Finally -- a referendum on light rail, streetcars, and "urban renewal"
For someone like me, who sits around stewing all year about some of the folly of our state and local government, the upcoming election is a real opportunity. The same government that never lets us vote on craziness like building a commuter train from Portland to Milwaukie or Beaverton to Wilsonville now is asking for property tax money for good old, ordinary buses. The same government that diverts our property taxes into fat cat developers' pockets in the name of "urban renewal" now wants us to raise our property taxes to pay for basics like fire trucks. The same government that builds streetcars to nowhere, on its own whim, now wants money to pay for local politicians' election campaigns.
If they won't let us vote on the things that concern us, there's only one thing to tell them when they want our vote for what interests them.
| Posted at 9:42 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (11)
This would work!
Posted by al m | October 4, 2010 10:02 AM
If the TriMet levy goes down, you know that the Multi Modal Meccans will say, "See no one want buses, they only want rail."
Mark my words.
Posted by Garage Wine | October 4, 2010 10:31 AM
Damn straight, Jack. And I'm a good government type who has always voted yes on levies for schools, libraries, zoos, whatever. The problem is, government in this region is not "good". And I resent the hell out of being thrown in with the cranks who routinely vote against anything that might benefit society as a whole, and I resent even more the manipulation of my vote by public officials who pillaged the coffers to build bioswales and bike lanes and leave it up to me and you to fund a new fire truck.
Enough.
Posted by ER | October 4, 2010 10:38 AM
Vote "no" on all of it. If you vote yes, they'll be back next time with twice as many of these levies. Spend the normal budget on nonsense, ask us to pay extra for essentials.
Think about this: If we can't get the budget under control in dire times, we'll never get it under control. They sure as heck won't tighten belts during the good times.
Posted by Snards | October 4, 2010 10:57 AM
I take it you are voting for Dudley.
Posted by John Benton | October 4, 2010 11:00 AM
I meant to say, Jack, I take it you are voting for Dudley.
Posted by John Benton | October 4, 2010 11:12 AM
Er - Now you are beginning to understand that they are not in fact your simplistic cliche of 'cranks who routinely vote against anything that might benefit society as a whole'
Posted by D | October 4, 2010 11:28 AM
Garage Wine: I've been saying the exact same thing since the measure was announced.
TriMet is using the measure as a proxy to gauge "public interest in the bus system" since they refuse to let the public vote on the light rail system.
I support the bus system 110% - I use it, after all. But I am not going to reward TriMet for fiscal irresponsibility. TriMet had the money for buses and blew it on pet projects (light rail, WES, Portland Streetcar). Why should I pay for something I've already paid for?
Let the light rail supporters tax themselves above and beyond the existing TriMet taxes to pay for light rail. Repeal all of the downtown Streetcar related URAs, and force them to pay the TriMet tax PLUS a Streetcar tax.
Posted by Erik H. | October 4, 2010 11:29 AM
In the last November election, Portlanders approved all bond and tax measures put before them. I can't understand why my fellow baby boomer neighbors in Portland lack so little skepticism of the folks running their city and state. This is the same generation who protested the establishment. I guess its a disease inflicting many big west coast cities. The funny thing about smarts. Smart folks can convince themselves of many wrong headed ideas as true. A lot of smart people for instance smoke, because earlier in their lives it was popular and they rationalized they could smoke a few cigs and be popular. They could easily quit later.
Being "green" at any capital cost is quite popular currently, and so, you've got many educated folks approving of wasteful expenditure on solar panels. Then there is streetcars and lightrail which mostly serve to steal business from buses at huge cost; They are said to be "green" and who doesn't want to be "green." Finally, we are being told we will be swimming in green jobs some day, all the while many other cities and nations compete for the same few, heavily subsidized green jobs.
Anyway, I am sure voting against all bond and tax measures this November.
Posted by Bob Clark | October 4, 2010 1:28 PM
Relax. Salvation is at hand.
http://fwix.com/portland/share/ee95920721/feds_kick_down_to_help_trimet_buy_new_buses?referrer=http://lucianne.com/
Posted by Max | October 4, 2010 3:54 PM
Bob Clark: . . I can't understand why my fellow baby boomer neighbors in Portland lack so little skepticism of the folks running their city and state. . . Being "green" at any capital cost is quite popular currently, . . .
Can you put together why if certain "smart" ones are so into green, how could they continue supporting our Mayor and council? Would they not know by now about the West Hayden Island Plan and other matters that show our Council is not really green and sustainable? Just because officials use the buzzwords green and sustainable, and advertise an example or two such as bike lanes or bioswales, does not mean that they or their policies overall are.
Posted by clinamen | October 4, 2010 3:56 PM