UPDATE: Spotsylvania Baseball Bailout
Spotsylvania Supervisors will be voting this Tuesday, July 14.
After their plea to force the taxpayers of Winchester and Fredericksburg to pay for the new stadium fell on deaf ears. . .
. . .The Hagerstown Suns and their big league consultants set their sights on Spotsylvania.
But their original proposal – $33 million in taxpayer funding – was soundly defeated in June.
But the consultants of the Hagerstown Suns are still desperate for taxpayers to bail them out.
So they came back with a counteroffer asking for Spotsylvanians to pay $28 million for their Baseball Stadium Bailout loan.
The truth is – these stadium “deals” are rarely ever paid off.
There are endless examples of stadiums consuming county and city budgets.
And they’re pitched with the usual broken window economic fallacies and myths.
But you and I both know government cannot create wealth.
This is the same backwards logic that Barack Obama used to ram through the bailouts and stimulus packages.
So why is Chairman Chris Yakabouski using Chicago-style politics – like Barack Obama – to force us to pay for the stadium of the privately owned Hagerstown Suns?
Is it because Fredericksburg City Consultant Tom Byrnes is using his political clout to influence the Board of Supervisors?
You see, not only is Tom Byrnes the founder of the local group pushing for the taxpayer funded baseball stadium. . .
. . . He was also the professional campaign consultant for pro-Baseball Bailout Supervisor Gary Skinner.
Adding further conflict of interest, Tom Byrnes boasts his success in running Skinner’s campaigns and his consulting work for multiple construction companies in the area.
It’s easy to see why Tom Byrnes is leading the charge to force you to pay for a $28 million dollar stadium.
Unfortunately, Chairman Chris Yakabouski and Supervisor Gary Skinner are bending over backwards to appease Tom Byrnes and the Hagerstown Suns.
They’re looking to stick Spotsylvanians with the $28 million dollar bill.
And they’re pressuring the deciding vote – Supervisor Anne Heidig – to vote with them.
The Suns and consultant Tom Byrnes are even dangling 100 free tickets per game in front of the supervisors.
It’s unclear how Anne Heidig will vote.
She opposed the original offer.
But now she’s wavering in her opposition to the stadium.
When pressed on how she would vote, she said, “I can neither confirm nor deny,” in the Free-Lance Star.
That’s why it’s urgent you call and email her immediately.
Ann Heidig (Livingston):
540-850-9078
AHeidig@spotsylvania.va.us
And after you contact her, please contact Chairman Chris Yakabouski and Supervisor Gary Skinner too.
Chris Yakabouski (Battlefield):
540-424-1440
cyakabouski@spotsylvania.va.us
Gary Skinner (Lee Hill):
540-891-6610
Urge them to say “no” to outside consultants and vote “no” to the Baseball Stadium Bailout loan.
We’ve killed the Baseball Bailout before.
With enough pressure we can do it again.
So please call and email Anne Heidig immediately.
Ann Heidig (Livingston):
540-850-9078
AHeidig@spotsylvania.va.us
In Liberty,
Mike Wood
Virginia State Coordinator
Campaign for Liberty
P.S. Spotsylvania Supervisors will be voting this Tuesday, July 14, on a $28 million Baseball Stadium Bailout.
If passed, $28 million of our taxpayer dollars will be on the hook for this deal.
That’s why I need you to contact the swing vote, Supervisor Anne Heidig immediately and urge her to vote “no” against any taxpayer funded Baseball Bailout.
Ann Heidig (Livingston):
540-850-9078
AHeidig@spotsylvania.va.us
And after you contact her, please contact Chairman Chris Yakabouski and Supervisor Gary Skinner too.
Chris Yakabouski (Battlefield):
540-424-1440
cyakabouski@spotsylvania.va.us
Gary Skinner (Lee Hill):
540-891-6610
Urge them to say “no” to outside consultants and vote “no” to the Baseball Stadium Bailout loan.
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