Barburian rebels face familiar runaround in Tigard
When the citizen rebellion in Clackamas County placed on the ballot a measure that would require future "urban renewal" shenanigans to be out to a public vote, the county commissioners put another measure on the same ballot as a decoy, to try to confuse voters. It was a dastardly thing to do -- one of the worst performances by local government that we've seen in our 34 years in Portlandia -- and fortunately, it failed.
In September, Clackamas voters will also be asked to require a public vote before the county pays $25 million to Tri-Met for the $1.5 billion (liars' budget) Mystery Train to Milwaukie. There's a good chance they'll say yes, and that could very well kill the county's contribution to the project.
Now, the folks in Washington County are working on similar initiatives, and at least in the City of Tigard, reports are coming in that the City Council is threatening its own decoy measure if the signature drive for an initiative is successful. One of the Tigard rebels writes:
In a conversation on Saturday May 5th about Tigard’s initiative to require a vote on light rail expenditures, with Clackamas County activist Lauri Hein, Tigard City Councilwoman Gretchen Buehner said, "You will never get the signatures needed to put it on the ballot." Buehner added, "If you do manage to get it on the ballot, I will make sure there is a companion measure to stop you." Hein replied, "The Commissioners tried that in Clackamas County and we still beat them."
Another decoy measure? For shame.
Meanwhile, the Pamplin newspapers seem to be doing their best to frustrate the signature gathering. Little wonder, since Steve Clark, former publisher of the Portland Tribune, a Pamplin property, is still on the Tri-Met board, despite having taken a job in Corvallis nearly a year ago.
Anyway, the ongoing regional battle over rail projects, which are largely a cover for taxpayer subsidization of apartment complex construction, promises to get mighty ugly in the months ahead.
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Comments (7)
Freedom of the press only applies to those that own the press.
Another reason they are trying to kill the Internet - way too much freedom for the ruling class.
Posted by Tim | May 10, 2012 1:03 PM
At least in Tigard, we have all seen first hand how wonderful WES Works. As in, an utter and miserable FAILURE.
Survey after survey shows that congestion on 99W is one of Tigard residents' top concerns. But we also know in Tigard that:
1. Removing lanes of traffic will make the problem worse - not better,
2. Restricting access to 99W businesses will make the problem worse - not better,
3. MAX will not solve the majority of traffic issues - for example, residents living towards King City and need to go to Beaverton will not benefit from a MAX line to Portland (but will be heavily and adversely impacted by it),
4. A considerable amount of traffic passing through Tigard on 99W neither originates, nor terminates, along the proposed MAX route. Folks from Yamhill County aren't just going to park their car at a south end park-and-ride, ride MAX a few stops, and then straggle using the poor remnants of TriMet's bus system (if any) to get to the final destination.
5. MAX won't even serve the region's "Metro Regional Center" - Washington Square.
6. Many transit advocates call the Kruse Way business parks another prime transit area. Guess what? MAX won't go there either.
7. MAX won't serve Bridgeport Village, another "Town Center".
So...MAX is a solution to the wrong problem...and it isn't a solution to the correct problem. Many residents would rather see 99W have another lane in each direction, with improved/enhanced bus service. Right now, it is next to impossible for a Tigard resident to even use bus service to get to Kruse Way, or to the industrial areas along 72nd Avenue. Service to Washington Square is often half-hourly or hourly, and TriMet broke their promise to turn the 76 line into a "Frequent Service" route (as well as dropped service on the frequently crowded 12 line which used to be "Frequent Service".)
If Councilwoman Buehner really thinks she is going to trample over the residents of Tigard - she's welcome to start with me. And I'll gladly pay for her bus fare to ride the bus with me - I get on the 94X at 99W and Walnut each morning at 6:50 AM, and I'll be happy for her to experience what I experience each and every day. And as a daily TriMet bus rider - the last thing I need or want is MAX.
Posted by Erik H. | May 10, 2012 1:55 PM
How about a REAL 21st century solution?
New HOT lanes combined with modern express bus service?
So many benefits over rail it is crazy they are not even being considered.
Posted by John | May 10, 2012 2:51 PM
"Many transit advocates call the Kruse Way business parks another prime transit area. Guess what? MAX won't go there either."
For Christ's sake, if Max is extended down 99W, sounds like they'll next be pushing for a line crossing the freeway to the Kruse Way business parks. The only problem with that is there's no available property along Kruse Way or surrounding the business park for apartment/condo bunkers. I think there's one or two vacant parcels at the back (south) of the business park, but I'm pretty sure they're zoned commercial and additional office buildings are probably already planned for them.
Anyway, my point is, if there's nothing in it for their developer "partners," then hopefully any such notion is dead in the water.
By the way, Jack Hoffman, in pushing the LO streetcar, once told someone that people who work in the Kruse Way business park (which, of course, is located next to I-5) would drive across LO to take the putt-putt streetcar into downtown Portland for meetings. Fun times!
Posted by realitybasedliberal | May 10, 2012 3:01 PM
Politicians like Buehner will do anything in their power to keep the money flowing to their friends. That is all they care about, taking care of those who take care of them. Then they retire with their PERS payout and let someone else pay the debt. And evidently this is what being a liberal is all about these days? I'm not sure how sticking the grandkids with a big bill for your campaign coffers is liberal, but it seems to be the rage these days with the D's.
Posted by Andy | May 10, 2012 7:17 PM
I got word they are gathering signatures in Tigard, Tualatin & King City.
They are recruiting help and donors.
To donate email to swrailvotepac@gmail.com
To volunteer e-mail swrailvote@gmail.com
Early Web site www.swrailvote.org
Posted by Barburian messenger | May 10, 2012 9:42 PM
Gretchen has also been a huge supporter of the Lake Oswego-Tigard Water Agreement which is going to cost Tigard water rate payers a bundle. The Lake Oswego water rates have skyrocketed. Both City Councils have greatly deceived the residents of both cities and entered into this without the citizens vote. It will cost over $250 million when done--greatly overbuilt, poorly engineered and not needed--like the LO streetcar. The Tigard citizens have been mostly silent on this. They better wake up quick and reverse this decision by their inept Council. The Tigard Mayor is as bad as LO Mayor, Hoffman too. Gretchen is another Donna Jordan, bad LO Councilwoman.
Very similiar tactics, MO.
Posted by Another Barburian messenger | May 10, 2012 10:03 PM