Mayor Pollard: Vancouver needs light rail, new bridge [Archive]

Chief

02-28-2008, 04:08 PM

Here we are...I'm not surprized to see it up this soon on the City's site...karma will be since she thinks this kind of technology is such a waste

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/stateofcity.asp?menuid=10462&submenuid=21343

State of the City

Presented by Mayor Royce Pollard on Feb. 28, 2008, at the Hilton Vancouver Convention Center.

Good morning. I am Royce Pollard, Mayor of America’s Vancouver. Thank you all for joining us this morning to hear about the state of our city.

You have already been introduced to my colleagues on the Vancouver City Council, but I want to take a moment to recognize them and acknowledge their hard work, dedication and service to our community.

We may not always agree on issues, but I believe we share a passion for the possibilities for our community. True leadership and big decisions are often not fully appreciated for months, years or even decades. But I want you to know that your efforts for our community have not gone unnoticed … and I thank you. So, please stand so we can thank you.

Thanks also go to the people of America’s Vancouver for your participation in the ongoing process of helping us create the kind of city where all families - present and future - can thrive.

And, I’d like to acknowledge our dedicated City employees. They are the real face of our City, the men and women who work hard to provide quality urban services to America’s Vancouver. Please join me in giving them a round of applause for all they do on behalf of our community.

I want to thank CVTV for putting together the short video you just saw.

It was fun seeing those old images of Vancouver. A lot of things look familiar in that video but obviously a lot has changed.

We have come a long way from those early days. Our community has grown and adapted in ways our predecessors could never have imagined.

The Vancouver of today has been built on the work of those who came before us, the work of many people in this room today, and, as I mentioned earlier, the daily dedication of Vancouver’s city employees.

We have accomplished much together, especially in the last 10 years, through careful planning and positive leadership.

It started with a dream. From that dream we created a vision and then a plan. I think we’ve implemented that plan with great success.

We must continue to dream, vision, plan and implement – dream about how Vancouver can move to the next level as a community and do what we know we need to do to turn our dreams and visions into reality.

Our aspirations are already taking shape in a variety of ways all around town.

Those aspirations are part of the energy that is driving much of the vision and focus I will talk about this morning.

Remember that word, focus. I’ll have more to say about it in a moment.

But, first things first. I am happy to tell you that the state of America’s Vancouver is good. However, we have to ask ourselves, “Is ‘good’ good enough?”

Many of you have heard the line, “Good is the enemy of great.” Few cities ever achieve greatness because they reach one milestone, get complacent and settle for only being good.

I know I want more for America’s Vancouver and I’ll bet everyone in here wants more as well.

Every morning when I wake up I ask myself, “Can we be better?” I know we can and that is a big reason why I proudly serve as Mayor of this amazing city.

Part of the reason I know we will be better is because we have strong relationships with organizations of all sizes and interests in our city, county and region. Unfortunately, today we don’t have time to talk about the best community college in the Pacific Northwest, a regionally and nationally-recognized symphony, great public school systems, impressive higher education facilities, our thriving port, award winning hospitals and active and involved businesses that make America’s Vancouver such an exciting place to be. In fact, please join me in giving them all a round of applause!

What we will talk about today are a few of the opportunities and challenges to meet that will help elevate Vancouver to the next level as a signature northwest and American city.

In the next few years, we project that Vancouver will become an even more significant force in the state of Washington. We can easily become one of the top 100 cities in America.

That goal demands that we aspire to something more as a community - both in terms of the services we provide our citizens and in terms of the vision that will move our community to that next level.

Our community is at a tipping point, and the laws of physics tell us that you cannot stay balanced at that point forever. You either fall in one direction or another - backwards or forwards.

There is no standing still and we cannot and will not accept going backwards.

We must constantly challenge ourselves to serve our customers better and ask 'is it good enough?' If we don’t ask, and if we don’t do, we risk falling backwards from that tipping point.

It doesn’t take much to move from that point, a nudge, a bit of momentum in one direction will do it.

Vancouver abounds in forward momentum. It has been built up over the years by hard work, vision, and investment by a lot of people across this community—many are in this room today.

We, together, have accomplished much and we have much to be proud of. But Vancouver can become much more.

How? By staying focused.

Vancouver is in the envy-able position of having a very robust to-do list. Only communities with meager potential have short, easy to-do lists.

The key to success is being able to prioritize that list, coordinate the necessary resources, and focus – there’s that word again -- on getting the jobs done.

But, the future waits for no one. The job of moving a community forward, of taking it to the next level, never ends. As soon as we check one thing off of our to-do list, three more take its place.

This morning, I would like to talk about three items on that list, priority areas if you like, on which we will place our particular focus in the coming year:

* Focus on connections
* Focus on opportunities and
* Focus on our future

If community’s vision is a destination, then these priorities are the roadmap to get us there.

These priorities get to the heart of what can and must be done to move Vancouver forward, to move Vancouver to the next level, to create a future Vancouver of which we can all be proud.

To get there, though, we must focus, keep our eyes on the prize, understand the stakes, understand the hard work and investment that is required, and be ready to roll up our sleeves and make sure the job gets done the right way.

After all, we are talking about our future…the future of an entire community!

The first connection I want to talk about is a physical connection, a connection of concrete and steel, a regional connection that has implications for every resident of vancouver and every resident of southwest Washington. I’m talking, of course, about the Columbia River Crossing project.

I don’t have to tell YOU HOW important this project is for us, our children, our grandchildren, and all of southwest Washington.

The current northbound span of the bridge first opened to traffic in 1917. Despite its limitations now in the 21st century, that span still carries 135,000 vehicles and tons of freight across the river every day. People and businesses have depended on it for nine decades.

We are now faced with the opportunity and challenge of replacing that span with a new bridge that will serve us well into this century and beyond.

We need to do it right and we need to do it soon.

We need to do it soon because the cost of infrastructure will only continue to go up.

We need to do it right – for this is our moment of opportunity. Failure to move forward with this project is not an option. The stakes are not just local, but also regional, statewide, national and even international.

Those who have followed this project know that many design options have been considered; we are now getting ready to adopt a preferred alternative. I agree with Governors Gregoire and Kulongoski that this alternative must include a replacement bridge.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Governor Gregoire for believing in America’s Vancouver and for her continued support of our community.

Everyone here knows that I believe it should be a replacement bridge with light rail. I’ve said many times before and repeat again today that those of us on this side of the Columbia River have an opportunity to buy-in to a successful, fully-operational, multi-billion dollar light rail system. The Columbia River Crossing Project is the vehicle, no pun intended, to bring light rail to Vancouver. This is our moment of opportunity and we must not pass it up.

There are understandable concerns about bringing light rail into Vancouver. As far as alignment goes, the City Council has already taken the Main Street alignment between McLoughlin and Fourth Plain off of the discussion table. Still on the table are other alignment alternatives and the question of how far into Vancouver light rail will go.

These decisions will be Vancouver’s to make, so it is imperative that we all come to the table with the right information so together we can do what is best for the future of our community.

And, as a part of the bridge project, another vital connection that will be made is the connection between downtown and the Historic Reserve with a freeway cap or lid from about 9th Street to Evergreen Boulevard. This connection will once again unite our historic area with our thriving downtown.

We need bold projects like this . . . projects that will lift America’s Vancouver above the ordinary.

Seizing the opportunities presented by the Columbia River Crossing will help connect us to our destiny.

So much attention is being paid to this mega project. However, we cannot lose sight of the fact that we have many other major transportation infrastructure needs that have to be addressed.

The City Council and I have some very tough decisions to make this year about how we are going to fund these needs and frankly, our options are limited.

However, if we do not make these tough decisions, we will not have the opportunity to be the great community we aspire to be.

Another connection I want to talk about is the connection to Vancouver’s greatest asset, our people.

While our growing size and expanding vision have given our city more prominence, they also have contributed to moving us further apart. But, just because we are getting bigger doesn’t mean we have to lose the friendliness and personal touch that attracted so many people here in the first place.

We will put a greater effort toward reconnecting with our people. I know this is a priority for our City Council.

We will communicate better, more creatively and more often.

We will be out in the community more. We will listen to your concerns and your ideas on how we, together, can build an even stronger Vancouver.

And, we will continue to connect with all of our partners in the region to build a stronger bond and develop more complete partnerships.

Our strongest partners in our efforts to achieve our goals are Clark County, the other cities in Clark County…Battle Ground, Camas, La Center, Ridgefield, Washougal, Woodland, Yacolt… and, of course, we cannot forget about our neighbor across the river, Portland.

Some people may be a little confused about my thoughts on this topic. I mean, you break one coffee mug…and for some reason people get the wrong idea…

But, I am happy to go on the record again and say that Vancouver is a city worthy of envy because of our proximity to and relationship with Portland. They have amenities we will never be able to provide.

In a big way, Portland defines us. We bask in their sun and we are darkened by the same clouds.

I want to emphasize that our relationship with Portland is a strong one. Mayor Potter is a good friend to our community. In fact, his was the first call to offer assistance when that tornado touched down in Vancouver last month.

I have just talked about how this year we will focus on connections. We will also keep a sharp focus on our opportunities.

One thing Vancouver does not lack is opportunity.

Opportunity can be a moving target - if we don’t act swiftly, opportunity can easily slip away.

Many major opportunities lie ahead of us – look at all the projects taking place in downtown.

I can spend an entire day with you talking about the opportunities taking place on the east side with the Evergreen Landing project at the old Evergreen Airport and the potential we have with 600 acres known as Section 30. We are also in the beginning stages of a subarea planning process for the Fisher’s Quarry and surrounding area at 192nd/SR-14.

Those projects are going to continue to elevate Vancouver and take us to that next level I talked about earlier.

We do have one great big opportunity ahead of us…the opportunity to change the face of Vancouver by transforming our waterfront.

The waterfront redevelopment project is the next chapter of downtown Vancouver's renaissance.

This project is not just a focus on opportunities; it is also a focus on connections . . . a way to reconnect our community to our river.

This process was started more than 15 years ago with the Riverfront promenade and the Columbia Shores development.

The waterfront project is going to be the crowning jewel of that process.

We now have the chance to redevelop 32 acres of prime waterfront property and bring $1.3 billion in private investment capital to our city.

This project is unprecedented in its scope and presents a rare opportunity for us to make it the most exciting waterfront development on the Columbia River. We want this waterfront development to make other cities in the region turn green with envy.

The project will fulfill Vancouver’s adopted master plan for the site that includes 1 million square feet of new professional office, retail and hospitality uses, 10-plus acres of new public open space, and as many as 2,500 new residential units.

The project will also provide for approximately 2,500 new permanent jobs and generate $235 million in new state and local taxes over the next 25 years, including nearly $147 million to Washington State.

It is truly awe-inspiring to consider the magnitude of this opportunity. We have a 32-acre blank canvas on the shores of the Great River of the West. For most cities, this is the stuff of impossible dreams. For Vancouver it’s the real deal and for that reason we will seize this opportunity to think big and make sure we work with the developer, Gramor, to ensure the project is done right for our community.

Later this year we will begin work on essential infrastructure like roads and sewers. we have been working hard to get federal and state money to help cover those costs. In fact I want to thank Senator Craig Pridemore for his successful efforts yesterday in bringing the State of Washington on board as a partner in this project with 1 million of support for infrastructure.

Remember, this project is not just about downtown Vancouver. Its benefits will extend to all corners of the city and region.

It’s all about economic development. The waterfront project will generate 30 dollars of private investment for every dollar of public infrastructure investment. It’s an economic engine waiting to be started and will help drive the future of Vancouver.

When I talk about economic development I am not talking about some impersonal concept and cold numbers on paper.

I’m talking about creating jobs. Jobs not only at the waterfront, but Jobs created throughout the community because this kind of development ― this kind of investment ― attracts more investment, creating even more jobs.

I’m talking about actions that impact ordinary people across our community on a very real and personal level every day of the year.

People who sit in rush hour traffic to get to jobs in Portland because they can’t find a comparable one in Clark County.

Parents who can’t make a mid-day event at their children’s school because they don’t have time to drive back across the Interstate or I-205 Bridge.

People who would rather spend their entertainment dollars in their own community.

People who want to work in the community where they live.

People who want to live in a community that has the resources to provide them with good roads, good schools, and safe streets.

The waterfront redevelopment project is all about economic development and economic opportunity. It is all about jobs and families and strong neighborhoods throughout Vancouver.

It’s about strengthening Vancouver’s tax base, which translates into a safer community and better funding for essential public services regardless of where you live in the city.

Earlier this month, Julia Anderson, business editor at The Columbian, wrote a great column about the waterfront project and all of the things it can mean for Vancouver.

They are doing some innovative things with the business section of The Columbian and I want to commend Julia and her staff for a great job.

Julia thought big, writing about the possibility of a museum, interesting businesses that can be drawn there, and housing opportunities for people of all income levels.

There are so many incredible opportunities ahead for America’s Vancouver. I encourage our community to think big, to think about what these developments can be, what it can mean to Vancouver, and what you can do to help make it happen.

Our final area of focus in today’s address is our focus on our future.

Every State of the City address is, at its heart, a statement about the future.

You have heard me say it a number of times before, but when I talk about our future, I am talking about our children, our grandchildren and even our great grandchildren. I’m talking about my grandchildren: Dorrie, Libby, Stanley and Royce.

What kind of community do we want to leave behind for them? I think we all aim for the pride of knowing we left them an economically vibrant, clean, diverse, safe community filled with beautiful parks, trails and greenspaces.

How do we do this? By focusing on the common thread that weaves throughout all of the themes and all of the projects we talked about today.

In a word, we must focus on sustainability.

I am not just talking about environmental sustainability. Sustainability is about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Given that, everything we do today must be with a consideration of sustaining our activities and our quality of life into the long-term future.

The city of Vancouver has always lived within its means and we will always continue to do so. Even though we have made numerous cuts we have still been able to provide quality services. In the past eight years we have cut $15 million and 60 positions from our city budget. As a result, right now we are not in a position to properly invest in the future of our community or to sustain the level of services people have come to expect.

We can’t keep pulling rabbits out of our hats. We have looked at all options for additional revenues. If we don’t find them soon, I fear we may fall backwards from that tipping point.

Specifically, what will suffer the most is our ability to provide consistent, sound public safety at the level it needs to be. This year, we need to make a decision on how we are going to pay to invest in the safety of our community.

Public safety is what makes a strong, world-class community. It is the foundation upon which our community’s present and future stands.

Public safety connects every single resident of Vancouver.

It connects people who want to go to bed at night knowing they will have a safe night’s sleep.

It connects families who want to be safe when they take a walk in a park or a walk down the street to go to the grocery store.

And it connects schoolchildren who want to focus on their studies and not have to think about gangs or drugs.

We are talking about the basic needs and responsibilities of a city. We are talking about our quality of life and our fundamental values.

There are many benefits that come with living in an urban area. But, there are also certain costs. Adequate funding for urban-level public safety services is one of them.

Right now, a typical household pays $30 a month for police and fire services. I ask everyone in this room and everyone who hears or reads about today’s address, to reflect on the value of public safety . . . to reflect on that small cost for such an important return.

To address this issue properly is going to take leadership.

When I speak of leadership I am not just referring to the leadership of those who are elected to public office or who hold official government positions.

Every one of us has a chance to be a leader in our community by looking ahead 10, 30, or 50 years from now and making the sacrifices today to secure a brighter future for our community tomorrow. Those who came before us invested in our future. Why should we do any less?

I know it is hard to think about making long-term investments because frankly, you may not be around to see the payoff. I mean, half of us in here might be dead by the time the Crossing project is finished!

I recently heard someone say that as an elected official, you might have to let someone else cut the ribbon. In other words we can’t go for the short-term glory, we have to go for the gold and build a solid foundation that will sustain our community for the long haul even if it means letting someone else reap the benefits.

If you don’t vote for a bond measure or levy, you may be saving a few dollars but you are limiting the options for those who follow . . . not to mention the people who are near and dear to you today.

I hope you think about that the next time we ask for your help.

Focus on that important connection between your vote and your community.

Now, moving on, to the question of annexation . . .

The answer is, yes, Vancouver will continue to annex.

Annexations will be part of how we grow - but only part - and I am happy to report that the City and the County have reached agreement on a new annexation plan that should facilitate appropriate annexations over time.

It is an essential part of the process for maximizing service and efficiency for local residents and for achieving our visions for Vancouver and southwest Washington’s future.

We are very pleased that the city and the county now have a shared vision for annexation in the urban growth area and are also committed to uniform design standards. We look forward to working with the County Commissioners on continuing quality growth management in our urban area.

Before we annex an area we will be sure to do a better job of connecting with the residents of the Urban Growth Area. We need to be more responsive to their concerns and more proactive in our communications with them.

Why are we continuing with our annexation plans? Because being bigger opens doors. In Olympia and Washington, D.C., it’s all about access. Compare the access Vancouver enjoys in Olympia and Washington, D.C. today to the access we had 10 or 20 years ago. The difference is astounding. And so are the results.

This access does not benefit Vancouver alone. When we walk through those open doors, we represent all of Clark County. We carry an agenda that supports all of Southwest Washington.

So, Vancouver will continue to annex – in a logical pattern and at a judicious pace – because we must, because it is the smart thing to do for all of Vancouver and all of Clark County.

At the beginning of this address we saw some images of old Vancouver.

What would we think if we could see images of Vancouver’s future 50, 100 years from now? What changes would we see? Would we be surprised . . . pleased . . . proud . . . .disappointed?

I’m shooting for proud. I hope you agree.

A lot of hard work, dedication, investment, and vision got Vancouver from those old images we just saw to the Vancouver of today. And the Vancouver of today is a pretty good place to be.

I am proud to say the state of our city is good and, thankfully, we continue to have the opportunity to be great.

Throughout this coming year, we’ll make many choices that will define the legacy we leave for our children and grandchildren over the next century.

The next year will define the next 50 for America’s Vancouver, but only if we stay focused.

At last year’s State of the City event some of you may remember that we gave away free tree saplings and energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs.

This year, our friends at Fred Meyer have donated reusable shopping bags in honor of the mid-April opening of the new Grand Central development at the old Jantzen site.

This year, aside from the bags, I want everyone to take away something much more important.

I want you to walk out of here remembering…and, I hope, embracing…the priorities I have emphasized today and how important it is to maintain our focus on them.

We must focus on connections, on opportunities and on our future.

Vancouver aspires to become something more because we can become something more. Not all communities can say that.

Opportunities exist for a reason. We, and generations before us, have laid the foundation for those opportunities. We now have the responsibility and the capacity to seize them.

It just takes will and vision, hard work and investment…and commitment to our community.

One person up here making a speech isn’t enough.

But I do have this bully pulpit where I can describe our vision and provide some context and focus – there’s that word again. Focus.

And I can use my position as Mayor to represent our community and do what I can and to urge you on to the next level.

The rest is up to you.

Ask yourself, what can we do together to make America’s Vancouver a place of inspiration, where the best of American values and ingenuity are realized?

When you walk out that door today I would like you to take away a commitment, a focus on what you can do, however big or small, to help Vancouver build on its forward momentum, to move us forward from that tipping point.

Let’s focus today to build a future for America’s Vancouver we can all be proud of and create a solid foundation that our grandchildren can build on.

Thank you. God bless you. God bless America’s Vancouver.