Two years after MD Gov. Parris Glendening "pushed
through" state funding for two pro football stadiums in the
state, a new poll shows a "substantial majority of residents
believe public financing was a bad idea," according to
Pierre & Deane of the WASHINGTON POST. The poll,
commissioned by the newspaper, sampled 1,353 randomly
selected MD residents from June 11-17. It carries a margin
of error of +/- 3%. Among the results: 63% of respondents
said that they "disapprove" of the decision to provide $70M
in funding for the Redskins new Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in
Landover, while "an even larger percentage -- 72% -- say
they disapprove" of the full state financing of $220M for
the Ravens' Camden Yards stadium. Pierre & Deane wrote that
Glendening, who is up for reelection this year, "now almost
never mentions" either stadium (WASHINGTON POST, 6/28).
NOT IN THE CARDS? A majority of Tempe and Mesa, AZ,
residents "would reject a quarter-cent-per-dollar sales tax"
to help finance a $2.3B project which would include a new
stadium for the NFL Cardinals, according to an AP report.
The Behavior Research Center of Phoenix conducted a poll of
401 registered voters from June 23-26 for Tribune
Newspapers. When asked if they would support the project if
the vote were held today, nearly 62% said they would oppose
the tax, while 33.4% said they would support it. The poll
had a +/- 5% margin of error (AP/ARIZONA DAILY STAR, 6/29).
