Post by jmac1 on Mar 21, 2011 22:14:07 GMT -5
Hello. We're from the Goldwater Institute. And we're here to help you.
In a richly ironic way, the libertarian, free-market Goldwater Institute today is playing the role of its reputed bête noire, the government.
By imposing its will on the fate of the Phoenix Coyotes hockey franchise, which may move to Winnipeg, the institute is trying to control an important local issue in a high-handed way, like the EPA or IRS.
As of Friday, Goldwater was joined by Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform, thus increasing the possibility the Coyotes matter will be resolved as one of ideological purity, which is not at all the same as resolving it in the best interests of Glendale taxpayers.
Goldwater pretends to be a "watchdog" of taxpayers' interests. Really? Which taxpayers? Norquist's supporters or those of Glendale? The result of Goldwater's protection racket in Glendale may be tens of millions of dollars being added to the cost of bonds, thanks to the group's persistent threat of a lawsuit.
It means Glendale businesses in the commercial district around Jobing.com Arena taking a serious financial bath. It means a dead-certain loss of revenue, in the tens of millions, that Glendale taxpayers must make up. Goldwater CEO Darcy Olsen contends the deal merely throws good money after bad. But we fail to see how the certainty of enormous loss when the team leaves is somehow more desirable. Especially considering a serious, new offer from the team's potential buyer.
If it truly is taxpayers who matter, Olsen has a responsibility to stop refusing to meet in good faith with the people who actually have a stake in the fate of the Coyotes, or even to respond to them.
Olsen has conducted "negotiations" by press release, including yet another late-day statement on Monday, this one expressing Goldwater's disdain for a much-improved offer from Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer. The Goldwater statement even included contemptuous grammatical corrections of Hulsizer's personal letter to the group. Olsen needs to get off Mount Olympus and participate, and stop baiting the people who are trying to salvage something meaningful for this community.
The offer from Hulsizer appears largely to address her stated concerns about taxpayer exposure to risk. In her late-Monday response to that offer, Olsen looks to be raising some reasonable questions about bond-debt liability. But her chosen method of negotiating - by snotty press release - makes it appear she is rejecting Hulsizer out of hand. Is this what it means to be a community "player"?
Being a "player" means getting involved in negotiations. It means getting involved, in good faith, as a member of the community, not as some ideologically pure priesthood. As it appears now, Goldwater has one real interest: blowing up the negotiated efforts of others. Its efforts are destructive, not constructive. And its unwillingness to respond to the overtures of others is getting tiresome.
The institute should not be so sure there are no consequences to such haughty obstructionism.
www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2011/03/22/20110322goldwater-institute-editorial.html
In a richly ironic way, the libertarian, free-market Goldwater Institute today is playing the role of its reputed bête noire, the government.
By imposing its will on the fate of the Phoenix Coyotes hockey franchise, which may move to Winnipeg, the institute is trying to control an important local issue in a high-handed way, like the EPA or IRS.
As of Friday, Goldwater was joined by Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform, thus increasing the possibility the Coyotes matter will be resolved as one of ideological purity, which is not at all the same as resolving it in the best interests of Glendale taxpayers.
Goldwater pretends to be a "watchdog" of taxpayers' interests. Really? Which taxpayers? Norquist's supporters or those of Glendale? The result of Goldwater's protection racket in Glendale may be tens of millions of dollars being added to the cost of bonds, thanks to the group's persistent threat of a lawsuit.
It means Glendale businesses in the commercial district around Jobing.com Arena taking a serious financial bath. It means a dead-certain loss of revenue, in the tens of millions, that Glendale taxpayers must make up. Goldwater CEO Darcy Olsen contends the deal merely throws good money after bad. But we fail to see how the certainty of enormous loss when the team leaves is somehow more desirable. Especially considering a serious, new offer from the team's potential buyer.
If it truly is taxpayers who matter, Olsen has a responsibility to stop refusing to meet in good faith with the people who actually have a stake in the fate of the Coyotes, or even to respond to them.
Olsen has conducted "negotiations" by press release, including yet another late-day statement on Monday, this one expressing Goldwater's disdain for a much-improved offer from Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer. The Goldwater statement even included contemptuous grammatical corrections of Hulsizer's personal letter to the group. Olsen needs to get off Mount Olympus and participate, and stop baiting the people who are trying to salvage something meaningful for this community.
The offer from Hulsizer appears largely to address her stated concerns about taxpayer exposure to risk. In her late-Monday response to that offer, Olsen looks to be raising some reasonable questions about bond-debt liability. But her chosen method of negotiating - by snotty press release - makes it appear she is rejecting Hulsizer out of hand. Is this what it means to be a community "player"?
Being a "player" means getting involved in negotiations. It means getting involved, in good faith, as a member of the community, not as some ideologically pure priesthood. As it appears now, Goldwater has one real interest: blowing up the negotiated efforts of others. Its efforts are destructive, not constructive. And its unwillingness to respond to the overtures of others is getting tiresome.
The institute should not be so sure there are no consequences to such haughty obstructionism.
www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2011/03/22/20110322goldwater-institute-editorial.html