To: Golden State Warriors and Golden State Warriors President
WE ASK THE WARRIORS -- DON’T steal $40 million from local tax-payers!
It is vital to protect our public, from being forced to cover $40 million in debt that the Warriors are threatening not to pay! We write to ask the Warriors to honor their commitments, to refrain from hurting the people of Oakland and Alameda County, and to immediately drop their efforts to refuse to pay the millions of dollars they owe, that were spent to upgrade the Arena for them, at their urging.
Why is this important?
The Warriors have already announced that they are leaving Oakland, to move to an over $1 billion new facility they are building in San Francisco. While the move on its own will cause economic harm and job loss to Oakland and Alameda County, and traffic congestion and disruption to vital medical facilities in San Francisco, the Warriors are threatening much greater harm, in seeking to avoid paying the debt they owe, as they leave. This could potentially cause harmful cuts in vital public services for the people of Oakland. See:
https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/09/21/golden-state-warriors-arena-authority-at-odds-over-oracle-debt/
The Warriors brought a case to arbitration to try to get out of paying the remaining bond debt that covers the Arena upgrades that they had requested, and had agreed to pay for. https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/02/16/who-will-pay-golden-state-warriors-oracle-debt-dispute-headed-to-arbitration/
If the public loses, the city of Oakland and County of Alameda will likely have to cut public services in order to pay the $40 million debt. The owners are threatening to damage a community that gave so much to the Warriors, including putting the money up front for the Arena. Robert Gammon in The East Bay Express critiques the empty gesture of the Warriors here. https://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/the-warriors-empty-gesture/Content?oid=13456895
Gammon quotes, “In other words, Lacob and Guber, we appreciate those new Town jerseys and logos. But they're a hollow gesture if you stiff taxpayers out of the $40 million that you clearly owe — and can afford.”
Sign this petition and share it with your friends to tell the Warriors pay their bills. Our community is working on housing its homeless and increasing services to its residents, and should not have to pay the bills for a wealthy corporation.
Our people deserve better.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Kaplan
Oakland City Councilmember At-Large