Jack Rains on with Edd Hendee
Edd Hendee (KSEV-700) is interviewing Jack Rains right now about the Sport Authority. Rains is really a fountain of good information about that governmental entity.
UPDATE: Something interesting Rains mentioned is how he has learned, through his years of public service, that there is a large subset of people and companies from the private sector that subsist on taxpayer dollars and therefore have a huge interest in keep governmental entities in business, with tax dollars flowing.
Tom Kirkendall has highlighted this point before in relation to Metro:
[...] why do voters continue to approve new taxes for the construction and expansion of light-rail systems?
One economic reason is that the benefits of light rail are highly concentrated, while the costs are widely dispersed. The direct benefits of a light-rail project can be quite large for a relatively small group of people, such as elected officials, environmental groups, labor organizations, engineering and architectural firms, developers and regional businesses, which often campaign vigorously for the passage of light-rail funding.
[snip]
Proponents of light rail argue that it will create jobs, foster economic development and boost property values. While there is some academic evidence of these benefits, it is important to realize that they are not free to society—light rail is kept afloat by taxpayer-funded subsidies that amount to hundreds of millions of dollars each year.
Billy Burge gave us this argument last Friday -- that Houston sees a benefit by having the Sports Authority subsidize a parking garage and the ice the Aeros skate on.
It's maddening, especially when homeowners in Texas are getting cremated by property tax increases.
MORE: And, as Edd Hendee just pointed out, Houston has the nation's highest rental car tax disparity as we pointed out recently, and has very high hotel taxes, which probably doesn't help Jordy Tollett as he tries to get conventions booked for Houston.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 04/11/05 08:15 AM | Houston Media | Technorati | Sphere | Comments (0)
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