Just days after the Canadian Federal Government
withdrew its assistance plan for the country's six NHL
teams, Ottawa Regional Chair Bob Chiarelli "has floated a
new proposal" that would "make the rich players pay,"
according to Shawn McCarthy of the Toronto GLOBE & MAIL.
Chiarelli has submitted a study conducted by accounting firm
KPMG/Peat Marwick to the Ontario provincial government
showing that the province "could raise" C$14.5M by taxing
pro athletes when they visit teams in the province.
Chiarelli noted that a similar tax is "already imposed" by
seven U.S. states, including CA, NY, NJ, and in cities such
as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, which are using the revenue
to pay for new facilities. Also, Canadian-based players
"can deduct those foreign taxes paid for the purposes of
calculating their federal and provincial income tax." The
study found that if Ontario imposed the tax on pro hockey,
baseball and basketball players based on the number of games
they play in the province, it "could raise" C$5.6M from
hockey alone (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 1/26).
MORE AID FALLOUT: In L.A., Helene Elliott, on Canada's
failed federal aid plan: "The public's outrage over the plan
surprised politicians and NHL executives. They didn't
realize Canadians who watched 'Hockey Night in Canada' in
their cribs can't relate to players who earn an average of
$1.3 million, or that high ticket prices keep many fans away
from NHL rinks." Elliott added that U.S. NHL team owners
"backed" the assistance plan and have given Canadian NHL
teams around $50M over the last four years, but they may not
be "so generous after seeing the Canadian government refuse
to help its own" (L.A. TIMES, 1/25).
