“UW regents approve cash for stadium renovation” KING5.com
Posted on Friday, October 17th, 2008 at 11:24 am by Mr. Baker (thinking good thoughts for George Karl))
Yesterday on KING tv’s 5pm news broadcast reporter Chris Daniels said that the University of Washington has authorized spending $3,000,000.00 on preplanning for Husky Stadium’s $300,000,000.00 rebuild.
Mr. Daniels did report, as I have made clear, that the university is looking to tap the existing hotel/motel car rental taxes that are currently paying off Safeco and Qwest construction costs, to cover half of the cost. This is not the same tax the City of Seattle is interested in, that being a hotel tax being used by the Washington State Trade and Convention Center.
Comparitively, Key Arena looks smaller, since the city is paying 1/4 of the cost, with the city and state getting their return on investment on user taxes collected at and around Sonics games. It isn’t clear yet what the return on investment is back to the state is on Husky Stadium rebuild.
UW Athletic Director, Mr. Woodward, went ahead and said the economy could use the jobs.
Hey, that’s my line!
See it and read it here, “UW regents approve cash for stadium renovation” KING5.com
I posted this on my blog yesterday, here: Seattle Center Arena Reboot
I thought we needed a new thread here.
I fixed the link, I think.
And here is a bonus story from my blog: “Husky Stadium Proposal”
Linked below is the 16 page proposal the University of Washington has published in support of their request for support from the state Task Force.
The question is: where is the City of Seattle’s version of this?
Where is their publication that describes their plan?
Husky Stadium: community resource and public asset for everyone
Have a great day,
Mr Baker
Sent from my iPhone
October 17th, 2008 at 11:40 am
this means we can have both!?!? i know there are probably a lot of dawg lovers and haters on this blog (i happen to be an emphatic lover.) the fact is that much of husky stadium is not even up to modern building codes. the public money would only go toward ensuring that all structural/safety inadequacies are improved.
that being said, if it ever did come down to a choice, i’d choose to get our supersonics back. at least we know the dawgs won’t leave if their stadium is sub-par. it does need a fix though.
go dawgs! bring back our supes!
October 17th, 2008 at 11:44 am
yes, that is possible.
They are looking at two different sources of tax, one funding safeco, the other the Washington State Trade and Convention Center.
Safco’s tax is bigger, that’s what UW is looking at.
the trade center’s is smaller and collected in Seattle and not county wide, that is what the city is looking at.
October 17th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Link is broken, I think there’s a HTML command at the end of it or something.
http://www.king5.com/sports/stories/NW_101608SPB_husky_stadium_KS.11cf1b8f6.html
I guess we’ll see if the general public says the same thing they did for Key Arena or if this is embraced with open arms …
There is no reason this city should not be able to have both.
October 17th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Off topic but did anyone see the article about Delonte West. Not really a shocker though.
CLEVELAND (AP) - Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West contemplated quitting before leaving the team’s training camp to seek help for depression and “a mood disorder” he has been battling his entire life.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8680722?MSNHPHMA
October 17th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
“There is no reason this city should not be able to have both.”
From your mouth to god’s (Frank Chopp’s) ears brother.
October 18th, 2008 at 7:41 am
I read in the Seattle times, they’re endorsing Rossi.
October 18th, 2008 at 9:57 am
The Times Endorsing Rossi?!? Something’s fishy….
October 18th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Why should the huskies deserve a new arena? They’re a terrible football team.
Why couldn’t they simply rent the Qwest Field? It’s already built, and it’s state of the art.
October 18th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
deserve it, or not, they have a 16 page proposal outlining the project, the costs, the propsed funding sources.
What is it, how is it paid for.
They do not make much of a case in the return on the investment, other than it is an asset.
Where is the City of Seattle’s proposal? It their facility, it is the city’s responsibility to make its case, just like the university did.
Well, where the hell is it?
Ballmer still being “in”, and Brian meeting with “people” is nice to hear, but where is the propsal?
We are less than a month away from the state task force’s report, what is the city’s input to that report, where is their proposal?
This is NOT up to Brian, or Ballmer, this is on the city.
October 19th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Why should the huskies deserve a new arena? They’re a terrible football team.
- The team’s performance has what to do with the arena? Its funny how people here use all the same arguments against the Husky Stadium rennovations that people used against the Sonics rennovation.
- Speaking of politics…isn’t it funny that Rossi is almost using the same exact arguments against Gregoire that Obama is using against McCain. Its almost as if there are two new politiical parties: “The Old Ones” and “The New Ones”
October 19th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
It really felt good to mark my ballot today for my district reps since I remembered what they said to me in their emails re: the Sonics. If I didn’t like their answers then I voted for their opponent regardless of party.
October 19th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
“Speaking of politics…isn’t it funny that Rossi is almost using the same exact arguments against Gregoire that Obama is using against McCain. Its almost as if there are two new politiical parties: “The Old Ones” and “The New Ones’”.
Totally. Since my wife and I moved south to Downtown Tacoma in order be closer to the Trailblazers without having to give up our jobs in Seattle, I’ve noticed Rossi “change” ads on a huge readerboard off I-5 on my way to and home from work everyday.
Rossi just seems to be working harder and saying the right things, and is totally deserving of how I filled out my ballot earlier today.
GO BLAZERS!
October 19th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Voting terminology has been reduced to the most simple-minded of terms so that any moron can figure out how to punch a ballot. This year the choices are “change” vs “more of the same”.
MOS is evil, change is good. Now I get it. Now please lead me to the voting booth, last time I ended up in the john.
Myk will vote for Gregoire because some how, some way, she represents “change” to him while Rossi represents “MOS”. It’s that simple.
October 19th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Mr. Baker said: “This is NOT up to Brian, or Ballmer, this is on the city.”
Agree entirely. There’s a few people on here who seem to be in the business of finger-pointing at Brian, Ballmer and anyone else remotely involved with this whole sordid saga.
In the end, it comes down to the fact that the politicians just did not get anything done. They are the ones to blame. Vote accordingly. And if they’re not up for election yet, spam them accordingly.
October 19th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
They ought to just move their games to Qwest or Safeco. There’s no reason for the city to pump money into a college stadium. All those taxes should be used to bring back the Sonics. Time to move Chopp out.
October 19th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Rossi is an ultraconservate right-wing opportunist who WILL cause a lot of pain in terms of further destroying already damaged critical local government services, such as health services. Just consider that before you vote for him.
October 19th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
PS Baker, thanks for the staduim info & links - this is shaping up to be an interesting challenge.
October 20th, 2008 at 12:34 am
Speedcat-
You know nothing about Rossi, do you? He is a very moderate republican. You should probably learn a little bit about him before you make a generalization that is so far off base. I mean, even the Seattle Times endorsed him and they endorse the democrat in more than 3 out of every 4 races. I don’t want to talk politics, but damn- I just couldn’t leave that one alone.
October 20th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Gregoire is an ultraliberal left-wing opportunist who HAS and WILL cause(d) a lot of pain in terms of further destroying already damaged critical local government services, such as health services. Just consider that before you vote for her.
An idiotic post deserves another!!!
October 20th, 2008 at 10:29 am
The Governor flatly failed us with the Sonics. If she wanted to stick her neck out she could have got something done. Her lack of leadership cause us the Sonics. I will never forget that and I voted against her. I also voted against my Rep, Roger Goodman. I wrote to him and told him that he failed and he wrote back saying all the great things he did to try to keep the Sonics. Then I wrote him back to say did you sponsor a bill. I am still waiting for a reply. When I listened to her in the debate it really came home that she is not or will ever be a leader in getting another team. And her lack of leadership concerning the Viaduct, 520 etc should be enough for people to get a clue.
October 20th, 2008 at 11:44 am
If you’re angry about the way the City of Seattle handled the Sonics, vote with your dollars! Don’t do business in the Seattle City Limits by not going to Downtown, don’t go to Westlake Center, Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium, Museum of Flight, Museum History and Industry, Art Museum, of course don’t go to Starbuck’s, and of course vote everyone out next month and if you don’t like both Dino Rossi and Christine Gregoire write in Gary Payton as a protest vote!
October 20th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Here’s why I say don’t do business inside the Seattle City Limits and that is when you go to Downtown and shop there or places like the Space Needle you’re actually paying those idiotic people like Greg Nickels and Nick Licata because a portion of the money that business receives goes to them (the City of Seattle)! Now why should we do business over there after their bad behavior towards the Sonics? So the best thing to do is vote with your dollars in the suburbs like Bellevue, Tukwila, or Everett. Thats just the way how I feel about Seattle now! Bad city with a third class attitude!
October 20th, 2008 at 11:50 am
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=684699&c=hp
October 20th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Hey KBA, I’m doing that same thing too here in Kent, I have voted my two representatives Pat Sullivan and Geoff Simpson out! Simpson never responded to me but Sullivan did. All he did was just spouted rhetoric about there was not enough time and all the b***s**t to get the additional $75 million and whined about “oh if we vote for this chances are we won’t get reelected” to me this legislature is nothing but a sham!
October 20th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Myk will vote for Gregoire because some how, some way, she represents “change” to him while Rossi represents “MOS”. It’s that simple.
- LOL..what? I just pointing out that it was pretty funny how two people from two different parties are using the same exact reasoning on why they should be voted for. If anything it shows what a crock of sh!t the democrat and republican party have become.
All things considered…if you actually read what I have said…and not tried to accuse me of some sort of agenda (laughable). Voting in Rossi basically means nothing will happen during his term. Democrats will block every move and we’ll be guaranteed to be in the same situation we are in right now. If Gregoire wins then at least there is a possibility that something actually makes it out of the Legislature and gets signed into law. This could be a good thing or a bad thing. Bad if the things that get done are bad initiatives or good if you can actually work with her to support your cause.
Finally, I can’t believe people are really defensing Rossi or Gregoire. After election day we will have the worst governor in America. It might be a guy it might be a woman. Neither of them have the ability to cut through the gridlock that is killing the state/community that i love most.
If it makes you feel better that I have some sort of agenda go for it…the only agenda that exists in Washington is the agenda to do absolutely nothing.
October 20th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Patrick, I agree with you about staying out of Settle (thats Seattle’s real name now). I mentioned before that, other than one yearly trip to Childrens Hosp, I won’t set foot in the city (likely not even the county) again unless there is a team. Since I doubt a team will be there in my lifetime I can say that I won’t see Settle but maybe 5 more times.
One thing that I think is important to remember about the election. I can’t remember who it was but one of the head Dem lady legislators said something like ‘Why should we do anything? If we do something people might not like it and we could lose our majority’. Can’t remember if it was Sonics related or not but it doesn’t matter. It just shows they are not there to do things but instead they are there just to make sure they return. (If anyone has exact quote feel free to share)
October 20th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Myk, I agree with you. Both parties blow. They are corrupt and ineffective. I think the whole system went south within the last 50 years. Its time for a viable third party but it will never happen because they won’t get votes. People tried it with Perot or Nader and all it did was divide votes so people won’t do it again. They feel they are wasting a vote if they don’t vote for one of the major parties. Bummer.
October 20th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
kba-
I’m also in Goodman’s district, and I voted against him, too. It cracks me up that he’s trying to tell you about everything he did to keep the Sonics here. All I remember is him going on KJR & talking about everything that was wrong with the Ballmer deal (You know, when he offered to give them $150,000,000). He must think you haven’t got a clue.
October 20th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
It tells you a lot about someone when they get their politcal information from “The Stranger”
October 20th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
I can’t remember who it was but one of the head Dem lady legislators said something like ‘Why should we do anything? If we do something people might not like it and we could lose our majority’. Can’t remember if it was Sonics related or not but it doesn’t matter. It just shows they are not there to do things but instead they are there just to make sure they return. (If anyone has exact quote feel free to share):
I think you’re talking about Lisa Brown who is from Spokane or Lynn Kessler who represents the Washington Coast. I remember a few months the Gas Man on KJR went off on them!
October 20th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Yeah, Lynn Kessler sounds familiar. I’ll try and find the quote.
Rep Goodman still owes me a steak dinner
October 20th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Well, that was easy. Found the quote in this little story.
“…..
The Seattle Times, however, recently provided a demonstration of partisan coverage that’s so clumsy and laughable that it deserves special recognition.
On March 14th, announcing the conclusion of the recent legislative session at the state capital, the front page headline declared: “IN OLYMPIA, INACTION WAS PART OF GAME PLAN.” Under that headline is a smiling photo of the Democratic leader in the state House of Representatives (Lynn Kessler) with an inspiring quote: “If you take too many bold steps, you’ll no longer be in the majority….If we don’t have the majority, we get nothing done.”
And then the lead in the piece (by veteran political reporter David Postman): “Gov. Christine Gregoire and the Democratic-controlled Legislature accomplished pretty much what they set out to do in the 60-day session that ended Thursday. In other words, nothing flashy.” The interior headline for the continuation of the article also hailed the Democrats for their lack of achievement. “Inaction Part of Democrats’ Game Plan: Lawmakers put daunting to-do list off until next year.”
…..”
October 20th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Rep Goodman still owes me a steak dinner :
And so does Pat Sullivan he still owes me a steak and lobster dinner! LOL
Now you got me hungry Laporbo! LOL
October 20th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Don’t know if this was posted, but it’s an article about Dino…
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=684699&c=hp
Please don’t vote for this man!!!
October 20th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Local government is bloated, wasteful, and ineffectual … period.
Conundrum: If critical local services are so badly damaged … then why should I or anyone else vote to keep the same idiots in power who are responsible for this situation in the first place?
October 20th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Please Eric … that article is really pitiful. As if the governor has any power over reproductive choice … the governor doesn’t make laws, the legislature does.
That article is so ludicrously one sidced and ignorant it belongs up there with the waterboard Obama crowd …
October 20th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
again, where is the city’s proposal?
UW has a web page for this, the city, not so much.
October 20th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Dino Rossi slashed Basic Health and other social services when he was a member of the Washington State Senator.
WTF do you not get about critical local gov’t services? Just ’cause you have health care coverage doesn’t mean that everyone does. And believe me, you’ll end up paying a lot more for healthcare both in taxes and in insurance when all those less fortunate folks end up in Harborview for lack of any other options, once their health issues deteriorate to the point of vastly exploded costs.
There is a real benefit to prevention. And a huge part of prevention is being able to see a doctor. Rossi is going to ruin local health services, along with other critical services, because he thinks we all need to pay our own way. He believes more in business taking care of society than he does in government doing so. Luckily we have a very good example of how this works out in the form of deregulation and the recent financial meltdown.
Xteve - in response to your claim that deregulation is a bipartisan effort, it’s partly true, but mostly not. Yes you can blame Clinton for signing on to that bill… but from the research I’ve done, the most dangerous deregulatory elements of that bill were buried in there at the last minute by Phil Gramm, an economic advisor to … guess who? John McCain. Along with all the other examples of republicans staunchly supporting deregulation (going right along with their fat cat lobbyists) spanning throughout the last 30 years.
Oh not to mention that real cities have real mass transit systems… Seattle should have gotten on that bandwagon 40 years ago, now it’s costing us a lot more. But every year that goes by, a real mass transit system will cost us exponentially more than it would to build one today. And Rossi is all roads, roads roads! Face it, the guy is an artifact of the 1970s.
October 20th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
On a lighter note, Nickels welcomed Seattle Univ. back to Division I and KeyArena with a big rally today. One game at the Key this season (Jan. 1), and they’re hoping for a majority of the games there next season. “Now, we are the big time,” says the Seattle U. coach.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_bkc_seattles_new_game.html
October 20th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004379418_aubreydavis29.html
October 20th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
What? He’s against reducing greenhouse gases?! Sounds like George W. Bush.
http://www.dinorossiforgovernorwa.com/articles/global.html
Or like so many other ultraconservative republicans.
And his record is not for public safety. Xteve, how about that for critical local gov’t services?
Here’s your quote: “Local government is bloated, wasteful, and ineffectual … period. ”
I suppose you’re going to say that police services are totally bloated, wasteful and ineffectual? Perhaps we should just all buy a lot of guns and become anarchists, fight our way down the new highways that Dino built.
October 20th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Here’s his record on funding (or should I say, not funding) Public Safety:
http://www.dinorossiforgovernorwa.com/articles/publicrecord.html
October 20th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Rossi’s Health Care Plan: Don’t get sick.
http://www.dinorossiforgovernorwa.com/articles/healthcare.html
October 20th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Wow, Dino’s even supporting reducing the MINIMUM WAGE.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/381851_wage06.html
What a f*cking a$$hole. Tell me, how would you pay your bills on the minimum wage? Wouldn’t be able afford rent here in Seattle. Can’t pay for healthcare. With Dino’s new freeways and the exploding gas prices, can’t afford to commute. It’s a f*cking slave wage.
And don’t give me this sh*t about how the minimum wage is just for highschoolers looking for their first job. That’s an insult. There are families trying to survive on the minimum wage.
Oh, and I forgot to mention, Dino Rossi’s not just anti-abortion. He opposes contraception altogether! Wow, that’s really in step with the modern world. What a freaking whacko.
Most rational republicans believe in both the human component in global warming and in contraception as an important tool for societies to avoid becoming India. Good luck running government with your right-wing buddy Dino Rossi. We’ll be very, very lucky if gridlock is the worst result.
October 20th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Yeah, but he aint’ Gregoire
October 20th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
I hope most of you take this the wrong way, I do not give a ratsass who you are voting for, against, because of.
I really am interested in solving the arena problem, that is why I posted the thread. This other bullshit is why I don’t post threads.
Find the undecided voter here, find one, and tell me who that is. I know you can’t so you are at each other, it is a Fucking drag.
maybe Brian can poke his head out of the cone of silence and tell us what the hell is going on with the city.
I’ll see you assholes after the election.
Until then, I will be posting at my blog stories that have something to do with the arena, and nothing to do with the election.
http://SeattleCenterArenaReboot.blogspot.com
October 20th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
I don’t care if Dino Rossi is the reincarnation of John Birch. Gregoire is a pencil neck fish face and when she had her chance to lead on the Sonics issue all she came up with were lame excuses. Honestly I’d sooner have voted for that Goodspaceguy Nelson dude.
October 20th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I’ll see you a$$holes after the election.
Until then, I will be posting at my blog stories that have something to do with the arena, and nothing to do with the election.
- Bad day or something?? This seems a bit uncalled for…
Gregoire is a pencil neck fish face and when she had her chance to lead on the Sonics issue all she came up with were lame excuses.
- Vote for Rossi if you think he is the best man for the job. But, if you think that he really would’ve done anything different you are sadly mistaken. The only difference would’ve been he would’ve said “I want to do it but those darn democrats won’t let me”…if he gets elected get ready to hear that about tons and tons of issues in this region.
October 20th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
i for sure like the idea about penciling in gary payton for governor! i’m dead serious i think all b ball fans should do that. that’d be great-
October 20th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Rings, I agree with your anger about the Sonics. I have always questioned, though, how Gregoire was supposed to convince the holder of all strings Mr Chopp to pass anything related to an arena when he’s been steadfastly against from day one. He runs the Legislature, and he’s very likely more powerful than any gov we’ve had in a long time.
Now I am really pissed at Howie (for obvious reasons) and Nickels, mostly because he flat out lied about fighting the lease till the end, and as BR noted recently, now with Aubrey’s newfound pain, the case for keeping the team here may have been much stronger had the mayor not “wimped out”. Among all the other f*ckups that allowed or caused our team to be stolen.
Overall there are much more worthy targets for our anger than Gregoire.
Sorry Mr Baker, I apologize for blowing up your thread, but all this politics is really relevant right now and I can’t hold back.
Cheers,
Speedcat
October 21st, 2008 at 7:39 am
Lynn Kessler: When is this piece of work due for re-election. I elect she get a muzzle.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basketball/384240_sonx21.html
October 21st, 2008 at 8:49 am
I agree with Baker. This isn’t a right vs left problem, it’s all about posturing and who would say what ever the voter wants to hear.
Both sides are wrong and WE, the Sonics fans got screwed over.
The ONLY people that can solve this mess is a rich guy with some strong buddies. It’s like south park said: you only get to decide on a giant turd or a douche bag.
October 21st, 2008 at 12:54 pm
The bottom line SC is that you cannot defend the job the CURRENT officeholder has done…in essence your entire argument is that DR is the worse of two choices. Yet you are not holding the current officeholders responsible for their failures. Rossi and his ilk are not the problem despite your attempts to paint them as such.
Unchecked, rampant spending by the current powers that be LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY have got us into this mess, yet you want me to vote them back into office because they’re the lesser of two evils. Looks like our two votes for governor will cancel each other out. I will sooner vote for George W Bush for governor of this state as I would for Gregoire, as far as I’m concerned there’s no difference between them in terms of their ability to run an efficient government.
October 21st, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Yet you are not holding the current officeholders responsible for their failures. Rossi and his ilk are not the problem despite your attempts to paint them as such.
- You cannot call SC’s argument illogical if you are basically using the reverse…if SC can’t call out Rossi as being unable to do the job well then you can’t call Gregoire out.
Unchecked, rampant spending by the current powers that be LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY have got us into this mess, yet you want me to vote them back into office because they’re the lesser of two evils.
- This is sort of the crux of what I mentioned at the very start of this thread (and kicked off most of the debate). It seems odd that people are willing to giver Rossi a pass as someone who will balance the budget when our “conservatives” in office nationally have done exactly what you are blaming on Gregoire.
I will sooner vote for George W Bush for governor of this state as I would for Gregoire, as far as I’m concerned there’s no difference between them in terms of their ability to run an efficient government.
- You do realize that voting out CG just because you don’t think she was effective…and not because the other guy is better (you haven’t said one thing about Rossi’s credentials other than he isn’t CG)…isn’t any better than SC defending CG, right?
If you think Rossi will do a good job of running this state, then by all means vote for him. However, if you are purely voting just to get rid of Gregoire, then you need to be prepared to deal with the possible unintended consequences that SC was trying to point out (I don’t agree with SC that Rossi will have this effect…I think Rossi would just create an even more difficult log jam in Olympia).
Basically, if you vote Rossi…and some of the things tha SC has mentioned happen…well then you have absolutely positively zero to b!tch about. Hope you are OK with that.
October 21st, 2008 at 3:20 pm
In essence what people are voting for is firing the head coach…even though you have very little evidence the guy you could replace him with is anything better and just might be worse.
October 21st, 2008 at 5:03 pm
“if SC can’t call out Rossi as being unable to do the job well then you can’t call Gregoire out.”
Rossi is not governor. Weak rebuttal.
SCs points are well taken and I think the world of the guy, but I think he is just totally wrong on how much latitude the governor actually has to impose his personal political philosophies on the state he governs. Most attacks I see on Rossi are philosophical in nature. If he was running for Supreme Court Justice, I would care. He is not. He is running for governor in a state that has spent itself into the ground under the previous regime whilst failing to preserve these important core services. Why would I vote to preserve the status quo? I do not believe that the devil one knows is better than the devil one does not.
I just got in an argument with my boss of all people on why all the current state budget problems are all Tim Eyman’s fault … certainly he is partially to blame, but Olympia’s lack of ability to come up with any kind of solution is as big a problem. He cuts their revenue streams and has been doing so since 1999 but I do not see them cutting services in any kind of significant way.
I-695 was signed by over 500,000 people, the second largest number of signatures on any initiative in WA state history. That was a clear message to Olympia on the part of the voters that they wanted meaningful change and efficiency instead of a cash grab on car tabs. Gregoire even agreed with its intent -
“”The language of I-695 shows voters want decision-making authority over government charges that have the look and feel of a tax,”"
http://www.atg.wa.gov/pressrelease.aspx?&id=4964
Yet now the order of the day is to cry and point fingers at mean old Tim Eyman for taking away important services. It’s cack. Olympia’s instinct for self-preservation at all costs is the problem here … not that people aren’t paying enough taxes.
October 21st, 2008 at 5:04 pm
“In essence what people are voting for is firing the head coach…even though you have very little evidence the guy you could replace him with is anything better and just might be worse.”
To continue this analogy, if your team is 0-5 … what exactly do you have to lose by firing said coach?
October 21st, 2008 at 5:05 pm
We are all judged on results for better or worse. I can’t predict that given a second term Gregoire would be better than Rossi, all I can do is measure her by what she’s done or not done so far. And on that account, she is woeful.
October 21st, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Actually I have never advocated voting for Gregoire in this thread, or on this board. Indeed, if people can’t stand Gregoire, it would be more worthy to do a protest vote for Sir Gary Payton, which I’ve stated numerous times here.
Xteve, I respect you too. We just disagree on this stuff. Moving on!
October 21st, 2008 at 7:43 pm
To continue this analogy, if your team is 0-5 … what exactly do you have to lose by firing said coach?
- I completely do not disagree with you on this point…if you want to “fire” Gregoire and “hire” Rossi..based on his merits to make your “team” better…then way to go…but like I said…if Rossi ends up being the guy that some sides seem to show he can end up being…then you have NO right to bitch about it two years from now.
Basically…im “well off enough” that a republican really couldnt do anything to me that would substantially effect me…so I dont really care. However, I just feel like there are a bunch of people here who after Rossi got elected would b!tch and moan about hwat he was doing that it needs to be pointed out.
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:47 pm
“To continue this analogy, if your team is 0-5 … what exactly do you have to lose by firing said coach?
- I completely do not disagree with you on this point…if you want to “fire” Gregoire and “hire” Rossi..based on his merits to make your “team” better…then way to go…but like I said…if Rossi ends up being the guy that some sides seem to show he can end up being…then you have NO right to bitch about it two years from now.”
Don’t worry, I won’t. Remember I voted for Rossi the first time too for the same reasons. I didn’t think CG was strong enough to be independent of the unions or strong enough to lead the discussion on important issues, and the facts show that she hasn’t been. Frank Chopp is the governor for all practical purposes, [which is cack when you think about that, that a guy who's elected by a district of less than 50,000 voters calls the shots for the whole state], the City pretty much told her to f&^k right off and die on the Viaduct issue, and pretty much what SEIU wants, SEIU gets.