Forwarded on behalf of Gary Schiff. - David Brauer, list manager Gary Schiff writes:
Jordon Kushner says I am "selling out" on the stadium. As to which of my positions on sports financing that he is opposed to, I am not clear. I have always been and remain opposed to funding a stadium for professional sports teams out of general revenue funds. I told Progressive Minnesota clearly during my first screening that I supported "exporting a tax on tourists" for a stadium, as I believe pro-sports helps the tourism industry. I told Progressive Minnesota that I support a county-wide tax on rental cars and hotel rooms for a stadium. Jordan was there. Nobody blinked. After my second PM screening, I was endorsed. Today, I say the same thing, and PM is outraged? I don't get it. I support user fees such as ticket taxes, memorabilia taxes and grabbing the parking money that baseball fans generate when they don't take public transit to a game. My rationale? If the team leaves, the money won't be there, and Minneapolis will lose many hospitality related jobs as a result. There is a reason why the union with the highest immigrant base (Hotel and Restaurant Employees), wants the Twins to stay downtown. I supported a tax on rental cars and hotel rooms back in '97 when I was PM staff. PM shared its office with a man working on behalf of "FANS," a pro-baseball, anti-subsidies organization. The hotel and rental car tax was brought forward by Mr. Commers who started FANS, and was an idea borrowed from Detroit. This idea was accepted as common sense and a great alternative to the huge subsidies that were being proposed back then. That's why PM was happy to give office space to support FANS' efforts. I have opposed and will continue to opposed a tax on restaurants and bars in Minneapolis: most of my colleagues on the Minneapolis city council agree with me on this point. Rationale: an additional 3% sales tax on downtown restaurants will hurt business on the 284 days that the Twins don't play downtown and is unfair to our downtown residents who know downtown is a great neighborhood. The ball is clearly out of the city council's court on the stadium issue. It will be decided by the legislature, and Ventura's latest proposal seems to be gaining support. Gary Schiff City Council Ward 9 _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com _______________________________________ 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
