We often hear about the lack of “transparency” or that “the process wasn’t followed,” and it is actually my belief that often enough this isn’t true. Most of the time public meetings go fine, input is taken, and decisions are made respectfully and properly. That said what I have recently experienced were a couple of poorly run, if not rude, unprofessional public hearings on high profile issues. Hearings like these give the public pause, divide communities, and do a disservice to the process.

On Wednesday Governor Doyle announced plans to spend the first $300 million out of $550 million stimulus funds on 63 road construction and repair projects in 30 counties. Just under half of counties in Wisconsin made this first round but a glaring omission has to be Milwaukee County. Although freeway expansion and construction are often in conflict with urban goals, Milwaukee County clearly has a multitude of existing state highways that are in desperate need of repair and Milwaukee County has thousands of people in need of work immediately.

This meeting of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors featured the much debated resolution regarding the proposed Regional Transit Authority. Supervisors Mayo, Clark, andWeishan led the efforts to pass a resolution rejecting the RTA’s proposal. They raised concerns regarding the proposed governance structure of the RTA, and that not all of Racine would be included in the taxing area. In addition to these concerns Supervisor Clark added that she doesn’t want the RTA “take our authority away, and then took aim at the RTA’s proposed use of a sales tax funding source saying, “all of a sudden they have a novel idea.”