Appropriate terminology?

Since a basketball team is involved, we guess it would be correct to say "the full court press is on."  But some of the goings-on seem more fitted to gymnastic descriptions - say, "a double back flip with a reverse triple twist."  We refer to the editorial in today's local daily, plus a column written by an alleged sports economist named Rosentraub.

Last April 17 the paper editorialized with the headline, "City shouldn't forfeit to Pacers."  It seemed apparent, surprisingly, that the last thing the editor wanted to see was the CIB increasing the annual subsidy to the Pacers by another $15 million.

The next day the paper ran a column under the heading, "Pacers put city in no-win spot."  That same day the editorial cartoon had the mayor handing a man a fistful of currency while saying, "Don't worry Mr. Simon, we have enough." 

We have to admit to having been delighted in the apparent reversal of the long-standing policy of the paper backing every giveaway to professional sports.  Today, we came crashing back to reality. 

Now that the price tag has gone up to $18 million, the editor is saying the deal will be a "win-win" situation for the city.  (Don't want to be a piker only offering $15 mil.)  So the "full court press" is on, and the paper is back in form, supporting the raid on the taxpayer for the benefit of men who say they're losing money with their basketball team.

But the "triple twisting, double back flip," comes from Mr. Rosentraub.  This is the author of a book - Major League Losers - in which he details how professional sports franchises are always losers for taxpayers.  (The book will now be found in the "fiction" section of your local bookstore??)

At least this time he skips the direct hype of alleged dollar value of the teams to downtown, inferring that thousands of people live downtown because of the teams.  He also tells us about businesses standing in line to move into cities which throw public funds into sports subsidies.

We're reminded of a recent comment on one of our posts by a former local businessman who, we understand, received a refund from the IRS because of damage to his business by the presence of the Pacers.  We also recollect a letter to the editor some time ago by one claiming to have moved his business to Indianapolis on the basis of what he heard John Madden say on a Monday Night Football telecast.  (We can't imagine investing in a business where decisions are made on that kind of basis!)

This is not Rosentraub's first effort at speculative gymnastics.  Some time ago he did a "survey" from which he was astoundingly able to determine that even taxpayers who would never go to a Colts game were willing to shell out money to keep them in town.  Our memory puts the figure at about $75 per person annually.

Yes, Mr. Rosentraub, it is "nice" that the teams are here.  It would also be "nice" if all those who suffer with the alleged transportation system called IndyGo had their own Cadillac.  But they can't afford that.  Neither can Indianapolis afford to keep pouring tax dollars into the coffers of private, for-profit businesses claiming they aren't making enough money.

But, no doubt, as in the past, the giveaway will take place and the taxpayers will wait.  The last paragraph of today's editorial starts, "Once a deal is reached, however, the city's work really will just begin."  We hand out the money.  Then we start trying to figure out how we'll break even.

Any odds on a time frame?   Any odds on infinity???

Comments

[Leslie Baker]

I guess I missed that last part, the increase of 20% in "necessary" funding. And now the local daily is back in their court (so to speak)? At a time when they have spent months trumpeting the desperate need of our public schools for more help? I'm sure that $3 million - much less six times that amount - would be a great boon to the library system, too, that will be shutting down six branches once the public outcry has lessened a bit. I am not disappointed with the Star and their sports cronies in this case - I am totally disgusted.

[Vox Populi]

As many others have pointed out the deal the Simons received is so egregious it is obscene and yet the Star continues to paint this latest extortion attempt as necessary for Indianapolis. One wonders how a billionaire would allow any entity to be a loss for 20-30 years and still continue to pour more dollars into a losing business. Of course all we have is the word of the owners and the CIB who conveniently have not disclosed any real data about the finances of the Pacers.
If the city acquiesces to the Pacers demand just remember that it isn't 18 million dollars but rather 18 million dollars per year for the next 10 years. Hey why stop the gravy train now we can always find money for our friends.