Submitted by Terry Parker on Thu, 02/07/2008 - 3:10pm.
Sam,
The so called extensive public process you claim took place was a totally one-sided affair with a divisive round of surveys and hard sell tactic town halls teeming with benefactors and invited followers. Far more of the time at the meetings should have been used as objective listening posts allowing a diverse group of opposing opinions to be heard. The “corrosive special interest lobbyists" you suggest took a toll on the issue are all in your own camp; the BTA and freeloading bicyclists that continually want somebody other than themselves to pay for bicycle infrastructure, the streetcar junkies that want snail rail congesting every arterial street at the expense of the taxpayers and motorists; and the irrational anti-car nuts that want to control how people move about. As an ill-conceived stacked deck faction on the stakeholder committee, representatives for these groups out numbered the taxpaying motor vehicle and freight interests by three to one. The smokestacked committee then went on to stuff the Street Maintenance Fee with your personal narrow-minded spending agenda items including a stockpile of back door funding for bicycle infrastructure. You complain the gas tax has not been raised in so many years, but continue to protect the status quo of hoards of taxpayer subsidies for bicycle infrastructure and streetcars including proposing discounts on utility bill fees to bicyclists, transit riders and hybrid car owners – all of whom use city streets in some way.
Now you claim it is big oil that is the culprit when in fact the OPA is a necessary group of organized small business owners that sell energy and other products to consumers who are protecting the interests of their customers. By all aspects it is the selfish BTA and other similar organized special interest groups have infiltrated your office and tainted any honest transportation tax equity process, including your own integrity and accountability to taxpayers. In addition to the OPA, just plain ordinary taxpayers have also seen through your masquerade, feel they are being played and lobbied the members of the City Council.
Sending the Street Maintenance Fee to the ballot box is a good first step. However, if you were to take off your bias blinders and order PDOT to cut back on the siphoning of motorist paid transportation dollars for bicycle infrastructure, curb extensions, couplets, streetcars and other transport mafia toys; there would be a whole host of money available for street maintenance. Then, if there is still a shortage of funds for maintaining existing infrastructure, you would have a far greater amount of overall support from the public for a fair-minded Street Maintenance Fee that is not based on the number of motor vehicle trips for the business tax portion, and treats all residential households equally.
Bicyclists themselves through a bicycle tax need to pay for bicycle infrastructure, and transit riders through the farebox ought to be paying a greater share of providing transit service; including paying for the damage busses do the roads. Conversely though, with PDOT controlled under your own prejudicial guidance; I doubt that any of that kind of impartiality, tax fairness policies and thinking that is outside the bike box will officially take place. Respectable and responsible accountability requires a reality check that actually advocates quantified representation for the silent majority of mainstream Portland citizens that vote by driving on a daily basis, and pay the bulk of transportation taxes.
To the Ballot Box is Only a Partial Course Correction
Sam,
The so called extensive public process you claim took place was a totally one-sided affair with a divisive round of surveys and hard sell tactic town halls teeming with benefactors and invited followers. Far more of the time at the meetings should have been used as objective listening posts allowing a diverse group of opposing opinions to be heard. The “corrosive special interest lobbyists" you suggest took a toll on the issue are all in your own camp; the BTA and freeloading bicyclists that continually want somebody other than themselves to pay for bicycle infrastructure, the streetcar junkies that want snail rail congesting every arterial street at the expense of the taxpayers and motorists; and the irrational anti-car nuts that want to control how people move about. As an ill-conceived stacked deck faction on the stakeholder committee, representatives for these groups out numbered the taxpaying motor vehicle and freight interests by three to one. The smokestacked committee then went on to stuff the Street Maintenance Fee with your personal narrow-minded spending agenda items including a stockpile of back door funding for bicycle infrastructure. You complain the gas tax has not been raised in so many years, but continue to protect the status quo of hoards of taxpayer subsidies for bicycle infrastructure and streetcars including proposing discounts on utility bill fees to bicyclists, transit riders and hybrid car owners – all of whom use city streets in some way.
Now you claim it is big oil that is the culprit when in fact the OPA is a necessary group of organized small business owners that sell energy and other products to consumers who are protecting the interests of their customers. By all aspects it is the selfish BTA and other similar organized special interest groups have infiltrated your office and tainted any honest transportation tax equity process, including your own integrity and accountability to taxpayers. In addition to the OPA, just plain ordinary taxpayers have also seen through your masquerade, feel they are being played and lobbied the members of the City Council.
Sending the Street Maintenance Fee to the ballot box is a good first step. However, if you were to take off your bias blinders and order PDOT to cut back on the siphoning of motorist paid transportation dollars for bicycle infrastructure, curb extensions, couplets, streetcars and other transport mafia toys; there would be a whole host of money available for street maintenance. Then, if there is still a shortage of funds for maintaining existing infrastructure, you would have a far greater amount of overall support from the public for a fair-minded Street Maintenance Fee that is not based on the number of motor vehicle trips for the business tax portion, and treats all residential households equally.
Bicyclists themselves through a bicycle tax need to pay for bicycle infrastructure, and transit riders through the farebox ought to be paying a greater share of providing transit service; including paying for the damage busses do the roads. Conversely though, with PDOT controlled under your own prejudicial guidance; I doubt that any of that kind of impartiality, tax fairness policies and thinking that is outside the bike box will officially take place. Respectable and responsible accountability requires a reality check that actually advocates quantified representation for the silent majority of mainstream Portland citizens that vote by driving on a daily basis, and pay the bulk of transportation taxes.