In 1996, voters in Hamilton County approved an increase of half of one percent in the sales tax that promised to build and maintain stadiums for the Bengals and the Reds, pay Cincinnati’s public schools and give homeowners an annual property tax rebate. The stadiums were supposed to spur development of the city’s dilapidated riverfront.
But sales tax receipts have fallen so fast in the last year that the county is now scrambling to bridge a $14 million deficit in its sales tax fund. The public schools, which deferred taking their share for years, want their money.
The teams have not volunteered to rewrite their leases. So in the coming weeks, the county plans to cut basic services, lower its legal bills and drain a bond reserve fund with no plan for paying it back.
Setting aside the fact that public funds are being used to create a system where more people sit on their ass and WATCH sports, instead of creating a system where more people get off their ass and PLAY sports, I fail to see any reason why public funds should be used in order to make private citizens wealthier.
Seriously, people who allow their entire week to revolve around what millionaires do on Sunday need to get a grip. But if that’s what they choose to do then whatever. There is no reason that I need to be forced to subsidize this behavior and help make Ziggy Milf richer however.
Changes from 2008 to 2009 include the narrower rear spoiler, more simplistic front wing specification, removal of air control devices from the car nose and body and the allowance of the use of slick tires.
The FIA controls numerous aspects of Formula One car design.
The slick tires will dramatically increase the cars ability to adhere to the road as compared to the grooved tires used last year. But the mandatory restriction or removal of air control wings and devices will result in an overall loss of performance in cornering.
The goal for 2009 was reducing the role of aerodynamics in the cars’ performance; making overtaking easier; and keeping lap times in check.
Making the cars less attractive seems to be an added benefit…
UPDATE 1.26.09: Image courtesy Clip the Apex. Click through for more F1 images and news.
Someone just chatted me up about this topic, so here it is.
Ferrari is the first to display their new F1 car for 2009 incorporating the changes that the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) have demanded for the coming race season.
Yuck!
The slick tires are pretty cool, the front wing is interesting, but that rear spoiler? Horrible, horrible, horrible…it looks like a toy.
Maybe when there are 20 of those things going around the track it will look ok…probably not though.
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