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One less barrier to Coyotes sale -- Glendale rejects sales-tax initiative

Nashville Predators v Phoenix Coyotes - Game One

GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 27: Fan of the Phoenix Coyotes, Darryl Strand celebrates after the team scored a second period goal against the Nashville Predators in Game One of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Jobing.com Arena on April 27, 2012 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Predators 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Phoenix Coyotes fans got some good news yesterday evening when the City of Glendale rejected an initiative to place a sales-tax hike on a November referendum.

The city also declared the deadline had expired to hand in signatures for another initiative – this one to put the $324 million lease with Greg Jamison, the prospective owner of the Phoenix Coyotes, to a vote.

Why was it good news?

Well, without the tax hike, paying Jamison to manage city-owned Jobing.com Arena may not have been feasible. And without the lease, the deal’s a non-starter anyway.

Obstacles, as per usual, remain.

Sales-tax opponents could challenge the city’s rejection in court, and lease opponents believe the deadline to hand in signatures has yet to expire. So that could end up in court, too.

Oh, and we can’t forget about the Goldwater Institute, the taxpayer watchdog group that has yet to decide if it will sue Glendale for violating the state’s gift clause that prohibits government subsidies for corporations.

But hey, baby steps.

As NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly tells the Arizona Republic, fewer “legal uncertainties” can only help the sales process.

Daly also tells the Republic that Jamison is believed to have the money to close the purchase.

“Otherwise we would not be moving forward,” said Daly.