May 2011
NEWS
Lake Oswego streetcar
(Continued from Page 3)
Doug Obletz argued that the proposed
study would not commit any of the
participating jurisdictions to do the
project, but simply supply them with
better and more reliable information to
make that decision.
At one point, when streetcar sup-
porter Donna Jordan said opponents
didn’t understand the financial data
they had been given, the audience
shouted in anger and Mayor Jack
Hoffman adjourned the hearing for
ten minutes. Eventually streetcar sup-
porters agreed to a public “advisory”
vote on the project in May 2012 and an
independent public survey.
The next day, in Portland, Hoffman
complained of a “well-organized,
highly politicized opposition.” The
Lake Oswego City Council received
more than 300 e-mails opposing the
project but Jordan said, “I represent the
whole community, not the repetition of
parroted e-mails.”
TriMet planner Alan Lehto told the
Portland City Council, “This is a choice
to go forward, not necessarily to do the
project. It’s typical for the financial plan
to be conceptual rather than concrete
at this point.”
According to Lehto, “This is a real
opportunity for a new transit option in
this corridor. The streetcar is the most
cost-effective, most effective long-term
for this corridor. TriMet cannot and
will not provide any money for capital
development, so there will be no effect
on bus service.”
Referring to an alternative transit
choice, Lehto said, “To handle in-
creased demand with an enhanced bus
would actually cost more.” He said
that because the streetcar is so much
cheaper to operate once it is in place,
it would give the agency more money
to restore curtailed bus service.
However, in response to a ques-
tion by Portland City Commissioner
The Southwest Portland Post • 7
Amanda Fritz, Lehto said the agency
is considering reducing service on Line
35, requiring some riders to make new
transfers.
Fritz asked if parking meters might
be installed in parts of South Portland.
Mayor Sam Adams replied, “I wouldn’t
assume meters but I wouldn’t rule
them out. We’re looking at a variety of
options.”
When Fritz asked if part of the neigh-
borhood might be upzoned, Adams
said, “Land near new stations are
opportunities for development we’re
looking at, and zoning is part of that.”
When Commissioner Dan Saltzman
asked if TriMet is committed to oper-
ating the streetcar once built, Lehto
replied, “I assume we are. We don’t
budget that far out.”
Planners said that the Streetcar will
not go to Lake Oswego without that
city’s support, and Fritz expressed
discomfort with this.
Chris Smith, longtime streetcar sup-
porter, said that taking the line to the
Sellwood Bridge could be viewed as
Phase One of a route to either Lake
Oswego or Sellwood. Under the pro-
posed financing plan, he said, “We get
to spend Uncle Sam’s dollars to cut our
operating costs.”
Fritz said that she had become a
streetcar fan and said, “If I were on the
Lake Oswego Council I would have
voted for this…but I’m not, and I don’t
find some of the arguments compelling.
There’s not enough development po-
tential in Johns Landing to pay for this.”
Fritz said TriMet should use en-
hanced bus service here, saying, “Street-
cars are the show horses of our transit
system, but buses are the work horses.
We have limited time, staff and money,
and $235,000 could be used for other
services. I can’t support this.”
Commissioner Randy Leonard re-
called that there had been skepticism
of the original MAX and every other
recent rail transit project. “We need to
develop infrastructure that does not
depend on gasoline,” he said.
Saltzman and Commissioner Nick
Fish voted for the appropriation, but
both said they were not yet commit-
ted to the project. “I support moving
forward, but I do so with many, many
questions,” Saltzman said. “A half mil-
lion dollars is more than we’ve spent
on all previous streetcar projects com-
bined.”
Lehto’s reply as to TriMet’s commit-
ment was “not a very robust answer,”
Saltzman said. “I’m not giving my
support until all my questions are an-
swered.”
School tax measures
have an immediate effect.”
Following the presentations, audi-
ence members either addressed the
group or submitted questions in writing
to Dora Perry and Stephanie Solerzano,
volunteers from the League of Women
Voters.
Some questioned the use of a “me-
dian” property assessed at $147,000 as
a model, rather than an average one.
Others criticized past district policies.
In contrast, Warner said that the bond
is related to education because the
current state of disrepair “impacts our
children’s working environment.”
One woman said she had moved to
the southwest rather than the suburbs
because of the city’s historic support of
libraries, parks and schools. “I know
it all adds up on tax bills, but we can’t
afford not to do the bond measure.”
Asked what would happen if the
bond failed, Roach said, “There is no
Plan B currently. It would be a huge
setback.”
Fruits responded, “If the bond fails,
we should start planning on day one.
I’m not against a bond, I’m against
this bond. We need the community
involved. In two years we would have
emotional and financial support.”
Breshear argued that the bond would
be disastrous for businesses as well as
homeowners. “Most business owners
are small, and can’t afford to eat the cost
of these tax measures. People will not
be out there spending money.”
Warner countered, “If everyone
waited for the right time to have kids,
we’d die out as a species. This is helping
to keep our neighborhoods the strong,
vital places they have been.”
Roach said, “If the Hillsdale viaduct
fell down, none of us would say, ‘Times
are too tough to fix it.’ We’d say, ‘We
have to fix it.’ Our parents and grand-
parents supported the schools, and now
it’s our turn. Times are tough, but they
were probably tough for them, too. Our
children are our bridge to the future.”
(Continued from Page 1)
ad hoc coalition Learning Now, Build-
ings Later, which supports the levy but
opposes the bond measure. The levy is
necessary, Fruits said, “because support
from the state just isn’t there.” How-
ever, he added, “Families in Portland
just can’t afford both.”
The bond will raise property taxes
“an average of $500, in southwest $800,”
Fruits said. “I know several families
that almost lost their homes. It was the
cause of a murder-suicide. We will see
1,000 more foreclosures” if the measure
passes. “We’re still stuck in a recession.
This is a very expensive bond at a very
bad time.”
Moreover, Fruits said, “Once schools
are rebuilt, how will we keep them
open? The measure was rushed
through, pushed on us as take-it-or-
leave-it. Not a single dollar will be used
for education, and they won’t break
ground for two years. The levy will
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