When money talks..

Our local newspaper has decided that they need through their Op-Ed section (see: http://tinyurl.com/br7g2zv ) to discuss the various subjects that are going around round and round the local blogosphere.

This weeks subject is  about the C-tran's board idea to layoff putting to a full voter vote in Clark County, Washington the option of bringing light rail across the columbia river (src: Columbia River Crossing Project  on a new bridge. For some twenty years, the people of our county have voted to not allow this train from various reasons like crime, underutilization of the trains, expense to build and maintain, etc,etc.

What the Opinion page editor was trying to show through a similar story vain that the Editor-at-large, his supposedly co-equal through a story of a phone conversation with the character Hub from Amboy (very rural, northern town northwest of Batltle Ground?) and how his ability to have to say in the local transit orientation in the southern major city was null and void because he would not have to pay the taxes on it.

He suggests that every single town, region, state and federal area has a human made sovereign jurisdiction and boundary lines. And that if you don't like how this works, you simply do not have to shop or give economic sustenance to it by choice. That he could go further south into another state and still conduct his business and the local area would lose out on the state tax benefits.

What he does not seem to understand is that people from throughout this region will be crossing that bridge every single day. And with our economy as bad as it is and possibly, why are we not facing reality that we need other options to cross the river, EXCEPT the most outmoded transit options that that do not offer the freedom to work at night (transit to and from do not work after 10pm unless you live in specially served areas and may not so in the future, do to budgetary concerns.)

My problem with light rail is not politicization of it, is that the technology does not fit our region well. We are a technically diverse and economically challenge. We simply do not fit in the same way other large community region of 2 million. This region is spread out, land locked by a mountain range and different state regulations?

If we were bigger, say Seattle's size at six or so million, then we might have a serious economic ability to spread the costs of a transit system across a wider base. And a really good case to be to MOVE more people in a singular fashion from a point-to-point system that light rail is. It is a great system if you are moving 1,000s of people short distances. (less than 10 miles.) And the general cost is significantly higher than running a general bus - spoke system where people are exchanged from lower feeding runs into fuller buses. A very similar system is the airline industry from the 1970s or so..

I'm all for a vote on this system for both the financing AND the politics of it for Clark County. Let the people speak? Instead of continuing to play each of the local communities against each other (think divide & conquer political will.) and shrink political borders to make sure and achieve a political outcome in your favor after many years of voters saying how they felt about a subject cogent to their interests. Then to also have state laws enacted in your favor to get your objective through?

If that is not political gerrymandering, what is? Or special interest attention, please do tell me how this is different?

How do I feel about people suing the state to keep the cuts from going effect

source: ( http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016807200_lawsuits20m.html )

The governor describes how she is dealing with the budgetary problems that are being blocked by lawsuits. 

Some might understand why I have such heart burn. I used to be on several subsistence programs because I was medically disabled at one time. But with the economy is as it was, I understand that we need to make some changes in Olympia. I want people to understand that suing the state just because life isn't fair isn't right. 

We have a multi-billion dollar revenue and growing deficit. And to sue to block one program from going under is just plain wrong. We have to make cuts and it may come to the effect that there might be future state constitutional amendments for a forced rainy day amendment that the state legislature can't mess with and would help greatly. But with a twenty percent in Clark County and in some places ten to fifteen around the state, the middle class is the one who is probably and generally going to be paying MOST of the taxes in the state. 

The businesses or llc's can be getting special tax breaks, liens and other ideas to lower their effective B&O, property, electricity - utility to keep them here in Washington State.

And I simply do not believe that an income tax or some thing like a B&O (which should be termed a business grose income tax...) will not pass here.Its simply just not severe enough for our population will go for it. 

So now I do believe we need to come to some realization here. Either one, we have to cut a lot more and get our people to drop their expectations down that everyone is going to get everything they want OR somehow the governor can kick the can down the road to the next governor elects that are campaigning now for the office. She sould just patch up what she can and pass the problem on like a LOT of the United State presidents do. 

Left Hand turners, watch out for me!

Is it that I seem to continually meet up with stupid people when I have the white light at 39th and Columbia trying to cross  and the left turning drivers think that green light is ok for them almost to plow into me? Its a frequent problem in Vancouver that I get it all over. I have the crossing light and people are so impatient, when they see the green, they hit the gas and go to the left almost plowing into me. 

I know the city have very FEW options and a budget cutting that leaves only a few active patrol officers that can are still in the traffic unit. Very soon, there might not be ANY traffic officers in our police department to nail these types of drivers. 

Any one else almost get killed on a routine basis like this?

What does a good legislator look like?

Ok, I'm asking myself this early morning: What is an effective and good politician? What do I think they look like and how I can mold that into a post here? 

Would love people to write their own version and exchange those definitions with other people locally... :)

(And remember folks, your definition is not going to be like mine or someone elses. So please create your own verson!)

Just a small note. (thanksgiving?)

For those who got loaded on a diet that gave you a turkey coma, I bet it allowed you to relax in the bounty of plenty!

Always remember folks, give thanks to the pleasures of life that you were given and remind yourself that there will always be a positive positive ability!

So pat yourself on the back and I wish you all a happy thanksgiving!

Those steamin' HOT coffees!

One of our consumate bloggers from Clark County is just steaming over the third congressional district federal legislator whom feels that to get the real scoop on what is happening locally, she needs to hold more intimate settings via coffee shop groups of less than one hundred and some times as few as thirty in various locations in her district. 

She cotinues to say through her publicist and former campaign workers, that she does not want to deal with the influential stereotypes and special interests from within and from outside her district that want time, attention and possibly legislation out of her. 

One of the examples she has used was a Clark County Washington event where several people got angry and screamed at her. (Though that could have been an event with the 49th legislative district? event where Sharon Wylie was new?) she's wanting more intimate events.

I can tell her that an effective way to get to know her constituents is to go out and meet them face-to-face through invitations throughout her district. And bring reporters along, that way they two can experience what is up with their congresswoman? Don't make these coffee times sound like their special interest shebangs for special interests? Casey (Bowman) This message is for you. 

Get Jaime out in the four or five regional areas of her district and stop hiding BEHIND pathetic excuses? Or Jaime's next election is going to 1,000 times harder to win because you are making her look like a fool.... 

 

Cowlitz County Example: ( http://tdn.com/news/local/rep-herrera-beutler-holds-community-coffee-gathering-in-longview/article_be0e7d2c-1578-11e1-8f25-001cc4c002e0.html )

Does anyone understand that THEY don't understand?

While listening to the radio today, I heard announcement that the super-committee made of two persons per legislative side per political party could not come down to an agreement in principle to help this nation cut down the fourteen trillion dollar deficit. It galls me to no end that either side is playing political games and possible finger pointing in this game, instead of getting down to brass tacks and getting done what needs to happen. 

How could two sides of the political coin and houses of our federal legislative branch fail so miserably to help our nation come to grips with what must be done. We have nearly enough debt to hang us with a rope we do not change expectations throughout our nation and pay it off. 

There has been thirty to forty years of this game of IOUs at various levels of government from your local city - county, regional, state and federal governments along with a lot of people that its easy enough to simply just stick their hands out, scream like a child and expect the the three branches of our government to come along side and stick in the money pacifier to shut us up when things don't go right. 

Maybe its time that at every level, that we start as a nation having a conversation? A conversation that is not headed by media types on any political aisle that will just continue to hit every single person with a verbal and visual hammer for their own person gain. 

Its time. I would love to see a local group of people get together and lets start having that conversation of what WE really need here in Clark County instead of a lot of the fluffy tomfoolery that has gone....