Anti-Arena Group Obtains 18,000 Signatures, Hansen Issues Letter

Jan 10, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings fans hold signs against the Maloof

As reported today by Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee, the anti-arena group looking to force a ballot initiative to force a public vote on Sacramento’s arena subsidy, says it has obtained the 18,000 signatures for their petition, originally paid for by Chris Hansen.

Hansen, the once prospective Seattle buyer of the Kings franchise to move them to his city, had said he would do all that he can to prevent his funded signatures from going on the petition drive, campaigned by Sacramento Taxpayers Opposed to Pork (STOP).

Despite Hansen’s claim, STOP announced today that with the $100,000 from Hansen, they have received the 18,000 signatures that his money paid for, to go towards submitting to the city of Sacramento for the signatures to be counted in their effort to force an arena subsidy vote on the June ballot.

Per a quote from STOP’s president Julian Camacho from the Sacramento Bee:

"“These petitions represent the will of 18,000 people who took the time to provide their signatures and express their desire to put this tax subsidy to a vote,” Julian Camacho, president of STOP, said in a statement. “We believe it would be wrong – ethically and legally – to deny them that right.”"

STOP would need 22,000 valid signatures by mid December to force a public vote, and are currently in the process of verifying the 18,000 obtained signatures.  To reach their 22,000 mark, STOP would also need to account for the thousands of petition withdrawals that have been collected by pro-arena group, Crown Downtown. STOP would still be well short of their goal unless they make up the ground with newly obtained signatures.

With each new progression in the vision for a new downtown Sacramento arena, there are speed bumps along the way. It could prove to be a significant blow to the arena efforts if the public vote on arena subsidy comes to fruition through STOP’s campaign. In an editorial note, and as a devout Kings fan, I hope STOP’s initiative fails, as they are trying to prevent the growth and progress of our city and region with no detailed plan of how they intend to create jobs and economic vitality.

Per a tweet from Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee:

STOP spokesperson says this in response: