Vikings stadium tax: tough act to swallow

Tonight at 7:00 p.m., the Minnesota House of Representatives Taxes Committee (Rep. Phil "Dr. No" Krinkie (R-Circle Pines), Chair) holds a public hearing on the proposed Anoka County sales tax for a Vikings stadium. The hearing will be held at the Majestic Oaks Golf Club, 701 Bunker Lake Blvd. in Ham Lake, a short distance from the proposed site near I-35W and Lexington Ave. For details, see the web site of the Taxpayers Against an Anoka County Vikings Stadium.

Last month, Pat Kessler at WCCO-TV provided a Reality Check on pro football stadium funding:

...it is common for taxpayers to pick up stadium tabs. The public paid for 100 percent of the construction cost for the Tennessee Titans. The public also paid for 58 percent of the cost of renovating Lambeau Field for the Green Bay Packers. [Only 58 percent? --Ed.]

Yet, the owner of the New England Patriots built a new stadium in 2002 with no tax money.

The Vikes and Anoka County are asking the Legislature for permission to raise a county tax to pay for the majority of the stadium -- without approval from the voters of Anoka County. Sound familiar?

The timing of this hearing is unfortunate for the Vikings, with the team off to a 1-3 start, and KARE-11 and KQRS-FM abuzz about certain upstanding players allegedly using their bye week to take in more than just the sights on Lake Minnetonka.

POLITICS