This week, the Legislature unveiled two new bills that will pave the way for taxpayer money to be spent on sports stadiums. Here's what the bills say and why data columnist Andy Larsen believes they aren't a smart investment.
The Utah Legislature is considering two bills that could potentially give tax dollars to two stadium projects.
The baseball bill creates a new Utah Fairpark Area Investment and Restoration District, akin to the Point of The Mountain State Land Authority. The Fairpark district is a “political subdivision of the state,” but also an “independent, nonprofit, separate ... public corporation” that essentially controls the land within the Fairpark district’s complicated boundaries.
Then, the bill allows the city’s government to raise sales taxes by up to .5% within the city to pay for construction of a stadium and other stuff in the project area. That’s it.In supporting the idea of using hotel taxes for the baseball stadium, Gov. Spencer Cox said, “We have some of the lowest taxes in the United States on hotels … so the argument is there’s a little bit of room.” This is a little bit of a fudging of the data: 25 states.
• When sports franchises arrive or leave, it appears to have zero measurable impact on an overall area’s local income or wages. Here’s the thing: Raising hotel taxes is not neutral to Utah residents. Many northern Utahns choose to stay at hotels when visiting the southern part of the state, and vice versa. Hotel taxes also could result in decreased hotel revenue, which might mean impacts on hotel employees.
For example: If raising the hotel or rental car tax is a good idea, then do that! That way, you can reduce the General Fund taxes for Utahns. If you believe that you can wring more money out of telecommunications or energy companies, great! Then let’s charge less for sales tax on food.
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