April 12, 200521 yr Marlins' stadium proposal languishing after snub by key Republican By Jean-Paul Renaud and Sarah Talalay Staff Writers Posted April 12 2005 TALLAHASSEE -- Despite the refusal of a key Republican committee chairman, Gov. Jeb Bush on Monday said a financing request for a new ballpark for the Florida Marlins deserves a full airing in the Legislature. "Let it have a fair hearing," Bush said upon learning that State Rep. Fred Brummer, R-Apopka, who chairs the House Finance and Tax Committee, is refusing to hear the request for a $60 million state sales tax rebate. "I think their proposal is better than previous years. Is it better than the other funding proposals of the state, I don't know. That's what hearings and the committee process is all about." Miami-Dade County and city of Miami officials, who are seeking the rebate to round out a $420 million plan for a ballpark east of the Orange Bowl, were already scrambling to prepare economic analyses on the benefits of a stadium for a Wednesday hearing before the Senate Commerce and Consumer Services Committee, when Brummer said he wouldn't hear the bill. Brummer said he has seen no proof a new stadium will help Miami's economy. He said the bill will die unless its sponsor, Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R-Miami, can find more compelling evidence. "At this point I haven't heard any arguments in favor of hearing the bill," Brummer said. "The item does not generate substantial economic development. Unless Rep. Lopez-Cantera can come up with some new argument that will convince me otherwise, I will not hear the bill." House Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City, said he'd respect Brummer's decision. "He's not going to force him to hear a bill," said Towson Fraser, Bense's spokesman. Fraser said Brummer's opposition didn't mean the issue couldn't resurface. "I'm sure this is not the last we will hear about the bill," he said. Lopez-Cantera said he will present his own economic analysis this week showing a stadium's benefits. "I told [brummer] that if you can find an economist that says one thing, you can find an economist that says the opposite," Lopez-Cantera said. "Hopefully this week, I'm going to be bringing some information that will hopefully sway his opinion of the bill." Stadium supporters were unbowed. "We've got to show movement in the Senate before we can get movement in the House," said Ron Book, a lobbyist for the city and county. Any momentum the deal had was dashed last week by two main developments: a legislative economist told the Senate Commerce Committee that numerous economic studies show sports venues don't generate enough spinoff development to offset public investment, and Dolphins Stadium owner H. Wayne Huizenga told Senate President Tom Lee the Marlins could play at the stadium when their lease expires in 2010. The Marlins declined comment Monday, but have indicated they will explore moving from Florida if they cannot secure the state piece of the financing plan. The team pays rent at Dolphins Stadium and receives only percentages of concession, parking and signage revenue. Tallahassee Bureau Chief Linda Kleindienst and Staff Writer Mark Hollis contributed to this report. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basebal...-sports-marlins
April 13, 200521 yr Am I the only person hitting the panic button here? 740518[/snapback] no : anic:: ___________ |_______|
April 13, 200521 yr It seems Miami-Dade always gets scr**ed in Tallahassee. On another front, Tally is seeking to remove school funding from M-D so they can install gold plumbing fixtures in Perry. What does it take for M-D to secede from Florida? It could happen.... In the short term, can somebody post the eddresses of all these bozos in Tally? A burst of emails from MarlinsBaseball.com patrons sure couldn't hurt at this point.
April 13, 200521 yr It seems Miami-Dade always gets scr**ed in Tallahassee. On another front, Tally is seeking to remove school funding from M-D so they can install gold plumbing fixtures in Perry. What does it take for M-D to secede from Florida? It could happen.... In the short term, can somebody post the eddresses of all these bozos in Tally? A burst of emails from MarlinsBaseball.com patrons sure couldn't hurt at this point. 740687[/snapback] That's a really good idea. This site has, what, 2000 members? If we can send out 500-700 e-mails out within a span of 2-3 days, we could make an impact. Let's do it! Do this Cape!!!!!!
April 13, 200521 yr Here's a start - Jeb.Bush@myflorida.com Lee.Tom.web@flsenate.gov The second one can be modifed to use for any senator. I haven't been able to figure out the eddress for house members. Remember - be respectful. We don't need to p**s anybody off by calling them a bozo to their face.
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