Joe Heldmann is quite right in his recent letter to the editor questioning whether public funds should be spent on stadium improvements for the Orioles and Ravens (“Why pay for stadium upgrades with public funds?” June 13).
Public funds like lottery proceeds and taxes should be used for things that benefit the citizens in general, not a small cadre of sports fans. If the Orioles (who aren’t quite the worst team in Major League Baseball but in the proverbial ballpark) need improvements to Camden Yards, then the team owners should be paying for those via amortization of fees on ticket prices.
This is especially true in times of tight budgets such as now when we are forced to cut funds that are needed by education and other critical services. To spend public money on a stadium improvement that only benefits a very small number of citizens who choose to enjoy an optional and non-critical activity while we cut teachers salaries or don’t give them the raises that are needed to enable them to live a reasonably comfortable life?
Or delay critical infrastructure improvements that benefit everyone? That would be extremely poor fiscal management.
— Bob Rassa, Fallston
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