February 19, 2026 - usa.streestblog.org -

A vote six years in the making that would decimate the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system might soon be called off, potentially averting a major funding crisis for the agency — though advocates say there's more work to be done to make sure every DFW resident has the mass mobility options they deserve.

Since the beginning of the decade, a handful of wealthy, sprawling suburban cities in the greater Dallas metro have been fighting for an exemption to a one percent sales tax that funds the area transit agency. The mayors of those cities – Irving, Plano, Farmers Branch, Addison, University Park and  Highland Park – have argued that they pay far more into the system than they get back, according to a 2024 study that only analyzed one fiscal year’s worth of data.

By state law, local governments are only allowed to levy a total of two percent of sales taxes, including the allocation for DART. That cap, city leaders have said, is preventing them from investing in other services such as economic development corporations that are allowed to provide incentives for businesses or developers. 

Read more: https://usa.streetsblog.org/2026/02/19/when-the-suburbs-want-to-opt-out-of-funding-regional-transit