Clackistani's say vote *NO* on neoliberal light rail to Tigard

https://www.facebook.com/notaxformax/

$3 billion light rail on Barbur?
No way!
Light rail through Tigard for $270 million per mile?
No way.
Tigard Vote NO!

Please help with the campaign.
Send donations payable to:
Oregonians for Affordable Transportation Solutions
PO Box 23325
Tigard Or, 97281

Email the campaign to get on email list and to offer to volunteer, offer yard sign or field sign locations etc.

crino9850@comcast.com

Back when the Tigard voters were provided the opportunity to vote on Light Rail, thanks to a citizens initiative petition, the anticipated cost of the SW Corridor Light Rail was $1.6 Billion.

Now, without the tunnels or any service to OHSU or  PCC,  the price tag has grown to be potentially over $3 Billion when debt service costs are included.  

Despite the ballot language claiming otherwise, there is also some serious uncertainty on whether or not the new MAX line will even serve downtown Tigard.  

At $3 billion that will be over $270 million per mile for Portland's 11 mile line to Bridgeport Village. 

At least half ($1.5 Billion) must be provided by local cities, counties, the region and state. Like every previous MAX line this means avoiding voter approval while devouring what would otherwise be many years/decades of public funding for roads. 

But that's just one of many reasons to terminate this fatally flawed project, now, before it devours $100 million and more in planning costs.

If not it will soon resemble the CRC/Light Rail  debacle that wasted over $200 million before being cancelled without anything being built.  

Essentially all of the proponent support for the SW Corridor Light Rail is coming from those who shared the $200 million and will be supported by this next boondoggle even if hundreds of millions are again wasted to build nothing. 

TIGARD VOTERS: Vote NO on Light Rail!

Why?

High Cost: The cost is way too high to provide what a tiny percentage will use.
Congestion: A light rail line that hugs I-5 and devours parts of Barbur Blvd /99W will ignore and worsen all of the worst congestion.

Less Transit: The massive cost of this Light Rail line will devour the proceeds needed for more flexible bus transit opportunities.

Worse Traffic: It is certain that Light Rail infrastructure will strangle existing traffic while devouring the funding for and blocking many ways to expand and upgrade roads and intersections to serve more traffic.

Poor fit: The reason the cost is so high is due to the poor fit. There is no way to carve a light rail path through this corridor without elevating much of it.

Funding plan: While Metro and TriMet are devouring 10's of millions in gas tax dollars planning the expansion, there are no identified sources of funding for the project. This means a repeat of Portland's Orange Line funding scramble which (with reckless abandon) pilfered revenue from essential services and revenue streams from every jurisdiction. None of which was voter approved!
TriMet itself committed $100 million in bus operations revenue to debt servicing light rail bonds.

Tigard's share: Don't be fooled by the city's false claim that you'll be asked to approve any city funding. The city will sign a contract committing millions without ever asking you for permission. Then, when it comes time to pay Trimet the $5 or $10 million (or more) dollars, Tigard residents will be told to approve a new tax or see basic service funds diverted to pay the bill.

Overcrowding: The city is planning on using re-zoning and tax subsidies to promote high density development of 1000's of apartments.

Portland's Vision: While the City of Tigard claims their plans are a comprehensive vision that is crafted specifically to fit Tigard, they are identical in every way to Portland's vision that has been repeated throughout the region.

Region and State: Thanks to the grassroots citizen's initiative petition that provided the upcoming vote, Tigard voters have the unique opportunity to prevent a horrible project that will adversely affect the region and state.

Vote NO!

Proponents are heaping up campaign money from the same CRC cabal who will be recipients of the $3 billion cost. 

They'll be trying to mislead voters into believing congestion and transit will benefit  and that it's the opponents have unknown ulterior motives. 

They have already acknowledged that "Tigard’s infrastructure cannot handle the influx of cars that will be coming over the next several years. Traffic repeatedly shows as the No. 1 issue for residents in city surveys."

With money from Light Rail designers and builders they'll loudly insist light rail will take the place of these cars and avoid the need to accommodate more traffic with road upgrades. They'll tell you all of this is "well planned" and Tigard is "well positioned" to make it all work.  

Voters will need to be convinced that 99W and 217 congestion will be relieved with Light Rail next to I-5, that Portland's high density vision is the best fit for Tigard and that these recipients of the $3 billion is who they should trust. 

All around the region along every light rail line the identical vision of decreased car use and expected development has been a disaster. 

We all already know where this is heading if it proceeds. Light Rail and the subsidized development chaos that comes with it is not a new idea in our region. Voters has been eyewitnesses to the experiment for 3 decades.  Next door in Beaverton, Light Rail and The Round development failed every test.  WES was touted as being "designed to reduce traffic on 217 & I-5."   It's an abysmal failure that should be shut down. 

Lessons learned? Let's hope so.

Vote NO on Light Rail 

Save our region and state from the worst project in state history.