No Peanuts, No CrackerjacksI love baseball, but I have mixed feelings about the proposal to spend $338 million of the public's money to bring the Montreal Expos to Washington. If the yahoos who run our city can float a bond to build a new baseball stadium, why can't they find the money to improve schools, offer prescription drug coverage to those who need it, fund child care, provide low-income housing, or even keep the friggin' Metro escalators working? Here's one baseball fan who would LOVE a team here in town, but I'm appalled by Mayor Williams' proposal to give away local assets and tax dollars to fatten the wallets of the wealthy Major League Baseball team owners, politicians, real estate insiders – and all of their friends.
Now is the time to speak out about the proposed baseball spending. On Thursday, June 12, the DC City Council's Committee on Finance and Revenue will hold a hearing on financing a Major League Baseball team at 10 a.m. at the Wilson Building. You can sign up to testify by calling Jack Evans, chairman of the committee, at 202/727-8058. Or make your voice heard outside the Wilson Building at a protest rally sponsored by Washington Innercity Self Help (WISH) – same day and time!
You can also help out on a project to educate the public about the real costs of baseball. WISH will be leafleting high-traffic areas as well as dropping literature door-to-door in some neighborhoods, including those around the proposed stadium site on New York Avenue. On Saturday, May 31 and June 7, at 12:30 p.m., meet at the WISH office, 1419 V St. NW, near the U Street Metro station. Please contact Parisa at WISH, 202/332-8800, or send an e-mail to let them know you will be helping..
