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SMART officials file second challenge to train opposition ballot language

SONOMA, Aug. 29, 2008 -- Deborah Fudge, vice chair of the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit and mayor of Windsor, today asked a Sonoma County Superior Court judge to remove statements from the voter information pamphlet by opponents of the SMART Measure Q commuter rail initiative on the November ballot.

The filing follows a similar action taken Monday in Marin. The Sonoma County filing, however, is asking for only one statement to be taken off the pamphlet that contends SMART’s approval would lead to additional freight traffic and environmental damage in the Eel River Canyon.

“There is absolutely no connection between SMART and the Eel River Canyon. I can’t allow the opposition to deliberately mislead the public about SMART and they cannot be allowed to use public funds to promote these misrepresentations,” said Ms. Fudge

Mike Arnold, co-chair of Marin Citizens for Effective Transportation, said that SMART does not want the voters in Sonoma County to know about the link between SMART and the freight companies.

“I can’t imagine why they are spending taxpayers’ money to try to hide the connection between SMART and the freight companies,” Mr. Arnold said.

“We stand behind everything that we have written,” he said.