWTH AS A CITY AND NOT TO MENTION, WE CAN'T SERVE OUR CONSTITUENTS FOR SEASONAL EVENTS SUCH AS THE TEXAS STATE FAIR, RED RIVER RIVALRY.
I MENTIONED NEXT YEAR, THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP, WHERE THERE IS, TO BE SURE, MANY PEOPLE COMING IN FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AND MICROTRANSIT SIMPLY WILL NOT WORK, AS OBJECTIVELY, BUSES ARE LARGER THAN THE VANS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
[APPLAUSE] THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS, MIKAELA COWPER, ELIZABETH TERRENCE, N TATE, J LANGHURST, AND DENNIS QUAINTANCE.
GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL IN COMMUNITY.
I LIVE IN MCKINNEY, AND OVER THERE, WE ARE DESPERATE FOR MORE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.
AS A CASE MANAGER AT LIFE PATH SYSTEMS, COLLIN COUNTY'S MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY, I WANT TO REPRESENT THOSE WHO CAN'T BE HERE BUT ARE DESPERATE FOR DARTS SERVICES.
FOR ADULTS IN RECOVERY WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS A LIFELINE.
WITHOUT IT, MANY PLANO RESIDENTS WILL BE STUCK WHERE THEY'RE AT.
ISOLATED. INSTABILITY IN THESE COMMUNITIES CAN BE A DEATH SENTENCE.
BEING REALISTIC, ANY DISRUPTION TO THESE SERVICES WILL BE CHAOTIC AND MESSY.
PEOPLE WILL FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS IN CONFUSION.
RELIABILITY OF CURRENT BUSES AND RAILS IS CRITICAL.
PLANO HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY AND PRIVILEGE TO ADVOCATE FOR US.
THE CONTINUOUS THREAT OF STOPPING SERVICES COMPLETELY HAS NOT FOSTERED A RELATIONSHIP WITH DART TO BUILD THE CONNECTIVITY THAT WE NEED.
THIS CURRENT TRACK WILL DISCONNECT PLANO AND DRIVE US BACKWARDS. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. ELIZABETH. THANK YOU.
IT'S PART OF THE THING THAT GETS US PLANO ON ALL OF THOSE BEST CITIES IN THE US LISTS.
IT'S ONE OF THE THING THAT SETS US APART FROM OTHER CITIES IN THE METROPLEX.
WITHOUT DART, THE ONLY OTHER CITY THAT OFFERS THAT REALLY NICHE MIX OF SMALL TOWN CHARM, URBANITY AND SUBURBAN CHARM IS CARLETON.
BUT MAYBE YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL MOVE TO PLANO LIKE FRISCOITES.
SUBBANITES WHO DON'T WANT PUBLIC TRANSIT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT NICHE IS ALREADY FILLED BY FRISCO AND C KOPEL, AND A HALF A DOZEN OTHERS.
THIS DECISION WILL CAUSE OUR PROPERTY VALUES TO STAGNATE BECAUSE FEWER PEOPLE WILL WANT TO MOVE HERE.
SECOND, I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HOW DART HAS NOT WORKED WELL WITH PLANO, BUT I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS, THE PLANO REPRESENTATIVE ON DART HAS HAD A DOUBLE AGENDA, AS HIS COMPANY WAS, IN FACT, A LOBBYIST FOR UBER.
HELLO. MY NAME IS JAY LANGHURST.
I LIVE AT 678 LOVINGTON DRIVE IN DALLAS, THAT'S JUST TEN BLOCKS SOUTH OF OHIO AND GEORGE BUSH.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE MY TRIPS TO WORK ON A BUS THAT ORIGINATES IN PLANO MADE MORE COMPLEX BY ROUTES AT DEAD END AT CITY BORDERS.
I DON'T WANT MORE GRIDLOCK WITH FIVE CARS FROM MICO TRANSIT SERVICE GOING FROM PLANO TO IRVING USING A LOT MORE SPACE THAN A BUS WOOD.
I DON'T WANT REPLACEMENT SERVICES THAT SIMPLY DON'T WORK IF MY BIKE GETS A FLAT ON THE WAY BACK FROM MY GYM IN PLANO.
THE CAR THAT DRIVES WON'T TAKE MY BIKE.
EVEN IF RICHARDSON BIKE MART WAS AN OFFICIAL RALLY POINT.
MICROTRANSIT ISN'T SCALABLE, AS SO MANY HERE HAVE MENTIONED.
A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT FAILS AT PEAK HOURS IS A FAILED SYSTEM.
I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE SHARING YOUR $0.01 SALES TAX TO MAKE A REGIONAL SYSTEM, BUT IT SEEMS LESS OF A WASTE THAN SENDING IT OUT OF OUR STATE TO MICROTRANSIT SERVICES WITH SUBSIDY RATES THAT ARE MANY MULTIPLES OF BUS ROUTES.
[02:05:04]
OUR REPUBLIC, LIKE OUR METROPLEX, IS NOT ALWAYS COMFORTABLE, BUT IT MUST BE COMPATIBLE.COMPETENT ELECTED OFFICIALS DON'T ASK PARTNERS FOR COMPROMISE, AND THEN MOVE THE GOAL POSTS OR FAIL TO ACCEPT PROGRESS. THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING. I'M NICOLE TATE.
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE HOUSING COMMITTEE OF THE COLLIN COUNTY NAACP, AND WE SERVE PLANO RESIDENTS, AND I RESIDE IN MCKINNEY.
PLANO'S SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FORCES MANY WORKERS TO COMMUTE AND TO RELY ON DART FOR TRANSPORTATION TO JOBS, SCHOOLS, MEDICAL CARE, AND AIRPORTS, WHICH IS A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PLANO RESIDENTS HAVE A VIABLE WAY TO GET AROUND PLANO.
THE ERNSTON YOUNG REPORT HAS BEEN AVAILABLE FOR MORE THAN A YEAR.
SO, THE RELATED LEGISLATIVE BILL FAILED IN JUNE, SO WE'RE WONDERING WHY WE WAIT UNTIL NOW TO ADDRESS THIS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A BETTER DART, NOT NO DART, ENFORCED FAIR, SAFE, AND SUPERIOR SERVICES, BUS ROUTES WITH PROPER LIGHTING, SIGNAGE AND STATION UPKEEP AND SERVICES COMPARABLE TO PEER CITIES.
WE WANT TO BOARD REPRESENTATION PROPORTIONALLY.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] HI. MY NAME IS DENNIS KUTZ.
I LIVE IN NORTH RICHARDSON, ABOUT A BLOCK SOUTH OF PLANO.
I SPEND MOST OF MY SALES TAX DOLLARS IN PLANO.
I'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON THAT ERNST AND YOUNG REPORT, IN PARTICULAR, THE DEPRECIATION SECTION OF IT, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST LINE ITEMS IN THERE.
THE RED LINE OPENED ALL THE WAY OUT TO PARKER ROAD IN 2002.
DEPRECIATION SCHEDULE, AND THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 20 YEARS.
IN 2023, THAT'S A FEW YEARS AFTER THE DEPRECIATION SCHEDULE ENDED, NONE OF THAT GETS COUNTED.
WHAT DID THAT CAPITAL EXPENDITURE BUY US? WELL, A FEW THINGS.
ONE, IT BOUGHT US THE HIGHEST RIDERSHIP STATION OUTSIDE OF THE DALLAS AREA IN PARKER ROAD, WITH ABOUT 2000, A LITTLE BIT NORTH OF 2000 WEEKDAY RIDERS EVERY DAY.
IT ALSO BOUGHT US THE TRANSIT LINE, THE RED LINE, WITH THE LOWEST PER PASSENGER SUBSIDY OF ANY OF THE LIGHT RAIL LINES WITHIN DALLAS.
EFFECTIVELY, WE'RE PUNISHING DART FOR RUNNING THE MOST EFFICIENT.
[APPLAUSE] THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS, YOLANDA WILLIAMS, KEVIN BARTHOLMEW, MARISSA MILLER, KYLE MCGEE, AND CHRISTOPHER ERICKSON.
YOLANDA WILLIAMS. ALL RIGHT, KEVIN.
HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS KEVIN CASEY BARTHOLMEW.
I JUST MOVED HERE TWO MONTHS AGO, AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY I SPENT EVERY DOLLAR I HAD MOVING TO PLANO.
I SPECIFICALLY CHOSE PLANO, PARTLY IN LARGE PART BECAUSE THERE'S A DART STATION NEAR ME.
I ENJOY BIKING TO THE DART, TAKING THAT INTO DOWNTOWN AND THEN BIKING THE LAST MILE THERE.
I TAKE THE DART FIVE DAYS A WEEK FOR MY JOB.
I LOVE GOING TO THE DALLAS STARS GAMES.
I LOVE GOING TO THE SA FAIR WITH THE DART.
I TAKE IT TO THE AIRPORT SOMETIMES, AND ALSO TO MY DENTIST AND A COUPLE OF DOCTOR'S VISITS.
I LOVE WORKING ON CARS AND TALKING ABOUT CARS, AND I STILL CHOOSE TO TAKE THE DART EVERY DAY FOR WORK, AS WELL AS WHENEVER I CAN, JUST FOR AN ADVENTURE.
THE DART OVERALL POLLUTES LESS THAN MASS CAR TRAFFIC.
IT'S QUIETER, CHEAPER, AND MUCH SAFER, IN MY OPINION, THAN DRIVING A CAR THROUGH MOST TIMES OF THE DAY IN DFW AREA.
I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THE CHOICE TO.
THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
[APPLAUSE] HELLO. MY NAME IS MARISSA, AND I'M A PLANO RESIDENT WHO HAS BEEN USING THE DART TO NAVIGATE MY LIFE, BOTH IN PLANO AND AROUND THE DF METROPLEX FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.
THE EASE OF GUARANTEED ACCESS WITH WHICH I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET AROUND PLANO AND THE METROPLEX BY USING DART BUSES AND TRAINS IS A MAJOR QUALITY OF LIFE BONUS FOR PLANO RESIDENTS LIKE ME WHO PREFER CLEAN AND RELIABLE, SCHEDULED TRANSIT OVER SITTING IN TRAFFIC.
IN ALL OF MY YEARS OF USING DART, I HAVE FELT SAFE ON BOTH THE BUSES AND THE TRAINS, EVEN BEFORE DART UPDATES SECURITY PRESENCE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
TODAY, I TOOK THE SILVER LINE TO MY JOB IN CARLETON, AND THEN TO THIS MEETING AFTER MONTHS OF EAGERLY ANTICIPATING AN ESCAPE FROM THE CRUSHING TRAFFIC OF 75 AND
[02:10:03]
635 AND LIMITING MY ACCESS TO THE RED OR SILVER LINE NOW WILL HAVE IMMEDIATE AND STRONGLY NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF OTHER PLANO RESIDENTS.I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER REDUCING PLANO'S STANDARD OF LIVING BY WITHDRAWING FROM DART. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS KYLE MCGEE. I LIVE IN PLANO.
I'M A MEMBER OF REVOLUTIONARY FRONT DF AND DSA, NORTH TEXAS.
I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT NUMBERS TONIGHT, SINCE THOSE SEEM TO BE ALL OUR CITY COUNCIL CARES ABOUT.
IF YOU CAN'T QUANTIFY OR MONETIZE SOMETHING, IT FEELS LIKE IT DOESN'T MATTER TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES.
ACCORDING TO A 2023 STUDY, 72% OF PLANO'S WORKFORCE IS EMPLOYED OUTSIDE THE CITY.
HAVING QUICK AND AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO THE WIDER METROPLEX IS IN THE MAJORITY'S INTEREST.
OF COURSE, MANY WORKERS COMMUTE WITH CARS, BUT DART REDUCES CONGESTION BY CUTTING ANNUAL VEHICLE MILES OF TRAVEL BY 400 MILLION, YIELDING COUNTLESS ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SAFETY BENEFITS.
THESE GAINS MORE THAN COVER PLANO'S YEARLY INVESTMENT IN THE PROGRAM AND YET CITY COUNCIL REFUSES TO NEGOTIATE WITH DART IN GOOD FAITH.
IS THAT THE COLD CALLOUS GOVERNANCE WE SHOULD ACCEPT FROM THIS BODY, OR SHOULD WE DEMAND MORE? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU'VE AWAKENED A SLEEPING GIANT, AND IT'S HERE TO SAY, DON'T WITHDRAW FROM DART.
YOU'D BETTER ADD OUR VOICES TO YOUR CALCULATIONS.
THANK. [APPLAUSE] GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JEFF RUSTOVN, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF PLANO.
I LIKE MANY PEOPLE HERE IN THE LAST ELECTION IN MAY, DETERMINED WHICH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OR WHICH CANDIDATES WOULD SUPPORT HAVING NEGOTIATIONS WITH PLANO RATHER THAN VOTING AGAINST THAT.
I VOTED FOR ALL OF YOU THAT GOT ELECTED, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN MAKING THIS DECISION TODAY.
ALSO, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO READ THIS REPORT.
WAS PUT OUT BY ERNST AND YOUNG.
THE REPORT DOES NOT SAY WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SAYING IT SAYS TO THESE PEOPLE TONIGHT.
IT TALKS ABOUT EXAGGERATED NUMBERS BASED UPON THE DEPRECIATION THAT THE GENTLEMAN JUST TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, AND HOW THESE NUMBERS THAT INEQUITY THAT WAS DISCUSSED WILL SHRINK IN THE COMING YEARS, BASED UPON THE DEPRECIATION CALCULATIONS AND ADDING THE DARK SILVER LINE TO THAT CALCULATION.
WE WON'T HAVE THIS 50,000 $60 MILLION INEQUITY IN THE NEXT YEAR'S REPORT THE REPORT THEREAFTER.
THIRD THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE SALES TAX.
ONCE WE PAID OFF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE DART AFTER TEN YEARS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT $0.01 SALES TAX.
WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE AN ELECTION TO INCREASE THE TAXES ON THAT.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS ARE MARCUS BATSON, PATRICK MORGAN, JENNIFER BERNER, DAVID YACOBAN.
HI. EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CHRIS ERICKSON.
I'VE BEEN A PLANO RESIDENT FOR 39 YEARS, AND I CONTINUOUSLY VALUE THE PLANNING THAT PLANO HAS DONE.
I LIVE ON NEAR CUSTER, WHERE THEY'RE DIGGING UP THE ROAD TO PUT IN A BIGGER WATER MAIN.
I THINK A LOT ABOUT THE PLANNING EFFORT THAT CREATED PLANO OUR WONDERFUL WATER SYSTEM.
I THINK ABOUT TOWNS NEARBY LIKE FRISCO, WILEY, WHERE THE TRAFFIC IS CLOGGED UP.
YOU CAN'T GET IN AND OUT OF THOSE ENVIRONMENTS, AND THE TRAFFIC PLANNING THAT PLANO HAS DONE.
I THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE AND I'M PROUD TO BE A RESIDENT OF A TOWN THAT PUSHED THE ENVELOPE AND JOINED DART.
AM I OUT OF TIME YET? I DON'T SEE TIME.
YOU'RE OUT OF TIME. THANK YOU.
HOWDY. MY NAME IS PATRICK MORGAN, AND I LIVE IN NORTH HOUSE, AND I OCCASIONALLY VISIT DOWNTOWN, PLANO.
I THINK ONE OF THE CORE ISSUES THAT'S CAUSED HERE IS ZERO-SUM THINKING.
WE'VE ONLY REALLY BEEN FOCUSING ON HOW MUCH TAX REVENUE IS GENERATED IN PLANO, AND IS IT ALL BENEFITING IN PLANO RESIDENTS, WHICH IS A FAIR QUESTION TO ASK.
BUT ACCORDING TO TEXTOT STATE WIDE MULTI POLTAL TRANSIT PLAN, 70% OF TRANSIT FUNDING IN THE STATE DOES NOT COME FROM THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT FROM LOCAL TAX DOLLARS LEVIED BY TRANSIT AUTHORITIES LIKE DART.
[02:15:03]
IN METROPOLITAN AREAS, SUCH AS THE DART SERVICE AREA, THE STATE ACCOUNTS FOR LESS THAN 1% OF TRANSIT FUNDING.MR. FORTUNE SAYS THERE AREN'T FUNDS AVAILABLE AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT THERE ARE FUNDS AVAILABLE AT THE REGIONAL AND FEDERAL LEVELS.
COG HAS EXPRESSED WILLINGNESS MANY TIMES TO PUT UP FUNDS TO DART THAT CAN BE PASSED THROUGH TO DART AND OTHER CITIES, BUT ONLY IF CITIES AGREE TO STOP TRYING TO REDUCE DART'S FUNDING.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MARCUS BATSON, AND I LIVE IN RICHARDSON.
I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO NOT HOLD A DART WITHDRAWAL ELECTION.
PLANO IS HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE RAIL LINE.
A CONNECTED, WALKABLE DOWNTOWN HELPS PLANO THRIVE, AND DART KEEPS THAT HERITAGE ALIVE BY KEEPING DOWNTOWN ACCESSIBLE AND VIBRANT.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I HAD TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO LIVE IN PLANO.
ONCE IN 2023, WHEN I MOVED HERE AND RENTED, AND THEN A SECOND TIME IN 2024 WHEN I BOUGHT MY HOME.
BOTH TIMES, I ULTIMATELY CHOSE RICHARDSON BECAUSE IT'S MORE PEOPLE-FOCUSED WITH STRONGER PUBLIC TRANSIT CONNECTIONS.
TRANSIT ACCESS SHAPED WHERE I CHOSE TO LIVE AND INVEST.
IF PLANO WANTS TO LEAVE DART, THEN IT SHOULD USE THE TIME UNTIL 2032 TO CREATE A PLAN INSTEAD OF A CONCEPT IN PARALLEL WHILE WORKING WITH DART.
LEAVING DART, RISK TURNING AWAY PEOPLE LIKE ME, WORKERS WHO VALUE CONNECTED ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITIES.
PLEASE KEEP PLANOS FUTURE ON TRACK BY STAYING IN DART, HONORING THE CEA'S HISTORY AND SUPPORTING ITS BUSINESSES AND KEEP IT MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JESSICA BERNER, AND I RESIDE IN FAR NORTH DALLAS.
I COMMUTE 4 MILES BY BIKE INTO PLANO.
I COULD SPEND MY MINUTES, MY MINUTE, TELLING YOU ABOUT THE YOUNG WOMEN WHOSE STORIES THEY'VE SHARED WITH ME ABOUT BEING THREATENED BY UBER DRIVERS WITH GUNS, WHO'VE TAKEN THEM IN LONG CIRCUITOUS GROUTS.
I COULD TELL YOU ABOUT THE ELDERLY WOMEN, I KNOW, WHO NEED TO SPEND ANYWHERE $30-100 ROUND-TRIP ON UBER.
BUT INSTEAD, I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT MY FIANCÉE WHO PASSED AWAY MARCH 15 OF 2022.
HE WAS COMMUTING SOUTH FROM PLANO, WHERE HE WORKED TO HIS HOME IN DALLAS.
INTERESTINGLY, HE PASSED AWAY ON THE BIRTHDAY OF A CLOSE FRIEND OF HIS WHO PASSED AWAY IN 2020 ON NORTH TEXAS HIGHWAYS.
THESE MEN SHOULD BE IN THEIR 30S RIGHT NOW.
MY FIANCÉE, KEVIN SHOULD BE CELEBRATING HIS 38TH BIRTHDAY TOMORROW.THANK YOU.
PLEASE DO NOT PULL OUT OF DART.
>> DAVID YAK BON GRAND PRAIRIE, CHAIR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS OF DATA.
SEXUAL ASSAULTS HAPPEN EVERY EIGHT MINUTES ON AN UBER.
ASSAULTS ON DART HAVE DROPPED FROM ALREADY LOW NUMBERS.
WE'RE NOT GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH.
YOU JUST GOT A NEW TRAIN TO DFW INTERNATIONAL.
THEN HOW COME THEY FIGURE THINGS OUT WITH ROLLET WHEN THEY HAD ISSUES.
IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO Y'ALL, AND Y'ALL AIN'T DANCING.
GRAND PRAIRIE, IF MY TRUCK BREAKS DOWN OR I NEED TO GO AIRPORT, DOWNTOWN, UBER COSTS ARE OUTRAGEOUS.
IT WON'T TAKE YOU OUT OF PLANO.
I'D HAVE TO USE TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT SERVICES TO GET WHERE I NEED TO GO.
IF PLANO HAS TWO SYSTEMS, Y'ALL TAXES ARE GOING UP.
VIA AND UBER WILL LEAVE YOU STRANDED.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SIMON MATTHEW, WHO WAS ON ZOOM.
GO AHEAD AND TURN ON YOUR CAMERA AND MICROPHONE, UNMUTE.
I LIVE IN PLANO, AND I'M A LONG TERM GARLAND RESIDENT, AND I OWN A BUSINESS IN MESQUITE.
WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS HOW THIS WOULD BE A TRAGIC USE OF THE MONEY PLANO HAS INVESTED SO FAR IN DART.
ALSO, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT HOW AS SOMEONE WHO'S ALSO LIVED IN GARLAND, HOW MUCH MONEY GARLAND HAS USED.
[02:20:03]
MAYBE THERE ARE WAYS PLANO CAN HAVE DIPLOMATIC TALKS WITH OTHER CITIES WHERE THEY COULD POTENTIALLY GET SOME OF THEIR MONEY USED BETTER.I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING OR USING IT ALONG WHERE FISHER INVESTMENTS AND IN THAT INTERNATIONAL PARKWAY AREA ROUTE IS.
THERE'S SO MANY BUSINESSES ALONG THAT ROUTE THAT USE THAT ONE BUS ROUTE, ESPECIALLY EVEN AT 11:00 PM.
>> THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS, JUSTIN ADCOCK, TASIN AL MICHEL, CARSON UNDERWOOD, IAN SHAMS, AND JEFF SAM SHEMA.
>> MR. ADCOCK, ARE YOU HERE? TASIN. MR. UNDERWOOD.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF PLANO CITIZENS COALITION.
WE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BRINGING THIS TO THE FOREFRONT AND ALLOWING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO BE HEARD HERE TONIGHT PART OF OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
WE ASK YOU FROM THE PLANO CITIZENS COALITION TO TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER, VOTE UNANIMOUSLY TONIGHT, AND LEAVE IT IN THE HANDS OF THE VOTERS OF THE CITIZENS OF PLANO TO DECIDE THE FATE OF DART AS IT SHOULD BE DECIDED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS IAN SIEMENS, AND I AM THE PLANO RESIDENT OF MORE THAN EIGHT YEARS.
I'M A GRADUATE OF PLANO CITIZENS ACADEMY, AND I VOLUNTEER ON THE BOARD OF LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF COLLIN COUNTY AND SERVED AS A PAST PRESIDENT.
I'M HERE TODAY AS THE DALLAS CITY HALL ADVOCATE FOR ENVIRONMENT TEXAS IN MY PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY.
ENVIRONMENT TEXAS IS A NONPROFIT THAT WORKS TO PROTECT THE NATURAL WORLD.
EVERY YEAR, DART TAKES THE EQUIVALENT OF MORE THAN 150,000 CARS OFF OF THE ROADS IN DFW.
WITH THE OPENING OF THE SILVERLINE AND PLANO, THAT NUMBER WILL INCREASE.
SINCE PLANO IS IN SEVERE NON ATTAINMENT FOR SMOG POLLUTION AND ALSO IN NON COMPLIANCE FOR SOOT POLLUTION, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE CITY ADDRESS THE LARGEST SOURCE OF THIS TYPE OF POLLUTION, INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE VEHICLES.
THERE IS NO WAY FOR THE CITY TO MEET OUR AIR QUALITY ATTAINMENT GOALS WITHOUT ADDRESSING THIS POLLUTION WITH MASS TRANSIT AND WALKABILITY, ESPECIALLY AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO GROW AND EXPAND WITH POPULATION AND JOBS.
WITHDRAWING FROM DART IS NOT A FORWARD LOOKING DECISION. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> HELLO, JEFF SAM SHEMA, RESIDENT OF PLANO.
I'M HERE AS A CITIZEN OF PLANO TO ADVOCATE FOR DART, AND I'D LIKE TO SUMMARIZE MY DART EXPERIENCE WITH TWO NUMBERS. THE FIRST NUMBER IS 41.
THIS IS THE NUMBER OF BOOKS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO READ THIS YEAR SAFELY, COMFORTABLY, AND WITHOUT STRESS, INSTEAD OF SITTING IN TRAFFIC ON 75.
THE SECOND NUMBER IS 796, WHICH IS THE DOLLAR SAVINGS IN FUEL AND DEPRECIATION THAT DART HAS AFFORDED TO ME SO FAR THIS YEAR FOR [INAUDIBLE] AND BY THE END OF THE YEAR, THOSE SAVINGS WILL APPROACH $1,000.
I KNOW MY POSITIVE DART EXPERIENCE IS NOT UNIQUE TO ME AS ALMOST THREE QUARTERS OF DART RIDERS ARE SATISFIED WITH THEIR SERVICE FOR THEIR OWN REASONS.
I UNDERSTAND PLANO HAS VOICED CONCERNS TO DART, AND IN RESPONSE, DART HAS AGREED TO FUNNEL ADDITIONAL MONEY BACK TO PLANO TO HELP CLOSE THE PERCEIVED SERVICE GAP WHILE ALSO ADDING ADDITIONAL PLANO STOPS VIA THE BRAND NEW SILVERLINE, INCREASING EAST WEST ACCESS.
THE SILVERLINE, WHICH PLANO WOULD STILL BE OBLIGATED TO PAY ON FOR EIGHT YEARS, EVEN IF IT LEFT.
WE WOULD SEE NO LOWERED TAXES WHILE SEEING DECREASED SERVICE AND ACCESS TO CITIES OUTSIDE PLANO FOR NEARLY A DECADE.
DART IS A PUBLIC SERVICE, AND THE CITY CONTINUES TO PLACE A BURDEN OF ROI ONTO DART THAT IT DOESN'T HOLD ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION TO.
PLAINTIFF'S SECESSION FROM DART WOULD DO NOTHING BUT PLACE ADDITIONAL BURDENS ONTO THE CITIZENS.
THIS COUNCIL IS INTENDED TO SERVE. THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS, PHILLIP LUCIA, PAUL CARDIN, PETRA HUBBARD, JOEL WESINGER, AND NANCY HUP. PHILLIP.
>> PHILLIP, ARE YOU HERE? PAUL CARDIN.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PAUL CARDIN.
I CAME VISITING YOU GUYS FROM DALLAS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING US MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I WORK IN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE PRIMARILY IN THE LEASING AND DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSIT ORIENTED MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS.
USING THE RED LINE THAT YOU WERE CONSIDERING WITHDRAWING FROM,
[02:25:02]
I WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO USE THAT TIME TO NEGOTIATE THE LEASES AND OPENINGS OF THREE NEW BUSINESSES, TWO OF WHICH SHOWS THEIR LOCATION DUE TO PROXIMITY TO TRANSIT.YOU HAVE A FULL WEB PAGE EXPRESSING YOUR GRIEVANCES REGARDING DART WHILE BEING LIGHT ON SOLUTIONS.
BUT I DO ASK, WHERE'S YOUR PAGE EXPRESSING GRIEVANCES ABOUT THE 253 MILLION IN TOLL SPENT ON THE SAM RAYBURN TOLLWAY, THE 334 MILLION SPENT ON THE DALLAS NORTH TOLLWAY OR THE 419 MILLION SPENT ON THE BUSH TURNPIKE.
MUCH OF IT COMING OUT OF PLANO' POCKETS IN 2023 ALONE.
THEN THAT MONEY IS USED TO FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND PROSPER SO THEY CAN TRY AND CABALIZE YOUR JOB IN TAX BASE.
WHERE'S YOUR EY REPORT ON THAT? DART, EVEN IN ITS CURRENT STATE, SERVES AS MOBILITY INSURANCE FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS AND CHOICE RIDER, EVEN IF THEY RARELY USE IT.
IT CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FAMILY CHOOSING TO BE A ONE OR TWO CAR HOUSEHOLD AND USING THAT TO REINVEST IN THEIR HOME IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
USE THIS CHANCE TO LOOK FOR STRONG SOLUTIONS INSTEAD OF SELF SABOTAGE. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PETRA HUBBARD, AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF PLANO FOR 21 YEARS.
IN LISTENING TO THE MANY FINE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THIS EVENING, YOU'VE HEARD HOW VITAL THE DART SERVICE IS FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.
ALSO, IT'S APPARENT THAT MICROTRANSIT IS NOT A VIABLE SUBSTITUTE FOR DART, AS IT HAS PROVEN UNRELIABLE IN OTHER CITIES.
I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESPONSE FROM THIS ROOM, YOU CAN GUESS WHICH WAY THE VOTE WOULD GO.
THERE SEEMS TO BE UNANIMOUS OPPOSITION IN THIS ROOM TO DISSOLVING DART IN PLANO.
ALSO, IN CALCULATING THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT OF DART IN PLANO, WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE DOWNSTREAM ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF PEOPLE GETTING TO THEIR JOBS AND BUSINESSES THAT THEY USE.
A STRONG DART SYSTEM IN THE DFW AREA MAKES PLANO STRONGER.
WE ARE STRONGER WHEN WE HAVE STRONG NEIGHBORS.
>> I'M JOEL WESINGER, RESIDENT OF PLANO, I WORK IN DALLAS.
TO BE CLEAR, I'M DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED IN BOTH THIS COUNCIL AND DART.
IT'S PRACTICALLY UNFATHOMABLE TO ME THAT Y'ALL HAVEN'T COME UP WITH A WAY TO MEASURE ROI AND THAT YOU LACK THE IMAGINATION TO CREATE A SOLUTION FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
PLEASE, DO HOLD DART ACCOUNTABLE.
DEMAND EXECUTIVE INTEGRITY, LOBBY FOR MORE BUSES, INSIST ON BETTER SERVICE ACROSS THE SYSTEM AND PARTNER AGGRESSIVELY.
OUR CITY'S MISSION SAYS WE MEAN TO BE A REGIONAL LEADER.
LEADERS DON'T WALK AWAY WHEN DIFFICULTIES ARISE.
GOOD LEADERS AREN'T PETTY AND TRANSACTIONAL.
GOOD LEADERS DON'T LEAN INTO DUBIOUS, SELF SERVING, AND OVERSIMPLIFIED ACCOUNTING.
GOOD LEADERS ARE GOOD NEIGHBORS.
REGIONAL LEADERS AREN'T SIMPLY FOCUSED INWARD.
REGIONAL LEADERS REJOICE WHEN THE REGION WINS.
WE DON'T NEED TO THREATEN TO DROP OUT.
WE SHOULDN'T BE WHINING BECAUSE OF DART'S INVESTMENT IN SOME OTHER CITY COSTS MORE THAN DART'S INVESTMENT IN PLANO.
>> THIS COUNCIL NEEDS TO FIND WAYS TO WORK TOGETHER WITH DART.
DON'T JUST PAY LIP SERVICE TO LEADERSHIP. LEAD.
>> THANK YOU. IS MADISON MCNAIR, WAS SHE HERE? SHE SPOKE EARLIER.
WE MOVED HERE 10 YEARS AGO AND CHOSE TO LIVE IN DOWNTOWN HISTORIC PLANO DUE TO THE LOCATION AMENITIES, AND THE DART AND TRAIN.
PERSONALLY, I HAVE USED IT TO GO TO DOWNTOWN DALLAS WHEN I WORKED IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS, AND NOW I'M ABLE TO USE THE SILVERLINE TO COMMUTE TO GRAPEVINE.
I AM SADDENED AND APPALLED, THE COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER DISCONTINUING ACCESS TO THE RAIL, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT JUST OPENED THE SILVERLINE.
WE LOVE THE GROWTH WE HAVE SEEN, THE APARTMENTS, THE BUSINESSES.
I'M ESPECIALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO PROPERTY VALUES IN THESE BUSINESSES IF THE DIRECT RAIL IS NOT AVAILABLE.
I WORK IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY WHEN I MANAGED MULTIPLE HOTELS IN PLANO AND RICHARDSON, 25-50% OF OUR STAFF USE THE DART TO COMMUTE, READING FACEBOOK AND LISTENING HERE TONIGHT, THIS IS ECHOED BY SEVERAL PEOPLE.
THAT DART IS THEIR ONLY FORM OF TRANSPORTATION.
[02:30:01]
I BELIEVE YOU'RE EXPANDING A CONVENTION CENTER.HOW WILL YOU STAFF IT? WHAT ABOUT THE INCREASED TRAFFIC TO ATTEND THOSE EVENTS?
>> THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS ARE ROHIT CHOY, SAMIR KALANI, RICK BOSAKER, NATHAN BARBERA, AND SANYA ON.
>> MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING.
I AM A CLEAN A RESIDENT, AND I'VE BEEN A HOMEOWNER HERE FOR SEVEN YEARS.
I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR CALLING THE ELECTION TO WITHDRAW FROM DART.
DART MIGHT HAVE MADE SENSE IN 1983 WHEN PLANO FIRST BECAME A MEMBER.
AT THE TIME WE WERE A COMMUTER SUBURB.
PERHAPS, FIXED RAIL, FIXED BUS LINES MADE SENSE.
PEOPLE WERE COMMUTING TO DALLAS.
HOWEVER, NOW, WE ARE A CITY IN OUR OWN RIGHT.
PEOPLE'S TRANSPORTATION PATTERNS HAVE CHANGED.
PEOPLE GO FROM HERE TO NEIGHBORING CITIES, BUT ALL OVER THE PLACE, NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOWING THE FIXED ROUTES WE HAVE, AND THAT HAS RESULTED IN QUITE OFTEN EMPTY BUSES AND TRAINS.
NOW, AS FAR AS THE SILVERLINE GOES, I'VE LOOKED INTO IT.
I MEAN, IT SEEMED NICE TO BE ABLE TO I GO TO DFW AIRPORT USING THE TRAIN, BUT IT WOULD TAKE ME OVER AN HOUR, CERTAINLY COMBINING THE DRIVE TO THE SILVERLINE STATION AND THEN THE TRAIN RIDE ITSELF.
IT'S NOT WORTH IT. AGAIN, PLEASE CALL THE ELECTION TO WITHDRAW. THANK YOU.
>> HI, THERE. I AM DR. RICK BOSAKER.
I'VE BEEN A PLANO RESIDENT FOR SIX MONTHS.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE PRIVILEGE TO LIVE IN MANY PLACES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, ACTUALLY, PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE WORLD CLASS TRANSPORT.
AS MUCH AS I LIKE TO I VALUE THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDICAL CARE, ONLY ABOUT 10% OF WELL BEING IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS. ABOUT 40% IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
YOU ALL ARE MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WELL BEING AND HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE WE SERVE THAN I AM.
I'M ASKING YOU TO CONTRIBUTE IN A POSITIVE WAY TO THE BUILT INFRASTRUCTURE.
WORLD CLASS HEALTHCARE AND WELL BEING DOES NOT OCCUR WITHOUT WORLD CLASS TRANSIT.
YOU NEED TO HAVE WORLD CLASS TRANSIT.
YOU DON'T DO THAT BY CUTTING IT OFF.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
HOLD DART ACCOUNTABLE FOR QUALITY, FOR SERVICE, FOR SAFETY.
PLEASE DO THAT. BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THERE BY CUTTING THEM OFF. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS TO SERVING AS ONE OF TWO CITY OF PLANO REPRESENTATIVES ON THE DART BOARD.
AS MUCH AS I'D LIKE TO COME TO YOU AND SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT DART AND HOW THE BOARD OPERATES, I ONLY HAVE ONE MINUTE, SO I CAN'T GET INTO ANY OF THAT. LET'S TALK ABOUT MONEY.
AS YOU KNOW, WE SPENT 109 MILLION AND GOT 44 OUT IN 2024. THAT'S ONE YEAR.
IF WE KNOCKED THAT NUMBER BACK 10% EACH YEAR OVER FIVE YEARS, THAT'S $260 MILLION.
THAT'S A QUARTER OF $1 BILLION IN FIVE YEARS THAT WE HAVE SPENT TO AN AGENCY THAT WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN BACK.
THE AGENCY HAS RAN LIKE IT'S 1983. IT'S 2025.
IT'S TIME TO MODERNIZE TRANSPORTATION IN THE CITY OF PLANO.
WE HAVE BEEN TO THE TABLE FOR TWO YEARS NOW.
NOTHING'S HAPPENING AT THE TABLE.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT.
WHAT PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVE TO REALIZE, YOU'RE NOT BEING ASKED TO WITHDRAW FROM DART.
THE CITIZENS, PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN PLANO, LIKE MYSELF, ARE BEING ASKED TO VOTE ON WHETHER TO LEAVE DART. THANK YOU.
I'M A RESIDENT OF PLANO, TEXAS, AND I PAY TAXES IN PLANO, TEXAS.
BEHIND MY COMMUNITY IN PLANO, TEXAS IS A SILVER LINE.
IT IS THE STATION THAT IS SHILOH SILVER LINE.
BELIEVE YOU ME, WE HAVE LIVED THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT FACILITY.
[02:35:01]
MY NAME DART IS KNOWN AS THE LADY WHO DISLIKES TRAINS, AND YET, MY GRANDSON IS AN ENGINEER WITH UNION PACIFIC TRAIN AND HAS BEEN FOR 12 YEARS.I LEAVE IT THERE. WHAT I HAVE OBSERVED TONIGHT IS DURING THE TIME WHEN DART PUT THE PARATRANSIT PEOPLE THROUGH THE RAISING OF THEIR PRICES OF THEIR FARES, AND ALL THE MEETINGS WERE HELD.
I LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM, HALF OF THE PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF DART NOW WITH THE VERY PEOPLE SPEAKING AT THESE MEETINGS AGAINST DART.
>> WE JUST HAVE A MINUTE, SO WE HAVE TO [OVERLAPPING].
>> AFTER PIERCE, IT'LL BE WILLIAM CRAVENS, THOMAS BRACKETT, JOHN DONOVAN AND PHIL LYLE.
>> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL, AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
AS ONE OF THE LAST SPEAKERS THIS EVENING, I'M HOPEFUL THAT THE LITANY OF SPEAKERS THAT PRECEDED ME IS INDICATIVE OF HOW IMPORTANT DART SERVICES ARE TO THE CITY OF PLANO.
DART IS ONE OF THE LARGEST LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY, AND WITH MORE THAN 8 MILLION RESIDENTS PROJECTED TO MOVE TO NORTH TEXAS IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS, INCLUSION IN THIS SERVICE IS IMPERATIVE TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IN ADDITION TO A RESIDENT OF DOWNTOWN PLANO.
THE DOWNTOWN STREETS PLAN AND THE STATION AREA PLAN WERE RECENTLY UPDATED BY THIS COUNCIL TO PROMOTE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND WALKABILITY.
REVERSAL ON THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO THIS DIRECTION WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT ANY INVESTMENTS MADE OR CONTEMPLATED TO BE MADE NOW OR IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
THE CITY HAS YET TO SEE WHAT THE IMPACT OF THE NEW 12TH STREET STATION AND THE SILVER LINE WILL HAVE.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT YOU WILL STRONGLY RECONSIDER WITHDRAWING FROM DART SERVICES. THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, MY NAME'S WILLIAM CRAVENS.
I'VE BEEN DEVELOPING AND OWNED PROPERTY TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $200 MILLION IN PLANO SINCE 1978.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I CAME TO PLANO TO DEVELOP TO BEGIN WITH, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT IS A CITY OF EXCELLENCE, BUT BECAUSE IT'S A CITY THAT LOOKS FORWARD.
GOING BACKWARDS IS NOT USUALLY THE BEST WAY TO GO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD.
MANY PEOPLE WHO COME TO THIS CITY, AND I'M SURE THE MAYOR WOULD SPEAK TO THIS, ASK IF THEY'RE LARGE CORPORATIONS, WELL, DO YOU HAVE A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION? IF YOU TURN AROUND AND TELL THEM NO, THEY MAY JUST GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I SUGGEST THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT, SEE WHAT THE COMMENTARIES OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE HAD, AND I HOPE THAT'LL HAVE AN IMPACT ON YOU, AND LET'S KEEP DART.
DELAY THIS DISCUSSION UNTIL SUCH TIME AS WE GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION, AND IT'S MORE CONCISE. THANK YOU.
>> I'M THOMAS BRACKETT. PLANO RESIDENT SINCE 1983, PROUD VOTER FOR DART IN 1983, AND I'M A TRANSPORTATION CONSULTANT, WORKED FOR FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES IN PLANO RIGHT ON LEGACY DRIVE.
I AM SO PROUD THAT DART DECIDED TO PUT THE SILVER LINE IN PLANO.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN A RICHARDSON, IT COULD HAVE BEEN MAYBE ANOTHER PLACE, BUT THIS IS A TREMENDOUS ASSET THAT I AM SO PROUD OF.
I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS RIDE THAT DART LINE TO THE SILVER LINE, AND YOU'LL BE A BELIEVER.
THERE'S SO MANY TANGIBLE BENEFITS THAT CAN'T BE QUANTIFIED BY BEING MEMBERS OF DART.
BUT I'VE HEARD A LOT OF TALK TONIGHT, AND IT'S REALLY DEMOCRACY AND ACTION.
THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND THE AIR POLLUTION, AND LIKE THE DOCTOR SAID, PROTECTION OF EVERYBODY'S HEALTH.
WE'RE IN YOUR HANDS, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT OF DART NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU.
>> MR. DONOVAN WILL BE JOINING US VIA ZOOM.
MR. DONOVAN, IF YOU'RE THERE, PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA AND UNMUTE. GO AHEAD, SIR.
[02:40:01]
OKAY. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND NEIGHBORS.
MY NAME IS JOHN DONOVAN, AND MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN HOMEOWNERS AND PLANO RESIDENTS FOR 28 YEARS.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO LET PLANO VOTERS DECIDE WHETHER THE CITY SHOULD CONTINUE PARTICIPATING IN DART.
WE ARE ALL WELL AWARE FROM THE EY REPORT AND THE CITY'S OWN ANALYSIS THAT OUR TAX DOLLARS SPENT ON DART HAVE NOT BENEFITED PLANO RESIDENTS AT AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL.
THAT IS NOT A CALL TO END TRANSIT.
IT'S A CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND LOCAL CONTROL.
BY PUTTING THIS ISSUE TO THE VOTE OF ALL PLANO CITIZENS, NOT JUST THOSE HERE TONIGHT, IT'LL PROVIDE CITY LEADERSHIP WITH A CLEAR DIRECTIVE ON WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO SEE HAPPEN ON THIS ISSUE.
WITH THAT CLEAR CITIZEN INPUT, THE CITY WILL THEN BE IN THE BEST POSITION POSSIBLE TO DEMAND THE MASS TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES AND SERVICES OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS.
WHETHER THAT COMES FROM A NEW RENEGOTIATED AGREEMENT WITH DART OR A NEW COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT SOLUTION.
PLEASE VOTE TO PUT THIS QUESTION ON THE BALLOT, SO PLANO VOTERS CAN MAKE THE CHOICE FOR THEMSELVES, AND OUR CITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL, BILL LYLE, PLANO, TEXAS.
I HEARD THAT YOU ALL DIDN'T ADVERTISE THE SILVER LINE.
WAS THE $114 MILLION NOT ENOUGH TO COVER THAT EXPENSE? I HEARD IT WAS HARD TO GET HERE FROM OAK CLIFF.
STATE REP, DID YOU RIDE DART? TO THE GAL WITH A 16-YEAR-OLD NOT ON 75.
THE MONEY IS IN DART'S POCKET.
TO THE GUY FROM DALLAS, COMPARING OUR POLICE TO A PROFIT CENTER, DALLAS IS 800 OFFICERS SHORT.
THE PROFITABILITY OF POLICE IS SAFETY, SOMETHING YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON.
BUSES WITH ONE OCCUPANT DON'T REDUCE TRAFFIC.
YOU AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS BEFORE YOU HAVE BEEN MEDIATING FOR SIX YEARS.
THE VOTE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS TO NOT GET OUT OF DART.
THE VOTE IS TO GIVE THE 300,000 PLUS RESIDENTS OF PLANO THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE A NEW PATH FORWARD AFTER 42 YEARS.
I HAVE BEEN OBSERVING DART HERE IN EAST PLANO FOR 20 YEARS.
BUSES REGULARLY HAVE ONE TO THREE OCCUPANTS.
RAIL WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE CITIZENS OF PLANO BY PARKING UNDER THE PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE IN PLANO AND RIDING THE RED SILVER ORANGE LINE OR THE SILVER LINE.
>> MAYOR, THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS THAT I HAD REGISTERED BUT DIDN'T SHOW UP ON THE LIST.
MY NAME IS SHERESA THOMAS, AND I LIVE IN PLANO, AND I'M AN ADVOCATE, AND I ALSO AM A VOTER.
I ALSO HAVE THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF BEING THE FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COLLIN COUNTY NAACP.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME SPEAK TONIGHT.
WE'VE HEARD SO MANY STORIES, HEART TOUCHING STORIES THIS EVENING FROM FELLOW ADVOCATES OF SUPPORTING DART.
I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT PUT YOU IN THE SEATS THAT YOU SIT IN.
HOPEFULLY, THEIR STORIES HAVE MOVED YOU.
ONE OF THE CORNERSTONES OF A HEALTHY COMMUNITY IS EMPATHY.
THE EMPATHY THAT WE SHOW OUR NEIGHBORS.
HOPEFULLY, THEIR STORIES TODAY HAVE TOUCHED YOUR HEART AND IMPACTED YOU IN A POSITIVE WAY.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT LIKE FOOD, AFFORDABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SHOULD NOT BE A LUXURY.
LIKE FOOD, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SHOULD NOT BE A LUXURY.
IT SHOULD BE A LIFELINE FOR PEOPLE.
I SUPPORT YOU KEEPING DART. THANK YOU.
>> I'M REBECCA SMITH. I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT IN PLANO SINCE 2009, AND MR. MUNS, WE WERE IN A MEETING. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER.
IT'S PART OF THE NORTH TEXAS DISABILITY CHAMBER, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT INCLUSION.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE NEEDS OF ALL THE AREAS OF PLANO.
THIS FEELS LIKE A STEP BACKWARDS.
YOUR GOAL WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DISABLED COMMUNITY COULD GET AROUND AND MEET WITH ALL OF THEIR FRIENDS FROM ALL OF THE CITIES.
I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT HOW A MICROTRANSIT WILL TAKE MY WHEELCHAIR SON SOMEWHERE ELSE.
YOU'RE BASICALLY GO TO MAKE US IN THIS TINY BUBBLE, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO LOSE ALL SORTS OF SUPPORTS.
PLEASE DON'T MAKE US MOVE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE MAY END UP.
I'M A SINGLE MOM. I HAVE TO RELY ON DART PARATRANSIT. THANK YOU.
>> PLEASE VOTE NO. PLEASE VOTE NO. PLEASE VOTE NO.
>> PLEASE. WE ARE IN A COUNCIL MEETING.
THIS IS FOR THE COUNCIL'S MEETING.
[02:45:03]
THIS IS NOT A PEP RALLY.WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS NOW I'M GOING TO LET THE COUNCIL SPEAK, AND I'D LIKE TO JUST GO DOWN THE DIAS.
WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK [BACKGROUND].
THE CITY COUNCIL HAS NOW RECONVENED IN OPEN SESSION.
AS I WAS SAYING BEFORE WE TOOK A BREAK, I WILL GO DOWN THE DIAS WITH THE COUNCIL FOR COMMENTS AND ANY OTHER MOTION THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, SO I'M GOING TO START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KEHR.
>> MR. MAYOR, ACTUALLY, I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH A FEW MORE QUESTIONS FOR ANDREW FORTUNE, PLEASE.
>> FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU COULD, COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE PROCESS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT AND THEN WHAT THE POTENTIAL OTHER PROCESS THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN GOING FORWARD?
>> ABSOLUTELY. TONIGHT, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO ADD THE QUESTION THAT WE BROUGHT UP ABOUT CITIZENS DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT TO STAY IN DART TO THE MAY 2026 BALLOT.
SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO DO THAT THIS EVENING, YOU HAVE UNTIL 45 DAYS BEFORE THAT ELECTION.
QUITE A FEW MONTHS TO BOTH STILL CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS WITH DART, AS WELL AS EXPLORE, SOLIDIFY, IMPLEMENT, WELL BEFORE THE ELECTION A ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION.
I'VE HEARD THE COMMENTS HERE THIS EVENING, INCLUSIVE OF COOPERATIVE CONTRACTS WITH SURROUNDING CITIES.
THE BIKE ROW AND PARATRANSIT OPTIONS DO PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES AS A PART OF THEIR SOLUTION, AND THEY DO NOTABLY OPERATE SUCCESSFULLY IN LARGE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT DO NOT HAVE TRANSIT.
MOST NOTABLY HERE CLOSE TO US, ARLINGTON, GRAND PRAIRIE.
THERE ARE SOLUTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT OPERATE IN AREAS THAT SERVE VAST AMOUNTS OF RESIDENTS WITH DIVERSIFIED NEEDS.
THIS IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT, AND THESE ARE NOT NEW PARTNERS SHOULD YOU SELECT TO GO THAT WAY.
BUT AGAIN, I WOULD STRESS, SHOULD YOU PUT IT ON TONIGHT, YOU WOULD HAVE UP UNTIL 45 DAYS TO CHOOSE TO RESCIND.
>> COULD YOU ALSO SPEAK TO THE DEBT PAYOFF? SURE. PART OF THAT PROCESS, IF WE MOVE FORWARD, LET'S SAY, IF COUNCIL MOVES FORWARD, AND IT GETS TO THE MAY BALLOT, AND THE VOTERS CHOOSE TO WITHDRAW, THERE IN STATE STATUTE IS A CALCULATION OF PLANO'S PORTION OF THE DEBT PLUS AN ELEMENT OF OPERATIONS, THERE'S A FORMULA WITHIN THE STATUTE.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF YEARS, DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT NUMBER IS CALCULATED BY THE DART BOARD, A NUMBER OF YEARS THAT OUR $0.01 SALES TAX IS STILL PLEDGED TO DART.
ALL SERVICES WOULD CEASE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THAT, IF THAT WERE THE DIRECTION, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONVENE THE COMMUNITY QUICKLY AND PRESENT THEM WITH THE OPTIONS THAT STAFF HAS LOCKED AND LOADED TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT WHERE DO WE WANT TO INVEST THOSE DOLLARS? WHAT ARE THE NEEDS THAT WE WANT TO FILL? WHAT DOES THAT ULTIMATELY LOOK LIKE?
>> SEVERAL RESIDENTS HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY'RE SURPRISED THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION NOW, HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ASSURE RESIDENTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS THE RIGHT WAY? HOW ARE WE GOING TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIM THE PROCESS AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES THROUGH?
>> SURE. WE'VE ALREADY STOOD UP, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BRINGING THIS UP AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
IT'S ACTUALLY AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION THAT I SHOWED, WE HAVE PLANO TRANSIT WEBSITE ALREADY STOOD UP.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY, WE'VE ACTUALLY UPLOADED DOCUMENTS, LETTERS THAT THE COUNCILS HAVE ACTUALLY SENT TO OUR PARTNERS.
THEY CAN TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO PLANO'S PREVIOUS ACTIONS, NEGOTIATIONS, AND WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS OVER THE YEARS, AND WE WOULD ANTICIPATE UPDATING THAT PAGE REGULARLY WITH PROGRESS.
DEPENDING ON WHAT THE COUNCIL DECIDES, CERTAINLY WE CAN DO REGULAR, WEEKLY, DAILY, WHENEVER THEY POP UP UPDATES, THE FLEXIBILITY IS THERE.
I'D ALSO ENCOURAGE, OF COURSE, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE FREE TO USE THEIR OWN CHANNELS AND THEIR OWN NETWORKS TO MAKE SURE THE RESIDENTS OF PLANO ARE UP TO DATE.
BUT THE OFFICIAL CITY CHANNEL WOULD COME THROUGH THAT WEBSITE AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. MR. MAYOR, I HAVE A COUPLE OF CONCERNS.
ONE CONCERN IS, HOW ARE WE REALLY GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO REQUIRE THE PARATRANSIT,
[02:50:02]
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THE SERVICES TODAY, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO HICCUPS IN THAT IF THERE IS A TRANSITION? I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT WE EXAMINE THAT CLOSELY AND DETERMINE, HOW TO ELIMINATE THOSE PROBLEMS. THE THE CONCERN I HAVE IS WITH DART.I FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN TRYING FOR YEARS TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE'RE BOTH COMFORTABLE, AND WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD THAT PROGRESS, AND I THINK WE'VE TRIED VARIOUS WAYS, AND I FEEL THAT WE HAVE GENUINELY SHOWED UP AND DONE OUR BEST TO HAVE THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE REASONABLE AND FORTHRIGHT.
I DO HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THAT.
THOSE ARE BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN.
>> THANK YOU. ANDREW, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. I'LL SIT DOWN. [LAUGHTER]
>> THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S MEETING AND EXPRESSING YOUR THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ON THE AGENDA ITEM TO PLACE THE DISSOLUTION OF OUR DART PARTNERSHIP TO A VOTE.
WE HEARD FROM A GREAT DEAL OF PLANO RESIDENTS AND ALSO THOSE THAT DON'T LIVE IN PLANO, PARTICULARLY SOME OF THEM ARE COUSINS TO THE NORTH.
REMEMBER, THEY DON'T CONTRIBUTE THE ONE SENT TO THE DART SUBSIDY.
I'M A LONG-TIME CUSTOMER OF DART BACK IN THE MID-80S.
I RODE THE DART BUS FROM NORTH DALLAS TO DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
I REMEMBER THE BUNNY BUSES, IF YOU WERE DOWNTOWN AT THAT POINT, YOU COULD TAKE THE BUSES WHEREVER YOU WANT DOWNTOWN FOR FREE.
CURRENTLY, I TAKE THE TRAIN IF I AM GOING TO DOWNTOWN, OR IF I'M GOING TO FAIR PARK, OR IF I'M GOING TO THE AAC, OR I EVEN TOOK THE SILVER LINE THE OTHER DAY.
I RODE THAT, AS DAVID EVANS BROUGHT UP.
I TOOK THAT TO TERMINAL B, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO USING THAT.
AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMIST, I THINK IT SOLVES OUR PROBLEM WITH NOX, PARTICULATE MATTER 2.5, SO WE COULD BE COMPLIANT WITH THE CLEAN AIR ACT.
I THINK IT ALSO UNPLUGS OUR ROADS.
I THINK THAT HELPS US TRANSIT-ORIENTED DESIGN WHEN I WAS ON PLANNING AND ZONING.
I WAS ALL IN FAVOR OF IT BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN WALKING COMMUNITIES.
BUT I SEE AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT WITHIN THE DART ORGANIZATION.
BEYOND THE GOVERNANCE, I HEARD FROM SOME OF YOU SAYING NOW THAT MICRO-TRANSIT OR GOLINK DOESN'T WORK.
WELL, GUESS WHO PROVIDES THAT MICRO-TRANSIT, DART WE ON THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE A FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL THE CITIZENS OF PLANO.
THIS $0.01 MODEL THAT WE AGREED TO 42 YEARS AGO, WHEN PLANO WAS MOSTLY AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY AND NOT THE BUSINESS ENGINE THAT IT IS TODAY, THAT MAY HAVE FITTED BACK THEN.
BUT RIGHT NOW, IT'S ONLY GOING TO GROW THAT $0.01 CONTRIBUTION.
AS I SAID, THIS YEAR, WE LOOK TO SPEND $131 MILLION TO DART.
AND I DON'T SEE ANY IMPROVEMENTS FROM DART TO SERVE ALL THE CITIZENS OF PLANO.
I STILL HEAR COMPLAINTS OF GOLINK.
>> HEY, HEY, HEY. [BACKGROUND] PLEASE.
>> THIS IS HARVEY. WE WILL ASK YOU TO LEAVE IF YOU KEEP TALKING.
>> THE PLANO POLICE ASSOCIATION EVEN REPORTS TO US THAT THERE'S HIGH CRIME AT THE DART STATIONS.
AND THEY SAY THAT'S A GREATER PROBLEM TO THEM THAN THE SHORT TERM RENTALS THAT WE LOOKED AT TWO YEARS AGO.
SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO PLACE THIS ON THE AGENDA OR ON A VOTE FOR ALL THE CITIZENS TO VOTE ON.
YES, I AM HOPING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE WITH DART TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEMS BEFORE THEN.
BUT WE MUST LEAVE IT TO THE CITIZENS OF PLANO TO VOTE ON THAT.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR COMMENTS, ALL YOUR E MAILS.
I REALLY WISH YOU WOULDN'T CUT AND PASTE, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
AND AT LEAST I HEARD FROM YOU, AND I DO APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
>> MR. MAYOR, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, I ACTUALLY WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF HEARING ALL THE COMMENTS FROM EVERYONE.
[02:55:02]
I WAS DOING TALLIES AND REALIZED THAT ABOUT HALF OF THE PEOPLE ARE NOT FROM THE CITY OF PLANO.AND I APPRECIATE THE INTEREST FROM OTHER CITIES.
HOWEVER, MY DUTY AND MY JOB AND MY SERVICE IS TO THE CITY OF PLANO AND THE PLANO RESIDENTS.
SO I'M GOING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT CAME UP WITH THE PLANO RESIDENTS.
AND BY THE WAY, I BELIEVE I AM THE OLD GUARD FROM THE LEFTOVER FROM THE PREDECESSORS FROM THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL, ANTHONY RICADLLI, AS WELL AS SHELBY WILLIAMS, AND I BELIEVE THAT IF I THINK THEY WERE HERE TODAY, BUT I BELIEVE I SPEAK FOR THEM IN THIS COMMENT THAT I'M MAKING.
NOW, I'VE BEEN A MEMBER A RESIDENT OF COLLIN COUNTY FOR MORE THAN 32 YEARS.
AND WHEN I RAN FOR PLANO CITY COUNCIL.
I DID SO BECAUSE I LOVE PLANO, AND I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT RUNNING ANYWHERE ELSE BECAUSE I WANT PLANO TO PROSPER BECAUSE PLANO HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH.
AND I STILL REMEMBER WHEN I WAS RUNNING MY ELECTION, BILL LYLE ACTUALLY PUT AN ADVERTISEMENT IN SAYING THAT I AM THE STATUS QUO.
THAT MEANS I DON'T LIKE CHANGES.
I WANT EVERYTHING TO STAY THE SAME.
SO FOR ME, A 32 YEAR RESIDENT OF PLANO, AND A MOTHER AND A WIFE AND A PROFESSIONAL AND A SMALL BUSINESS PERSON IN PLANO, WILLING TO CONSIDER THIS ITEM OF CONSIDERATION.
IT TAKES A LOT OUT OF ME, BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID, I ALWAYS LIKE PLANO, THE STATUS QUO.
SO LET'S ADDRESS SOME OF THE THINGS I BELIEVE GOT ME TO WHERE I AM TODAY.
SO MISS NADINE LEE HAS TALKED ABOUT NEGOTIATING IN GOOD FAITH.
AND I STILL REMEMBER WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT TRANSPARENCY THAT ONE OF THE PLANO RESIDENTS TALKED ABOUT, WELL, WHY IS IT THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD? WELL, I STILL REMEMBER LAST YEAR MISS LEE ACTUALLY CAME TO OUR COUNCIL MEETING, AND I ACTUALLY CONFRONTED HER ABOUT THE INCREASING CRIME AND DISTURBANCES AND COSTS TO OUR PLANO RESIDENTS IN ORDER TO ENFORCE SOME OF THE CRIMINAL OFFENSES AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES THAT WE GOING ON AROUND THE DARK STATION.
AND WHAT SHE DID WAS SHE PULLED SOMEONE OVER AND SAID, WELL, BASED ON OUR STATISTICS, IT REALLY DOESN'T SHOW THAT.
WELL, I'M A CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER, AND I DON'T DO PLANO CASES.
SO I DIDN'T HAVE ANY STATISTICS.
SO I WENT TO COLLIN COUNTY COURTHOUSE, AND I WENT AND TALKED TO THE JUDGES, AND I ASKED THEM, IS THERE AN INCREASE OF CRIME IN THE PLANO AREA THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT BY THE PLANO PD THAT SHOWS THAT THERE'S AN INCREASE OF THIS TYPE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES WITHIN AROUND THE SURROUNDING PLANO DART STATION.
AND LOW AND BEHOLD, I GOT A YEAR FULL.
I MEAN, THE CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS ARE VERY HAPPY BECAUSE THEY'RE GAINING PROFIT FROM THAT? I DON'T.
BUT SO ANYWAY, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS THE SAFETY CONCERNS OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE TRULY BEING ADDRESSED BY THE DART TRANSIT SYSTEM AT THIS POINT.
AND AS FOR MR. BRYANT'S REQUEST THAT, WE LET'S CONTINUE TO TALK. YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'VE BEEN CONTINUING TALKING FOR 6.5 YEARS, 6.5 YEARS OF TALKING WITH NO RESULTS, COMPROMISING REQUIRES THAT THERE'S GOOD FAITH ON BOTH SIDES.
THERE'S GOT TO BE MUTUAL GIVE AND TAKE.
UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY GIVING OR EXCEPT FOR TAKING, AND THE TAKING CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN SIZE. ALL RIGHT.
WELL, I ALSO HEARD ONE OF THE PLANO RESIDENT TALK ABOUT WORLD CLASS COMMUNITY NEEDS WORLD CLASS TRANSIT, AND I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THAT.
WE NEED A PROGRESSIVE PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT SERVES PLANO, NOT DALLAS, NOT OTHER CITIES, BUT US PLANO.
[03:00:05]
WE NEED SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY ADDRESSED OUR NEEDS TO CONNECT EAST AND WEST OF PLANO, TO CONNECT NORTH AND SOUTH OF PLANO, TO CONNECT ALL OF US TOGETHER, AND THAT TRANSIT SYSTEM IS NOT BEING MET BY DART, AND THEY'RE NOT CHANGING.THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY HELPING OR TRYING TO PROGRESS IN THE WAY THAT PLANO IS GROWING, AND WE ARE GROWING.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT IN A COUPLE OF YEARS, COLLIN COUNTY IS GOING TO HAVE ABOUT 3 MILLION RESIDENTS.
AND AT THAT TIME, THEN WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO IN CONNECTING THE ENTIRE COLLIN COUNTY?SO INSTEAD OF INSTEAD OF US ALWAYS KOWTOWING TO DALLAS AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM, DALLAS AREA, RURAL TRANSIT RAPID AREA.
SORRY. WHY CAN'T WE DO COLLIN COUNTY AREA, RAPID TRANSIT.
>> PLAN, HERE ABOUT PLAN [INAUDIBLE].
>> MOM, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO LEAVE IF YOU SAY ONE MORE WORD.
I DIDN'T SAY A WORD WHEN YOU TALKED, OKAY? THANK YOU.
>> WHY CAN'T WE DO COLLIN COUNTY RAPID AREA TRANSIT.
WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING QUOTE AND QUOTE, INVESTED INTO THE DALLAS TRANSIT SYSTEM.
WE COULD ACTUALLY USE A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY INVESTING IN COLLIN COUNTY OR EVEN JUST PLANO AREA RAPID TRANSIT.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
>> THANK YOU. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM [INAUDIBLE].
>> A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT SOME OF THE STATEMENTS THAT WERE MADE OR PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE.
UNFORTUNATELY, I'M JUST GOING TO PUT IT OUT THERE BECAUSE I CAN'T ACTUALLY ASK FOR AN ANSWER, BUT IT'S FRUSTRATING TO HEAR SO MANY PEOPLE SAYING, YOU GUYS NEED TO HOLD DART ACCOUNTABLE.
AND I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE IN MIND.
WE'VE BEEN AT IT, AS MARIA SAID FOR 6.5 YEARS, SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT ELSE TO DO.
I'VE HEARD FRUSTRATIONS WITH THE E&Y [INAUDIBLE] STUDY, PEOPLE SAYING, THAT'S NOT ACCURATE.
I ASSUME THAT DART BROUGHT THIS TONIGHT TO US.
RIGHT? SO WHAT THIS IS IS A PLANO RIDERSHIP BY MODE.
AND IT SAYS, PLANO IS ON TRACK TO EXCEED 2 MILLION BOARDING'S ANNUALLY WITH A GOOD MIX OF RAIL BUS MICRO-TRANSIT, PARATRANSIT TRIPS.
WE PAID THIS FISCAL YEAR $131 MILLION.
IF WE DIVIDE THAT BY 2 MILLION, THAT'S $65.50 PER BOARDING.
SO I JUST WANT TO START BY SAYING VERY CLEARLY, I SUPPORT PUBLIC TRANSIT.
IN FACT, I BELIEVE IT'S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO OUR REGION.
NORTH TEXAS IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING IN THE COUNTRY, AND AS WE KEEP GROWING, PUBLIC TRANSIT WILL ONLY BECOME MORE IMPORTANT.
THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE IT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED, AND IT NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED.
WHEN I OWNED A BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN PLANO, RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD FROM HERE, RIGHT ON THE DART LINE, I SAW FIRSTHAND HOW TRANSIT CAN MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE.
SOME OF MY EMPLOYEES, THEY USED THE DART TO GET TO WORK.
FROM OTHER CITIES, IT WAS A HUGE HELP.
THEY LIVED ELSEWHERE, CAME TO PLANO.
SO I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION ISN'T ALWAYS AS SIMPLE, YOU PAY THIS AND YOU GET THAT TYPE OF THING.
IT'S NOT DOLLAR IN DOLLAR OUT, 100% GET THAT.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE SOME RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WHAT A CITY CONTRIBUTES AND THE LEVEL OF SERVICE IT RECEIVES.
I ALSO BELIEVE THE GOVERNANCE MODEL NEEDS TO BE RETHOUGHT.
RIGHT NOW, ONE CITY ESSENTIALLY HOLDS THE MAJORITY OF CONTROL OVER HOW SERVICES ARE ALLOCATED TO EVERYONE ELSE.
THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR REGIONAL SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO SERVE ALL OF US.
THE QUESTION OF WHETHER PLANO SHOULD REMAIN IN DART IS ONE OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISIONS OUR CITY WILL FACE IN THE COMING YEARS.
TRANSIT AFFECTS HOW PEOPLE GET TO WORK, HOW BUSINESSES RECRUIT EMPLOYEES, HOW PEOPLE TRAVEL TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, HOW STUDENTS REACH SCHOOL, AND HOW OUR CITY GROWS.
IT DESERVES THOUGHTFUL, INFORMED AND TRANSPARENT CONSIDERATION.
CALLING AN ELECTION NOW DOES NOT MEAN PLANO IS WITHDRAWING FROM DART.
IT SIMPLY PRESERVES OUR COMMUNITY'S RIGHT TO MAKE THAT DECISION NEXT YEAR.
BY DOING SO, WE TAKE CONTROL OF THE TIMELINE RATHER THAN
[03:05:03]
ALLOWING UNCERTAINTY AND SPECULATION TO DRIVE THE CONVERSATION.IF WE DELAY, THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO BE DOMINATED BY POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS, PRESSURE TACTICS, AND MISINFORMATION.
I BELIEVE PLANO RESIDENTS DESERVE BETTER THAN THAT.
CALLING THE ELECTION NOW WOULD REMOVE THE CONSTANT QUESTION OF WILL THEY OR WON'T THEY AND ALLOW US TO FOCUS ON FACTS, COLLABORATION, AND SOLUTIONS.
AT THE SAME TIME, I AGREE COMPLETELY THAT NO FINAL DECISION SHOULD BE MADE UNTIL WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT AN ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM WOULD LOOK LIKE, WHAT IT WOULD COST, WHO IT WOULD SERVE, AND HOW IT WOULD BE MANAGED.
THAT'S RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE. FOR THAT REASON, I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A PLANO TRANSIT COMMITTEE THAT INCLUDES STAKEHOLDERS FROM ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY, EMPLOYERS, TRANSIT RIDERS, STUDENTS, DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNERS, AND DEVELOPERS, WHO HAVE INVESTED IN DART LINES.
THIS GROUP SHOULD BE EMPOWERED TO STUDY OUR OPTIONS, NEGOTIATE WITH DART, AND BRING BACK WELL RESEARCHED RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE THE COUNCIL DECIDES WHETHER TO PROCEED WITH THE ELECTION.WE CAN ALWAYS PULL IT BACK LIKE ANDREW SAID, 45 DAYS BEFORE.
MY GOAL IS TO SHIFT THE FOCUS FROM POLITICS TO PLANNING, FROM PRESSURE TO PROGRESS, WHETHER WE STAY IN DART OR CREATE SOMETHING NEW.
PLANO'S DECISION MUST BE BASED ON FACTS, TRANSPARENCY, AND WHAT SERVES OUR CITY'S FUTURE.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER DOWNS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. WHEN I RAN FOR THIS OFFICE, I PROMISED TO LISTEN WITH EMPATHY, RESPECT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, KINDNESS.
I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO'VE REACHED OUT VIA E MAIL ON SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS, AND HERE TONIGHT TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT DART.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOUR MESSAGES TRULY MEAN SOMETHING TO ME.
I'M AN ESTATE PLANNING AND GUARDIANSHIP ATTORNEY BY TRADE, SO I HAVE CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH SENIOR POPULATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, AND I KNOW HOW THEY RELY ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO AND FROM WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
I MYSELF HAVE TAKEN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
I TOOK IT WHEN I WORKED IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
I TOOK IT WHEN I WAS IN LAW SCHOOL.
I'VE TAKEN IT TO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES.
I 100% SUPPORT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IF IT IS DONE EFFICIENTLY AND TRANSPARENTLY.
IT'S EQUALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ECONOMICS OF THE SITUATION.
I BELIEVE THAT SALES TAX IS NOT $1 IN AND NOT $1 OUT.
WHAT WE DO FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD, WE DO FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD, AND WE MUST SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD.
THAT IS WHAT WE'RE ELECTED TO DO.
BUT YET, I THINK IT'S TIME TO TAKE THIS DECISION TO THE CITIZENS, TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY, BECAUSE MY JOB IS TO HEAR WHAT THE CITIZENS HAVE TO SAY.
AND MY COMMITMENT TO YOU IS THAT I WILL HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE HERE AT THIS DIAS [INAUDIBLE], AND AS THE CITY OF PLANO, TO HAVE TRANSPARENCY, TO HAVE CLEAR, EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS THAT MEET YOUR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, THAT WE DON'T HIDE THE BALL.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW THE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL GETS TO AND FROM WORK.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW THE PERSON WITH DISABILITIES GET SOMEWHERE, HOW OUR SENIORS GET TO THEIR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE CRITICAL TO THEM.
WE NEED A CLEAR, ARTICULATED, DEFINED PATH.
I SUPPORT THE CALL FOR AN ELECTION.
I SUPPORT US CONTINUING TO DISCUSS THIS AND NEGOTIATE AND BE AT THE TABLE.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER LABINE.
>> I TOO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY.
THE 50 SOME ODD FROM PLANO AND THE 50 SOME ODD WHO CAME FROM OTHER CITIES.
I THINK THOSE THAT CAME FROM OTHER CITIES ALSO TOLD US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO GET INTO PLANO AND OUT OF PLANO, WHETHER THAT BE TO YOUR JOB OR FOR PARATRANSIT OR WHATEVER THE PURPOSE MAY BE.
I AM A VERY STRONG SUPPORTER OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
A VOTE IN FAVOR OF PUTTING THE QUESTION OF WITHDRAWAL FROM DART ON THE BALLOT DOES NOT MEAN OPPOSITION OR OPPOSING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN PLANO OR FOR OUR REGION.
QUITE THE OPPOSITE. I'M A STRONG BELIEVER THAT A GREAT CITY MUST HAVE GREAT TRANSIT.
I THINK PLANO IS A GREAT CITY.
WHEN MY WIFE AND I TRAVEL TO NEW YORK DC,
[03:10:02]
LONDON, WE RIDE THE SUBWAYS ALL THE TIME.MANY TIMES WE HAVE TO CONVINCE FOLKS THAT WE MEET THERE WHO LIVE IN THOSE CITIES, IT'S SAFE TO RIDE THE SUBWAY.
I HAVE ENJOYED DOING IT DOWNTOWN.
I TOO WORKED DOWNTOWN, ALTHOUGH IT WAS SOME 45 YEARS AGO BEFORE DART.
I WAS ALREADY IN PLANO AND VOTED FOR DART IN THE ELECTION FOR PLANO TO BE IN DART.
I TOO, LIKE COUNCILMEMBER HORNE RODE THE HAPA BUS, THE BUNNY BUSES, DOWNTOWN, CONSTANTLY TO CIRCULATE AROUND DOWNTOWN.
WE'VE BEEN SEEKING THAT FOR OUR LEGACY AREA, AND WE NEED SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR JUST GETTING THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THAT AREA TO VARIOUS DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THAT AREA FOR LUNCH AND OTHER PURPOSES.
I WANT A SYSTEM HERE THAT ACTUALLY WORKS FOR SERVING THE PEOPLE WHO PAY FOR IT.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT MORE OF PLANO'S RESIDENTS WOULD USE IT IF THEY FELT COMFORTABLE.
THEY DON'T CURRENTLY RIDE THE BUS.
THEY DON'T CURRENTLY RIDE THE RAILS.
BUT THEY MIGHT VERY WELL CONSIDER THE CIRCULATOR, OR THEY MIGHT WANT TO GET TO A MALL WITHOUT HAVING TO PARK IN ONE OF THE LOTS.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PLACES LIKE COLLIN CREEK AND WO BEND AND SUCH THAT PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO GET TO BY PUBLIC TRANSIT, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT FOR PARKING.
WE HAVE PEOPLE IN FRISCO AND MCKINNEY WHO WANT TO COME TO PLANO, AND WE HAVE PEOPLE IN PLANO WHO WANT TO GO TO FRISCO AND MCKINNEY, AND TRANSIT DOESN'T SERVE THEIR NEEDS CURRENTLY.
RIGHT NOW, PLANO TAXPAYERS, AS YOU'VE HEARD, ARE SENDING MORE THAN $120 MILLION EACH YEAR TO DART.
THAT'S MORE THAN WE SPEND ON OUR ENTIRE POLICE DEPARTMENT EACH YEAR.
YET, MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS SIMPLY NEVER SEE A RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT, AND I THINK IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT MANY OF THE SAME PEOPLE HERE TODAY TALKING ABOUT PARATRANSIT, SENIOR TRANSIT, AND SUCH, WERE IN THOSE MEETINGS WITH DART.
ONE OF THEM RIGHT HERE IN THIS BUILDING WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT CUTS TO PARATRANSIT, CUTS TO THE AREAS SERVED AND INCREASES IN FARES, AND YOU WERE ARGUING AGAINST WHAT DART WAS TALKING ABOUT.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, CONSIDERING, AND I'LL GET TO IT THAT WE SHOULD HAVE ALTERNATIVES.
THE INTRA-CITY BUSES OFTEN RUN EMPTY.
THE STATIONS IN PLANO AMONG THE MOST FREQUENT SOURCES OF POLICE CALLS IN TOWN, AS YOU'VE HEARD.
THAT'S EVEN THOUGH DART EMPLOYEES, IT'S EXTREMELY WELL PAID OFFICERS, BETTER THAN OUR PLANO POLICE OFFICERS ARE PAID, AND THEY DON'T SHOW UP IN PLANO.
PLANO CAN DESIGN ITS OWN ON DEMAND PLANO CENTRIC TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT SERVES EVERYONE, THE STUDENTS, THE SENIORS, THE WORKERS, THE RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITY, ANYONE WHO NEEDS TO GET WHERE THEY'RE GOING WHEN THEY NEED TO GET THERE AT A FAIR SUBSIDIZED PRICE.
IMAGINE AN APP BASED SERVICE THAT CONNECTS YOU TO ALL PARTS OF PLANO AND STILL LINKS WITH THE REGIONAL RAIL LINES AND TO DALLAS AND TO COLLIN COUNTY COMMUNITIES THAT CHOOSE TO PARTNER WITH US.
THAT'S THE KIND OF FORWARD LOOKING SYSTEM THAT WE SHOULD BE INVESTING IN.
TO BE CLEAR, WITHDRAWAL FROM DART WOULD NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT WE WOULD NEVER HAVE TRAIN SERVICE.
DART ALREADY CONTRACTS WITH NONMEMBER CITIES, AND PLANO COULD DO THE SAME POTENTIALLY, IF THEY AGREE, MAINTAINING ACCESS TO THE RED AND SILVER LINE WHILE BUILDING A SYSTEM THAT TRULY FITS OUR RESIDENTS NEEDS BOTH TO THE SOUTH AND TO THE NORTH.
HERE'S THE BIGGER ISSUE. PLANO HAS BEEN SUBSIDIZING RIDERS FROM THE NORTH OF OUR CITY, PEOPLE FROM FRISCO AND BEYOND.
THEY PARK AT OUR LOTS, THEY RIDE THE TRAINS WITHOUT CONTRIBUTING A PENNY AND SALES TAX, AND THAT'S NOT FAIR.
THE REAL PROBLEM IS DART HAS SHOWED NO INTEREST IN FIXING THAT IMBALANCE OR BRINGING NEW COLLIN COUNTY CITIES INTO THE SYSTEM
[03:15:04]
ON AN ALACART BASIS AT A PRICE THEY CAN AFFORD OR MANAGE LEGALLY.HENCE, PLANO RIDERS CAN'T CONNECT TO FRISCO OR MCKINNEY AND VICE VERSA VIA DART TRANSIT.
IF THE COSTS WERE THE ONLY ISSUE, WE MIGHT NOT BE AT THIS POINT TODAY, BUT IT IS NOT.
IT IS ABOUT DARK GOVERNANCE, THEIR FAILURE TO NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH AND RECOGNIZE THAT PLANO AND COLLIN COUNTY HAVE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS THAT ARE NOT BEING MET DESPITE THE MILLIONS WE PAY INTO THE SYSTEM EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.
THIS IS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY TO OUR CONSTITUENTS. IT'S ABOUT FAIRNESS.
IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE PLANO FAMILIES GET VALUE FOR THE BILLIONS THEY'VE INVESTED OVER THE YEARS AND WILL IN THE FUTURE, A FUTURE THAT'S INCREASINGLY SEEMS OUT OF STEP WITH THE DIRECTION THAT DART IS HEADING.
SUPPORTING A WITHDRAWAL ELECTION DOESN'T MEAN ABANDONING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
IT MEANS GIVING PLANO CITIZENS, ALL OF THEM THE RIGHT TO DECIDE WHETHER DART, AS IT EXISTS TODAY, IS THE BEST WAY FORWARD OR WHETHER IT'S TIME TO BUILD SOMETHING BETTER TOGETHER.
I CALL ON ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT NEW DIRECTION TO MEET WITH CITY STAFF, TO MEET WITH COUNSEL TO HELP US CRAFT A WORLD CLASS COLLIN DALLAS CONNECTOR THAT BETTER SERVES THE PEOPLE OF PLANO AT AN AFFORDABLE COST. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CANTANA.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR ANDREW REAL QUICK. ANDREW, YOU CAN COME ON.
A LOT OF COMMENTS WERE ABOUT SILVER LINE AND GOING LIE RECENTLY AND ALL THAT.
IF THIS WAS TO TAKE PLACE, WOULD SILVER LINE GO AWAY, OR IS THAT UP FOR NEGOTIATIONS OR?
>> WE'VE BEEN VISITING WITH OUR LEGAL TEAM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT OPTIONS.
THE CURRENT PROCESS IN STATE LAW IS THAT ONCE A SUCCESSFUL ELECTION IS HELD, AND THE VOTERS DECIDE IF THEY WERE TO DECIDE TO LEAVE, ALL SERVICE WOULD STOP THE NEXT DAY.
HOWEVER, STATE LAW ALSO GIVES DART THE ABILITY, AND THEY'VE EXERCISED IT REGULARLY TO CONTRACT WITH OTHER CITIES.
MCKINNEY WAS THE EXAMPLE I GAVE EARLIER.
THERE ARE OTHER ELEMENTS OF WITHDRAWAL, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS THAT CITIES CAN NEGOTIATE CLAIMING, ETC.
I THINK THERE IS A CASE TO BE MADE THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO LOOK AT CONTRACTING.
BUT AGAIN, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD FROM OUR LEGAL TEAM IS IT'S NOT REALLY A LEGAL QUESTION AT THIS POINT.
IT WOULD BE A QUESTION OF, CAN THAT PARTNERSHIP BE FORGED? COULD THAT BE DONE? YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER FOR ONE OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, UPON WITHDRAWAL, THE FULL $0.01 SALES TAX STILL IS CONTRIBUTED UNDISTURBED TO DART FOR MANY YEARS.
THE MONEY THAT THEY HAVE RELIED UPON TO FINANCE IT, TO OPERATE IT, TO IMPLEMENT IT WOULD GO UNCHANGED.
PRESUMABLY, THEY WOULD HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO SO.
> THEN JUST TO BE CLEAR, SO IF THE SERVICE LINE IS SOMETHING THAT PLANO RESIDENTS WANTS TO KEEP, WE CAN PURCHASE THAT AT ALA CART.
>> THERE IS A PROCESS AND I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY.
I WANT TO BE DEFERENTIAL TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, BUT THERE'S A PROVISION IN THE LAW THAT DEALS WITH REAL ESTATE CLAIMS THE CITY CAN MAKE AT THE CONCLUSION OF A SUCCESSFUL WITHDRAWAL.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO BRIEF THE COUNSEL MORE ON THAT.
I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT COME FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY, NOT FROM MYSELF.
>> I JUST WANTED TO QUIT ASK ABOUT SEVERAL LINES SINCE PEOPLE WE BROUGHT UP AS FEEDBACKS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANDREW. SURE. THANK YOU, THOUGH.
I HAVE TO TAP YOU IN MY PASSWORD.
THAT'S ONE OF I GUESS ONE OF THE DOWNSIDES OF BEING PLACED EIGHT AND GOING LAST AND GOING AFTER COUNCIL MEMBER LAVINE.
I DO WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR COMMENTS, THEIR FEEDBACKS, AND THEIR EMAILS.
I'VE READ THEM UP TO TWO OR THREE IN THE MORNINGS BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE DAY JOBS, AND I STILL WANT TO DO MY SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT ALSO DO KNOW AS WELL, TOO THAT I DON'T TAKE THIS POSITION LIGHTLY, SO I'VE READ EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM AND THE COPY AND PASTING.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S WRITTEN AS A SONG NOW IN MY HEAD.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I AM ON THE THOUGHT PROCESS THAT THIS SHOULD GO FORWARD TO OUR RESIDENTS TO DECIDE.
I WANT TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE, AND WE, AS THE COUNCIL, WOULD HONOR THAT OUTCOME, NO MATTER WHICH ONE IT SHOULD BE.
I DO WANT TO MAKE THE STATEMENT, HOWEVER, THAT THIS IS NOT THAT PLANO IS AGAINST PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
IT'S DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE RIGHT PARTNER? CAN WE ELEVATE THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE TODAY? WE ARE THE CITY OF EXCELLENCE, AND WE SEE SOME ISSUES THAT COULD ENHANCE.
CORRECTLY, WHAT I'M THINKING OF IS, DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT PARTNER? LET'S START THERE AND LET'S FIGURE THAT OUT.
I AM IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS VOTE FOR OUR CITIZENS TO DECIDE. THANK YOU.
>> MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 1.
[03:20:03]
>> MR. MAYOR, I SECOND THAT MOTION.
>> THANK YOU. I WILL GIVE YOU MY THOUGHTS.
WE HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WITH DART TO COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS THAT BENEFIT BOTH OF US.
A LOT OF TIMES, IT'S A DIFFICULT PROCESS.
NO MATTER WHAT THE VOTE IS ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS, AND I HOPE DART AND THIS CITY WILL CONTINUE TO FIND A PATH FORWARD THAT IS A SOLUTION THAT BENEFITS BOTH OF US.
AS THE WHOLE COUNCIL HAS SAID, WE ARE ALL ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSIT, WE BELIEVE IN IT.
WE WANT IT TO BE FIRST MILE LAST MILE.
WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE FIRST MILE LAST MILE.
WE WANT IT TO BE DOOR TO DOOR, BECAUSE WE HAVE SENIORS.
WE HAVE THE DISABILITY POPULATION THAT NEED THAT DOOR TO DOOR SERVICE, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO THE DOCTORS, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO THE GROCERY, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF CONNECTIONS THAT WE NEED.
I WAS ONE OF THE MAYORS ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER MAYORS THAT WENT TO THE RTC AND ASKED IF WE COULD COME UP WITH A WAY TO CREATE MORE CONNECTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE METROPLEX.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON ON TRANSIT 2.0, IF YOU'VE HEARD THAT DESCRIPTION.
WE WANT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, BUT WE WANT IT TO CONNECT.
WE WANT THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING IN FRISCO, ALAN, MCKINNEY, PROSPER, ON AND ON AND ON TO BE A PARTICIPANT IN THIS CONNECTIVITY.
YET NOT ONE PERSON, NOT ONE CITY, WHETHER IT BE ARLINGTON, WHETHER IT BE GRAND PRAIRIE, WHETHER IT BE FRISCO, OR NOT WILLING TO PAY THAT PENNY OR ANYWHERE NEAR THAT PENNY, AS THEY HAVE TOLD ME.
WE HAVE GOT TO GROW THE SYSTEM.
THIS HAS BEEN A 13 MEMBER CITY IN 1983, AND IT IS A 13 MEMBER CITY IN 2025.
TO DO THAT, WE'LL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF THOSE MEMBER CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN A MEMBER FOR 42 YEARS TO BE ABLE TO LOWER THEIR COST AND BE ABLE TO SPREAD THE REGIONALISM, AS YOU ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT, TO AREAS THAT HAVE NOT BOUGHT INTO THE SYSTEM.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
WE OWE IT TO THE RESIDENTS OF PLANO, TO WEIGH IN ON THIS, WHETHER THEY SUPPORT CONTINUING ON AS MEMBER CITIES WITH DART OR TO COME UP WITH A BETTER SOLUTION THAT CAN REALLY CONNECT OUR COMMUNITY WITH WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.
NOT ONLY HAS ANDREW TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT WE'VE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, AND IT IS OUR TRULY PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS A CONNECTION FOR ALL OF THOSE THAT HAVE TALKED TO US TONIGHT ABOUT BEING ABLE TO CONNECT A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE AND GETS THEM WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT A PRIORITY.
TOMORROW, WE'LL GO TO WORK AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A COMMUNITY TO GIVE US FEEDBACK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE SERVICE I THINK THAT WE ALL WANT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 1, WHICH WOULD BE TO ORDER THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE ELECTION ON MAY 2, 2026 ON EITHER CONTINUING WITH DART OR WITHDRAWING.
ALL WE'RE DOING TONIGHT IS ORDERING THAT TO BE ON THE REFERENDUM IN MAY. PLEASE VOTE.
[03:25:05]
THE NEXT ITEM. THE ITEM NUMBER 2 IS REALLY JUST GIVING DIRECTION TO MARK.[2. Discussion and direction regarding alternative mobility options for public transit.]
I THINK MARK, WE'VE OBVIOUSLY GIVEN YOU QUITE A BIT FROM NOT ONLY ANDREW'S COMMENTS, BUT SEVERAL OF THE COUNSEL IN REGARD TO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE AND BEING ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW THAT TRANSIT AUTHORITY OPPORTUNITY WOULD BE IF WE CAN'T COME UP WITH A SOLUTION BEFORE THAT 45 DAY PERIOD.>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE'LL BEGIN TOMORROW WITH THE STARTING WORK TOWARDS THE COMMITTEE PROCESS OF OPENING UP, HOPEFULLY WORKING THROUGH LISA, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO APPLY TO SERVE ON A COMMITTEE THAT WOULD PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON TRANSIT.
WE'LL IMMEDIATELY BEGIN THAT, AND THEN WE'LL IMMEDIATELY BEGIN PUTTING STAFF TOGETHER AS FAR AS LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES AS WELL.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER LAVINE, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? I'M SORRY.
>> WE'VE ALL MADE SUGGESTIONS.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I HEARD SEVERAL TIMES FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND AS I SAID IT AS WELL, IS WE NEED TO LOOK BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH.
IT'S REALLY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT JUST CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT WE STAY IN DART.
IT'S THE QUESTION OF, WHAT CAN WE DO BEYOND DART?
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT BEING SAID? THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, WE'RE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.