Musical Chairs Budgeting Affects Disparate Groups of People

Photo: Flickr pool member nate.gowdy

From arts and advocacy groups, to homeless encampments, the pressure is on to find a secure niche in the new economy. Earlier this week, Mayor McGinn wrote on his blog that the fire department was putting new restrictions on the use of Building 30 at Magnuson Park, reducing the number of events that can be held there to four from over 30.

A wide range of groups rent the hangar for larger public events–Friends of the Library Book Sale, the Arboretum Foundation Plant Sale, Best of the Northwest Craft Show–so the Mayor is suggesting that the city use $8.5 million in “MOHAI money” for a renovation of the space:

Parks estimates that, for $8.5 million, they can renovate building 30 to keep the hangar open for community events and can renovate the west wing for artist work space. This will bring in almost half a million dollars in annual revenue to Parks that they would not otherwise have. It will protect the $121,000 in event space rentals and will generate an additional $350,000 from work space rentals in the west wing.

The groups in question certainly agree. The vast majority of the post’s 150 comments cheer the idea, which I think makes it the single most popular idea the Mayor has had since taking office. Now the public opinion screws will be turned on the City Council, who may find themselves forced to agree with the Mayor on something–or not.

The McGinn administration’s other big idea, to find a “permanent” place for the city’s roving homeless camps to stay, is not nearly as crowd-pleasing, but McGinn has at least left tonier Seattle neighborhoods relieved with his selection of SoDo’s former Sunny Jim factory as a possible camp site. (Ballard is having trouble getting its mind around a homeless hygiene station because it will attract homeless people.)

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Currently, the homeless of these tent cities face regular eviction, and it’s one of the great shames of Seattle that the situation has continued for so long–the moral poverty of those who despise the homeless on a variety of grounds, or simply refuse to spend the time considering hard realities, far outdoing the physical poverty of the homeless.

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For a compelling glimpse of moral poverty–I warn you that the filth and degradation of these poor souls may shock you–see the Seattle Times comment section on McGinn’s selection of SoDo, populated by people who seem to believe that the thrill of tent camping year-round in Seattle is the most salient driver of homelessness.

“Experience tells us getting someone housed is the fastest and most effective way for a person to become self-sufficient,” writes McGinn. “Unfortunately, we have not been able to keep up with the demand.” (Not in this economy, no.) “We would seek a nonprofit or other organization to manage the encampment, providing services to residents and data to the City.”

I think it’s safe to say the plan is spend something less than $8.5 million on “renovating” the camp site.