Live-blogging THE VOTE post-recess
February 7, 2006
Ok, I’m home from work and have my OS X version of Windows Media Player up and ready to go. As soon as the council reconvenes, this post wil be updated! So far it’s still at the intermediary screen.
7:30 PM: Psych! Still nothing. As of 7:00, WJLA was still saying they’re supposed to reconvene shortly. Apparently they are still in a closed-door administrative session arguing over what toppings they want on their pizza or something. Staying tuned…. Please let this end tonight!
8:25 PM: Oh oh! They’re back! Gray is not present.
Motion to reconsider the motion on the previous question. Reconsider to move the prior question which will enable people to speak again and removes the two minute limit.
Fenty – no
Graham – no
Gray – yes (guess he is there)
Mendelson – yes
Orange – pass then yes
Patterson – no
Schwartz – yes
Ambrose – no
Barry – yes
Brown – yes
Catania – no
Cropp – yes
Evans – yes
8 yes, 5 no
So we’re a go on respeaks.
Schwartz: I had hoped we could do a cap on what the executive branch of government had presented to us yesterday saying what the costs would be. Even though it would have gone above the $589 to $610.8 million, I was prepared to go there not wanting to say goodbye to baseball for an extra $22 million. I was hoping that could be the cap. Because it could not be agreed upon that the District gov’t could not go above, I can’t. Against giving gov’t property to AWC – feels it’s shifting to another entity where it looks like they’re doing something when they’re not really. If they wanted to raise private dollars, that would’ve been fine, but to take our public resources (like the Deutsche bank proposal). It’s not going to happen the way I had hoped it would happen. We did not get what we asked for of the mayor. It doesn’t look like we’re there, so I’ve got to deal with the deal before me with no cap and therefore, I cannot vote for the deal and regret being put in that position because I love baseball and would like to have it here. I hope the mayor will come back with a new lease.
Evans: Everyone’s made a valiant effort. I believe there are 5 members who support the deal and I would make an appeal to the other members. It is my firm belief if we don’t pass the lease that baseball would finish up its run at RFK for the next year or two and be done. I firmly agree with Cropp that we’ve spent three months on this issue and it’s enough time to have spent on this issue. I think the citizens of our city, media, people involved, baseball, council members are all frustrated and we’re at the end of the line. It does not appear we have the votes to pass the lease. If any not supportive can find a way to get there, I would request you do. When baseball leaves this time around, I believe they will be gone for good.
Cropp: This is a deal I would not have negotiated on my own, but it is the one before us and it is what it is. I have worked to make it better and to an extent, it is. There are parts that are an improvement over what it was initially. If it is a choice to vote between this agreement, it isn’t the best but it will bring in additional revenue to the city without one penny of general revenue funds going to it. It is a deal that would provide $450 million worth of community benefits. You have to spend money to make money. For $22 million dollars, the vote will deny the citizens of DC to have a baseball team, from $150 million of potential revenue, and many other benefits. I will be voting for it, I would encourage my colleagues to vote for it because it’s not just an issue on whether or not it’s a stadium or not, but if there is an understanding of how we can bring in additional revenue.
Barry: What item? The lease?
Graham: No
Gray: Pass
Mendelson: No
Orange: Yes
Patterson: Yes
Schwartz: No
Ambrose: Yes
Barry: No
Brown: Pass
Catania: No
Cropp: Yes
Evans: Yes
Fenty: No
Gray: No (SH!T)
Brown: No
CRAP!!!!!! IT DIDN’T PASS.
5 Yes, 8 No
Please tell me they’re going to vote again after the emergency legislation?? Please?
8:45 PM: That was it?? All this breath-holding, waiting, pacing, and alcohol consumption for that? Wow, well just like that, it seems it’s over. Sorta anti-climactic if you ask me. They’ve just moved on to other emergency measures and are whipping right through them. I’m guessing because the emergency cap legislation was shut down with the earlier vote, it’s not going to be voted on again. So uh, it’s over? On to arbitration?
Well @#%#! No owner, more Bowden toolsy former Reds and Marbert Fickersuckers, and ongoing limbodom. This sucks.
(But WAIT! That’s not where it ends!)
Posted in Stadium, Washington Nationals
content rss
February 7th, 2006 at 7:39 pm
The more time that elapses before the council comes back, the less likely they will return, and that means that Cropp doesn’t have the nine votes. I keep wondering, if she didn’t have seven, why would she all of a sudden have nine. This whole mess is looking very grim.
February 7th, 2006 at 7:41 pm
Yeah, I’m getting a sinking feeling here. I have to go put my kids to bed, so I’m actually hoping nothing happens in the next half hour!
February 7th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
Sinking feeling, yes. This reminds me of the day that MLB voted on Bob Short’s request to move the Senators to Texas. We fought so hard to get a team back and now these dopes are going to blow it.
February 7th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
Between the stadium vote and the Maryland game, this is an awful night for DC sports… A potentially great one for VA though, I guess. Ugh, this is so painful.
February 7th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
I fear the delay may be caused by Marion Barry getting into some dubage and Cropp can’t wake him up.
February 7th, 2006 at 8:08 pm
Cropzilla needs 9 votes for the emergency cost cap. The cost cap reported has stuff in that would potentially be unacceptable to MLB (like they have to pay for overuns). So, the mayor wants his pro-stadium buddies to vote against. She was going to use the cost cap to get the three swing voters over to the pro side. Does her no good if the cost cap puts anything on MLB. They reject it and go to arbitration.
The lease is separate and would presumably pass after the cost cap emergency thing does, giving the swing voters cover. She only needs on swinger, but she needs 9 to get there.
Buck up. She is determined to have an up or down tonight on the lease. And a down vote does not spell the end. There will be arbitration, and MLB gave her until June to get the current deal through.
February 7th, 2006 at 8:24 pm
Well, here we go! They’re back and arguing with a quorum.
February 7th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
Attempt at a cap fails, now the vote on the lease, which is doomed. It’s over.
February 7th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
Gray voted no after passing. Orange did not pass and he voted yes.
February 7th, 2006 at 8:47 pm
>>
No, the next step is binding arbitration, if MLB so desires. MLB may decide to take a hike instead. Miss Chatter, we need to move to Vegas.
February 7th, 2006 at 8:49 pm
Good ole DC Council….
February 7th, 2006 at 8:52 pm
If baseball was smart (unlike the 8 members of the DC City Council) they would listen to what Gov Kane of Va has to say… and shoot for a 2008/2009 new stadium and i hope it is not in loundon or western Fairfax County.
Bones
February 7th, 2006 at 8:52 pm
So, is anyone with me on this?
February 7th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
with what????
February 7th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
Virginia would have the same problem getting approvals from its politicians as DC had. Baseball is like a nuclear power plant, everybody wants a team, but nobody wants it in their back yard and nobody wants to pay for a stadium.
February 7th, 2006 at 9:07 pm
Sorry … there’s a link there. I didn’t feel like typing it twice.
February 7th, 2006 at 9:13 pm
Sorry Robbie… I can’t vote in DC not smart politician to chose from….
Phil I think it would be easier to place the team in VA mainly for the reasons above smarter politicans.
But location is key I don’t want to drive from Alexandria out past dulles for home games…
I wonder if Bush going to take back the 20m for navy yard metro upgrades.
Bones
February 7th, 2006 at 9:16 pm
Natzfan, Yes, I agree, except with the following statement—>> Very few baseball fans live in the District, they come from the suburbs. That is why those eight Council members were so brave. This thing is all about votes and their constituents don’t give a hoot about baseball.
February 7th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
You know, Natzfan, I hope Congress yanks that $20 million right out of the budget. There is no need to renovate the Navy Yard Metro station save for the baseball stadium. And since the possibility of no team is greater than the possibility of a team, there’s no need for renovation.
Besides, the District leadership would only waste the money … just like it wasted a golden opportunity tonight.
February 7th, 2006 at 9:37 pm
The $20 million will probably stay because of the new federal office complex down there. But it kinda takes the joy out of that accomplishment, since it was geared toward the stadium. It would be funny if the White House yanked it, but I doubt they will.
I’m still mulling over what went wrong today – why the emergency cap was shot down… it (and the new lease) was SO much better than where they were in December. I’m thinking there was just no pleasing those people no matter what. Sad, really. Most are looking to their next election.
February 7th, 2006 at 11:07 pm
Thanks For The Memories
Goodbye Nationals; We hardly knew ye.Let’s see: I absolutely refuse to move to Virginia, and I don’t quite see how to make Vegas work, so it’s unlikely I’ll be able to follow the team wherever they go. Do I want