Oregon Public Broadcasting

A key vote Tuesday night reveals how light rail continues to fracture Clark County politics.

The board of C-TRAN, the County’s mass transit agency, declared its intent to send voters two levies supporting a new light rail service.

The plan is part of the Columbia Crossing bridge project.

The levy will appear on ballots alongside a separate C-TRAN levy funding bus service.

Monday night, Vancouver City Council voted to support rolling the two plans together.

Councilor Jeanne Stewart, the lone dissenter, is also a member of C-TRAN’s board.

Jeanne Stewart  “I’m concerned that anyone who wants to continue to support  C-TRAN’s bus system can only do that now by also voting for light rail at the same time. It does not give citizens the optional choice I believe they should have.”

Mayor Tim Leavitt indicated he might try to replace  Stewart on the C-TRAN board with another councilor who supported the single-levy option. But that didn’t happen.

C-TRAN’s board has directed staff to set procedural plans in motion to lay groundwork for the two levies.