Petty Politics Prevails Once Again
Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson's renewed push to get Salt Lake Real's professional soccer stadium in the Utah State Fairpark may be a noble attempt to help his city, but the reality of politics in Utah will make his quest an impossible dream.
Salt Lake County would have to approve kicking $17.5 million in hotel taxes to the city for the stadium project. Sources close to the County Council say that just won't happen, not because it's a bad idea, but because they are scared to death of the Utah Legislature.
The council passed a resolution just a couple of weeks ago promising that the money generated by the Legislature's enhancement of the hotel tax for counties would be used only for a soccer stadium in Sandy.
When Mayor Peter Corroon nixed the county's role in the Sandy deal, it caused a strain between the county and the Legislature, which passed legislation making a temporary 1 1/2 percent hotel tax permanent in order to help Sandy get the soccer stadium. That's because of strong political ties between some of the most powerful Republicans in the Legislature and Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan.
If the county then turned around and gave the money to Salt Lake City, "the Legislature would crucify us," said one source close to the council. That's because a goodly portion of the Republican-dominated Legislature has never been shy about their dislike of Mayor Anderson.
The county council is scheduled to revisit the Sandy Soccer stadium proposal that would require about $40 million of the hotel tax money this Tuesday. Sources say they have five of the nine votes to pass it. But if Corroon vetoes their action, they might not have the six votes needed to overturn his veto.
Cheers,
Paul Rolly
Salt Lake County would have to approve kicking $17.5 million in hotel taxes to the city for the stadium project. Sources close to the County Council say that just won't happen, not because it's a bad idea, but because they are scared to death of the Utah Legislature.
The council passed a resolution just a couple of weeks ago promising that the money generated by the Legislature's enhancement of the hotel tax for counties would be used only for a soccer stadium in Sandy.
When Mayor Peter Corroon nixed the county's role in the Sandy deal, it caused a strain between the county and the Legislature, which passed legislation making a temporary 1 1/2 percent hotel tax permanent in order to help Sandy get the soccer stadium. That's because of strong political ties between some of the most powerful Republicans in the Legislature and Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan.
If the county then turned around and gave the money to Salt Lake City, "the Legislature would crucify us," said one source close to the council. That's because a goodly portion of the Republican-dominated Legislature has never been shy about their dislike of Mayor Anderson.
The county council is scheduled to revisit the Sandy Soccer stadium proposal that would require about $40 million of the hotel tax money this Tuesday. Sources say they have five of the nine votes to pass it. But if Corroon vetoes their action, they might not have the six votes needed to overturn his veto.
Cheers,
Paul Rolly
5:49 PM
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