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Libertarians Call Foul On Stadium Subsidies at Rally

By Anonymous

6/21/01 – The Manhattan Libertarian Party will protest government subsidies for pro sports at a rally outside Yankee Stadium on Monday, June 25, at 6:00 p.m. Libertarian Party candidates from mayoral nominee Kenny Kramer to city council hopefuls will participate in the rally.

Kramer doesn’t mince words in denouncing the ballpark pork.

"Why should taxpayers fund a new stadium and then on top of that be subjected to exorbitant prices, not just for tickets, but $6 for a sixty cent beer, $3.50 for a fifty cent hot dog?" Kramer asks. "Talk about screwing the fans. They should at the very least be serving Vaseline with the hot dogs."

The Libertarians are quick to note that their opposition to taxpayer-funded stadiums does not equate to disloyalty to the Yankees or Mets. Immediately following the rally, the Libertarians will head inside the stadium to cheer on the Bronx Bombers against the Cleveland Indians.

"We love the Yankees, but we would never ask our fellow taxpayers to bankroll a new stadium for the team," says Jim Lesczynski, media relations director for the Manhattan Libertarian Party and candidate for City Council District 5. "If the Yankees want a new stadium, they should use their gate receipts and television revenue to pay for it."

New York City has spent or set aside $699.5 million between 2001 and 2003 to fund major and minor league stadiums for the Yankees and Mets. The Libertarian Party opposes such waste of taxpayers’ dollars as "corporate welfare". They call for the separation of sports and state.

"Don’t play games with taxpayers’ hard-earned money," says Travis Pahl, the Libertarian candidate for public advocate. Pahl promised that if elected, he will fight for an end to such corporate welfare schemes.

Studies by numerous university economists and private think tanks show that new stadiums seldom deliver the economic benefits that politicians promise, the Libertarians argue.

"Just like everywhere else, there is no free lunch in New York," observes Jak Karako, a financial analyst and candidate for City Council District 4. "Someone has to pay for it, and that someone is the taxpayer."

"New Yorkers should not be forced to sacrifice the fruits of their labors for the benefit of George Steinbrenner, or anyone else," adds Gary Snyder, a City Council candidate for District 6.

The Libertarian Party is committed to ending corporate welfare and will run a slate of candidates for local office this year, including Kenny Kramer for Mayor, Travis Pahl for Public Advocate, James Eisert for Comptroller, Scott Jeffrey for Manhattan Borough President, and nine candidates for New York City Council from Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn. Voters can find out more about their Libertarian candidates by visiting www.ManhattanLP.org, sending an email to info@ManhattanLP.org, or calling 212-314-5640.

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