Will the Northwest economy be a casualty of the war on coal?
Activists waging a national war on coal have turned their sights on the Pacific Northwest, targeting proposed shipping terminals in Washington and Oregon that would export coal to China.
Activists waging a national war on coal have turned their sights on the Pacific Northwest, targeting proposed shipping terminals in Washington and Oregon that would export coal to China.
If anyone had any doubt why light rail to Vancouver is so controversial, look no further than what the city of Vancouver tried to do. In November 2011, voters approved Proposition 1, which raised the sales tax rate in the Clark County region by 0.2 percent. C-Tran officials promised voters then that the new revenue would raise between $8 million and $9 million per year, and they would use this new money to preserve the existing bus system and prevent further service cuts.
In 1979, four visionary fire chiefs came together to ensure the public safety needs for our community for generations to come. Deloy Little of Camas, Darrell Alder of Washougal, Bob Holland of Clark County Fire District 1, and Clyde Webberley of Clark County Fire District 9, signed a document that established what has come to be known as the "Three Parties Agreement." This agreement provided for the funding of a paramedic transport service in the East Clark County area. The money was to be used for hiring personnel, buying equipment, and the ongoing emergency medical training needs of the involved departments.
Governor Gregoire kicked off 2012 with a strong statement about the importance of the state's small businesses in creating the jobs that will turn the state's economy around: "...If we can make it easier and cheaper for them [small business owners] to do business, they can afford to add more employees. This is the key to our economic recovery..."
What's that old saying? "One step forward, two steps back." Just as our economy is starting to move again, rising gas prices threaten to put the brakes on the recovery.
On a drizzly, dark day this past Sunday with a rare couple of hours to kill, I decided to take in coverage of the race for the Republican primary in Florida on CNN. While watching clips of Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich speaking and glad handling their way through the crowds, I just had to roll my eyes and shake my head at the sheer absurdity of some of the proposals they were making.
A recent newspaper article prompted me to sit down and express my feelings about how difficult it must have been for Gov. Chris Gregoire to explain to students at the Clark County Skills Center why the state is facing more deep cuts to education.
OK, I'm going to level with you up front, dear reader. This column may not contain the most fascinating news you've read in your Post-Record for a while. No, it's not going to rank up there with the stories about the great success the Washougal and Camas girls' sports programs had this past weekend, or this week's Hometown front page story. Heck, even a City Council story will probably seem fascinating compared to what I'm about to write about.
For years, energy experts warned us that regulations and policies that reduce the supply of affordable conventional energy would result in higher prices for American families.
In today's dog-eat-dog world, change is constant and accelerating. Other countries are stealing our factories and jobs and are hungry for more. That is the new reality.