Schools VS Baseball

HeavyMetal BankFisherman · 02-02-2003, 11:53 PM

With the mayor of portland traveling across the country to try and bring major league baseball to portland, one starts to wonder about priorities. Hey, a minor league team can't make it. I imagine if we were to look at the balance sheet of the blazers that they are just sqeaking by. They have one of the highest ticket prices by the way. Major league baseball will not make it. The Portland market is just not that big. Are you going to pay $25 a ticket to see the Portland Expos lose? Not me and most likely not you. What are these politiciancs thinking. Are they on Acid? More and more it seems like something is wrong with mental facilities.

Proponents say that a player income tax will help pay for a new stadium.

I wonder how much player income tax will pay for that $200 million dollar stadium.

What a rip off to all of us. It will cost us. If it happens lets see who gets the contracts to build. Wonder if they are friends with members of the city council. Not about getting a baseball team that we don't need. It's about people making money. Greed. Thats all there is to say. It's happening locally. Corporate greed at all levels of our local government. Portland has been that way for decades so it's nothing new. Corrupt, a government taking care of its own. That's Portland!

We all know that but somehow the Slap! in the face during troubled times is so overwhelming. Felons are shown on the news being released six months early, State Police are given Pink Slips. Vera Katz is trying to bring baseball to portland. Whatever. All I can say is why isn't the mayor travelling to get funding for the schools in her city. Who is going to benefit from baseball? Those jobs they talk about. Minimum wage selling hotdogs. Big deal. Its all about them building a Stadium. Millions to be made building a stadum. Who cares if the team succeeds. They plan on making the millions building the stadium. What a perfect deception to the ordinary person. I am not making this up. They will try to sell some plan. Vote it down when it happens.

lost_sailor · 02-03-2003, 07:08 AM

Some people really really like baseball. Personally, I'd rather watch basketball or football or soccer or water polo.

While I might pay $5 to watch the Portland Beavers and buy a bag of peanuts, I doubt that I would ever bust out the dollars for MLB. I guess some people would.

I'm often glad I don't live in the city anymore.

Otolith · 02-03-2003, 07:35 AM

A baseball team would actually make money for the city and state. Think of all of the high salaries, all paying state income tax. I think that all players from visiting teams would pay a little state income tax to Oregon too.

I've heard them say that a baseball team would actually be an investment.

Silver Hilton · 02-03-2003, 08:00 AM

Well, I think it's been a net loss up here. We spent big bucks to build two, count 'em two stadiums, and it's just left us with a huge debt that we now have to fit into our cramped state and local budgets. Ticket prices are high - and concessions are outrageous. I won't take my family to more than one baseball game a year, because it costs too much.

Sports teams are bloodsucking leeches, draining money from the city that they claim to be from. Let them pay their own way.

On the taxes thing, the salaries that are paid will largely be earned in out of state locations, and the players won't pay oregon taxes on that piece. I used to be a consultant working out of Portland, and I only paid tax on the portion of the salary that was earned during the days that I worked in Oregon. So those days that they are down in spring training, out of town games, travel time, all probably un-taxed.

TheRogue · 02-03-2003, 08:08 AM

Quote:

On the taxes thing, the salaries that are paid will largely be earned in out of state locations, and the players won't pay oregon taxes on that piece. I used to be a consultant working out of Portland, and I only paid tax on the portion of the salary that was earned during the days that I worked in Oregon. So those days that they are down in spring training, out of town games, travel time, all probably un-taxed.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Uhhhhh...I don't think so?? I'm not an expert, but if you work here, if your office is here in Oregon, you pay taxes regardless of where you travel to. If you live in Washington and work in Oregon, any travel work outside of Oregon can be taken off your taxes. I assume there's all sorts of time lines and what not associated with this.

TR

Silver Hilton · 02-03-2003, 01:28 PM

Could be, I lived in Washington at the time. If that is the case, most ball players would probably make their home in Clark County, if not florida, to take advantage of the rule.

monoman · 02-03-2003, 02:47 PM

Baseball follows different rules as far as taxes and many other federal regs. The players would pay taxes in OR if they lived in Washington, they will be employed in OR. travel games will still be taxed in OR, much like if you traveled to NY to sell something for your OR employer.

SH
You are talking about the Seattle team, the team has brought million upon millions into that town. Much like sports fish bring millions into our states.

I would pay for season tickets in a minute.

LS
Soccer? Anything but! Anything! Slug racing would be better! I'd even go to the WNBA first!

lost_sailor · 02-03-2003, 03:09 PM

see how ya are?

Silver Hilton · 02-03-2003, 06:47 PM

Monoman,
you say it so forcefully. Just like my son when he really wants something to be true.

Unfortunately, Oregon says it like this: "Nonresidents, Oregon taxes only your income from Oregon sources." This is referred to lovingly by the department of revenue as Oregon Source Income, which is defined thusly, "[Oregon Source Income] includes income shown on your federal return from wages, fees or income for services performed in Oregon."

Now, we all know that I'm no Rhodes scholar, but I'm just guessing that any ballplayer's agent worth his salt is going to find a smart accountant who will recommend that the ballplayer live out of state, in a state without an income tax, and that his tax return will claim that spring training and out of state games are non Oregon source income, by dint of having been performed outside of the state of Oregon. And, having just had a lengthy discussion with the fair state of Oregon on this issue myself, I'm guessing that they will previal in making that claim.

You're equally forceful on the subject of the vast economic benefits associated with the siting of teams within our fair city of Seattle. I won't pretend I can stand up to such forceful and erudite analysis, but I hope that anyone who is actually thinking with an open mind will consult this article.

This one is also interesting. Article

My take is that if we are trying to fund economic improvement, there are better and more efficient ways to use tax money.

[ 02-03-2003, 08:20 PM: Message edited by: Silver Hilton ]

Norski · 02-03-2003, 07:16 PM

I would'nt spend 2.00 to watch any baseball game as it was shoved down my throut and push up my well you know, and I left portland becouse of the BS that goes on, on a daily bases. It well never stop!!!!!!!!

Jettin' Fool · 02-03-2003, 08:35 PM

For a state that has one of the highest un-employment rates in the country, MLB would be nice to have. It would provide several hundred jobs, bring in tourist money, and help out a huge amount of businesses in the Portland Market. My wife works in the Hotel industry and it is suffering big time. We need people to have a reason to come to Portland and spend money. I agree that this drive for a Baseball team is comming at a horible time with Schools losing w/ M28 but a chance like this doesnt come around vary often! It could be years before another team is available. We need to bite the bullet and get the team here and reap the benifits of the future.

And please dont compare MLB to minor league baseball. I played 20 years and LOVE Baseball and only went to 3 or 4 Games in the last 2 years. If MLB came to town with Bonds, Griffey, ARod, etc. etc. I would be there in a heart beat as would many other 1000's of people.

Pro sports brings comradery to town and I think Portland sure could use it.

I really want baseball in Portland and I'm not afraid to say it

Fool

HOGTIDE · 02-03-2003, 09:25 PM

Oh...I'm quite sure there will be plenty of support for pro-ball at the cost of the tax payers.

After measure 28 we had a community forum telling the district residents that we would closing school for at least 5 days between now and June and that about 1 dozen teachers would be laid off. Guess what their response was??????

Everyone rallied to pledge and fundraise $20k-$30k to....well, to ....ensure that "SPRING SPORTS" would not be impacted!

What priorities we have

lost_sailor · 02-04-2003, 09:17 AM

As a parent, I believe that sports do have great value for young people. They learn a lot about cooperation, responsibility, teamwork, success and failure. Not to mention exercise!

Yeah, I went to the school board meeting last night, pretty sad. Talking about cutting days, the chairman pointed out "we're talking about 'days' but it really is, is people's SALARIES."

There really aren't any form-shufflers or policy-ponderers that the Dept. of Ed. can't do without? We have to burn our kids and our teachers ... hi ho