Petition filed to put Safeco Field funding to a public vote

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Paperwork was filed with the King County Council Clerk on Thursday calling for a referendum on Ordinance 18788, which would allocate $135 million in hotel-motel taxes for Safeco Field renovations.

The proposed funding was much-debated but ultimately approved by the King County Council earlier in September, on what to do after CenturyLink is paid off in 2020. It's also marks an amended version of the original proposal -- $180 million for Safeco Field maintenance -- after critics argued that the tax funds could be put towards combating homelessness in the region.

The compromise they ultimately reached was passed by a 5-4 vote out of committee, securing 50 percent of future revenue, or $661 million, for investments in affordable housing and homeless youth services. Under this deal, $135 million is being earmarked for the stadium.

The referendum filed Thursday would delay the implementation of the ordinance. It would delay the effective date and allow 45 days for the group behind the referendum to gather the more than 40,000 signatures needed from King County voters by November 2.

The earliest voters would see it on the ballot would be February.

https://www.seattlepi.com/local/politics/article/Petition-Safeco-Field-funding-King-County-tax-13264447.php?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailynewsletterspi&utm_term=spi

[Doreen]

1. None of that should go to a sports stadium.

Let the sport fans pay for it.

I have a sore spot for making people who do not like sports or would never be able to afford to get in there for a game to have to pay for it.

To me it is just money being wasted that could go for something more important, like even more housing, food programs, more youth oriented programs, education, and infrastructure.

Maybe I do not understand but when they built that damn field they swore up and down that it would only be supported by private donors and not city and state tax.