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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
Who made this decision? Shouldn’t it have been voted on if they’re using our taxpayer money?
Well I don’t know either. Remember the state of WA voted No for the new Stadium in Seattle they just ignored that vote and did it anyway. It is a beautiful Stadium, but I think many especially those in Eastern WA + probably places too far away to go to games were the reason for the No Vote. Can’t really blame them. I bet they weren’t happy when that vote NO was overturned. Politics WOW. I get your point though Erica and John we are really getting taxed to death already for so many things yet our Interstates are horrid between here and Seattle. Sign at our Exit onto I-5 South that says rough road for 9 miles ahead, it is. I have been traveling back and forth, and it was pretty bad. Made me wonder if that makes the accidents more frequent. That combined with the tagging on all those exit signs coming N from Seattle in the rain was a drag. I could barely read them. I couldn’t clearly read them so I accidentally took the first Mt Lake exit I am not familiar with that area, so it was dark and rainy, I just thought where the heck am I. Then like a beacon in the night I was the Country Market coming up I was so relieved. Tsk Tsk.
A good read would be in the Seattle Times on April 21, 2025, entitled, “WA looks to tap Athletic funds for minor league stadium upgrades”. It provides more information on this issue. For example both chambers of the state legislature approve of money from the fund going to ballparks around the state, not just to Everett. There is pressure on Everett by Major League Baseball to upgrade their stadium or lose the Aquasox. The new stadium, a public-private project, would also support soccer. The City of Everett set a location for the new field near the proposed Light Rail station. A complaint is that more money should go to facilities in underserved communities.
This seems like an issue about which legislators would listen to comments from concerned citizens.
The Seattle Times article “WA looks to tap youth athletic funds for minor league stadium upgrades” appeared April 21, 2023 and indicated millions of dollars were earmarked for RENOVATIONS at minor league baseball stadiums across the state. Earmarks authorized RENOVATIONS at the Everett School District: Everett Memorial Stadium or Funko Field. The law did not include “New Stadiums” until the law was changed in 2024.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/wa-looks-to-tap-youth-athletic-funds-for-minor-league-stadium-upgrades/
A new law was passed in 2024 authorizing funds for a “New Stadium” (New name approved in ESSB 5949, Section 1035) and apparently taking $7.4 million away from the Everett School District.
The change was made in the Washington State Senate Bill 5949 section 1023.
Perhaps we should be asking, “Who tried to take money from the Everett School District?”
I urge you to contact the Everett City Council ( council@everettwa.gov ) and ask them to terminate the current “New Stadium” contract with the Washington Department of Commerce Youth Athletic Facility Account.