OPINION & EDITORIAL
Falk, Cieslewicz should grow up
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Also by Andrew Granias:
- Council finally wakes up (September 6, 2007)
- Incoming editor discusses future of Opinion page (May 10, 2007)
- Falk, Cieslewicz should grow up (April 27, 2007)
- Study mislabels students as vain (March 1, 2007)
- State of the Union disappointing, misses point (January 25, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Falk's budget right for city (November 16, 2006)
- Falk It! (September 12, 2006)
- Allen endorsement flawed (March 19, 2007)
- AG race turns dirty yet comical (September 7, 2006)
- Burger Boat Co. contract latest sign of troubled system (February 8, 2006)
by Andrew Granias
Friday, April 27, 2007
Every day we make the easy, mindless decisions that could be made by much younger, much less developed minds than ours, which end up affecting the outcome of our day for the better. We choose to go to the 8:50 a.m. discussion session over sleeping in, the garden salad over the triple-stacked grease-burger, and easiest of all, the Herald over that other joke of a student newspaper.
Yet every once in a while, as adults, we have to make tougher decisions, decisions that require some compromise and some sacrifice. Right now, Madison is faced with one of these tougher decisions, yet our local officials can't seem to act like adults.
On Tuesday, the Madison Streetcar Study Committee met to hear the outcome of the latest findings from the Madison Streetcar Feasibility study. The research, which was conducted by the architectural, engineering and consulting firm HDR, concluded that a streetcar system in Madison would kick some serious ass. Well, they put it a bit more eloquently by saying that it would reduce the recurrent downtown traffic jams, increase workforce mobility and increase the value of property near the streetcar lines.
And, quite frankly, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz has been doing his fair share of ass kicking since being reelected only weeks ago. In addition to the positive reaction from the streetcar study group, Mayor Dave has proposed a new citywide initiative he called the 100K Clean Energy Challenge, which aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Madison by 100,000 tons by 2011. With a proactive stance to global climate change at the local level, and a sound endorsement for his long-desired streetcar system, no one can tell how far Mayor Dave might go.
Unless you happen to be Kathleen Falk.
Sure enough, when everything was looking so bright for Mayor Dave and the city of Madison, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and County Board Chairman Scott McDonell put a serious dent in at least one of the mayor's environmentally and economically beneficial new proposals.
Falk and McDonell have announced they are submitting an application to the Federal Transit Administration for federal funding that would aid in building a commuter rail in Dane County, running from Middleton to the far east side. The funding, which is part of Falk and McDonell's "Transport 2020" plan, would likely put a halt to the possibility of any federal funding for a Madison streetcar system if it is accepted.
The federal money would come from President Bush's recently approved $1.4 billion for the New Starts program in 2008, which will aid a potential 24 new transit projects across the country. Applying for the non-comprehensive commuter rail system — without including an extensive rail in the actual city of Madison — runs the risk of rejection from the FTA and could ruin the possibility of funding for both the county and city.
In defending her decision to go ahead with the application this summer, Ms. Falk said — using a terrible pun, I might add — that "our intention is to stay on track" despite the mayor's call for inclusion in a rail proposal.
"There are very few applications for New Starts funding right now," McDonell told the Capital Times, in an attempt to defend the decision to rush off the application to Washington without the mayor's input.
Yet as most adults come to learn, patience is a virtue, and in their childish rush to submit an application to the FTA this summer, Ms. Falk and Mr. McDonell have again failed to display any trace of maturity or foresight. As reported by The Capital Times, Madison and Dane County run the risk of having that application denied by the FTA because the commuter rail may not fit the FTA criteria, which demands a transportation system designed "primarily to help alleviate problems in a metro area."
But alas, there is a better way. The city and the county should build a rail system that brings commuters into the city with ease, and gets them around it with the same amount of ease. With a commuter system from the further reaches of the county, Madison could alleviate many traffic problems. Likewise, with a streetcar system within the city, a system of tax increment financing could be used to galvanize economic development in the metro area and take further steps toward environmental responsibility.
Now I don't know how many "wins" are in this situation, but there certainly are enough for Dane County to wait on its application and consider a more comprehensive plan.
Dave and Kathleen, if you realize that there is indeed an option that benefits both city and county, then you will act as adults do and find greater potential in making this decision together. And not because we know that this is an easy choice to make, but because we know that this is one of those tough calls that requires some compromise, some sacrifice, and a little growing up for the greater good.
Andy Granias (agranias@badgerherald.com) is a sophomore majoring in political science and international studies.
Anonymous (April 27, 2007 @ 7:41am):
Andy,
You have good ideas; however, your writing style needs work. Using the phrase "kick some serious ass" detracts from your argument. In addition, referring to the Daily Cardinal as "that other joke of a student newspaper" publicly makes it look like they are some sort of threat to your fragile ego.
If you continue to write this way, an employer will look at you as that other joke of an applicant.
Anonymous (April 27, 2007 @ 3:59pm):
another column sucking the mayor's cock
Anonymous (April 27, 2007 @ 4:04pm):
Couldn't you get to your point more quickly? It took two long, drawn-out paragraphs to finally get down to business.
Anonymous (April 28, 2007 @ 3:00am):
Stop writing about things you don't understand and go back to sending out form letters in the Governor's office.
Anonymous (April 28, 2007 @ 9:23am):
Andy,
With college students like you, who have a good grasp of most politicians fail to see, I have hope for the future of this country - once we get rid of Bush and his Chronies.
Anonymously . . .
B Samstag
Culver City, CA
Once served nicely by the Huntington Red Cars
Anonymous (April 28, 2007 @ 9:11pm):
You forgot to mention it was mayor Dave who took his toys and went home in the first place in this whole transit mess. Now that the county might get money and lock the city out he's crying that they won't play with him.
And why is he trying to build an expensive transit system when he already has a bus system that doesn't pay for itself and doesn't serve the whole city. Is throwing another form of public transportation that is more expensive to maintain going to make things better?
Dave wants his legacy, that is all.
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