Dakota County's April 2018 Transit Workship

On April 17 the Dakota County Board of Commissioners held a Transit Workshop. The purpose was to discuss chapter 5 of the 2030 Transportation Plan. No minutes of the meeting have been made available but there is a lengthy presentation setting forth the agenda and the topics that were to be discussed. Some topics included the impact of the dissolution of the Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB), Metro Transit's Red Line (Apple Valley/Lakeville) and Orange Line (Burnsville/Lakeville) BRT extensions, the possibility of establishing BRT on Robert Street, and DARTS circulating bus service in South St. Paul, West St. Paul, and Hastings. If you have any input regarding the topics discussed please contact your Commissioner.

Action Alert: Urge a NO vote on SF 2809

LWV Minnesota has distributed an Action Alert asking Minnesotans to urge a NO vote on SF 2809 to keep an effective and ethical Metropolitan Council. SF 2809 is being heard on the House floor for debate tomorrow, May 15. Urge your Representative to vote NO and ask Gov. Dayton to veto it if it reaches his desk!

1. If passed, the Metropolitan Council membership would consist of locally elected county and city officials who owe their fiduciary obligation to the community in which they are elected. The ethical conflicts for officials serving in dual public offices would have a negative consequences to the current and future success of the region -- and to Minnesota.

2. This bill would also eliminate the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB). There remain important questions and valid concerns about the region's transit and transportation finance and delivery systems related to accountability and transparency, efficiency and effectiveness, and equity. The TAB is a well-functioning body that allows for deliberation and input on transportation funding for the metropolitan area by a range of entities and individuals, including locally elected officials.

3. If this bill passes there would be significant and long-term consequences to the metropolitan region, yet there has been limited opportunity for a public process to debate the consequences this bill would bring to our region.

Rep. Jason Lewis to Hold Town Hall Events May 19

2nd Congressional District Rep. Jason Lewis will be holding 3 town hall events Saturday, May 19, including events in Lakeville at 1:30 p.m. and Jordan at 5 p.m. You can request a ticket here and find more information here. We will post location information when that is announced.