The zombified Vikings stadium bill has slowed to a torso-only crawl.
After several days of progress, a hearing before the Senates Taxes Committee set for Thursday has been postponed, which likewise has delayed the expected House vote on the stadium bill.
According to the Associated Press, Republican lawmakers now want to fund the stadium not through expanded gambling but via a new tax on the team and its fans.
Mike Benson, a Republican member of the House of Representatives, says he would propose a four-percent income tax on Vikings players, along with any executives earning more than $200,000 per year. Benson also suggests increased sales taxes on sports memorabilia, liquor, and purchases in the stadium, and a sales tax online purchases of NFL merchandise.
The Vikings have been opposed to any new taxes, preferring instead an expansion of gambling revenues.
It’s unclear how this may shake out, but the Commissioner can’t fly to Minnesota tonight in order to kick-start the process again. He has other plans.