{coyotes} MAYOR TO NHL: GLENDALE 'IS NOT YOUR CASH REGISTER'

 

The Globe and Mail reveals that the new mayor of Glendale, former Arizona lawmaker Jerry Weiers, issued a shot across the bow of the NHL and the Coyotes on Tuesday night after he won the race to replace outgoing mayor Elaine Scruggs.

Weiers said Glendale, a cash-strapped city of 250,000 that had to handle a $35-million deficit in its 2013 budget, "is not your cash register." He also professed his love for the Coyotes but said, "we cannot sacrifice our way of life so they can maintain theirs."

At this point, two of the races for council seats from Tuesday's elections are so close it is not known if they will be filled by those in favour or opposed to the Coyotes lease. City officials said a final count of the ballots may not be completed until next week.

Voters in suburban Glendale backed an increase in the city's sales tax in Tuesday's municipal election.

Even though part of the $25-million (all currency U.S.) was expected to go towards payments to the NHL team, which will average $15-million per year over the 20-year arena lease, there is no guarantee the new lineup at city council will keep the lease in place. The current council, which will remain in office until January, was shown a reworked Coyotes lease that lowered the payment to prospective owner Greg Jamison from $17-million to $11-million in the first year but it has not officially approved it.

Under the old council, the Coyotes and the NHL could count on four of seven votes but two of those votes are gone. Two of the three opponents to the Coyotes lease payments are also on their way out.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who is hoping to finally unload the team the league bought out of bankruptcy and has spent more than $200-million keeping afloat, will be watching the outcome closely during any breaks he has during collective bargaining.

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