It doesn't take a demographer to tell you that Dallas isn't contributing to the rapid growth of its northern suburbs. This reality is beginning to take root in city halls, with planners weighing in on how to get more people to move and stay in the region's largest city, amid debates over land use and other policy decisions. I am struggling to decide whether to give them some leeway.
This trend also influences transportation decisions. The city of Dallas is now looking toward a future in which it no longer controls a majority on the Dallas Regional Rapid Transit Commission. Seats on the commission will be appointed based on Dallas' population share and the transit agency's 12 suburban partners.
DART and the City Council's Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held a dual meeting Monday to examine demographic changes in the region. Population trends point to a reversal in board composition by the next allocation review in 2025, and almost certainly by 2030. (Adjusted every five years based on the number of people living in the service area).
Why is this important? The state law that created DART made a major change that allowed the region's largest city to hold a crucial eighth seat on the policy-making body. However, since 2010, Dallas' population has increased by only 9%, while the surrounding service area has increased by 40%. By 2030, most of DART's service population is projected to live outside of Dallas for the first time since DART's founding.
“At the mercy of the City Council, I have served on the board for almost three and a half years,” said Rodney Schlosser, the Dallas-appointed board member who compiled the report. “Over the last three and a half years, I've realized what I think is obvious to those of us who pay attention to what's going on in this region: It's just that there's a difference of opinion: priorities and what people who live in the suburbs think are priorities.”
This change poses an existential threat rather than an immediate doom to Dallas' ability to direct its transit partners. After all, Dallas currently shares one seat with the cities of Glen Heights and Cockrell Hill, and there is often no consensus among the city's appointing authorities anyway. . These represent different neighborhoods with different priorities, some of which may coincide with suburban priorities.
The real problem is hidden in plain sight. This is what DART board member Patrick Kennedy calls a “world-class ball drop.” Dallas-Fort Worth is the fastest growing metropolitan area in the country, but the only way Dallas can add residents is by creating new residents. 2023 Census data shows more people are leaving Dallas than choosing to make it their home.
This is not a new trend. The city of Dallas experienced approximately 4,000 deaths from 2020 to 2022. DART needs people to ride. Nadine Lee, the company's CEO, told the council that passenger numbers are at 83 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. This is slightly above the national average, which Lee said the agency is “satisfied with… but not satisfied with.” Still, Executive Vice President Rob Smith told Congress that only about 5% of his Dallasites use DART, a number slightly lower than in other partner cities.
Lee is focused on land use and is considering working with cities to allow development on DART-owned land, such as surface parking lots near the railroad tracks, to bring transit closer to people. ing.
“We really want to bring more people to our region, because for a city like Dallas, which is a city in our service area, that means more residents.” said Mr. Lee. “More spending. More business. All of this helps us be more financially successful.”
DART is working with city partners to achieve these goals, and we believe it is in the city's best interest to have a majority on the board. As Schlosser noted, a suburban partner's priorities may differ from a city's priorities. City Councilwoman Janie Schultz, who represents North Dallas and Preston Hollow, requested the briefing. She acknowledges Dallas could lose its eighth seat and says it's time to work with other cities.
“We see Dallas' urban needs getting lost in a suburban worldview,” she says. “But if we listen to what each other really wants, we might all be able to get what we want.”
Everyone has an obligation to make a move. Another existential threat looming over DART and Dallas is the Texas Legislature, which passed sweeping legislation in the last legislative session that prohibits local governments from passing regulations that go beyond state law. Some city council members fear that a battle between state lawmakers over local control could lead to DART's administration, possibly resulting in member cities paying less than their current 1-cent sales tax share. ing. (About 75% of the funds come from consumption tax payments.)
“If you took away the money, we wouldn't even be able to sustain what we're doing today,” Lee said.
State Rep. Matt Shaheen of Plano introduced a bill last year that would require an audit of the agency and open regulations. City Councilwoman Carla Mendelsohn, who represents Far North Dallas and is a DART critic, floated the idea at Monday's meeting to propose to the Legislature a cap on the amount of sales tax revenue the agency can receive each year. I let it happen.
In May, the DART Board of Directors is scheduled to vote on the agency's 10-year strategic plan. This is more important than capital investment and focuses on improving reliability, safety, cleanliness and customer service. To create better products and help more people. Its true success will depend on putting more people on buses and trains, rather than on-demand services like GoLink, which are more popular in the suburbs than in the city.
And as government agencies embark on strategies to do just that, the city of Dallas is seeing its influence waning because people aren't moving here. Dallas will need to change that trend quickly if it wants to keep its seat.
author
matt goodman
View profile
Matt Goodman is Online Editorial Director. D Magazine. He writes about a man who was a surgeon who killed someone.
