The first two propositions on the Nov. 8th ballot for Arlington, Texas voters are financing options for a proposed Billion dollar stadium to replace the 22 year old stadium which is home to the Texas Rangers. Mayor Jeff Williams proposed replacing the stadium immediately after his election last year. All members of the City Council signed on to his proposal. It is being “sold” to the voters as a “No New Tax” proposition with a 50%/50% cost split between the team and city. However, WFAA Channel 8 has presented documentation that shows the split is 75% cost to the municipality (Arlington citizens) and 25% to the team.
Clik here to view.
The hometown team is popular in Arlington. The initiative would probably pass without misrepresentation of the deal by the Mayor and the “Vote Yes” proponents. Little is known on the street about what is truly in the agreement between the City and the Rangers except for the coverage by WFAA’s Investigative Reporting Team. When WFAA drilled down into the contracts they disclosed that when the City says that the cost is a 50% /50% split the city fails to include big dollar tax revenue streams which the City is granting to the Team to help retire the Team’s share of the cost. Also, they do not include the naming rights which goes totally to the team nor the interest on the 30 year note which is assumed by the city.
Mayor Williams stands by his numbers, yet cannot show where the items outlined by WFAA are incorrect.
I was acutely aware that the Mayor and VOTE YES group were lying to us each time we received a mailer saying that there would be “NO NEW TAXES” required to finance the proposed new stadium. If there were no new taxes required, there would not be a need for ballot propositions! We have paid off the Cowboy Stadium taxes. Deciding to allocate the same amount of tax revenue to another project is a NEW TAX. When we pay off our car and decide to buy a new one, we have a NEW CAR NOTE,even if it is the same amount we paid on our previous car note. Should we decide to build a new stadium we will be voting for NEW TAXES!
However, this is Arlington and the Rangers are our Hometown Team. The citizens of Arlington would probably vote to approve the stadium even if we think our present stadium is one of the best in the nation, which it is. It would even pass if most folks thought that 22 years is not long enough for a stadium to become obsolete (which it isn’t).
Some of the things that haven’t been discussed include projections of new ticket pricing. The new stadium will have fewer seats, cost over 5 times the cost of the current stadium, and have higher maintenance cost (A/C vs open air). It does not require a skilled accountant to estimate that if this funding proposal is approved, the cost of tickets will probably increase between 4 to 6 times their current rate. The team will not be able to increase profitability by filling more seats so they will have to increase ticket and concession pricing to retain their current level of profitability. I’ve heard some people mention that they’d enjoy an air conditioned stadium. I wonder if most of them will be able to “enjoy” it if the ticket and/or concession cost escalates 5 times the current price? I know many people who were regular attendees of Dallas Cowboy games while the team played in Irving but who are not able to afford to attend the games at the new stadium here in Arlington because the cost is prohibitive. The Cowboy’s stadium is a much larger venue that their stadium in Irving. The Rangers will be slightly smaller than the current one. Will the Rangers be able to attract an equivalent fan base at 5 times the cost to make it profitable? Will this be the end of working folks taking their children to the Ranger’s baseball games? We see few families taking their children to the Cowboys games now that the ticket cost is much higher.
Now there is concern about violations of election code during Early Voting. I voted yesterday at the Arlington Sub Court House. I was pleased to see long lines. This is the first time I have encountered long lines at any election since 2008. Voters are engaged this year and they are showing up to vote and they are voting early. I noticed that several people in line to vote were wearing Ranger Tee Shirts or Ranger caps. I felt it was merely an oversight. In Arlington wearing Ranger garb is everyday dress for most folks. Most probably didn’t think about the prohibitions against wearing a logo or insignia of any entity or candidate, measure or political party on the ballot when they dressed that morning. None of the election officials were attempting to restrict Ranger garb from the voting site. The distance marker at this voting site is in the parking lot outside of the building. The entire sub court house is within the distance marker where no electioneering is to occur.
I was not disturbed until I grew closer to the entrance of the voting site. We were in line and there were ropes set up to direct us to go to the far wall and “snake” back toward the entrance to the room with the voting machines. On the wall inside those ropes where every voter has to go to enter the room to vote was a very nice, professional photo exhibition of the history of the Arlington Entertainment District. The first couple of photos were of the old Arlington Downs Race Track. The next one was the “old” Ballpark at Arlington Stadium which was torn down when the Public Private Partnership between the City and Rangers financed the current stadium 22 years ago. Then there were four photos of the current stadium. At a different time or at a place where voters are not entering to vote on a ballot where the first two measures are financing options for construction a new stadium for the Rangers, this photo exhibit would be appropriate. However, in this place at this time, it violates the Texas Election Code.
Clik here to view.
I mentioned the problem with having that exhibit with pictures of the Ranger Stadium there inside the ropes where voters are waiting to enter the voting room to the election clerk at the door. He went to the Election Judge and told her. When I got to her, I spoke with her and she said that she was going right now “to refer it to the Constable.” She said, “I’ll have the constable speak with you as you before you leave.”
Constable Bowers was on-duty. I had seen him at the beginning of the line. I had noticed that he had not stopped or spoken with any of the voters who were wearing Ranger Garb. He was very polite and asked “What can I do for you?” I told him that the photo exhibit with the history of the Rangers stadiums in Arlington hanging on that wall inside the distance marker while voters are considering the Stadium funding measures is illegal. I told him that the photos should be covered up or removed until after the election is over. He said: “I cannot do that. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
I knew the election law. I knew this was a violation. I knew that there was no difference between showing the history of the Ranger Stadium as voters entered to vote on a proposed Ranger’s Funding Measure than it would be to have photos of Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump from childhood through their careers posted there in the voting site. I was frustrated.
I came home. I decided to send an e-mail to the County Judge. If the Constable didn’t think he had authority to move or cover up a photo exhibit hanging in a County Court House, perhaps the County Judge will intervene. Actually, the Election Judge has the authority. At a polling place within the distance marker, an Election Judge in Texas has that authority. When I got up this morning I phoned the County Election Administrator. He (and his assistant) were at Commissioner’s Court. I phoned the County Judge’s Administrator. She said she would see that the Judge saw my e-mail as soon as he came in. I spoke to an employee at the County Elections office and told her that it appears that the Election’s Office has failed to point out to Early Voting Election Judges/Clerks that wearing Ranger’s Garb during this particular election is prohibited because of the measures on the ballot. During early voting a citizen can vote in any early voting site in the county. Therefore, since Arlington citizens may vote at any of the Early Voting sites, there should not be any logos or insignia of the Team on display or worn within the distance markers at ANY EARLY VOTING SITE IN TARRANT COUNTY.
I cannot say for sure that having this particular photo exhibit hanging on that particular wall in the Arlington Sub Court House at this particular time was deliberate. However, it is highly possible that it was a strategic move. The Arlington Sub Court House is always one of Tarrant County’s largest turn-out early voting sites. Early Voting always is held in that same room. The wall selected for the photo exhibit was the outside wall of the room where early voting is held. Because of the way the ropes are set-up directing traffic flow, every voter must walk the entire length of the wall with the photo exhibit before entering the room to vote.
The wording on the flyers and ads saying “NO NEW TAXES” made me suspicious.
Learning that the financing is not a 50%/50% split between the team and municipality disturbs me.
Seeing the failure of election officials to attempt to restrict wearing Ranger garb inside early voting sites is frustrating because I know that candidates and political party logos and insignias are restricted. Knowing the Election Judge and Constable at the early voting site refused to cover or remove the photos with Rangers logos and photos of the stadiums from within the early voting site alarms me. I hope that Judge Whitley and/or the Election Administrator will act promptly to rectify this violation of the election code.
Do I think that these photos will change many minds on the measures? Not really. However, there is a principal of fairness. I see this as an assault on a very important value of our American system. We treat all issues on a ballot fairly. As election officials, we do not show preference to any measure, candidate or party on the ballot, not even Arlington’s Home Town Team for America’s National Sport.
Faith Chatham is a resident of the Arlington Entertainment District who lives 5 blocks due west of the Cowboy Stadium and 8 blocks due west of the Ranger’s Stadium. Both the Cowboy’s and Ranger’s stadiums and the site for the proposed new stadium are in her voting precinct.