The Minneapolis City Council passed a resolution that sent mixed signals
about the stadium. It would have been better if the resolution had
explicitly supported a referendum:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/509/5463210.html
On a 10-3 vote, the council said it opposes the Hennepin County-Twins plan
to build a park with a 0.15 percent addition to the sales tax in the county
unless legislation approving the deal honors 10 principles, mainly
protecting city taxpayers from additional costs.
Council park supporters celebrated the passage, considering it a statement
of conditional support, while others were left to wonder where the council
stood. Council supporters say the resolution protects taxpayers' interests.
Detractors, however, contend that the resolution failed to oppose use of
taxpayer money for a ballpark.
Rep. Brad Finstad, a ballpark bill sponsor, said legislators definitely
want the city's input.
"I respect what they're doing, and I want to reach out and make sure we
work with them," he said.
Ultimately, Finstad, R-New Ulm, thinks the council resolution could help
passage of a bill. "If anything, it will affect it in a positive way by
answering or addressing the concerns they have," he said.
Sen. Steve Kelley, DFL-Hopkins, and another sponsor, said he expects the
impact of the resolution to be "slightly positive. It could have been more
positive if it had not been framed in the negative."
City Hall isn't a player in the county proposal and the council's support
isn't needed for Hennepin County to raise taxes. But legislative approval
is required, and some Minneapolis leaders wanted the city to take a
position, and the middling approach was all that could win approval -- with
the possible exception of outright opposition.
Council President Paul Ostrow, a ballpark supporter, said before Friday's
vote: "I believe what we're doing today is what we get elected to do and
that is fight for our city."
In a confusing move, Council Member Dean Zimmermann, who has been an
opponent of the county-Twins plan, voted for the resolution. "This fulfills
all of our concerns and concerns of people who don't want to use public
funds for a private ballpark," he said.
Council Member Paul Zerby voted no, along with Council Members Gary Schiff
and Natalie Johnson Lee. "I don't think [the resolution] is consistent at
all with those opposed to spending city money on a private facility for the
owner" of the Twins, Zerby said.
Schiff said that, in his mind, the resolution is silent on the issue of a
sales tax for a stadium.
Zerby wanted to pass a separate resolution sponsored by Johnson Lee and
Zimmermann that clearly opposed the use of public money. The council
resoundingly voted down that proposal in favor of the conditional approach.
The resolution opposes the ballpark unless conditions are met, including:
? Preservation of the city's authority for local taxes, including
collection of the city's 3 percent entertainment tax at the ballpark.
? No negative effect on the city's general fund or the city's capacity to
deliver basic services.
? No imposition of infrastructure costs on the city.
? The funding of libraries and youth activities in the county as originally
proposed.
Kelley said there is "arguably some inconsistency between the city
continuing to collect the entertainment tax but then not having any
responsibility for the infrastructure near the ballpark."
"If they are going to collect an entertainment tax related to a facility,
you'd think they'd want to help spruce up the neighborhood," Kelley said.
During debate, Council Member Lisa Goodman said, "Most of us do not like
the idea of a publicly funded stadium," but she acknowledged the county had
worked out a deal and there was not much the city could do to stop it.
"What I am focused on now is what we have the ability to do," Goodman said.
Member Don Samuels said the council members "cannot fold our arms in sullen
disagreement when we are being pulled along."
EY: When I talked with Don Samuels about the Stadium at Juneteenth,
yesterday, he mentioned that the city was trying to get something for the
city rather than having the stadium boondoggle passed by the legislature
that ends up hurting the city. Samuels mentioned a concern for how the
stadium could negatively impact the area near the stadium. Certainly if
you look at the Dome, it's done nothing for the surrounding area.
Governor candidate Steve Kelley seems concerned about the issue of the city
continuing to collect the entertainment tax without making an investment in
the stadium. That's a bit rich - the State is going to be collecting the
sales tax on Twins Tickets - and the tickets will be exempt from the
countywide stadium tax, as well as benefiting from the income and corporate
taxes from the team - all while socking it to the Hennepin County taxpayers
to provide the funding.
Kelley will be at many Minneapolis large crowd events over the summer
trying to drum up support for his governor campaign. People should tell
him, they don't want Hennepin County taxes raised for this purpose -
especially without a referendum. The legislature would have to exempt the
stadium from current referendum requirements. So far the Stadium boosters
haven't made the case for that.
Eva Young
Near North
Minneapolis
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://lloydletta.blogspot.com
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