Sun Prairie not included in Dane County rail talks

In June, Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk proposed the county commuter rail, to plan for Dane County growth that expects to add an additional 150,000 people by 2030.

The Capital Times writes,

So it’s no big surprise that, according to recent media accounts, a number of elected officials in outlying communities are adamantly opposed to the idea of creating a tax-imposing regional transit authority to help pay for the commuter rail system…

What is surprising is that the critics include elected officials in Sun Prairie, one of two suburbs — Middleton being the other — that would be served by the system’s first phase. And that among those critics is Democratic Rep. Gary Hebl, one of the most progressive, pro-environment legislators in Wisconsin.

Hebl was quoted as saying transportation is a statewide issue and that creating a patchwork of regional transit authorities isn’t the solution. He also criticized Falk and Cieslewicz for not including Sun Prairie officials — and those from other communities — in the decision-making process.

Could Sun Prairie tax payers end up getting a stuck with a bill that Sun Prairie officials did not get a say in?