Back in the late 90s, the Pirates and Steelers decided they needed new stadiums. Elected officials decided that they needed to a 1% increase in the sales tax. Next came a huge marketing campaign to tell us there was no ‘Plan B’ and that if we did not raise taxes, both teams would leave. Well the tax increase failed by a 2-1 margin and amazingly the next day the mayor announced a new plan… Plan B.

We have 2 new stadiums. (Great places BTW and a nice place to store our 5th Lombardi trophy.. ) but there is great consternation still about how it was done and there is no way any politician can propose building the new arena that the Penguins are demanding.

The truly fascinating thing about that June 2001 vote is that the cultural component in that proposal has been re-born as the $140 million Wachovia Office Tower/Arts complex. This project, as you know, will be paid for, in part, with property tax revenue that would’ve otherwise flowed into the city’s General Fund, the very fund that is so hurting for cash the city manager has a property tax hike on the table.

So even though voters slapped down with a 57 percent NO vote the $342 million bond package — in the face of a huge YES propaganda effort, I might add — by mid-2006 taxpayers will be on the hook for a $265m. arena, a $150m. million convention center expansion/NASCAR Hall of Fame, and a $140m. arts/cultural complex — over $550 MILLION in “destination location” spending, all paid for with tax hikes — hotel/motel, car rental, and property.

That’s not blue — that’s ultraviolet.

JAT
John Locke Foundation