Chief
06-20-2008, 07:44 AM
It seems that Mrs. Stephanie Turlay has decided to become a loud public voice for the local Chapter of C.A.V.E. (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) and her overly loud voice is being heard more and more often here in Vancouver, and in the local e-mail circuit.
Since people are comfortable sending these messages around with names, e-mail addresses and so forth in plain view, I am no longer going to hesitate to post them, as received, here at Clarkblog.org
Here's a clue for you wanna-be e-mail activists out there: "Blind Copy" is your friend...
More on this one later, so here is the rant...
----- Original Message -----
From: larner9598@comcast.net
To: Bob and Judy Whiting ; Margaret Tweet ; Jim Tabler ; Terry Sotta ; Paik W. Shin ; Ron and Joan Rasmussen ; Susie and Brad Mongrain ; Cindy and Steve Mitchell ; Dolores McRobert ; Jordan Larner ; Bob Koski ; Chris & Donna Forzano ; Micheline Doan ; Michael Cunneen ; Jason Cox ; Susie & Russ Buckert ; Stephen Bridges
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:07 PM
Subject: FW: Riley Research survey on Light Rail - Oregonia, June 18, 2008
-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From: "Fran Rutherford" <ivanrus@comcast.net>
To: "'Dennis Eschliman'" <den506@yahoo.com>, "David Lee Garner" <davidleegarner@yahoo.com>, "Anita Shaw" <mashaw21@comcast.net>, <edbennett@comcast.net>, <llhaskett@comcast.net>, <Lotinpaul@aol.com>, <larner9598@comcast.net>, <gtoliver@umich.edu>, "'JIM TYRRELL'" <jtnjt2000@yahoo.com>, <jgniemeyer@yahoo.com>
Subject: FW: Riley Research survey on Light Rail - Oregonia, June 18, 2008
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:52:17 +0000
F Y I
The following letter sent to Jeff Mize at The Columbian as he wrote a similar article on same subject.
In my opinion, 500 people surveyed in three counties (two in Oregon) is not a true representation. We probably will read/hear that everyone in Clark County and beyond wants light rail..
If you choose, please forward to others.
Fran
From: Stephanie [mailto:bsturlay@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 2:13 PM
To: Jeff Mize
Subject: Riley Research survey
Hi Jeff,
I’d like to make a few points about Mike Riley’s survey printed in The Columbian and The Oregonian today.
First, I spoke with Mr. Riley this morning about his survey. I asked him the following questions, with his answers below the questions:
1. Why did you conduct this survey?
“ I was doing other survey work and thought it would be interesting to ask about the new I-5 bridge and light rail into Vancouver.”
2. Why did you go to Washington, Multnomah and Clackamas counties for the survey?
“I was trying to get a feel of what the local people thought.”
3. Why would people living in Vancouver care about what people in Oregon thought when most of them wouldn’t even be involved in using the interstate or riding the light rail into Vancouver?
“You are the third person who has called me today and asked that”.
4. Who paid you to do this survey? Did anyone from the City of Vancouver, C-Tran or the CRC call you and ask to make it?
“No, I did it on my own.”
5. How many people in the city of Vancouver did you survey?
“You can get all the numbers on my website this afternoon.”
6. Don’t you know how many people were asked?
“You can get all the numbers on my website this afternoon!”
Mr. Riley sounded quite vexed that I had asked those questions. I told him that my husband and I had lived in Gig Harbor when the Tacoma Narrows Bridge replacement issue was pending. Pierce county did exactly what Mr. Riley did, with one exception. When it came time for those of us in the county to vote on whether we wanted the bridge, King County was allowed to vote on the issue! Imagine! They were 40-50 miles north of us, and they voted on an issue we would be taxed on and tolls assed for usage! Is this the same scenario? Sure sounds like it to me. I don’t give a particular damn what anyone in Washington, Multnomah or Clackamas Counties think. It’s the people here in Vancouver who will bear the financial burden if this project goes through as planned.
Riley’s survey has appeared in The Columbian and the Oregonian this morning. The percentages of people for and against do not match up in the statistics of both papers.
Why would such a poorly conducted survey demand such attention in both papers? This is called a scientific poll, supposedly neutral, conducted by and independent company. What is shows me is that this poll was unsolicited, if in fact that is the case, by a company who has gone in a far-flung direction, to obtain questionable results and then gone to the public with unverifiable facts. Not only that, but both papers have presented this survey to the public as being “gospel”.
The old adage, “Figures lie and liars figure” certainly seems to have some relevance here. The only way we will ever know how the people of Vancouver feel about this entire issue, I-5 Bridge and light rail is to put it to a vote of the people.
I have attended meeting after meeting, public hearings, the Forums and one thing is blatantly clear. No one knows the exact cost of the project and no one will tell the citizens how much this will cost them in the form of property tax, sales tax, license fees, or other fee increases.
The possibility, which makes the most sense to me, is to dedicate a high-capacity express bus lane to be used now. In the future, if warranted, install tracks in that dedicated lane for light rail. For now, the bus has the most flexibility for change and development of increased ridership without tearing up neighborhoods and part of downtown. Even with the increased cost of gas/diesel, it’s still a less expensive way to go for now.
Someone needs to tell Mayor Pollard that he doesn’t get to have all the little items on his “wish list”. Times are growing more difficult for people these days and the burden of a multi-billion dollar project, no matter how attractive or necessary needs to wait until we have more definitive answers from the CRC and the different contributing committees. Will the $750 million come through? What will the state contribute? Where will the balance come from? How much from Oregon? How about cost overruns? What will the tolls be? WHAT WILL IT COST ME?
Regards,
Stephanie Turlay
883-1361
Since people are comfortable sending these messages around with names, e-mail addresses and so forth in plain view, I am no longer going to hesitate to post them, as received, here at Clarkblog.org
Here's a clue for you wanna-be e-mail activists out there: "Blind Copy" is your friend...
More on this one later, so here is the rant...
----- Original Message -----
From: larner9598@comcast.net
To: Bob and Judy Whiting ; Margaret Tweet ; Jim Tabler ; Terry Sotta ; Paik W. Shin ; Ron and Joan Rasmussen ; Susie and Brad Mongrain ; Cindy and Steve Mitchell ; Dolores McRobert ; Jordan Larner ; Bob Koski ; Chris & Donna Forzano ; Micheline Doan ; Michael Cunneen ; Jason Cox ; Susie & Russ Buckert ; Stephen Bridges
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:07 PM
Subject: FW: Riley Research survey on Light Rail - Oregonia, June 18, 2008
-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From: "Fran Rutherford" <ivanrus@comcast.net>
To: "'Dennis Eschliman'" <den506@yahoo.com>, "David Lee Garner" <davidleegarner@yahoo.com>, "Anita Shaw" <mashaw21@comcast.net>, <edbennett@comcast.net>, <llhaskett@comcast.net>, <Lotinpaul@aol.com>, <larner9598@comcast.net>, <gtoliver@umich.edu>, "'JIM TYRRELL'" <jtnjt2000@yahoo.com>, <jgniemeyer@yahoo.com>
Subject: FW: Riley Research survey on Light Rail - Oregonia, June 18, 2008
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:52:17 +0000
F Y I
The following letter sent to Jeff Mize at The Columbian as he wrote a similar article on same subject.
In my opinion, 500 people surveyed in three counties (two in Oregon) is not a true representation. We probably will read/hear that everyone in Clark County and beyond wants light rail..
If you choose, please forward to others.
Fran
From: Stephanie [mailto:bsturlay@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 2:13 PM
To: Jeff Mize
Subject: Riley Research survey
Hi Jeff,
I’d like to make a few points about Mike Riley’s survey printed in The Columbian and The Oregonian today.
First, I spoke with Mr. Riley this morning about his survey. I asked him the following questions, with his answers below the questions:
1. Why did you conduct this survey?
“ I was doing other survey work and thought it would be interesting to ask about the new I-5 bridge and light rail into Vancouver.”
2. Why did you go to Washington, Multnomah and Clackamas counties for the survey?
“I was trying to get a feel of what the local people thought.”
3. Why would people living in Vancouver care about what people in Oregon thought when most of them wouldn’t even be involved in using the interstate or riding the light rail into Vancouver?
“You are the third person who has called me today and asked that”.
4. Who paid you to do this survey? Did anyone from the City of Vancouver, C-Tran or the CRC call you and ask to make it?
“No, I did it on my own.”
5. How many people in the city of Vancouver did you survey?
“You can get all the numbers on my website this afternoon.”
6. Don’t you know how many people were asked?
“You can get all the numbers on my website this afternoon!”
Mr. Riley sounded quite vexed that I had asked those questions. I told him that my husband and I had lived in Gig Harbor when the Tacoma Narrows Bridge replacement issue was pending. Pierce county did exactly what Mr. Riley did, with one exception. When it came time for those of us in the county to vote on whether we wanted the bridge, King County was allowed to vote on the issue! Imagine! They were 40-50 miles north of us, and they voted on an issue we would be taxed on and tolls assed for usage! Is this the same scenario? Sure sounds like it to me. I don’t give a particular damn what anyone in Washington, Multnomah or Clackamas Counties think. It’s the people here in Vancouver who will bear the financial burden if this project goes through as planned.
Riley’s survey has appeared in The Columbian and the Oregonian this morning. The percentages of people for and against do not match up in the statistics of both papers.
Why would such a poorly conducted survey demand such attention in both papers? This is called a scientific poll, supposedly neutral, conducted by and independent company. What is shows me is that this poll was unsolicited, if in fact that is the case, by a company who has gone in a far-flung direction, to obtain questionable results and then gone to the public with unverifiable facts. Not only that, but both papers have presented this survey to the public as being “gospel”.
The old adage, “Figures lie and liars figure” certainly seems to have some relevance here. The only way we will ever know how the people of Vancouver feel about this entire issue, I-5 Bridge and light rail is to put it to a vote of the people.
I have attended meeting after meeting, public hearings, the Forums and one thing is blatantly clear. No one knows the exact cost of the project and no one will tell the citizens how much this will cost them in the form of property tax, sales tax, license fees, or other fee increases.
The possibility, which makes the most sense to me, is to dedicate a high-capacity express bus lane to be used now. In the future, if warranted, install tracks in that dedicated lane for light rail. For now, the bus has the most flexibility for change and development of increased ridership without tearing up neighborhoods and part of downtown. Even with the increased cost of gas/diesel, it’s still a less expensive way to go for now.
Someone needs to tell Mayor Pollard that he doesn’t get to have all the little items on his “wish list”. Times are growing more difficult for people these days and the burden of a multi-billion dollar project, no matter how attractive or necessary needs to wait until we have more definitive answers from the CRC and the different contributing committees. Will the $750 million come through? What will the state contribute? Where will the balance come from? How much from Oregon? How about cost overruns? What will the tolls be? WHAT WILL IT COST ME?
Regards,
Stephanie Turlay
883-1361