Taxpayers have a top player on their team

When it comes to thankless jobs, Mike Weinstein probably has the No. 1 spot.Jacksonville taxpayers had better hope he also is No. 1 in job performance.Weinstein is negotiating with the Jacksonville Jaguars over how much the city’s residents will pay as their share of the new football stadium.The cost of the stadium probably will be at least $1.4 million overall.No matter what the final figure negotiated, the city’s share will have to be approved by the City Council.Also, no matter what the final figure, a lot of people are going to complain that it is too much – especially people who are not football fans.There’s no denying that having a professional football team in the city provides an economic boost. But the actual cost-benefit ratio is difficult to calculate.The Jags pay about $3 million a year in rent for the stadium. One suggestion is that the city help pay for the new stadium by just forgiving the rent but if the city’s share is $600 million that would mean the Jags would get paid over a period of 200 years. Chances are they wouldn’t sign up for that.Our own contribution was to suggest just giving the team the stadium if the team’s demands are too high and they won’t budge. It would then be a capital asset they could sell to new owners if they should leave – or they might refuse the deal, pack up and leave.It wouldn’t be unprecedented for an NFL team to own its stadium. And the taxpayers would not have to face rebuilding one every 30 years or so.Weinstein is a good pick for the job of haggling over money. He has been in local government forever, it seems. He is a lawyer and has been a prosecutor, chief financial officer for the city, head of the Kids Hope Alliance and a legislator. He also led the team that brought the Super Bowl to Jacksonville.Eye on Jacksonville wishes him well — and doesn’t envy his position.

Lloyd Brown

Lloyd was born in Jacksonville. Graduated from the University of North Florida. He spent nearly 50 years of his life in the newspaper business …beginning as a copy boy and retiring as editorial page editor for Florida Times Union. He has also been published in a number of national newspapers and magazines, as well as Internet sites. Married with children. Military Vet. Retired. Man of few words but the words are researched well, deeply considered and thoughtfully written.

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