Tax on athletes might be 'golden goose'

The thought of public assistance to build a baseball stadium for the Twins' billionaire owner goes against the grain of many taxpayers.

Carl Pohlad should pay for the majority of the ballpark. If the state wants, it could lend him the balance of the funds. But why should the state lend a banker money?

Maybe the state doesn't realize that its tax on out-of-state pros who play here can reduce the cost of an outdoor ballpark.

In June, the Wall Street Journal reported that Texas shortstop Alex Rodriguez, the highest paid player in baseball, will pay about $524,000 in taxes this year to states and cities of the teams the Rangers play on the road.

The Journal reported that Rodriguez is an example of why tax collectors look forward to pro athletes competing in their states and cities. In the past decade, the Journal reported, two dozen states and cities have begun collecting taxes on the wages that non-resident athletes and entertainers earn when they visit to perform.

And, thanks to baseball's unbalanced schedule this season, Rodriguez will play 25 games in California, where he will be charged one of the nation's highest tax rates. By the end of the season, he will pay $330,100 to California.

The Journal reported that California's take last year from professional athletes was about $94 million, a threefold increase in just five years.

"I think we've identified the golden goose," Pat Hill of the California Franchise Tax Board told the Journal.

Rodriguez will pay Maryland $41,000 for six games in Baltimore, Ohio $35,000 for three games in Cleveland, Minnesota $33,400 for three games in Minneapolis and Missouri $29,800 for three games in Kansas City.

But, A-Rod pays nothing in state taxes for any of the Rangers' 81 home games because Texas has no personal income tax.

According to the Journal, Greg Maddux will pay $54,600 for 10 games in Philadelphia, Shaquille O'Neal paid $36,400 for two games in Minneapolis, Peter Forsberg paid $18,650 for two games in Columbus, Ohio, Kevin Garnett paid $18,200 for one game in Cleveland and Ray Lewis paid $16,500 for one game in Pittsburgh.

Notable

-- Brainerd High School graduate Todd Koering has been hired as an assistant men's basketball coach at North Dakota State University. Koering was an assistant at Southwest State University in Marshall the last four seasons.

-- Mike Rouse, who played for the Mighty Gulls in 1999 and part of 2000, was drafted in the fifth round by the Toronto Blue Jays.

-- Ron Stolski, Brainerd Warriors head football coach, was one of the charter members inducted into the Patrick Henry High School Hall of Fame in Minneapolis June 12.

-- Willmar High School has hired Steve Grove as its boys' basketball coach, replacing Mike Hanson who resigned following last season. Grove has been the Cardinals' sophomore coach for four years.

-- John Erickson, boys' hockey coach at Sartell, and his four assistant coaches resigned June 27 under pressure. Sartell was 5-17-1 in its first season in the Central Lakes Conference.

-- Tim Knudsen, former head football coach at St. Cloud Cathedral, is the new head coach at St. Cloud Apollo. He replaces Jim Wagner, whose Eagles teams were 14-33 in the last five seasons.

-- Ryan Morse, 2001 St. Cloud Tech graduate, has signed a national letter of intent to play baseball at Southwest State University in Marshall. The left-hander was 6-0 with a 1.74 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 51 innings last spring.

-- Leland and Logan Brincefield of Wadena-Deer Creek were named to the academic all-state wrestling team by the Guillotine.

Leland was 38-1 last season and won the 112-pound Class AA title. He is a three-time state placewinner. His grade-point average is 3.76.

Logan is a three-time state placewinner. He went 27-1 and won the Class AA 119-pound title last season. He has a 98-36 career record and a GPA of 3.66.

-- Nate Miller of Little Falls was named to the Minnesota Basketball News Class 3A boys' all-state team. Miller, who averaged 25.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists, has signed with St. Cloud State University.

Area girls receiving all-state honorable mention were Nacole Carlson, Pillager; Kerby Johnson, Wadena-Deer Creek; Sarah Laposky, Pine River-Backus; and Rachel Davich, Little Falls.

Area boys receiving honorable mention were Lee Roberts, Pillager; Jeff Brever, Staples-Motley; Matt Schiller, W-DC; and Justin Kelley, PR-B.