I have been a Detroit Tiger fan since I was 9 years-old, and I really loved Tiger Stadium before that historic gem was destroyed in favor of a corporate stadium financed in large part by public money.
The budget mess in Lansing has been dominating the headlines, and clearly we need to reform the tax structure and find some new revenue in order to continue to fund schools, police, fire and other essential services. One of the many things talked about to do that was a tax on tickets to entertainment. It was never seriously discussed by the Michigan Legislature, let alone proposed, but that didn’t stop the hysterical opposition to it.
I’m such a big fan Tigers fan that I get an email result of every game, as well as promotional email from the Tigers. Last week I was surprised to get an email that did not talk about sports or the Tigers but about politics. They are urging people to contact their state Senator or Representative to fight against the phantom ticket tax.
“This tax is not on the sports teams - it is on you - the fans. And all of us at the Detroit Tigers organization believe it is wrong to target the working families. Michigan would be the only state in the region to tax families attending movies, sporting events and concerts.”
The only state in the region?
It then advertised a web site. How hypocritical is it for the Tigers to stand up against a tax?
Comerica Park was built with tax money that is still being collected. The stadium was financed with $115 million, or 38 percent, from 2 percent rental-car tax and 1 percent hotel tax and money from Indian casino revenue.
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