The state senate committee on government operations quietly extended the controversial stadium tax until 2015 yesterday, queuing it up for a floor vote.

Committee chair Sen. Craig Pridemore (D-46, Vancouver) along with three other Democrats including staunch Seattle liberal Sen. Sharon Nelson (D-34, W. Seattle) signed off on the bill (the Republicans left before the vote).

Of course, Tim Eyman showed up to testify against the bill, telling the committee: "We heard promises that the stadium taxes were temporary, today proves that they weren't telling the truth." [pullquote]The two taxes, a .5 percent restaurant food tax and .2 percent car rental tax—originally intended to help pay for Safeco Field, but set to expire this year (the stadium is about to be paid off), will be earmarked until they sunset in 2015 for workforce housing, arts funding, Pioneer Square Preservation, and a Seattle Convention Center upgrade.[/pullquote]

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Scott White (D-46, N. Seattle), would extend the two stadium taxes, but it would also sunset them in 2015. The two taxes, a .5 percent restaurant food tax and .2 percent car rental tax—originally intended to help pay for Safeco Field, but set to expire this year  when the stadium is paid off, will be earmarked until they sunset in 2015 for workforce housing, arts funding, Pioneer Square preservation; and a Seattle Convention Center expansion.

King County Executive Dow Constantine lobbied hard for the convention center upgrade, citing 4,500 new construction jobs and the need to compete in the convention businesses. An expanded convention center, Constantine says, would draw more than 130,000 additional visitors each year, resulting in $250 million in direct spending to the economy once the expanded facility is ready to go.

A whole slew of other ongoing taxes, including a hotel/motel tax and a separate car rental tax, that have been earmarked for debt on the Kingdome and Qwest Field (which will be paid off by 2015 and 2020 respectively) are being reallocated to cover the new spends as well.

Here's the breakdown of the new spending:

•Art, cultural and heritage programs get $1 million in 2012; $2 million from 2013-2020; and 32.5 percent of the hotel-motel tax from 2021 and each year after.•Housing gets $1 million in 2012; $4 million from  2013-2020; and 25 percent of the hotel-motel tax from 2021 and after.

•At least 40 percent of the funds must be provided for affordable workplace housing in Seattle At least 5 percent of the funds must be dedicated to services for the homeless youth.

•Pioneer Square–International District Community Preservation and Development Authority and Seattle Southside Visitor Services gets $1 million divided equally from 2012-2015; and $500,000 divided equally from 2016-2020.

•The remainder— at least $140 million goes for construction, expansion, or repair of  the Washington State Convention Center.

A house version —that didn't, as White's version does, sunset the car rental tax in 2015—passed the house during the regular session. White's version has replaced it, and if it passes the senate, will move to the house.

Jason Mercier, a blogger for the conservative Washington Policy Center who's also been advocating for government accountability all session, was skeptical of yesterday's executive session vote, particularly given the absence of the Republican committee members.

Mercier says: "The agenda said just public hearing. When did it change to become exec session? Did the R’s know [the Democrats] were voting on it since original agenda didn’t reflect that?"

I have a call in to Sen. Pridemore.