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Comment by cultus | Hacker News Reader

I hear that. In King County (Seattle), we desperately need more public transit and funding for the homeless problem. The county decided that giving a $135 million handout to the Mariners to build a bigger beer garden (among other things) was a higher priority. Not only is this a flagrant waste of money, but it is highly unpopular.

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I wouldn't say it's a handout, they are signing a new 25 year lease, and the funds are supposed to address wear and tear. Seems reasonable to me as a landlord (in lieu of the owner of the stadium performing repairs).

Why wouldn’t the owner of the team or stadium (the ones making money with it) pay?

They are. The county owns the stadium.

How much rent are they charging?

Safeco Field is where this comment stemmed from. Hundred million dollar _public money_ handout to a stadium. We have plenty of money for that, but not the homeless, drug problems, or public transit. Now we have NHL I'm sure Jenny Durkan & City Council will just bend the knee to with multi million dollar renovations to Key Arena.

The city brought homeless problem upon themselves by raising taxes to literally bring them in by the bus load.

http://mynorthwest.com/985398/seattles-next-homeless-encampm...?

Taxes don’t make people homeless. Dumb low minimum wages and the lack of government aids for people who are struggling to survive is the reason for homeless people. More taxes directed at helping people in need is a good thing.

But the true solution to the homeless problem is greater spending on addiction treatment / mental health care, which the state needs to fund

That article has nothing to do with what you said at all.

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