More losses for Abbotsford taxpayers, thanks to their boneheaded corporate welfare contract with the Calgary Flames. Abbotsford has been bailing out the American Hockey League Heat for several years now, and 2012-13’s bill is now in.
According to the Abbotsford News, local taxpayers were on the hook for $1.66 million.
Total Abbotsford subsidy to the team is now at $5.4 million in just four years:
And there are still six years left on the deal. That’s on top of a double-digit, 20-year tax increase to fund three projects—a 7,000 seat arena, a community rec centre and a cultural centre. Originally projected to be $85 million, overruns ballooned the cost to more than $112 million. An Abbotsford property owner with a $500,000 house paid $165.61 last year just for the construction cost of those three facilities—let alone all the subsidies.
Next year will be even worse, as the News reports Heat attendance is down more than third. Property taxpayers could be on the hook for a tab north of $2 million next year.
I blogged this last year, but it bears repeating: These are millions that could have been spent on kids’ sports programs, critical infrastructure, public safety or left in taxpayers’ pockets. Instead, it went to professional hockey players and a private business. Corporate welfare, period.
Is Canada Off Track?
Canada has problems. You see them at gas station. You see them at the grocery store. You see them on your taxes.
Is anyone listening to you to find out where you think Canada’s off track and what you think we could do to make things better?
You can tell us what you think by filling out the survey