This is interesting. Even suggests that Vancouver is a significant reason why the Portland area is growing.

http://www.crosscut.com/suburbia/1408/

Well that's a great big DUH.

Let's see, the Portland metro area has pretty much doubled in population in the last 25 years. Clark County has quadrupled, and much of that growth is in the last decade, where it has tailed off south of the pond.

I like what Mayor Pollard said with his comment, "Vancouver is the second largest city in Oregon." It seems that too many Portlanders dismiss us as cheapskates who skim off of Portland's excess, but in fact the over 50,000 of us who live here and work down there CONTRIBUTE to it via the income tax we continue to pay to a state we live in, without reaping the full benefits of the taxes. Yes, we do SOMEWHAT, I know.

Someone woke up on the wrong side of the RIVER!

A little geico humor for ya there!!!!

As an ex-Vancouveronian, all I can say is that I'm so glad that those 100,000 people that settled in Clark county and made a First Class Blight out of Clark county INSTEAD of here in the Portland metro area! Congrats for accomplishing an uncontrolled growth nighmare!

What does Vancouver mean to Portland?

Basically an expansion of Portland. In fact due to the fact of the seemingly incessant landgrabbing I constantly see here, I have been inclined to refer to the Coove as "Little Portland" on quite a few occasions.

Add to that we have a mayor who is dumber than a post (wants to keep expanding the city limits and building rampantly while completely ignoring the public's general being-against it) and immature beyond professionalism (has a hobby of going into Vancouver Starbucks and literally smashing to bits anything even remotely mentioning Portland, and later dismissing it as "just being faithful to his own city") and that's one very bitter pill many longtime Vancouverites, and Vancouver natives (like myself) are willing to swallow.




"'And guess what we found: one of the nation's fastest-growing cities over the past 20 years. In fact, Vancouver could soon become Washington's second largest city after Seattle.'

".........Vancouver has fewer land-use laws and limits on growth? Has Vancouver become a convenient place to handle Portland's overflow, for those who wanted to live, work and play in the area, but who also wanted a bigger yard, lower taxes and a house on a cul-de-sac?

"In other words, has Vancouver become our safety valve? Consider this: While Portland has grown respectably and gradually since the booming 1990s, Vancouver has exploded. Clark County's population nearly doubled from 238,000 in 1990 to more than 400,000 today."

That's vile. Positively vile. One of the reasons (has often been stated) many longtime Vancouverites moved here is so they wouldn't have to put up with the problems of a large city like Seattle or Portland (like increased crime, traffic, noise, pollution, etc.)

(Sooner I can finally move to, say, Pendleton or maybe even Goldendale the better! Preferrably PDT though.........)

That, and because of the lack of decent open spaces, good off-road riding/MX around here is getting hard to come by. (thanx a lot Angelo & Co. among others!!)




"I like what Mayor Pollard said with his comment, 'Vancouver is the second largest city in Oregon.'"

Pretty much sums it up right there......

Unless Big R is referring to a period in history when the area we know today as Washington State was still part of the Oregon Territory, which I highly doubt, Vancouver has always been a city in Washington. It has never been the "second largest city in Oregon" because of how the state boundary lines currently run.

Chances are if he had his way he'd make a deal to remove the Oregon Boundary from the centre of the river--the navigation channel where it currently runs--and re-route it around Vancouver so he could hope to give his statement a little fact. And knowing Royce's performance in the past it wouldn't surprise me if he actually tries to propose something like that.

*closes eyes and shakes head in disbelief* All the least I can say is I never voted for the guy.










Oh, and just FYI to the WW:
The first Burgerville was located right across from City Hall on Mill Plain.

There.

Vancouver iz da Bomb! PDX sucks swamp water or even worse...Willamette water after a rain storm...ewwwww!!!!!

There that should ruffle a few feathers!!!!!

Vancouver means Oregon has gotten rid of many hard core conservatives and sent them to the North.

Yet they still complain about Oregon.

As to paying Oregon Income Tax, you wouldn't have to if the state of Washington had a State Income Tax. Oops that would get most of you moving back to Oregon.

If we work in Oregon and live in Washington, chances are that we would have to continue to pay Oregon state income tax.

I'm not complaining, I understand that I DO reap some of the benefits of the tax monies I pay. I could always get a job up here, but I happen to like where I work now, and personally I'm willing to pay the state income tax to remain there.

If Vancouver houses so many of these "hard core conservatives" you mention, why do we keep voting Brian Baird in as our Congressman? He's hardly conservative.

You know i've complained about Oregon's income tax and lack of sales tax in the past......don't change a thing Oregon. Not having to pay the sales tax on all of the new appliances for my kitchen remodel was really great! Sorry you will not see any tax income from those purchases! NOT

BTW, most of you know this, but Oregonians can shop tax free in Washington State. However Washington residents pay tax to Oregon if they work there. Hardly incentive for a Washingtonian to work in Oregon! No wonder Vancouver is growing so fast.

You get some but not all of it back. Nice perk though to buy large ticket items tax free though!!!!! That is were Oregon is missing the boat! All of those large purchases and not collecting sales tax on them! That kind of makes up for having to pay income tax!

Washington State residents are supposed to pay a use tax for items purchased outside the state. How many Clark County residents know about this, and how many ignore it? (Rhetorical questions of course.)

On bigger items we CAN'T, Reford.

I bought my Saturn three years ago, paid cash, in Beaverton. I went to license it up here and paid some $600 in sales tax for a car I bought in Oregon. Same thing with an old truck I bought a few years back, had to pay the tax on it up here.

Smaller stuff we get away with, big items it isn't that easy.

Yes, and there have been problems with people using false Oregon addresses to avoid the sales tax on cars, boats, etc.

But you are correct, anything that has to be registered you will pay the tax. No choice.

Registered Vehicles you gotta pay but anything else like a Beer Meister there is no tax as long as you pick it up yourself. If you have it delivered then they charge sales tax.

Baird is elected because he's good and the district runs all the way North to Olympia. If the district were only Vancouver he would be dead meat.

So if the State of Washington were to get an additional representative in Congress it might go to Vancouver, and then another wonk like Herb would end up in Congress.

Brian Baird is a moron. He ranks right up there with the two bimbos Maria CANTwell (a fitting name) and Patty Murray.

Washington politics is full of bimbos, look at our governor. What a waste of time.

Unfortunately for most of the rest of Washington, which generally will vote more to the conservative side, we all have to put up with whatever King County (Seattle) wants.

Look at the gas tax that our bimbette signed into law a while back. Enough people were upset with it and signed petitions to get a repeal proposition on the ballot.

Do you think the people were smart enough to vote it back out...Nope.

As I mentioned in a thread a while back, if it is a tax increase, I don't care what it's for, I'm voting against it. Politicians SUCK. All of them!

Enough ranting.

"Yes, and there have been problems with people using false Oregon addresses to avoid the sales tax on cars, boats, etc."

Actually the state of Washington is getting more anal about that ... you have to have proof of address (a bill, etc.) and it has to be an ACTUAL address, not a PO box. The main reason for that actually is because of the monorail tax they had in King County a couple of years ago, and Seattle residents had to pay an additional $160 per year per vehicle (that is NOT a typo!) for a monorail extension that was NEVER built. So many Seattle folks got all bent out of shape that they flooded PO boxes outside of the county to license their rigs at.

skybil sez "Brian Baird is a moron. . . . two bimbos Maria CANTwell (a fitting name) and Patty Murray. . . Washington politics is full of bimbos, look at our governor."

Bill, take a deep breath, most voters don't care if politicans are morons and/or bimbos . . . as long as they vote their way. In the case of Cantwell and Baird, they both are voting my way on most issues so, moron/bimbo or not, I'm pleased with their performances.

February 6, 2004

The Honorable Donald Rumsfeld
Secretary of Defense
The Pentagon, Room 3E880
Washington, DC 20301

Dear Secretary Rumsfeld:

I am writing to ask for your urgent help to ensure that our soldiers being deployed to Iraq have the life-saving equipment and supplies they need to complete their missions safely and successfully.

As you know, about 5,000 members of the 81st Armor Brigade at Fort Lewis, Washington will be deployed to Iraq next month. I continue to hear of Guard and Reserve units from across the country being deployed without critical equipment and supplies.

I am especially concerned about the apparent lack of Interceptor body armor. One of the reasons I voted for the President's $87 billion supplement for Iraq and Afghanistan in October was to ensure that our troops get the equipment they need and that the Pentagon has promised. In November, Acting Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Army would have the new Interceptor body armor on every soldier in Operation Iraqi Freedom by the end of December. However, it is my understanding that the 81st Brigade has not yet received this critical, life-saving equipment.

In addition to body armor, I understand that other supplies have still not been received – from new "web gear" to insect repellant and camouflage. When I visited the 81st Brigade last month, I was shocked to hear that their desert camouflage had not arrived. They were planning to deploy with their standard GORE-TEX camouflage.

Our country's Guard and Reserve soldiers are sacrificing on the front lines, but they continue to be treated as second class-citizens. They are told to pay for equipment that is routinely provided to members of our regular armed forces. Our Guard and Reserve troops deserve the full support of our government, including the tools necessary to accomplish their mission.

I am writing with two requests. First, please give me your personal assurance that all members of the 81st Brigade will be provided with Interceptor body armor prior to their deployment to Iraq. Second, please update me on the status of the 81st Brigade's requisition orders.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Patty Murray
United States Senator

I loved Vancouver when I was growing up. It meant visiting the Fort. It meant enjoying a day of adventures in new parks. It meant friends of the family who would play Marimba for us, or spin P.D.Q. Bach records. It meant visiting a once thriving cluster of airfields -- whether by car or wing -- and being a CAP Cadet every summer at the Evergreen Airshow. It meant miniature golf. It meant fireworks. It meant going to Vagabond Records.

Essentially, Vancouver -- and the surrounding community -- used to be a real hoot. Now, I dunno so much, and my friends from the other shore come down to visit. I have not really spent any time up there beyond a Laurie Anderson performance a few years ago that was in surreal place I will call Logan's Run High School. I've also caught some shows at the Arnada too. Mostly, it has been looking yonder from my NoPo abode at the fireworks every July.