Then, just get in touch with your local public officials to eat, drink & attend Astro's games for free. It's all there for the asking &, of course, your vote. Maybe, I should've titled the thread "Corruption at Astros Field". http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/front/1339553 How suite it is Public officials receive thousands of Astros tickets, snacks for free By STEVE BREWER Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle Someone once said a baseball fan's knowledge is usually inversely proportional to the price of the seats he or she occupies. RESOURCES Graphic: Public officials who requested the most free Astros tickets If that's true, politicians and public officials around Houston and Harris County must be some of the most brilliant baseball fans in the country. They have accepted thousands of baseball tickets to Houston Astros home games in the past two years -- all without paying a penny. Records from the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority show that public officials and community groups requested more than 4,000 tickets, worth roughly $100,000, to games at the ballpark formerly known as Enron Field. They also munched down $155,000 worth of free hot dogs, popcorn and soft drinks at taxpayers' expense. The tickets are for the "Public Officials Suite" -- a center field luxury suite from which the game view is marginal, but the price is right. The sports authority wrangled the suite from the Astros in lieu of office space at the ballpark. Officials say the free tickets help them conduct public business and give constituents the "suite experience." "It was something given to various governmental entities as compensation," said Houston City Councilman Mark Goldberg, who has requested 339 tickets to 86 games. "If we don't use it, it's akin to wasting taxpayers' money." Not everyone is of a like mind, though. Some public officials refuse the free tickets, and a statewide watchdog group argues the tickets are little more than watered-down bribes. "These officials are given a benefit like this only because of their elected position, and it will inevitably influence any future decisions they make about the sports authority and sports venue issues," said Tom "Smitty" Smith, director of Public Citizen Texas. "It also enriches them politically, allowing them to take constituents to a memorable experience. "They're building political capital. And when it comes time for those constituents to contribute money or vote, they'll remember the memorable experience." Local elected or appointed officials can request two free tickets for each home game. If they want more, they are asked to pay $25 a seat, though records indicate only a few have done so. Officials are not allowed to sell their tickets or to use the suite for political functions, birthday parties or personal business. They can, however, get blocks of free tickets for various community groups -- more than 50 of which were invited to the suite last year. That can leave an odd mix in the suite -- Boy Scouts, local beauty queens, nuns, bankers, food bank volunteers, senior citizens and politicians. In the suite for Opening Day on Tuesday were members of the sports authority and its staff. Although the tickets are donated by the Astros, the cost of food and drinks are not. After the Astros pay the team's $4.6 million in annual rent, the cost of the food and drinks is deducted and the rest of the payment is used to retire the debt on the $270 million publicly owned ballpark. Supporters of the ticket giveaways say the program benefits the public by allowing public officials to show off one of Houston's major attractions and by allowing suite access to fans who might not otherwise get to see the ballpark. "The public voted for a ballpark, and this is one way for some of the public to see it," said Linda Mayfield, the sports authority's community liaison and the woman charged with overseeing the suite. Public officials often request tickets for community groups in order to promote the ballpark -- a practice encouraged by the sports authority. Goldberg, for example, said he often takes guests to the ballpark to discuss city or community business. Records show he's also hosted several groups. And even though Goldberg has questioned spending public money on sports venues, he said the tickets will not influence future votes on stadium-related issues. He also said he's not much of a baseball fan. Councilwoman Carol Mims Galloway said she's not a big baseball fan, either, although she has requested 192 tickets to 35 games. Galloway, who has attended games and hosted groups in the suite, said the free tickets and food are a nice perk. "City Council is a part-time job," she said. "But it's really a 24-hour job, and you're not compensated, really, and you're doing the service of the people and being in a position to have an extra something for relaxation. I don't see anything unethical about that." Unlike Goldberg and Galloway, though, Howard Middleton is a baseball fan. Middleton, a member of the sports authority board, has requested more tickets in the past two seasons than anyone else -- 441 tickets for 39 games. "I don't believe I've abused it," Middleton said. "I feel very confident the groups and guests I've taken there have benefited from it. That's what it was established for." State Rep. Rick Noriega, D-Houston, and city Councilmen Carroll Robinson, Gordon Quan and Gabriel Vasquez are among other public officials requesting the most tickets. All say they've attended games at the suite, but that they try to limit their use of the suite to hosting groups. "It's not politicking," said Robinson, a congressional candidate. "I'm doing it because I think it's the right thing to do. I'll take the heat for helping kids go to a ballgame." But sports authority Chairman Billy Burge, who has requested 377 tickets to 56 games -- some of which he paid for -- concedes there is a political benefit. Authority officials get to schmooze with the local politicians who oversee them, and elected officials get to hand out free tickets to constituents, he said. But in the end, he said, the practice promotes the ballpark and downtown. "I think there's more good than bad involved," he said. "Like anything, it could be abused or you could attack it. But the positives outweigh the negatives." Don't look for all officials to line up for the freebies, though. Sports authority board members Jim Jard and Ric Campo have never accepted the free tickets, nor has County Judge Robert Eckels. Eckels' staff is under orders not to request or accept suite tickets. "To me, when you accept one of these positions, it's supposed be one of public service and public sacrifice," Jard said. "The way to do that is to do your job and be treated like everyone else. I have my own season tickets." So does Campo, who sits five rows behind the Astros dugout. "I have a lot better seats," he joked. "I don't necessarily need to use the suite. I've never been a big fan of the suite anyway. Besides, most of the people I take to games would rather sit on the fifth row."
