During the Senate Appropriations Committee meeting today, the Statehouse fourth floor hallways were filled with hospitality workers from the various Capital Improvement Board facilities. They all came dressed wearing their work uniforms, obviously a ploy to try to make it look like not passing the CIB bailout could cost them their jobs. As a side note, I wonder how they got tipped off on a deal that was kept from the public until the last minute.
These CIB employees are essentially public employees paid with public money. So CIB Chairman Bob Grand had public employees, paid for with our tax dollars, attend a committee meeting at the Statehouse in order to lobby for yet more tax dollars for the CIB.
What do you want to bet that all those workers that showed up today were getting paid by us to be there?
2 comments:
I heard multiple times today from several spokespersons (including Mayor Bob Grand's assistant, Greg Ballard), repeat the 'Oh without the teams, we'd have an empty stadium' scare tactic.
When the teams utilize their facility 10% of the year, that's clearly nonsense fed to the media for emotional effect alone.
If we book one concert into either venue, we make more than either team pays in rent from the promoter.
Since all the associated revenues would come to the city instead of to the team owners, we'd certainly make out better.
There is another State Contract that has been out there for a few years now that allows the operator to own the facility, the furnishings, the land and keep the revenue except for the taxes. It was all done by the legislature as well and it is in worse shape then the CIB!
Now that the CIB is bailed out look for other public attended locations and groups to want their fannies covered too!
The gaming boys and girls have asked once. There is still time for them to get a little help- in tax breaks!
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