Calling All NASCAR Track Opponents: Bill to Finance the Track to Get Public Hearing on Tuesday, February 20

CHECK (Coalition for Healthy Economic Choices in Kitsap) is calling for opponents of the track to attend a public hearing to publicly show how many people on the Kitsap Peninsula are against this. Please tell your neighbors and friends, as CHECK will need as many people in Olympia as possible. The International Speedway Corporation is bringing several of their top drivers and, if folks against the track are not out in force, the media will surely focus on the race drivers.

The hearing is on the first of two bills introduced to create a public speedway authority in order to build a NASCAR track in Kitsap County. Brad Owen, the Lieutenant Governor, requested the bills and three senators responded with SB 6040. These are senators Brian Hatfield (D-19th LD), Joseph Zarelli (R-18th), Steve Hobbs (D-44th) and Jerome Delvin (R-8th). Why are they doing it? To spur economic development. I guess, in the minds of some legislators, it doesn’t take much to do that, these days.

A companion bill, in the House, was also introduced. It is HB 2062. The list of House members sponsoring that bill numbers 22.

Like it or not, some legislators think this project has legs.

HB 2062 has a public hearing scheduled for February 20 at 6PM, in front of the House Committee on Finance. This hearing will be in one of the hearing rooms on the first floor of the John L. O'Brian building.

If you cannot attend, CHECK is asking opponents of the track to send e-mails to the legislators, even if you have sent them before. The House Finance Committee members are:
Chair - Ross Hunter (D - 48) hunter.ross@leg.wa.gov
Vice Chair - Bob Hasegawa (R - 8) hasegawa.bob@leg.wa.gov
Ed Orcutt (R - 18) orcutt.ed@leg.wa.gov
Cary Condotta (R - 12) condotta.cary@leg.wa.gov
Steve Conway (D - 29) conway.steve@leg.wa.gov
Mark Ericks (D - 1) ericks.mark@leg.wa.gov
Jim McIntire (D - 46) mcintire.jim@leg.wa.gov
Dan Roach (R - 31) roach.dan@leg.wa.gov
Sharon Tomiko Santos (D - 37) santos.sharon@leg.wa.gov

Carl Olson, the Chair of Kitsap County Democrats, is coordinating transportation to Olympic for the hearing on Tuesday 20 February. Those wishing to go should email Carl at kitsapdemocrat@yahoo.com.

The Kitsap Sun has a blog, called “Tracking the Speedway,” that is good reading, for those of you interested in catching up on this issue.

Read the International Speedway Corporation web site, race2wa.com, for their plan to convince the legislature a racetrack in Kitsap County is a great idea.