Sports Stadiums and Public Funding
I enjoy sports on occasion. I do not agree with the exorbitant salaries that some of these athletes are being paid and I think that is a major reason as to why there are so many problems in sports, but that is an issue for another day and time.
Here in Minnesota, the Legislature has been consumed with possible bills regarding funding for three stadiums for the Twins, Vikings, and the U of M Gophers. I have no problem with public funding for the Gophers stadium because the University is a public institution. However, my disappointment is with regard to the Twins and Vikings which are two privately owned teams.
Here is the letter to the editor that I sent regarding the recent activity regarding the potential sales tax increase to fund these stadiums:
I am very disappointed in how the stadium situation is being handled. First of all, if any privately owned sports teams want a stadium, let the owners build it. Having the owners beg for money when they have millions of dollars is unbelievable, its like corporate welfare for the rich! Secondly, I am disappointed with the lawmakers who have no regard for the citizens of this state by bypassing them (illegally?) to force a tax increase to fund these stadiums. It is my understanding that ANY tax increase was to be presented to the voters as a referendum for the voters to decide. If this tax increase goes through, then we as citizens of this state should show our appreciation for those elected officials by voting them out of office for betraying the public trust by failing to represent their constituents. Remember the cry from the Revolutionary War, "Taxation without representation"
Looks like history is repeating itself in an ugly fashion.
Here in Minnesota, the Legislature has been consumed with possible bills regarding funding for three stadiums for the Twins, Vikings, and the U of M Gophers. I have no problem with public funding for the Gophers stadium because the University is a public institution. However, my disappointment is with regard to the Twins and Vikings which are two privately owned teams.
Here is the letter to the editor that I sent regarding the recent activity regarding the potential sales tax increase to fund these stadiums:
I am very disappointed in how the stadium situation is being handled. First of all, if any privately owned sports teams want a stadium, let the owners build it. Having the owners beg for money when they have millions of dollars is unbelievable, its like corporate welfare for the rich! Secondly, I am disappointed with the lawmakers who have no regard for the citizens of this state by bypassing them (illegally?) to force a tax increase to fund these stadiums. It is my understanding that ANY tax increase was to be presented to the voters as a referendum for the voters to decide. If this tax increase goes through, then we as citizens of this state should show our appreciation for those elected officials by voting them out of office for betraying the public trust by failing to represent their constituents. Remember the cry from the Revolutionary War, "Taxation without representation"
Looks like history is repeating itself in an ugly fashion.
posted by Terry Lange at 12:11 PM
2 Comments:
Terry,
Like the stadium deals or not, it really is not "Taxation without representation" as our representatives voted for it!
You are right, but I think that they ignored what their constituents had to say about it and just did the politically expedient thing and voted for the stadium. What is more disturbing is that they side-stepped the law regarding a tax increase which is supposed to be brought to the voters for approval and they managed to get around that. I hope someone files a lawsuit on that issue...
Thanks for your comments and keep reading!
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