Who Should Pay For the Pergola Damage?

Comments

Great idea, thanks for the donation link to the Boys/Girls Clubs. Done.

Steven Bradford on February 4, 2014 at 3:46 PM

"But did we really need to pony up this time?"

I didn't need to, and I didn't. Just curious, how much did you pony, Danielle?

dnt trust me on February 4, 2014 at 3:48 PM

Shouldn't the police at least make an attempt to track down those who specifically committed the crime of property damage before ladling the cost on society?

Supreme Ruler Of The Universe on February 4, 2014 at 3:49 PM

@ 3 Good luck with that ton of people down there.

I don't see the problem with donating, people are free to give out their money as they please. I am glad my city stepped up this way.

dkjndmsahksdhksal on February 4, 2014 at 3:51 PM

Need to? No, but I was able to kick in a little, and it felt right. No expectations.

TomJohnsonJr on February 4, 2014 at 3:54 PM

I have now donated to the Boys and Girls Club, so there's that!

MLM on February 4, 2014 at 3:55 PM

It feels more fulfilling to donate to a highly resolvable problem, especially something you can actually point to and say "look at that thing we did!" Probably not the most efficient use of charity, but I think humans like to work on things with very definable parameters, and with an official post success "The End."

shotsix on February 4, 2014 at 4:00 PM

So if revelers damaged a public art piece in Malibu would you be asking Barbra Streisand to pay for it?

raindrop on February 4, 2014 at 4:01 PM

@8 - Barbra Streisand is not, to my knowledge, subsidized by the city of Malibu to the degree the Seahawks are here. But if she held a concert that went exceptionally well, like, maybe she completely trounced Beyonce... at singing for gays?... and the partying afterwards caused damage to historical structures in Malibu, it would be very classy of her to contribute money to the repairs.

MacCrocodile on February 4, 2014 at 4:11 PM

MacGuyver,

I'm digging your new sea hag avatar. Is that Barbra's better looking younger sister?

dnt trust me on February 4, 2014 at 4:18 PM

Maybe the people donating to her goal are revelers who had a good time, but realize stuff happens. Maybe the people who already donated directly are well off people associated with the Seahawks.

You don't know any of this. I could better see making the arguments you're making if it looked like the City was going to have to eat the bill, but that isn't the case.

Moralistic bs. And I support the Boys and Girls Clubs. But you are suggesting that people give their money to charity instead of going to movies, going to concerts, going to sports events, going camping and paying fees in order to park, etc. People shouldn't drink or go go restaurants either. All frivolous expenditures which would be better spent feeding the poor and giving them health care.

No one got shot. No buses got burned.

cracked on February 4, 2014 at 4:24 PM

"About a year and a half ago, a crowd of May Day protesters smashed some windows at a federal courthouse in downtown Seattle, along with windows of banks and large chain stores. Officials estimate they did around $100,000 of damage to the courthouse."

Who paid for that?

on February 4, 2014 at 4:26 PM

@12 FTW

cracked on February 4, 2014 at 4:28 PM

Did we really need to pony up for tickets to Hangover III? It was terrible. Why were people in Seattle asked to pay for tickets? Couldn't Mike Tyson have paid for it out of pocket?

also on February 4, 2014 at 4:34 PM

Sorry, Danielle, Allen and the Hawks have an airtight alibi for this particular crime.

J.R. on February 4, 2014 at 4:37 PM

We humans find it easier to feel empathy for cute or passive things, such as penguins and pergolas, than we do for other humans. Ask any fundraiser.

RebR on February 4, 2014 at 4:40 PM

We have video of the people who were standing all over the pergola. Make them pay for it. As it is, taxpayers are now paying TWICE for Sunday's shenanigans.

treehugger on February 4, 2014 at 4:53 PM

@8 If the revelers were out there specifically for Barbara Streisand, as these particular revelers were out here specifically for the Seahawks, then yes, it would make total sense to ask Ms. Streisand to help pay for the costs of her fans flipping their collective shit on an unwitting city.

treehugger on February 4, 2014 at 4:55 PM

Paul Allen has proven through the construction of Century Link Stadium that he's a rich asshole who is only interested in stealing public money, not contributing to it.

on February 4, 2014 at 4:57 PM

@17 I have a very hard time feeling empathy with people who express their happiness by destroying parts of their city. #hometownpride

treehugger on February 4, 2014 at 4:59 PM

Paul Allen? You realize he didn't even pay for the Seahawks' share of the stadium, right?
You don't stay rich by spending your own money.

Sir Vic on February 4, 2014 at 5:10 PM

@12 yes

espato on February 4, 2014 at 5:11 PM

181921,treehugger, i like your attitude and earnestness. however, we already have a winner. Loyal Slogger "cracked" @14 has named mr sausage the winner of this thread. and i cede the victory to him as well. Mr sausage wonderfully farted out some choice snark. The game is virtually over.

So can we all pony up and thank Danielle for instigating such a great fart?

dnt trust me on February 4, 2014 at 5:14 PM

It's all Mackelmore's fault. Make him pay.

Jeff on February 4, 2014 at 5:45 PM

Well, following this logic, shouldn't we give our money to starving Africans since they really are the ones in need?

on February 4, 2014 at 5:52 PM

@8

Barbara Streisand draws a lot of water in this town... you don't draw shit.

LEE. on February 4, 2014 at 5:55 PM

Instead of the stranger giving money to the "Genius" award winners, why not give it to the boys in girls club? I'm not questioning the stranger's generosity, just their values, as it's completely impossible to support two causes at once.

j2patter on February 4, 2014 at 5:56 PM

This is icky.

RocketZ on February 4, 2014 at 6:13 PM

Ignoring the fact that this is a bit mean-spirited, the logic is all wrong.

"This is a team of millionaires owned by a billionaire—wouldn't the ultimate gesture of good faith come from them? Particularly now that our city is in the national spotlight not only as Super Bowl winners, but for a pushing a debate about the raising minimum wage?"

The whole point about a minimum wage is that it increases levels of civic commitment. When you have ordinary people who are paid enough to live on without desperation, you don't have to turn to billionaires to fund your public spaces. They can be funded by the public (through whatever mechanism), and then used by the public with a rightful sense of ownership.

Phil H on February 4, 2014 at 7:11 PM

This has to be one of the concern-trolliest posts I have ever read anywhere. No wonder people vote Republican.

kk in seattle on February 4, 2014 at 7:24 PM

One of the problems with fundraisers like this is whether the money actually goes for the specified cause or not. People are sending money to an individual with the hopes it will end up in the right place. But, it could also be a simple scam.

fletc3her on February 4, 2014 at 7:26 PM

Agreed, #32. What she, the fundraiser did, was take the hype surrounding the win and use it to allow the partying fools who broke the Pergola to donate money to fix it without pointing fingers at anyone. I thought it was brilliant. This post was just lame.

on February 4, 2014 at 7:30 PM

And #33, this is no scam. This was three theatre women who pulled this off. They love the pergola and the city and wanted to help. Let's keep the simmering cynicism to a minimum, for at least an hour.

on February 4, 2014 at 7:33 PM

sweet jesus how much could the damage be? isn't there insurance for this sort of thing? do any of you really care? some idiot crashed a truck into and none of us paid for that.

Max Solomon on February 4, 2014 at 7:38 PM

You are comparing motivations, and being exceptionally self righteous, judgmental and absurd. Presumably every dime Parks doesn't have to spend on this they will be able to spend on something else, most likely something that will benefit kids and families. Going out to lunch or dinner rather than giving those same funds to charity must be a morally bankrupt act by your standards, yet do you cook at home every day? No, well why the fuck not? And do you ever spend a couple bucks on a cup of coffee, if so how can you even live with your moral failures? Do you buy the very cheapest clothes available at a thrift store so you can donate more to charity? If not, my you are a shallow one aren't you. People who question the charitable choices of others are being more than tacky, they are sad and pathetic.

Mike in Iowa on February 4, 2014 at 8:14 PM

@12 and @27 tied FTW

JonnoN on February 4, 2014 at 8:33 PM

@30: Jodie Foster movies have never instigated crowds of people to smash their city in the name of pride for said city.

treehugger on February 4, 2014 at 8:45 PM

This is why people hate the loony left and Obama tossed you morons overboard as soon as he got elected.

on February 4, 2014 at 8:49 PM

How about the people who vandalized them? Can't they pay for it? I noticed that you excluded them for some reason.

Joel_are on February 4, 2014 at 10:29 PM

This is the second SLOG article I've read this morning that refers to the Seahawks players as millionaires. Don't be obtuse. Many aren't millionaires. Their salaries are publicly available on about a thousand websites. The Seahawks and Seahawks players didn't cause cause damage to Seattle. The Seattle low lifes caused it. The Seahawks players gave average people something they can be proud of. Once again though, low lifes quickly responded with acts we can be ashamed of.

WillShatter on February 5, 2014 at 6:30 AM

"This fundraiser is generous, but not necessary." <-- ummm, duh. I don't think anyone thought that without this fundraiser the pergola would sit there broken until the end of time. The Paul Allen & Boys and Girls Club point are valid and constructive, but the rest of this post feels very patronizing towards people who are obviously well-meaning.

dalbright on February 5, 2014 at 6:59 AM

#12 I demand a grand jury convene to get to the bottom of this vandalism, I'm specifically concerned about out of town revelers who came to cause property destruction and social unrest, they prevented cars from driving around pioneer square!

pdonahue on February 5, 2014 at 8:00 AM

I'd be even more impressed if the City would build a public restroom, staffed and maintained. The pergola could again serve as the entry way to that public facility as it did in the past.

nwcitizen on February 5, 2014 at 9:03 AM

$48 donated to Boys and Girls club. :D

charity on February 5, 2014 at 12:03 PM

How did they come up with an overnight bid?

soul source on February 5, 2014 at 7:27 PM

"I'd be even more impressed if the City would build a public restroom"

We did. They were overrun ruined by bums. Even made the pages of The New York Times.

on February 6, 2014 at 7:57 AM

Let this be a cautionary tale...

Think before you post. Those who contributed VOLUNTEERED! We wanted to help.

The SLOG is a big platform, use it wisely. Spitting on someone's excellent crowdsourcing idea and those who wanted to contribute to it is immature and mean spirited.

marxiano on February 6, 2014 at 10:19 AM

The perpetrators need to be found and held accountable. How about hunting them down instead of folks going 5 over or jaywalking....... The perps need to not only pay up, but should also do jail time, and lots of it.

on February 6, 2014 at 5:13 PM

Just a heads up-- no scam. There is an agreement on how funds will be spent. And responsible people put this together. That said- do be careful with most crowd-funding. Do donate to the Boys and Girls Club. I am surprised no one has discussed that this money was raised on World Cancer Day. What an interesting discussion. I have to admit the penguins and pergola comment was my favorite. It's so so true.

Seattle Scuba Girl on February 6, 2014 at 9:37 PM

between the seahawks and woody allen this has been one of the most entertaining weeks of people going to great length to explain why THEIR hypocrisy is justified.

chinaski on February 7, 2014 at 8:06 AM

I need money too. If the city already has the money and you are a philanthropist looking to donate, please see my page You Caring page... "Help Cody Finish Studies and Get Him Home to Share!" http://youcaring.com/codyunitierra/

Cody Lestelle on March 2, 2014 at 6:31 PM

Who Should Pay For the Pergola Damage?

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