Want to Pay a Tax on Twins and Wild Jerseys to Pay for Vikings Stadium?

Do you want to pay sales tax on Twins, Wild and Timberwolves sports memorabilia and licensed clothing to help the State of Minnesota raise money to build the new Vikings stadium?

E-pulltab revenues to fund the new Minnesota Vikings stadium have fallen short, so the Minnesota House of Representatives Taxes Committee is considering a new tax on sales of sports-related items to help fill the gap.

Watch the House committee debate the issue at its Wednesday meeting starting at 12:30 p.m. above or at TheUpTake.org.

The bill (see PDF) by Rep. Ann Lenczewski (DFL-Bloomington) would tax "'Sports memorabilia' ... items available for sale to the public that are sold under a license granted by any professional sports league or a team that is a franchise of a professional sports league ... including: 

1. one-of-a-kind items related to sports figures, teams, or events;
2. trading cards;
3. photographs;
4. clothing;
5. sports event licensed items;
6. sports equipment; and
7. similar items.

According to MPR News Stadium Watch, Lenczewski's bill "would also tax suites, skyboxes and other 'other similar facilities in stadiums and arenas,' as well as personal seat license sales. That’s likely to spark another battle—it could have well-heeled ticket holders for the Wild, the Timberwolves and the Twins subsidizing the Vikings stadium across town. ... She thinks her tax proposal could bring in a total of $15 to $20 million per biennium."

Should Minnesota tax all pro sports memorabilia and clothing to pay for the Vikings stadium? Share your comment below.