Hats off to state Rep. Michael Beard, R-Shakopee, who chairs the Transportation Policy and Finance Committee ("Get serious about Met Council," editorial, April 28).
Finally, someone is listening to residents in Scott and Carver Counties.
We've had one new bridge across the Minnesota River in the last 40 years. (That's one bridge that stays high and dry when the floods come.)
I totally support a legislative initiative to amend the Metropolitan Council's authority over transportation issues to include 17 elected city and county officials on a 24-member panel.
For too many years, Scott and Carver Counties have been forgotten when decisions have been made about transportation.
Light rail is not the panacea for all that ails transportation issues. Some of us would rather drive our car than saddle taxpayers with enormous subsidies for light-rail riders.
Forty years for the first bridge! Will it take another 40 for the second one?
JANE DUBOIS, SHAKOPEE
