This is why we need to remain vigilant! Even though the referendum has been voted down, look at what they are up to in county government now.
Look at the County Board Minutes in the Jefferson Daily Union on September 16, 2009. In County Board Chairperson Sharon Schmeling’s report, she stated county government is supporting efforts to have a passenger rail line link Milwaukee, Watertown, and Madison.
I spoke with Chairperson Schmeling about this matter. She replied to me that she should have been clearer in her report. Ms. Schmeling said it is the Economic Development Consortium that supports this, and not county government. I advised her that the report should be corrected. According to Ms. Schmeling, the Consortium supports this because of possibility that businesses could “piggy-back” on upgraded rail lines to move their products. I replied that this is a short sighted view and makes no sense given the ENORMOUS cost to taxpayers. Businesses can truck their goods where they need to go, or use existing rail lines. It is not the job of the taxpayers to pay for anything and everything that will help a hand-full of businesses.
As most of you know, light rail is a boondoggle all the way around. It requires massive government subsidies and never pays for itself. This is just another way for big cities to tax people outside their districts for their pet projects.
Call your Jefferson County Board Supervisor and the Economic Development Consortium. Tell them this is OUTRAGEOUS! Tell everyone else about this and encourage them to call. The Economic Development Consortium meets in Jefferson the 2nd Wednesday of the month at the UW-Extension on Collins Road at 8:30am in room 107. The number for the Consortium is 920-674-8711.
Here are some stories about the light rail failures around the country:
Seattle Commuter Rail Failures, Portland Rail Fiasco,Vermont Rail Failures, Transit Failure Exposed By Census, The Strange Thing About Light Rail
