Clackamas County anti rail/local control activists have scored some big wins lately. They’ve successfully stopped a car tax that was going to be used to backfill funding for the county’s portion of Milwaukie Light Rail. Another group of activists in Lake Oswego have successfully stifled efforts to build a hyper expensive street car between favored developer Homer Williams’ condo projects. Cities are seeking to be removed from Tri Met’s sphere of influence–and taxing authority. 
(Hear my commentary on this from yesterday’s program here at about the 11:00 mark)

CLACKAMAS COUNTY REBELLION SUCCESSES

• STOPPED CAR TAX
• STOPPED STREET CAR
• CITIES DROPPING OUT OF TRI MET
• FIGHTING URBAN RENEWAL PLUNDERING

Signatures are soon to be gathered (if a Clackamas County judge can find the paper work to release people to gather signatures) to halt the use of urban renewal to back fill funding for rail projects. A poll in the past year and a half in Clackamas (skewed toward Democrats, no less) finds taxpayers don’t want the car tax, Milwaukie light rail and don’t want to have to pay for Multnomah County’s Sellwood Bridge repairs.

But Clackamas County Commissioners don’t care what you think.

There’s a funny thing about politicians. They think you’re a genius when take your #2 Ticonderoga and fill in the bubble next to their name, but you miraculously lose IQ points the moment they take their oath of office.

If I were to ask you what it would take for an elected official to sell out his/her own people what do you think it would take? A trip to the Bahamas? Money in your piggy bank?  A secret Swiss bank account, that, unlike Mitt Romney, you wouldn’t have to pay taxes on?
In this case all it takes is the promise of a choo choo train and a kiss from the rail gods. It seems ignobility can be purchased on the cheap in Clackamas County.

Now Clackamas County and local cities officials are now plotting–yes, plotting–to go around the people. They’re planning a gas tax increase, car tax and a “utility fee” to, in the gullible words of the newspaper of record, “maintain a road system that officials estimate is only halfway funded.” Pardon me while I laugh at this clumsy attempt at a ruse.

They’re doing this by issuing another opinion poll. And in the ignoble words of Commission Chair, Charlotte Lehan, “Certainly, if the survey came back with one of these options clearly favored with broad support, we’d probably move forward more quickly.

Lehan won’t take the hint from an actual ELECTION by the people who have already voted. That would be hard. She could save the County the $24K it would take to do a survey and use the free one that’s already been taken.  But then she can’t control it. Think I’m being cynical? Why won’t the County reveal the questions, methodology of their proposed survey? Public records requests by reporters have been denied.  I know why. Because we’ve seen this charade before. Have a look at this post if you doubt me.

Circling the wagons doesn’t even begin to describe what these supposed “representatives of the people” are doing.

Oregon City officials are now restructuring their urban renewal board to replace “the people.” That’s right. Here’s the money ‘graf:

The 10-member panel is composed of the city’s five elected commissioners and five people representing neighborhoods and business interests…
Oregon City commissioners are increasingly frustrated with the urban renewal board’s performance, citing concerns about political bickering, a lack of expertise and the unwieldy commission’s tendency to fritter away its limited time. …
“It should be a much smaller group,” said City Commissioner Kathy Roth, who took office a year ago. Roth said she wants urban renewal decisions made by elected officials, who would be assisted by a three-person advisory committee with urban renewal expertise.
“So much of our problem comes from the lack of education” about urban renewal, Roth said.

It doesn’t sound like Kathy Roth likes “the people” very much.
It doesn’t sound like Clackamas County Commissioners like “the people” very much.

The feeling is mutual.