Based on the stories about the Columbia River Crossing in the Columbian recently, I have to raise my objection. How can we take the bureaucratic waste of $130 million in taxpayer money anymore? I’ve supported a new bridge for years, but here is the billion dollar question: When is this bridge going to be built and how is it to be financed?

I believe the people of Southwest Washington and Portland missed their best chance of getting it built 10 years back when the political climate was right and the cost was considerably cheaper. My belief that a CRC project then was feasible under combined federal, state and local management. The fall of the economy since 2008 has pulled the plug on CRC managers, which now renders the entire project futile. In short, the money ain’t there.

This latest news does not look good for CRC. I am changing my position on this bridge. I call for the people in Vancouver/Portland to put this entire mess up for a vote this November. Let the taxpayers decide if they want a bridge, light rail, CRC, or not.

More than $130 million would have bought a lot of bread for the hungry, shelter for the homeless, medicine for the sick, baby care, clothes and shoes for kids. I say stop kicking the can down the road …stop the CRC.

Rolf Knapp

vancouver

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