20 Alternatives to $20 Million Luxury Stadium Spending

“Do you support Florida State or do you not?”

— Mayor John Dailey

That was the frame given by Mayor John Dailey when the controversial vote was called to divert $20 million dollars of penny sales tax away from economic development goals to subsidize luxury stadium improvements at the university.

Many Commissioners cried foul— and rightfully so. To many that attended, graduated and continue to support Florida State, that wasn’t the choice at all. It really came down to priorities for this limited amount of money.

Here are 20 alternatives for spending $20 Million Dollars.

• Affordable Housing: 300 units/ deposit or rent assistance to 20,000 families/ path to home ownership.

• Small Business Loans and Grants: $50k in assistance to 400 small, local, minority owned startups.

• Improve Public Safety:

• Sidewalks: We could build the next 10 years of sidewalk projects immediately— over 60 projects.

• Expand Youth Activities:

• Business Recruitment: Recruit dozens of companies that create good paying jobs like Danfoss Turbocor.

• Neighborhood Pocket Parks

• Implementing our Urban Forest Master Plan

• Expediting Transition to Renewable Energy

• Youth Sports-Multiplex

• Launch a Municipal Broadband Network

• Feed Hungry Children

• Create Jobs

• Expand our Fire and ALS Services

• Municipal Water Park

• Become an Arts and Culture Destination

• Create an accessible and walkable Downtown

• Reduce Taxes

We all have different priorities and its okay to think luxury stadium improvements aren’t the best use of our tax dollars. It’s dishonest and, frankly, disrespectful to frame this debate as a simple for or against when we have so much need in our community that these resources could be used to address. We should reject this proposal in its current form and come together as a community to decide how these funds can best be spent toward a prosperous future for all of Tallahassee.