You can love football and the Bills, but hate this deal
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Anonymous said…
I have never been a Governor Baker or a fan of our legislature but after reading the article I have to say with the exception of Lucchino, who got the City to pay 100 million for the ballpark and does not have to pay taxes (questionably), they were the smartest participants in the WooSox deal. In New York they will probably be in for a billion before it is all said and done but the Commonwealth is in for a peanut and a garage and still got invited to all the ribbon cuttings for such a small investment.
Anonymous said…
From the time that the City announced that the PawSox were coming to Worcester I have asked what is the benefit to the City and I have yet to get an answer that makes sense. The closest I get would best be described as civic pride. If you have to purchase civic pride for $175 million, that is build a monument or in this case a ball field, is it truly civic pride? Financially I agree with the article that spending taxpayers money on something like this is not good public policy. The money could be better spent on true public purposes or not spending the money and reducing taxes making the City more affordable for everyone, not just the Worcester taxpayers who are baseball fans or the baseball fans from out of town who come for a game then go home afterwards. One final note, I will say there are hardcore baseball fans who are passionate about the WooSox coming and there are those that the ticket price is a cover charge that they paid to go out and socialize after Covid. I think the latter group will eventually move onto the next grand opening to socialize in the future.
Anonymous said…
I have never been for or against the ballpark but I also have questioned the City’s financing plan when they said it would not cost any new taxes for schools or services. When I heard that the WooSox were not paying taxes on the property they lease, which they seem to be legally required to do, I switched from being neutral to being against the plan. Why should millionaires and billionaires not pay taxes on a building we built for them? This is the first question that should be asked and answered.
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