MN Billionaires say: "For $600 million, we get to keep 130 Vikings jobs in MN!"

[annm4peace]

1. Petition to say no to the stadium

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/novikingsstadium/


Stop a taxpayer-funded Vikings stadium!



According to recent news stories, a taxpayer-funded Vikings stadium is "imminent." In fact, the Minneapolis City Council is currently coming up with proposals for a taxpayer-funded Vikings stadium, which would mean a bill would be pushed through the state legislature as early as May 15.

We do not want a bill to be pushed through the legislature via back-room deals! Let the public vote on a publicly funded stadium.

Enough is enough. Though a 1997 referendum demands proposals for publicly funded stadiums be put before voters, Hennepin County residents were forced through last-minute political and business negotiations to pay $350 million for a new Twins ballpark. That amounts to three cents of every $20 spent in Hennepin County going to a team and owners only footing $130 million for a stadium that will continue to net them millions.

Now, despite public opposition, the Minneapolis City Council is currently in further negotiations to formulate a deal that would have taxpayers funding another Vikings stadium, despite the fact that we have the Metrodome (the Vikings current home) and the TCF stadium within spitting distance of one another.

According to ESPN, Vikings owner Zygi Wilf and the NFL will commit only $215 million to the estimated $870 million project, leaving taxpayers who never had the opportunity to vote on a stadium bill to fund the rest.


Minneapolis City Council and state representatives: We urge you not to push a bill through the state legislature that will have Minnesota taxpayers funding another stadium.


On top of the fact that a new stadium is burdensome to taxpayers, tearing down and building new is also detrimental to the environment.

What's more, we do NOT want to line the pockets of millionaires/billionaires with our hard-earned money. A stadium is not a public investment in the same way schools, parks, and transit are. Our tax dollars should go to the crumbling city schools and infrastructure. NOT private profits.

STOP the taxpayer-funded Vikings stadium now!

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Wilf to Rybak: Your Corporate Welfare Proposal isn't generous enough

Say what you will about the Wilfs, but they certainly have balls. While the team now claims they could "live" with a new stadium on the Metrodome site--as long as taxpayers foot most of the bill--they wrote to Mayor R. T. Rybak to demand more parking for their wealthiest customers, improvements to their temporary home at TCF Bank Stadium on the U of M campus, and compensation for lost revenues while they are "forced" to play at the smaller campus venue.

Hmmm. So we are supposed to buy you guys a stadium, but if it costs you money, we are supposed to compensate you as well? That's ridiculous.

******

Call Gov. Dayton
651-201-3400

Tell him you don't want a Vikings Tax, and you want a stadium to pay property taxes just like you!