Tuesday, May 03, 2005

So, Where's The Surprise?

I was chuckling in amusement when I saw this morning's Indy Star's headline for the Colts stadium deal:

Surprise! Check the bill
Stadium deal lets cities raise dining tax but doesn't guarantee low-priced Colts tickets.

Surprise? Where?! This is precisely what I expected and predicted. This is exactly what has happened in virtually every other city that has provided subsidized sports. All taxpayers end up paying a portion of the bill, but the tickets in the new luxury palace are placed out of reach for the average or poorer taxpayer.

Why would you expect any different? The crux of team owner Jim Irsay's "problem" was that the team only made middling profits when compared to the rest of the NFL. He felt he needed to be up higher.

Well, if you do nothing to improve the product- which is very good, by the way- or fail to offer more of it, all you can do to rake in more profit is charge higher prices.

In the vernacular of the average 12-year-old: DUH.

Do read the entire article in order to find out how you will be further screwed. Several cities and counties were given the ability to raise taxes in their locales, with little direction on how to spend the money. You can bet that these locales will impose these taxes.

In Hamilton County, the next County Council meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, May 4, at 7pm in the Commissioners Chambers, in the newer Judicial Center. I will be there along with other Libertarians in order to speak out against the raising of any new taxes, on behalf of the citizens of the county and the businesses that would be affected by them. Be there to speak out, no matter where you live!

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