"We feel like arts and heritage are being held hostage to stadiums," said Jim Kelly, executive director of 4Culture, King County's arts and culture agency.
Most legislators don't seem to have a problem with funding for the arts. But Kelly said their funding has remained tied down by its connection to the stadium fights.
"With stadiums you're damned if you do or damned if you don't," he said. "Some people, if you take the stadiums out, they won't support the bill. Other people won't vote for it if you leave the stadiums in."
Murray said he's still working the proposal to see if it can be revived in the last couple days of the session, or during the special session lawmakers now say they'll need to finish the state budget.
Story posted by Jim Brunner, at the Seattle Times
I am glad this story was reported. Poor Yakama was not even mentioned.
The motivations of Rodney Tom were communicated to me as possibly being something else. It may be both a list of every conflict connected with those taxes, and a weight holding it down.
Kelley is right though, he could not get just an arts and heritage bill passed. I think half of those amendments could be pulled back, leave out husky stadium, and I think you could find enough votes.
The fact of the matter is that if the taxes are extended then there are enough votes to ensure that the "public investment" that is Safeco Field has to be part of it. The House side stripped that stuff out.
Have a great day,
Mike Baker
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