One week the Wall government is calling for cuts to health care and education spending in order to balance the budget, and the next it is pondering a new dome for the Roughriders. Confused? Apparently so are they. For guidance on how to proceed with the dome issue, the government should turn to taxpayers by holding a referendum.
Certainly the Riders are an important Saskatchewan institution, but should an expensive new dome come during a time of government belt tightening? Moreover, even if the government wasn’t running a deficit, shouldn't taxpayers have some say in such luxurious spending decisions? The answer of course is “yes.”
If the government has $430 million kicking around (no pun intended), the ideal approach would be to give it back to taxpayers and let those who want a new football stadium donate or invest their share in the project. Obviously those who have other priorities could use the money as they please. Ultimately, we would see just how much interest there really is in building a new facility.
Alternatively, the province should hold a province-wide referendum on the stadium issue before any public dollars are committed.
That way, voters across the province could have a say in how their dollars are spent.
The first option on the ballot should be to get another ten years out of Mosaic Stadium by spending $6 million to repair it. This could be funded entirely by Rider fans through a $2.50 ticket fee over the next decade.
Option two would be the $430 million dome option. This choice would note how much each level of government contributes (City of Regina, Provincial and Federal governments), as well as how much the private sector is contributing.
A third choice could be a new open air stadium and would again note contributions from each level of government and the private sector
Some critics will undoubtedly say that we elect politicians to make these decisions for us. However, Moose Jaw residents recently voted on an arena project and University of Toronto students cast ballots on their stadium expansion not long ago. Why can't Saskatchewanians have more say in determining how tax dollars are spent?
Other critics will argue that if people vote to simply repair Mosaic Stadium we'll be back with the same issue in our laps ten years from now when more repairs are required. On the other hand, this also gives domed stadium boosters a decade to raise the funds necessary for their complex from the private sector.
Further, imagine if Notre Dame Fighting Irish fans or Boston Red Sox fans had simply ditched their iconic facilities decades ago. They never would have become the classics they are today.
Is Mosaic Stadium a classic? Perhaps not, but should this option win in a referendum it shows Rider fans are more interested in what's happening on the field than where they watch it.
One thing is for certain, the dome debate could do with a healthy injection of democracy before moving forward.
Colin Craig, Prairie Director
