City, county moving together on bridge

[Chief]

http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12182007_City-county-moving-together-on-bridge.cfm

Tuesday, December 18, 2007
BY DON HAMILTON, Columbian Staff Writer

The Vancouver City Council and Clark County commissioners agree more than they disagree about who will operate mass transit over a new Interstate 5 bridge.

*SNIP*

And last week, the commissioners issued six points that an agreement "must contain." These include running the mass transit route along I-5 and a legal mechanism allowing operating costs to be borne by the city alone and not all C-Tran voters.

*SNIP*

The city and county agree on several issues. Both will consider whether only city residents should vote on operating costs for the new system. They both want to ensure that no operating money for C-Tran's existing bus service goes to the new high-capacity transit service.

**SCHNIPP**


I've been saying for over a year that there is nothing in the current Light Rail package that will pass muster with voters in Clark County, and this proves it. I've also been saying that the City residents simply cannot bear the costs of operating and maintaining light rail by themselves.

I'm hearing estimates that differ wildly about what this is going to cost, depending on who you ask. The costs range from $2.5 -%5 Million annually, up to $50-$60 Million annually to operate and maintain a light rail system like is being proposed.

I'm also haring that this could require a Sales Tax boost in the City of up to 3 points, and/or an Operating Levy that would tap Property taxes, and/or a license tab fee up to $100 per...all of which would require a vote in the City. Unless we have some sort of consensus from the voters about how to raise any of those amounts of money in advance, I don't see how the Federal Government will even consider funding anything to do with transit on the Columbia Crossing Project.

It's encouraging that we're starting to hear some talk about numbers, and who really pays for all of this, but it is still far from clear how much we are really talking about spending on all of this. We can figure the odds separately about what kind of chance any of those things has of passing a ballot measure any time soon...

Developing....

[karma]

Interesting Chief, guess now that I've done the dental visit I should be able to stomach the rag??

[tefen]

I thought the most interesting part was the County's requirements. 1) That it must run up I-5. and 2) That the city residents must pay for it.

That second requirement could be the death of light rail, but this discussion is still young.


Also, "Both will consider whether only city residents should vote on operating costs for the new system." If you're going to ask for money from someone, they should also be granted a vote.


Edited to add: If only city residents are to pay for this HCT we won't need the big Park and Rides for Clark County Commuters! We'll just check IDs and not let 'em on the trains, or better yet, charge the Clark County commuters from outside Vancovuer more! I think that requirement by the county is very short sighted.

[Waterbuffalo]

Are any of those numbers on recorded media?

[Waterbuffalo]

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/cvtv/cvtvindex.asp?catID=3&folderID=1645

[Chief]

I thought the most interesting part was the County's requirements. 1) That it must run up I-5. and 2) That the city residents must pay for it.

That second requirement could be the death of light rail, but this discussion is still young.


Also, "Both will consider whether only city residents should vote on operating costs for the new system." If you're going to ask for money from someone, they should also be granted a vote.


Edited to add: If only city residents are to pay for this HCT we won't need the big Park and Rides for Clark County Commuters! We'll just check IDs and not let 'em on the trains, or better yet, charge the Clark County commuters from outside Vancovuer more! I think that requirement by the county is very short sighted.


It begs the question: If the City is going to pay for it, then who cares what the County wants??

[tefen]

I almost wrote the same thing Chief... but then I remembered that technically, the city is part of the county. And to avoid being short-sighted, one does have to consider that this thing will eventually extend out of the city and into the county, so perhaps they do get some say.

[Waterbuffalo]

Tefen, Or one can be very SHORT sighted as I feel one city council doesn't understand we're part of a region to the north, east and liked to take unilateral actions instead doing consensus building to get this through the whole community.

There is going to be a lot more stress and pressure about the CRCP during the next six months as it pass through each individual home, apartment or living quarters as each member of our community is going to have to tell their elected representatives nay or yay.