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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
The Lynnwood Meadowdale Playfields Dugouts and Lighting project is approved for a $595,000 grant request from the Youth Athletic Facilities. But the project is listed as “ALTERNATE.”
“ALTERNATE” refers to a potential project that is approved and placed on a ranked list, but only receives funding if one of the higher-priority, recommended projects becomes unfeasible.
I suggest you email the Everett City Council ( council@everettwa.gov ) and ask them to terminate the current “New Stadium” “higher-priority” contract. The money will go back to the Washington Department of Commerce Youth Athletic Facility Account.