A vote to move forward
As a Metro Council, we all recognize that there are key decisions we face that will greatly affect the lives of our children and our grandchildren. This is clearly one of those moments. During the worst economic downturn in 80 years, we need an agreement that provides certainty for both development and agriculture and gets people working again.
That’s why, in the sprit of moving forward and working together with my fellow councilors, I’ve reluctantly voted to approve this overall package — but not without serious reservations. In particular, I believe Washington County’s map sacrifices foundation farmland and natural areas, which is why I voted against that map. And I also believe that map will likely provoke lawsuits that will force its revision.
But I believe the consequences are too great to stall this process over what might be, when what we’re facing today is a stagnant economy and thousands of Oregonians unemployed. It’s time to come together and put people back to work.
For more about my position on these issues, see my earlier post on tackling the question of how we grow.