My name is Jason, and I’m part of the Civic Engagement Team at Change.org. Our mission is to connect petition supporters with decision makers and to help foster healthy civic engagement in our communities.

I connected with local officials about this petition asking Huntley to reconsider participation in the passenger rail station project. They shared the factors behind the Village’s decision to decline:

• Service type: The proposal was for passenger service only with two daily stops (initially around 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.)—not commuter rail.
• Funding changes: The state initially indicated support for platform/parking improvements but later did not commit funds for a $500,000 parking lot the Village had already completed.
• Station siting: Despite local parking constraints downtown, the state required a downtown location (the Village had suggested Coyne Station or Kreutzer as alternatives).
• Operating subsidies: The plan anticipated state per-rider subsidies (via Metra), raising concerns about ongoing fiscal impact.
• Land-use control: The state sought significant control over development near the station area.
• Feasibility & taxpayer impact: Officials concluded the project didn’t meet feasibility benchmarks and would place financial strain on local and state taxpayers; conversion to true commuter service was not part of the plan they reviewed.

We hope having this information is helpful and helps inform any follow up steps you may want to take as advocates for commuter rail and how to best work with local decision makers.

Jason and the Civic Engagement Team