Agreed, toss the slime out! Don't forget dear Kurt Schrader who is laying low hoping the Clackastani can't add 2+2. He and Wifey Martha are right in the middle of this Goldschmidt cabal. Martha unfortunately won her election. However there is still time to defeat the Pedophile Party Congressman Kurt. Just another worthless Blowmenower train hack.

http://www.kurtschrader.com/

Let's hope, like Jack hopes, that legal channels are followed to help uphold what this vote means. Money will be flowing in for the legal battle.

The best thing that could happen to Oregon right now would be for the courts to rule that the light rail bonds were illegally issued and thus are not enforceable. The rogue commissioners stepped way out of bounds -- not just as a policy matter, but legally as well.

A win is a win, without a doubt. However, the turnout was just over 36%.
Those of us who watch politics forget that most people could give a rip about policy. 64% of the registered voters in Clackamas county spent the last two weeks updating their facebook pages deciding how to pay for a tattoo memorial to their departed pit bull.

64% of the registered voters in Clackamas county spent the last two weeks updating their facebook pages deciding how to pay for a tattoo memorial to their departed pit bull.

It's an honor to have a Romney speechwriter posting here.

I love how the residents of "Clackistan" are so maligned by the allegedly more sophisticated in the other two metro counties, and yet we dumb, white trash hillbillies somehow managed to do what the cool kids in Portland haven't.

Allan L., will you be posting the same kind of remark when voter turnout for a school bond is 36%? You won't.

Same kind of remarks were made by those upset for the past two Clackamas Co. measures that failed by approximately 70%.

If only the Clackamas Commissioners had the guts to place this measure on a non-specialized ballot, like this Nov. ballot, then maybe we'd get a more representative bent of how citizen's feel. The fault lies with the Commissioners for your remark. They have subversively used every means possible to avoid any kind of vote in any manner and time. We know why.

Yippee. This may be too early, but it appears time to break out the Champaign and celebrate. The Clackistani voters have really put forth a good show of democracy and one upped Portland on how to take back their government from the dictatorial socialist elitists now running City Hall.

I could be wrong, but I think you missed the reference there, lw.

In my opinion, too many of the cool kids in Portland do go along with the plans.
Then there are as in any community those who simply don't care, those who ignore and hope others will take care of problems.
I also think at times there were groups of citizens here who did turn out on issues but were fairly pounded on until they gave up. There are those who won't give up and work triple time trying to turn things around. The machinery, choke hold and lock step is pretty tight over here in Portland! I'm sorry we weren't able to stop them here.
Congratulations, you worked so hard and I was pleased to hear of your success.

King City also voted against the toy train. 59 to 41 in early returns.

http://www.oregonlive.com/oregon-city/index.ssf/2012/09/clackamas_county_king_city_vot.html

Thanks
JK

In last week's LO Review, under a Citizen's View penned by both John Ludlow and Tootie Smith (seriously, TOOTIE?), some guy named "Tim Dalton" of "Portland, Oregon" posted this:

"I am voting NO. I find it interesting that there will be no ballot drop boxes for this election. This bill is so poorly written that it could have many unintended consequences. Great example of "shoot first, aim later". You guys also talk poorly. You say it is a non-partisan issue. The correct thing to say would be "We wish this were not a partisan issue". Anther example of tea party politics screaming against ANY public service. You both know this rail line would benefit a class of citizens that you are not a part of. In addition you seem to be completely unaware of the benefits to business in Clackamas county. I bet you both are against Clackamas taxes helping to repair a bridged that our county residents have destroyed. This would be an example another example of your lack of perspective and community."

Notice that he claims that "there will be no ballot drop boxes for this election." Since I didn't see this until Sunday, that statement sent me running for my election information because I ALWAYS drop mine off at the LO Library on election day. And, of course, as always, there were ballot drop boxes.

Anyway, it made me wonder if this was being posted to cause confusion and make some people, like me, who usually drop off on election day, think they'd missed the chance to vote.

In addition to being a grossly misinformed person in general, it sure had the stink of attempted voter suppression to me.

"I also think at times there were groups of citizens here who did turn out on issues but were fairly pounded on until they gave up. There are those who won't give up and work triple time trying to turn things around. The machinery, choke hold and lock step is pretty tight over here in Portland!"

Portland always gets what they want and deserve.

That's because there are many more people like Allen than there are people like you. It's a numbers thing. There are just more of them that like the direction Portland is heading towards. If that wasn't the case, then SamRand, Nutsy and CharLie would not thrive in this culture. Or even exist. But instead, four more years....

Because Portland always gets what they want.

"Reality based Liberal"?

I thought Oxymorons are supposed to be only TWO words.

"64% of the registered voters in Clackamas county spent the last two weeks updating their facebook pages deciding how to pay for a tattoo memorial to their departed pit bull."

Compared to 64% of Mult county voters updating facebook deciding how to pay for their own tattoos? Or trying to figure out the different Starbucks coffee sizes?

Is the Clackamas County Commission filled entirely with democrats? If not, a few of you spewing invective might want to dial it back a notch. In fact, maybe you should do that anyway.

realitybasedliberal, wait a second. You wrote: "You both know this rail line would benefit a class of citizens that you are not a part of."

According to Tri-Met, the majority of transit customers who ride MAX (but not the bus) have an average household income greater than $40,000. Their primary use of MAX is for "recreation or shopping", not essential work trips. Virtually all MAX-only riders also own cars-which they use for daily work trips.

Bus-only riders take transit more often and for a greater variety of purposes than those who only ride MAX. Bus riders are more likely to depend on transit as their primary means of transportation. According to Tri-Met surveys, bus riders are "slightly younger on average, more likely to be single, have a greater ethnic diversity, [and have] lower household income."

I've heard countless times that the beauty of rail over bus is that upper income people will ride trains but not buses. It is lower income people (I don't believe we have "classes") who are hurt most by diverting money from bus to rail.

Surely Tri-Met will refund the $20 million after realizing it was given to them against the wishes of the electorate?

They could certainly save some legal expenses with a refund.

he most important vote last night was King City's, which Jim Karlock was reporting was heavily in favor of banning MAX spending by that municipality.

In Clackamas, the horse is out of the barn, the money has been paid, and the line will be built.

In the 99/ Barbur corridor, King City's vote, coming long before any construction funding, is an important milestone.

Rebels need to take Tigard, too, if they really want to pound nails into MAX's coffin.

Weird: the Oregonian said this measure was headed for certain defeat just a few days ago, based on their web survey.

The Oregonian may have hired President Landon's pollster.

Itjd: That all you got? So sad. Sorry you're such an intellectual lightweight.

John: The quote you reference and with which you take issue was posted in the LO Review by some guy named "Tim Dalton" of "Portland," not me.

Posted by Chuck | September 19, 2012 6:18 AM
"Is the Clackamas County Commission filled entirely with democrats? If not, a few of you spewing invective might want to dial it back a notch. In fact, maybe you should do that anyway."

Oh Chuck.

Out of all the heinous behavior by the commissioners
you should have contributed something other than telling their critics to dial it back a notch.

For the record, the four offending commissioners are Democrats. But they are an insult to rank and file Democrats
and deserving of any admonishing they get from anyone.

The best thing that could happen to Oregon right now would be for the courts to rule that the light rail bonds were illegally issued and thus are not enforceable. The rogue commissioners stepped way out of bounds -- not just as a policy matter, but legally as well.

I'd agree, but for the fact that they dropped the bond thing and went with a BoA loan instead - which is equally bad.

You don't understand. The IOU to the bank is still a bond, every bit as much as notes sold to the public would have been.

Virtually all MAX-only riders also own cars-which they use for daily work trips.

I once read a report that the vast, vast majority of Westside MAX riders also drive their single-occupant motor vehicles to a TriMet owned MAX park-and-ride facility, which does not charge any fee to use yet the expenses of all transit centers are aligned with the bus operational expenses.

The Green Line is probably up there as well given nearly every station has a significant parking lot; the Yellow Line sees quite a bit of ridership generated from the Vanport parking lot plus access to the Expo Center parking lot. Gateway and Gresham both received large parking garages, and 122nd Avenue has a large parking lot as well. And of course the unofficial MAX Park & Ride at the Lloyd Center.

Note that since Westside MAX opened, many streets in and around the MAX line have since been widened to five lanes or more - Cornelius Pass, Cornell, Baseline, 158th, Evergreen...Bethany is getting widened next. It's no surprise that local traffic congestion has gotten worse; while TriMet's attempt to provide bus service has been lackluster at best.

Many people use the argument "people prefer MAX to bus" but when you compare the two it's apples and oranges. The average TriMet bus is 13 years old, stops at a "stop" that is barely more than a bus stop sign (with little information besides the route name and number - no idea of when buses show up, or where the buses go) mounted on a small pole alongside the road. The bus stop may not even be on a sidewalk and sidewalks may not exist anywhere nearby. The bus is probably a high floor vehicle (1 in 3 TriMet buses), and doesn't have air conditioning on days like today. The buses operate on TriMet's whim and are frequently cancelled or re-routed, with little to no notice. For major public events, buses often are routed AWAY from the events rather than to them.

MAX, on the other hand, is 100% air conditioned; every train has at least one low floor vehicle (and most have two low-floor cars); every station is a large, dedicated platform with sidewalks and safe drop-off locations, with oversized shelters, benches, ticket machines that accept cash AND credit/debit cards, lighting and landscaping, art installations, and complete schedule, route map, area map and neighborhood maps. Many stops also have Transit Tracker signs that give you actual arrival information.

Maybe...if buses and MAX were actually equal to each other, people would simply ride the vehicle that shows up first...but instead, MAX is gold-plated, and the bus is intentionally made to be subpar. No wonder people choose MAX. It's like asking a child "Would you like this bland vegetable, or would you like all-you-can-eat candy, burgers and pizza?"

You don't understand. The IOU to the bank is still a bond, every bit as much as notes sold to the public would have been.

Quite correct. Not being versed in legal machinations, I don't understand. I viewed the bank loan as a risky approach, as BoA would be able to call for payment in full upon any technicality (as they've done in attempting to foreclose on properties even when payments are apparently up-to-date).

Many thanks to Jack for keeping this in the forefront the last few weeks and shining a light on the true events. We are grateful.

There's a difference between criticism and being an asshole who paints most everything he/she doesn't agree with the same brush.

For the record, I'm glad the vote went as it did and I hope the bond sale is reversed. I can say that without malice.

"There's a difference between criticism and being an asshole who paints most everything he/she doesn't agree with the same brush."

Without who or what you are talking about perhaps you have a brush?

And given no one uses foul language here your use of ashmole reveals a bit of you malice.