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"NO TAX dollars will be used for new stadium"

(63 posts)

Started 11 months ago by JoeInBallard
Latest reply from seattlefella2012

JoeInBallard

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What a load of huey! Who is paying for Mayor McSchwinn's trip to New York to talk to the NBA? Why isn't that loser here in Seattle dealing with the issues that matter? Why the schools can't operate within their budgets, Why there are so many shootings, and Why the roads in this city are in such bad condition. It's all a bunch of crap. McSchwinn is only interested in helping the rich get richer (himself included). If a brown paper bag runs against him in the next election it'll get my vote.

Posted 11 months ago #
GAM

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There was an article last week that said property taxes would rise to pay for the stadium, but that's OK, since the stadium will generate so much revenue. WTF??? If it's going to generate so much revenue, you can jolly well leave my property taxes out of it, and pay your own way, thank you very much.

Posted 11 months ago #
great idea

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it's like two or three bucks per household for the lost property tax revenue.

I would pay 10x that amount for the people complaining that it's such a hardship so I don't have to hear them whine.

Posted 11 months ago #
GAM

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Yup, $2-$3 is all. It's not a hardship.

It's still repugnant that already the "no tax dollars" stadium is starting to ask for tax dollars. So much for truthfulness (and yes, we all saw this coming). But for them to defend using tax dollars so that they can make more money is too much for me. Will we get a rebate when the dollars start rolling in? I'd loan them the $2-$3 while they get the operation up and running, sure. But I haven't heard about anything along those lines. No, it boils down to the "no tax dollars" stadium is starting to grab tax dollars, what, three months after initially being suggested. I knew there'd be a grab for tax dollars eventually, but I really thought they'd hold out for a bit longer before they started grabbing.

I would pay 10x that amount to support a school. Or a child's meal. Or perhaps some mental health clinics.

Posted 11 months ago #
Cate

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Does anyone else see a similarity between the belief that liquor prices would actually go down and the belief that they actually wouldn't raise taxes for the new stadium? It seems to fall into the category of "there is a sucker born every minute."

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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I would support an arena that collects taxes over a bike lane that cost us bank in white paint and controverey.

Posted 11 months ago #
Cate

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I ride a bike and I still question the value of those sharrows and bike boxes.

Posted 11 months ago #
marigold

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Build it.

Posted 11 months ago #
GAM

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I ride a bike and like h*ll will I put myself at risk in one of those sharrows.

Posted 11 months ago #
Cheese

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In the realm of sports stadia, there is indeed a sucker born every minute. In fact, a sucker with a memory of less than a nanosecond. When did we pay off the bonds for the Kingdome? Oh, wait, we haven't yet...

Posted 11 months ago #
NW Native

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Your property taxes would go up because the land would become more valuable. That is a good thing.

I can't believe that someone wants to invest 300 million in the city and we have people who are going out of their way to fight it. Small minded thinking from this city once again.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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NW +1

We live in the most beautiful major city in the lower 48 and someone is willing to help aid in our reputation as a major world class city.. Lets move forward and quit trying to be a bridesmaid.

Posted 11 months ago #
SEdholm

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And McGinn is on the east coast for a mayor's conference and making stops in various cities for various reasons. He just went to DC thought he would to try and help out this effort as he knows how much money it will pump into the city.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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SE

He is meeting with the NBA commissioner David Stern to discuss bringing the NBA back to Seattle.

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2012/06/seattle-mayor-meets-with-david-stern-in-hopes-of-bringing-nba-back-to-city/

The Seattle Times has the details: “Mayor Mike McGinn met with NBA Commissioner David Stern in New York City on Monday to tell him Seattle wants to bring back professional basketball. ‘We met so the mayor could show his commitment to bringing an NBA team back to Seattle,’ wrote McGinn spokesman Aaron Pickus in an email.

Posted 11 months ago #
MidWest

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500 million for a new stadium, but hizzoner wasn't ok with the cost of a tunnel.

Hizzoner has strange priorities.

Posted 11 months ago #
NW Native

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Go back to the midwest, you aren't wanted here.

Posted 11 months ago #
Boris

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Ha, Ha, Ha, Boris going to invest 300 million in Seattle. Plant wheat field in middle of stadium district feed you bread made from trash. Natives so dumb will call it economic growth. Boris feed you garbage, you pay for it, and make Boris rich.

Posted 11 months ago #
MidWest

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@NW native:

Sea who?

Posted 11 months ago #
SEdholm

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McGinn didn't go there JUST for that. He is with U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan today talking about Police reform, then he is off to Florida for the Mayor's conference. The article posted mentions nothing of that and makes it look like he just went there to talk to Stern. He was going to DC and Florida, it isn't far to drop in and try to get on Stern's good side so we can get a team and more people traveling to Seattle.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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Howard Schultz is such a facebooking Tool.

Charlie Rose +1

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47786201/ns/local_news-seattle_wa/#.T9eun5iz8f0

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, the man who many Sonics fans blame for the team’s move after selling it to the Oklahoma City ownership group in 2006, appeared on the CBS Morning Show Tuesday. Schultz was there to talk about creating jobs, but midway through the interview, host Charlie Rose switched gears to the Sonics.

“Are you sorry you let them slip away and you sold them?” asked Rose.

“I wish the NBA well and I wish Oklahoma City well. I’m not here to talk about basketball, Charlie. I’m here to talk about the biggest problem facing America,” said Schultz.

Posted 11 months ago #
SEdholm

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He had a chance to say he regretted losing them or something to save a bit a face with the Seattle sports fans and didn't take it. Coward

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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I remember when he was doing book signings at Costco and needed extra security for when the SOS (Save our Sonics) group would show up and ask him about the team leaving. He is a coward and has always avoided the question. I am not an NBA fan but would love the city to get a team and I have avoided 5-Bucks since he sold them.

Posted 11 months ago #
SeaSpider

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+1 NW Native

I could care less about the NBA but you're right that we should support someone wanting to invest that kind of money in Seattle. The people opposed to this are the same anti-change people who fight replacing the 520 bridge, putting in light rail, etc. $2-3 on property taxes is a pretty trivial amount - with a little digging I'm sure you could find far worse things to be outraged about. My only concern is that it will be like Safeco all over again: we build a great stadium but still have a crappy team playing in it. Sorry Mariner fans but last I checked no other team is as old as the Mariners and still hasn't made it at least once to the World Series. Hell several teams younger than the Mariners have made it to the Series and even won it.

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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Coward? What the f*ck does he owe you? It is a free country, he owned a team, he sold a team. And the city still has the rights to the name and color, do they not?

Posted 11 months ago #
marigold

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I'm all for paying $3 more in property tax to make this happen. I actually have no use for basketball myself, but Hansen wants to invest in this city and I envision a lot of great development coming in on the heels of this new stadium. Build it!

Posted 11 months ago #
SEdholm

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I don't care as much about the NBA, but I am all for the NHL and a better concert venue. I am all for this.

Posted 11 months ago #
Dweezil

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I'm all for NBA fans paying an extra $2-$3 per ticket instead.

Posted 11 months ago #
GAM

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Please don't interpret my taking exception to paying taxes on the "no tax" stadium as any sort of slight against the guy investing $300 mil (or whatever the amount is). I admire that conviction (as I covet that wealth). In fact, he is welcome to invest additional money instead of taxing us. I'd admire that even more. After all, to hear them tell it, they'll be making it all back, right? Really, why would they need public financing if it's such a sure thing? Oh wait - perhaps it's not such a sure thing after all. THAT'S never happened before!

I tire of the "world class city" argument. You can be a world class city without a sports team. Paris is a popular example of that (although I think they got a team eventually, but the point stands). Can you be a world class city without decent education for the city's kids? Or how about with a homeless problem? Perhaps. But taking on those problems before taking on another sports stadium is certainly a world class approach.

Posted 11 months ago #
JoeInBallard

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There are sure a lot of stupid people.

Posted 11 months ago #
Cate

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+ one raised to the 100th power GAM. And you too Dweezil.

And I don't get how so many of you think it is okay for politicians and business people to deceive us in elections. This was entirely foreseeable, predicted by many of us on this forum before the election and yet they gave us a ballot measure that clearly did not allow adequate financing. I suspect that it still would have passed if they had said it is going to cost each property owner $5.00 year for twenty years but I would have a lot more respect for them. They just played us voters like dummies.

Posted 11 months ago #
stopgo

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guys. stop the clock. we can't continue this conversation another minutes without hearing from joanathan prince.

Moderators, close this topic until he can respond.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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E

Quit being so dick bent.. When Schultz grows a set he can be a Seattlelite.

Posted 11 months ago #
great idea

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looks like the old Sonics kicked some ass tonight.

that could've been us, but then again it might cost some of you the price of a latte to have a professional sports team in town which would be tragically unfair.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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GI..

No Worries.. The tax money off the hype from the team paraphenalia alone may cover the cost of 520 & the tunnel ... Hell throw in a couple bike lanes and more employment for the people in the restaraunt business..

Entertainment Sucks

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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BH - We will have to agree to disagree, but as for my d*ck being bent, thats the second time you've mentioned my junk in one of your posts. I think you will find that if you keep your mouth off my genitalia, we'll get along much better.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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A/S/L ;)

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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18/female/South Beach, Miami;)

Posted 11 months ago #
Novalis

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Thought it was a bond so the town would be getting the money back ?

OKC- zombie sonics

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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My dog pooped 7 times yesterday! True story.

Posted 11 months ago #
Oly

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I've heard two different reasons for the new tax.

The city can't secure the $200 million in bonds with tax revenue from the proposed arena. The $2 to $3 dollars in increased property tax will secure the bonds.

Or, when the arena is owned by the city it comes off the tax rolls as a public facility so the $2 to $3 dollars covers the loss of tax property tax revenue.

It would be nice if our civic leaders could give us all of the actual numbers instead of playing games. It's the usual political maneuvering.

What's with the city buying the land from Hansen for $100 million when he paid $40 million for it? The assessor say's the land will increase in value when the environmental review and permits are completed. Really, $60 million for permits?

Posted 11 months ago #
NW Native

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@SeaSpider - there is little the fans can do about the Mariners sucking. Yes they are only 1 of 2 teams to never make it to the World Series, but there are older teams have longer droughts. The Cubs haven't been since the 50s or won it since 1908.

@GAM - Paris has had a pro soccer team since 1970 and pro rugby since 1883.

Posted 11 months ago #
JM

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Unfortunately for the average person, ticket prices were too high before the Sonics left – plus parking and concessions made it prohibitive. There's a lot of money around here, but I wonder what happens when the novelty of a new facility and a barely adequate team wears off.

Posted 11 months ago #
teigyr

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The M's are interesting to watch this year. Maybe I look at it differently but I like watching fun/interesting games, it's not just about the series.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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I like when the M's are on because Molly's has $7.00 pictures of Coors Light.

Posted 11 months ago #
pixlpete

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They lie, we pay, what’s new?

In this case, I wouldn’t mind ponying up a few extra bucks a year to get a NBA team back in Seattle, I really miss it. Look at what has happened with the Sounders, a team gets people revved up and that is stimulating for the economy and makes Seattle a more desirable destination. We have an unusual opportunity with 3 billionaires ready and able to do most of the financing. It will also rub stink straight up the nose of Coward Schultz. My wife totally boycotts Starbucks over this whole thing. I know others say it was a simple business decision, but if you take on a public thing, like a NBA franchise, you really ought to man up. It wasn’t going to put him in the poor house to tough it out, and losing it made Seattle look like punks.

Maybe we could transfer funding from the "rain gardens" and "sharrows” projects?

Posted 11 months ago #
teigyr

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Is anyone going to the rally today?

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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I wonder if Howard Schultz will be at the rally today wearing a Kevin Durant Sonics jersey. I also wonder how many people at the rally will have a Starbucks cup in there hand.

Posted 11 months ago #
teigyr

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oh it's already been said that anyone holding a Starbucks cup might get the contents dumped on their head :) I'm working or I'd go, will be a lot of familiar people/musicians there.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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I would have gone but I am also working and already left early Friday and Monday. I remember going to a Sonics game when Schultz owned the team and I was walking in with a Starbucks mocha. I had just purchased it at Seattle Center and I thought nothing of it and figured I was supporting the owner and the team. When I went to enter I was told I couldn't bring it in with me.. I was like.. Seriously . The customers that supported Starbucks where the people who made him his fortune to own the team.

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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In the broad scheme of daily sales, your cup probably represented like .0000001 of their corporate takings.

And if Seattle gets another team, you'll own even less of it.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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If all us .0000001 %'s never supported Starbucks he would have never made the money to buy the Sonics and they would still probably be here.

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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But you all did buy your starbucks, he built an empire bought a team, sold a team. Now you are ready to bend over and grab your ankles for the next sleazebag to offer you balls, jocks, dancing girls, and places to advertise beer, tires and razors.

Posted 11 months ago #
dsomers

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Buffalo wrote "I like when the M's are on because Molly's has $7.00 pictures of Coors Light."

Buffalo!! For $7 bucks I expect at least an 8oz glass, if not a full pounder of beer!!...not just a picture or photograph of a cold frosty one!!!!

What is that old baseball cheer (jeer?) We want a a pitcher, not a glass of water!!!

D
<grin>

Posted 11 months ago #
pixlpete

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Let's look forward rather than back. It is possible to achieve and a little enthusiasm from the public will help get it done. That and voting, though hardly half of the whiners and complainers even do that.

eDog, I personally have always hated Starbucks bitter brew, my wife used to buy coffee mugs and stuff as gifts. She recently got a Starbucks gift card from her dentist after some unfortunate events, she wouldn't even redeem it, we gave it away to our nephew, turned out to be worth $50, I was pissed.

Anyway, its better than funding NASCAR, bigfoot trucks, or fake wrestling. I am impressed that you got "bend over and grab your ankles", "sleazebag", "balls", "jocks", "dancing girls”, and "beer" into a single sentence!

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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(I was tickled I was able to get that all to fit as well)

With the additional backers announced yesterday, I don't see anyone being able to stop it, its coming. Seattle will have their Sonics again.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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E

What is interesting is the richest owner currently in the NBA is Paul Allen but with Steve Ballmer involved now I saw he would be the richest owner if they get a team. I thought I thought saw somewhere that there was bad blood between Ballmer & Allen during there days together at Microsoft.

Posted 11 months ago #
iPlod

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No public money for pro sports.

The shot in the arm to the economy argument doesn't wash.

Plenty of non-sport, non-publicly funded business inject just as much or more $ into the economy without trying to shove their sticky fingers into our back pockets like sports franchises try and do get away with.

Posted 11 months ago #
great idea

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what is funny is that we can argue around and around this matter,
but no one is going to change their mind based on a few details.

the passion you feel to have a pro basketball or hockey team here, or the passion you feel that not a cent of public money goes to make this happen (which truly is impossible), is too big an obstacle for most.

it will happen for sure. the question remains where. I don't want to go to watch the Bellevue Bubonics or Renton Rink-rats myself.
I want my teams in Seattle.
where the Port used to be.

Posted 11 months ago #
GAM

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It helps me to put this in perspective of the arts. I believe in funding the arts, but would balk if Michael Bay wanted a subsidy to film his next blockbuster. If the sports teams weren't paying insane salaries to players, I would be a lot more willing to consider subsidizing them. If my tax dollars are to be used for sports, let's fund some programs for kids, or maintain our sports fields or something.

There is a tendency to frame anyone who doesn't want to subsidize stadiums as "anti-sport", which is just not true.

Once something is "professional" it should be funding its own way, especially when it claims to be a money making machine ("it will bring in tax revenue").

Posted 11 months ago #
teigyr

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One could say the stadium isn't for the players, it is for the fans. The players themselves don't get a whole lot out of it, locker rooms are locker rooms.

Posted 11 months ago #

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