Re: Plastic Bag Ordinance In Vantucky?

Shea-

Echoing Councilmember Topper, thanks for raising the issue.  As the City Council addresses a wide spectrum of issues facing our community, I am certain this topic will be among them.  As with any policy matter, should the council choose to pursue a policy regarding regulation or fees on plastic grocery bags, there will be ample notice and opportunity for public comment and involvement.

Regards -

Eric J. Holmes

City Manager

360.487.8640

www.cityofvancouver.us

On Apr 27, 2014, at 12:16 PM, "Shea Michael Anderson" <sheaside@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Mr. Holmes, Mayor Leavitt, + City Council,

Has Vancouver ever considered banning plastic grocery bags w/in city limits, or charging for them? As yall know, Portland does the former (w/ 5 cent charge for ppr bag) and Seattle (+ other cities much smaller) the latter - usually 5 cents per plastic bag.

I dont know we should ban them outright. But charging a 5-cent fee for plastic bags would only add $ to city coffers, as well as promote sustainable living to outside investors, tourists, residents, and possible residents - as both a PR and environmentally sound idea, its a win-win. And Seattle also charges 5 cents per plastic bag at take-outs + mini-marts (more $ for services).

Some of the take (or possibly Waste Management would donate?) could be used to buy 2 free reusable bags for each city household (as Seattle did). Reusable bags when bought in bulk arent that costly-much cheaper per bag than paying $1 at store (I just got 15 of 'em at Goodwill Outlet for a total of oh, $2.50 maybe?)

Yes, I know the grocers lobby is fighting plastic bag laws tooth and nail. Again, dont think we should do away w/em (theyre great for kitty litter, doggie doo, small garbage can liners). I dont need to remind yall of the enviro hazard their lifespan induces (they last around 500+ yrs avg).

Idk what yall have looked at or are thinking about, if anything. I do think a plastic bag law is easy $ for us that doesnt involve onerous property tax "circle jerking" (quoting Carolyn Crain) nor presents severe hardships on small biz (prices havent gone up in either PDX or Seattle, nor have bag laws put folks out of business). Most ppl have reusable bags already, and they already can only get ppr bags when shopping south of river. Finally, food stamp purchases are specifically exempt from bag fees.

Thanks for listening to my spiel. Yes, I sound off alot-so Im asking yall to pay attention and at least mull it over.

Best,
Shea

Jim AGAINST Oil Terminal in West Vancouver-Me Happy!

So, very happy to note Jim Moeller, our 49th Dist W Vanc state rep, is 100% AGAINST siting an oil by rail terminal at Port of Vancouver - and in a very strong and unequivocal way to boot.

Im glad to hear it. Im chagrined that information to the contrary has been passed around town in a factual manner, when people (for reasons I dont know) are assuming Jim's for said terminal - VancouverRisingTide (main oil by rail opp group) among them. I apologize for egg on my face on this one, and Im proud to help CLARIFY Jim's stance on this issue.

However, all this passing around of assumptions and rumor as fact, + the glossing over of facts into opinions (as what happened when his staff relayed my 1st post querying WHAT Jim's oil stance was), isnt healthy in any way.

Folks, email chains and Facebook threads in no way convey information nearly as neatly as simple direct live communication - a phone call, a quick check-in. If Jim was in fact "quiet" on his Tesoro stance, he should speak up. Folks loudly trumpeting made-up opinions as fact should simmer down.

Anyhow, hoping to repair things a bit with Jim here, and glad of apology and amends from parties involved. Including myself.

Again, he's against oil by rail. Horses mouth etc. Im solidly with Jim this fall, + proud of it.

Plastic Bag Ordinance In Vantucky?

Hi Mr. Holmes, Mayor Leavitt, + City Council,

Has Vancouver ever considered banning plastic grocery bags w/in city limits, or charging for them? As yall know, Portland does the former (w/ 5 cent charge for ppr bag) and Seattle (+ other cities much smaller) the latter - usually 5 cents per plastic bag.

I dont know we should ban them outright. But charging a 5-cent fee for plastic bags would only add $ to city coffers, as well as promote sustainable living to outside investors, tourists, residents, and possible residents - as both a PR and environmentally sound idea, its a win-win. And Seattle also charges 5 cents per plastic bag at take-outs + mini-marts (more $ for services).

Some of the take (or possibly Waste Management would donate?) could be used to buy 2 free reusable bags for each city household (as Seattle did). Reusable bags when bought in bulk arent that costly-much cheaper per bag than paying $1 at store (I just got 15 of 'em at Goodwill Outlet for a total of oh, $2.50 maybe?)

Yes, I know the grocers lobby is fighting plastic bag laws tooth and nail. Again, dont think we should do away w/em (theyre great for kitty litter, doggie doo, small garbage can liners). I dont need to remind yall of the enviro hazard their lifespan induces (they last around 500+ yrs avg).

Idk what yall have looked at or are thinking about, if anything. I do think a plastic bag law is easy $ for us that doesnt involve onerous property tax "circle jerking" (quoting Carolyn Crain) nor presents severe hardships on small biz (prices havent gone up in either PDX or Seattle, nor have bag laws put folks out of business). Most ppl have reusable bags already, and they already can only get ppr bags when shopping south of river. Finally, food stamp purchases are specifically exempt from bag fees.

Thanks for listening to my spiel. Yes, I sound off alot-so Im asking yall to pay attention and at least mull it over.

Best,
Shea

Shame, Vantuckians! (Tongue In Cheek)

So...this is NOT a rant post. It is a sad post, given its on the sorry state of local political involvement (i.e. VOTING in local elections) in our Wet n Wild City - a post based on shocking numbers I found while researching iniative/referendum procedures for our City.

First off, the numbers:

# people in Vancouver (est 2012): 165,000

# people in Vanc over 18 yrs age: 122,000

# registered voters in Vanc (2010): 82,200

# ppl who voted in 2013 mayor race: 29,900

What these numbers say is this:

1/3 of eligible city residents arent registered to vote (+/- 5000 ppl)

ONLY 38% of registered voters actually VOTED in the 2013 mayoral race (which had an awful lot of hoopla, and turned into a squeaker cuz of I5 bridge hooha, among other things)

So this yes, sucks. I realize its hard to give a crap about local politics when its not on the TV or on the Net where yall surf. However:

Local officials have MUCH more say about how we live our lives, + choices we make, than do national ones (for instance, they have power over zoning, parks, parking tickets...all sorts of piddle shit).

Local officials are MUCH more accessible to voters. For instance, I can usually email someone on Vanc City Council + get a response (or from our city manager, etc). Its hardly likely Obama's gonna email you back, or even Herrera-Buetler.

The NARROW swath of voters actually voting hold MUCH more power than they would otherwise - my vote, as one of the 30k approx ppl who voted for city races, counts 3 TIMES AS MUCH.

Im not gonna lecture on your "duty" as a citizen to vote, or register to vote. Its easy to do, and some folks just dont wanna. Or cant (felons, etc). Thats fine and dandy. Just BE AWARE youre giving up the power of having any sort of valid say over your local government when you dont vote (and crying about issues to your neighbors, colleagues, or the paper doesnt cut the mustard when it comes to hypocrisy).

It makes me sad not more of you use this simple tool-voting-to bear witness and make your voice heard. Ah well. Not my side of the street - I'll just cluck my head + build my fence a bit higher, no need to get all apeshit on you for giving up your power. And rights.

In the meantime, your LOW voting turnout for mayor means I only need around 4600 signatures to pop an iniative or referendum on the ballot. Yeayyy me. Much easier than doing it in say, Seattle (which requires 15% of around oh, 150k actual last election voters to do same).

Can y'all guess what Im aiming to put on the fall ballot? Ive only been griping about it for the whole time Ive been a Vantuckian. Thats right: I wanna vote on switching us back to the "strong mayor" form of govt - like other same sized cities (Tacoma, Spokane, hell, Eugene even). I want a mayor and city council directly accountable to voters, with direct and meaningful oversight of city employees, processes, and govt - like hiring/firing power. I wanna pay our 7 councilmembers similar wages to Tacoma or Spokane (or pay 7 council folks part time comparable wages, with a full time mayor).

I want a City Council who has offices actually AT City Hall (they dont now). I want a mayor + council who earns enough to work ALWAYS with the best interests of our city as a priority-rather than use their current $25k/yr wages as pin money. I want a mayor with a strong hand on our city keel, and a council eager to oversee executive decisions, and override if needed. I want city employees answerable to elected officials, rather than being untouchable bureaucrats.

Mind you, this isnt about Eric Holmes doing a bad job (but what if the next city manager isnt as great?)

Most of all, I want our now city-sized Vantucky to get OFF auto pilot, and start acting and running like the coherent and thriving metropole it wants to become. We've gotta have checks + balances, and oversight accountable to US, the citizens of Vancouver USA, in order to do that. Otherwise we may as well do what Madore-ites keep harping: disincorporate + let an oligarch over at County decide whats best for us.

Look for initiative signature sheets soon, I hope. Contact me if you feel the same + wanna help. Lets toss this idea of Vantucky controlling its own destiny around a bit too, fine tune it before we submit to a ballot. Lets get our city government RIGHT, and turn off the auto pilot. Its past time to change things and grow up, Vantucky.

Tesoro and Jim Moellers Support

Hi Jim, rescind your support for an oil by rail terminal in W Vancouver. Id hate to pull the lever for "none of the above" this fall.

City Council Raises

Just read todays frontpage Columbian article noting pay raises for Vancouver City Council members.

Not against pay raises for 'em by any means. However (as The Columbian glosses over) the new salaries are "high for a weak mayor city", while "other cities, like Spokane + Tacoma, pay far more".

Yeah, Spokane + Tacoma both strong mayor/council cities (no city manager). And yes, Eric Holmes is lovely, and does a good job holding Vancouvria together. However, both the other 2 cities are around the same size as us (180k), and yet BOTH have strong mayor systems of govt.

When you think about it, $27.6k to Mayor Leavitt is chump change for essentially being a blue ribbon cutter. However, Leavitt clears more like $200k in his civil engineer day job-whose interests is he gonna look out for and is more liable to protect? He can sure make alot more decisions as an engineer.

Im opposed to our current system of govt because Vantucky as it stands now is essentially on autopilot, with an unanswerable-to-citizens govt headed by a manager only responsible to Council. Eric's great, yes. But what about his replacement if/when he goes? I hate to see another Madore-like creature slide into a position that is basically autocrat for our entire city, with only our quite vocal + active neighborhood orgs in his way.

Its time for Vantucky to grow up and get the checks and balances of govt that ensure cities grow + thrive. Past time.

Carolyn Crain's Olympia Bid

The lovely effervescent activist Carolyn Crain is running for State Legislature in my district, W Vanc's 49th.

Carolyn, who isnt a Vancouver resident - she hails from that narrow wedge of Hazel Dell included in the 49th - is a perennial candidate for a host of local seats (most recently a bid for Freeholder).

Readers of The Columbian will recall she stood up to Vancouver City Council members and told them in NO UNCERTAIN TERMS to "quit circle jerking" city residents on their property taxes (a touching crusade by a non-city resident heroine crusader on our behalf). Given the sheepish grins and squirming by Council during her public commentary (especially by Tim Leavitt + Bart Hansen, as the paper noted, see my other posts for more on that intrigue), its clear her heroic efforts hit home.

While many in town write Carolyn off as some sort of hackneyed right-wing nut job, I prefer instead to look beyond her "Children of the Corn" surface and glazed stare and see the beauty within of a lady on the hunt for windmills to tilt at here in Vancouvria. I no doubt La Crain will be unopposed in her GOP primary in our leftist progressive 49th, and I sincerely hope local GOP leaders, as well as her worthy Dem opponent, will solidly hitch to her bandwagon as part of a County-wide GOP effort to oust non Tea Party-leaning folks who aren't 100% with Commish Madore.

I am glad, finally, to see Carolyn venting her spleen towards the RIGHT elected office-as much as her sticking her nose into City goings on is appreciated. When the election is over, I hope she'll use the down time towards weaning Hazel Dell off the County teat and into incorporated city status. Alas, one can dream.

NEW COUNTY CHARTER DRAFT OUT

Got draft of proposed charter - we vote on a new county government structure + constitution in November - and Ive got a few concerns. Overall, good document, and we should approve with a few minor changes - as well as thank our hardworking Freeholders, some of whom I've cc'ed on this post.

I'll have more to say on the Charter soon. I hope the Charter comes into effect IMMEDIATELY (Nov 2014), thus allaying M+M damage.

East County Bridge, and Who Supports It

East County readers, be AWARE-your folks in Olympia want what you want-NO East County bridge at 192nd. Madore is misinforming you.

THRILLED that so many in the Clark County conservative blogosphere are so darned UNHAPPY about goings on in the County - things like Oregon's insistence on light rail, Maria Cantwell visiting The Columbian, The Columbian in general - basically, why things AREN'T going their way.

I'm pleased about this mainly because Clark County doings, and the doings of government at large in our state and nation, are bringing a smile to my face. I'm happy to get OFF my computer, go out and TALK to real people (rather than bitch and gripe at them online), and I see folks are NOT simply angry for the sake of being mad (as our conservative blogger folks are). Rather, folks are energized to change things - and content that our efforts thus far have stymied our continuing County banana republic, have likely brought a halt to Tesoro's oil terminal efforts, and (oh yes) gotten us here in Vancouvria what we voted FOR: bus rapid transit, and NO NEW BRIDGE WITHOUT LIGHT RAIL.

I'm thankful I do get out and chitchat - if I stayed behind my computer all day I'd be buzzing around like a hornet too. We here in real-time Vantucky are fully aware change does not happen overnight, and change takes CONSENSUS - something the conservative County pundits forget, given their over-reliance on M&M efforts to give them goodies by fiat.

My advice to Lew Waters and others? GO TAKE A WALK. Burnt Bridge Creek ain't too far from Hazel Dell, right? Go smell a flower. Breathe fresh air. Talk to folks.

Pot Vending Machines?

Good mornin' o Wet n Wild City! Back from my refreshing coastal landscaping trip (my day "job") and two Columbian headline items attracted my eye (Im cc'ing Sen. Ann Rivers for the first item especially):

A) vending machines that sell pot are a BAD idea. The state liquor board shouldnt even consider it. Do I need to go into why vending machines that sell "sinful" things are bad?

B) whered the $17M in cost overruns by the CRC bridge planners go? Snazzy Jantzen Beach "meet the neighbors" get togethers?

Portland's Ongoing Freeway Issues

I say tell Salem lawmakers and Portland powers that be NO new Interstate Bridge until they fix their North + NE PDX freeway issues, including:

-removing Jantzen Beach exit + replacing with new access @ Marine Dr.

-adding Marine Dr only off ramps from I5, + redoing all ramps to get rid of stoplights.

-preferably separating  MLK exit from Marine Dr exit.

-adding truck-only lanes from bridge to Columbia Blvd.

-redoing Airport exit to get rid of lights there.
-separating Sandy + Killingsworth exits.

A small list, but they need to clean their own house before moaning at us about light rail. In exchange, we need to allow light rail-the bridge wont happen w/o it.

Thank You Eric!

Wanna take a hot wet Couver minute while at Winco and thank City Mgr Holmes for finally resurfacing lower Andresen Rd. Its like a friggin autobahn.

See? Im not all gloomy rants.

Sweet Time

Hello fellow Vantuckians! Ive been amiss in my politically charged enthusiasms due to constructing a door fence here at my Hough lair.

However, I did manage to catch a few Sunday headlines. In particular, the article telling us M+M will be laying out a "timetable" for appointing a new Dem commish to replace Stuart. A few KEY points:

-M+M are under NO obligation to appoint a new Commish in a hurry. It seems clear, unless the Blue Donkeys, Ed Barnes, or whoever takes them to court, that the two can hold off making an appointment til at least June 14-60 days from Stuarts last day. Mark my words, theyll do it at the last possible minute, avoiding Inslee's Oly intervention.

-M+M will appoint the WEAKEST of the 3 candidates. However, this doesnt necessarily mean Ed Barnes will get the nod. Its my sense Kelly Love Parker will-given her pro-biz stance appeals to M+M's stance. In fact, its likely whichever person gets their nod will ALSO be encouraged by them to run independent in November-thus splitting Dem ticket. Keep in mind Madore has the $ to do this-he donated, thru his PAC, $325k to Benton in 2012. Plus it appeals to Madore given his own squeak into office (when Dems didnt fully back Boldt).

-Its still not clear vis a vis state constitution whether M+M have to appoint one of the 3 Blue Donkey nominees. Yes, its usual. Yes, theres certain election statutes around it. But mark my words, theyll ask for legal opinions and rulings, as well as vet nominees before a "public" crafted in their own making during Commish hearings. They'll also do whatever they damn well please on the appt process-as they stated.

-M+M are holding off 60 days in order to confuse Dems-remember primary deadline is May 12. And its working-Ed and Pridemore are both announced. A bruising primary fight only works in M+M's favor, esp with them backing an indie candidate for November to SPLIT mostly left-leaning District 3-and remember NO GOP folks have announced. I doubt they will, or have full backing of our savvy Commishes when they do.

-Finally...the scariest part: M+M are free to do anything they like during this interregnum, w/o even a whimper of dissent on Council. No checks, no balances, folks. I shudder to think as to what crap will emerge from 13th + Franklin over this spring. And keep in mind that Freeholder charter intervention is FAR from a done deal: we dont even know what the new charter looks like, and we wont vote on an expanded Council where M+M power can be diluted til Nov 2015 at least.

In the meantime, Im ignoring Council and their ongoing Iran-Contra like hoo-ha. I got a fence to build.

Why the Jantzen exit needs to GO

RE: Clean Water Act Fees

Where you been Shea?  By the actions of the previous Board and bad choices of the past sheriff, we are caught paying the bills.  As for Mr. Benton, he just inherited the mess from the last Director.  Are you really that blind or just trying to dog pile on with the nay sayers.  Where do you suggest we get the money?

 

tom

 

From: Shea Michael Anderson [mailto:sheaside@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2014 8:48 AM
To: sheaside.imonik@blogger.com; Benton, Don; Madore, David; Mielke, Tom
Subject: Clean Water Act Fees

 

HOW DARE YOU ALL even consider assessing taxpayers in our County to pay bills for legal issues you folks in County govt created by not obeying the law of the Clean Water Act???

Where do the 3 of you get off? Anywhere? For shame. Not only are Director/Senator Bentons proposals to offload your mess onto citizens heads completely out of line, theyre utterly fiscally irresponsible and punitive to boot. Why not put zoning fees back in and FIRE Benton, for a start, to recoup some of the money?

Yall are leading Clark County to ruin in so many ways, and this is just the latest icing on the cake. Im praying the new Charter flips all 3 of you out on your ears.

PS: Oh, Senator Benton? Im NOT going to remove you from being cc'ed on my blog posts (which this email is). Your corruption needs to see the light of day for what it is.