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C-TRAN’s future will be
defined by voters Nov. 2
If voters approve Proposition 1 at the
polls on Tuesday, Nov. 2, C-TRAN will not only maintain county-wide service but
will also provide additional express service and extend the range of routes in
the county. If Proposition 1 fails, C-TRAN service will be slashed nearly in
half and its service area will be restricted to the Vancouver metropolitan area.
Proposition 1 calls for a .03 percent
sales tax to replace state funding lost to C-TRAN and other transit agencies
throughout the state when the motor vehicle excise tax was eliminated by voters
who approved Initiative 695 four years ago. C-TRAN currently is funded by fare
receipts, a .03 percent sales tax, and state and federal grants. The initial
sales tax was approved by county voters in 1985 when the county-wide transit
agency was formed. By law, transit agencies are allowed up to .09 percent sales
tax support, but only with local voter approval.
Since the sales tax proposition does
not involve property taxes, the measure does not require a 60 percent
supermajority of voters to approve it. The tax increase would amount to three
cents on a $10 purchase, or in terms of the purchase of a $30,000 automobile,
$90. The former motor vehicle excise tax amounted to several hundreds of dollars
annually when license tabs were purchased.
If approved, Proposition 1 would
maintain county-wide service, 7 days per week, add new service, such as the 99th
Street Transit Center, service to Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital and Washington
State University Vancouver, the 99th Street Express, the I-5 Park & Ride
Shuttle, the Fourth Plain Extension, and additional service to Battle Ground,
according to Scott Patterson, C-TRAN’s
director of public affairs. C-TRAN would also begin working with the citizens of
Ridgefield, La Center, and Yacolt-Amboy to discuss innovative service options
that would serve those areas.
If Proposition 1 is rejected there
would be a reduction in the total number of fixed bus routes from 27 to 15,
thereby eliminating routes 76, 78, 105, 114, 157, 164, 173, 177, 190, all Sunday
and Saturday service, and The Connector. Service would also be reduced on routes
4, 17, 25, 30, 32, 37, and 80. Weekday service hours would also be shortened to
5 a.m. - 8 p.m., weekdays only.
C-TRAN is presenting a series of
public open houses to discuss the facts related to C-TRAN's Proposition 1. They
are the public's chance to meet C-TRAN staff and discuss the impacts of the
ballot measure.
“It's important that we provide the
public with as much factual information as possible so they're able to make an
informed decision about their public transportation system this November,” says
Lynne Griffith, C-TRAN executive director
and CEO. The next open houses are at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 11, in the Standard
Insurance Center Building, 900 SW Fifth Avenue, Portland, and at 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 13, in the Hazel Dell Sewer District office, 8000 NE 52nd Court.
Port of Vancouver commissioners
to ratify Vancouver Lake lineup
The names of nine local residents
representing a wide range of interests will be considered for appointment to the
new Vancouver Lake Watershed Partnership by Port of Vancouver commissioners at
the commissioners’ 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12, meeting.
The group of citizens will join the
watershed partnership in considering strategies for the future of the beautiful
but shallow, algae-friendly lake, just about written off by scientists as being
salvageable.
The applicants are
Nancy Ellifrit, Ridgefield, retired U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service biologist; Don Jacobs,
an attorney, who is a nearby resident; Paul King,
Vancouver resident and president of the Columbia River Alliance for Nurturing
the Environment; Gary Kokstis, commodore
of the 100-plus member Vancouver Lake Sailing Club;
Clark Martin, fourth generation resident
who lives near the lake; Thom McConathy,
director of the Clark County Water Resource Quality Council and Friends of
Vancouver Lake Lowlands; James Meyer,
Ridgefield, Bonneville Power Administration environmental manager;
Jane Van Dyke, Columbia Springs
Environmental Education Center executive director; and
Vern Veysey, former Clark County
commissioner and former Clark County Parks and Recreation employee who helped
develop Vancouver Lake Park.
The partnership includes the Fruit
Valley Neighborhood Association and the following governmental agencies: Port of
Vancouver, City of Vancouver Department of Public Works, Vancouver-Clark Parks
and Recreation, and Clark County Department of Public Works. Also listed on the
Vancouver Lake Watershed Partnership letterhead are the Clark County Health
Department, Port of Ridgefield, Clark Public Utilities, State Departments of
Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife, and Ecology, and the Lower Columbia River
Estuary Partnership.
Watch for 1-205 detours
tonight, tomorrow night
Northbound lanes of I-205 at the NE
134th Avenue interchange will be closed between 10 p.m. tonight and 5 a.m.
tomorrow. Traffic will be detoured at the NE 134th Street exit. Southbound lanes
of 1-205 at the NE 1434th Avenue interchange will be closed between 10 p.m.
Thursday, Oct.7, and 5 a.m. Friday, Oct. 8.
The closures are weather-dependent and
could be delayed. The work is related to the Washington State Department of
Highways NE Highway 99-NE 20th Avenue realignment project.
News briefs
The City/County Telecommunications
Commission meets at 7 p.m. tonight in City Hall council chambers.
g A special
meeting of the Vancouver Parking Advisory Committee to discuss parking rates is
at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the First Floor Conference Room in City Hall.
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MIRIAM GREEN 
"Working to help you!"
