Roddey Against Using More Tax Dollars To Finance Pens Arena

Allegheny County Exec Jim Roddey said that he "does not support using additional tax dollars through" the Regional Asset District (RAD) to fund a new Penguins arena, according to Franken & Nearing of the Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW. Roddey spokesperson Margaret Philbin said, "The existing arena already receives funding through RAD, and [Roddey] is not in favor of increasing that support. Nor does he favor redirecting support from presently funded projects." Franken & Nearing note that two Sports & Exhibition Authority (SEA) members said that RAD money "would likely be a component of any plan." While Roddey appoints four members to the board, Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy names two, and those six members elect the seventh. It "takes six affirmative votes to fund a project" (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 6/28). Also in Pittsburgh, Tom Barnes writes that the SEA "needs another month to come up with a public-private financing plan" for a $225M arena, and the Penguins have "agreed to wait" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 6/28).