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Are DCs plans for funding their new staduim fair?

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BCP1
 
Reply Wed 29 Sep, 2004 07:36 am
In the Washington post, the story about the stadium being planned for DC (District of Columbia) has quotes from the Mayor reflecting his plans on the funding of the stadium.

It would seem that the owners of the Team in question would be exempt from any financial liability as far as the actual cost of construction goes.
The money to build, if plans go through will be collected from business in the district with a special tax. The business' that would be taxed would be any business that resides within the DC boundaries and has a yearly income of 3 million dollars or more.

Also in the plans are the considerations that the construction of the stadium and any job related to the stadium would be set aside for DC residents, and minority contractors. There are plans to allow the underprivileged (pronounced minority) people of the city free access to the games.

Since the majority of business in DC that would fall into the category of special taxation for funding are in fact non-minority owned, and the main benefactors of the stadium are to be minority, could this be considered yet another form of welfare? or wealth distribution?

In all fairness the paper does state that some of the companies that were questioned about this tax do not mind paying it, but it is not clear as to the function of those companies in the community.

Personally I think that sports teams should pay to build their own stadiums, they should be responsible for all funding, for all employment and in the end, they should take the responsibility for failure should that be the outcome.

I do not think that sports stadiums should be funded by taxpayer dollar, whether it is from special tax on business, or special tax on individuals.

comments?
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Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 668 • Replies: 11
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FreeDuck
 
  1  
Reply Wed 29 Sep, 2004 08:11 am
I think most sports stadiums are at least subsidized by governmentt -- local or state. DC has a whole host of problems regarding its tax base that are inherent to its unique status of not-a-state with most people who work in the district not residing in the district and not paying taxes in the district, yet using district services and district roads. This stadium program might be an effort to remedy that somewhat. I'll have to look into this more to say one way or the other.
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BCP1
 
  1  
Reply Thu 30 Sep, 2004 09:56 am
Looks like DC will get their stadium. only thing left is for the final vote from the owners associations.

I wonder, Lets say that the mayor had claimed that the majority of the work would go to White male owned companies,,, would this be a racist comment on his part?
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padmasambava
 
  1  
Reply Thu 30 Sep, 2004 10:47 am
It's the law of compensation. D.C. is lacking in many of the privileges that accompany statehood. But it is still one of America's great cities.

D.C. should have a full share of this particular form of Bread and Circus.
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FreeDuck
 
  1  
Reply Thu 30 Sep, 2004 10:58 am
BCP, maybe if you posted a link to the article we could have enough information to form an opinion. I don't feel I know enough about the topic to say.
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BCP1
 
  1  
Reply Thu 30 Sep, 2004 02:42 pm
link

Sorry, that is the link.
New at this game, still trying to work on my forum manners.
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panzade
 
  1  
Reply Thu 30 Sep, 2004 03:20 pm
NProb and welcome to A2K
0 Replies
 
fishin
 
  1  
Reply Thu 30 Sep, 2004 04:10 pm
Re: Are DCs plans for funding their new staduim fair?
BCP1 wrote:
Since the majority of business in DC that would fall into the category of special taxation for funding are in fact non-minority owned, and the main benefactors of the stadium are to be minority, could this be considered yet another form of welfare? or wealth distribution?


How did you determine that the main benefactors would be minorities? Because the stadium would hire locals? What about the benefit to thos ebusinesses from the stadium? You'd have to include the net effect on their business to determine how much they benefit. Bars, resturants, etc.. in the area around the stadium will benefit a lot. How much will local construction companies make by building teh stadium? There are a lot of factors there.


Quote:
I do not think that sports stadiums should be funded by taxpayer dollar, whether it is from special tax on business, or special tax on individuals.


It depends on who maintains ownership of the stadium. If it's owned by the city and leased to teams then why shouldn't the property owners (the City) foot the bill for building it?

If the stadium is being built and then handed over to a private concern then I'd agree with you.
0 Replies
 
BCP1
 
  1  
Reply Thu 30 Sep, 2004 04:37 pm
Re: Are DCs plans for funding their new staduim fair?
fishin' wrote:
How did you determine that the main benefactors would be minorities? Because the stadium would hire locals? What about the benefit to thos ebusinesses from the stadium? You'd have to include the net effect on their business to determine how much they benefit. Bars, resturants, etc.. in the area around the stadium will benefit a lot. How much will local construction companies make by building teh stadium? There are a lot of factors there.


I determined that it would go to minority companies because that is what the paper quoted the mayor as saying. It was in the paper the day before, the same day that I posted this original thread.
The article also stated that the business concerns that would be taxed would be those that were in the income bracket of 3 million and over.
I doubt that the local resturaunts will fall into this catagory. Those that will be taxed are the law firms and like firms that reside in Nortwest DC. These business will most likely not realize an increase in their net income due to the presence of the stadium.


Quote:
It depends on who maintains ownership of the stadium. If it's owned by the city and leased to teams then why shouldn't the property owners (the City) foot the bill for building it?

If the stadium is being built and then handed over to a private concern then I'd agree with you.

The city already has a stadium that could be used. RFK.
I fail to see why they would consider wasting 450+million on a new stadium at this time.
0 Replies
 
fishin
 
  1  
Reply Thu 30 Sep, 2004 04:52 pm
Re: Are DCs plans for funding their new staduim fair?
BCP1I wrote:
The article also stated that the business concerns that would be taxed would be those that were in the income bracket of 3 million and over. I doubt that the local resturaunts will fall into this catagory. Those that will be taxed are the law firms and like firms that reside in Nortwest DC. These business will most likely not realize an increase in their net income due to the presence of the stadium.


The proposed tax is on any business that has $3 million in gross receipts. That's total revenue - not net profits. I'd bet there are a lot of resturants and other smaller businesses in DC that have $3 million in gross revenue annually. I think you are also dimissing a whole host of other side costs of using the stadium that will effect local businesses.

Quote:
The city already has a stadium that could be used. RFK.
I fail to see why they would consider wasting 450+million on a new stadium at this time.


I see that as irrelevant. Apparently MLB teams don't think RFK is adequate. If the City can realize a net profit by building 45 stadiums why not do it? They have one and they are making money off of it. Now they want to build another and think they can make money on that one too. As long as the money made is going back to pay for city services why not go that route vs. taxing residents at a higher rate for those same services? 40% of the proposed site is sitting vacant right now so it's not doing anything for the city at all as it is.
0 Replies
 
FreeDuck
 
  1  
Reply Fri 1 Oct, 2004 08:24 am
RFK is currently a soccer stadium and DC has a league team (DC United), so I don't know if there would be conflicts or how easy it is to turn a soccer stadium into a baseball stadium.
0 Replies
 
panzade
 
  1  
Reply Fri 1 Oct, 2004 10:25 am
No major league team in their right mind would settle for RFK. The box seats and pavilions are what make the dough from corporate suits. I thought a stadium in Dulles airport vicinity would make sense because of the Orioles but it looks like DC is going to be the place. If they build something beautiful and stylish..."they will come"
0 Replies
 
 

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