Category: Taxation

Build It Privately or Let the Sonics Go At the End of Their Lease

Steve Kelley is back to wanting to subsidize the Sonic’s owners and players. OK, I understand. He has never been opposed to using tax payer money to line Clay Bennett’s pockets; to help pay the dramatically excessive player salaries. Some comments on a few of Steve’s thoughts: These robber barons want to move the team, period. Nothing new here. The rest of us knew this from the day the sale was announced. And this detailed relocation plan is a sobering call to arms for Seattle’s mayor and city council, for the governor and the state Legislature. And a call for...

NASCAR is Gone!

Here is the good news: A Florida-based racetrack developer has abandoned plans for a $368 million NASCAR speedway near Bremerton, where local opposition to the project was fierce. Unfortunately there is some bad news as well. First, the governor and the legislature did not immediately say no to this project. Second, the developer may be back looking for another handout: But the company said it will look for other track sites in the state and might come back to the Legislature with another proposal in the future. “We think the Northwest is still a great opportunity for the company,” said...

Let’m Build the Landing

Yes, just as we support either rebuilding Key Arena or building a brand new basketball monument we also support the fine folks who want to develop The Landing in Renton. If this is a viable project, and the developers seem to think it worth a $390 million investment, then there is neither reason nor need to fleece the public to support these already wealthy folks. That is not what the Renton city government thinks: Harvest Partners expects its regional shopping center will create about 2,500 jobs and generate $1.5 million to $3 million a year in taxes for the city....

Good Riddance to Thieves

There is a whiny blurb in today’s King County Journal that laments the idea that people can purchase gasoline at reservation based service stations and avoid paying the state tax levy: Would you drive to a tribal reservation if you could save $5 to fill up your gas tank? If you live close enough to one, of course you would, and that scares state officials assessing the impact of a court ruling that bars Washington from collecting state tax on gas sold on reservations. – The impact of that decision, made last November by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Zilly...

They Can Build Their Own

It is rare that the national park service proposes to do something close to the right thing: The National Park Service has proposed turning a washed-out road in north-central Washington’s upper Stehekin Valley into a trail for hikers and horseback riders Buy Amoxil UK , but the idea is meeting opposition from residents of the rural community. As you might expect there are those that think this road should be rebuilt: Already, some residents are finding fault with the preferred alternative. Members of the community group Stehekin Heritage say none of the four alternatives is viable. In addition, the preferred...

Support the Key Arena Rebuild

Seattle’s mayor nickels is making this much harder than it needs to be: You could practically hear the clank in Olympia on Monday after Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels asked leading state Democrats to endorse a hypothetical tax package to fund the $220 million KeyArena renovation the Sonics are demanding buy kamagra 100mg , a proposal the city essentially rejected more than six weeks ago. “Before sitting down again with the team and negotiating, we must be assured that we have the full support of the governor and the leadership of the state Legislature to negotiate a package that includes up...