KSL.com Comment Board

[Aerick]

Originally Posted by the Bardguy

Aerick's right. It sounds like the tax break that LHM gets is on property taxes. He stil must collect and pass on to the state taxes on purchases made at his establishments.

Yea!!! I got one!! It's about time!

[Old Ska]

Originally Posted by RSLfrontrowfan

Jon S. is a complete moron!




Unless you're staying in SL county hotels or motels, you're not paying this tax! Why is this so hard for some people to grasp?!

Okay, let me give you the far right wing republican answer to this. First all taxes are bad as a matter of principle. Second, even if it is the hotel tax that goes to pay for this, that is still money that could go to something that is directly funded by local taxpayers, so in a round-about way it is still SLC tax money.

I'm not saying I agree with this, just that this is the answer you will hear.

Here is my solution...most good estimates I have seen say that 2% of Utah families live in a polygamous family. That means around 45,000 people. How about a one-time tax on polygamists of $1,000? Presto! $45 million.

[Aerick]

Originally Posted by Old Ska

Okay, let me give you the far right wing republican answer to this. First all taxes are bad as a matter of principle. Second, even if it is the hotel tax that goes to pay for this, that is still money that could go to something that is directly funded by local taxpayers, so in a round-about way it is still SLC tax money.

I'm not saying I agree with this, just that this is the answer you will hear.

Here is my solution...most good estimates I have seen say that 2% of Utah families live in a polygamous family. That means around 45,000 people. How about a one-time tax on polygamists of $1,000? Presto! $45 million.

YES! A polygamist tax!! Polygamist tithing AND an extra tax! SWEET! 😁

[Aerick]

It would appear that the "Aye's" have it.

Seriously, that board has become overrun with stadium proponents. I almost feel bad for Jon S. now.... almost.

[bordelais7]

Originally Posted by Aerick

It would appear that the "Aye's" have it.

Seriously, that board has become overrun with stadium proponents. I almost feel bad for Jon S. now.... almost.

Nicely done. Kudos to everyone who is getting out and voicing a pro-RSL position on these types of things. This is the type of effort that may begin to turn the tide...

[the Bardguy]

I have done my duty.

[Burninator]

How does it work? I tried to post this, but I don't know if it went through...

"In Argentina, if a neighborhood wants to have its streets paved, the members of that neighborhood have to pay for it. I'm thankful that I live in the USA where those sort of things can generally be managed and paid for by the government using our tax dollars.

Real Salt Lake already has money ($90-$100 million) to build all the different parts of the stadium complex, including public-use elements (youth soccer fields in particular). Apparently, Real Salt Lake also wants to share the stadium field with local high schools in order to host soccer and lacrosse games.

Why should Real Salt Lake have to pay for land and infrastructure improvements (TRAX, parking, road improvements) that will directly benefit the public? How many people travel in and around the 9400 South/State Street area? All of those that do, and yet do not attend soccer games, will directly benefit from the construction of the stadium. We don't live in Argentina. We live in the good ol' USA where some of our tax dollars support public infrastructure instead of other, less-worthy ends. If we can build Franklin Covey field and the E-Center entirely with public money, I think we can help Real Salt Lake with public infrastructure and land costs.

This is the private-public partnership that Real Salt Lake desires. They want to share the stadium, they want to involve the community, and they want to have a wonderful relationship with Salt Lake County and its residents, whether they attend Real Salt Lake games or not. They do not want to charge Salt Lake County for these improvements, either. They want to charge transients in SLCo through a hotel tax that will primarily tax visitors to our state, and at a very acceptable rate(1.25%).

Mayor Corroon was probably correct in not wanting to pay $87 million after interest, so a new funding model needs to be found. The visceral reaction to much of the half- and misinformation regarding the stadium is what many of us feel: if a private business can't stand on its own, does it deserve to exist, period? If a business offers significant value to the public through its existence, however, that business definitely can ask for limited public financial support to reach its goals.

Real Salt Lake is good for Sandy, good for Salt Lake County, and good for Utah. Let's find an acceptable way to make this public-private partnership work and help Salt Lake County residents to understand the benefits they will reap from Real Salt Lake's continued presence in Salt Lake County."

Good arguments? Someone needs to post Dean Howes' statement on the leak...

⚽ Geoff
-----------------------
REGULATORS! Mount up!
Stick it to the Man! The Man hates soccer!

[Deuce]

my reply... to Jon S.

You are right it is totally different! Building all of those permanent buildings for a one-off event like the Olympics was a much more sensible use of public funding than building a stadium for a local soccer team.
The only bonus is that we have all of those empty Olympic buildings with that awesome Olympics logo on them. But apart from that, what are they being used for?
A soccer stadium is beneficial even if, on the off chance, the team folds or moves.

Unlike the empty Olympic venues, a soccer stadium can host concerts, high school and college graduations, high school football, soccer, rugby, and lacrosse. State championship matches for scholastic and league sports of all the sports mentioned above.

All that in a much more reasonably sized and affordable stadium. The cost of those events in Rice Eccles or LaVell Edwards are ridiculously high. The crowd sizes for those type of events would not be as supportive in those large stadiums. Yet would be nearly a perfect fit for the Real Stadium.

I won't go into the winning aspect because I believe Robb E. has covered that below and quite well I might add.

Another point, unlike the Olympic Venues, E-Center and Franklin Covey, the money that is being asked for by RSL is not going to build the stadium. It is going to upgrade the infrastructure that will support the stadium. With a Trax stop, upgraded roads, I believe a freeway exit as well as upgraded and expanded roads surrounding the stadium that if you have ever gone to LaVell Edwards in Provo, you will appreciate more than anything else. Electric, Sewer and water support. everything that the City and County will have to upgrade anyway. All RSL is doing is asking that those upgrades happen sooner rather than later.

[rabble-rabble]

As noted above, one major fault or omission in many of the arguments against the stadium is the fact that the bulk of the funding is for the infrastructure. Right now the stadium site is a field. Anyone who has seen the surrounding area will likely have noticed rapid growth and over the last decade. Having lived in this area until a few years ago, I have seen many fields and farms become retail establishments, apartments, car lots, etc. The fields and pastures filled with grazing livestock I used to enjoy walking past 10 years ago now are gone and now are places like Wal-Mart, Car-Max, Home Depot, Albertson's, Best Buy.

Whether a stadium get built on the site or not, there is simply no way it will remain a field much longer. The land WILL be developed sooner or later and at that time, the new development will require roads, traffic control, utility upgrades, sidewalks, etc. RSL isn't adding anything to the costs incurred by the residents that won't be required anyway.

[RSLfrontrowfan]

Good work on these message boards. Let's keep being vocal on these topics.