November 24, Board Of County Commisoners hearing on the Sellwood bridge
at 41:45 is Portlander Jonathan Nicholas’ lecture.
He was among the invited testimony.
Take note of his finish when he tells the comissioners they have the support of people of Clackamas County.
Revenue from this new, County-only Vehicle Registration Fee (which comes on top of State vehicle registration fees you pay every other year) could be used to pay for the Commissioners’ $22 million donation they have pledged to the Sellwood Bridge project and for other special projects within the county and the cities (a full report can be found in the NW Connection, October 2010 issue.
—–Original Message—–
From: stevescare@aol.com
Sent: Tue, Nov 30, 2010 6:14 pm
Subject: Ask Jonathan? Should you pay for this bridge?
Regarding the Sellwood Bridge story below.
No one was more insulting in the hearing than Jonathan Nicholas. His condescending assertion that the new fee and county’s $22 million share of the bridge was best for the
people of Clackamas County was delivered with the kind of pompous speak that impressed no one.
From story below:
“In criticizing opponents of the fee, Jonathan Nicholas, vice president of ODS, said that not building the bridge would have a larger impact on job and income growth of local companies. “There are those, and they may be legion, who fail to grasp the importance of the task at hand, crippled by self-interest, they threaten those they most profess (to protect),” Nicholas said.”
The dispute is not over building or not building the bridge. Despite Nicholas’ and the Commission’s attempt to manipulate the debate.
So who was that Jonathan Nicholas from ODS? Just a concerned Clackamas County Business guy? Not hardly.
I immediately recognized Nicholas as the left wing Oregonian columnist/bike zealot who advocates converting the City of Portland into a Bike Mecca. In addition to his long time support and advocacy for things TriMet/Metro and the City of Portland. In fact Nicholas would prefer an even more extreme version of the Portland agenda.
He might as well have been Rex Burkholder, Earl Blumenauer or Sam Adams offering advise for Clackamas County.
It’s no wonder he showed up at the BCC hearing. He is the perfect guy to deliver the Portland agenda.
Just what Peterson and the board wanted and probably arranged.
And what a perfect demonstration of Peterson’s allegiance to and advocacy for that Portland agenda.
Google and you’ll find plenty of Jonathan Nicholas.
Here’s a quick sample.
“Jonathan Nicholas, Vice President of the ODS Companies and chair of the Metro Executive Council for Active Transportation, testifies in support of the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030”
Hey Jonathan, Keep Portland Weird.
But keep it in Portland.
I’m pretty sure the Commissioners will get that same message on Dec 9th.
Should you pay for this bridge?
Residents pack Clackamas County hearing room to protest a new $5 vehicle registration fee increase proposed to fund the 85-year-old Sellwood Bridge
By Raymond Rendleman
The Clackamas Review, Nov 30, 2010, Updated 33 minutes ago
In criticizing opponents of the fee, Jonathan Nicholas, vice president of ODS, said that not building the bridge would have a larger impact on job and income growth of local companies.
“There are those, and they may be legion, who fail to grasp the importance of the task at hand, crippled by self-interest, they threaten those they most profess (to protect),” Nicholas said.
County staff saw their $22 million pledge as fair, since Multnomah County residents started paying an extra $19 fee last year for their $127 million share of the bridge costs.
A toll is still in consideration as a long-term funding source, but the counties see a need to close the funding gap for construction costs in a short amount of time to receive matching funds from the federal government.
“It plays a vital role not only for commuters, but also for tourists, for businesses that are located in Clackamas County, so it’s a fundamentally important structure for the county,” said Cam Gilmour, county transportation director.
The structure has become so degraded that TriMet buses and heavy trucks are banned from traversing it, so engineers hope to begin construction by 2013.
When the state Legislature passed the Jobs and Transportation Act in 2009, it allowed the commission to enact a fee for county residents without a public vote, specifically for the construction of the bridge.
“It is not unreasonable at this point in the game, because nobody has the money for a big project like this, to pool resources together, especially when we are so dependent on this bridge,” said County Chair Lynn Peterson. “While it’s a good step forward, we’re going to have to look to the long-term to figure out how we’re going to pay for our public good.”
