Unequal Tax Treatment for Sports

Re “Cities vs. Team Owners: Time to Play Hardball,” by George Skelton, Feb. 10.

It may come as no surprise to major league sports fans and local government officials that more and more cities are being forced to spend millions to keep their sports teams in town. But what I find unbelievable is that some professional sports can expect and enjoy heavy subsidization, while at the same time others are burdened with extra taxes and high fees.

Your article focused on basketball, which employs 5,000 people in this state. But, horse racing employs 30,000 Californians and generates more than $3 billion a year for the state’s economy--almost triple that of any other professional sport in California!

And what do the owners, breeders, veterinarians, trainers, jockeys and agribusinesses receive in return? The highest excise tax rate in the nation.

As cities fuss over spending tens of millions to keep their teams in town, we ought to keep in mind that by simply providing an equitable tax structure we can save our largest professional sport from moving out of California altogether.

RALPH SCURFIELD, Chairman

California Horse Racing Board

Sacramento

* I applaud Skelton and Peter H. King (Feb. 9) for their columns about taxpayers’ money going to support privately owned sports enterprises.

The reasoning of both columnists clearly applies to the giveaway deal for a new arena near the Convention Center approved by the City Council and supported by The Times. The many citizens who agree with the opinions of Skelton and King can only hope that the mayor, the council and The Times will reconsider. As Skelton put it: “This isn’t about economic development; it’s about entertainment, insecurity and ego.” And, he might add, greed.

IRWIN ROSTEN

Los Angeles

* Regarding “A New Coliseum Could Lure Impressive Payoffs,” by Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, Commentary, Feb. 3:

I as a taxpayer and a resident of Los Angeles cannot understand why we need a new sports arena, and a new Coliseum. We have a sports arena that may need refurbishing, but I refuse to pay for another one just so the Los Angeles Lakers can have special boxes for the owners.

Now officials wish to mortgage my and every other citizen’s grandchildren’s future on another Coliseum. We have one and we just paid many millions of dollars to refurbish it. Now we need another? Instead of finding ways to frivolously spend our tax dollars, council members should find ways of retaking our streets from the gangs, making our schools safe from gangs and giving the citizens the safety and enjoyment of life that the city is supposed to provide.

For any large outlay of money, such as a new Coliseum or a new arena, there should be a vote of the people who will have to pay for it.

GILBERT SMITH

Encino