Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Hello Karen,

Welcome to the first edition of our email newsletter, DART's Legislative Update. Our goal is to keep you informed on the important work our team members do every day to advance mobility and economic prosperity for the North Texas Region. We will use this newsletter to share our work on local, state, and federal legislative matters, and what it means for you, our partners and riders.

You can expect to hear from us at least once monthly, but our hope is that you will not hesitate to reach out to us directly at any point. In this inaugural edition of the newsletter, we want to start by introducing our team and giving you a preview of what we are focused on heading into 2025.

Meet the Team

Damarcus Offord

Damarcus is the Senior Manager of State Relations for DART. In this role, he leads the development and implementation of the agency’s legislative agenda, working collaboratively with stakeholders to address transportation challenges and enhance infrastructure.

Damarcus previously served as Senior Staffer to the late Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson. He was pivotal in advancing legislative initiatives at the federal level. Before joining DART, he led Intergovernmental Relations at Dallas ISD.

Cimajie Best

Cimajie is the Senior Manager of Regional and Local Relations at DART. She fosters strong relationships between the agency and local and state stakeholders. With a focus on transportation policy and advocacy, Cimajie plays a key role in advancing DART’s initiatives to improve public transit services across North Texas.

Cimajie previously served as Public Affairs Consultant for Allyn Media. She was a trusted advisor to clients facing public affairs challenges, public relations opportunities, political elections, and fundraising campaigns.

Eron Linn

Eron Linn is the Federal Relations Manager at DART. He serves as a key contact for members of Congress, their staff, and federal partners.

Eron has distinguished himself through numerous leadership positions at the agency. He is a graduate of several management training programs, including Management DART and the Multi-Agency Exchange (MAX) Program. In 2016, DART’s then-President Gary C. Thomas recognized Eron for outstanding service and commitment to the agency with the Gold Star Award.

The 89th Texas Legislature convenes on Tuesday, Jan 14, 2025, at noon. As always, we are looking forward to working with our state and local partners to advance legislation that enhances our role as a critical mobility provider and economic engine for the region.

The DART Board of Directors earlier this year approved the agency's 2025 Legislative Agenda. We invite you to explore it in English and Spanish at the link below.

Explore DART's 2025 State Legislative Agenda

-- Calling student artists: DART seeks entries in contest to stoke interest in mass transit (The Dallas Morning News)

-- DART implements changes to GoLink service in Plano (Community Impact)

-- DART launching scooter parking zone pilot program (WFAA)

Irving-Las Colinas Chamber's Legislative Send-Off

The Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce 89th Legislative Send-off last Wednesday brought together an engaging panel of state leaders, including Rep. Rafael Anchia, Rep.-Elect Cassandra Hernandez, and Rep. Terry Meza (pictured left to right with DART's Damarcus Offord), for an insightful discussion on the challenges and priorities awaiting the Texas House in the upcoming session.

The panelists shared their perspectives on pressing issues facing the state, including the pivotal Speaker’s race, the urgent need to address Texas’ electric grid reliability, and the critical importance of infrastructure development. Their candid dialogue provided valuable insights into the legislative process and the collaborative efforts needed to tackle these pressing matters, setting the stage for an impactful session ahead.