How many times of we heard the artificial cutoffs that they've used as a reason to strengthen their efforts to extort money from the taxpayers to get this project built?
The first the first of many times was last September when Washington state had the belly up to the bar with $450 million… Or else the project was dead. Clearly they were lying then and they are lying now.
Well it sure doesn't seem dead to me. At least in the eyes of our cousins to the south, where they've been attempting to resurrect this thing like it was part of the zombie drama.
They simply do not understand that without the concurrence of the Washington State Senate they will never build this project. They've done nothing to negotiate, it's always been their way or the highway, and they've lied repeatedly towards that end.
They've lied about the cost, they lied about the effects, they lied about the safety of the bridge, they lied about congestion relief, they lied about freight mobility; in fact, the list of things they haven't lied about is much shorter than the list of things they have.
What we all know here in Clark County is that the people have spoken. We do not want this project built.
It makes no sense to replace a bridge that works. Claims that it's unsafe are false, merely by the fact that they don't shut it down. And they don't shut it down because it's safe. It's a vicious circle for them. And at the end of the day the Oregon Supreme Court made it clear that the entirety of this project has been to justify bringing light rail into Clark County.… and not the result of any safety issues on the bridge.
So when the governor of Oregon tells us that "CRC will die without action by March," I'm not above questioning his veracity or his integrity.
Tens of millions of dollars already wasted… With little to nothing to show for it. Multiple votes by the people of Clark County who made it clear we do not want this project built. CRC proponents who don't give a damn about sucking $100 million a year for the next 45 years out of our local economy to finance this extortion. The no end to the lies, falsehoods, exaggerations, and attacks for those of us wise enough to oppose this project. And this fantasy?
Kitzhaber reiterated that the revised CRC is financially and legally possible based on recent reviews. But the project still needs key intergovernmental agreements — which don’t require legislative approval — between the two states to work. Kitzhaber said he wants “appropriate action” from Washington by March 15.Why they keep repeating the lie that this won't "require legislative approval?"
No agency "agreeing" to this extortion will survive the budget cuts that follow... or the lawsuits that happen as a result. Maybe it's time for the Senate budget to include that requirement in every budget in government?
It is unlikely… But not impossible… That the Oregon legislature will actually try and do something. But it won't make any difference if they do. The Washington State Senate is locked up. And they will not agree to this extortion.
2 comments:
Washington law does require legislative approval of bi-state and inter-agency agreements.
RCW 39.34.080
Contracts to perform governmental activities which each contracting agency is authorized to perform.
Any one or more public agencies may contract with any one or more other public agencies to perform any governmental service, activity, or undertaking which each public agency entering into the contract is authorized by law to perform: PROVIDED, That such contract shall be authorized by the governing body of each party to the contract. Such contract shall set forth fully the purposes, powers, rights, objectives, and responsibilities of the contracting parties.
Thank you for providing the particulars.
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