Gutless state Democrats try to kill arena bill

There are certain types of spinelessness you might encounter from time to time. A friend who is afraid of roller coasters, for example. Laying up on a short par 5 instead of going for the green. Or maybe the fear of riding shotgun with Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill.

Then there’s the spinelessness that is reserved for those who hold public office. This is the worst kind and it’s currently on display in your state capitol of Olympia. I really don’t like to resort to name calling … who am I kidding, it’s my favorite thing … but we’re at a point here with this whole KeyArena/Sonics/Seattle Center/Free F*cking Money From Rich People thing that we need to begin calling our government leadership for what they are.

Gutless.

Substitute Senate Bill 6116 had passed a key committee over the weekend and was poised to go the floor for a vote yesterday. The bill would extend existing hotel, restaurant and rental car taxes and redirect a portion of those funds to be used for upkeep on Qwest and Safeco Fields as well as the $75 million needed to renovate KeyArena. Extending the tax would also fund tourism, youth sports, regional centers, low-income housing and a remodel of Husky Stadium.

Sonics fans were hoping the bill would pass because if funding isn’t in place for a KeyArena upgrade by the end of 2009, there is virtually no chance the arena will be upgraded by 2013 and former Sonics now Thunder owner Clay Bennett won’t have to pay the city $30 million as part of the lease-breaking agreement. Plus, the city would lose out on an additional $150 million that would have been donated for renovations to Seattle Center and the arena by a group of local business people led by Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer.

Then the Democrats got together.

According to an item in the Seattle Times, the state Democratic Caucus had too many objections to the bill. Some didn’t like that the revenue would fund the arena upgrade. Some didn’t like that it would fund the arts. Some didn’t like that it would fund public housing.

So, they decided not to bring the bill to a vote. They made a decision behind closed doors – where the voting public can’t hold them accountable. I would have a whole lot more respect for them if they brought it to a vote and then voted it down. But sitting on the bill in a caucus meeting is, well, gutless. In the nearly 20 years I’ve been allowed to vote, I’ve never voted Republican. That may soon change. Democrats seem to be OK with raising taxes everywhere else, but when it comes to extending this existing tax, no dice.

Sports fans in this region lost a 41-year-old civic institution when Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels let the Sonics out of its lease for pennies on the dollar. The state legislators owe it to us to bring this to a vote so we can learn who voted for and who voted against the bill. It’ll give sports fans and voters another piece of information to help them with their choice when their senator is up for re-election.

I encourage anyone who cares about this, for or against, to call the legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000.