Incumbent Clark County Commissioner Marc Boldt, who ran as a conservative and sold out his conservative base during his two terms on the commission, is eager to keep his seat and be reelected. No real surprise, the position not only pays pretty well for a former truck driver, it carries power and a degree of prestige, as public office does.
But that does not justify the lengths Marc Boldt is taking to retain his seat.
Politicians of all walks are noted for trying to present their best view for us and are expected to embellish somewhat. But Marc Boldt has elevated the art of dishonest deception presented to voters to a new level for the office he seeks to retain, with the willing assistance of the unofficial daily newsletter for the CRC & Democrat Party, the Columbian.
While they Columbian’s Stephanie Rice strains gnats to paint Boldt’s strongest opponent, successful businessman David Madore as less than sincere, she makes no effort whatsoever to vet Marc Boldt’s claims he makes or vet those who speak on his behalf.
Commissioner Boldt has sent out a mailer containing numerous embellished and not so factual claims as explained here, here, here, here and here at Clark County Politics blog, owned and written by Commissioner Marc Boldt’s brother-in-law.
Needless to say, Commissioner Boldt has not been exactly up front and honest with Clark County Voters on his two terms.
He lays claim to working hard to keep our taxes at a low rate and cutting our taxes, but doesn’t mention how many times he voted to raise our taxes by the maximum amount allowable under our laws.
He claims to have worked hard to give us a voice in the CRC and light rail project to force Clark County to accept Portland, Oregon’s financially failing light rail, but we still haven’t been allowed to vote again on whether we want it or not and have long been hearing from Vancouver, Washington Mayor, Tim Leavitt, who sits alongside Marc Boldt on the C-Tran Board that our voices don’t matter, it’s coming anyway.
Can we forget Commissioner Boldt, who supposedly worked hard to give us a voice and keep our taxes low, making the robo-call in 2011 for C-Tran to vote to raise our sales tax to give C-Tran more of our money, all so they would not have to dip into the Millions of Dollars’ in reserves they are holding in order for it to go for light rail?
Continuing in the deception, I was sent the transcript of yet another robo-call made recently on Commissioner Boldt’s behalf,
“Hi, this is Al Shaker. I’m an East Clark County business owner. I don’t usually make political calls but I think it’s important that voters know the truth. I’m calling to encourage you to vote for Marc Boldt for County Commissioner because Marc’s opponent is trying to buy this election by pouring over $100,000 into this campaign by intentionally misleading voters. The truth is Marc not only cut both the County budget and the number of employees in his time in office, he also kept property taxes low and cut fees for businesses. Tell his opponent that your vote is not for sale. Please vote for Marc Boldt for County Commissioner.”
In spite of claiming to “tell the truth,” Mr. Shauer wasn’t exactly up front on just who he is or just what “East County Business” he owns. And undated Daily Insider post indentifies Al Shauer as principal and former president/CEO of Mackay & Sposito, Inc., a “full-service civil engineering, land and construction surveying, land-use planning, landscape architecture and construction management service.”
It is also a firm that helped fund a support group, “Keep Clark County Moving” that was instrumental in convincing voters to agree to raise their sales taxes Commissioner Boldt advocated above.
They also are frequently seen participating in CRC meetings, advocating for the construction of the new bridge to carry light rail from Portland to Vancouver, bypassing any voter input, having seen past votes on light rail voted down by wide margins.
Most laughable is claiming David Madore is “buying the election.”
Mr. Madore has not sat on the County Commission to ignore voters expressing outrage over our votes being ignored again and not being listened to, even though voters keep demanding to be heard.
Mr. Madore has never raised any taxes on Clark County residents and actually employs over 100 citizens while offering free space to over 30 non-profits at his U.S. Digital offices.
Marc Boldt, on the other hand, has raised our taxes and has denied us a voice in this process. I fail to see where Al Shauer can say Commissioner Bolt has “kept property taxes low” as property taxes have increased on my small home, even though the value has decreased. And it was just last year that his willing accomplices at the Columbian, who are also strong supporters of the CRC/light rail boondoggle, were telling us that we in Clark County had the highest property tax levy rate in the state.
Also left out of any of Commissioner Boldt’s pleadings for votes, while he sides often with Democrat and former environmental activist Steve Stuart, opposing many efforts made by Conservative Republican County Commissioner Tom Mielke, Clark County remains in our 4th year straight of double digit unemployment.
David Madore and Tom Mielke desire to see our job situation improve and return Clark County residents to decent paying jobs in Clark County, not construct a means to carry Clark County citizens to Oregon for work and to benefit another community instead of our own.
If anybody is trying to buy this election, it is Commissioner Boldt who is also asking for money from supporters and relying on wealthy businessmen who just may have a vested interest in straddling taxpayers with increased taxes and high tolls to pay for the CRC.
Commissioner Boldt has not been honest with voters in Clark County nor has he stood up for us. He is a vote for the largest and most expensive project ever imagined for Clark County, the “Bridge to Bankruptcy.”
What happened, Commissioner Boldt? You too once thought that honesty was the best policy.
Why don’t you any longer?
