June 03, 2009

Blue Jackets ditch sin-tax bailout plan

The Columbus Blue Jackets have thrown in the towel on their previously reported plan for a county bailout of their losses by buying their privately owned arena and cutting their rent. The reason, according to Business First of Columbus: Everybody thought it was a terrible idea:

Lobbyists for the beer and tobacco industries had feared the excise tax authorization would be slipped into the budget bill with no public discussion. But the issue became public May 28 when media outlets, including Business First, began reporting on the Blue Jackets' proposal.

Many of the stories have included citizen comments against a county buyout of a privately owned arena during a recession and raising alcohol and tobacco taxes to pay for it.

The team will now go back to the drawing board seeking other ways of stemming their losses, presumably through a bailout that looks less like, you know, a bailout. Business First further adds that Blue Jackets officials "have said the team wants to avoid talking about what will happen if the Blue Jackets can't get a more favorable arena deal, including the threat of the team being sold or moved." Paraleipsis is an owner's best friend...