As we all know, citizens of Clark County have voted against 3 measures to approve extending Portland’s financially plagued Max Light Rail into our community. In 1995, a vote was held for a direct approval and was defeated by a 2 to 1 margin.
In 2002, state-wide Resolution Bill 51 for transportation improvements was seen largely as a back door approval for funding light rail and was rejected state wide in the 2002 general election.
In 2004 we defeated a sales tax increase in Proposition 1 in the general election in large part due to the written statement against that said, “C-Tran contributed $3,000,000 out of the $65,000,000 cost for I-5 HOV lanes. Now Clark County Commissioners can ask taxpayers to raise car license fees for additional tax dollars; possibly paving the way for light rail.”
“C-Tran paid over $3,000,000 for light rail studies. Portland owns the MAX gravy train. Washington taxpayers will pay a percentage of Tri-Met’s total transit costs even if only one inch of light rail crosses the river; more Clark County taxation without representation!”
In 2005, it was brought back and passed, but with a gerrymandered sub-district, much like is being planned for the promised vote on Light Rail Maintenance and Operation sales tax increase we were originally promised for this year, but may not see until 2012, 2013 if at all.
Clark County citizens have made it well known to Portland and Vancouver’s ruling class, WE DON’T WANT PORTLAND’S LIGHT RAIL!!
In spite of our continued loud voices opposing this intrusion into our community, we pretty much continue to hear from the ruling class of both cities, Light Rail is coming, Deal With It!
Further indication that Light Rail is being imposed on us with no Democratic Process is now supplied through Couv.com where they have placed a written transcript and audio of a downtown businessman’s encounter with city workers and a Qwest/Century Link crew on Main Street in downtown Vancouver, in front of his business.
Asking workers why Main Street was closed between 11th and 12th last month, he received the reply that they were “putting in a new man hole to support light rail.”
The Qwest/Century Link crewman also mentioned to him that they have “three years of work to re-route for light rail.”
If there is any semblance of a Democratic Process, where citizen’s voices and desires are not only consulted, but heeded in a multi-Billion Dollar project during an extended economic downturn, it isn’t in Vancouver, Washington.
We have seen for some time now how Mayor Tim Leavitt blatantly lied his way into office.
We have recently exposed mismanagement in how our tax dollars have been handled by the city.
Now, we see that the ruling class has thrown out the Democratic Process as they ram this boondoggle down our throats, deliberately ignoring our voices and denying us any vote, advisory or otherwise on the project.
If the workers the businessman spoke to are correct, this is just the beginning of tyranny as the ruling class in Vancouver, just like in medieval times when Kings stripped their subjects of whatever they desired.
You must lend your voice in a loud outcry against this and let them know downtown that they are elected representatives, not the ruling class who may do as they please with ours and our grandchildren’s futures.
They must hear that we citizens throughout the county are at least entitled to vote whether the majority wishes this boondoggle intruding into our community before construction begins.
If the workers are mistaken, Mayor Leavitt and the other members of the city cartel must correct this and quickly!
But, we the people must stand together and let the self-appointed ruling class know that we will not tolerate being steamrolled or denied our rightful participation in the Democratic Process that is the cornerstone of our Republic.
In my best Desi Arnaz/Ricky Ricardo imitation, Somebody got some ‘splainin to do.
If you have information you’d like to share, call the anonymous CRC tip hotline, 360-816-1426.
Or, if it’s okay to air your comments on couv.com, call our ‘permission to publish’ hotline, 360-816-1429.
