It is amazing how tax laws can be changed by the state legistlature and willingly adopted by local entities, when the construction of a sports stadium and convention center is involved. While these edificies are important to the viability of other tax-payer supported downtown development - think mall and several hotels, they do not contribute much to the overall economy, except for the provision of a lot of low-wage jobs. Could not those low wage jobs be provided for more cheaply?
In creating these tax laws, the state limits their use, and does not allow them to be used for real issues, like combined sewer overflows, pension defecits, jail overcrowding, juvenile incarceration debt, public safety layoffs. Gee, how about using the proprosed 18 million to plug the gap in the city budget. Oh, but it can't be done, because it is a targeted tax. Anyway, what is the connection between restaurants, hotels and car rental agencies and the permitted taxes. The connection is they all depend on city services (some depend on city funding) to function.
When will government learn to set priorities and not continue to succumb to the promotion of the grand project. Economic growth really depends upon the government grinding it out and providing basic services. It is time that government realized that there are no short cuts to economic development. An economy and city grows and prospers one business and one dwelling at a time.
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