Last November, the C-Tran Board voted to abandon their policy related to the Interstate Bridge Replacement and protect Clark County taxpayers from paying for TriMet Operations and Maintenance costs.
They said they needed to “talk” to TriMet.
It’s been six months, so I asked each of them to share what they have learned after six months of talking at Tuesday's board meeting.
Have they learned that TriMet is demanding a 500 percent increase in an Oregon statewide head tax on jobs? Have they learned that if they don’t get that 500 percent increase, TriMet will cut 65 percent of their bus routes within the next six years? Have they evaluated TriMet’s operations and maintenance costs? They told the board in December they needed $6.8 million per year from us to operate MAX light rail as part of the IBR. The light rail will extend 4,350 feet into Vancouver, or just over eight-tenths of a mile.
Keep in mind that C-Tran has operated bus service into Portland for over 40 years, and neither Portland nor TriMet has ever contributed a penny towards our operations and maintenance costs.
A quick check revealed that TriMet’s costs for their 60-mile light rail system in 2022 was $128 million, or $2.1 million per mile.
The TriMet demand was for $15.1 million in annual costs, split 55-45 between Oregon and Washington. This is for a 1.83-mile light rail extension. That’s $8.2 million per mile or four times their 2022 per mile costs.
Did the board seek to clarify why TriMet is demanding four times what they were paying just three years ago? That sure seems like they are trying to fleece Clark County taxpayers.
“What have you learned and what do you think?” they were asked.
An even greater issue is do they believe TriMet is in a “death spiral?” That’s what the Cascade Policy Institute’s John Charles claims. A recent Oregonian news commentary said TriMet was in a “doom loop.”
A year ago, our own Regional Transportation Council told the community there was a permanent change in how people use vehicles for work. They said there is a “new normal” that includes a reduction in transit ridership.
Citizens should know what the board has learned from TriMet. After six months of evaluation, what is their assessment of TriMet’s financial situation? How do they view TriMet’s demand for Clark County taxpayers to pay four times their actual operations and maintenance costs?
If someone is trying to rip me off, the last thing I want to do is talk with them. I simply walk away and abandon the discussion.
John Ley
Vancouver
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