ndrosen

As I was riding the shuttle bus to the Metro station on Wednesday, the radio announcer was announcing that Virginia’s Governor Glenn Youngkin might soon speak. Then I heard the Governor proclaim that agreement had been reached, and that a sports stadium would be built at Potomac Yards, providing a place for the Capitals and the Wizards to play. I was skeptical, and a little online searching showed that it was proposed to give the team owners major tax breaks. A Republican state Senator, Mark J. Peake, was quoted saying that he disapproved of giving billionaires a half billion dollars in special tax breaks. At least there I are some Republicans left, who, unlike our Republican Governor, seem still to believe in fiscal responsibility.

I emailed my own state Senator, Barbara Favola, and Delegate, Alfonso Lopez, both of whom are Democrats, that I opposed government subsidies or special tax breaks for billionaire team owners, and that was before I read this piece by Ilya Somin, which gives a figure of over a billion dollars in proposed state and local government subsidies.

I voted against Youngkin even though I was far from delighted with his Democratic opponent, and now I have further reason to disapprove of him.