Oct 9, 2005

The Will Of The Voter Is Supreme

Friday night while talking with folks in downtown Troutdale during the First Friday event, I got several responses about the Oregonian article about Troutdale urban renewal. The article quoted me as saying I favor the urban renewal plan but that people need to vote on it.

Two people told me they didn't think that urban renewal should go to a vote. Both of these folks thought that no one really cared about what happened to the old sewer treatment plant. Well sure, that's one way to go. I reminded both these folks that as recently as 2002 Troutdale voters rejected urban renewal. I told them my pro-vote position was based on that vote.

The will of the people is absolute. I'm a voter myself, and I get very cranky when we vote against an issue and then government goes ahead and does the very thing we voters rejected. Like Light Rail. Like the I-Tax. Like Measure 7. I could go on and on and on.

As an elected official of little old Troutdale, I fully support the proposed urban renewal district and the development of the riverfront property along the Sandy River. But I'm not going to go against the will of the voters. And that's that.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hey Robert, Chris Hoogendijk here.

When you become president, appoint me to ambassador to the Netherlands.

Otherwise email me and we can drink beer. :)

chris_hoogendijk@mail.com