Zygi Wilf Embroiled In Dirt-Related Controversy

Oct 7, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell greets Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf prior to the game between the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Is Zygi Wilf making out like an evil masked bandit in his deal to get a property tax break in exchange for storing Metrodome dirt on parking lots he happens to own?

Some people in Minnesota seem to think so.

The deal sounds to me like the normal sort of stuff that goes on any time business and politics mix, but I’ll let you decide for yourself.

Here are the pertinent details:

A whole bunch of dirt left over from the demolition of the Metrodome needed to be stored some place so it could be re-used as fill on the new stadium site.

Zygi Wilf happens to own a bunch of parking lots in the vicinity of the construction site, so it was an easy matter to dump the dirt on those lots.

Here’s the part that has some people upset. The state of Minnesota struck a deal with Wilf so that he won’t have to pay any property taxes on the lots while the dirt is being stored there.

All told, the deal will reportedly save Zygi $90,000.

In some people’s eyes, this is just another example of Zygi taking the people of Minnesota to the cleaners.

Never mind that the plan to store and reuse the dirt is reportedly saving $1 million on construction costs.

So, the parking lot dirt storage scheme saves money on the taxpayer funded construction operation, plus Zygi gets a little tax break in the deal.

A rich person got a tax break? OH MY GOD NOOOOO.

Honestly, how do people think these things work? Do they think stadiums get built by magical fairies that descend from heaven sprinkling stardust?

Getting outraged by Wilf gaming the system is like suddenly being mad about racism because of Donald Sterling.

Hey, did you know racism existed before Donald Sterling and will continue to exist after Donald Sterling is dead?

Did you know guys like Zygi Wilf become very rich by knowing how to take advantage of people, including elected representatives?

It’s called capitalism, and it’s a sausage factory. The results are delicious but the process…pretty disgusting.

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