BALLPARK SALES TAX ENDS EARLY IN ARIZONA

          After November 30, Maricopa County (AZ) merchants will
     be asked to stop collecting a quarter-cent sales tax which
     was being used to finance Bank One Ballpark, according to
     Mike McCloy of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC.  A "soaring economy"
     has helped raise County Stadium District's $238M share of
     the ballpark's $354M price.  The stadium tax, which has been
     in effect since April '95, "originally was scheduled to
     expire" after the D'Back open their season in April, but a
     "closer look at the numbers" brought a request to terminate
     the tax five months early (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 10/18).