Save the Sonics!
The owners of the Sonics—lead by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz—are threatening to sell or move the team unless Seattle spends $220 million to tart up Key Arena. The motley collection billionaires who own the Sonics have, graciously enough, agreed to kick in $18 million. Oh, and here’s the fine print: The Sonics would pay $1 million a year in rent, manage Key Arena, and keep all the income generated by other events. But the city would continue to “own” Key Arena—and pay for any big maintenance projects. Well, Goldy’s got a great idea. How can we raise the money to keep the Sonics in a gold-plated Key Arena?
Gee, how about a latte tax?
Yes, what better way to finance a new arena whose primary purpose is to make a very rich man even richer, than to tax the business that made him so awfully damn rich in the first place? And what could be more delicious than a Marble Mocha Macchiato, than the spectacle of Schultz’s Sonics spending millions of Schultz’s dollars to convince voters to levy a tax on Schultz’s ubiquitous Starbucks?Now I know what you’re thinking… voters already rejected Initiative 77’s Latte Tax back in 2003. But this Latte Tax would keep a professional basketball franchise in Seattle, whereas I-77’s Latte Tax only funded desperately needed preschool for low-income families, and really… who the fuck cares about them? It’s all about priorities.
What would it cost? Well, back in 2003 I-77’s sponsors estimated a 10-cent per shot tax would raise $7 million a year. The Sonics had previously backed a 20-year revenue package that would have provided $176 million for new construction plus $75 million to guarantee the bonds, so I figure a 20-cent per shot tax should more than cover the costs over 20 years.
Sounds good to me. And, hey, if the owner of Starbucks is going to screw Seattle, can’t Seattle screw Starbucks? Perhaps the rabid sports fans who scream and yell at local elected officials whenever a pro-sports team threatens to move away should direct some of their anger at Starbucks. Basketball fans picketing in front of Starbucks would make news.
The sonics Rock. Sonic Boom is one of the all time greatest records ever. Punk Rock long before the term ever surfaced. I dont know what all the fuss is about though. They have been gone for years. Decades even.