American Dream

With support from a Republican governor, many believed that funding for a new commuter-rail line in Minneapolis, called the Northstar line, was a sure thing. But after a long battle, the Minnesota House of Representatives cut it from their funding bill and the Senate couldn't muster enough votes to include it either. Proponents warn that, unless the governor calls a special session and the legislature funds it, the region will lose the federal funds to build it. But they are just trying to spur pork-hungry legislators to action.

The reality is that opponents will have to continue to work hard to kill this bad project for years to come. Minneapolis is about to open its first light-rail line and it will no doubt be accompanied by the usual ballyhoo about what a great success it is because it carries three riders a day or something. The reality is that it is opening two months late, partly due to flaws in worksmanship and delays in railcar delivery, and partly because of a month-long transit strike, spurred by the transit agency's need to cut costs due to light-rail construction.