Tag: Downtown

Clearing the air

Just because it seems like a good time to do so, I wanted to take a second to state that while I do think increasing the sales tax to pay for the arena is the wrong thing to do, I believe that those who disagree with me do so because they are likewise trying to do the right thing. I do not, as it might be tempting to interpret, think that they are in favor of taxing the poor or kicking puppies to raise money.

However, I think it is worthwhile to try to convince everybody that two No votes in November are the only right thing to do. I’ll start by reminding everyone that this whole thing is premised on two notable lies by our local politicians.
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We’re twice as smart as Memphis!

Local right-wing morning talk show host Eric Hogue has come out in favor of the arena tax measures. Clearly, though, this is one homer who doesn’t watch his “Simpsons,” because Hogue is also further suggesting the construction of a monorail for downtown Sac. Even before I heard this actually suggested was hard not to think about the great “Marge vs. The Monorail” episode, written by Conan O’Brien.

Quimby: Now wait just a minute! We’re twice as smart as the people of Shelbyville! Just tell us your idea and we’ll vote for it!
Lyle Lanley: All right, I tell you what I’ll do. I’ll show you my idea! I give you the Springfield Monorail! [audience gasps] I’ve sold monorails to Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook, and by gum, it put them on the map! [cue Monorail Song]

But I kid. I think a monorail is a stupid suggestion, but I’m not trying to make a point here, just crackin wise.

Mrs. Williams Goes to Washington

The starring role at yesterday’s Board of Supervisors meeting was played by Margaret Williams of Tahoe Park (what up TP!!) who trotted her two young boys to the County building to ask her county supe, Roger Dickinson, if he could explain to her sons why “mommy should invest in an arena instead of their milk.”

Before you jump up and down at your keyboard because milk is a non-taxable grocery item, consider that when your budget is necessarily tight, the extra tax burden has to come out of somewhere. Consider the much-talked about impending $5 gallon of gas. They roll the sales tax into the pump price so you never really get to consider it, but that’s a major hit we’d take. (And not to spread the snark too thin, but I’d suggest that the kids milk should be very low on the list of things that get cut back.)
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Arena tax measures survive MacGlashan head-butt


Roberta MacGlashan,
District 4 Supervisor

The votes have been cast and as of this afternoon the arena tax ballot measures are going forward, the ordinance having passed 4-1 in the Board of Supervisors. The one nay vote came from District 4 supervisor Robert MacGlashan. (District 4 includes Antelope, Orangevale and Citrus Heights.)
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The Maloofs’ share of construction costs: Zero

As blogged by the irreplaceable Argus, an important detail as yet unspecified by the politicos has come out of the nuts and bolts of the arena deal: The “26-30%” figure cited as the Maloofs share of building the arena is actually the calculated cost of their rent payments over the 30 year loan (half of which would be paid after the tax is phased out) plus the other stuff they promised to pay, like the campaign fund, the capital costs and the loan they already have on the books with the city. You have to look closely to realize that they will not pay a cent for the concrete and steel to build the building. What they will pay is “a figure equalling 26-30% of the construction costs of the arena.” The JPA will be building the arena with tax money.

“Half* the money* goes to parks*”

*Results not typical.

Just two tidbits about the details of the arena deal reached yesterday:

  1. None of the promised “half” of the revenue from the sales tax hike will go to local governments for “about seven years.” Until then every red cent will go to the arena. I assume this means that after that, still only half of every dollar will go to local governments. The way the numbers line up, I assume they still intend for half of the overall take to go to non-arena spending. But clearly the door is open for that seven year … window to become 8 years, or 10. This is one more confusing point that will probably lead to a defeat for the tax increase in the fall.

    2. Continue reading ““Half* the money* goes to parks*””

Arena deal reached

The Bee is reporting that an arena deal was reached right about noon today. Apparently the Maloofs agreed to pay between 25-30% of the cost and the sales tax would bank about $1.2 million (does that mean it’s for 20 years?).

As previously assumed, the city and county would co-own the arena and Maloof S&E would sign a 30 year lease. It would presumably take a pretty massive batch of cookies to get out of a lease that size. Perhaps something on the order of a pair of Kings tickets? As John (Uneasy Rhetoric) points out, the fact that it will definitely be going down in the Railyard was stated only in accompanying photo caption.

For more info, read other websites for cryin eye. I’m sick of thinking about having to pay a few extra bucks a month for an arena I’ll see the inside of once every 4 years.

Today is the day

The draft language for the countywide ballot measure, which is still being worked on by county counsel Bob Ryan, is discussed in today’s Bee. Oh, did I say measure? Make that measures, because the county is planning to circumvent (cf. GOB Bluth) the, you know, law, by keeping the tax and the use of the tax money as separate ballot items. (If the tax being voted on is for a specific purpose it requires a two-thirds majority.) This is the stupidest thing since No I don’t want to recall Gray Davis and Yes I want to replace him with Gallagher. (Definitely not how I voted on that.)

I’m no legal expert, but I really don’t see how that doesn’t still add up to two ballot measures that require a supermajority. How is the 2nd proposition worded in such a way as to not reference the aforementioned tax measure? I smell a rat here. I suppose it’s just politics (baby) but that doesn’t mean we have to just play along, despite what Roger Dickinson thinks.
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Nanny Dickinson scolds the unscrubbed masses

Yesterday Roger Dickinson just seemed like a misguided local politician trying to justify being in bed with the NBA. But this morning I’m starting to feel like the pressure must be getting to him. From the Bee:

“I think people would be well advised to wait and see first of all if there is a deal, and then once there is, to examine the terms and the entirety of the proposal,” he said. “People simply ought not, and need not, rush to judgment.”

“Would be well advised”? Are we the British prime minister now?
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