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Investors In St. Louis' MLS Bid Cautiously Optimistic Public-Fund Vote Will Pass

Investors asking for $60M in public money to help build a MLS stadium in St. Louis said that they have "broad regional support," but are only "cautiously optimistic the vote will pass," according to Mike Faulk of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. The uncertainty is due to the fact that when the "money question gets settled at the ballot box April 4, only city voters get to make the decision" and that has "supporters expecting a close vote." SC STL Chair Paul Edgerley said, "That's why we want to get the message out this is about more than just sports." Faulk noted in addition to the $60M public funding from Proposition 2, stadium supporters "also need Proposition 1 to pass." Proposition 1 is a "half-cent sales tax increase to help fund north-south MetroLink expansion." The sales tax increase would "trigger a corresponding increase in the city's business use tax." If Proposition 2 passes, revenue from the use tax increase would "go to the soccer project rather than to other city needs." Investors are "confident St. Louis will get an expansion franchise" from MLS if the vote passes. There is "no organized opposition" to Proposition 2, but "several prominent activists in the community and on the Board of Aldermen have been campaigning against it." SC STL has pumped $1M into a "political action committee called AspireSTL to fund the pro campaign" (STLTODAY.com, 3/26).

DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD: In St. Louis, Benjamin Hochman writes voting on April 4 for the soccer stadium -- and also the MetroLink expansion -- "plants a seed in downtown in regard to development, declaring that St. Louis wants to be something more." It is "recognizing that this is our one shot" to get MLS, a "flourishing league for a sport that you might not love, but your kids sure do." Here is a "chance to be proactive and progressive and pro-St. Louis" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/27). However, a ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH editorial wrote under the header, "City Voters Should Say No To Propositions 1 And 2." With Proposition 1, the "burden of a sales tax falls most heavily on those least able to afford it." With Proposition 2, there are "far more urgent needs -- fighting crime, for one" -- for the $4M a year that would "back stadium bonds." A city of 311,000 people -- 90,000 of whom "live at or below the federal poverty level -- can't carry the burden of a sports facility that would benefit surrounding county residents who aren't being asked to pay their fair share" (STLTODAY.com, 3/26).

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