Taxpayers should not pay for the Mall of America

Published Friday, April 13, 2007

Should taxpayers be asked to foot the bill for a new parking garage at the Mall of America? That’s the question lawmakers in St. Paul were wrestling with this week as they considered a bill that would let the city of Bloomington levy special taxes to help fund the mall expansion. Our view is that taxpayer financing of profitable private projects is simply not necessary.

The mall’s advocates say that public financing is necessary if they are to expand one of the state’s top tourist attractions. But the real need is far from proven.

Indeed, if the mall’s expansion makes economic sense, it should not need taxpayer support. If it does not make sense, neither the taxpayers or anyone else should be paying for it. The matter is similar to the construction of pro sports stadiums — deals in which mega-rich owners often talk governments into footing part of the bill.

The proposed mall taxes would be on sales and lodging in Bloomington, so they would hit residents of that city hardest.

But make no mistake, Bloomington’s core location as a Minnesota shopping and entertainment district would effectively extend the tax to many who only visit the city, and who would reap few, if any, of the benefits of a mall expansion. They would be much better off if the same tax money were dedicated to K-12 education.

Giving special taxpayer financing to a for-profit mall project simply doesn’t make sense.