David Lillehaug asks, regarding Hennepin County providing funds for a Twins stadium: >Is it really fair to focus a stadium tax on the people who dine in their own >neighborhood and on the workers who buy lunch in the skyways?
While details remain fuzzy, wouldn't this be a county-wide tax, rather than just a city tax. Perhaps a county-wide referendum is in order, since County officials evidently haven't heard the resounding messages delivered in local referenda that confirm voter opposition to public funding of private sports facilities. Let the users pay, not the general public! Users/customers should pay via the cost of their tickets, concessions and parking. If the general public is to pay they should at least have a direct voice/vote in the decision. Michael Hohmann 13th > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2002 12:59 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Mpls] Stadium Financing > > > Without rehashing the merits of public financing for a Twins > stadium, I have a couple of questions about the plan being > unveiled today and apparently supported by a majority of the > Hennepin County Commission. The plan envisions a $370 million > stadium in downtown Minneapolis, funded $125 million by the Twins > and $50 million by the private sector, leaving $195 million for > government. snip >...one Commissioner said on the radio this morning that the theory of > the County financing is that the people who benefit from a > stadium should pay for it. This includes an increase in the > downtown food and beverage sales tax based on the premise that > baseball fans who eat and drink before and after games should pay. > > According to a Steve Brandt article, more than 19,000 people live > in downtown and 163,000 work downtown, according to figures from > the Downtown Council. Does anyone have any figures on what > downtown residents and workers spend on food unrelated to > attending Twins games? Is it really fair to focus a stadium tax > on the people who dine in their own neighborhood and on the > workers who buy lunch in the skyways? > > David Lillehaug > Downtown Worker >snip _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
