December 25, 2007 -- "They are still by far paying more in luxury tax than any other franchise in major league baseball, but at least the Yankees can appreciate the fact their bill continues to decrease.
According to figures obtained by the Associated Press, the Yanks owe $23.88 million to the commissioner's office in luxury tax for 2007, marking the second straight year their tax bill has dropped.
In computing the luxury tax, the commissioner's office takes the average values of contracts for 40-man rosters and adds benefits.
The threshold for last season was $148 million - teams are taxed at 40 percent for every dollar spent above that number. With a payroll of $207.7 million, the Yankees had $59.7 million on which they could be taxed."
The luxury tax works on the premise that teams with ardent followers...that means you, me, anyone who enjoys a sport enough to support his or her franchise...should also support teams with less than ardent followers. Those poor huddled masses that deserve baseball as much as anyone else, but simply cannot afford it. Or as good an example of it.
Sound familiar?
It should. Football has its cap as well, but its a firm one because the powers that run it want an even playing field without question. Equal, the same, no difference. The wealthy teams shouldn't run away with all the trophies simply because they represent more people who are willing and able to pay more.
Socialism at its best. Artificial equality. Affirmative action for the sporting world. For a nation such as ours, with a population certain of its right to entitlement, there can BE no level playing field ever again.
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