Washblog

in south King County about Democratic legislators' role in the NASCAR legislation.   I asked a legislator if he would consider posting here and haven't heard back....  Perhaps I'll ask again.

by noemie maxwell on Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 06:08:01 PM PST

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This is completely insane!  Do you realize that the same company that is demanding public funding for a Kitsap track is building a racetrack in New York with ENTIRELY PRIVATE funding?  If private funding is good enough for New York, I say it's good enough for Washington state.

http://www.naparstek.com/2005/05/on-right-track.php

You'd think that it wouldn't be all that difficult for the city to work out similarly innovative transportation management plans for the stadium and arena projects, seeing as how the MTA owns the land at both sites and would be the beneficiary of any program that compels fans to take a train rather than drive. But this kind of creative planning has been nonexistent. Amazingly, the raceway builders appear to be the only developer in the city really thinking about ways to reduce automobile traffic and increase the use of mass transit.

ISC is also showing far more sensitivity to its local environment and future neighbors than the Jets and Nets. They have committed to preserving and enhancing the 250 acres of fragile wetlands on their property. During most of the year, a large portion of the site will be given to the community for use as sports fields, and nonprofit organizations can host charity events at the track for free. Printupp also says that ISC is open to figuring out a way to allow its ferry docks to be used year-round for daily commuter service.

But the biggest contrast of all is in the financing of the projects. Whereas the Jets and Nets are asking for hundreds of millions of dollars in public subsidies, the entire $550 to $600 million cost of the speedway is being paid for privately. The racetrack is expected to generate $45 million a year for the city and state, not including all of the additional revenues earned off of money spent on hotels, fried Twinkies and 9/11 memorabilia.

by eridani on Wed Feb 21, 2007 at 09:50:42 PM PST

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   He does run a fairly orderly Senate, but his basic issues that got him elected and get him re-elect aren't ones I agree with.
   NASCAR, while wildly popular is a waste of resources and time.
   Public funding of such things (and sports arenas) are just another example of one path democracies may follow and fall. Bread and Circuses.

Dave Gibney Pullman

by gibney on Wed Feb 21, 2007 at 11:09:57 PM PST

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