Sponsors have started collecting signatures for Initiative 921, which would mandate life sentences for convicted sex offenders.

The measure is attractive. Sex offenders are among the most likely criminals to re-offend. Sending them to prison for life is a way to protect children and other vulnerable people. But, we’d better be prepared to pay for keeping them in prison for life and caring for an aging prison population. A state prison system full of senior citizens will be expensive.

Could we save money by releasing these offenders at an age when they can no longer assault people? If we did that, we’d be releasing people into society without the skills and connections needed for survival.

Sonics demands unrealistic

Imagine that my business leases office space. We ask the owner to remodel the building to our specifications for the second time in a dozen years. We agree to pay 8 percent of the cost. We want all the revenue from our business and a cut of income from other tenants.

That’s the kind of deal the Sonics want from the city of Seattle. The team wants a $220 million remodel of Key Arena and is willing to pay $18 million.

For its $202 million, the city would be on the hook for maintaining the building.

For the Sonics’ $18 million, they’d get a building designed to their specifications and income from people who sit in luxury boxes whether it’s for basketball or other events. They’d also get a share of concessions for all events, and they’d get money for naming rights.

I like having the Sonics at Seattle Center, but if they stick to their demands, I’m willing to let them go to Bellevue or even Kansas City.

A worthwhile tax

The bus stop three blocks from my house is inconvenient because the bus comes only every half hour.

A proposal by King County Executive Ron Sims would bring buses often enough for riders to catch them at any time without worrying about the schedule.

Where mass transit works, it works because a train or bus comes by frequently enough that riders can count on it at any time.

Sims has proposed a small increase in the sales tax to give King County residents more frequent service.

This would be different from other transportation taxes. The money we passed for roads last year will improve those roads in a year or two. Money for Sound Transit may give us something of use in a few years. This, however, will give King County more bus service in a few months.

I wish it didn’t add to the sales tax. It’s only an additional tenth of a cent on a dollar, but we can’t keep adding to this regressive tax.

Evan Smith is the Enterprise Forum editor. Send comments to entopinion@heraldnet.com.