Cascadia Report

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  • Vancouver warms to congestion pricing

    There seems to be growing support for congestion pricing and tolls in the Vancouver area, according to reports of a public forum on the area’s transportation system this week.

    Current plans call for a massive series of roads, railways and overpasses designed to speed port traffic. Several opponents of major road projects spoke at the forum sponsored by the Greater Vancouver Regional District. What’s surprising is that representatives from local chambers of commerce advocated tolls on bridges, and even the head of the B.C. trucking association reportedly wasn’t opposed to the idea.

    The question appears to be whether a series of congestion pricing rules should be imposed around the metro area simultaneously or incrementally, according to this article. Urban planner Gordon Price predicted an overnight change in sentiment, where the region signs up a private partner to collect tolls and use the proceeds for transportation projects.

    He was quoted like this on plans to move ahead with traditional fixes like expanding roads: “It’s almost heart-breaking in a city like this,” Price said. “We somehow have the resources, measured in the billions, to do what we know isn’t going to work in the long run, and fail to do that which we know does.”

  • B.C. taking all workers

    “If you’re breathing, Canada’s West wants you,” an economist with CIBC World Markets said after release of the latest employment figures Friday.

    British Columbia’s jobless rate dipped to 4.6 percent and Alberta’s fell to a 30-year low of 3 percent in October, thanks to the booming energy industry. B.C.’s rate could fall below 4 percent in the next year, an economist said. Meanwhile Canada’s national rate was 6.2 percent, due to industrial downsizing in eastern provinces. In the U.S., the nationwide rate fell to a five-year low of 4.4 percent.

  • Ferry riders forced to pay steadily more

    The price of traveling by ferry in Cascadia continues to rise as government funding fails to keep pace with demand.

    B.C. Ferries will cost moreThis week, fares on B.C. Ferries’ major routes to Vancouver Island rose 2.8 percent and fares on smaller routes in the Gulf Islands climbed 4.4 percent. Commercial rates are expected to rise next month. Fares already increased earlier this year to cover then-rising fuel costs.

    Meanwhile Washington State Ferries, which increased fares by 6 percent in March, is considering another hike of 5 to 20 percent. This month the system will start charging for wi-fi Internet access, a service used by thousands of commuters. It will soon cost $29.95 a month.

    It’s unclear why ferry users are expected to pay directly for for transportation infrastructure while drivers get free use of the region’s clogged roads. B.C.’s transportation minister said the increases won’t affect the economy and dismissed complaints, saying people will adjust.

  • If Portland can handle strip clubs…

    Seattle’s voters are about to decide whether to overturn new draconian rules that essentially shut down the city’s tame strip clubs. Meanwhile Portland has at least 12 times as many clubs and looser rules than Seattle ever has, according to an excellent story by Jim Brunner in The Seattle Times.

    “Would anybody say Seattle is a superior place to Portland because it has fewer adult bookstores or strip clubs? I think that’s such a bizarre notion,” said Charles Hinkle, a Portland attorney who specializes in free-speech cases and has argued against strip-club regulations in Oregon. “I don’t think anybody in Seattle would list that in the top 100 factors as to why they chose Seattle to live.”

    Somehow Portland still manages to be rated one of the most livable cities in the country. Ditto for Vancouver. Any idea how many clubs they have?

  • Election picks from a regional perspective

    Readers have asked Cascadia Report for input on Seattle-area ballot issues. So here’s our logic, in brief, on some key measures:

    — Washington Initiative 933: No. The measure would overturn land-use rules developed democratically over the last 15 years to manage growth. Sure, those policies need to be fair, consistent and not hurt the little guy. Instead of gutting the rules with this measure, hold elected representatives accountable for the hard decisions necessary to handle the region’s growth.

    — Washington Initiative 920: No. Cascadia is steeped in the idea that individuals should carve their own fortune, not inherit it. The estate tax helps preserve a level playing field by affecting only the very wealthiest citizens. The fact that a few rich sponsors paid signature gatherers to get this measure on the ballot and then have misrepresented it as a “death tax” that affects everyone makes this vote even easier.

    — Washington Initiative 937: Yes. We’re generally not fans of legislation by initiative. But requiring that large utilities generate 15 percent of their energy from new renewable sources by 2020 is a reasonable goal. This should stimulate resourceful industry and force the state to deal with thorny details like siting and building costs.

    — King County Prop. 2: Yes. We would prefer a progressive tax to finance transportation. But this .01 percent increase in sales tax dedicated to more bus service along the area’s busiest routes is still an essential step toward building a regional transit system.

    — U.S. Senate: Maria Cantwell. She advocates energy efficiency and protection of this region’s environment, and is an essential check on the Bush Administration. Republican challenger Mike McGavick could have made a very effective senator but took a wrong turn in his campaign, especially with divisive gambits like calling for drug testing of welfare mothers, oil drilling in a national wildlife refuge and wasteful spending on an ineffective wall along the Mexican border.

    — U.S. House, 7th District: Linnea Noreen. This young Independent believes Seattle should be represented in Congress by someone who wants to work for realistic solutions to heath care, education and transportation problems. Incumbent Democrat Jim McDermott has marginalized himself with extreme positions. Listen to the candidates on KUOW’s afternoon interview show.

    — U.S. House, 8th District: Darcy Burner. This is a vote against the Bush Administration’s policies. While there are more qualified Democrats to hold the seat (they chose not to run), incumbent Republican Dave Reichert is mostly a rubber stamp for policies that are bankrupting the country with a disastrous war and costly yet ineffective tax cuts. The Republican majority he supports also blocks conservation measures important to this region.

    — Washington Supreme Court: Susan Owens. She’s a nonpartisan judge who takes her responsibility seriously. Challenger Stephen Johnson is an ideologue Republican state senator with a conservative agenda to push on the court. He’s mostly funded by the Building Industry Association of Washington, whose main goal is to gut regulation — no matter how popular with the public.

    — Seattle Initiative 91: No. This measure would prevent almost all city spending on sports despite the spillover economic benefits that can result. Make sure elected officials make wise decisions, but don’t tie their hands with this crude measure requiring an arbitrary level of return on investment.

    — Seattle Referendum 1: No. Seattle’s tame strip clubs don’t need more draconian regulation. This is a legitimate industry that serves consenting adults from around the region. The city should spend its time solving real problems, not legislating morality.

    — Seattle Prop. 1: No. This would increase property taxes to pay for basic services like roads and bridges. The city has sweetened the deal by promising $38 million for bicycle paths. Defeat this measure so the city has to prioritize critical projects within its budget.

  • One Seattle voter, two elections, four ballots

    The Seattle area is still having trouble running glitch-free elections — at least if this experience is an indication.

    Before the primary election in September I received two ballots, one each at both my current and old addresses. The ballot at my current address included instructions to ignore the extra one. It seemed a sign that King County’s well-publicized problems holding a vote had been fixed.

    Then, this week, I received two ballots for the general election, at the same two addresses. But now the current and old addresses were switched, with the ballot at the old address instructing me to ignore the one sent to my correct address. I also received two new voter-registration cards with wrong information. When I called the elections department to correct the error, I was told that someone had switched my information again, and they have no record of my current address — just the old one.

    Mistakes can always happen and surely the people at the elections department are doing their best. Regardless, it seems we need to brace for more reports of election mix-ups that may mar the outcome of close races.

  • Start-up university challenges education system

    While many around the region worry that schools aren’t churning out enough engineers and scientists, a new university in British Columbia has a novel approach: developing people who can think critically.

    The Quest University plans to open next fall in Squamish, with a multidisciplinary approach evenly split between sciences and arts. The backers say the liberal arts curriculum and close access to teachers will make it unique in Canada.

    “I don’t want to say everybody who comes out of a big institution is just a professional robot,” one of the backers told the Globe and Mail. “But real intellectual exploration happens when you’re interacting, and I do spend a lot of time working one-on-one in small groups with my students.”

  • A tale of rising taxes in two cities

    Property taxes may be about to rise significantly in both Vancouver and Seattle. Exactly how much could become clear within the next week.

    Vancouver is bracing for a tax hike of up to 6.3 percent to cover city services and costs related to the 2010 Olympics, pending a city staff recommendation due on Halloween. This year taxes reportedly rose 4 percent, twice the inflation rate, but officials expect residents would rather pay more than have services cut.

    In Seattle, voters may decide to raise their taxes in next week’s election. The most audacious plan is a tax to pay for basic services such as roads and bridges — things the city hasn’t adequately funded in decades. The nine-year levy would boost property taxes by more than 4 percent in the first year. A series of other possible increases are on the way to cover underfunded transit projects, schools and other high-priority functions.

    Housing in both cities is increasingly unaffordable. It seems just a matter of time before residents reject additional levies that make housing more expensive.

  • Alaska Airlines adds nonstops from Cascadia

    Alaska Airlines, Cascadia’s dominant carrier, this week added a series of new nonstop flights to Mexico. More are likely on the way.

    The airline added the first nonstops to Cancun from Seattle and to Los Cabos and Puerta Vallarta from Portland. Counting new flights from San Francisco and Los Angeles, the airline expanded its capacity to Mexico by 22 percent. Alaska is still dealing with on-time and performance problems, but recently said it may add more distant destinations.

    What’s interesting is that Alaska is increasingly courting non-vacation travelers. It recently added Spanish in-flight announcements, a Spanish web site and year-around nonstops to Mexico City and La Paz from Los Angeles. Will it eventually restore the business link between Seattle and Mexico Cty? (Vancouver has 11 nonstops a week, according to that airport.)

  • Transport fixes need leadership, not polls

    Here’s some shocking news: voters’ view of an issue changes depending on the information they have.

    That’s seems to be the case when it comes to replacing Seattle’s earthquake-damaged viaduct freeway. A poll earlier this month of 400 voters (40 percent over age 60), found 47 percent support for a new elevated freeway along the waterfront and 29 percent support for a tunnel. Politicians who can’t decide have used the poll as proof of public support for a new viaduct.

    But another poll of 400, mostly younger, voters found that 52 percent supported a tunnel when told of the cost and larger size of a rebuilt viaduct. Fifty-five percent supported a tunnel when told that it would create open space downtown. The second poll was sponsored by business and anti-viaduct groups.

    The results suggest that representatives need to lead on this issue, rather than look to polls for support. Replacing the viaduct with a combination of improved surface streets and transit remains the least costly and most effective way to handle this opportunity to reshape the core of the city.