When last we checked in on the Minnesota Vikings stadium funding mess back in the spring, state legislators were wondering whether the state’s stadium bond sale could go through in August, what with no one knowing exactly how the state would repay the bonds after revenues from e-pulltab gambling fell woefully short. Well, here it is August, so do we have a bond sale?
Plans to put state bonds on sale this month to finance the state’s portion of the Vikings stadium have been put on hold. The sale will now likely take place in September.
We do not have a bond sale.
Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority chair Michele Kelm-Helgen swears this isn’t a problem, since the first $50 million in stadium expenses will be shelled out by the Vikings. Still, Kelm-Helgen says that no stadium groundbreaking will take place until the bonds are “out there and moving.” How’s that campaign to get Minnesotans to gamble more going, anyway?
Does this mean I can dust of my Los Angeles Vikings photoshop?
Slave for me, Minnesota taxpaying serfs!! Hahahahahahahaha.
Funny, this hasn’t made into the local news here in Minneapolis. It’s almost as if they don’t want us to know about it.
Maybe it is just a coincidence, but on July 16, 2013 I filed a petition for a writ of mandamus with the District Court (Hennepin County), asking a judge to command the Minneapolis City Council to put a referendum on Viking Stadium taxes on the ballot this fall. The same day, Judge Phillip D. Bush scheduled a hearing on the matter for August 20, 2013. If my request is granted, we the people of Minneapolis get to vote to approve or not the use of local option sales tax revenues and other “City resources” per the Minneapolis City Charter. I allege that the legislature overstepped its authority by directing the City Council to not refer the matter to the voters in a referendum, and that the argument that the charter doesn’t apply because local option sales tax revenues are not City resources makes no sense. You can find a link to the text of the petition and memorandum I submitted to the court at my Facebook community page, “Mann for Minneapolis Mayor” http://facebook.com/mann4mayor
-Doug Mann, candidate for Minneapolis mayor
To the person who keeps trying to post to this thread: Your posts were removed because they contain personal attacks on other commenters, which is the only thing off-limits here. You’re welcome to re-post them without the name-calling.
I tried to tell you this via email, but you apparently used a fake email address…
Speaking of removed posts, I’ve noticed that not one of my last 4 posts on different subjects has been posted. What gives? I am polite, I don’t link to objectionable content, and I even donated to the cause the last time you asked. So, why am I being censored?
That’s weird – let me investigate.
They’re not in moderation, and I never saw them. Email me with the details of where you posted, from what OS, etc., and I’ll try to figure this out.
I still have that issue with Android devices (firefox on andriod) saying “comment submitted” and they never appear. FWIW.
Good luck, Mr. Mann. Would that more citizens (even non-mayoral candidates) took direct action. I suspect the state will win, but it’s nice to see people using the court system for what it is intended rather than just complaining about “what the man” did.
I have been outspoken about this fiasco for two years. Every politician involved has either withdrawn from the upcoming election or wasn’t endorsed. All because of the ridiculous rip off.
This gives me a great sense of hope.
Signed, a guy in Sacramento.
I thought the smokers were paying for it, as they should! It’s a sin tax, if they Don’t like it they should quit. This should NOT be an issue, only concern should be where the first shovel hits the ground at the groundbreaking. Nothing to see here, move along people.
The cigarette tax is only going to raise a one-time fee of $24.5 million (which was going to go into the general fund before it got redirected to the Vikings). Long way to go from there.
Politicians saying “My work is done” and not running for re-election after a fiasco like this is standard fare, I’m afraid (and not just in the US).
Time and time again, the alleged representatives of the people refuse to hold plebescites on massive financial commitments like this (often, they even petition courts to strike down or suspend private efforts to put such questions to the public – is this a democracy?) and then, after voting to approve highly secretive funding deals (often not even fleshed out when they are approved, often not put on the agenda for discussion in the meetings in which they are approved…), they quietly sign off from their alleged public service. No doubt, they skulk back down the same sewer hole they crawled out of and wait quietly for an opportunity to have the great favour they did the owners and leagues returned to them.
I would love for the Vikings’ crappy legislation to never become reality!!!! Either this team’s owners can pay the ballpark’s costs themselves, or they can leave Minnesota!!!! Society needs “free market capitalism”….not so-called “crony-capitalism”!!!! Stop stealing money from taxpayers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe they’ll try again for the special Sports Memorabilia tax that ended up getting sidelined (like it was for the Seahawks stadium). I know, I know, easier to put a tax on addictive things with harmful side effects… not that anybody has ever said that about sports (or the Vikings).
http://www.itworld.com/software/350203/your-sad-sports-addiction-explained
Jeez fellas, where’s the love?!?! I’m just a poor businessman trying to make a buck. That’s the American way. And so is dipping my hand into your pocket and calling it something you owe me or else. I guess you all must think you still live in a democracy or something, sheesh. Newsflash: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutocracy
I wouldn’t have it any other way.