Cropp Vowed to Back Deal, Mayor Believed (on plan to finance a new baseball stadium)...

washingtonpost.com ^ | Thursday, December 16, 2004 | Lori Montgomery

[crushelits]

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	Chairman Admits Blindsiding Williams On Monday night, hours before the D.C. Council was set to cast a final vote on his plan to finance a new baseball stadium, Mayor Anthony A. Williams and Council Chairman Linda W. Cropp met to work out a few last details.  "So, am I going to be happy or unhappy tomorrow?" the mayor asked Cropp when the meeting ended."I think you're going to be pleased," she replied. As they parted ways, the mayor and chairman understood that exchange to mean two very different things. Williams (D) was convinced that Cropp had promised to deliver the votes for his baseball package, officials said. But Cropp (D) said she was optimistic because she thought that Williams had agreed to go back to Major League Baseball officials and finagle a few last concessions to lower the public cost of the ballpark.
Linda Cropp acknowledged blindsiding the mayor and council colleagues.

[DManA]

Let the players build their stadium. They've got all the money in the world.

[crushelits]

No, when you've been assured of delivering the votes.

Sort of when France promised the US (UN Resolution) backing before the Iraq war.

Powell was back stabbed.

[TYVets]

Marion Berry did not get the drug concessionaire in the new park?

[Psycho_Bunny]

.....and yet another city is scammed....

[sgtbono2002]

Washingtonians cant understand each other about a baseball stadium and they want to be a State.

[tfecw]

dc is a mess. i hate being so close to it. A bunch of commies that can only think of whats good for them now and not realize the potential revitilization and money baseball can bring to them.

then theres the idea of breaking agreements. Baseball and dc had an agreement, which DC, err excuse me, one woman destroyed. It sends a clear message to Major companies thinking about moving to dc. Instead they'll go to the surrounding areas as usual. You haveta wonder the sanity of a city when a green party canididate gets more votes then a republican!

[notigar]

If by "commies" you mean they are taxed without representation, then yes, I guess they are.

[tfecw]

not sure i know what your trying to say.

or why your redefining the term of communist

[DManA]

Sounds like she realized it was a boondoggle. Better late than never.

[notigar]

They are taxed by the feds and don't get a vote in congress, and they are prohibited from enacting a commuter tax on md and va workers, a right all other cities have. You have to forgive them if they get a little nervous about an extra $500 million in taxes. People from va and md are calling Cropp to complain, not people from dc.

That's beside the fact that it was the worst deal ever brokered for a city. Dc didn't even get naming rights on the stadium they had to build! Williams should resign in shame.

[sgtbono2002]

Baseball deal or no deal Washington DC gets a really good supplemental payment from the Feds. Enough to make up for the commuters tax they cant charge.

[NilesJo]

"So, am I going to be happy or unhappy tomorrow?" the mayor asked Cropp when the meeting ended."

Instead of trying to be "cute", perhaps he should have asked Cropp what he really needed to know -- are you supporting the deal or not?

Bad communication!

[tfecw]

oh no I wasn't confused about the taxation with out representation. I know what that is. For some reason your defending a city that seems okay with electing people to it's city council who are coke heads and are trusting those people are making the "right" decision.

The tax money isn't coming from the people it will be generated from stadium, tax on parking, tickets, food, stuff like that. Not to mention the taxes and revenue that will be generated from having people come into the anicostia area. plus it adds at LEAST 3500 jobs to the area.

Please don't act like DC is sitting on 500 mill wondering if they should build a school or a baseball stadium because thats certainly not the case by a long shot. You have a city thats notorious for bad finances.

true they can't get a cut of the tickets, or naming rights. I agree with you. But any city would be hard pressed to make a deal with any pro sport to have that happen. Naming rights need to be bought. But they could just refuse to call it the "whatever name stadium" or not put up the sign with the name similar to how they sort of neglected to do that for the REGAN national airport after it was named. Also dc doesn't run the metro. The feds pay it. and according to a recent article the other day. VA and MD are going to cover 70 mil of debt the sys accrued over the year.

but since you brought up the sad people in dc who don't get a vote in the SENATE! they do get them in the House. Even without a voice in the senate money still seems to come from the feds to keep that city from crumbling under the "leadership" they have.

as for williams.. i think all of them need to resign in shame. what have they done for dc? nothing

[chs68]

No, Marion Barry did not get the drug concession at the new stadium.

On the other hand, if the new stadium is never built, then Marion does get continue to get access to several open-air crack markets.

Not only that, but several of Marion's gay buddies will continue to have access to one bathhouse, a couple of gay strip clubs, and other assorted "playgrounds" for the perverted.

[lolhelp]

I hope she sticks to her guns, about some politicians realize out tax money should go for more important things, if teams can pay their players and others who work for the teams the ridiculous salaries thedo, they can build their own stadiums.

[lolhelp]

I hope she sticks to her guns, about some politicians realize out tax money should go for more important things, if teams can pay their players and others who work for the teams the redicklous salaries they do, they can build their own stadiums.

[chs68]

"The tax money isn't coming from the people it will be generated from stadium, tax on parking, tickets, food, stuff like that."

Say Whaaaaaat??!!

Here's a news flash:

"The People" are the ones who pay the taxes on parking. "The people" are the ones who pay the taxes on tickets. "The people" are the ones who pay the taxes on food.

Who, exactly, did you think paid the taxes?

[Wolfie]

I don't understand their reluctance to build. Just look what two new tax-payer funded stadiums did for Pittsburgh.

[DManA]

Oh please. The economic argument for using tax dollars for stadium has been thoroughly debunked.