News KC to Sonics. Nope.
posted by on February 14 at 17:41 PM
This letter to State Sen. Margarita Prentice and Gov. Gregoire from all 5 Democratic KC Council Members and this e-mail I just got from an aide to King County Council Member Larry Phillips kinda say it all.
From the letter:
We understand that the State Legislature is now considering legislation that would
finance a new Sonics arena in King County, and that this finance plan may require the
Metropolitan King County Council to authorize at least $300 million in revenue for the
project from the King County hotel-motel tax, restaurant tax, and car rental tax.
We strongly believe that any decision to use additional local King County taxes to
finance a new Sonics arena should be made by the voters of King County. Without a
public vote, we will not approve any King County tax increase, including use of the King
County hotel-motel, restaurant, and car rental taxes to finance an arena.
And more eloquent, I think, (especially the last line, which I read as directed at the Sonics) an e-mail from Phillips’s aide:
Here’s a letter Councilmember Phillips and the majority of the King County Council are sending to Governor Gregoire and Senator Prentice saying that the council will not raise taxes for a new Sonics stadium without a public vote. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!
Larry Phillips is now my new hero. I'm glad someone is finally standing up to these rich bullies. We voters said no, and we meant it!
Thank fucking god! Margarita Prentice and a bunch of other welfare-for-millionaires types were on 94.9FM on Monday talking about her proposed bill. Margarita seemed downright giddy as she explained that there's no need for a public vote because this would just be an extension of existing taxes. She seemed pretty damned pleased with herself at finding this loophole and honestly seemed to think that the huge majority of Seattle voters who voted against giveaways to sports teams would support this end-run around their wishes. Tone deaf.
What does that link at the top have to do with the Sonics?
And so.....
If you don't like the idea, as is your political right, oppose it.
When it passes and the multi use, new, nearby stadium is built, by all means, NEVER GO to a rock concert there.
Since no new taxes are required, and smart tax people got this formula down pat that only taxes rental cars and sales of sports stuff and lunches - no pain to me.
Frankly folks, had the Monorail Butt Heads talked to the folks who did the Stadium Taxes - IT WOULD BE HALF BUILT RIGHT NOW.
Fuck the stupid and brainless whiners who can't get projects off the ground even when offered the chance. Go home to the villages of Montana and Idaho and whine away your futures.
I'm tired of politicians and pundits who keep implying that a Sonics tax would divert funds from education. As a parent of public school kids, I can tell you that the schools are currently underfunded (our school has infrastructure issues, no professional crossing guards, and a fairly high student-teacher ratio), and there are no plans to increase that funding (especially using the tax plan suggested for the Sonics). All over the district, PTAs have been forced to raise serious cash to fill unmet needs. If Chopp, Licata, and the gang tell me they'll authorize the hotel/restaurant/rental tax increase to fund schools, I'll happily take that over keeping the Sonics. But it's all lefty crap (and I'm a lefty who knows our crap when he sees it).
Chris @ 3,
Wow, that was weird. I thought I had posted the KC letter there. Fixed it.
Not only should they have to pay for it, they should have to pay for transit infrastructure to get to it (yes, I have to plug the eastside rail line, for I am a dork. But wouldn't it be "hot" - as Paris would say - to hope a bus in the tunnel, and transfer at I-90 for a train down to Renton?)
WHY DO THEY NEED A NEW ARENA?!?!?!?!
cause they want one, is not a good enough reason...
Key Arena is a perfectly fine venue that was just remodeled!!!
I can understand why they replaced the Dome...it was old and ugly and needed to be replaced, but there's nothing wrong with Key!!! Except the scuzzball Sonics owners want something newer and bigger so they can sell more boxes and make more money, little of which goes towards the venue that generated it or the taxpayers who paid for it!!
Larry also has a great salmon feed.
Not - One - Tax - Dollar.
What exact kind of political courage do you expect from State Sen. MoneyTree Prentice?
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