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of course, I am certain that my electric company won't pass on the GRT as part of a rate increase, they'll just pay it. And my landlord? they'll just pay it, no problem. I'm sure the cablesystems won't charge anything else for Peter Angelos' regional sports network (which will hav eexclusive broadcast rights to the Nats' games, estimated cost $3/month/television, with $2 going to Angelos) Right there you just implemented a $36 a year tax on anyone who wants to have cable, whether or not they want baseball. It's not the top 11% of businesses, by the way, it's any business that grosses more than $2,000,000/year. You can barely run a restaurant in DC if you groos less that $2,000,000/year. but I'm sure they won't pass on the tax.
Look, under this plan, the city has to levy a GRT that brings in $11m/year. That is $11m taken out of the city's economy. And for what?
arguement 1: the stadium will create jobs. The mayor's proposal claims that the stadium will create 360 jobs worth $94m a year. First off, you have to assume that every single one of these workers lives in DC propoer (there is no commuter tax, so if you live in Virginia or Maryland, you pay taxes to that entity, not DC) That is an average of $290,000 per job! those are some mightly well paid peanut vendors, huh?
Arguement two: the stadium will spur development along the Anacostia Waterfront, thereby increaing the city's tax base. Ok, this I might buy, after all, FedEx field has created tons of development out in Landover, why just last week, I could barely find a parking spot at the Mall there (of course, the mall was there before hand and all the spots were full of people going to FedEx for a game, but let's not count that) I mean look at the great development around SafeCo field in Seattle! I've never seen so many empty warehouses so close to a city. The Anacostia Waterfront is the leading edge of development in DC. It has a metro stop and is close to downtown. Within ten years, it will be undergoing redevelopment. it's the only place left. People point to Camden Yards as an example. It took 10 years for the Yards to show a development affect around Baltimore. And then the stadiums were paid for by a dedicated revenue source (lotto)
Arguement Three: the revenue generated by taxes on tickets will pay for the stadium. Sure thing, in 30 years, if the Nats get 90% attendance, the ticket tax (see? tax money) will generate enough money to pay the stadium's share of the $350m tab. Of course, no one actually thinks the stadium will cost $350million, more like 550-600, so that means we need 60 years of 90% attendance.
Arguement four: the extra dollars spent by suburbanites in DC will add to the bottom line of the city. This is the only arguement that makes much sense, actually. However, will the additional tax revenue pay for the additional costs (police, security, roads) needed for such an event? dunno, no one who has actually looked at the effect of baseball stadiums on cities thinks so.
This is an incredibly risky investment. DC would be taking on a tax burden of $534/taxpayer to build the stadium. People like to think that the money is coming from 'large corporations' but then seem to forget where these corporations get the money to pay their taxes. DC already has he higest tax burden in the United States, why is adding to that burden going to attract anyone or any company to move here, when it's just as easy (easier given the fact that only one metro line runs near the stadium site) to drive in from the burbs to watch baseball? What advantage from this stadium do I get, as a DC resident and taxpayer, that a resident of Virginia or Maryland does not get? I assume the burden of the stadium and we pay the same rates to use the facility. I guess I could go get one of the bartending gigs from the new sports bars?
Don't tell me this is a communter tax, the taxes on tickets can only be used to pay for the stadium, who's owners, players and employees will also be at leat 75% suburbians. A commuter tax comes into play if you waive the per ticket tax to residents of the District. I walk up and show my DC license and my ticket is tax free. That'sa commuter tax, the way it is now it's just a tax.
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