Rail opponents want spring referendum

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

From an article by Paul Snyder in The Daily Reporter:

Dane County Supervisor Eileen Bruskewitz has introduced a resolution to the County Board for an advisory referendum in spring 2010 asking whether Dane County should have commuter rail.

She said she was prompted to ask for the referendum after hearing from many residents upset about the county’s creation last month of an RTA.

“People are furious they haven’t been given a voice in this yet,” Bruskewitz said.

Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and four RTA-area mayors last week announced their appointments to the newly created RTA.

One of the appointments, Steve Hiniker, executive director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, said any referendum at this early point is irresponsible.

“We’re going to be making decisions on allocating money for bus systems, and perhaps how commuter rail fits into that equation,” he said. “But I wouldn’t go in tomorrow or in spring saying we need a referendum.”