2008 Woodie Awards
Editorial: You're welcome future UMD hockey fans
Statesman Editorial
Issue date: 10/15/08 Section: Opinion
HOK Sport, designers of the new DECC Arena, released sketches of the planned renovation last week. It is unquestionably a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility.
The problem, however, with the new arena is the sales tax increase Duluthians have to pay for the project's funding. More specifically, the taxes students will have to pay for a facility many will never use.
In 2006, Duluth citizens voted on a bill that would increase sales tax on food and beverages to pay for a new arena for the Bulldogs. It passed.
I have no problem with publicly-funded facilities. As long as the majority of citizens vote to pay for a project, it should pass. That is democracy at work, and I have no issue with that.
My problem is with the UMD students that voted in favor of the DECC expansion.
Students voted yes because of excitement about watching hockey in a new arena. The problem with this logic is those students will likely never even use the new arena.
According to the DECC Web site, the renovated DECC is scheduled to open in time for the 2010-2011 hockey season. It is a fair assumption that most of the students who voted for the expansion will not be in school, or even in Duluth, at that time.
In essence, students agreed to pay higher food and beverage taxes for an arena that future, rather than current, students will use.
Sorry, but I'm just not generous, or wealthy enough to pay for the entertainment of a future generation.
So congratulations future students of UMD, you'll get to watch hockey in a state-of-the-art facility for years to come.
You're welcome.
The problem, however, with the new arena is the sales tax increase Duluthians have to pay for the project's funding. More specifically, the taxes students will have to pay for a facility many will never use.
In 2006, Duluth citizens voted on a bill that would increase sales tax on food and beverages to pay for a new arena for the Bulldogs. It passed.
I have no problem with publicly-funded facilities. As long as the majority of citizens vote to pay for a project, it should pass. That is democracy at work, and I have no issue with that.
My problem is with the UMD students that voted in favor of the DECC expansion.
Students voted yes because of excitement about watching hockey in a new arena. The problem with this logic is those students will likely never even use the new arena.
According to the DECC Web site, the renovated DECC is scheduled to open in time for the 2010-2011 hockey season. It is a fair assumption that most of the students who voted for the expansion will not be in school, or even in Duluth, at that time.
In essence, students agreed to pay higher food and beverage taxes for an arena that future, rather than current, students will use.
Sorry, but I'm just not generous, or wealthy enough to pay for the entertainment of a future generation.
So congratulations future students of UMD, you'll get to watch hockey in a state-of-the-art facility for years to come.
You're welcome.
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