C-Tran Board members have received a letter from Washington 3rd Congressional District Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler indicating her support of allowing a countywide vote on the issue of raising a sales tax to fund light rail maintenance. In spite of Clark County citizens being promised a vote on the in September 2010, Mayor of Portland’s Vancouver Tim ‘No Show’ Leavitt has steadfastly worked to ensure only a small portion of taxpayers would be allowed to vote on that sales tax, which inevitably would spread countywide.
The Columbian’s Andrea Damewood has supplied a copy of the letter in her post on All Politics is Local.
Bringing light rail from Portland into Vancouver has been a very contentious issue and as is noted by Herrera Beutler in her letter, without a countywide vote, it is impossible to gauge the true public sentiment on the issue.
Of late, under the guidance of ‘no show’ Leavitt, the promised vote that Clark County citizens was supposed to receive in the November 2011 election has stalled under threat of a block veto by Vancouver’s city cartel comprised of Tim ‘No Show’ Leavitt, Bart Hansen and Larry Smith, all in lock-step with ‘no show.’
In expressing her “firm support for making sure the entire C-Tran district has an opportunity to vote on any sales tax increase to pay for light rail,” Herrera Beutler states, “As long as the people I represent are given a voice in the process, I will work tirelessly to secure the federal support necessary to keep the project going,” stopping far short of the position many of us have taken of “no vote, let it go broke” in regards to C-Tran funding itself.
Herrera Beutler rightfully states, “I need to have a clear picture of what the county wants,” and “I have no interest in silencing the people who will be asked to pay for this project.”
Whether or not this is a sincere call putting ‘no show’ Leavitt and the rest of the C-Tran board on notice or just politicking will remain to be seen. For now, though, it is a welcome call that I would hope she has the spine to back up and not falter, caving into the light rail mafia like so many others.
Each will have to take what she wrote at face value with the hopes of sincerity.
Full text of the letter below, with many thanks to Andrea Damewood for supplying it.
“Dear C-Tran Board Members,
I would like to communicate my firm support for making sure the entire C-Tran district has an opportunity to vote on any sales tax increase to pay for light rail.
We’re all in this together. A new bridge across the Columbia River will affect every Clark County resident. It would be unfair and illegitimate to subdivide the C-Tran district so that only a select group will have a voice on a major decision that will impact the county for generations.I have long been an advocate for a safe, affordable bridge across the Columbia River that meets the needs of those who rely on this vital artery. But as Clark County’s representative in Congress I need to have a clear picture of what the county wants. After years of work and debate, there is finally a proposal on the table. Now it’s time to take it to the people. A light rail vote would be an important step in that direction.
As long as the people I represent are given a voice in the process, I will work tirelessly to secure the federal support necessary to keep the project going. However, if we get it wrong and prize political expediency over true democratic representation, it could have negative and lasting effects on our community.
Again, I support a new bridge. I believe we have the opportunity to bring tremendous economic benefit to Southwest Washington, and improve the quality of life for thousands of commuters. But, I have no interest in silencing the people who will be asked to pay for this project. A C-Tran district-wide vote will provide an opportunity for a full airing of facts, and just as importantly, will be viewed as a legitimate expression of public opinion.
Thank you for your attention. I also want to thank you for the work you do to advance transportation options in our region. I look forward to learning your decision on this matter, and would be happy to explain my position further with any board members individually or collectively.”
