The tax, which was passed in 2015, and went into effect in 2016, was designed to provide funds to 'combat' (maybe the wrong word!) violence in the city. It was met with legal challenges, but now the State Supreme Court says it's legal.
Litigation, court battles, angry words, and $300 million in wasted taxpayer dollars. It's another legacy of the largely failed Obamacare program. Besides proving the premise that you could keep your own doctor to be false, Oregon became the stepchild for the biggest meltdown and failure of a healthcare exchange in the nation.
Apparently losing their memory over how the team was not very well supported the last few years they were in the Emerald City, several fan groups have again started drives to try to bring the Sonics back to Seattle. They've been without a team for nearly 8 years now, since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City, where they've been selling out games for years now.