I applaud the Columbian’s editor, Lou Brancaccio for ending their relentless assault on successful businessman David Madore and sitting down with him and giving him a fair ear. It’s nice to see someone actually giving an ear to the community over our deep concerns about the boondoggle Columbia River Crossing project and extending Portland, Oregon’s Loot Rail a short distance into our community.
It was refreshing to see Lou’s Saturday column, Let the community be heard and the seemingly supportive voice in putting the thing to a vote of the people. However, I still have questions on the sincerity as the call isn’t for a binding vote by the people, but a non-binding advisory vote.
In other words, we say what we prefer and the elected ruling class does as they please, exactly has been going on for some time now. Although a step in the right direction in asking for a vote, the newspaper of record could have stepped up and supported a binding vote.
As is usual in these columns and articles, comments from citizens go back and forth from both sides, those that support the project and the rest of us who oppose it. A rare treat though, was seeing city council member Pat Campbell, a staunch supporter of this project added his two cents in.
He first says, “One of the jobs of Council is to study the facts and science of matters that might impact us,” and then goes on listing “a great resource in the community, the USGS David A. Johnston Cascades Volcano Observatory, 1300 Cardinal Court, Vancouver 986683; phone 360.993.8900.”
