Here we go again

Bob Bratina and Sam Merulla are having yet another public email exchange this afternoon. For anyone keeping track, this is the third time they've had it out via email - the first was about the closure of US Steel last year, while the second was about the closure of the Lakeport Brewery in March.

This round started with this email from a constituent:

Dear councillors. 
I dearly hope that idea about the City of Hamilton buying the Ti-Cats was just a humorous joke. This city with its debt and deficit could not handle the Ti-Cats and the problems that come with it.   The best manager of the Ti-Cats and financial wizard who is also wealthy already runs the team, any one else has proven themselves incapable from the past. Please leave Mr. Young at that helm.

Sam Merulla responded and copied the city's media:

From: Merulla, Sam
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 2:14 PM
Subject: Re: Stadium!

We are in a situation where we will be spending well over 100 million dollars on a stadium for a tenant known as the Ti Cats who are being annually subsidized by the taxpayer over a million dollars a year. To add insult to injury this tenant is losing millions more a year even though they receive all revenues from their operation ie concession stands and parking, advertising and television revenue While the taxpayer pays all overhead related to the stadium. Whether you like it or not the City owns the team. The sad component is we receive absolutely no revenue from the Ti Cats. We would be better off mitigating the corporate welfare scenario by at least receiving some token of revenue from this fiasco. My wish would be to govern based on needs and not the wants of the elitists at the expense of the rest of us for their pet projects. This is why I believe the Pan Am stadium is the mother of all unfocused priorities which will lead to a legacy of subsidies for generations to come. Lastly there is absolutely no business case for this gross error in judgment for a project known as the Pan Am Games stadium. However we must make the best of a very bad decision.
Thank You,
Councillor Sam Merulla

Bob Bratina replied:

From: Bratina, Bob
Sent: Tue Jun 01 14:56:11 2010
Subject: RE: Stadium!

Councellor Merulla "enjoys ..... cheering for his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers." according to a Spectator article.  Would the Councillor take the same position if he was a member of Pittsburgh City Council?  The Steelers are worth a little bit more than the average CFL team,

PITTSBURGH -- Allegheny County Controller Mark Flaherty says the Pittsburgh Steelers may have to reimburse taxpayers for public money used to build Heinz Field if the team is sold. The new stadium opened in 2001 with the Steelers contributing about $76.5 million and state and county taxpayers paying $281 million.  To pay the coupon payments on the bonds Pittsburgh has increased taxes.These taxes iincreased taxes on staying in hotels,  ...........Analysts have put the franchise's value at between $800 million and $1.2 billion.

LUCAS OIL STADIUM INDIANAPOLIS  The total cost of Lucas Oil Stadium was $720 million. The stadium is being financed with funds raised by the State of Indiana and the City of Indianapolis, with the Indianapolis Colts providing $100 million. Marion County has raised taxes for food and beverage sales, auto excise taxes, innkeeper's taxes and admission taxes for its share of the costs. Meanwhile, there has been an increase in food and beverage taxes in the eight surrounding doughnut counties (with the exception of Morgan County) and the sale of Colts license plates.

FORD FIELD DETROIT  Ford Field was constructed  in 2002. It cost an estimated $430 million to build, financed largely through public money and the sale of the naming rights.

Merulla:

From: Merulla, Sam [mailto:Sam.Merulla@hamilton.ca]
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 3:08 PM
Subject: Re: Stadium!

That just makes me support the Steelers more due to the poor residents of Pittsburgh having to subsidize my NFL enjoyment. Being a life long fan of the Cats I believe we the people of Hamilton should own the Cats and I hope you will stand up for your residents. Even if its just this one time during your tenure.

Thanks Bob.

Btw. Are you not in a conflict due to your day job and CHML being the voice of the Ti Cats. We now know where your loyalty lies.

Furthermore I thought you didn't support the stadium. Oh but that's right! You have three positions on all issues which correspond with you personality.

Thank You,
Councillor Sam Merulla

Comments

[Markalanwhittle]

All I know is we will be paying for Councils collective mistakes for a generation or two, especially the preferred location for the Pan-Am Stadium. Sigh.

[Allison Gowling]

It is not just Merulla and Bratina, the entire Hamilton City Council is nothing more than a group of immature, childish and egomanical twits.

These pompous buffoons, who run around, all full of self-importance and flatulence, whing at, and fighting with, each other.

These cretins want their council colleagues to support all of their silly and crackpot ideas, but refuse to support any of their ideas.

The answer is move out ot Hamilton...maybe to an asylum.

Anyone who has the brains to lead the City of this morass is too smart to run for election, and those that do run, well, you have good company.

Allison Gowling

[Dan Jelly]

If we locked them in a cage together at the 50-yard line at Ivor Wynne and charged admission to watch them fight it out we'd have the new stadium paid for in no time.

With some creative side-betting we'd probably be able to afford to buy an LRT system, new marble for City Hall, and maybe even reconstruction of the mess they turned Centre Mall into.. ah but I digress..

Honestly I could do without either of these jokers on council.

[Realistic]

So the city finances the cats $1 Million per year. The owner recieves that and still loses money. So the logic given is we should own the team and get some revenue. My math may be out but doesn't the expenses come along with the revenue and we would then be shelling out even more money for the cats?!!!
Leave it in private hands and minimize taxpayers losses.

[Tom Robertson]

It's good to see these 2 clowns have time for this childishness and no city business to look after.

[steve sheen]

Us Hamiltonians are just sitting here wondering what happens next.Personally i think the city should be very thankfull that Bob Young is at the helm with Tiger Cats.

[Michelle Hruschka]

I read all the comments in the article and well, if My Young is such a financial wizard, then how come they are losing so much money.

I mean Mr Mreulla does have a point that it is the tax payers dollars that are subsidizing them and well he has a point about corporate welfare as well. No tax payer dollars, they would folded by now.

As an individual I like these little outbursts, becuase it gives us, the people a view into a world we would never see.

[Kathy Hagan]

Don't forget there will be an election this fall . If you want these kinds of antics at city Hall sit back and do nothing. The antics in and out of council chambers will continue and these clowns will be paid hefty sums for doing nothing but scoff down free dinners.

[Diva]

I find it somewhat laughable that Merulla discloses the fact that taxpayers are spending over 100 million dollars for a tenant that taxpayers subsidize millions more to for a tenant that loses millions of tax payers dollars and people have the nerve to bad mouth Merulla!! ?? You people obviously do not have the intelligence to focus on the substance of the issue and choose to personalize the issue. Thank God for Merulla for having the courage to stand up on behalf of the residents of this city even for those who take cheap shots. Shame on you all for not looking beyond your toes as you move forward.

Diva

[WRCU2]

I'll second that Diva and cheers to you too Michelle!

[Sarah]

I will third that Diva, Michelle and WRU2!! Or is that fourth it??

Durb

[Brendan]

Sam Merulla is a joke. Plain and simple. No wonder the city rarely accomplishes anything worthy--with co-workers like that, it's no wonder council is so dysfunctional!

[kathy Hagan]

I had e mail contact with Bob Bratina these past few days to point out that he had degenirated those of his constiuents who do not take part in the volunteer clean up of Corktown and shamrock park. { he said those who complain never show up to help. I felt that he had used the newsletter unfairly and pointed out that not all of us can volunteer nor do we condone tree and shrub planting by non park employees. Having a day to pick up litter is fine. Little did I know that I would be subjected to slanderous comments, he stated that I am Crazy, Drunk, and non contributer to the community. And so I have to feel some sympathy for Mr Merulla. It is my opinion because of the correspondence from Bratina that he has displayed disrespect and needs to curb his anger, and his huge ego. He has never met me yet as a taxpayer and constituent I was degenirated{ possibly because he reads the city hall blogs and does not care for my critique of him.}

[Tom Robertson]

Kathy...I got the same type of response from him a couple of years ago when I questioned him for going to the media to take credit for an extra GO train running out of the city in the morning. The truth to the story was that GO decided to use the TH&B station as an overnight parking lot creating the extra train to pull out. You still see the trains parked there over night.

[Kathy Hagan]

Tom R
Do you think you got that type of response because you had previously questioned him on his performance?
I have sent a letter to the Mayor about the e mails I have received but I do not hold my breath for a solution really.