There’s a good discussion going on about transit and the Dane RTA on this post A Powerful Argument for a Good Mass Transit System.

Part of that discussion included some concern from a bus advocate that commuter rail will gut funding for the buses and Madison Metro. I’ve heard this concern from multiple people offline as well (or IRL (in real life) as the kids say these days).

My answer has always been that commuter rail will bring more users into the transit system and that buses and commuter rail, in a properly implemented system, can work in harmony to move people where they want to go. I do concede there is a danger that bus funding might get slashed back, but that danger doesn’t come from commuter rail, it comes from Mayor Dave Cieslewicz.

Look at how Mayor Cieslewicz rammed through the fare increase last year. Or look at the way Madison Metro operates, ditching bus stops without warning people. Mayor Cieslewicz is not a true friend of Madison Metro. And don’t even get me started on the Mayor’s attempt to replace buses downtown with trolleys…

See how Mayor Cieslewicz hints at potential cuts to Metro funding on his city-sponsored blog (emphasis mine):

The new Regional Transit Authority has the ability to levy a half-cent sales tax to pay for all kinds of transit options that would also provide property tax relief.

Property tax relief is a fancy way of saying cutting way back on Madison’s share of Metro funding by partially or completely removing it from the property tax roles.

The Mayor, in the blog post linked above, uses the “might” word when talking about commuter rail; he doesn’t connect commuter rail to what happens to Metro funding.

Look at Madison’s Mayor and count the people who usually vote with the Mayor on the city council. Now look at what happened with the bus fare increase. And while I know it’s not that simple and that a lot of other factors go into this, well I’m pretty sure I know what’s going to happen if the elected city gov’t doesn’t change next Spring…