The Bleacher Bums: August 29, 2006 Archive

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You sure you want to vote for that tax?

Posted at 9:31 AM on August 29, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Commissioners stadium tax vote gives challengers political ammunition
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners will vote Tuesday to levy a county-wide sales tax to help pay for construction of a new Minnesota Twins stadium in downtown Minneapolis. The county was granted permission by the Legislature to pass the tax increase without putting it to a vote by taxpayers. Four of the seven commissioners say they'll vote for the tax. Three of those four commissioners are up for re-election this fall, and their opponents say, the stadium tax vote is a hot issue.

Papi palpitations

Posted at 3:14 PM on August 29, 2006 by Ben Tesch (2 Comments)

Red Sox send Papi home for heart tests
Big Papi was a late scratch for Boston's game Monday night at Oakland for what was first thought to be the flu. Ortiz, who on Sunday hit his major league-leading 47th home run at Seattle, already spent time in a Boston hospital earlier this month for the condition.

The article also documents the strangely growing list of recent Red Sox player injuries.

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Tax increase passes

Posted at 3:50 PM on August 29, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Hennepin County Board approves sales tax increase for Twins ballpark

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Hennepin County Board today, as expected, approved a countywide sales tax increase to help cover the costs of a new open air stadium for the Minnesota Twins.
After some heated debate from commissioners, the measure passed four-to-three, without the voter referendum usually required for such tax increases.
Some stadium opponents attended the meeting wearing T-shirts reading, "No taxation without representation -- except in Hennepin County."
One protester held a sign saying, "Make Carl Pohlad use his own money."
The tax increase works out to an additional three cents on a 20-dollar purchase. The zero-point-one-five percent sales tax will fund three-quarters of the 522 (m) million dollar project. Twins owner Carl Pohlad will pay the rest.