PRINT THIS PAGE | E-MAIL THIS PAGE

Thursday, March 27, 1997

Stadium funding bills pass Senate

By PEGGY FIKAC

Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN (AP) - Communities everywhere in Texas but Dallas County could raise local taxes, with voter approval, to build or renovate sports facilities under bills approved Wednesday by the Texas Senate.

Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, said he is waiting to go ahead with a separate bill affecting Dallas until local leaders decide how to proceed.

Approval of the other two measures, one covering Harris County and the other the rest of the state besides Dallas County, prompted some musing on Texans' priorities from Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock.

Bullock, who previously has voiced the opinion that Texas' love of sports has gotten out of hand, said Wednesday it would be nice to see the same level of support for public schools.

"As all the fans sit back and watch the games, cheering for their favorite team and clapping and supporting their favorite player, they might want to give a little thought to the school children in Harris County," Bullock said, noting that Houston voters rejected a school bond proposal last year.

"I'm not condemning the people for it," he added. "I'm just saying I do hope that in the future, they'll give as much consideration to these school kids that are in public schools as they do to the athletes (who've) got a jockey strap on. What about that kid in his cap and gown at some proper time?"

Supporters of the bills by Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, and Sen. Frank Madla, D-San Antonio, described them as local-option economic development measures. They go to the House for consideration.

Madla's bill, affecting communities in counties no larger than 1.5 million population, was OK'd 20-11. It would allow local voters to decide on funding sports arenas and other facilities with increases in the car rental tax and taxes on facility admission and parking.

Communities with transit authorities that haven't reached their local sales tax cap also could use those funds for the facility with voter approval.

El Paso would be subject to special restrictions under an amendment by Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, meant to raise money for the Sun Bowl. Under the provision, El Paso could have an election levying up to a 10 percent tax on certain rental vehicles.

Whitmire's bill, approved 22-9, would not require a new voter referendum for taxes to support a downtown baseball stadium or Astrodome renovations, since those would be covered by a vote last fall.

But a new referendum would be required to impose the taxes for a downtown basketball and hockey arena, according to Whitmire's office.

Whitmire's measure provides for an increase in the car rental and hotel occupancy taxes in Harris County, and taxes on admissions and parking at the facility. The transit authority also could use some of its sales tax revenue for the effort.

"We are in a crisis. We have lost the Oilers," Whitmire said, adding later, "I didn't set the priorities of this state in terms of sports versus education or criminal justice."

Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, was among those objecting to Whitmire's measure, saying it would tax visitors who may not even be interested in the sports stadium.

"I've probably received 300 letters on your 'local bill,' " Ogden said. "The people of Houston aren't taxing themselves. The people of Houston are taxing the people in my district that come to visit."

Sen. Michael Galloway, R-The Woodlands, also opposed the measure.

"I do not believe that we should subsidize multimillionaires with tax dollars," he said.

Sen. Jerry Patterson, R-Pasadena, failed in an effort to amend Whitmire's bill to impose a locker fee on professional sports teams. Patterson said it would raise nearly $23.9 million, which he said would be more than enough to replace the hotel and car rental tax. Whitmire said the proposal would amount to an income tax.

----

The Harris County sports facility bill is SB944.

The sports facility bill for most other counties is SB935. Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
Send the URL (Address) of This Story to A Friend: