How Bad Decisions Raised Wilsonville’s Living Costs
Prices naturally rise over time. There’s no changing that. But, here in Wilsonville, the rising cost of living has gone far beyond the usual rate of escalation. We now have neighbors making tough choices between basic necessities because prices are outpacing wages at an alarming rate. As a longtime businessowner in Wilsonville, I remember a time when everyone in this community had what they needed to live comfortably and happily. Sure, people will always have financial concerns, but monetary pressures shouldn’t come from government mismanagement.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly where many of our city’s financial burdens originate. It’s the result of good old-fashioned financial incompetence. A string of poor decisions by our current (and past) administrations has unfairly put hard-working residents in a financial bind. It’s crucial to explore the key reasons behind our rising living costs so that we can focus our efforts on bringing about real change that benefits every resident.
Congestion
People don’t know bad traffic until they’ve commuted in Wilsonville. Daily, it’s a nuisance. Over weeks, months, and years, it becomes a serious financial burden. Longer commutes drain valuable time and productivity that could be spent getting ahead at work, working on your own business, or engaging with your community. Then, there’s the added fuel costs, wasted in endless stop-and-go traffic. That’s not to mention the unseen extra wear and tear on our vehicles, which puts a hidden strain on our budgets.
Transportation
What’s the city’s answer to this traffic catastrophe? Bike lanes, pedestrian lanes, and tolling. While I support increasing transportation options, a majority of residents will still use a vehicle to travel, even if alternative transportation options are provided. Instead of recognizing that fact and making decisions to ease the traffic burden such as improved roads, less high density housing, and including car lanes on current infrastructure plans, current leadership is incentivizing people to get out of their vehicles. And we can’t forget about tolling. They want us to believe that putting up pay-to-pass barriers on the county’s main roads will somehow ease traffic and related costs. Nobody buys that, which is why the Clackamas County Commission and city governments (not Wilsonville) pushed back and forced a pause. All the costs we already face from bad traffic will only get worse with this tolling scheme. The fees themselves are projected to cost some regular commuters up to $2,200 annually. Instead of solving the problem, they’re just adding more financial pressure.
Related Reading: 6 Tolling Lies You’re Being Told
Population Growth
Wilsonville is growing fast, and we would welcome new neighbors with open arms if we had the right infrastructure to support them. Unfortunately, our government has dropped the ball again. What could be one of our greatest economic opportunities has become another financial burden on current residents. Rather than implementing sensible housing options or infrastructure changes, they’ve created an economic bottleneck. Now, what should be a thriving, inclusive community has become a place where even longtime residents are being priced out.
Portland Metro Limitations
Many of Wilsonville’s financial struggles come from the restrictions placed on its development by Portland Metro. This unelected regional government dictates zoning which gives them unilateral control over our buildings, roads, and other infrastructure. These restrictions limit our ability to grow in a way that makes sense for our community. While Portland has its own set of challenges, those same policies don’t work here and often make things worse. Wilsonville has its own problems and solutions.
Slow, Smart Growth
The current administration repeatedly ignores what we, the people, want, only to push through some unpopular scheme that drives up our living costs. It’s everyday people – our neighbors, family members, and friends – who bear the brunt of these decisions. I’m running for mayor of Wilsonville to bring common-sense solutions back to our local government. Contrary to what our leadership claims, we can improve Wilsonville’s livability while driving down costs.
I call my economic plan “Slow, Smart Growth.” It’s all about leveraging our community’s unique strengths to generate sustainable revenue in the long run. We need to tackle these costly issues without making life more expensive. Our traffic gridlock calls for practical, people-centered solutions that reflect how we actually live and move. Our growing population should be seen as an economic opportunity, not a financial burden. We deserve better decisions—ones that truly serve our community and keep Wilsonville affordable for everyone.
Please consider volunteering or donating to my campaign to help make this vision a reality.