Sweet words fill a headline in today’s Star-Tribune : “Rep. Peppin: No Vikings stadium hearing in House this week.” Strib writer Mike Kaszuba points out there are only 28 days left before the Legislature is scheduled to adjourn. Any tax-funding scheme needs to go through the House Government Operations and Elections Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Joyce Peppin (R-Rogers).
Peppin pleads a packaged agenda of other items as the reason. It could be that she doesn’t want to come as an outright opponent (the Strib does point out she opposed letting Hennepin County impose a Twins tax without voter approval), since it’s arguable that doing so is politically risky.
Whatever reason for the delay, it’s a good move for taxpayers and the idea of constitutional, limited government. Whether you consider economics, the purpose of government, or heck, even the on-field performance of the team, there’s no reason for welfare-for-professional sports. As one recent article on the NFL noted, “In the United States, we socialize the debt of sports and privatize the profits.” That’s a pretty fair description of “crony capitalism,” not good government.
Advocates of a taxpayer subsidy for professional sports cite, among other things, its economic impact. For a skeptical view of that impact, see this commentary I wrote for Dolan Media a while ago, in which I review an academic report on the (negligible) effects.
Earlier this month, Dave Orrick of the Pioneer Press observed, “both Republicans and Democrats have plenty of reasons to oppose a pro sports facility with major taxpayer subsidies.” Indeed.
Tags: sports welfare, stadiums
