[BrentCrude]

I don't have to ramble on like I sometimes do trying to drive a point home how something stinks in Denmark on this one.Roger Clemens salary is being subsidized by tax payers in the form of stadium taxes that are unconstitutional.This falls under taxation without representation.If the team was run like a business with shareholders and a board of directors and a balance sheet instead of being a rich man's government subsidised hobby Clemens would have to be paid what he's worth based on revenue from gate receipts,t.v.rights and sports memorabilia sales.He would probably be worth about 10 million when it's all said and done.

Yup,it's nice to know that some peon making $7 an hour buying an ice cream cone in Houston when it's 100 degrees and 100% humidity has to add a penny to the cost of the cone to pay Clemens his salary.

Then in many cases people are forced to sell their beautiful homes and thriving businesses under bogus eminent domain laws because a stadium will be built on their property.

[Santo]

24m is pro-rated over the whole season. He only gets $16m or so of that

[Mudcat]

In any case it's pretty crazy money for starting ~18 baseball games, no question.

I'm a little less offended about the victimized taxpayers angle. I find it's always easy to shake a fist at the government and shout, "You bastards!" - but governments are installed by voters and policy issues are very complex.

But, hey, maybe if I knew more specifics of what goes on in Houston, I'd be right there shaking my fist with you.

[Willie Bee]

Originally Posted by BrentCrude

He would probably be worth about 10 million when it's all said and done.

You might be right, but I'm interested in how you came up with the $10 million figure?

The stadium financing issue passed in a vote across Harris County in Nov 1996 by a fairly slim margin. Don't recall the exact numbers, but would throw out something like 51.9% in favor and 48.1% against. A big chunk of the money comes from hotel and rental car taxes, i.e., out-of-towner money.

I was in favor of a simple, above board sales tax increase that would have involved multiple counties. No way that was ever going to pass, but that's what I was in favor of. The greater Houston area sprawls over several counties, and it's amazing to me how people in Ft. Bend, Waller and Brazoria, just to name three on the west side of Harris, don't want to have anything to do with Harris County except drive into work and earn their paychecks. It's always someone else's duty to keep the roads up in Harris County that they use, for example.

The part about the stadium that chapped my backside more than anything else was watching Drayton McLane and the Astros pocket all of the stadium naming rights dough.

[priceperheadexpert]

The Stones go through the far east..pocket oodles and oodles of cash..Play 15 gigs and get fat..Roger goes out, with his right arm throwing flames, with pressure from fans and critics of the game, and makes big $$$ and thats a problem??Tom Cruise makes 40 for War Of The Worlds..a stupid remake..please..Roger is da man..He earns every $$$..

[bigboydan]

Originally Posted by Mudcat

In any case it's pretty crazy money for starting ~18 baseball games, no question.

what do you mean pretty crazy. it's absolutely fvcking outragous.

he might be a great pitcher and all, but theres no way he's worth that to work basicly 1 day a week.

[priceperheadexpert]

BIGBOY..water seeks its own level..if you were Clemens and this was offerred to you, come on..the dollars are there..clubs generate what is called revenue..this team was in the series last year..major league properties is big biz..Clemens jerseys..its NUTS!!

[BrentCrude]

If baseball teams and stadiums were run like companies they would have to pay dividends to their shareholders who invested in the team and stadium etc.There would be no more public taxpayer dollars financing the team to inflate or boost the teams revenue artificially to pay the bloated make believe salaries.

Then if the team didn't get any government tax payer subsidies like all companies,farmers and private individuals shouldn't in a libertarian true free market government-economic system shouldn't receive,Clemens tax burden on his 10 million dollar salary would be a few hundred thousand dollars at most.

I believe in a small frugal government that provides bare bones essential services and taxes and regulates very little.