Belkot Represents The People - NO MONEY TO PORTLAND FOR TRIMET - But County Council Removes Her To Save Light Rail Funding

This week, Clark County was on the verge of stepping back from a disastrous decision that would send millions of our tax dollars to Portland via TriMet and Light Rail—something the majority of Clark County voters have repeatedly opposed.

Councilor Michelle Belkot, who sat on the C-Tran Board of Directors, took a bold stand to stop this from happening. But just as she was making progress, Councilor Sue Marshall of the 5th District, working closely with Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, stepped in to table the decision. This strategic delay gave Marshall time to rally her Democrat allies behind the scenes to protect Light Rail and guarantee Clark County remains a financial pipeline for Portland.

READ CLARKCOUNTYTODAY.COM ARTICLE HERE

And move they did. The very next day, in what can only be described as a coordinated effort, Matt Little, Glen Yung, and Wil Fuentes voted to remove Belkot from her position. Their justification? A distorted narrative that claimed Belkot was somehow obligated to follow their political agenda rather than represent the voters who elected her—voters who have made it clear they oppose Light Rail and certainly don’t want $20 million a year funneled to Portland. Yet this flimsy excuse was immediately contradicted when Matt Little moved to change the by-laws to restrict councilors’ voting rights in the future—a clear admission that Belkot was justified in standing with her constituents rather than bowing to Portland’s interests.

For context, the proposed “Bridge Shelter”—better described as the Van Mall Homeless Shelter—has an estimated operating budget of $16 million per year. Yet, if the C-Tran Board gets its way, Clark County taxpayers will be forced to fork over even more than that for a mere mile and a half of Light Rail track.

Sue Marshall and her allies have not only betrayed their constituents but also the cities in their districts that have voted against funding TriMet. Worse yet, they have done so in a way that is undemocratic and repugnant to the voters they are supposed to represent.

And if history is any indication, this won’t be the last time Marshall works against the will of the people—unless voters put a stop to it.

COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING THIS TUESDAY AT 6PM

SHOW UP AND SPEAK UP DURING OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT

SUPPORT COUNCILOR BELKOT TO STOP LIGHT RAIL FUNDING NOW

Participate in the following ways:

• In person, 6th floor of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street, Vancouver, WA 98666
• Watch live on CVTV (Comcast channel 23)
• Livestream from your personal computer: www.cvtv.org
• Join by computer: WebEx Link
• Join by phone:
• Dial: 1-408-418-9388
• Access Code: 2482 700 6513
• Password: BOCC (2622 from phones)
• press *3 on phone to raise hand
• Submit comments:
• Written via email: www.clark.wa.gov/councilors/public-comment 
• Written via US Postal Service to the Clark County Council, c/o Rebecca Messinger, PO Box 5000, Vancouver, WA 98666-5000
• During the meeting from your computer or phone: follow these instructions 

Talking Points:

• Clark County doesn't want to be Portland or be a part of Portland's problems
• TriMet has a track record for wasteful spending and is a terrible "partner" for Clark County.
• Clark County doesn't want Light Rail, it killed the last bridge effort, and it will kill this one too if ones like Mayor Anne and Sue Marshall and others continues.
• Thank Councilor Belkot for representing the people while the other Councilors are representing Portland and Trimet rather than their cities and constituents.
• The majority of voters and cities don't want Light Rail and all the costs that follows with it.
• Read the ClarkCountyToday.com articles HERE & HERE to prepare

ALWAYS BE RESPECTFUL & CIVIL - No name calling or belittling, just stick to strong arguments.

Charter Review Commission - Do You Want To Help Shape Clark County For The Next 10 Years?

The Home Rule Charter: Our "County Constitution"

The Home Rule Charter is often referred to as our "County Constitution." While there are some advantages to having a Charter—Clark County being one of only seven counties in Washington State with one—there are also significant downsides, and ours has many.

Earlier this year, Greg Kimsey boasted about writing much of the Charter, which explains why it empowers many executive branch positions while stripping power from the people (the legislative branch). Unfortunately, the first Charter Review Commission served as a puppet for administrative elites and proposed several terrible amendments, including:

• A "woke" preamble (failed)
• Creating a DEI office (tried twice, failed twice)
• Allowing elected executive branch officials to appoint their successors, even if they committed a felony or were being removed from office (passed)
• Restricting initiative and referendum rights (one passed, two failed)
• Ranked Choice Voting (failed)
• Eliminating the Chair position (held by Eileen Quiring-O’Brien), which conveniently redistricted three Republican Councilors into the same district (passed)
• Adding phony non-partisan titles for County officials (passed) - Newsflash: This doesn’t magically remove politics from political positions. Instead, it gives voters less information and allows candidates to deceive voters.

What is the Charter Review Commission?

The Home Rule Charter requires review by a 15-member elected Charter Review Commission. Three members are elected from each of the five County Councilor districts. Under the Charter, the next election for commission members will take place in November 2025.

Here’s the relevant section from the Charter regarding the Commission:

Section 9.1: Charter Review Commission

1. Election and Period of Office
2. Five years after the adoption of this Charter and at least every five years thereafter, the council shall facilitate the election of a Charter Review Commission. The commission will consist of fifteen members, elected on a nonpartisan basis, with three representatives from each council district.

• Candidates shall file during the regular candidate filing period and pay a $25 filing fee.
• No primary will be held for this election. The election shall occur during the November general election.
• The member receiving the most votes shall convene the commission.
• The term of office for commission members shall be two years or until the commission concludes its work, whichever occurs sooner.
• Meetings may take place at appropriate times and locations within Clark County. Public notice of each meeting must be provided in a countywide newspaper and posted on the county’s website at least 14 days in advance.

1. Vacancies
2. Vacancies on the commission must be filled by the remaining members within 30 calendar days after the chair declares a vacancy. Notice must be provided to residents of the affected district within 10 days of the declaration. The selected replacement must reside in the district where the vacancy occurs and be approved by a simple majority vote of the commission.
3. Financial Support
4. Commission members shall serve without salary but will be reimbursed for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. The County Council must provide the commission with necessary resources, facilities, and funding to fulfill its purpose effectively.

Interested in Becoming a Charter Commissioner?

If you’re interested in serving as a Charter Commissioner, please click the button below to send me an email with your name, address, and district. I’ll send you more information!

Click Here To Email Me You're Interested

Since there are no primaries for Charter Commissioners, it’s crucial to identify and support the three best candidates from each district. Coordination is essential to avoid splitting votes, as happened last time.

Quick Facts About the Charter Review Commission:

• Serious Responsibility: This is an opportunity to bring much-needed reforms to Clark County.
• Term of Office: Two years or until the commission’s work concludes, whichever comes first.
• Representation: Only three commissioners will be elected from each of the five County Council districts. [Click HERE to find your district.]
• Commitment: Be prepared for at least two meetings per month, with the potential for more during busy periods.
• Election Timing: Commissioners will be elected in the November 2025 general election (no primary election).

Lincoln Day Dinner - Tickets Available Here

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