Mr. Why: The Sellwood Bridge Shell Game

December 3, 2010

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Hey Victoria,
I attended the last meeting regarding the vehicle fee increase and…….arrogance, thy name is Lynn Peterson and the Clackamas County Commissioner. They treat the taxpayers of Clackamas County with such disrespect and disdain as if we are simply their personal ATM machine. A few months back they helped themselves to our personal property rights with the hare-brained tree ordinance scam. Property, by the way, that we paid for with our labor and with our mind. The taxpayers of Milwaukie voted down light rail….too bad. Their votes don’t count either. Lets face it, Victoria, the voters simply don’t fit in with Lynn Peterson and Clackamas County Commissioners vision of the world.
The big brains that run the City of Portland and Multnomah County want the taxpayers of Clackamas County to chip in and help pay for a bridge they say will cost $330 million. Let’s see…the tram was suppose to cost $15.5 million but cost $55 million. The new computer systems for the Bureau of Finance was suppose to cost $14 million but is costing $47 million and counting……or has it been scrapped? The Portland Water Bureau computer system cost $17 million plus $20 to $30 million in lost revenue and for which they finally….oops… ended up scrapping. Who knows how much highway money has been wasted on light rail. The commissioners are sufficiently inept at using a calculator that they should not be trusted to run a lemonade stand. The list of squandering taxpayers money is endless.
The shameful and cowardly commissioners scheduled this fee increase for after the elections so they could cram it down our throats now.
Disgusted in Clackamas County,
Winnie Savory

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. 
In fact after the hearing Commissioner Barnard acknowledged the bridge would get built without Clackamas County’s $22 million. 
A task that would be much easier if Metro’s $178 million in flex funds intended for Milwaukie Light Rail was re-allocated to the bridge. 
Instead Sam Adams intends on re-allocating $20 million from the Sellwood bridge to Milwaukie Light Rail. 
No wonder they want Clackamas County’s $22 million for the bridge. 
It’s a despicable shell game the voters will certainly brigh an.  
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