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We invited all Executive candidates to submit
statements to our membership. Below are the
unedited statements from the candidates that did
submit them starting off with our recomended
candidate, Fred Jarrett
Fred Jarrett - Recomended Candidate
Our region's recent experiences with the NBA have
been disappointing for many reasons; the loss of a
team, our inability to find a creative way to return the
NBA and, finally, this last legislative session's inability
to secure the final $30 million payment from Clay
Bennett. Throughout the struggle, I have sought to
find ways to keep or, in the end, replace the Sonics. I
supported Senator Prentice's attempts as well as
trying to get legislation to the floor of the Senate this
session.
I remain committed to securing an NBA team. We are
a world class region and must be recognized as
such. Sports and the arts capture attention for the
region and attention creates opportunity for our
businesses, and quality jobs for our neighbors and
friends. I look forward to exploring creative
approaches to make the NBA a part of our community
again.
Fred Jarrett Campaign Site
Larry Phillips
Seattle Center, Key Arena, and the Sonics have a
special place in my heart. I grew up playing
basketball and watching games in the Coliseum
rooting for Lenny Wilkens and Bob Rule. As a former
State Representative and a King County
Councilmember, I represent Seattle Center and the
surrounding neighborhoods, so I know how important
the Sonics are to our community and our businesses.
I supported Steve Ballmer's plan that had private
investors contributing 50% of the cost of renovating
Key Arena in order to keep the Sonics or land another
NBA team. I was disappointed when the State
Legislature failed to act on that plan. It was a missed
opportunity that cost us a key piece of our history and
culture. But I believe Seattle remains a great NBA city
and am optimistic about our chances to bring an NBA
team back here. As Executive, I will talk with citizens,
private investors, the City of Seattle, and the state to
generate interest in accomplishing the necessary Key
Arena renovations to position Seattle to land another
NBA team. Because doing so will require our region
to invest in Key Arena, I believe it's important to ensure
voters have a say in the decision. I will count on
passionate advocates like Save Our Sonics to make
the case to voters that renovating Key Arena is the
right investment for our future.
Larry Phillips Campaign Site
Ross Hunter
As the Finance Committee chairman in the State
House I have worked on this issue for some time. The
City of Seattle owns a facility (Key Arena) that is
designed for professional basketball and suffers
opportunity cost losses as a result of not having a
tenant. I have been willing to give the city the ability to
fund improvements in the arena with their own taxes if
it makes financial sense for them. We have gone
around and around on how this would work and have
been unable to agree on a plan that will pass the
legislature. I have made offers to the city that they have
not been interested in. It is a financial decision for the
city of Seattle to make - due to the initiative they will
have to make a market rate of return on any
investment they make in a facility.
I have been more than willing to work on creative
legislation to give Seattle the ability to collect $30
million from Bennett, et.al. in Oklahoma City. As I've
said more than once in the press "I would do this for
the sport of it." Again, we have been unable to come to
an agreement on legislation that meets the needs of
the city and that can pass the legislature. This was a
difficult year in Olympia, and most financial legislation
not related to the state budget failed. I am willing to
continue to explore the issue with the Legislature
should a team become available.
Ross Hunter Campaign Site
Allen Lobdell
At the Federal Way Mirror Forum this past Tuesday
morning in my closing statement I stated that one
issue of concern to many thousands of King County
residents along with other northwest residents was
the obtaining of a new NBA team. No one seems to
want to talk about that. Since I was a teenager there
has been a SuperSonics team, now they are gone.
I believe the King County Executive, Mayor of Seattle
and Governor did not do all that was possible to keep
the team here. Well, that's all over and done, so
where's the new team? I'm not even a fan and yet
tens of thousands others are and they deserve to have
a team here in Washington. Its good for business
and good for the whole public. Getting a new NBA
team here will be one of my primary issues and I will
do whatever I can to fulfill that desire. For many
people taking the Sonics away was like cutting out a
piece of their heart. It's time to mend the broken. Its
time to return Professional Basketball to Seattle! I
intend to do everything in my power to have it happen.
With the backing of tens of thousands it can be done!!!
Allen Lobdell Campaign Site
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