Your Daily Patella for Wednesday, Part Duex...

[Chief]

See if you can sort this out....

http://www.westerndredging.org/cgi-bin/mail.cgi/list/Local/


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Date: July 26th, 2007


Sorry to be sending all these emails but unfortunately we do have have the financial resources that the port has to flood our landscape and mailboxes with information on the Outrageous 132% Port Property tax levy.

Below are a couple of emails that provide information on how the tax levy and the Gateway development are intertwined.

Larry Patella


-----Original Message-----
From: DM Bertish [mailto:dmb88@iinet.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 8:27 AM
To: Larry Patella; Lisa Ghormley
Subject: SEPA Determination and Checklist for Schedule 1 Rail - Port of
Vancouver, USA (2nd attempt)


FYI -- Please see my response today to Bob Koski re: Port.

Dvija Michael Bertish

../////////////////////////////

Bob,

Whereas I find your rebuffs amusing, I take exception to some generalized
statements you make in the port debate.

Today you state: The IDD Levy has absolutely NOTHING to do with the
Columbia Gateway Project!!

The IDD levy is specifically to help build the railroad for the Gateway
Project for added access to new port facilities. The Gateway Project is
referenced thoroughly in checklist documents prepared by the port relative
to this railroad and the port's stated need to purchase property for said
railroad. Your generalized statement is in error. Please see the attached
document prepared by the port.

Dvija

/////////////////


----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Ness" <amness@Portvanusa.com>;
To: "Dvija Michael Bertish" <dmb88@iinet.com>;
Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2007 2:40 PM
Subject: SEPA Determination and Checklist for Schedule 1 Rail - Port of
Vancouver, USA (2nd attempt)


***********************
The Port of Vancouver e-mail has been scanned by TrendMicro InterScan
VirusWall.
***********-***********


Dear Dvija Michael Bertish,

Our previous two email addresses for you both came back as incorrect. I
apologize for any inconvenience, but we had intended for you to receive this
email yesterday.

Attached are the Port of Vancouver's Notice of Mitigated Determination of
Nonsignificance and environmental checklist for CP0126, West Vancouver
Freight Access, Schedule 1 Rail. Supporting documents for the checklist can
be found on the Port of Vancouver website at
www.portvanusa.com/property/SEPA.htm or at the Port administrative offices
at
3103 NW Lower River Road.

Comments are due by 5 p.m., Wednesday, July 25, 2007.

For additional information about this project, please contact the
responsible
official:

Jessi Belston
Environmental Specialist
Port of Vancouver
360-992-1138
jbelston@portvanusa.com


-----Original Message-----
From: mlauch@stimson.com [mailto:mlauch@stimson.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 8:41 AM
To: bkoski@worldaccessnet.com; lmpatella@comcast.net
Subject: RE: Your Daily Patella...more non-factual nonsense from the Master Himself...

Taken from your response to Larry -
The IDD Levy has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Columbia Gateway Project!!

You might want to tell the columbian this same message –

Port lands giant vehicle distribution center

Tuesday, July 24, 2007
By JONATHAN NELSON, columbian Staff Writer

“The two major announcements come weeks before the public will vote on a tax increase the port says is critical to develop Columbia Gateway and keeping both deals alive.”

[Chief]

And of course there is always the other side of the story...

----- Original Message -----
From: <dmb88@iinet.com>
To: "Bob Koski" <bkoski@worldaccessnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 11:31 AM
Subject: Re: Big road bill for Boise site project


> Bob,
>
> I don't find this conversation to be constructive. I've given you various
> sources, not just Mosier. You are welcomed to your opinion. Obviously, I
> disagree. The voters will decide. Best of luck on this one!
>
> Dvija
>
>
>> Sorry I'm just getting back to you on this, but asyou can probably guess,
>> it's been a busy e-mail morning.
>>
>> The problem I have with former Commissioner Bob Mosier's opinon on the
>> IDDL, is the word "former".
>>
>> If Mosier is so qualifed to pass judgement on this, why is he not still on
>> the Commission??
>>
>> If he, or his lovely wife, are so dedicated to righting all of the wrongs
>> at the Port of Vancouver, why did neither of them file to run against Arch
>> Miller??
>>
>> My sources are actually at the Port, and I trust them over someone who
>> claims to not have understood the CRANE agreement, before he voted to
>> approve it...
>>
>> Bob Koski
>> www.clarkblog.org
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: DM Bertish
>> To: Bob Koski
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2007 7:44 PM
>> Subject: Re: Big road bill for Boise site project
>>
>>
>> Bob,
>>
>> For more info on how the public is not aware of the rising costs of
>> proposed port projects, contact former Port Commissioner Bob Mosier --
>> 695-8286.
>>
>> There was a Port Advisory Meeting a few weeks ago where the Port
>> discussed the escalating costs of railroad expansion has now bloomed to
>> at least $60 million. The feds will only fund a portion of this cost.
>> The purchase price of the property alone is $40 million. We have yet to
>> see costs for building the floating docks in the Columbia River, the
>> sand that will have to be trucked into area 4, and the actual cleanup
>> cost of the contaminated site. Remember there is now a PCB health
>> advisory for that site, some of the highest numbers in the state. It is
>> doubtful that the polluters will really take care of the whole cleanup
>> cost.
>>
>> So with these sketched numbers, it is obviously well past the $75
>> million the port is quoting at present. There are other figures that
>> bring the current projected cost to at least $150 million, but even that
>> figure is changing as the costs are climbing, similarly to what is
>> happening with Boise Cascade. This is really a giant house of cards,
>> and the public is going to get rooked if we are not careful.
>>
>> Dvija
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Bob Koski
>> To: Dvija M. Bertish
>> Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2007 7:27 AM
>> Subject: Re: Big road bill for Boise site project
>>
>>
>> Really? I had not heard that...what's the source?
>>
>>
>> On 7/21/2007 7:14:28 AM, DM Bertish (dmb88@iinet.com) wrote:
>> > Were you aware that the
>> > port's cost for the Alcoa/Evergreen/Railroad project is really $150
>> million. Where are they going to come up with the other half that is
>> not covered by teh levy? Its a common theme.
>> >
>> > Dvija
>> >

[Chief]

And this...

----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Koski
To: Dvija M. Bertish
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 8:51 AM
Subject: Re: SEPA Determination and Checklist for Schedule 1 Rail - Port of Vancouver, USA (2nd attempt)


I deal with the facts too, and have done so repeatedly on Patella's editorials. I would invite you to come to Clarkblog and read what else he has had to say lately, and my responses to them.

Again, the IDD Levy will enable the Development of the Columbia Gateway, but that is not what Patella said this morning.

B


On 7/25/2007 8:39:20 AM, DM Bertish (dmb88@iinet.com) wrote:
> I am interested only in presenting the facts. I hope that you would read
> the
> document I sent you that was prepared by the port.
>
> Dvija
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bob Koski" <bkoski@worldaccessnet.com>
> To: "DM Bertish" <dmb88@iinet.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 8:30 AM
> Subject: Re: SEPA Determination and Checklist for Schedule 1 Rail - Port
> of
> Vancouver, USA (2nd attempt)
>
>
> >I will revise my remarks to say that the IDD Levy has nothing to do with
>
> >the purchase of the Columbia Gateway; otherwise I stand behind my
> >statements.
> >
> > I wish that you could find a way to apply your standards to Commander
> >
> Patella's ravings as well. I assure you i did not write this to be
> > amusing.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "DM Bertish" <dmb88@iinet.com>
> > To: "Bob Koski" <bkoski@worldaccessnet.com>
> > Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 8:22 AM
> > Subject: SEPA Determination and Checklist for Schedule 1 Rail - Port of
> > Vancouver, USA (2nd attempt)
> >
> >
> >> Bob,
>

[Chief]

At the risk of sounding overly crude, I would offer you boys some sound advice, that I first heard from my Paternal Grand Pappy, the Judge:

"Never enter a pissing contest without a full bladder"

[loislives]

I read and enjoy the posts on Clarkblog and don't offer a comment, because frankly, I'm in agreement with most of what is put up on this site. HOWEVER.....

Who in the heck is Larry Patella and what personal axe does he have to grind with the Port of Vancouver?!?! His "I-hate-the-port" rants are humorous because they're so absurd. Chief manages to counter Mr. Patella's claims, point for point, with (gasp!) actual facts. This doesn't deter Mr. Patella from sending out badly written, uninformed opinion and trying to pass it off as the gospel. I could leave this as simply amusing, except that there are apparently other people who share his view.

There is one claim in particular that Mr. Patella continually refers to, which, although technically correct, is inaccurate in that it is misleading. He keeps referring to the 132% increase in the port tax and that we'll all be taxed out of our homes if this levy passes. Well, not exactly.

The port tax per $1000 of property value is currently 33 cents. If passed, the 6 year increase will make that tax 78 cents. That means, if you live in a home valued by the assessor's office at $250,000.00, your share of the port tax will go from $82.50 annually to $195.00 annually. You will pay an additional $112.50 per year (for 6 years ONLY) to enable the Port of Vancouver to develop their proposed projects and take on new tenants that will create jobs. Those jobs, in turn, create revenue for the community via homes purchased and goods and services used by workers and their families.

Assuming that Mr. Patella lives in a $250,000 home, if $9.38 a month is going to put him out of his home, I'd be happy to float him the cash by forgoing 2 grande lattes monthly.

Yes, technically there will be a 132% increase in the port tax, albeit temporary. No, it will not cause folks to lose their homes. This is one tax proposal that has the potential to do some good. I'm for it.

And I simply cannot believe that ANYONE takes Larry Patella seriously.