Saturday, March 7, 2009

Hopes for Seattle Center's KeyArena in Political Limbo

Washington State House Bill 2281 was referred to Rules Committee on second reading. This bill is related to HB2179 Authorizing cities to provide and contract for supplemental transportation improvements, sponsored by Representative Deb Eddy. How? The transportation "improvements" are paid fr by a .02% sales tax in King County (also, if you look at the draft of HB2281 in the upper right-hand corner it references H-2179.1).

So, HB2281, HB2179, and a raft of other bills are referred to the Rules Committee to sort out.

If/when a bill comes out of Rules Committee it has a reasonable chance of being different than when it entered and a chance to be voted on and passed.

HB2281 (and 2179) made the Second Cut-off date when a bill can be introduced, Senate Bill 6116 did not.

Senate Bill SB6116 did not make the cut-off, but that does not mean that it is dead, far from it.

Remember, whatever the House passes eventually has to be agreed to by the Senate. SB6116 was sponsored by Ed Murray and Jeanne Kohl-Welles.

Who are they? Senators Ed Murray is "Majority Caucus Chair", and a member of the Senate Rules Committee, and from the same 43rd district as Frank Chopp [edit, not Ross Hunter]. Jeanne Kohl-Welles is the Chairperson of Labor Commerce & Consumer Protection, as well as a member of the Senate Rules Committee.

They have expressed their opinion and preferences in their bill, SB6116. All of these bills need to be reconciled into an agreed to bill that both houses can vote on and pass.

Here is the list of bills that made the cut-off:
BILLS OUT OF COMMITTEE

As noted in the document, a bill not listed is not dead, that includes Murray's SB6116 (not listed), HB2281 and 2179 are listed.
Once these bills are resolved they could go back to their respective committees, or they could get referred to another committee for voting and passing with recommendation to "do-pass" to the respective houses of legislature (just like in the other Washington).

So, what is on the legislative calendar for today?
Senate Session/Caucus 3/7/2009 9:30 AM
House Possible Session/Caucus 3/7/2009 10:00 AM
The next house Finance Committee meeting is 3/12/09

Call the legislative hot-line at 800-562-6000 and support Senate Bill 6116.
Or, write to your legislator, find them here, fill out the form, input the bill number (6116) and click "Support".
It is a lot like voting, only, they know who you are, and there is an actual person's name from their district supporting the legislation.
You could contact Ed Murray here, and Jeanne Kohl-Welles, and let him know that you support his bill, 6116.

Who is on the House Rules Committee?

Chopp, Frank (D) Chair
LEG 339C(360) 786-7920


DeBolt, Richard (R) *
LEG 335C(360) 786-7896


Armstrong, Mike (R)
LEG 426A(360) 786-7832


Bailey, Barbara (R)
JLOB 406(360) 786-7914


Eddy, Deborah (D)
LEG 132D(360) 786-7848


Ericks, Mark (D)
JLOB 203(360) 786-7900


Green, Tami (D)
JLOB 327(360) 786-7958


Hasegawa, Bob (D)
JLOB 425(360) 786-7862


Hinkle, Bill (R)
JLOB 401(360) 786-7808


Hudgins, Zachary (D)
LEG 438A(360) 786-7956


Johnson, Norm (R)
JLOB 414(360) 786-7810


Kelley, Troy (D)
JLOB 319(360) 786-7890


Kessler, Lynn (D)
LEG 339A(360) 786-7904


Kretz, Joel (R)
LEG 335A(360) 786-7988


Kristiansen, Dan (R)
LEG 427A(360) 786-7967


Liias, Marko (D)
JLOB 434(360) 786-7972


Moeller, Jim (D)
LEG 436A(360) 786-7872


Morrell, Dawn (D)
JLOB 331(360) 786-7968


Morris, Jeff (D)
LEG 430(360) 786-7970


Santos, Sharon Tomiko (D)
LEG 434A(360) 786-7944


Schmick, Joe (R)
JLOB 419(360) 786-7844


Springer, Larry (D)
LEG 132E(360) 786-7822


Van De Wege, Kevin (D)
JLOB 316(360) 786-7916


Warnick, Judy (R)
JLOB 403(360) 786-7932

*Ranking Minority Member 



Have a wonky weekend!

5 comments:

Mr Baker said...

The 2/27/09 webcast on tvw.org of the House Finance Committee meeting where placeholder bill 2281 was first mentioned (a staffer said, "I think it is for Seattle Center". The bill sponsor, Pedegrew (sp) was not at the meeting and the bill was blank, so, until I could get a second source tie that bill to Seattle Center I was not going to say anything, the SeattleWeekly story on 3/4/09 was it, and in print.
Anyway, Hunter's convention center bill, 2250, has the Seattle portion of the hotel tax falling by 1% in 2021, where the overall tax drops to 6%. I think that could be argued by Ross as being the KeyArena 1%.

Mr Baker said...

Hunter has the food and bev tax ending in 2050 in his county tax bill 2252. Placeholder bill 2281 couldfind revenue from either source.

Ed Murray has bill 5875 for the convention center, and 6116 for extending the county tax to include stadiums and arenas.

That is 5 bills, two potential sources (convention center 1%, or county food and beverage extending beyond 2015).
The solution would likely have the placeholder bill 2281 identify the convention center and/or food and bev taxes, or one of the two county tax bills supporting Seattle Center's KeyArena.

Or nothing happens and we are screwed.

The convention center folks admit that they are a year away from having a solid proposal, as I have said here and at Crosscut many times last Fall, they are late to the party and are not likely to break ground before KeyArena could be rebuilt and an NBA team in it.

We are in a pretty good position. I would prefer to have a part of both the city portion of the county food and bev tax after 2015 and the city's 1% back from the convention center after 2021, to pay for the whole Seattle Center master plan and KeyArena remodel. A stretch, I know, but not impossible.

Mr Baker said...

Oops, that should say Hunter has the food and bev tax ending in 2015 in his county bill 2252.

No matter.

Senate would like this to come out of the county tax, Hunter has an ending food and bev tax in his county bill. That is a natural fit.
Again, for the entire center I would want both. That 1% city tax and its matching state portion is $9 million a year starting in 2021. The food and bev tax is more and sooner but would also go toward husky stadium.
I do not want to raise taxes for any part of Seattle Center, and Seattle generates more than enough revenue in all of those taxes being extended without having to vote on raising a local tax.
We should not have to vote on anything, not for KeyArena, the existing tax and user ticket taxes, parking taxes, more than satisfy I-91.

Mr Baker said...

Oops, that should say Hunter has the food and bev tax ending in 2015 in his county bill 2252.

No matter.

Senate would like this to come out of the county tax, Hunter has an ending food and bev tax in his county bill. That is a natural fit.
Again, for the entire center I would want both. That 1% city tax and its matching state portion is $9 million a year starting in 2021. The food and bev tax is more and sooner but would also go toward husky stadium.
I do not want to raise taxes for any part of Seattle Center, and Seattle generates more than enough revenue in all of those taxes being extended without having to vote on raising a local tax.
We should not have to vote on anything, not for KeyArena, the existing tax and user ticket taxes, parking taxes, more than satisfy I-91.

Mr Baker said...

Seattle Center and KeyArena need to get away from Husky Stadium, there are too many ways to shoot the stadium down.