Remember when the RTA was passed?  Supporters, including several supervisors who voted for it, swore up and down we would have our referendum.  Just let them pass the RTA and ‘trust them’.  So the RTA passed and we should be poised to get an opportunity to vote on it, right?  Not so fast.  Of course we couldn’t have a referendum in April.  This far too important to vote on in April they say.  November is when we should do it, well, maybe.  

Predictably though, now that most of the appointments have been made their true colors are showing.  Steve Hiniker, one of the appointees to the Dane County RTA, has already come out and said “I wouldn’t go in tomorrow or in spring saying we need a referendum.”  Whoa, what happened to our guarantee?  Oh, that’s right; the board didn’t have the authority to promise that.  The RTA can do whatever they like without asking the voters squat.  Incidentally that particular quote was pulled between when I first read the article this afternoon and this evening.  Instead we now we have Supervisor Opitz saying a referendum is a bad idea.  Makes you wonder how much that promise to have a referendum is really worth.

And who exactly is Steve Hiniker?  He’s the executive director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin.  This is an organization dedicated to “smart growth” policies and pushing trains on everyone.  Even a quick look at their website reveals their bias towards trains.  Of all the transportation projects listed on their website, over 70% are for rail, trolleys, or trams (and I’m being kind with that number, many of the other items include trains to some degree, just not outright).  Nope, no bias there.  No wonder Mr. Hiniker doesn’t believe the voters should get a say in this.  He already “knows” what’s best for us.  

Unlike those Supervisors who believe the RTA is a done deal and we won’t remember their promise to give us a referendum, Dane County Supervisor Eileen Bruskewitz is still fighting to allow the people of Dane County to have a voice.  If you believe we should have the opportunity to vote on such an important issue to our area then I urge you to contact your supervisor and let them know you support Eileen’s resolution.  Even better, turn out in April 2010 and let your County Supervisor who voted to create the RTA know how you feel.