I can’t say it is unexpected, given strong citizen opposition and poor support in the Oregon legislature, but news is out that Oregon Governor Kitzhaber’s Sunday, March 9 deadline for funding an “Oregon Only” CRC plan to ram their financially failing light rail onto Clark County will see the demise of the project, again.
We heard this before, though. Just last year the Washington Senate failed to bring a funding measure to the floor, effectively ending Washington State’s involvement in the boondoggle.
But special interests hell bent on forcing light rail across the Columbia River, thereby enhancing their bank accounts, revived the project under an ill-advised “Oregon Only” plan, where the state of Oregon appeared to take on construction by themselves and funding to be placed on the backs of Clark County commuters with expensive tolling.
But, declining support and the knowledge that tolls likely would not achieve the needed funding to pay for the project and eventual cost overruns saw the Oregon legislature adjourn today without voting to approve the newly conceived plan.
House Speaker Tina Kotek (D-Portland), one of the CRC strongest supporters, issued a statement conceding the death of the CRC and can be read at Willamette Week.
A statement released by ODOT claims “We will issue stop work orders on consultant contracts on or before March 15, 2014” and “The project will shut down completely by May 31, 2014.”
But we heard all of that last year when the Washington Senate listened to Clark County citizens and dropped involvement in the project, only to see downtown special interests dream up cockamamie notions to revive it, even seeing the C-Tran Gang of Five hastily approve a contract with TriMet for light rail, completely ignoring multiple votes by citizens declining to approve of it.
Earlier this week saw Democrat State Senator Annette Cleveland (49) in a futile attempt to amend a transportation bill to return Washington’s cooperation with the CRC, complete with all of the disproved platitudes.
While Senator’s King, Rivers and Benton each made excellent rebuttals, the rebuttal by Sen. Doug Erickson hit the nail on the head, “remove light rail that Clark Citizens continue to object to and let’s build a bridge,” especially if it really is “all that all-fired important.”
Upon hearing of the CRC’s latest demise, Republican State Senator Don Benton (17), a long-time critic issued a press release stating, “It’s over. The misguided Columbia River Crossing plan Oregon lawmakers were asked to support is an expensive proposition that threatens Oregon’s economy more than it solves legitimate transportation concerns. It is costly, ineffective and detrimental to Oregon taxpayers and leaders in that state were wise to let it die once and for all.”
Benton went on to add, “I will continue to oppose funding for any CRC project as long as light rail is included against the will of Clark County voters. But if that non-starter is removed, Washington lawmakers – including myself – would welcome the opportunity to work with our Oregon neighbors to find a way to move forward with a plan for a third Columbia River crossing.”
This blog previously showed how the bridge was held hostage to light rail and that their claims of “unsafe” and “move freight” were just smokescreens.
Even the Oregon Supreme Court stated in 2012 that the CRC project was wholly a light rail project with abridge attached as a carrot to entice Clark County to accept it against their will.
And now, over 10 years in the making and $180 Million spent, once again it is declared dead.
I only hope it remains dead this time, but will not hold my breath.
I call on Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler to fulfill her words to me and have a full federal investigation of this project. It stinks to high heaven and if criminal activity is uncovered, all involved in that activity should see prison time, in my opinion.
But don’t let your guard down. I suspect we will soon be hearing the whining and gnashing of teeth from the Lazy C editors and Identity Clark County is no doubt busy dreaming up another cockamamie notion to once again revive it and ram it down our throats.
In the interim, I give you Democrat Jim Moeller’s whining and sniveling over the latest announcement.
Glad to see Moeller will continue his efforts to thwart the will of his constituents.
UPDATE: With Oregon announcing the CRC is dead, for now, the question becomes, what becomes of that 40-page hastily signed contract the C-Tran Gang of Five foisted on us last September?
