Businesses Resist As D.C. Collects On Ballpark Fee

"My gripe is that baseball is a private enterprise, but here we are being asked to support it and pay for it for 20 years," Dworken said. "I'm seriously considering pulling up roots here. . . . It's so much cheaper a mile away in Maryland."

A chief complaint is that some companies gross a lot of money but have low profit. A group of oncologists met with Cropp last week to argue that much of their revenue is collected as a way to pay for medicine for patients.

"They're paying tax on something off which they do not make money," said Edward Shanbacker, executive vice president of the Medical Society of the District of Columbia.

Cropp said she agreed with Shanbacker. "I don't think they should be penalized for providing a good service," she said.

Another point of contention is that the fee structure puts an unfair burden on smaller companies, said Barbara B. Lang, president of the Chamber of Commerce. All businesses that gross more than $16 million pay the same amount -- $16,500 -- no matter if they make one dollar more or $100 million more.

The city's largest companies should assume more of the burden, Lang said.

Cora Williams, a chamber board member who operates Ideal Electric Supply Corp. in the District, said she has not paid the $10,800 fee that she has been assessed for one reason: She doesn't have the money.

"In our industry, we'd be lucky netting 1 percent. We don't just have $10,000 lying around," said Williams, who said she intends to ask the city for an extension.

Council member Adrian M. Fenty (D-Ward 4), who voted against building a stadium with public money, said he expected angst in the business community when the bills arrived.

"There's no good reason why one business should have to subsidize another person's business," said Fenty, a mayoral candidate. "Business owners have as much claim to the renaissance of D.C. as anyone. But no one is buying them a headquarters or building."