Richland County is considering building a baseball stadium for minor league baseball. As a libertarian, I automatically oppose such horseshit. Here's the letter I sent to The State:
I applaud the State's editorial on Jan. 22 opposing
plans to use public dollars to finance a private
venture--a baseball stadium. I only wish the editors
had gone even further in opposing what amounts to a
subsidy for entertainment.
It is not the proper role of government to be a
builder of stadiums. Essentially, such projects amount
to robbing from Peter to pay for Paul to have a good
time and to enrich the owners of these teams at public
expense. Meanwhile, do Richland County citizens
receive a rebate or free tickets to attend these
sporting events? No, yet they have already footed a
large part of the bill.
I'm not against sports. I love baseball, football, and
hockey. But it would be unjust for me to expect others
to pay for my entertainment. This is why I oppose
these things on principle.
Finally, some will make the argument that such
arrangements benefit the community in increased
revenues from property and sales taxes. Yet, no
evidence exists to show that this is the case. It is a
well known fact among politicians and think tankers
that the public expenditures upon sports are never
ever repaid through these ephemeral enhanced revenues.
As it stands, virtually every publicly financed
stadium has resulted in a net loss for the communities
that funded them.
The Richland County Council must wise up and nix this
project both as a matter of principle and pragmatism.
plans to use public dollars to finance a private
venture--a baseball stadium. I only wish the editors
had gone even further in opposing what amounts to a
subsidy for entertainment.
It is not the proper role of government to be a
builder of stadiums. Essentially, such projects amount
to robbing from Peter to pay for Paul to have a good
time and to enrich the owners of these teams at public
expense. Meanwhile, do Richland County citizens
receive a rebate or free tickets to attend these
sporting events? No, yet they have already footed a
large part of the bill.
I'm not against sports. I love baseball, football, and
hockey. But it would be unjust for me to expect others
to pay for my entertainment. This is why I oppose
these things on principle.
Finally, some will make the argument that such
arrangements benefit the community in increased
revenues from property and sales taxes. Yet, no
evidence exists to show that this is the case. It is a
well known fact among politicians and think tankers
that the public expenditures upon sports are never
ever repaid through these ephemeral enhanced revenues.
As it stands, virtually every publicly financed
stadium has resulted in a net loss for the communities
that funded them.
The Richland County Council must wise up and nix this
project both as a matter of principle and pragmatism.
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