This City of Fairview has added an interesting item to its legislative agenda: requiring an elected board of directors for TriMet.
This City of Fairview has added an interesting item to its legislative agenda: requiring an elected board of directors for TriMet.
36 responses to “Upsetting the Transit Governance Apple Cart”
This is long, long overdue. The Board and GM are far too insulated from the community which they serve.
It won’t cure anything overnight, but it is a necessary first step.
Tri-Met is a scapegoat for everything, I swear.
Trimet may indeed be a scapegoat, but I support this action.
Mark my words. If Fairview gets it’s wish *nothing* will change. Actually, I take that back. The cost of running the elections (and the campaigns) may work as an economic stimulus.
TriMet however, already lives in fear of public opinion. I say this as someone who works with TriMet employees on a daily basis, and wishes they’d occasionally tell that public to get bent.
The two biggest issues that Tribune article seems to be whining about are the WES cost overruns, and MAX.
Not to be a complete apologist here, but with WES, TriMet had no choice in who build the cars. Thank Congress and Buy American requirements that made Colorado Railcar the *only* company TriMet could get the cars from.
With MAX, you have people who seem to think that you just flip a switch to enclose MAX stations. The entire system was designed from the ground up to be “open”. Almost every station would have to be torn up and rebuilt. Who the hell’s going to pay for that?
“TriMet had no choice in who build the cars.”
Uh, that’s not exactly the way it was.
You might want to look through the transit sleuth site for detailed analysis of this.
I agree the TriMet board should be elected rather than appointed by an hypocritical Governor who travels around in a big town car with a driver and uses a legislator’s private plane for to vacation travel to her cabin in Central Oregon that is located behind a barbed wire fence stretched across a river. Moreover, after a developer has spent millions of dollars getting land use approval for a destination development in the same area, our elitist Governor in an about face proposes legislation to block such project that would open up the area to the rest of Oregon’s population. We need change and we need it now that will return the freedoms this country was founded upon back to the people. Having an elected TriMet board is one small step in that direction.
One requirement for holding office should be that all politicians in the area use Trimet for all their personal and business transportation needs and that would include all of one’s family as well. Johnny gotta go to soccer? Use Trimet. Little Suzy need to get to the doctor’s? Use Trimet.
Make ’em live like the rest of us have to.
MW
“You might want to look through the transit sleuth site for detailed analysis of this.”
Uh, that’s not exactly what he says. He main point is that the entire project was designed badly and shoved through. That’s an entirely different argument. Perhaps one worth having, but still a different one.
“One requirement for holding office should be that all politicians in the area use Trimet for all their personal and business transportation needs and that would include all of one’s family as well.”
Nobody in government or at TriMet is advocating that all citizens must always use TriMet, therefore it is not inherently hypocritical for local politicians or TriMet officials to use cars as part of their routine.
However, in general it would be wonderful for every politico and especially TriMet management to get out and use the system for regular tasks, especially trying out routes they don’t ordinarily use, just to keep tabs on the system.
Bob way too many low income people in this area have no other option. Working mothers, elderly and many others do without because of the inadequate service level from Trimet and the politicians can change that if they wish and do so inexpensively as well.
And for the record one of the reasons many of those people stay poor is lack of access to transportation services.
I would just like to note that Fred Hansen (TriMet General Manager), Mary Fetsch (Communications Director), et al do indeed support their organization. I met with them on the way back from the Rosa Parks station dedication and they talked about which routes they take.
As for the board, Salem’s board is elected but its my understanding that very few boards are. Another idea would be to have the Metro Council appoint the members. Oregon Revised Statues 267.020 provides the authority for Metro (which does have an elected board) to takeover TriMet, but I’ve read that a early 90’s study found that there were legal and financial issues.
But regardless of that, it would be really, really nice if they would broadcast and record the board meetings and put the full agenda item details on the Web and possibly move the meeting times to the evenings. I know their meeting location in the Portland Building isn’t equipped for video, but even just one camera would be something, or they could relocate to someplace that is. Just doing those things would make the board, and the organization, more accessible.
Jason McHuff Says:
As for the board, Salem’s board is elected but its my understanding that very few boards are. Another idea would be to have the Metro Council appoint the members. Oregon Revised Statues 267.020 provides the authority for Metro (which does have an elected board) to takeover TriMet, but I’ve read that a early 90’s study found that there were legal and financial issues.
I understand that the board of directors of C-TRAN and King County Metro are both locally elected; whether or not this has worked out is another issue.
TriMet Board appointments by the Metro Council could work. They’d need to be individual appointments by individual Councilors, though. Otherwise a majority clique within Metro could control every TriMet seat leaving minority members’ districts out in the cold.
Michael Wilson wrote: One requirement for holding office should be that all politicians in the area use Trimet for all their personal and business transportation needs
Text of ORS 267.090(2):
The board of directors of a mass transit district shall consist of seven members. One director shall be appointed from each of seven subdistricts. The Governor shall appoint as one of the directors a person who regularly uses the services provided by a mass transit system. Directors shall reside in the subdistrict from which they are respectively appointed. The subdistricts shall be as nearly equal in population as possible based on the latest federal census and shall be designed to ensure representation of the most populous city, other cities and unincorporated territory in the proposed district proportionate to their respective populations provided that if less than the entire district is taxed by the district, the subdistricts shall be wholly within the taxed area. The district or, if the taxed area is less than the entire district, the taxed area shall be divided into subdistricts initially, and after each succeeding federal census, by the Secretary of State.
Now, if the Governor stacked the DEQ with a bunch of auto industry execs, there would be loud calls for the head of the Governor. If the Governor put a peacenik as the Adjutant General of the National Guard, there’d be problems.
Why should TriMet somehow be exempt? The folks leading TriMet ought to be TriMet users, plain and simple. What if the folks leading the Port of Portland knew nothing about transportation, or the folks running the local Soil & Water Conservation District knew nothing about, well, soil and water conservation? Or a Police Chief that isn’t even a police officer?
The current Board of Directors is nothing more than political hacks who “won” their “prize” from favors given to the Governor. The same Governor, by the way, who doesn’t live – nor appears to have had lived – in TriMet’s service district.
While putting TriMet under Metro control would be the most expedient method (since ORS 267.020 already provides for this), I would disagree that Metro is the best suited vehicle for day-to-day operations of TriMet. Metro is ill prepared to take that type of management over a functioning entity that so many people depend on each and every day; Metro does not run the garbage service (the cities do) or the transportation system (cities and ODOT and TriMet do), or the majority of the region’s park system. The closest Metro comes to a day-to-day operation that sees so much of the public is the Oregon Zoo, and the operations of the Zoo are so far removed from Metro Headquarters (not to mention it is financially, and significantly administratively separate from Metro) that the Zoo is merely a footnote at Metro.
Not to mention, Metro has shown a significant bias against 2/3rds of TriMet’s operations.
Not to mention, Metro has shown a significant bias against 2/3rds of TriMet’s operations.
I suppose the decision to build the very first MAX line was just people being biased against 100% of TriMet’s operations?
The Governor shall appoint as one of the directors a person who regularly uses the services provided by a mass transit system.
That requirement is fine by me. That’s far different from _requiring_ that _all_ politicians must use TriMet for _all_ transportation needs, as Michael originally proposed.
Fred Hansen is a regular TriMet user by the way, but he doesn’t use it for 100% of his transportation needs. If you’ve got a problem with his management style or his policies, that’s fine, but he does use the system.
If the Governor put a peacenik as the Adjutant General of the National Guard, there’d be problems.
Why? Being pro-peace doesn’t mean that one can’t have had prior military experience or strong experience managing large military organizations. The requirement should be based on experience and involvement and willingness to serve, not on personal viewpoints about war and peace.
The same Governor, by the way, who doesn’t live – nor appears to have had lived – in TriMet’s service district.
Is that a new proposed requirement, too? That Governors who make appointments must have lived in the jurisdiction which will be served by the appointee? That could lead to some messy problems… what if a popular, very pro-transit (and pro-bus) Governor were elected who never lived in the Portland metro area, and then therefore was barred from making appointments to TriMet. That doesn’t make much sense.
I think both the Port and TriMet should be overseen by our elected regional government, Metro. The Metro Council hires the TriMet General Manager and the Port’s Director and sets transportation and economic development policies for them to carry out. Simple enough.
If TriMet were supported primarily by state taxes then there might be justification for the Board to consist of gubernatorial appointees. Since its operational funding comes from mostly local taxes & fares and since it serves a specific local area, the Board should be elected or at least appointed by locally elected officials.
The flags started going up for me when then Metro Councilor Brian Newman reported that Fred Hansen joined with then Lake Oswego mayor Judie Hammerstad to blackball West Linn and Milwaukie from the Lake Oswego to Portland Alternatives steering committee. West Linn, Milwaukie, and Oregon City riders all lose from the streetcar extension and would have benefitted from any bus improvement.
It might have been political hard ball for a mayor to keep reps from other cities off the committee to make sure that the extension juggernaut stays on track, but at worst she just went overboard in representing her constituency. It’s entirely another matter for the GM to dis some of TriMet’s constituents just to grease the streetcar’s rails.
I understand that the board of directors of C-TRAN and King County Metro are both locally elected…
Although I don’t know about K.C. Metro, I know that the C-TRAN board is comprised of public officials, but not directly elected. Their own page explains this better than I can:
http://www.c-tran.com/board-of-directors.html
way too many low income people in this area have no other option.
So now we’re blaming TriMet for people being too poor to own cars too. Sweet Jesus.
Tri-Met is a scapegoat for everything, I swear.
Seconded.
They’d need to be individual appointments by individual Councilors, though.
Well, members of both the TriMet board and Metro Council represent individual portions of the region, though I’m not quite sure how the subdistricts line up. But the real issue is the legal and financial issues with bonds, etc that can be caused by governance changes.
I think both the Port and TriMet should be overseen by our elected regional government, Metro.
Ideally, and if efficiency is the goal, there would be a Metro County that would combine the urban portions of the three counties, the port, TriMet, Metro, and other regional services.
Unit Says:
“way too many low income people in this area have no other option.
So now we’re blaming TriMet for people being too poor to own cars too. Sweet Jesus.”
No . You missed the point. Many low income are low income because they don’t have access to transportation regardless of whether it is a personal car, or a service they pay for, like a bus.
Using Trimet to go to and from work is one thing. Using Trimet to go to the grocery store is another. Maybe Fred and all the politicians in this town should try hauling a couple of bags of groceries around town on a bus, or two each week.
hauling a couple of bags of groceries around town on a bus, or two each week
With a big backpack and a couple plastic bags per hand, its not that hard. However, the better way is to simply go to a store that’s close by, and make more, smaller purchases if necessary. I know that Fred and some others are able to do this.
Bob R.: Is that a new proposed requirement, too?
No, it’s not.
It’s a direct reflection upon the importance given by our state’s Governor towards a system that he has very, very little vested interest upon.
TriMet is not a state-wide transit system, it’s a Portland metro transit system. Certainly, we wouldn’t approve of the Governor choosing the Portland City Commission without voter input; and that many people cite the success of Metro upon being a rare example of a voter-elected commission should be reason enough that TriMet’s governance is flawed.
As for Metro controlling both TriMet and the Port of Portland, why stop there? Why not eliminate Washington/Clackamas/Multnomah Counties and any/all governmental bodies underneath and consolidate them into Metro too?
TriMet is not a state-wide transit system, it’s a Portland metro transit system.
You are correct. In case you didn’t notice, that’s what this topic is about. That’s a given.
I’m not advocating here that TriMet remain an gubernatorially-appointed body, I’m questioning the proposals in the comments here _requiring_ that _all_ politicians must use TriMet for _all_ transportation needs, as Michael originally proposed.
Then you brought up the issue of a governor “who doesn’t live – nor appears to have had lived – in TriMet’s service district.”
Whether or not the governor has lived in a particular area is irrelevant to the discussion of whether a particular agency should be made up of appointed positions or elected directly or part of some other elected body. What is more relevant are the processes of selection and the make-up of that body.
As for Metro controlling both TriMet and the Port of Portland, why stop there? Why not eliminate Washington/Clackamas/Multnomah Counties and any/all governmental bodies underneath and consolidate them into Metro too?
This is just absurd. People are free to discuss the appropriate organizational structure of TriMet without opening up the entire make-up of our region for debate. Putting one new thing into Metro doesn’t mean putting _everything_ into Metro.
Bob R. wrote: People are free to discuss the appropriate organizational structure of TriMet without opening up the entire make-up of our region for debate. Putting one new thing into Metro doesn’t mean putting _everything_ into Metro.
In response to my comment:
As for Metro controlling both TriMet and the Port of Portland, why stop there? Why not eliminate Washington/Clackamas/Multnomah Counties and any/all governmental bodies underneath and consolidate them into Metro too?
Which was a response to Lenny Anderson:
I think both the Port and TriMet should be overseen by our elected regional government, Metro. The Metro Council hires the TriMet General Manager and the Port’s Director and sets transportation and economic development policies for them to carry out. Simple enough.
Which was a response to Lenny Anderson:
No need to boldface, Erik… if you want a private conversation with Lenny (via a comment you began in response to a quote from me), in which no one else can make a comment, please use private email. Otherwise, lighten up. The seething negativism gig isn’t winning you any converts. [Yes, that’s directed at you. Moderator’s prerogative. No boldface required.]
You can boldface?
GREAT!
[Moderator: Personally-directed remark removed. Al, drop it.]
oh bob;
your no fun anymore!
your no fun anymore!
That’s “you‘re“. :-)
OH SHEESH!
Can’t even breath without Bob R watching to see if I exhale properly!
:
Port Commissioners are appointed by the Governor as the Port serves rural Oregon as well as the Portland region. TriMet is a key transportation agency for keeping people and, indirectly, freight moving in the region, and the Portland region is the economic driver of Oregon and SW Washington. So it makes some sense that the Governor apoints that board as well.
Not sure the anti-TriMet crowd would be happy to have the agency answer to the elected Metro Council instead…but remember that Metro must approve all TriMet capital projects that receive federal funds, so they already have a lot of say.
My guess is it would not make much difference.
“TriMet however, already lives in fear of public opinion.”
Precisely how? Their “open houses” are nice, but their board meeting process is unclear and public information is unhelpful. I suppose one could say that they live in fear of public opinion, but what I see is TriMet going out of their way to avoid it — not respond to it.
“Port Commissioners are appointed by the Governor as the Port serves rural Oregon as well as the Portland region. TriMet is a key transportation agency for keeping people and, indirectly, freight moving in the region, and the Portland region is the economic driver of Oregon and SW Washington. So it makes some sense that the Governor apoints that board as well.”
Sorry, I don’t buy it. The statewide impact of a port operation is far wider than a transit agency’s would be. On the other hand, the local impact of a transit agency directed by an unfocused, unaccountable board is much higher.