County Councilor Michelle Belkot presses for C-TRAN board/public discussion on light rail funding

Clark County Councilor Michelle Belkot joins C-TRAN board members in opposing Southwest Washington taxpayers funding TriMet’s light rail extension into Vancouver.
Clark County Councilor Michelle Belkot joins C-TRAN board members in opposing Southwest Washington taxpayers funding TriMet’s light rail extension into Vancouver. File photo

Belkot becomes third C-TRAN board member to express opposition to Southwest Washington taxpayers helping to fund TriMet’s light rail extension into Vancouver

Ken Vance, editor
Clark County Today

Michelle Belkot
Michelle Belkot

Add Clark County Councilor Michelle Belkot to the growing list of Southwest Washington elected officials who are expressing concerns over possible funding for TriMet’s Yellow Line light rail extension in Vancouver.

TriMet, Oregon’s transit agency that is already facing its own financial struggles, has reportedly requested $6.8 million annually from Washington taxpayers for operations and maintenance, as part of $21.8 million in shared costs. The Portland transit agency also seeks funding for 19 new rail cars for the proposed 1.83-mile extension of its Yellow Line into Vancouver. The extension makes up $2 billion of the cost for the project, which is currently at $7.5 billion and expected to climb with new estimates promised by the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBR) later in 2025. The extension of TriMet’s light rail is part of the proposed transportation element of the IBR’s Locally Preferred Alternative.

Recently, C-TRAN Board member Bart Hansen, also a member of the Vancouver City Council, expressed his unwillingness to support the proposed burden for Southwest Washington taxpayers for maintenance and operations of the light rail extension. Hansen shared his position during an interview on the Lars Larson Show.

After Hansen made his thoughts public, Camas City Councilor Tim Hein, also a C-TRAN board member, did the same. Like Hansen, Hein did so as a guest on the Lars Larson Show.

Lars Larson, a Portland-based radio talk show host who lives in Vancouver, has views on local transportation, what Washington does well, his preference among Democrats.
Lars Larson

Last week, Larson interviewed Clark County Councilor Michelle Belkot to discuss the ongoing debate over Southwest Washington’s potential financial contribution to TriMet. Like Hansen and Hein, Belkot is a member of the nine-person C-TRAN board.

In the interview with Larson, Belkot firmly stated that she does not support forcing Southwest Washington taxpayers to cover the costs associated with TriMet’s light rail expansion, which includes purchasing 19 new trains for Oregon’s system. She noted that she has added an agenda item to the upcoming C-TRAN board meeting to reconsider this issue and allow for public input. A public discussion is scheduled for March 11, and she encouraged constituents to share their opinions via email or public comment.

“This Tuesday (Jan. 14), we had a C-TRAN board meeting, and I made an amendment to the agenda to bring that back to the board for reconsideration,’’ Belkot said. “Not only the board but the public collectively — I wanted to know their opinions, as we have not heard from them much at all. The board, I think, should very seriously reconsider this.

“I would be happy to hear from my constituents all day, every day,’’ Belkot said. “I’ve talked to many about it, and I welcome public comment. So on Tuesday evening, when I asked for reconsideration of the possibility of us not paying O&M expenses and revisiting this, it was agreed collectively that we would discuss this and have open general comment with the public on March 11. So I welcome the public, as well as anyone else interested in this expensive light rail project, to come and give their opinion. Email me — let me know what you think.’’

Larson pressed Belkot on whether TriMet had explicitly demanded that Southwest Washington cover operations and maintenance (O&M) costs, potentially as a condition for the bridge project moving forward. Belkot responded that neither ODOT nor TriMet had directly stated that light rail was contingent on C-TRAN covering these expenses. However, she emphasized the need for transparency and requested TriMet to present clear financial figures to the board.

“I’m on all the transportation committees for the county council. That has never been the case with ODOT ever explaining that — or Trimet,’’ Belkot said. “Now, the Clark County Council agreed yesterday that we would not only like C-TRAN to present the information they recently shared with the board during the December meeting, but we would also like TriMet to come and speak to us and give us those figures — to make it crystal clear what those operating expenses would look like. But no, they have not mentioned that light rail cannot be part of the IBR project without the assistance of C-TRAN covering the O&M expenses.’’

Larson responded by suggesting, “so given that — there’s no reason for Southwest Washington to pay tens of millions of dollars to support Trimet, is there?”

No. Absolutely not,’’ Belkot answered. “One of the board members during the November meeting mentioned that the reason why we are considering modifying the language of C-Tran is so that we can have a conversation. They are saying that the existing language is prohibitive and that we can’t even enter into a conversation. I don’t agree with that — I don’t think it’s prohibitive. But it was never a conversation to begin with.’’

Larson then summarized that “if there’s no reason to pay the money, and if the project can go forward without Southwest Washington paying, why are they suggesting that Southwest Washington should pay?”

“That’s a good question,’’ Belkot stated. “One of the board members mentioned that C-Tran needs to be able to talk to our legislators about the possibility of covering light rail O&M expenses. But why can’t TriMet or ODOT go talk to their legislators about covering the cost of light rail for the IBR project? Why should it be the responsibility of the C-TRAN board?”

Larson and Belkot questioned why Washington taxpayers should subsidize an Oregon transit agency, especially given Clark County voters’ repeated rejection of light rail in past referendums (1995, 2012, and 2013).

Belkot also expressed skepticism about the feasibility of the bridge project itself, citing unresolved issues with Coast Guard approvals over the proposed height of the replacement bridge. 


Also read:

Receive comment notifications
Notify of
guest

3 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
3
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x