Friday, September 30, 2005

Arena, Schmerena

Our gas and electric company, LG&E, announced yesterday that they have to pass along higher natural gas prices from their suppliers.  Naturally, they're passing the increase on to us.  The increase is expected to be 64%.  Translated, if your LG&E bill was $84 before, after the increase effective November 1, your bill will be $144.  I guess I shouldn't be complaining too much.  Things are worse across the river.  My dear friend MP said that his gas and electric company announced a 70% increase in their rates this fall and winter.  In a supposed unrelated event, LG&E will be moving their downtown transmission substation so the new @#$%ing U of L basketball arena can be built on the LG&E property.  Incidental, or coincidental?  You tell me.  

The proposed arena is expected to cost approximately $300 million, most of which I'm sure will be covered by us picking up the tab.  Our Governor and Mayor both say there is "new money" to pay for the arena;  well, I'm sure there is - new money out of our pockets in the form of higher taxes.

Most of the people you talk with here in Louisville are against a new arena.  If our tax dollars are going to be used for some new project, then let the new project be something that more people would benefit from - like improvements to the roads and highways.  They've been talking about building a new bridge for years, but they can't decide on where to put it.  But they sure decided real quick about this new arena.  It just makes no sense.  A basketball arena for a college team should be on or within walking distance of the college campus - not across town from the college.  The city couldn't get a pro basketball team to commit to coming here, so they were damned and determined to get a new arena any way.   I could not care less, just as long as they leave Slugger Field alone.

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