Presented in whole by request and as sent to me by Robert Dean:
From: Robert Dean
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 8:07 AM
To: Leavitt, Tim
Cc: Smith, Larry; Holmes, Eric; Burkman, Jack; Harris, Jeanne; Stewart, Jeanne;
Hansen, Bart; Turlay, Bill
Subject: Funding for light rail – we can’t afford the local contribution
In the Columbian – “The project expects the federal government to contribute the $850 million needed to build the line.”
Sound enticing? Not if it’s going to cost us, the local community, Clark County taxpayers a minimum of $2.6 billion to get that $850 million from the feds (gas tax money we have already paid).
Tolls are slated to pay for the $1.4 billion local contribution. According to the CRC here we will have to pay $2.6 billion (46%) in tolls in order to raise the $1.4 billion principal on the bonds. Note, that does not include interest at 5% over 30 years, operation and maintenance of the bridge, highway and light rail system, cost overruns (usually 30%), and the fact that Oregon wants to raise its share ($750 million plus interest) with a TIFIA loan paid back by Clark County commuters with tolls.
bringing the total local contribution from us, here in Clark County, closer to $8 billion. Do you think Clark County taxpayers should spend their next $8 billion dollars on Tim Leavitt’s pet light rail project?
I don’t.
How CRC Toll Revenues Would Be Used
Toll Revenue and Fees
Potential Toll Revenue 91%
‘Pay-by-Plate’ Fee Revenue 9%
Total Potential Revenue 100%
Uses of Revenue
Credit Card Fees 3%
Toll Collection Operations and Maintenance 23%
Facility Operations and Maintenance 1%
Uncollectable Tolls 5%
Net Revenue Available for Debt Service 69%
• Debt Service (Principle & Interest Payments) 54%
• Debt Service Coverage* 15%
Total Uses of Revenue 100%
Note: Total may not add to 100 percent due to rounding
Robert Dean
—– Original Message —–
From: “Leavitt, Tim” <tim.leavitt@cityofvancouver.us>
Sent: Mon, June 11, 2012 8:35
Subject: RE: Funding for light rail – we can’t afford the local contribution
Hey…Robert Dean…all the way from North Carolina!
Thanks much for making my point that, although this project is necessary, it’s understandably expensive. And why is it expensive? Because bringing five miles of interstate highway into the 20 century (a task that should have occurred decades ago) is a large infrastructure project (albeit not nearly the largest infrastructure project going in the Country).
I find it fascinating that you don’t seem to have a grasp on the costs of infrastructure investment, as well as the disastrous state of infrastructure in our Country, given that you have some background in the construction business. You might want to visit the American Society of Civil Engineers website (www.asce.org) and read-up on the Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. It’s tragic that our Country has fallen so far behind and that is beginning to impact our global economic competitiveness — whether roads, bridges, energy, or port infrastructure — all are vital to economic vitality, which equates to jobs for our family and neighbors.
The dividends and payback to SW Washington businesses and employment rates far outweighs the costs, as has been demonstrated over and over in many locations throughout our Country and around the world. Safe, efficient infrastructure is a benefit to everybody — whether traveling in automobiles, hauling freight, riding in public transit, or via heavy rail.
Your argument about the cost of doing what is necessary does not in any way address the fact that the improvements are needed. What we CANNOT afford is 15 hours of traffic congestion, increasing rates of accidents due to the antiquated interchanges and bridge geometry, the ongoing and unnecessary pollution of our Columbia River and our air shed, and the desertion of our Community by existing businesses and potential new businesses because I-5 becomes a parking lot.
Anyway, hope all is well for you on the East Coast.
Best,
tim
PS — By the way, I don’t have time for pets.
Timothy D. Leavitt| Mayor
CITY OF VANCOUVER
Mayor/City Manager’s Office
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995
P: 360.487.8729 | F: 360.487.8625
____________________________________
Subject:RE: Funding for light rail – we can’t afford the local contribution
From:”Robert Dean”
Date:Mon, June 11, 2012 12:13To:”Leavitt, Tim”
Cc:”Smith, Larry”
“Holmes, Eric”
“Burkman, Jack”
“Harris, Jeanne”
“Stewart, Jeanne”
“Hansen, Bart”
“Turlay, Bill”
Tim,
Thank you for the courtesy of your response. Yes, I now reside in North Carolina and love it here. I moved here to be with my daughter and grandkids. The climate reminds me a lot of Sydney.
I know you are trying to model civility so I won’t remind you that you used to welcome outsiders to Citizen Communications by saying something like “thank you for coming all the way from Portland” and left off “…and telling us how to run our business.” Well, I do remind people that I still own businesses and properties in Clark County, I have a lot of friends in Clark County, and I care about the economy and future of Clark County.
If you have been paying attention to what I, and my friends, have been saying for the last several years your mind would be set to ease that we are not at all anti-infrastructure. We all have been advocating adding capacity to the I-5/I-205 corridor from the get-go. We know the potential benefits to adding capacity just as you once did when you and Steve Stuart argued with our friends on the other side of the river and lost.
There will be no capacity increase with the CRC because Mayor Adams said “No tolls, no bridge.”
Yes, you lost that argument. You should have said, “No added capacity, no bridge.” But, instead, you said “That’s OK as long as we get light rail.” That’s why I call it Tim Leavitt’s pet light rail project.
Tim, indeed I do understand that infra-structure is expensive. Nobody has explained to me why we have to pay a local contribution when we’ve already paid gas taxes. Nobody has explained why we have to pay a local contribution of $8 billion and the feds are only kicking in $1.2 billion. Nobody has explained why Oregon wants to steal the tolls on Clark County commuters to pay its share and pay back its TIFIA loan. Nobody has explained to me why we are spending $3.5 billion on a bridge that can be built for $300 million. Nobody has explained why they couldn’t retrofit the old historic bridge for seismic safety, leave it in place with a 45 mph speed limit, and build a parallel tollway upstream or downstream; unless, of course, this project is all about extending light rail into Clark County.
Nobody has explained why the leadership of a chamber of commerce, made up of the leaders of engineering and construction firms, and their attorneys and accountants, unilaterally endorsed the CRC without consulting the membership, many of whom will go bankrupt during 6.3 years of construction.
Nobody has explained to me why we are building three humongous parking garages and a shuttle service for employees of Portland businesses.
Nobody has explained to me why light rail is a good buy at $8 billion. Especially as no one has even wondered if Clark County has $8 billion to spend for our local contribution – let alone vote on it (only CTran offered a vote of the people as a condition of approval of the Locally Preferred Alternative).
We all know how ditsy the California government is typically. Even they asked the voters before they launched themselves into the idiotic bullet train project that no one will use.
Vancouver? No, we sold the farm to Sam Adams and agreed to pay $8 billion local contribution for a light rail that will carry a few people who don’t mind spending 50 minutes to get from Clark College to PSU, if that’s where they want to go and when they want to get there. No vote.
Tim, Jack, Larry, Bart, Jeanne H., excuse me for being blunt, you made a stupid decision – it’s not too late to cut our losses.
Kind regards!
Robert Dean
