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Clackamas County has more than a year to come up with its $25 million contribution for the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail project, and has started having serious discussions about where that money will come from. One of the county’s preferred funding sources would be the formation of a new urban renewal area around the intersection of McLoughlin Boulevard and Park Avenue, where the new-light rail line is planned to end.

However, the county is hearing rumblings of opposition from an assortment of people who oppose the light-rail project and have asked the county’s commissioners to put the county’s portion of light rail to a public vote, including the $25 million and construction of a station and Park & Ride facility in unincorporated Clackamas County.

Though Clackamas County officials and the local transit agency, TriMet, say it’s too late to stop the project, some county residents feel that decision was made without listening to local public opinion.

鈥淓ven if the citizens vote to approve it, at least they have the right to say whether or not that’s how they want their money used,鈥� county resident Thelma Haggenmiller said.

Jim Knapp, who also lives in Clackamas County, opposes the project. He says that the line will be underutilized and bring crime to his community of Oak Grove, which 鈥渏ust wants to be left alone,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 hope the commissioners are listening,鈥� Knapp said. 鈥淚’m feeling this rage going on with people, on spending money on projects that are outside the county.鈥�

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Knapp is among the same cast that supported bringing Clackamas County’s $22 million contribution for the Sellwood Bridge project to a vote this May. When Clackamas County voted against the additional vehicle registration fee that would have funded that project, the county backed off its contribution altogether. The $290 million Sellwood Bridge project currently faces a $42 million budget shortfall.

This time around, however, the county isn’t likely to back out on its contribution, said Ellen Rogalin, a spokeswoman for the county’s transportation and development department.

鈥淭here are people who think that if the commission doesn’t do what they want, the commission hasn’t heard them,鈥� said Rogalin. 鈥淭hey’ve been heard. We went through a public process before signing the contract (with TriMet).鈥�

The county’s $25 million contribution was laid out in an intergovernmental agreement that the board approved 18 months ago. They have until Sept. 2012 to come up with the funds, with the possibility of extending that deadline for a year, to Sept. 2013.

鈥淚t is a contract,鈥� said county spokesman Tim Heider. 鈥淭here is an obligation and it has to be met.鈥�

As for what Knapp and others are asking for, it’s unclear how the issue would even go on the ballot. The funding of the Sellwood Bridge was brought to the voters through a referendum process, but there is no such process moving for the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail project.

There is one way that voters could weigh in鈥攑ossibly. A former Oregon City mayor, John Williams, is gathering signatures for a referendum that, if passed, would require voter approval of major urban renewal decisions in Clackamas County. If that referendum gets on the ballot in November and passes, Clackamas County wouldn’t be able to pay for the light-rail project with a new urban renewal area without voters approving that plan, Williams said.

Regardless, Rogalin says that the county will find a way to fund the light-rail project. If urban renewal isn’t the selected method, the county could take out a line of credit to be paid back through general fund dollars, or it could issue Full Faith and Credit Obligation Bonds. Rogalin also expects the county to cut down some of the $25 million amount by offering in-kind contributions to TriMet through land and staff time. Trimet and the federal government will determine how much these in-kind contributions will save Clackamas County later this year, said Dan Blocher, TriMet’s executive director of capital projects.

鈥淗ow (the Clackamas County board) determines where their contribution comes from will be the focus of their work over the next year and a half,鈥� said Trimet spokeswoman Mary Fetsch. 鈥淭hey’re committed to this project and we believe they’ll be at the table.鈥�