ALTERATIONS IN SEAHAWKS PLAN INCLUDES LOWERING SPORTS TAX

          As part of an "altered" plan released Thursday, WA Gov.
     Gary Locke dropped his idea for using a portion of tax
     revenue from a new football stadium for technology grants to
     schools, according to David Postman of the SEATTLE TIMES. 
     The exclusion of such a plan would allow Locke to "reduce
     the amount of taxes voters would be asked to approve."  The
     new plan also includes a reduction in the wholesale sports
     related clothing tax from 10% to 5% and the exclusion of
     memorabilia as a taxable item.  Other amendments included a
     parking-and-admissions tax increase from 5% to 10% at the
     stadium, and the deletion of a proposed King County car-
     rental tax increase (SEATTLE TIMES, 3/21).  Under the
     heading, "Taxpayers Should Sacrifice Kingdome To Save
     Seahawks," the TIMES' Blaine Newnham wrote: "Finding an
     owner, a good owner, is more difficult than building a
     stadium. ... The fact [Paul] Allen will pay for [stadium]
     cost overruns ... is an enviable deal, better than we got
     with the Mariners" (SEATTLE TIMES, 3/23).