WWW . THESKANNER . COM
F EBRUARY 27, 2013
S EATTLE , W ASHINGTON
V OLUME XXXV, N O . 21
25
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C HALLENGING P EOPLE TO S HAPE A B ETTER F UTURE N OW
BUDGET CUTS
Seattle
Arena
Win
Judge rejects case
that could have
derailed deal
OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY PETE SOUZA
By Gene Johnson
The Associated Press
President Barack Obama studies a challenge coin presented to him by an emergency responder during a greet in
the Eisenhower Executive Office Building South Court Auditorium Ante Room before remarks urging action to avoid
the automatic budget cuts scheduled if Congress fails to find a path forward on balanced deficit reduction, Feb.
19.
Sequester Disaster Coming
Obama spends week pressuring Republicans on impasse
By Julie Pace
AP White House
Correspondent
WASHINGTON (AP) —
President Barack Obama,
intensifying pressure on con-
gressional Republicans, said
Friday that lawmakers still
have ``the opportunity to
make the right decisions’’ and
avert a series of mandatory
budget cuts by March 1.
Despite little sign of a deal
emerging with Republicans,
Obama said he does not
believe it is inevitable that the
$85 billion in across-the-
board budget cuts will take
effect. He said finding a way
to avert the cuts should be a
``no-brainer’’ for congression-
al lawmakers.
Speaking in the Oval Office
during a meeting with visiting
Japanese Prime Minister Shin-
zo Abe, Obama said that in
contrast to earlier Washington
fiscal fights, he didn’t believe
the economic impact of the
cuts would threaten the world
financial market. But he
added that if the U.S. econo-
my slows as a result of the
cuts, the global economy
could suffer as well.
Obama’s statements contin-
ued an administration drum-
roll of warnings this week,
with appeals from Cabinet
members
ranging
from
Defense Secretary Leon
Panetta and Secretary of State
John Kerry to Education Sec-
retary Arne Duncan and
Transportation Secretary Ray
LaHood.
Even a slew of Democratic
governors in the capital for
their annual meeting picked
up the cudgel, making argu-
ments for Obama’s position to
reporters.
The fight between Obama
and congressional Republi-
cans has centered on a seem-
ingly intractable issue: Obama
says he wants a more method-
ical and restrained plan for
budget-cutting and one that
would necessitate an addition-
al tax increase. GOP lawmak-
ers and their leaders, House
SEATTLE (AP) — A Washington state
judge rejected a lawsuit Friday aimed at
undoing a deal to build a new professional
basketball and hockey arena in Seattle — a
key part of plans to bring the NBA back to
town.
King County Superior Court Judge Dou-
glass North held that the agreement between
the city of Seattle, King County and an
investment group led by hedge fund manag-
er Chris Hansen does not violate state envi-
ronmental law.
“This is a big win in our work to bring the
Sonics home to Seattle,’’ Mayor Mike
McGinn said in a written statement.
The International Longshore and Ware-
house Union is concerned that adding a
third stadium to the area south of downtown
would choke freight traffic and cost jobs.
The union’s Local 19, representing workers
at the Port of Seattle, sued, saying an envi-
ronmental review should have preceded any
agreement.
The judge disagreed. He said the agree-
ment technically set out a framework for a
future deal, but didn’t commit the city or
King County to building an arena south of
downtown.
“There isn’t a binding decision here,’’
North said.
The ``memorandum of understanding’’
signed last year sets out the parameters of a
deal to build the $490 million arena.
Lawyers for the union said that created irre-
versible momentum toward construction,
and therefore the environmental study was
required ahead of time, union lawyer David
Mann said in asking the judge to invalidate
the agreement.
``This case is not about whether the Son-
ics should or are returning to Seattle,’’ Mann
said. ``What the case is about is whether the
city council, the mayor, the county council
and executive went too far.’’
See CUTS on page 3
See ARENA on page 3
INDEX
News .....................2,3,6
Calendar ....................2
Opinion .......................4
Black History ...........5,8
Bids/Classifieds............7
Activists, Teachers Apply for Commission
New charter school system attracts range of applicants for panel
By Donna Gordon Blankinship
The Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — Education activists,
teachers, lawyers, a PTA leader and a
woman who used to work with charter
schools in California are among the appli-
cants to the new state commission that is
expected to approve some of Washington’s
first charter schools.
The governor, the lieutenant governor and
the speaker of the House have until March 6
to each appoint three volunteers to the new
Charter School Commission for four-year
terms.
They will have a variety of people to
choose from, The Associated Press has
learned through public records requests and
interviews with people expected to apply.
There is no deadline for applying and their
choices are not limited to those who fill out
applications.
Washington became the 42nd state to OK
the independent public schools in Novem-
ber. Voters authorized the opening of up to
40 charter schools over five years.
Charter schools will be authorized
through two different paths in Washington:
See CHARTERS on page 3