East Side Gop Lawmakers Vote For Stadium Plan

Eastern Washington lawmakers provided key votes to push a new Seahawks stadium plan out of the Senate on Wednesday.

Four of the region’s five senators, all Republicans, supported the plan. The bill, SB 5999, allows voters to decide whether to approve a $425 million open-air stadium.

Spokane’s Jim West, Spokane Valley’s Bob McCaslin, Orient’s Bob Morton, and Thornton’s Eugene Prince all voted in favor of the bill. Spokane’s Lisa Brown, a Democrat, opposed the measure.

Though West’s vote wasn’t surprising, the other three were. East Side lawmakers have fiercely opposed a new stadium all session.

“It really was a surprise that Eastern Washington provided the key votes,” said Brown. “Eastern Washington really kicked it over (to the House).” Putting the issue on the ballot was enough to sway Morton and McCaslin.

“This vote was not for or against the stadium,” said Morton. “I will always recognize the voters’ right to vote.”

Prince was a tougher sell. Just last week, he said he would oppose the bill - even if voters had the final say. By Wednesday morning, he had changed his mind.

Prince said he received nearly 100 calls and letters from voters in his district backing the bill.

“It wasn’t an easy vote to take,” said Prince, who believes voters will reject the funding package. “Maybe a vote of the people will end this. I hope so.”

Eastern Washington lawmakers in the House now get to have their say about the project. They, too, have expressed opposition to stadium funding.

Rep. Brad Benson, R-Spokane, says he won’t vote for it, though he can already see other House Republicans loosening their stance. Some are saying they don’t want to be blamed for killing the stadium issue.

Rep. Duane Sommers, R-Spokane, said he’s leaning against putting a stadium proposal on the ballot.

“Right now, I’m not favorable to it,” he said. “(But) there will be a lot of pressure to vote with the Senate.”

, DataTimes