CRC back on City Council's Agenda for July 7th

[Chief]

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/councilmeetings.asp?menuid=10462&submenuID=10474&itemID=54862

4:45-6:00 p.m. Columbia River Crossing

Summary:

Transportation Services staff will review a draft resolution which recommends City of Vancouver support for a Locally Preferred Alternative for the Columbia River Crossing project. (Thayer Rorabaugh, Transportation Manager, 487-7701, and Matt Ransom, Transportation Planning Manager, 487-7707)



5. Columbia River Crossing Recommendation for a Locally Preferred Alternative in support of the CRC Project (Staff Report 110A-08 --- attached on grey paper.)

A RESOLUTION relating to selection of a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the Columbia River Crossing project (CRC), and authorizing action by the City of Vancouver’s delegates to the C-TRAN Board and Regional Transportation Council Board, guided by the principles herein, in support of a regional LPA.

Summary:

In order to move to the next phase of project development, the Columbia River Crossing Project, through each of the eight partner jurisdictions, must identify a Locally Preferred Alternative that identifies a River Crossing (either a replacement or a supplemental bridge), a high capacity transit mode (light rail or bus rapid transit), and an alignment terminus (Mill District, Clark College, Kiggins Bowl, or Lincoln Park and Ride).

Vancouver City Council will consider a resolution adopting a recommendation for a Locally Preferred Alternative to guide the next phase of development of the Columbia River Crossing Project.

On June 30, 2008, City Council conducted a public hearing on the Columbia River Crossing DEIS and staff’s recommendation for Vancouver’s Locally Preferred Alternative. The public hearing was closed.

Action Requested:

Adopt a resolution selecting Vancouver’s Locally Preferred Alternative for the Columbia River Crossing Project. (Thayer Rorabaugh, Manager, Transportation Services, 487-7701; Matt Ransom, Transportation Planning Manager, 487-7707)

[Chief]

----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Koski

To: Tim Leavitt ; Royce Pollard ; PatCampbell ; Pat Jollata ; Larry Smith ; Jeanne Stewart ; Jeanne Harris
Cc: Steve Stuart ; pridemore.craig@leg.wa.gov ; Pat McDonnell ; nbaker@PortVanUSA.com ; Lookingbill, Dean ; gtoliver@umich.edu ; Cogan, Danielle ; burkholderr@metro.dst.or.us ; Brian Wolfe ;

Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 7:42 AM

Subject: Comments on the Locally Preferred Alternative.


Dear City Council;

The following are my comments for City Council's consideration before they pass the Locally Preferred Alternative this evening; (and yes, I think that's a good prediction of what Council is going to do...)

1. To date, not one person or agency that is associated with the Columbia Crossing Project, has given anything other than lip service to the stark fact that Clark County commuters are paying thousands of dollars in personal income taxes to the State of Oregon, with absolutely no benefit. In addition, the three county Trimet taxing district in Oregon, (Multnomah, Clakamas, and Washington Counties) collect even more money from the employers of those people, in the form of deferred wages, to pay for existing transit. Without some way of getting credit for those taxes that are already being paid to Oregon, it is unfair to force Clark County's Oregon workers to pay even more money for the Columbia Crossing.

2. The tolling plan that was put forth in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement is not merely to pay for a new bridge. Those tolls are meant to be a permanent traffic control device, and a means to raise even more money for transit, if the Legislature votes to allow such a thing. To date there has been no effort to explain the tolling plan in depth, or get the voter's permission to set the tolls up.

3. Not one single local legislator, Republican or Democrat, has endorsed the DEIS, or promised to sponsor the necessary legislation in Olympia, or Washington DC. Without those laws, the entire Finance plan for the DEIS is not even legal.

4. Chapter 4 of the DEIS (Finance) is a fiscal disaster waiting to happen. Going into the process, Senator Patty Murray has already limited the Federal participation in the bridge to a maximum of $125 Million, and the Smart Starts money that the project office is counting on getting, will likely come in significantly short as well. Before the first shovelful of earth is moved, there appears to be an $800 Million Dollar shortfall in the funding of the project, and that is before we ever get to talking about Maintenance and Operations funds.

5. The DEIS Finance plan calls for Maintenance and Operations to be paid for with a sales tax in some form or another. The City of Vancouver is short of projected sales tax revenues now, and came up significantly short on last year's budget. In addition, not one tax measure has passed in Vancouver since the Library Bond 2 years ago. Voters have soundly defeated every tax increase since then, and are obviously in no mood to raise taxes or fees in order to pay for the Columbia Crossing.

6. With all of that in mind, I fully expect City Council to pass the LPA anyway, probably with a 5-2 vote. I believe it is irresponsible in the extreme for Council to approve anything with a foundation as shaky as this one is, and that is exactly what I expect the fiscally irresponsible members of City Council to do. At some point Council is going to have to face the fiscal reality that no matter how hard they wish for the Columbia Crossing Project to just happen, it will not without the willing assistance of the voters here in town, and that is the one thing you are lacking, and not likely to get anytime soon.

My preferred LPA is to drop these transit fantasies that are dragging the project down, and get about building a new bridge, which is what we are supposed to be doing in the first place.

Thanks for a moment.

With respect;

Bob Koski
www.clarkblog.org

[Waterbuffalo]

What wonderful approach and tone, though I know the kiln is turning in the gut.

Just so be aware that CVTV does provide for every one who might be traveling a wonderful online version if they need to download it at cvtv.org

[Waterbuffalo]

Columbia River Crossing LPA (council meeting.)

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/cvtv/cvtvarchive2/Vancouver_City_Council/2008_Events/July_2008/07-07-08/4_Columbia_River_Crossing_Recommendation.wmv

City Workshop on Columbia River Crossing (07-07-08)

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/cvtv/cvtvarchive2/City_Council_Workshops/2008_Events/July_2008/07-07-08/2_Columbia_River_Crossing.wmv