Port Officials schedule a series of Public Forums to defend tax hike

[Chief]

The Port of Vancouver has set a schedule of three Public Forums, each hosted by one of thre District Port Commissioners, to discuss and defend their recent decision to implement a hike in property taxes to finance the purchase of the Alcoa aluminum smelter site.

District One

Hosted by Commissioner Brian Wolfe

Scheduled for Wednesday, March 14, 2007 from 5:30 to 7:00 P.M., at Cascade Middle School, 13900 N.E. 18th Avenue.


District Two

Hosted by Commissioner Nancy Baker

Scheduled for Tuesday, March 20, 2007 from 5:30 to 7:00 P.M., at Clark College, PSU/Gaiser Hall, 1933 Fort Vancouver Way



District Three

Hosted by Commissioner Arch Miller

Scheduled for Tuesday March 13, 2007 from 5:30 to 7:00 P.M., at Fort Vancouver High School, 5700 E 18th At.



As you can see, District Three will be the first Forum, a week from tomorrow at Fort Vancouver High School with District One's presentation the next day.. You can be assured that I will attend all three meetings to get an overall feel for the will of the community.

The Columbian has a District Map that I'll try and get up when it becomes available.

I hope that the folks who are pushing the Petition, and those signig it as well, will take this opportunity to go find out what the real deal is about this tax increase. I believe that you might be surprized to find out just what a good deal this is for us, the owners of the Port.

Developing....

Chief

[Chief]

And in an effort to be fair and balanced, not everyone thinks that these Public Forums by the Port are a good thing.

received via e-mail...

From: "Local Mailing List" <lmpatella@comcast.net>
To: Distribution
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 9:12 AM
Subject: The Right to Vote


> (Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions,
> is located at the end of this message.)
> __
>
> An open letter to the "Port Officials" (Pass it on)
>
> Well there they go again. The so-called "Port Officials" will attempt to use three Public Forums to defend their "Outrageous" actions that will double the amount of property taxes they "pick from our pockets" WITHOUT A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE..

> Can you believe Arch Miller stating that he agrees with those who don't like the tax hike, but the state law gives the Port no other options? As I read the legislation, I was unable to find anything that prohibited the Port from asking the people for their thoughts before the decision are made. Nor did I see anything that would prohibit them from putting the issue on the ballot.

> Lets hope that during their propaganda presentations, they not only allow the people to vent, but they explain why they felt it necessary to "pull the proverbial rug out from under potential private industry buyers of the Alcoa Property. And explain why the taxpayers are going to have to pay for the environmental cleanup that is sure to be necessary on an old aluminum smelter.

> When will these Empire Building Tax & Spend Public Officials learn that they would get more support from the voters if they let the public in on the ground floor and told them the truth? Taxes are ridiculously obscene and we not only want to vote on new taxes, we want to know where, how, why and when. After all, it is our money they are spending.
>
> If you have not yet signed the petition to put the issue before the voters, Please do so as soon as possible. Call if you need information.
>
>
> L. M. Patella
> CDR USN (ret)
> 2714 NE 42nd Circle
> Vancouver, WA 98663
> 360 750 1186
>
>

[karma]

At least they are now trying to play by the books but the Forums should of been first before the vote of the Port. It appears they are not keeping the public informed and starting to do business behind those closed doors we hear so much about??? ???

[Chief]

Sorry, but I have to disagree.

The way I see it, the Port did exactly what the law required them to do. There cannot be a Petition, until the Port passed a resolution calling for a tax increase. The system is working exactly the way it is supposed to.

And let's not forget that everyone who lives inside of the Taxing Districts own the Port. That's right, we own it.

[karma]

((((((Chief))))))) The forums should of been before the Port decided to go public on the raise that they voted on if they were truly working for the 'Public?' :o

[Chief]

I'm not going to try and defend the speed with which they chose to do this. Port Director Paulson proffered an explanation of why this went down the way it did in his Op-Ed piece 2 weeks ago in the Columbian. Here's my link to it.

http://clarkblog.org/index.php/topic,707.0.html

Yes, it would have been nice to have had a long protracted debate before hand, and we would still be left with doing exactly what we are doing right now. The Port's Charter is very clear on the provisions of what they are doing right now, and to date they appear to be compying with the requirements exactly.

Now I also understand that there are people here in Vancouver who have personal agendas with the Port of Vancouver, and the Port Commissioners, Present, Past, living and probably a few who are dead; and there is absolutely nothing that the Port can do that will ever please some of them.

There are others here in town who seem to get a kick out ouf thundering as loudly as possible about any tax issue, and I believe they are mistaken as well.

In my opinion, there are some taxes that are worth supporting. This is one of them. This tax truly represents a significant investment in our Port. The people who live in the three taxing districts, and who have been paying taxes to the Port for decades,physically own the Port of Vancouver. We hire the Commissioners (through elections where we vote for them in our Districts) to run our Port for us, and make the big decisions that such a facility requires.

I think all of the racket about the tax is missing a number of very importatnt points, and I believe that these Forums with the Commissioners will be an excellent medium to clear up a number of serious mis-conceptions people have about their Por of Vancouver. I expect turnout to be quite high, and I hope a lot of questions get asked and answered.

I'll be there, at all three!

;D

[karma]

>:( 'Another Clark County ''Done Deal''!' Sorry Chief but let me use Port Director Paulson's own words, "we would still be left with doing exactly what we are doing right now." Who said this was 'our/"Public" ' owned Port when we have Politicians that disregard the pollitical system and not have 'Public' forums before they vote? ??? It's like telling the 'Public' we know what is best so open your wallets as you still are going to pay out of the nose and enjoy it!! Who is going to get rich off this??? Who's buddies??? This makes a mockery of the public process and here in Clark County a way they opperate of putting the donkey behind the cart. Sorry Chief but these back door policy makers give Gov. a bad name. It's not 'Our/Public' Port in my book!

[Chief]

http://www.portvanusa.com/property/pdfs/4-page_freightpiece_rev4-12-06.pdf

Check out some numbers, and let's chat about it. That's a 2-page spreadsheet from the Port.

[karma]

If the Port is proposing to bring the traffic through Felida, they are going to kill us out here and put the trucking folks in great harm. There are many hazzards in the area proposed. Yea right NW 26th, isn't that an error on the Port's part?? This has been in the works for many moons and already in the Rand McNally map because an over zellous engineer from the County put it there. I just love to say I told you so. The folks in Felida are going to be selling their home cheap when that road hits here. Let alone kill the area parks and the great Felida Parade when they shut down Highway 501 for that. More to the story but I need a shower as I played in the dirt to long! Come on Port!! :o

Looking closer at the map, they are crazier than we thought!! Look at the roadways they propose and what hillside they are going to cut into so they don't bother the Fruit Valley Neighborhood, yea right. They are going to cut into their historic neighborhood or is that the deal with the FVN?
Why aren't they taking the truck traffic on that Mill Pain Ext that costed a pretty penny or what is it what some of us told they from the beginning?

I think we should run LightRail thru the Port of Vancouver!!

[karma]

Lasstly, why are the forums being heald in the downtown districts #1 & 3 and not out in the county's District #2 area?

[Chief]

You would have to take that one up with the Port. Might have something to do with availability...

[Chief]

I think it would be a fair set of questions to ask at these hearings, about what the Port proposes to do to help allieviate the Truck traffic trough downtown. Executive Director Larry paulson sits on the CRC Task Force, so they do have input.

It seems to me that the last thing we need to spend billions on is Loot Rail, instead we need to focus on the Freight Mobility problems that the CRC Task Force was created to address in the first place.

[karma]

Gosh Chief, I thought that the Mill 'PAIN' was to help get the traffic out of the Port and keep the truck traffic off 4th 'PAIN' and out of the neighborhoods there and Fruit Valley ? ??? It was a big expense for such a small link in the transportation cog, but now they don't want this traffic into the City?? ??? Go figure?? Some of us warned them that they were killing the options to downtown but did they listen?? ??? ::) Then there is the fact that the truck traffic started to avoid this route and take 78th Street but some of these truckers (dumber ones) relied on their Rand McNally Atlas and started to head out through Felida. We currently see trucks out here trying to find their way back when they see the hills they have to go up and down. I can't wait for the Salmon Creek bridge to go!! But again who down there is listening and again we are seeing neighborhoods being forced to deal with traffic when those in charge of transportation have no clues to what they are doing!!

No, it's just easier for some folks to just say they want all this in the City but what is there to do in the City that rolls up the sidewalks at 5PM?? The Port isn't supporting or getting the information out to their Districts outside of the City of Vancouver! I'm disappointed in the ellected official for my District, she isn't doing her job!

[Chief]

Right on! I hope you'll muster up your friends and neighbors to get out there to the Public Forum, and give her hell. Again, the Port belongs to the people who live in the Taxing Districts, and the Commissioners are accountable to those who elected them.

This is our chance to hold them accountable.

;D

[karma]

Well I have sent off a message asking why. One can only do what one can do, right?

[sensibilist]

Karma,

Have email addresses for the port commissioners? Or any for the port in general?

I think they're in for tough times at these meetings. :P

[karma]

Thanks Ed, I just shouted at the email address found at the Port's WWW. I really don't want to put on those old shoes but ya know I have to have something to do now that I retired again. ;)

[karma]

Well folks here is the reply to my request:

We received your comment regarding the location of the Commissioner ForumMeetings. When scheduling these meetings we contacted a variety of schoolsand company conference rooms in District #2. The availability of both theCommissioner and the venue happened to work best with Clark College thistime. Clark College graciously waived the room rental fee that most places normallycharge and most people know where Clark College is located. An attractivefeature about having the meeting at Clark College is parking and theconvenience of the bus line for those people who do not drive. However, thePort is regularly out in the community, including downtown Vancouver. Forexample, the Port will be in the Hough Neighborhood Asscoiation the sameevening as Nancy Baker's Commissioner Forum meeting, from 7 - 9 p.m. at HoughElementary School. The Commissioners and the Port of Vancouver want to get information out tothe community and using a variety of venues is our goal. We are sensitive tothe importance of spreading out these meetings and to the needs of our Portcommunity. Thank you for your suggestions.
Sincerely,
Katy Brooks
Community Relations Manager

So I replied:

I don't buy it that there wasn't a single school out in the County District #2 area that wasn't available, as there are so many to select from with plenty of parking to boot! It would appear that these meetings are geared for the City of Vancouver residents and not for the urban area that also supports the Port? It would be nice to add another forum for us out in the Urban area?

Then this reply came back:

There are three meetings, including one on 3-13 at Fort Vancouver High School, 5700 E 18th Street, one on 3-14 at Cascade Middle School, 13900 NE 18that Cascade Middle School. They both occur from 5:30 - 7:30. We are also open to attending neighborhood association meetings and have recently been to Arnada, Carter Park, and as I mentioned earlier, Hough. I believe we will be in Lincoln and Rose City within the next month. Will any of these work for you?


My reply is:

Again I will say this, those are all City of Vancouver neighborhoods and nothing in the urban growth area!



Are you beginning to feel snubbed out here in the Urban area?? When are they going to come out here and educate us?

[sensibilist]

So, no email addresses for our elected port commissioners or officials, eh Karma? Well, perhaps a FOI request is in order?

That fact alone, the inability to have a direct conversation with elected officials, our employees after all, would indicate to any sensible person that they don't want to be open, honest, and forthright with the electorate and citizens and further demonstrates the personal inability of our local officials and government to honestly advance issues such as this in a manner consistent with the democratic process i.e. open and honest debate, discussion and voting.

Do these elected officials hate those "pesky" voters seeking accountability and fiscal responsibility or what?

Yes, hate is the word.

[Chief]

Have you tried direct e-mailing any one of the Clark County Commissioners lately?? I have yet to ever get an answer from any of them, about anything, ever.

[karma]

;D I did get one of those cute 'Port' Postal cards telling me of their "City" meetings!! Again where is the Urban meetings being held? ::) Do you still feel like we out there are being snubbed? Boy if I ran my business like the Port does I would loose business for sure!

[Chief]

District Three

Hosted by Commissioner Arch Miller

Scheduled for Tuesday March 13, 2007 from 5:30 to 7:00 P.M., at Fort Vancouver High School, 5700 E 18th At.

Today is the Day. We shall see what the Community thinks about this Tax this evening. Should have a huge turnout, it this is really as bad as some would have us believe.

I will be there!

Stout Hearts!

Chief

[karma]

:o :o Just loved Port Commission President Arch Miller wording in today's Columbian, "there are 700,000 registered voters in his district, yet only 51 people cam to the meeting he hosted at Fort Vancouver High School. And of those, he figured only half opposed the special tax increase." Well duh Archy, what is the Port afraid of then if this goes to the 'Vote?' I would think they would be out there helping to put this on the ballot instead of hiding behind closed doors? Let the Voters decide!! Is that to much to asked since this is 'Our' Port?? Don't the Port Commissioners work for the 'Public' interest??

[sensibilist]

“I was hoping to have more people,” Miller said.

What a POS liar Here's a guy who was funded by tax free dollars and received over $400,000 U.S. dollars in free rent from the City of Vancouver taxpayers, yet when asked to open his books, refused to do so.

Are these the actions of an open honest, individual? I think not.

They stage these meetings that are no more open than a clam. I still can't reach any of these people directly. Perhaps I I'll just have to use their private email addresses?

Once again....

Liar, liar, pants on fire!

[Chief]

Calling a duly elected Port Commissioner a liar is srong stuff Ed. I was there last night, and I talked to Commissioner Miller, and listened carefully to what he had to say. I did not detect a single instance of him lying to me, or to anyone else.

I strongly suggest that if you have proof positive that Arch Miller, or anyone else affiliated with the Port of Vancouver, lied to the Public about anything, at any time, that you produce it right here for everyone to see. We cannot have liars in elected offices, so please show me your proof.

Better yet, Commissioner Brian Wolfe will be at Cascade Middle School tonite, no doubt along with the rest of the Senior Staff from the Port. Why not show up and present your proof to them there, live and in person??

To do any less only proves a specious statement made to garner attention. Nothing more.

[karma]

Hey Ed, are you referring to that cooking school in the beautifully redone Officers' Row? I'm confused but I'm sure you will set this straight.

Chief, there are many times we have caught these so call folks in "Power' in their lies. As soon as it's brougth to light, we find things disappear and no record of these doings. My favorite is a certain Developer whom partners with an X-commissioner, who for years returned to developers money for parks; meeti behind the backs of a said neighborhood to move forward on a said part that they promises that the neighborhood would maintain. Well long story short, no they didnt maintain the said park and went to the voters for funding. Voter were screwed by ballots returned to it could be passed, Developer thanked the said commissioner of this district for cutting the red tape in the soccer league website that has disappeared. But again this same Developer and X-Commissioner whom passed all this Developers request after many years of not allowing developement in this area due to many issues became this Developer partner. Same X-Commissioner whos wife ran the County's 911 center under a different name. Gosh Chief, there are plenty of thing that can raise an eye brow or two here!! I hope you get my drift on some of this County's messes?

[Chief]

Look, I understand that people have long memories for grievances real and percieved. I am trying to focus narrowly on this tax, in this thread. It is quite possibly going to be on the ballot, and I am trying to provide exactly what you say is missing: a record of what went on.

And if anyone has proof that the Commissioners are "lying" about this tax in any way, briing on the proof. Here is the place to do it, let's see what you have.

[sensibilist]

I didn't say he was lying about this proposed tax yet. I said he was lying about a supposed desire to have more people attend. Not to mention other things.

Yes Karma, the "cooking school"

The majority of folks apparently don't get it or know how to fight it. Like a herd of sheep in a pen with an open gate....and still fear leaving the pen.

Sorry about your luck everyone. I'm outta here.