Overview of the Highland Park and University Park DART Referendum
Consequences and context
This is a quick overview of the consequences of voting to leave DART in the Park Cities. I plan on releasing future articles on DART’s history in the Park Cities and an overview of each cities municipal finances in the coming weeks. If you want updates on those articles and the other happenings around DART I highly recommend subscribing to our substack and becoming a DATA member!
If both towns vote YES, DART will continue services in our towns.
If both towns vote NO, all services will stop when the May 2nd election is certified.
Discontinued services include:
237 Preston Road all Stops on the within the town borders (HP/UP)
20 Northwest Highway Eastbound stops up side of road (UP)
440 SMU Red (UP)
442 SMU Blue (UP)
207 Lemmon 3 west bound stops near the Whole Foods on the south side of HP(HP)
All DART Paratransit (HP/UP)
All DART GoLink (on demand/uber-like service within the park cities/knox/lovefield included in your $3 ticket) (HP/UP)
DART continues to collect sales tax until HP/UP pay off their general debt obligation. Any replacement service the towns decides on will be paid on top of that.
UP ~$100mil over 10 years
HP ~$30-40mil over 4 years
When the debt is paid off the towns must pass a resolution and have a new vote to reinstate that 1% sales tax for a new purpose. It does not automatically go back to the town.
When the councils cite “DART’s own numbers” for lack of service value, they cite a report commissioned by the politically appointed DART Board that purposely excludes:
Both SMU shuttles
The 20 on NW Highway and
3 rail lines at Mockingbird and Lovers stations
5 bus routes at Mockingbird station
Politicians consider the stations that residents fought to put in on the other side of 75, as not servicing either town. If we stop contributing to DART those stations that are in Dallas, but 500 feet outside HP/UP, we essentially become free riders.