Home
Classifieds
Coupons
Contests
Subscribe
Work with us
|
Pro and con on Nassau Coliseum redevelopment
(Page 3 of 4)
We are happy that the public will be able to weigh in on this project via a referendum on Aug. 1. Vote “yes” in that referendum. After the story ran, the Nassau Democratic Committee received a dozen emails from people who took my words to mean that Democrats don’t want the New York Islanders to stay in Nassau County. There’s a difference between supporting the Islanders and supporting bad fiscal policy. I like the Islanders. I want them to stay on Long Island. But it doesn’t make sense to rebuild their arena on the taxpayer’s dime. While it’s true that a new-and-improved Coliseum would be a nicer place to see sporting events and concerts, we need to ask ourselves: Is a nicer Coliseum worth a 4 percent increase in our county’s sky-high property taxes? I don’t think the people of Nassau County will vote to increase their own taxes. We’re smarter than that. The people who stand to benefit most from a new Coliseum are private businessmen and women, with Islanders owner Charles Wang chief among them. With all due respect to Mr. Wang, it’s clear that he recognizes how much he has to gain from a new arena. Five years ago he was willing to partner with Reckson Associates to renovate the aging Coliseum and develop the surrounding land — without taxpayer money.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mr. Jacobs is pursuing a political agenda against the Republican leadership in Nassau County. The proof of this is the fact that his letter ignores facts that prove a YES vote is the only sane vote for the betterment of Nassau County.
1) he neglects to report that a bipartisan financial revise board of Nassau County has reported that under the WORST CASE SCENARIO, the cost to the taxpayer is $13.80 per household per year (26 cents per week). Moreover, some studies have predicted a profit to the taxpayer based on the 11.5 % revenue sharing plan.
2) Today's Newsday reported that if the Islanders leave and the Coliseum closes (highly likely without a tenant to anchor it) the cost to the taxpayer would be $16 per household per year (MORE than worst case scenario above).
3) mr. Jacobs ignores the fact that this project will create jobs.
4) Loss of the Islanders causes a loss of revenue to the County, estimated at $234 million per year, as reported by Newsday last week.
5) Mr. Jacobs argument that Mr. Wang should pay 100 percent for a new arena ignores 2 facts: a) he may actually do so. He will at minimum be paying for more than half of it and if the revenue sharing comes in as projected by Camion, he will have paid for the entire cost and then some; b) this is despite the fact that Mr. Wang will not own the new arena but will be a tenant.
6) Mr. Jacobs letter leaves out the fact that in addition to the minimum $14M per year Mr. Wang will pay, there will be additional tax revenue to the county of $4.9 M.
In my experience when facts are omitted or massaged it is because if ALL the relevant facts are known, there is only one logical conclusion. That is the case here. Unless you have a political agenda or vendetta, or are a member of a special interest group, the only sane vote for the betterment of Nassau County is a YES vote.
Jacobs-
Let the people decide. Thats who you serve...not your own self-interest.
These days politicans are whats wrong with this country.