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August 4, 2011
The inconsistency of the New York Times editorial page: Islanders owner should build new arena on his own, but request that Ratner "pay his own way" forgotten
Atlantic Yards Report
Is the New York Times editorial page consistent when it comes to public subsidies for sports facilities? Of course not.
An editorial in yesterday's New York Times was headlined Voters Nix $400 Million Hockey Tix:
Voters in Nassau County, showing far better sense and grasp of arithmetic than their elected leaders, have rejected a scheme to raise their taxes so their county could borrow $400 million to build a new hockey arena.
The Times, sounding like it's channeled the collected works Neil deMause, observes:
1. The deal stunk. That’s usually so when governments throw money at sports teams. Mr. Mangano was asking for a 4 percent tax increase, an estimated $14 to $58 more a year per household, in return for gauzy promises of new jobs and tax revenue...
...3. If [Islanders owner] Mr. [Charles] Wang needs a new arena, let him build it. Last we checked, professional sports was still a private (and highly lucrative) business, not a public utility.
What happened to "Mr. Ratner should pay his own way"?
All well and good, but the Times is not exactly consistent. Remember the newspaper's stance in a 3/27/05 editorial headlined A Triple Play for New York Teams:
But the city and state are each supposed to contribute $100 million to build streets and sidewalks and prepare the site for development. That's unnecessary: Mr. Ratner should pay his own way.
(Emphasis added)
That position was forgotten in all subsequent editorials.
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The New York Times, Voters Nix $400 Million Hockey Tix
Posted by eric at August 4, 2011 10:30 PM