Metro Councilor Shirley Craddick started her discussion with Boring residents about what they get from Metro by asking them what they want for Boring in the next 10 years.
The answer was very Clackamas County.
“Zero public transportation,” called out a guy in the front.
“How about zero building permits?” said another in the back to some laughter.
Half of Boring is within Metro’s boundary and half isn’t. Thus, half of Boring’s residents pay a tax for amenities such as the Oregon Zoo that the ones o
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Metro Councilor Shirley Craddick started her discussion with Boring residents about what they get from Metro by asking them what they want for Boring in the next 10 years.
The answer was very Clackamas County.
“Zero public transportation,” called out a guy in the front.
“How about zero building permits?” said another in the back to some laughter.
Half of Boring is within Metro’s boundary and half isn’t. Thus, half of Boring’s residents pay a tax for amenities such as the Oregon Zoo that the ones outside the boundary don’t. Unhappy with the divide, residents are debating whether to try to secede from Metro or go all in.
Craddick attended the community planning organization’s Tuesday night meeting at the request of the residents to explain what Metro does for the residents of Boring. Metro officials originally deferred to the county, since the Boring CPO has no policy-setting power.
Clackamas County officials declined to get involved.
So, Craddick faced an often-times contentious crowd of about 30 residents, who did not hide their contempt for the regional planning government — a growing sentiment in the county, especially rural areas.
“We have a county government, we have a state legislature, so why do we need another layer of government over that?” said Karl Sandell.
Many people agree with Sandell, saying the duties Metro performs could be taken care of by the county, the state or a city, if they incorporated.
However, residents are as divided by the city.
Dan Boserman, a Boring resident and editor of the East County Gazette, insisted that Boring will continue to urbanize, whether residents like it or not. So, the question should be whether Metro is doing a good job regulating that growth, not if Metro should exist.
“That kind of growth is like growing old. Everybody wants economic growth in Boring but they don’t want it to change,” Boserman said. “You can disagree with the methods they use. To sit here and say Metro doesn’t do anything for me, I think is foolish.”
Craddick told residents that Boring contributes about $150,000, which is then used for parks, trails and given to Clackamas County for infrastructure and road projects that help Boring.
But deciding where to site future density and industrial centers is what might be most valuable to Boring, because the residents overwhelmingly want to maintain the rural character of the two-stoplight town.
She also explained that regional projects benefit Boring indirectly, such as increased tourism in Portland, which spills into Clackamas County, or improvements that increase the number of flights and connections at Portland Airport. Craddick used the metaphor of Metro being the thread that holds the patchwork quilt of 28 cities and three counties together.
It’s the policy-making power that bothers some residents, though.
“You’re not thread, you’re a blanket,” Sandell said toward the end of the meeting.
Boring residents will decide how to proceed at their next meeting.
The first step would be for Boring residents to petition to be let out. Then, Metro must figure out whether to let it out and how.
While residents are not united on what the next step is yet, they all agreed that they want Boring to keep its rural character. And they want a voice in the matter, though were quick to dismiss Craddick’s question that county officials are increasingly asking, as well.
“Do you want to be your own city? You’d have more say in the future.”
— Molly Harbarger