In recent months, Progressive Dane has been particularly active advancing these ideas at the county level. As part of their platform, PD has long advocated for the creation of a Regional Transit Authority (RTA) to provide “affordable, available, and accessible” public transportation. Recent state legislation has given Dane County the authority to create an RTA. At a combined County Public Works and Transportation Committee and Personnel and Finance Committee meeting earlier this week, many PD members showed up in support for the RTA. PD-endorsed Supervisors John Hendrick and Al Matano provided expert testimony and support, helping to win majority endorsements for the RTA from both committees. As the RTA moves forward, Progressive Dane members and elected officials will continue to play crucial roles in bringing this to fruition.

The County Budget has also been a focus of activity. Sup. Kyle Richmond has introduced an amendment to enact County vehicle registration fee (VRF) proposal which would add about $4.5 million to County transportation, freeing up $4.5 million for three items: $1.8 million to erase the cut to human services POS agencies; $1.09 million to erase 2 of 8 County employee furlough days; $1.58 million added to the County's reserve fund (which is now $2 million).
The VRF ordinance amendment has a 24-month sunset provision. Richmond noted “$15 is half a tank of gas, and the VRF is no more regressive than the property tax.”

Responsible fiscal policy is also part of an amendment from Sup. John Hendrick to freeze all county capital projects for 2010 holding down debt service for 2011 if the economic recovery is delayed. County committees will be able to unfreeze some projects during the year if the county's revenue picture improves. Hendrick seems confident of the prospects “This freeze seems likely to make it into the final 2010 budget in some form” he said.

The membership also heard a report on the Madison city budget from District 12 Alder Satya Rhodes-Conway. Rhodes-Conway related the recent actions of the Board of Estimates on proposed amendments, the vast of majority of which were sponsored or co-sponsored by Rhodes-Conway or PD endorsed District 4 Alder Mike Verveer and urged members to contact their Alders with concerns and testify before the Common Council on Tuesday, November 10.

New Steering Committee members were elected. Continuing members Jacque Pokorney (current Co-Chair), John Hendrick, Aaron Crandall, Kyle Szarzynski, Adam Porton, and TJ Mertz will be joined by Michael Johnson and Kyle Richmond, and thank outgoing members Marsha Rummel and Norm Littlejohn for their service.

The meeting closed with a report on the recent Progressive Dane Assembly devoted to public finance of local elections. The event was a kick off for a new campaign working to build a statewide coalition to secure legislation which will allow local governing bodies to enact public financing. PDs Elections Committee Chair Lukas Diaz explained what was at stake: “The cost of campaigns is keeping good people from running; if we want to keep local government representative of and responsive to all of our community, we have to do something.”

Progressive Dane encourages all residents of Dane County to join in working to achieve positive policy change on these and other issues.