February 26, 2004
No Cana-dough for Canadiens
In the latest news from the strange land north of the border, Montreal Mayor GÈrald Tremblay has rejected any property tax breaks for the Bell Centre, home of the Montreal Canadiens. "I think that the money we're getting, which is a little less than $7.5 million dollars, is for services that we provide for the fans and for the team when they attend the Bell Centre," said Tremblay. Canadiens president Pierre Boivin had asked for a cut in rates, claiming that Bell Centre's property taxes are equal to taxes on all U.S. hockey arenas combined.
In a completely unrelated story, the Tampa Bay Lightning are asking for a property tax break from the city of St. Petersburg, saying the $1 million a year the team currently pays is unacceptable. Where's a NAFTA lawyer when you need one?
