It never ceases to amaze me how Vancouver City Council Members can be so selective in how they choose to represent the city and voters within the city, picking and choosing when they will support the voters’ choices or just ignore us.
We all know by now how Mayor ‘Teflon’ Tim ‘The Liar’ Leavitt lied his way into office by strongly opposing tolls on the proposed new Interstate Bridge, only to quickly come out of the closet once winning in 2009 to advocate tolls.
We have seen Jeanne Harris melt down on citizens speaking before council in opposition to dragging Portland’s financially failing light rail into our community.
We’ve seen Jack Burkman chastising commenters on the Columbian’s web site when they bring up legitimate concerns on the boondoggle project.
And even lately we have seen after voters overwhelmingly rejected the latest Proposition 1, to raise the sales tax to pay for operations & maintenance of Portland’s folly, knowing full well voters saw the ballot measure as a proxy vote on light rail itself since we have repeatedly been denied a voice in it by another vote, denial on the meaning of the vote and begin planning how to pay for the very project voters just rejected.
There is no doubt that even within the gerrymandered sub-district created in 2005 to exclude half of the county voters when it comes to C-TRANs unquenchable thirst for more tax dollars, voters reject Portland’s light rail by a wide margin.
I was astonished to see last evening this city council, which has repeatedly shown complete disregard for voters’ choices approve collective marijuana gardens in Vancouver with Council Members Jack Burkman and Jeanne Harris citing, “in November a majority of voters supported Initiative 502.”
A “majority of voters” also rejected light rail through a proxy vote in that same recent election. But who on City Council cites that as they try to come up with a way to circumvent voters to take more of our taxes to be used on something voters have said more than once we do not want?
Although I disagree with legalizing pot, the voters did choose to go against federal law and approve it. I’m not going to entertain the pros and cons or address the actual issue of marijuana that is not the reason for this post. I’ll let potheads and supporters hash that out with the feds should they come in to town and begin busting those collective gardens.
But isn’t it strange how easily this city council and others choose to side with voters who’s goal in life seems to be getting stoned, while they ignore voters who’s desire it is to be able to freely and adequately care for their families?
For over ten years citizens of Clark County have been saying that we do not want Portland’s light rail. When given the chance to vote, even if by proxy, it has been rejected each and every time. A direct vote back in 1995 saw it overwhelmingly rejected by a two to one margin.
Who on city council then, even though some on it today were not on council back then, step up and say that voters rejected it, it’s a dead deal?
Instead, council voted to approve forcing us to accept the folly with their “Locally Preferred Alternative.”
Three council members sit on the C-TRAN Board making decisions concerning both the bus service and voting to support light rail.
Council members represent the city on the CRC Board and other committees addressing transportation projects.
Yet, should you speak against the project before council, don’t be surprised to hear you are out of line and city council has no word on the project.
But now these same city council members state that federal law means little to them because voters chose to approve marijuana and they will side with voters instead of following federal law.
Mayor ‘Teflon’ Tim acknowledged the ordinance wasn’t going to please everyone, as some feel it is still too restrictive. He added, “We can take that up and evaluate it over the next year. We always have the option to amend our ordinances.”
Apparently he feels they do not have the option to heed the votes of the majority when it comes to Portland’s near bankrupt light rail.
