Why saddle Glendale taxpayers with risk?

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/03/2011 (4377 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Senator John McCain took a run at the Goldwater Institute again this week, calling them “disgraceful.” McCain has gotten involved in the political pressure game of late and spewed unresearched rhetoric while relying on paid consultant Grant Woods for his legal opinion regarding the arrangement between potential Coyotes owner Matthew Hulsizer and the City of Glendale.

While Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer stays mum on the subject, McCain rattles on. Fair enough. But McCain’s talk has ruffled some feathers. Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane penned an editorial on the weekend torching the deal between Glendale and Hulsizer.

“Desperation creates an environment for desperate acts. As a result, (Glendale) temporarily waived rental fees and then offered up another $25 million in cash to keep the team afloat,” writes Lane. “Now, Glendale has increased the risk for taxpayers by seeking to borrow another $116 million to facilitate the private purchase for a new owner. Throwing good money after bad can be a desperate strategy. In the past, cities engaged in these types of large “risk” capital investments with disregard for the true risk or downside.

“The reality of this risk is not fair to a community that already has put so much of its credit on the line for this single private franchise. Glendale taxpayers originally shelled out $180 million for the facility. The potential buyer, Matthew Hulsizer, has a great opportunity to rescue the Coyotes and respect the existing taxpayers’ investment commitment. Hulsizer’s success as a Chicago investment-fund manager has brought him personal wealth and access to financial capital to expand his business portfolio. As a man with considerable wealth, he has said, “I don’t need the city’s credit to buy the team.” So why saddle Glendale taxpayers with risk in his personal investment in purchasing the team?”

Why, indeed.

 

— No player in the NHL has meant more to its team this season than Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks and he should win the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP.

Perry leads the league in goals (44), is tied for tops in game-winning goals (10) and sits fifth in points (44-41-85).

With the Ducks fighting for a playoff berth, Perry has been his best and over his last nine games has 17 points (13 goals, four assists), a plus-nine rating, five multi-goal games, four game-winning goals and two overtime goals.

Earlier this season with linemate Ryan Getzlaf out for two long stretches, Perry kept the Ducks alive.

Vancouver’s Daniel Sedin is looking like a lock with his league-leading 96 points and he’s the best player on the league’s best team. But the Canucks wouldn’t fall apart without Daniel while the same can’t said about a Perry-less Ducks team.

 

— Late in Sunday’s Moose game, Heat winger Ryan Stone charged at Moose defenceman Jan Sauve and drilled him from behind, driving Sauve’s head into the wall. This is the exact kind of hit the NHL has been talking about. The Moose said Monday that Sauve, who had to be helped from the ice, was fine and the hit would not be reviewed by the league. This isn’t the kind of response this type of hit should elicit.

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca