Dear Editor: I feel like something that has been lost in all of the controversy between train proponents and opponents is the fact that the power to create a sales tax increase has been given to nonelected appointees. It doesn’t make a lick of difference that they were (narrowly) appointed by elected officials, either, because no matter what it decides, the RTA has been granted access to millions of taxpayer dollars while having zero accountability to the voter majority.

So right now the point at hand is not cynical politics or the future of commuter travel, but the public bracing to reclaim the democratic authority that was taken from it when the RTA was given its taxation power. You want to investigate commuter rail? Fine. You want to create an advisory board to study it? Rock and roll. Just don’t put my money in their hands without giving me the right to affect where my 0.05 percent goes. Make ready the referendum!

Eric Larson, Madison
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research or educational purposes. Originally posted at http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/mailbag/article_62556fe6-79ec-5032-9b69-27ec9d7ac620.html