Letters to the EditorPalm Beach Post
April 10, 2016
Braves baseball, sales tax are separate issues
I wanted to address some of what I believe are the misunderstandings in last Sunday’s editorial about the Atlanta Braves returning to West Palm Beach for spring training (“County leaders shouldn’t be so quick to play ball with Braves”).
As you mentioned, I and several of my colleagues are striving to find a creative financial solution for financing the Braves’ move here. If we find it, be assured that it would have nothing to do with the current discussion of the sales tax.
In discussing the sales tax, your editorial omitted that I have consistently opposed it — in favor of a bond issued solely by Palm Beach County for our own infrastructure needs, and without the inherent complications added by bringing in the School Board, Cultural Council, the municipalities and an unspecified economic development fund.
We are talking about two separate pots of money: the bed tax, which is paid exclusively by tourists and was a major component of our successful financing of the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros; and a sales tax, which, although paid partly by tourists, falls most heavily and regressively on county residents.
I fully agree with you that the sales tax proposal will be a hard sell, which is one of many reasons I oppose it. But looking at other, totally distinct sources of revenue — which are not paid by county taxpayers — in order to bring us the economic benefits of another major league team here each spring, should not have any effect on the ultimate disposition of the sales tax issue.
HAL VALECHE
WEST PALM BEACH
Editor’s note: Hal Valeche, the county commissioner representing District 1, also serves as vice mayor of Palm Beach County.
8 comments:
Hal, we trust you, Hal, just like we trust all commissioners. You are so full of it. Creative financing, my azz.
1st there is No Mayor or Vice Mayor
at the county level - it's MADE UP
BS! We only have commissioners and
one person is picked to CHAIR the
meetings - nothing special!
2nd - infrastructure is JOB ONE!
All this other BS is just that BS!
Try to pull a bond or "Creative Financing"
for your 'field of dreams' and let's
all watch that ship sink!
3rd Karma is a bitch - what goes around
comes around! If you ignore public use
of deeded public property I hope it's
instant Karma for you and your favorite
places to come under attack. Just remember
when it does - YOU STARTED IT!
Elected Reps (a lot of them today) think
they are all powerful like the wizard of oz.
Problem is we are pulling the curtain away
and can clearly see they are little ants
that need to be exterminated as nuisances!
We are the bosses and they are EMPLOYEES!
The last time I heard the word "creative" used by gov officials it was code for stealing our beach. I don't believe for one minute that anyone could be creative enough to manufacture enough $$ to magically pay for 2 new stadiums at well over $100 million each and not be billing the taxpayers up the wazoo. The numbers don't make sense, the Braves proposal doesn't make sense, doesn't even follow the law,and certain of the cultural interests seem to be certain commissioners taxing us for their own projects. I will not be voting for any of this and will be definitely voting for new representation. No one has yet to address crumbling infrastructure. Play ball on your own dime. I refuse to give corporate welfare to billionaires while both crime and potholes continue to escalate without any attention.
Commissioner Valeche, are you just crazy? No ,I guess you are just greedy. You have forgotten who you represent.Sadly you're a liar ,Hal. I was at the county Commission meeting. I saw all the wink,wink,nudge nudge friendly going on between you and Scott Maxwell. I actually was beginning to think that their would be some guy on guy action right there in the chamber.
Valeche,we know what you are up to behind closed doors. You want to give away and destroy John Prince Park for the corporate welfare of baseball billionaires. How much have you been promised under the table ,Hal? You will never get elected again. Like the comment above stated. Karma's a bitch. Just remember when you get kicked out of office by a landslide, the Braves will give you a job.
Definition of Creative financing: ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL = PUT THE SCREWS TO THE PEOPLE. We are tired of fixing your problems.
I'm interested in this claim, as there has been lots of debate over putting a chunk of this sales tax money into cultural entities, i.e. the Norton, the Zoo, the Cultural Council, etc. There was a long article about the issue and how all these various entities, and I patronize all of them, have a lot of overlap in boards and spouses of board members, etc.
So, seems like the issue of the Braves taking some of this sales tax money is a valid question. If the Norton is going to take some, why wouldn't the Braves. I'll be voting against the sales tax for other reasons, its a progressive tax on the poor, but I'd like further explanation from the County.
A vote for this sales tax is a vote to destroy John Prince Park. DON'T DO IT !!!!
Yea right on!!! If they destroy John Prince Park where will all the bums and sex offenders go? Murray Hills condos?
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