The difference is people that need help can't get it, and the people that don't do. And everyone else pays their bill.
Yeah, I think $22 million could be better used than lining the richest family in the state's pockets. **** me, right?
I appreciate your desire for fairness, and compassion for the poor, but I think you don't understand how the rda tax increment works.
The story that SLC is taking 22 million out of a fund for homeless or hungry and handing it to Greg Miller is completely false. To suggest anything close to that narrative displays a complete misunderstanding of how a tax increment rda operates. The 22 million does not come out of an existing budget, no SLC program will be cut, no program for helping the poor or any member of the citzenrary will be cut.
From the sltrib..."The plan, which will be presented to the Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency (RDA) on Tuesday, calls for Larry H. Miller Sports (LHM) to initially foot the entire bill for the renovation. But then LHM is asking the city to funnel 40 percent of new property taxes the company pays for the arena — up to $22.7 million — back to it over a period of 25 years."
https://www.sltrib.com/news/3993285-155/utah-jazz-will-ask-slc-for
The 22 million will never exist if the arena expansion doesn't happen.
If the millers spend 100+ million to improve the arena they will pay more in taxes because of the increased valuation of the property. Roughly 56.75 million more in taxes over 25 years, this in addition to the taxes they already pay on the Arena. The rda allows the millers to revive a refund of 40% of the taxes they will pay on the increased value. They still pay 60% of the taxes.
The city will participate because it recognizes that increasing the property value of the arena keeps the property values high in the area around the arena. Again, a reminder property taxes are based on property values, so higher property means more tax revenue. Also, property values have two components 1- land value and 2- building value.
Now suppose the rda does not exist, and the arena is left as is. The value of the building will actually begin to decrease as it goes deeper into its useful life. The land value might increase, but it might also decrease depending on valuations and land sales in the area. The overall tax revenue for the arena and the area is very likely to decrease. The rda investment actually protects the tax revenue in the area by keeping land and building valuations high.