Suttle's dilemma similar to RoboCop 2 Mayor's

I may have jumped the gun when I suggested Mayor Jim Suttle was trying to be Batman—another nerdy movie reference may have been much more fitting:

Detroit’s mayor from the second RoboCop movie.

As you’ll recall, that character was trying to save Detroit from bankruptcy by borrowing cash from the evil corporation OCP. The city couldn’t pony on their debt, which led to the company taking over the city.

The current situation in city hall seems similar. We are indebted to the Qwest Center for about $216 million dollars, and Suttle hopes to close the city's budget shortfalls with a 2 percent entertainment tax. That didn't sit well with the elite entertainers at the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority.

The Omaha World-Herald reported today that MECA—which runs the Qwest Center—offered a $5.6 million advance for the Qwest's remaining naming rights that cover the next eight years.

“The offer: an advance of the convention center and arena's remaining naming rights payments through 2017, using MECA's reserve funds, if the mayor agreed to forgo his proposed entertainment tax. Each year, Qwest Communications Inc. sends MECA a payment for naming the complex after the telecommunications company.”

This looks an awful lot like a bribe to me. “Hey, mister, drop the tax idea and we’ll give you $5.6 million dollars.”

Unlike RoboCop 2’s mayor, who was thoroughly corrupt, in co-hoots with an organized drug cartel and probably would have taken the bribe, Suttle rejected the offer.

The entertainment tax will bring in almost double MECA’s $5.6 million, estimated at over $10 million, which would go much further to close that $11 million shortfall.

(NOTE: I corrected post title from "Suttle like RoboCop 2's Mayor" to "Suttle's dilemma similar to RoboCop 2 Mayor's" after a comment pointed out it was confusing. Thanks for the catch!)