Home

About Tina

Positions on Issues

My Record

Endorsements

Calendar of Events

News

Gallery

Help Tina

Contact Us

Stadium Proposals

Public money should go to private enterprise only where the investment is truly for public, not private, benefit.

Although I understand the desire of many baseball fans to see a new stadium built in Minnesota, and I recognize the intangible and financial benefits to our state of having top notch venues to enjoy sports and other cultural amenities, I could not vote for the Twins Stadium proposal. In my view, the proposal is great for the team owners but unfair to the taxpayer.

Under Minnesota law, local sales taxes cannot be imposed unless a local referendum is held. Here in Rochester, a referendum was held last year on whether our local ½ percent sales tax could be extended to benefit certain public projects. But in the case of the Twins stadium, where most of the financial benefit would be to the team owner, the legislature authorized the tax to be imposed without input from voters in Hennepin County, where the tax will be imposed.

If voters feel that a project is so worthwhile that they don’t mind that a private party is getting a windfall, that’s okay with me. But the arguments for and against the deal should have been made in the public arena, with voters permitted to decide.

I expect to oppose the Vikings stadium proposal for many of the same reasons.

During the 2006 session, the legislature was also asked to fund a new stadium for the U of M football team, the Minnesota Gophers. This was in addition to the bonding request that the University makes every two years, in which it tells the legislature its priorities for funding.

As the session went along, the requested state contribution to the deal continued to grow. In the final bill, the state committed over $10 million out of the state’s general fund, every year for the next 25 years. Before the state spends money on education, or health care, or any of the many needs of our state, over $10 million will come off the top for the U of M stadium.

I support the University of Minnesota, and fully recognize its importance to the state. However, the U of M administration and trustees are in the best position to set their priorities and should do so through the procedure that has worked for many years. Because the way this stadium was funded did not meet my standard for fiscal responsibility, I voted against the bill.