A new poll shows southwestern PA voters are set to
"resoundingly reject" a proposed 0.5% sales tax to help fund
new sports stadiums on November 4, according to Dennis
Barbagello of the Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW. Results of the
poll, commissioned by PA-based Lincoln Institute of Public
Opinion Research, a non-profit foundation, "indicate that
Allegheny County voters are likely to reject the plan by a
two-to-one margin," and voters in the 10 other counties "may
vote nearly three-to-one against." Opposition to the
proposal "is especially strong outside of Allegheny County"
where 71% of those surveyed said they will vote against it,
compared to 15% who "indicated support." Other findings
found that 43% don't believe the Pirates will leave the city
if a new ballpark is not constructed; 31% feel they will and
26% had no opinion. "Only" 15% believe the Steelers will
leave without a new stadium. The poll of 336 registered
voters in the 11-county region was conducted for the Lincoln
Institute October 15-16 by PA-based Precision Marketing.
Margin of error was +/- 3% (TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 10/22).
TURNING TIDE? ESPN's Sal Paolantonio reported that
since '89 "voters in nine cities have approved referenda to
finance new facilities for their professional sports teams.
Only one has failed, Seattle, and it was later approved
there. So NFL officials and proponents of new stadiums in
cities such as Philadelphia and Denver are closely watching
the November 4 ballot issue here in Pittsburgh to see if the
tide is turning against taxpayer support of professional
sports franchises" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 10/22).
