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Some Buy it for a Song comments to the Seattle City Council, October 15, 1996

I believe the World ... IS FLAT.

But the world is round.

Facts change beliefs.


Quote: 'I ... believe that the new ballpark is a good investment for Seattle's future.'

Unquote: Mayor of Seattle Norm Rice

Quote: '...emperical evidence has emerged that suggests

the economic benefits generated by these stadiums

are not adequate, by themselves, to make sound public investments.'

'...much of the income generated

... immediatly leaves the city as profits and wages

... No city income or jobs are created.'

Unquote: 'Tax-Exempt Bonds and

the Economics of Professional Sports'

prepared for the Congress of the United States of America.

Has the Public Facilities District informed the Public and the decision makers?

I don't think so.

I say to you, stop the monopolistic practice of holding cities hostage.

If you, as elected officials, choose to build a stadium,

let's figure out a way to pay for it

other than putting our children deeper and deeper into debt.

What is the return on a $320 million dollar investment

and who gets the money?

Do taxpayers who pay for the stadium get the money?

Or do Major League Baseball Monopolists get the money?

I say to you, stop pandering to the professional sports elite,

and ask Major League Baseball to pay their fair share.

Do you, the City Council, have the courage to seek the truth?

City Council of the City of Seattle, what do you believe?

Is the world flat?

Or is the world round?

I believe the world is round.



Some Buy it for a Song comments to the Public Facilities District, June 17, 1996
...what we have here

are the poorest people paying proportionally more

to build luxury suites for the richest people,

who are paying proportionally less,

to sit in their luxury suites

and watch multi-millionaire baseball players

play baseball.

I mean really, what do you think, we can buy it for a song?



In testimony before the Congress of the United State of America


'I'm Jane Hague,

Chairperson of the King County Council

and a hostage of professional sports...'