Readers respond to last week’s Feedback Friday topic, which was:
Maryland House Approves $400M Bid to Keep Commanders in Landover
Last week, the Maryland House of the General Assembly voted 121-10 for a bill that includes $400M to develop the area around FedEx Field, the current stadium of the Washington Commanders football franchise, in a pitch to keep the team in Landover, Maryland after the 2027 season (when the team’s stadium lease expires). The bill now goes to the Senate with less than a week to go in the state’s legislative session.
The bid for the Commanders franchise has been big news lately as the team is seeking a new, long term, state-of-the-art stadium complex. Both Virginia and Washington, D.C., have been pitching the team to relocate from Maryland.
The bill, which also includes a provision with $200 million to renovate minor league baseball stadiums around the state, would authorize the Maryland Stadium Authority to use money from the state lottery to build infrastructure in Prince George’s County.
What do you think? Should state taxes help fund private sports franchises and the stadiums in which they play? Do you think the long-term economic benefit will be greater than the short-term expenditure?
Here’s what you said:
I DO NOT support taxes being used to fund private sports franchises and the facilities they use.
Jim Eddowes, Arnold
NO!
Steve Renz, Annapolis
For Prince George's county, we need this stream of revenue to control coming in. While it may cause inconvenient back ups on the beltway and in the area, the amount of revenue received is so much more positive. One could always look at making an exit directly to the stadium, but in all honesty, Prince George's county Government officials need to take the steps to keep the Commanders and their revenue streaming in. The Good outweighs the Bad!
Lisa Linthicum, Brandywine
This is not a government for the people. It' only catering to a fraction of the Maryland population. This is infuriating. They won't give retired Marylanders a tax break, however they will rub it in our face by spending 400 Mil to keep a fraction of the population happy. Vote them out ASAP.
Michael Davis, Severna Park
I do not consider private sports a candidate for state taxpayer funding. Rather, I believe that the sports companies and venues will receive ample funds from the many attendees that they can easily attract.
Regarding taxpayer funding, it should be designated for necessary infrastructure projects and helping the poor and homeless and law enforcement in its various forms.
Carol Moyer, Riva
I don’t have a problem with state assistance of professional sports organizations – as long as that support is provided equally to sports organizations in all locations and within the state. I do have a problem with teams in one area given preferential treatment over teams outside of Maryland, or in less preferred areas.It seems as if sports teams identified with the largest city in Maryland and its suburbs are often overlooked in regard to receiving needed assistance. Whereas, sports organizations that identify with a city physically outside of the boundaries of Maryland along with the Maryland suburbs of that city often are first preference, and in many instances, they are wooed by Maryland politicians.In my opinion, the highest priority regarding assistance of sports organizations should be given to those that identify with Maryland, cities within Maryland, and associated regions of those cities.
Rick Schimpf, Pasadena
Personally, I think it outrageous that sports franchises worth hundreds of millions of dollars get outrageously large tax benefits to either stay put or relocate, as the case may be. It'd be one thing if the tax benefits bought a piece of the teams' ownership for the state. But, no, they all flow one way into the pockets of the outrageously wealthy people who own these teams without any return to the state and its taxpayers. Do the incremental tax revenues the owners claim accrue to the localities where teams are located ever grow large enough to offset the subsidies to the teams? No, they never do. Don' believe me? Check out the state's revenues from Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium. I get it. It's an ego thing to have a hometown pro sports team to root for. But let those who feel that way pay directly for their endorphin rush via higher ticket prices or cable TV fees. Stop forcing the rest of the taxpaying public to subsidize the feelings of a minority. When it comes to wealth transfers from the uber-rich to the middle class on down, we quake at the thoughts of "socialism" if not "communism". But when it comes to wealth transfers that flow upwards, we seem to have no such qualms. It's time this stopped.
Marc Knapp, Annapolis
Not one penny should go to professional sports team. They are billion dollar businesses and private clubs. The owners like Dan Snyder take out 100's of millions dollars a year from the club. They only play 8 regular seasons games a year and most all the employees on game day are working a part time job. The ticket sales for this team are way down and will remain that way for many years.
Ed Peffly, Stevensville
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