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Editor:
If you live in the state of Washington, your tax dollars are being used to build a new baseball stadium in downtown Everett.
In fact, the City of Everett is taking money from the State of Washington Department of Commerce Youth Athletic Facility Account and using it to subsidize billionaire Major/Minor League Baseball owners.
This means parks and playfields that might have been funded by the Youth Athletic Facility Account cannot be funded. The account funded parks and K-12 fields not only in Everett, but in Spokane, Walla Walla, Tacoma and more.
Youth Athletic Facilities funded 24 projects with the same amount of funds now being used for the “New Stadium” in Downtown Everett.
How many future Youth Athletic Facility grants will be denied in order fund the Major/Minor League Baseball Stadium in Everett?
I asked the Everett City Council to terminate the Youth Athletic Facility Account grant since contract documents indicate they plan to apply for additional grant program funds anyway.
I encourage you to contact your State Representative and the Everett City Council.
Ask them to terminate the Youth Athletic Facility Account contract for the new Major/Minor League Baseball Stadium in Everett.
Democracy works when people participate.
John E. Martin
Mountlake Terrace
What about a Public Facilities District as is currently used in Snohomish County for a number of projects (Edmonds Center for the Arts, Lynwood Convention Center, Angle of the Winds Arena, etc) and T-Mobile and Lummen Fields in King County. No State money or billionaire ownership.
I like your idea of “No State Money,” but Public Facilities Districts can tax the public, thanks to House Bill 1109, sponsored by 32nd District Representative Cindy Ryu and 38th District Representative Julio Cortes.
HB 1109 gives Public Facilities Districts additional power to impose a use tax of up to 0.033 percent to finance regional centers and a tax of rate up to 0.037 percent should losses be incurred over 5%.
Not incidentally, Julio Cortes, in addition to being a state legislator, is also a Board member of the Angel of the Winds Public Facilities District, officially, the Everett Public Facilities District.
I suggest you email the Everett City Council ( council@everettwa.gov ) and ask them to terminate the current contract. The money will go back to the Washington Department of Commerce Youth Athletic Facility Account.