As the Columbian Squirms

It is well known now that the CRC is a very unpopular project among citizens and many business owners. We know it, elected officials know it and of course, even though they try to deny it, the Columbian knows it.

We also know the Columbian is in the tank for the light rail project and instead of investigating numerous concerns reported over the years about the CRC, will run damage control trying to minimize those concerns.

They also have shown themselves unfriendly towards candidates running for office that openly oppose the CRC light rail project and many can attest, do not treat those candidates very equitably, digging up dirt, casting aspersions and opposing just about any candidate who runs against the CRC.

And yet, the Columbian was puzzled when some candidates began bypassing them during campaigns, seeking other outlets to reach voters.

Updated: A Bird In The Hand Beats a Bridge Too Low

More and more it appears as if proponents are following Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s admonition of “increase the decibels” in a late effort to finally ram the Columbia River Crossing light rail project off onto Clark County citizens, even though every indication shows they strongly oppose it.

Of course, “increase the decibels” we know to mean shout down opponents, marginalize them, ignore them and just blindly push ahead, shortcomings be damned.

Editor of the Columbian mouthpiece, Lou Brancaccio says, “There have been so many missteps on this Columbia River Crossing project that if it was entered on ‘Dancing With The Stars,’ it would be voted off before Mike Tyson. It’s just mess after mess. The tomfoolery is epic. Even its most ardent supporters would agree with this. For me, I hold my nose and close my eyes, and say we should move forward.”

49th Legislative District Representative Sharon Wylie says, “We can always wish for a better process, however, we wound up with a process of our own making, based on the quantity and quality of our participation. The process may not have been perfect, but it was open and it was fair.”

Judges and Voters and Scares, Oh My!

Submitted by Professor Robert Dean

The 170’ high Crescent City Connection Bridge blocks passage of a Carnival cruise ship on the Mississippi River at New Orleans

Paul M: Tap, Tap, meeting in session.

Paul M: I’ve called this emergency meeting of Identity Vancouver because, as you’ve already been told, the judge ordered us to let the people of the City of Vancouver vote on light rail.

All: Grumble. Shocking. Tea bagger…

Jim M: Yay!!!

Paul M: Excuse me? Jim, did you say something?

The Rose Quarter Conundrum for ODOT

 

 

 

The Rose Quarter conundrum: how to reduce I-5 congestion and get Clark County commuters to pay for it?

The solution seemed so obvious with the CRC – light rail and tolls.

1) Build humungous parking garages for Portland employers on the cheaper Vancouver real estate (paid for by the Clark County commuters who work in Portland; sort of a user fee) and build a light rail employee shuttle service from the Vancouver parking lots to the Downtown Portland office towers. Let’s see, with 2,900 parking spaces (provided we don’t let anyone else use them, like Clark College students, shoppers, or those new apartment dwellers) we can take 2% of the daily traffic off of I-5.

SW Washington to CRC, Please Do Not Resuscitate

Friday, April 12, 2013, a stunning day for all opponents of the Columbia River Crossing filled with enough good news to make Jim Moeller & Tim Leavitt’s head swell up and explode from anguish.

The Columbia River Crossing appears to be in a death roll.

We first read of the actions of the leadership in the State Senate Coalition Majority, who have been pressured all week to roll over and fund $450 Million to be used as Washington’s portion to begin work, calling upon Governor Jay Inslee to convene a fully independent, outside audit of the Columbia River Crossing project.

Music to my ears as I and several others have been making the same call for some time.

Growing CRC Opposition Amidst Oregon Wanting to Take Clark County’s Jobs

The Columbia River Crossing project, an ambitious effort to force Clark County citizens into accepting Portland, Oregon’s financially troubled light rail by holding a new bridge to replace the aging spans currently crossing the Columbia River between the two states evokes a lot of emotions.

Supporters raise their blinders and refuse to even look at critical studies while opponents continue to pour over documents, studies and ambitious claims, revealing their findings to any willing to listen.

An indication of just how troubled the project is was seen recently by the newly elected Washington State Governor, Jay Inslee sneaking into town to hold a private meeting with selected supporters, urging them to “increase the decibels,” meaning to drown out opponents.

Such an urging only serves to see increased efforts from opponents who continue to point out fallacies, untruthful claims and hidden data to expose what I can only describe as ‘corruption.’

Build That Third Bridge!

Access between the States of Washington and Oregon, separated by the Columbia River has long been a problem for commuters. For many decades there was only one bridge for several miles in each direction, down the I-5 corridor.

After much fighting between the states, Oregon trying to drag their feet, a second bridge was opened a few miles east of I-5 in 1983, the Glen Jackson or if you prefer, the I-205 Bridge.

That lessened a little congestion down I-5, but as we saw this week with the collision of a Semi-Truck driving the wrong way over the I-205 Bridge, essentially shutting it down, people were once again stuck in traffic on both arterials and access roads as many tried to avoid the mess on the I-205 Bridge and others sat for hours, unable to escape the back-up.

Have We Lost Our Sovereignty?

Just about everywhere citizens in Clark County Washington turn, we see our efforts being thwarted by governmental agencies, staff, appointed commissions and what have you. Most notably this seems to come in regards to the Columbia River Crossing project, designed to force us to accept Portland, Oregon’s financially failing light rail, even though it was voted down directly in 1995.

The latest push against citizens by local government comes from City Attorney Ted Gathe, married to 49th Legislative District Representative, Democrat Sharon Wylie, a strong supporter of the CRC, in a legal opinion presented to the Vancouver City Council pertaining to a petition initiative put forth by citizens to prevent any city funds of efforts be extended to promote or accept light rail.

Gathe issued a 7-page analysis along with his legal opinion recommending council “decline placing the ordinance on the ballot because it falls outside the scope of the city’s initiative powers and would not be legally defensible,” according to the Columbian, the local newspaper of record that is also a strong supporter of the project.

Formal Complaint Filed Against Vancouver City Council

City Council meetings are notoriously boring with the occasional spat of sparks flying. Most are barely attended as simple matters merit little attention from citizens. But when an issue arises that does get the attention of citizens, many schedule their time to appear and speak their view on whatever the issue is before city council.

That is a right of citizens and city ordinance recognizes that in the procedures to implement ordinances and changes to ordinances, scheduling time for citizen input during hearings on the issue.

If that does not happen, citizens are being denied their right to speak before council and we run the risk of shutting citizen out, subjugating ourselves to 7 people elected to office.

A “Kangaroo Townhall” Won’t Help the CRC

http://www.kangaroos.org

We’re all familiar with the term, Kangaroo Court meaning “a mock court in which the principles of law and justice are disregarded or perverted.” Maybe it is time we also applied it to townhalls by elected officials who have no intent to listen to constituents and instead seem to think they have to sell us on a defective project the majority of their constituents’ have indicated they do not want.

A Townhall is supposed to be an “informal public meeting where everybody in a town community is invited to attend, voice their opinions, and hear the responses from public figures and elected officials about shared subjects of interest.”

But as we continue to see, many of those elected officials appear reluctant to listen to constituents areas of concern in Washington State 49th Legislative District, especially where the overly ambitious Columbia River Crossing Project is concerned.

Toll-dependent Columbia River Crossing halted by Roach inquiry

In a press release today issued by State Senator Pam Roach, by the same title, we read:

         For Immediate Release:                                  For Interview Contact:

March 12, 2013                                                       Sen. Pam Roach (360) 786-7660

Toll-dependent Columbia River Crossing halted by Roach inquiry

OLYMPIA… Despite the Supreme Court’s decision last month to throw out the Initiative 1185 requirement two-thirds vote for tax increases, it is now required that certain transportation fee and toll increases be approved by the Legislature. This includes the proposed Columbia River Crossing Project.

“This should be a big wake up call to proponents of the CRC project and similar projects throughout the state,” said Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn. “In response my inquiry to the attorney general’s office, I received a letter written by the Office of Financial Management on March 8 stating that the Transportation Commission no longer has the authority to impose tolls needed to fund the CRC due to provisions in I-1185.”

Jim Moeller Still “Doesn’t Get It”

Jim Moeller, Democrat 49th Legislative District Representative is as liberal and arrogant as they can get. He has long shown that what voters think is irrelevant to what he thinks, between dreaming up ways to stick constituents with more taxes during a deep recession to joining in to sue to invalidate their votes, Moeller marches to his tune, not that of his constituents.

Nothing gives a better example than his continued support of forcing them to accept Portland, Oregon’s ill fated light rail, even with them repeatedly saying they do not want it.

In short, Jim Moeller just “doesn’t get it,” as he told me in comments under the Columbian article, C-Tran seeks direction on light rail

Apparently, C-Tran ‘doesn’t get it’ either as we have been telling them since 1995 that we taxpayers do not want to Portland’s light rail and do not want to pay for it.

Vancouver Light Rail Petition Lawsuit Delayed

As regular readers know, the lawsuit filed by Larry Patella, Debbie Peterson and several others was heard in Cowlitz County Superior Court today before Judge Stephen Warning and after hearing arguments from both sides, delayed the trial, rescheduling it for a ruling on March 27, 2013.

“I’m going to look hard at this. But the standard of proof in this case is ‘beyond a shadow of a doubt.’ And before I can state beyond a shadow of a doubt that something is unconstitutional — even if both parties say I should — I need to make sure I have the factual predicate,” said Judge Warning as he requested attorneys for both parties to submit briefs in the meantime.

The parties are in agreement that the current law mandating Clark County Auditor, Greg Kimsey to invalidate double signatures, including the original signature on a petition calling on the Vancouver, City Council to place on the ballot whether voters want the city contributing any funds to Portland’s light rail as unconstitutional, the basis of the lawsuit.

An Open Letter to Commissioner Madore

Commissioner Madore, David, let’s have a little chat. I’ve spoken to you in the past about this and now feel the need to discuss it openly.

Against all of the published odds and predictions, you won the election against incumbent County Commissioner Marc Boldt. You had a lot of support and faced the scorn of the Columbian that have ridiculed and demeaned you since you came out publicly against the CRC and light rail.

You invested a lot of your own money in the race, but had a grassroots following that the Columbian has yet to acknowledge, leading detractors who follow you around to frequently make the false claim of “you bought the seat.”

They are not your friends.

Is Mayor Leavitt Off On Another Fabrication Rant?

Timothy D. Leavitt, better known as “the Liar” for his winning the Mayor’s office in 2009 by blatant lies and who has heard or seen things at City Council meetings others don’t seems to be at it again.

The February 4, 2013 Council Meeting was played up to be a “Clash of Titans” due to potential legal matters stemming from the city’s denial of a petition to place before voters a vote on light rail from Portland, Oregon that this blog covered at CRC Petitioners Put City on Notice. Due to previous restrictions by Mayor Tim ‘the Liar’ Leavitt on just when and what citizens may exercise free speech before the City Council, last evening wasn’t the night they were permitted to speak on that issue.

Undaunted, Debbie Peterson did mention the petition and requested the city “do the right thing” and allow a vote and avoid costly litigation for both sides. She was ignored with efforts by Tim Leavitt to stop her talking, but she finished her words anyway, well under the 3-mimute time limit citizens have to speak.

CRC Petitioners Put City on Notice

Citizens of Clark County Washington, primarily within the City of Vancouver are not going to just lie down any longer as efforts to force the promised vote on light rail from Portland, Oregon are thwarted at every turn by elected officials. They are fighting back.

As we all know by now, several elected officials have been making promises of a citizen vote on the CRC (Columbia River Crossing), more precisely the light rail prospect of the project. To date no vote has been held or scheduled and efforts by citizens to get a vote fall by the wayside in some fairly unseemly ways.

The latest being the petition effort that was first rejected with the claim that many signatures were from voters outside the city limits.

Tell Leavitt, ‘We Want A Vote!”

UPDATE: Leavitt is not expected to be at the city council meeting this evening, due to being sick. Regardless, the rest of the council will be there and also need to hear your views.

If you are upset over being denied a clear vote on accepting Portland’s financially ailing light rail and the appearance of underhanded tricks to deny you a vote, as recently mentioned in the post The Petition That Refuses To Die, Mayor Tim ‘the liar’ Leavitt and Vancouver City Council needs to hear from you, now.

The city council next meets Monday January 14 at 6:30 PM at city hall and is a night for citizens comments. You don’t need a long eloquent speech to fill the 3-minute limit, just a quick, “I want a vote on light rail.” Quick, simple and easy.

Just fill out a yellow comment card with the same words. The more of you willing to say those words in front of city council, the more they see we are serious and getting fed up being denied a promised vote while be forced to pay for a project most of us do not want. But we need a show of force in numbers of people telling them that we demand a vote. We were promised a vote and haven’t been given one.

GVCC’s Kelly Parker Attempting An End Run Around Voters

Once again we witness efforts by the few in Southwest Washington to circumvent voters, ignore our votes and lobby funds the state does not have to forcibly ram Portland’s financially beleaguered light rail on us and into our community.

It is Kelly Parker, President/CEO Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce who has sent out an email soliciting signatures from selected business owners with the Greater Vancouver area to show support for the Columbia River Crossing Project and light rail, even though voters have clearly said we do not want it in proxy votes, such as the recent defeat of C-TRAN’s Proposition 1 to fund operations & maintenance by a sales tax increase.

Parker’s email bypassed numerous businesses, such as Acuity Group PLLC, a Forensic Accounting Firm in Vancouver hired to independently audit CRC’s books and that was met with foot dragging, a huge document dump, usually designed to confuse and overwhelm, lack of cooperation and even a lawsuit from a contractor to inhibit access to some documents that might show where some $160 Million of our tax dollars has gone, seemingly targeted to those few who may profit from the project or who would merely pass along any expense to taxpayers, already bearing the brunt of the multi-Billion expense.

The Petition That Refuses To Die

Extending Portland, Oregon’s financially beleaguered light rail line into Vancouver and Clark County Washington has been and remains a very contentious matter. Even though every single vote perceived to provide funding for part of the project has been easily defeated at the ballot box, even within the confines of a gerrymandered sub-district thought to give the project an edge for approval, voters have not been given a vote on the project itself and proponents forge ahead with plans and spending tax dollars in planning for it.

It is now known, thanks to an Oregon Supreme Court ruling on another matter, that the only reason Oregon agreed to a new bridge was to force us to accept their overly expensive and failing folly of light rail.

Hence we hear words like “no light rail, no bridge,” “deal with it, its coming” and as we always hear from the overbearing left, “the debate is over.”

To that end citizens in Vancouver, Washington and Clark County have rallied together, speaking against the project at city council meetings, C-TRAN Board Meetings, County Commissioner Meetings and collecting as much information showing the futility and costly expenses associated with light rail that we in Clark County simply cannot afford.

Voters Thwarted By Downtown Mafia, Again

Once again, efforts to let voters voice their opinion in support of or opposition to forcing Clark County to accept Portland, Oregon’s financially troubled light rail seems to have fallen by the wayside as the Downtown light rail Mafia, better known as elected and appointed officials determined to force citizens to accept the boondoggle against their will have ruled yet another citizen petition calling for a vote as “invalid.”

And it cannot be ignored just how fishy this latest effort is.

Ever since Portland, Oregon decided to build a light rail system throughout their city, efforts have been underway to extend it across the Columbia River into Washington State in Clark County. That voters defeated the effort in 1995 by 2 to 1 margin did not matter as our vote was apparently immediately thrown into the trash can as rulers in both Portland and Vancouver, Washington have continued to plot, scheme and dream of ways to circumvent state law to bypass voters every chance they got.