City of Glendale is broke but they approve tax money to keep NHL Coyotes. (Phoenix: tenants, taxes)

[jdahunt]

Did that say city owned TV station....really.....really...a TV station....what in the world is that for?

Once a city or state starts the need to raise taxes it never ends well.

[Potential_Landlord]

Why not take a city income tax for >200k or so incomes to pay for the NHL team. At least that way the rich would be paying for the rich. Average Joe's income increases have been falling behind the rich for 30 something years. At least give him a break and not make him subsidize owners and players on top.

[Bondurant]

Originally Posted by Potential_Landlord

Why not take a city income tax for >200k or so incomes to pay for the NHL team. At least that way the rich would be paying for the rich. Average Joe's income increases have been falling behind the rich for 30 something years. At least give him a break and not make him subsidize owners and players on top.

You want to force wealthy Glendale residents to pay for the team regardless if they want the team in Glendale or not?

Here's a novel idea. Make the wealthy ownership group and the wealthy politicians that made this deal happen pay for the team.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Bondurant

You want to force wealthy Glendale residents to pay for the team regardless if they want the team in Glendale or not?

I can't think of a better way to drive the rich folks out of Glendale. I sure would move if I were targeted for such selective taxation.

[Ponderosa]

It'll be interesting to see if Glendale thinks they have money to waste on further appeals against the Casino. If I were a Glendale voter, I would vote against the tax unless the city leaders woke up to the reality that a first class casino as planned adjacent to Westgate would be a boon to the area, would stimulate more growth, and ultimately help replenish the city coffers. It's time to drop the morality nonsense and get pragmatic.

[Java Jolt]

I can't think of a better way to drive anyone out of Glendale if the city is that unorganized and incompetent.

Threatening to lay off workers and slash basic services while keeping their hockey team with a limited fanbase, makes a lot of sense.

With such brilliant minds in charge, I'm surprised Glendale hasn't been awarded the best-run city in America.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

I can't think of a better way to drive anyone out of Glendale if the city is that unorganized and incompetent.

Threatening to lay off workers and slash basic services while keeping their hockey team with a limited fanbase, makes a lot of sense.

With such brilliant minds in charge, I'm surprised Glendale hasn't been awarded the best-run city in America.

You make it sound like it is a question of either/or. I readily admit that I am no expert on what is going on there, but from what I have seen and heard, getting rid of the team would not get rid of the financial problems. The city is still stuck with the tab for the arena and it would not bring in enough revenue to cover its costs. The bad decisions were made, the recession happended. So I think the question does get down to whether residents want to increase sales taxes or do without critical and valued services or not.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

I readily admit that I am no expert on what is going on there, but from what I have seen and heard, getting rid of the team would not get rid of the financial problems. The city is still stuck with the tab for the arena and it would not bring in enough revenue to cover its costs. The bad decisions were made, the recession happended. So I think the question does get down to whether residents want to increase sales taxes or do without critical and valued services or not.

It was a huge blunder to put Westgate there in the first place. Major sports teams and entertainment districts belong in more centralized/established areas (downtown Phoenix, Scottsdale, or Tempe) ... not in the surroundings of vacant land or cotton fields. You need infrastructure first and foremost, which was part of the reason why this whole deal became a boondoggle. You don't build a major sports/entertainment complex and then HOPE that high end development will follow. Westgate is still too far away for most people, and there is still mostly vacant land surrounding the place.

So what happens now? Glendale residents will be taxed out the ying yang to pay for this mess, as well as just barely being able to keep their basic city services. As far as I'm concerned, the higher ups in the NHL could be helping out with a good share of the costs if they really want the Coyotes to remain in Glendale. That apparently is not going to happen ... so unless there can be some kind of a deal to develop the area around Westgate into something worthwhile to generate revenue (besides hit & miss strip malls), the whole complex should be allowed to shut down. Move the Coyotes back to downtown Phoenix near the other sports venues where they were doing just fine before this nonsense started!

[Trance750]

There's no welfare like Corporate Welfare

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

It'll be interesting to see if Glendale thinks they have money to waste on further appeals against the Casino. If I were a Glendale voter, I would vote against the tax unless the city leaders woke up to the reality that a first class casino as planned adjacent to Westgate would be a boon to the area, would stimulate more growth, and ultimately help replenish the city coffers. It's time to drop the morality nonsense and get pragmatic.

Not to mention the fact that the tribe is interested in becoming part owners of the team which would help keep the team in Glendale and help offset the costs. But there is reason they refer to Glendale as "Glentucky" Glendale continues to embarrass itself with how they have handled all of these issues. With the casino and tribe, they have a solution to many of their ills and instead they are fighting that and costing tax payers in the process. It's just pure idiocy on Glendale's part. How many more failed legal appeals and millions of dollars wasted will it take before they realize the casino is there to stay?

People talk about creating jobs and reducing big government like Texas but I can assure if this was Texas, that casino would already be up and running and the tribe would be co-owners of the Coyotes. This morality nonsense has to cease.