Now a word from the transit bullies

Now that Tigard residents have put up a roadblock in the SW Corridor high capacity transit plan, the regional planners and corridor politicians are stymied.  Why didn't the politicians ask the big questions before they got this far?   The way they work is to do the planning first, then introduce THEIR concepts to the public in meetings and open houses.  Public comment at that point is useless.  To get a true feel of what the public wants, ask first, plan second, then ask again.  Not so hard to figure out.  A vote or survey can tell the city a lot.  If they want to know.

Advisory vote gains approval from regional leaders

The Tigard Times, 10 April 2014  | Written by Geoff Pursinger | 

Planners of the Southwest Corridor Plan say Tigard should go back to voters

Regional planners looking to build either a MAX light-rail or rapid-bus line to Tigard say they support plans for a clarifying vote in November, after last month’s passage of ballot measure 34-210.

That measure — which was passed by 51 percent of Tigard voters with 37 percent voter turnout — calls for the public to decide whether or not to allow construction of a light-rail or rapid-bus line through town. 

At Monday’s meeting of the Southwest Corridor Plan Steering Committee — comprised of mayors and city councilors from cities all along the corridor — planners said Tigard needs to decide where it stands on the issue before it can move forward.

“I think that some of us around this table might feel a little more comfortable if six months from now, there is a clarifying vote and people do think that we should continue to study high-capacity transit,” said Portland City Commissioner Steve Novick.

Washington County Chairman Andy Duyck said that was the motivation of some voters.

“It is critical and important to me that we are able to communicate to the public — whether in Tigard, Tualatin or Southwest Portland — the value (of this project) and what it means to their lives,” Ogden said. “If we can’t do that in a way that garners support, we probably don’t have a project that we should advance.”