Clackamas County to voters: Take this ballot measure and shove it
The ugliness surrounding Tri-Met's mystery train to Milwaukie gets worse by the day. As usual, the Clackamas County commissioners, who are determined to ram the project down the throats of a skeptical electorate, have legal reasons why they won't abide by the impending public vote on the project. Executive summary: "It's too late to turn back now," coupled with a dose of "The electorate isn't allowed to tell bureaucrats what to do."
The politicos and bureaucrats did something similar when the county voted on "urban renewal" a while back. But funny thing, that initiative passed, and it's apparently become law. This time the whole thing is likely to wind up in court.
It's sad to see a community come apart at the seams over something so pointless as a MAX line to nowhere. But the good news for the rebels down that way is that this kind of heavy-handed maneuvering by the incumbents seems likely to galvanize support for the outsiders who are on the verge of taking over two seats on the county commission.
| Posted at 3:16 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (14)
If you really think these elected govt type will roll over and actually have to ask the voters for permission to do anything - Think again.
Posted by Steve | June 5, 2012 3:28 PM
"Likely to wind up in court." You have the gift of understatment, Jack.(And a dash of clairvoyance.)
Posted by HMLA-267 | June 5, 2012 5:49 PM
Having to sue your leaders so they do what you want really shows a complete breakdown in democracy. Shouldn't the leaders be beholden to their constituency enough so that they cannot pull this crap?
Guess not.
Posted by Jo | June 5, 2012 6:08 PM
Clackamas county should be thinking of the next steps in stopping Portland Creep.
Like opting out of Trimet completely and running their own transit agency [most counties nationwide already do this]. Then "bi-met" can figure out how to pay for the operations themselves.
Posted by Anthony | June 5, 2012 7:01 PM
Then "bi-met" can figure out how to pay for the operations themselves.
Or, maybe "LGBT Met"...
Just kidding, thinskins.
Posted by cc | June 5, 2012 7:13 PM
I believe Madkour is an at-will employee. I've listened before as a couple commissioners asked him a "legal" question, indicating within their question which answer they wanted to hear from him. And he gave it to them. I'm beginning to think "the law" is about like statistics - mostly made up and can be used to say anything someone wants it to say.
Posted by Eric L | June 5, 2012 8:55 PM
It makes one wonder why the commissioners are so determined to push this boondoggle through?
To whom do they expect to be viewed as heroes?
Posted by Mr. Grumpy | June 5, 2012 9:10 PM
There is a termination clause in the Tri-Met agreement as was reported here recently. Obviously the County Commissioners choose to ignore this fact. Whose agenda are they following anyway?
Posted by Nolo | June 5, 2012 9:15 PM
There's a faint smell of organized crime here.
Posted by Jack Bog | June 5, 2012 9:25 PM
Well, interestingly enough one of the things that propelled Scott Walkers re-election was THIS!
And something very similar could happen right here in 'blue' Oregon.
Posted by al m | June 5, 2012 9:48 PM
My god. The Walker recall failed? Wonder how? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Posted by Jo | June 5, 2012 11:25 PM
Money doesn't make the election-voters do.
They have done very well pitting those people without pensions and health care against those who do have it.
Our rulers are expert at the divide and conquer methodology.
They don't need to "force" anything down our throats, they get the public to fight against itself.
I have to say, its absolutely brilliant.
You have to respect the skill of the power elite, the way they get the public to do their bidding.
It's just incredible.
Just like the banks pulling off the 'austerity' scam, its absolutely brilliant.
The sheeple fall right into line.
Posted by al m | June 5, 2012 11:41 PM
"It makes one wonder why the commissioners are so determined to push this boondoggle through?"
A forensic audit of each commissioner's personal assets may explain their determined stance.
Posted by Mister Tee | June 6, 2012 6:31 AM
Time to just break up TriMet. And Metro. And the Port, just for good measure.
If a city wants public transit the city can provide it itself... Wilsonville has no problems doing it. Neither does Canby, or Sandy. And all of those cities are providing better service than TriMet ever did, at lower cost to taxpayers AND to the riders.
Posted by Erik H. | June 6, 2012 12:49 PM