This week, Clark County was on the verge of stepping back from a disastrous decision that would send millions of our tax dollars to Portland via TriMet and light rail — something the majority of Clark County voters have repeatedly opposed.
Councilor Michelle Belkot, who sits on the C-Tran Board of Directors, took a bold stand to stop this from happening. But just as she was making progress, Councilor Sue Marshall of the 5th District, working closely with Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, stepped in to table the decision.
This strategic delay gave Marshall time to rally her Democratic allies behind the scenes to protect light rail and guarantee Clark County remains a financial pipeline for Portland.
And move they did. The very next day, in what can only be described as a coordinated effort, Matt Little, Glen Yung and Wil Fuentes voted to remove Belkot from her position. Their justification? A distorted narrative that claimed Belkot was somehow obligated to follow their political agenda rather than represent the voters who elected her — voters who have made it clear they oppose light rail and certainly don’t want $20 million a year funneled to Portland.
Yet, this flimsy excuse was immediately contradicted when Matt Little moved to change the bylaws to restrict councilors’ voting rights in the future — a clear admission that Belkot was justified in standing with her constituents rather than bowing to Portland’s interests.
For context, the proposed “Bridge Shelter” — better described as the Van Mall Homeless Shelter — has an estimated operating budget of $16 million per year.
Yet, if the C-Tran Board gets its way, Clark County taxpayers will be forced to fork over even more than that for a mere mile and a half of light rail track.
Sue Marshall and her allies have not only betrayed their constituents but also the cities in their districts that have voted against funding TriMet. Worse yet, they have done so in a way that is undemocratic and repugnant to the voters they are supposed to represent.
And if history is any indication, this won’t be the last time Marshall works against the will of the people — unless voters put a stop to it at the ballot box.
Rob Anderson
Ridgefield
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