From the UEDA Summit

At the Urban Economic Development Association's 7th Annual Community Development Summit, a citizen asked: Should we consider changes in SEWRPC and RTA governance?

A panelist, sounding a bit like talk radio hosts lecturing that politically incorrect caller they so love to skewer, used the moment to respond to a question no one asked.

The other panel members sat in stoned (stunned?) silence after the Panelist's unfortunate personal attack on the citizen.

What a sight.

Well and good that "Cooperation" was the word of the day.

And Cooperation should at least mean taking a question at face value, or taking a clumsy citizen question (like they do on Wisconsin Public Radio) and making it a question that any panel member can understand. That is grace; that is cooperation.

So, what did this benighted citizen ask of the esteemed panel?

Mr. Citizen asked about governance – pointing out how our two transit-planning bodies do not have elected representation, he asked if they might.

It being the first day of spring, I've tied together the land rush in southeastern Wisconsin, the quest for diversions of Lake Michigan water to W. Waukesha County, and the disappearance of more than two-thirds of 20 species of American birds.

I'm not saying it's all Waukesha's fault, but there's national context for what's happening in southeastern Wisconsin, and vice-versa.

Details here.