Bread and Circuses
Minnesota, like other states, has professional sports teams. Now, there's nothing wrong with millionaire players and multi-millionaire (or even billionaire) team owners. They're providing something the public wants. Given that the number of players able to compete at the highest level number in the low thousands, and that millions of fans attract dollars from free-spending advertisers, I don't begrudge their ability to profit from their skills.

Unfortunately, an appreciation for athletic skills sometimes translates into a desire to expend tax dollars on what are in reality small, privately-owned businesses. Of course I'm talking about stadiums here. (Stadiums, arenas, and so forth can also be used for schools, public events such as concerts and monster truck shows and what have you, but the big selling point is "Now we will be a major league city.")

Minnesota's going through the same debate as other states--will tax Wanda Waitress and Paul Pipefitter so that wealthy footballers such Randy Moss can play in a brand-new NFL-style stadium? (A similar debate is going on for baseball, but I am hard-pressed to name a single member of the Twins; baseball doesn't interest me that much.)

The St. Paul Pioneer Press runs a story this morning about revenue projections for state government. "Few know what the forecast will say when it is released Friday. But if it is shockingly bad ? on the order of a $500 million deficit ? Gov. Tim Pawlenty and lawmakers could be forced to cut education, health, transportation and other crucial programs.

That would make the chances of subsidizing half-billion-dollar homes for the Twins and Vikings very slim, because it plain won't look good to many voters around the state ? except to political opponents preparing election brochures."

Indeed, spending taxpayer money on the bread and circuses that is professional sports isn't a good idea when education, health, and other spending programs are cut. Actually, it's not a good idea, period. (permalink)