"Insane", i'm not so sure.

This could be cult driven, pure and simple. I used to wonder if ego and/or greed were the driving factors, but no longer. I have seen the "moonie" look in their eyes when the topic is transit related. The fake smile, the glassy stare, and the effort put forth to make those critical feel as though they are the ones who don't get it.

The only other possible explanation would be a "Children of the Corn" analogy. Do aliens inhabit their bodies intending to do who knows what to the unsuspecting? Either scenario is scary.

Was this a public meeting?

We simply do not need this light rail expense now. The insiders cannot make this project pencil out, now need to take from other projects!

There is a desperation to get money no matter what and bundle it up for pet projects now!

More and more crazy making!

Cogan comes from Saltzman's office, Adams from Katz's office, Earl from County and City office - we so need to stop this merry-go-round. However, they get to stay in as politicians as long as they deliver for the insiders, don't they?

Have they no conscience doing these financial gymnastics during dire economic times and shafting the public?

"This could be cult driven, pure and simple."

It is a religion, 100%. That is why you can't reason with these guys on transit. Facts or appeals to common sense or fiscal responsibility are utterly useless.

Transit = always good at any price.

What could possibly change their mind at this point? They built a frikkin $40 million gondola up Pill Hill for crissakes. What crazy idea could ever be rejected after that?

There's a scene in Ghostbusters where Bill Murray's character greets a man from the EPA with a pat on the shoulder. When he pulls his hand back, the EPA man's suit is coated in slime.

This is the picture I get in my mind when I think of Sam Adams walking into Jeff Cogen's office with his hand extended.

Excuse my ignorance, but what authority does the governor hold over influencing projects and decisions of this type, if any. If it is more than none, I might wonder if these apparently desperate maneuvers are in anticipation of a major upcoming overhaul in the state's direction.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced today that he is canceling a commuter-rail tunnel project to New York, saying that the estimated $8.7 billion dollar cost might have reached $14 billion dollars.

“I will not allow taxpayers to fund projects that run over budget with no clear way of how these costs will be paid for,” Christie, a first-term Republican, said in the statement. “The ARC project costs far more than New Jersey taxpayers can afford and the only prudent move is to end this project.”

Oh to have such an approach to projects in our part of the world.

Cost savings? Oh that we had a governor with eggs the size of Christie's. Stopping the insanity as he...and we.... should.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-07/christie-said-to-cancel-8-7-billion-hudson-river-commuter-tunnel-project.html

let me get this right, we are looking for "cost savings" from "estimates" and calling it real dollars?

what a load...

New Jersey's governor seems to be able to make the hard decisions. Today's news about the tunnel, for instance.

I see that Fireman Randy and Mayor Creepy have added the Sellwood to their bridal registry.

KGW continues to shill for Mayor Creepy, the city council, Metro, and Chair Cogen:

http://www.kgw.com/news/20-million-found-for-light-rail-and-Sellwood-Bridge-104517099.html

Note the bright and shiny face that the KGW staff put on this public fleecing. I suspect we'll see them in the next episode of Glee riding a Portland Street Car, passing the hat for donations for new buses.

Jack, speaking of the Convention Center Hotel, maybe it will turn out like Tucson's Convention Center Hotel failures in its Rio Nuevo planning (essentially an urban renewal project). In 1999 voters approved the Rio Nuevo Plan-no bridge, arena or $190M convention center hotel were in the plans, but now they are without additional voter approval . But as the ten years passed, that is what the "plan" became.

Tucson's taxpayers have spent over $120 Million in just the "planning" costs. Confusion, anger, name calling reigns with nothing built. And now federal and state corruption charges are being investigated. By the way Homer Williams, his hired sidekick Matt Brown who was CoP's PDOT mastermind of CoP's Tram fiasco, are part of Tucson's dilemma.

Investigations and prosecutions is what should happen here in regards to CoP, Metro, TriMet, Multnomah Co. in regards to the Convention Center Hotel and MLR, and other urban renewal entanglements.

Lee: . . Investigations and prosecutions is what should happen here in regards to CoP, Metro, TriMet, Multnomah Co. in regards to the Convention Center Hotel and MLR, and other urban renewal entanglements.

When?
Who would do this much needed investigation?

Pretty transparent to me. Adams thinks he saves a little face and Cogen gets the money. There will never be any savings from the Sellwood bridge.