Chapter 3 case
Rallyless in Seattle? (from Pember) |
Each year the city of Seattle erects a performance venue
on a city-owned pier along the waterfront for a concert series entitled
Music Under the Stars. The venue includes a small stage, several
rows of folding chairs, and bleachers. On weekend evenings during the
summer popular music groups appear at this venue before large crowds.
But the venue is unused during the day and on other evenings. A group
of supporters of the nearby Public Farmers Market ask the city for permission
to use the venue for a rally. The group is opposed to recently proposed
changes at the market that will reduce the number of craft vendors and
add more farmers tables and other food vendors. The city agrees
to permit the rally, but only if the organizers are willing to pay the
city $8,000, the amount it charges concert promoters for use of the facility.
Group organizers say they cannot afford to pay this amount and claim the
$8,000 fee is not fair. Concert promoters, they say, earn substantial
revenues from ticket sales for the concerts held on the pier and can afford
to pay a large fee. But group organizers argue they are holding a rally,
will charge no admission, and will earn no revenue. The city refuses to
grant permission for the rally. They justify their refusal on these three
grounds:
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