Showing posts with label Boycott Proponents of Taxpayer Subsidized Rays Stadium. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boycott Proponents of Taxpayer Subsidized Rays Stadium. Show all posts

Sunday, February 11, 2018

Boycott Proponents of Taxpayer Subsidized Rays Stadium

Remember this?
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George W. Bush and the Texas Rangers
When he bought the team, the Rangers were playing in an old minor-league stadium. It didn’t have the fancy sky boxes and other amenities that helped make other franchises much more profitable. As a result, the team couldn’t compete with other big-city teams for good players. But the new owners weren’t willing to finance the construction of a new ballpark. They decided to hit up taxpayers for the money.
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First, the new owners threatened to move the team out of Arlington, Texas, sending local officials scurrying to put together a deal they couldn’t refuse. Under the resulting agreement, the taxpayers of Arlington would raise $135 million, the bulk of the cost of construction, through a hike in sales taxes. During a campaign to sell the sales tax increase to Arlington voters, then-mayor Richard Greene said the team owners would put $50 million of their own money into the deal up front. It didn’t quite work out that way; the owners raised a hefty portion of their down payment from fans, through a one dollar surcharge on tickets. 

The city spent $150,000 on an advertising campaign to persuade voters. Opponents of the deal couldn’t compete with glossy brochures, telemarketing calls, and a “Hands Around Arlington Day.” On Jan. 19, 1991, citizens of Arlington voted two-to-one to approve a sales-tax increase dedicated to building the new park. here
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And this: Minnesota taxpayers, $348 million — or about $616 million, including interest over three decades.  here
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Las Vegas for the Raiders?  $750 million taxpayer subsidy. here
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It can be done. Check this out. Chargers love LA. here. Great job San Diego!
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Join the revolt here