April 28, 2004
Something smells in the state of Minnesota
In the second day of hearings by Minnesota's House Taxes Committee into the Twins and Vikings stadium bill, committee chair Ron Abrams announced he'll oppose the bill unless the sales-tax TIF that's supposed to pay the state's share is dropped. Abrams also wants the two teams to pay their share of stadium costs up front rather than in installments, so that it's "real and not a mirage."
The committee also heard from Federal Reserve economist (and corporate subsidy foe) Arthur Rolnick, who said that while "my kids and I are all the time talking sports," investing in, say, early childhood education is far more important, "hands down."
Finally, bill sponsor Rep. Doug Stang rose to defend his bill with an especially, ah, pungent metaphor. Sports teams don't provide an economic benefit, said Stang, but neither does buying diapers for his young child, yet that's "definitely a quality-of-life issue." Aw, c'mon, Doug: Brad Radke hasn't stunk up the joint that bad.
