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Monumental Priorities
by Mischa Gelman
(published 9/28/00)

   Everything goes quicker in Pittsburgh, no matter what you may hear. For
instance, it takes a long time to build a monument to a war - just look at
the continued absence of a World War II monument after 50-plus years. In
the 'Burgh, we are already seeing the construction of another war memorial
- the stadiums that advertise Mayor Murphy's war on democracy, a war which
has gotten aid from Sophie Masloff, Bob Cranmer and Tom Ridge. 
   Those of you who are new to the city may wonder why a mayor would fight
democracy - after all, isn't our country based on democratic principles?
Well, Mr. Murphy is one of those politicians who gets bought and stays
bought - when the desire of most of the city's residents run counter to
the desires of the moneyed interests, Mr. Murphy fights for the likes of
the latter group. This is no more evident than when it comes to the issue
of stadiums.
   A little history is needed. For over 60 years, the Pirates played ball
in Forbes Field, which folks still reminisce about - fans were close to
the action, Pitt students could easily get to games, the atmosphere was
more congenial, home runs weren't a dime a dozen. In other words, it was a
great park, and one I'm sorry I never got to see (as I was born several
years after its end). It was getting old, though, and folks felt the city
needed a new stadium, so we got publically funded Three Rivers Stadium, a
boring park in the cookie-cutter Veteran Stadium mold. Three Rivers cost
$35 million.
   By the mid-90s, the area had paid for the stadium in such an efficient
manner that the stadium was $45 million behind in debt - not only hadn't
we paid off the tab, but the interest made us owe more than when the
stadium first got started. Now, anyone with a half a brain would quickly
realize two things - first, we should pay off the debt on the existing
stadium before we build ANOTHER stadium, and second, if Forbes Field
lasted over 60 years, why is the newer, more advanced Three Rivers
outdated after under 30? 
   Yet folks in the 90s began talking about a new stadium - the key person
behind the plans being new Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy. Now, Kevin felt
that the ugly, inconvenient Three Rivers needed replacing - but instead of
putting his cash forward, he wanted Pittsburghs to fit the bill. His
allies proposed a sales tax to help fund the stadium and other local
development - and the residents of Pittsburgh had their say. They said
"no." Emphatically, they voted down the stadium tax almost 2-to-1, by a
530,706 to 281,336 total.
    Unfortunately, the democratic will did not match the will of Murphy
and McClatchy, so they went to "Plan B." To start this off, they had to go
through the RAD board - but they would have lost. So they worked through
another ally, county commissioner Bob Cramner (since kicked out of
office), who had offending RAD board member Fred Baker removed - obstacle
cleared. Then the bill stalled in the State Senate that would have
approved stadium funds. No problem - Murphy and co. thought "we'll sneak
in a tiny little side bill at the last minute to ensure that the
legislators don't have time to read it through" - and so they did. And
Pittsburghers are stuck with a second stadium to burden them financially.
And democracy has been subverted by a corrupt mayor. 
    Pittsburgh isn't the only city to get screwed like this. George W. 
Bush, our Republican presidential candidate almost exactly duplicated our
Democratic mayor in forcing the taxpayers of Austin to fund a new stadium
for the Texas Rangers. He even used the democracy-subverting principle of
eminent domain that Mr. Murphy is fond of, to get the necessary land. In
Boston, polls showed the public almost 2-to-1 against public funding of
stadiums - yet the Red Sox are trying to make their fans see red by
using their money to help millionaire athletes and owners.
   These stadiums make no sense from a financial standpoint. In a Boston
Globe column (3/27/00), Ralph Nader points out that a study covering 30
stadiums over 30 years shows no significant impact on the economy in 27
cases, a negative effect in 3 locations and a significant net positive
absolutely nowhere. Economics professor Andrew Zimbalist has found that
the effect of new stadiums roughly equals the opening of a new Macy's
branch. Let the good times roll, eh? Or more accurately, let's not
keep allowing politicians like Bush, Murphy and Ridge to roll over
democracy in their pandering to corporate whims.

  Mischa Gelman is a fan of sports, not of corporate welfare pimps.