I am deeply puzzled concerning two topics impacting our great state.
First, I fail to comprehend the proposal to tax Utahns $1 billion to partner with the billionaire owner of the Jazz and his newly acquired NHL team (formally from Phoenix) to turn portions of downtown into a modern day entertainment complex that we, as citizens, will look back fondly upon some thirty years from now.
Our current minor league hockey team that uses the Maverik Center is lucky to ever achieve an attendance level close to 40%. Doesn’t sound like Utahns are clamoring for another hockey team, especially at a cost to taxpayers of $1 billion (over $200 per household per year).
And the Millers (former owners of the Jazz and current owners of the Bees minor league baseball team), want to likewise bring in a Major League Baseball team, even though the Bees are lucky to achieve attendance levels of 40%, similar to our current minor league hockey team. And I have to wonder how much taxpayers will be asked to fork over for a new Major League Baseball team?
These proposals just don’t make much sense to me.
Secondly, how is it that a billionaire convicted felon and sex offender, and one who mocks the disabled, prisoners of war, immigrants, women, our justice system, and lies about anything and everything, polls slightly higher in vital swing states in the upcoming presidential election? And polls much higher in our great state!
What am I missing out on? Why don’t these things make sense to me?
Tom Day, Cottonwood Heights