If you need any more motivation to go to Monday Night’s Council meeting from 6 to 9 pm, read what Steve Stuart has to say about our right to vote on Light Rail the Gravy Train.
In an email exchange with Steve Stuart, County Commissioner, he responded to my request that we be allowed to vote on Light Rail, by saying "You will have a vote." Yet, in watching a re-run of the June 5, Focus on CCTV with Stuart and Leavitt being interviewed by Tony Bacon, Tony Bacon said that if light rail goes to a vote it would not pass. Stuart agreed and said, that is why we will have to limit the vote. I responded by asking Commissioner Stuart if he was not using the same tactics that allowed the Killiam Pacific/Regional Library project to pass. Most of the county was not allowed to vote.
I strongly disagree with Stuart’s explanation of why the vote should be limited to just City of Vancouver Voters.
He says only those who live in West Vancouver who will benefit from light rail should pay. It is my opinion debatable if anyone would benefit. If the information the CRC, Council, CTran, Tri Met, Portland’ Council are throwing around, everyone will have to be considered to benefit just to have high enough density numbers to qualify for a federal government Handout. There currently are not enough people living in the West Vancouver area to fill one trolley car.
Also won’t those in the outlying area need new Park and Ride locations (built with our tax dollars0 so they can drive from Richfield, LaCenter, Yacolt, Camas and other parts of the county to jump on the Light Rail Gravy Train.
Is not the long-range plan to expand Light Rail the Gravy Train throughout Clark County? Won’t those living in the out lying areas be required to pay the increased property taxes, sales taxes, gas taxes, and other assorted fees such as the increased cost of goods and services that those living in the downtown area will be forced to levy to pay for their special Light Rail Taxes? (That is what Portland businesses are now faced with.
If the truth were known, the only reason to limit those who can vote on Light Rail, is the same reason the vote on a County Wide Regional Library to be built by Killiam Pacific was limited to those living in West Vancouver.
Because it would give the tax and spend crowd the a better chance on getting a “Yes Vote” on light rail the Gravy Train.
Nor do I buy Commissioner’s Stuarts statement about the “Con” to what he calls a better solution:
“Cons are that it would be more complicated and thus harder to educate voters on and that times are tough financially making it tough to pass any taxes’.
Voter are easy to educate if given the true facts. Besides nothing, not good times or tough times should allow politicians to strip us of our constitutional right to vote. And, if times are financially tough why the hell do we want to increase taxes, and further eroding the economy by spending 10 billion dollars we don't have for a new bridge and trolley car we don't want or need.
Please read Stuart’s attached response, then go to the council meeting at 6 pm Monday 30 June 2008, and speak out before it is too late to do so.
Larry Patella
CDR USN (ret)