The Dane County Board approved a resolution to postpone resident voting on a measure to create a Regional Transit Authority following a heated debate Thursday night.
The formation of an RTA has sparked countywide controversy because of the system’s plan to create a commuter rail, designed to decongest downtown traffic and bring commuters from neighboring towns into Madison.
Supervisor Jack Martz of Fitchburg introduced the original resolution in which a referendum would ask voters if they supported the creation of an RTA, a commuter rail and a half-cent sales tax increase to fund the system on an April 1 ballot.
According to the resolution, the only plan being considered is the “Transport 20-20 Plan” to create a commuter rail system spanning across Madison. The train would run from Middleton to the Town of Burke, two communities on the outskirts of the city.
Martz said the referendum would essentially ask Dane County voters to answer several questions related to the creation of an RTA.
“The resolution deals with three issues: [1] Do we want an RTA [2] with the priority being a commuter rail and [3] should it be funded by a half-cent sales tax?” he said.
Before the county can create an RTA, however, state Legislature must authorize the system. Currently, no legislation has been passed to allow the RTA.
Supervisor Mark Opitz of Middleton proposed a substitute resolution that would place the referendum on ballots within one year of reaching a legislative decision whether to allow the county to create an RTA.
The substitute resolution would also base the use of a half-cent sales tax increase to fund the RTA on voter approval.
Fred Bartol of the Dane Alliance for Rail Transit spoke in favor of the Opitz resolution, urging supervisors to wait for legislative approval of the complex RTA system before subjecting the referendum to voters.
“The commuter rail is one piece of the puzzle,” Bartol said.
The County Board ultimately granted final approval of Opitz’s substitute resolution. Rather than voting on the RTA this spring, residents will have to wait to see any commuter rails or tax increases on future ballots.
