tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post4208937342822104188..comments2023-12-24T05:26:48.861-05:00Comments on The Pittsburgh Comet: Pittsburgh Penguins Throw the Gloves OffBram Reichbaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-80665268770428133582008-03-03T10:47:00.000-05:002008-03-03T10:47:00.000-05:00"they also will receive development tax credits fo..."they also will receive development tax credits for the 28 acres"<BR/><BR/>Technically there is opportunity cost associated with giving tax credits. Opportunity cost that is realized by taxpayers who have to support programs with other tax revenue. So that is taxpayer money, even if it isn't money but credits. <BR/><BR/>To Chad:<BR/><BR/>"Money freely given by some (to, say, gambling) is not the same as money forcibly taken from all (for, say, taxation). And it never shall be."<BR/><BR/>I agree it's not the same, but that could then be said also about things like sales taxes, use taxes, etc...are those all not actually taxes like income or property tax are taxes?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-79532550771093818252008-03-03T09:04:00.000-05:002008-03-03T09:04:00.000-05:00Don Barden should NOT get the land in The Hill bec...Don Barden should NOT get the land in The Hill because he did not buy it. The land is NOT for sale. <BR/><BR/>Perhaps the land should be for sale. The Pens should buy the land it needs -- and build what it wants -- with Penguin money. <BR/><BR/>Again, the URA is in the way of the public interest. The URA needs to be liquidated.Mark Rauterkushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17157914569686528007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-54144177694798933472008-03-03T08:27:00.000-05:002008-03-03T08:27:00.000-05:00So, there is the 28 acres of current Civic Arena. ...So, there is the 28 acres of current Civic Arena. And somebody told the Pens management they could have that 28 acres? Since Don Barden "wanted to help improve the Hill" and is contributing a chunk of money to the new arena, why shouldn't he get the 28 acres? <BR/><BR/>And the way a tax works, if the state decides it wants 20% of gambling revenue, then for the two quarters put in the one armed bandit, ten cents goes to the state. Or perhaps straight to the Pens. Sweet deal.EdHeathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09109361235271107574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-59837446545538451772008-03-03T04:31:00.000-05:002008-03-03T04:31:00.000-05:00Whatever, Dave. Whatever, Ron. Whatever, Pens. See...Whatever, Dave. Whatever, Ron. Whatever, Pens. See you in the morning.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-21394508067996351802008-03-02T18:30:00.000-05:002008-03-02T18:30:00.000-05:00"That's melodramatic claptrap. And, worse still, a..."That's melodramatic claptrap. And, worse still, an insult to both communities."<BR/><BR/>Okay FINE, I'll bite.<BR/><BR/>I have no compunctions insulting Downtown. It would benefit greatly from a steady flow of pedestrian and residential energy.<BR/><BR/>Most Downtowns in America have 2 or 3 residential neighborhoods from which to draw activity; is it any wonder that ours has been increasingly stale and ghostly since we amputated its Hill District?<BR/><BR/>As to "insulting" the Hill District -- I recognize you are trying to get me on the wrong side of the residents' pride, but I think we can all agree that the community is struggling.<BR/><BR/>Due to some incredibly challenging topography, and again its forcible separation from the great powerhouse on its western border, the Hill has been living in near-total economic and cultural isolation. And it has lived in resentment of that forcible isolation.<BR/><BR/>Is this the only problem the Hill has had? Certainly not. But it is a big one, and it compounds all the others problems. The Hill would benefit greatly from some measures taken to provide for shared prosperity, and again, mulching apart the walls of separation between it and Downtown would be very beneficial.Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-22956217608848507362008-03-02T17:21:00.000-05:002008-03-02T17:21:00.000-05:00I'll only respond to point #2, Chad. The reasons ...I'll only respond to point #2, Chad. The reasons we put that casino up are A) a great many of 'us' want to gamble, even if that can be considered a little foolish, and B) we wanted to generate tax revenue, specifically for property tax relief.<BR/><BR/>I'm not saying it was a crime to divert that tax revenue to debt service on the arena, but let's please call it what it is.Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-32574877597786156722008-03-02T13:11:00.000-05:002008-03-02T13:11:00.000-05:00A couple of things here:1) If we want to stretch t...A couple of things here:<BR/><BR/>1) If we want to stretch the definition to absurdity, all dollars are taxpayer dollars. That said...<BR/><BR/>2) ...Money freely given by some (to, say, gambling) is not the same as money forcibly taken from all (for, say, taxation). And it never shall be.<BR/><BR/>3) Saying "We are the gamblers" is just silly. "We" are the taxed. Only "some of us" are the gamblers. (And anyone who is becomes so by his own foolish choice.)<BR/><BR/>4) Finally: you do neither your cause nor your argument any favors, Bram, when you write sentences like this: "Downtown and the Hill District need to be virtually as one, if either are to realize their potential." That's melodramatic claptrap. And, worse still, an insult to both communities.Chadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03203001326427037805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-8149633584369604642008-03-02T11:44:00.000-05:002008-03-02T11:44:00.000-05:00OMG. I’m seeing not-a-signs everywhere. So, acco...OMG. I’m seeing not-a-signs everywhere. So, according to Morehouse, taxes from gambling are not-taxpayer-dollars because…<BR/><BR/>1) Gaming taxes are not real taxes? Or...<BR/><BR/>2) Gamblers are not worthy enough to be real taxpayers? Or....<BR/><BR/>3) BothCharhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06725494226277483936noreply@blogger.com