Oregonian Article Questions the Streetcar Project

To All COLA LO Members,

The Oregonian published a comprehensive article last week about the Streetcar Project.   It reviews many of the unanswered questions on the project and the political positions taken by local politicians.   

Some of the comments include:

"Yet the project is unlike any in the United States, in both price and ambition, to link a big city and suburb by streetcar. As Portland and Lake Oswego leaders prepare to endorse the project, it remains steeped in unanswered questions: Does privileged Lake Oswego need a streetcar line to Portland? Should a publicly funded transit project be so closely tied to benefiting developers? Does the funding -- which includes the notion that an old trolley right of way purchased for about $2 million will be worth $97 million -- pencil out? Would the project's benefits be worth the price tag"
The article can be found at:

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/03/lake_oswego_streetcar_project.html

Oregonian Editorials - But who is minding LO's Skyrocketing Water Bills?

To all COLA LO Members,

Another editorial in the Oregonian clearly shows the direction and costs of massive projects in Portland and their impact on residents.    This may be the direction of Lake Oswego under the LO-Tigard water agreement and the proposed $230 million investment in the project.  

So who is minding LO's Skyrocketing water bills and their impact on residents?

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2011/03/who_is_minding_portlands_skyro.html

Oregonian Editorials Caution Portland on mounting Water Bills!

To all COLA LO members,

A recent editorial shows the perils of unnecessary investments in water systems in Portland.    The Oregonian clearly takes a position indicating these projects will impact economic development by raising water fees.

Does this show the future direction and impact of the LO-Tigard water agreement on Lake Oswego Residents?  This is an interesting Position for the Oregonian to take.

The article can be found at:
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2011/03/mounting_water_bills_point_por.html

PAC is behind the support for Vehicle Registration Fee Increase

To all COLA LO members:

A new PAC is behind support for the new Clackamas County Vehicle Registration Fee increase which will transfer $21 million from Clackamas County residents to Multnomah county to pay for the Sellwood bridge.

The name of the PAC is:   Clackamas County Citizens for Jobs and Safety.

The details can be found at:  https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/sooDetail.do?sooRsn=56113.

A review of the transaction history shows that most of the contributors are from outside Clackamas County and awith some of the contributors as follows:dvocating for a tax increase on residents to promote a project inside their county.   These include:

1.  Oregon AFSCME                                         $5,000  (Union PAC, Salem)
2.  CH2M Hill                                                    $2,500  (Engineering firm, Portland)
3.  Jeff Cogen                                                 $2,500  (Mult. Co. Commissioner PAC, Portland)
4.  T.Y Lin Int'l                                                 $2,500  (Engineering firm, Beaverton)
5.  CenterCal Properties, LLC                           $2,500  (Developer, Tigard)
6.  Oregonians to Maintain Comm Standards     $2,500  (Trade Union Pac, Portland)
7.  Harper, Houf, Peterson & Righellis                $1,250  (Engineering firm, Portland)
8.  NW Oregon Labor Council                            $1000  (Union PAC, Portland)
9.  Michelle Giguere                                          $1000  (federal lobbyist, Portland)
10. HDR Engineering                                         $1000  (Engineering firm, Portland)
                                            
Please inform your fellow members and contacts.   

LOSD is this really an election for change?

To all COLA LO members,

The canddiates for the LOSD board have been finalized according to the Clackamas County Elections Office. We have 3 candidates for the position 5 Director and only 1 candidate for the position 1 Director.  

Will this special election on May 17 bring the required change to the LOSD? Or will it just delay the inevitably difficult decisions that need to be made? Here are the candidates according to the elections office:

Lake Oswego School District
Director, Pos. 1 - 4 Yr. Term	Patti Zebrowski	02/07/2011	Fee
Director, Pos. 5 - 4 Yr. Term	Audrey Monroe	02/11/2011	Fee
Director, Pos. 5 - 4 Yr. Term	Tamara DiVergilio	02/28/2011	Fee
Director, Pos. 5 - 4 Yr. Term	Bob Barman	03/14/2011	Fee

How candidates can run unopposed in such a difficult environment is a common question we hear from members. LOSD need substantive change with a $5-$8 million deficit and it will be interesting to see which candidates call for and advocate real change.

Here is the link to the current board members:

  http://www.loswego.k12.or.us/general_info/board/board_members.htm

Please notify all members and contacts of the details.

Pro Schools = Fiscal Responsibility per Oregonian editorial

To All COLA LO members,

Susan Nielsen writes in a recent editorial that there is a new norm across the political spectrum in regards to being pro schools. The new normal is being fiscally responsible rather than writing a check and hoping for the best.

Its an interesting perspective and worthy of review. The article in the Oregonian can be found at:
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/susan_nielsen/index.ssf/2011/03/overdue_in_oregon_a_new_defini.html

Please notify all members and contacts.

COLA LO Board Member commended in letters to the editor

cTo All COLA LO Members,

COLA LO Board Member Dave Berg was commended for his 3/10 article on "how three R's impact our lives" in a letter to the editor this week in the LO review. The citizen commended him for the details in his article. The text of the letter is below.

Dave Berg is particularly concerned about the impact of expenditures, fees, and taxes on our maturing citizens and the direction of expenditures on large projects which may have marginal benefits to our city. He believes strongly that core services should be adjusted to reflect the needs of a maturing community in Lake Oswego. 

Berg commended for his column

To the Editor:

I was born in Oswego almost 80 years ago, so as an elder citizen, “change” may be weighed more heavily.

Especially when I consider the cost of living in this community and how hard it’s been for younger families to move here. I commend Dave Berg’s citizen’s view (March 10 in the Lake Oswego Review titled) “How 3 R’s impact our lives.”

It was a reminder of how invested Judie Hammerstad was in the WEB decision as mayor. It made me question even more the pro arguments for having a streetcar. I used to work in Portland and the bus ride to and from was always a pleasant part of my day .

I also like Dave Berg’s support of our new city council and thank them, too, for their concern of being responsible to the citizens.

Loeta Moore McElwee

Lake Oswego