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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

Seattle Times: Stadium Taxes Still in Play

On Other Blogs   May 23, 2011 at 9:31 am Josh Feit

The Seattle Times reports that Sen. Scott White (D-46, N. Seattle) is making one more pass at the stadium taxes bill. The legislation extends taxes that initially went to pay off the stadiums and reallocates them (and other ongoing taxes) to fund the arts, workforce housing, and a planned expansion of the Seattle Convention Center.

Though the bill failed on the senate floor last week, White says he wants to make another run at it, arguing that the amendment mandating a public vote came up at the last minute, and he wants more time to make the case for the bill with that stipulation.

White is quoted in the Times:

Even a last-minute amendment specifying such a vote wasn’t enough for the previous bill to pass. White said Sunday, “We would’ve liked to have more time to discuss that provision.”


  • Tax on food

    Well if they don’t support stadiums, and they aren’t taxes on stadium tickets, they’re not stadium taxes anymore.

    It’s a tax on people who eat out at mcdonalds and jack in the box and standfords — middle class and working class people. There’s like 400 of those for every tom douglas restaurant.  IT’s really a tax on food, which is a vital input, to you know, working.  Very regressive.

    And it’s a tax on rental cars which hits those who got in an accident and need a rental, or those trying to be mainly car free which means sometimes you rent a car just to go to leavenworth for the weekend.  or take a hike. 

    wow, anti worker, anti environment, this what our democratic leaders use up their political capital for?   

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NC2F6WTDPHDPIH2BUFNCWCUGSE Mark

    Let ‘em end. 

  • MVH

    Wow, that’s twisty logic. You should get the next job with the McGinn Administration. 

  • http://www.twitter.com/joeszi Joe Szilagyi

    “Well if they don’t support stadiums, and they aren’t taxes on stadium tickets, they’re not stadium taxes anymore.”

    Is actually technically a very accurate statement, agree or disagree with the existence of the tax itself.

  • Jakers

     Totally agree, way to articulate it so well!

  • fgruben

    I never met a politician that didn’t want more taxes……  And the concept of letting some stop…  thats enough to cause panic and heart attacks.   Good thing politicians are there for the lobby’s and their favorite business. Us people are only good to pay taxes. 

  • fgruben

    I never met a politician that didn’t want more taxes……  And the concept of letting some stop…  thats enough to cause panic and heart attacks.   Good thing politicians are there for the lobby’s and their favorite business. Us people are only good to pay taxes. 

  • http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/ Mr Baker

    What stadium did Yakima build?
    They use the same Tourism taxs.

    Just because we call things be familiar names does not always make it technically correct.

  • http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/ Mr Baker

    They really needed to just move on to SB 5834.

  • Ryan on Summit

     Use the stadium taxes to SAVE METRO! If we can’t pass a car tab, let’s use these taxes to keep our buses running.

  • Peter

    Isn’t subsidizing “workforce housing” the same as
    subsidizing the employer?  Is subsidizing
    art telling me what art is, and what art I should like?  Maybe all our nattering comments on publicola
    is art and we should be paid money by people who rent cars.

     

  • http://jabailo.tumblr.com John Bailo

    Never underestimate the wiliness of a Tax Kleptomaniac.
     

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/David-Anfinrud/787099805 David Anfinrud

    The bottom line is when they want a new stadium.  They will want to pass another tax so the Tourism tax would be doubled.  Would that now hurt businesses?  The bottom line is a tax to pay for something should go away when it is paid off. Not divert it to some other use.  and 5 or 10 years later double it to pay for some other item that is desired.  This tax like any other tax was passed for one purpose and one purpose only to pay for the stadium.   It is not free money that others can not demand a piece of the pie for thier programs.   Is 10% or do they need 100% of the salary enough for the People in Olympia or Seattle.   They will always want more and more.  There is no end. Everyone wants the taxpayer to pay for thier ideas.   If they are great ideas that work would not the free market be a better way to go instead of using Government to take more and more money from the people paying the tax.