http://www.palmbeachpost.com/marlins/conte...rlins_0505.html

 

Marlins' subsidy hung up in Senate

 

By S.V. Date

Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau

 

Friday, May 05, 2006

 

TALLAHASSEE ? After making a surprise bid for state money in the closing days of the spring legislative session, the Florida Marlins were left hanging Thursday, as the Senate failed to take up their bill.

 

At stake is an unprecedented, second $60 million subsidy for a new ballpark for the team, which two different owners have sought over the past six years, typically paired with the threat that the team would leave South Florida if they did not receive it.

 

Unlike years past, when lawmakers had sponsored and pushed legislation for the team, this spring's proposal was generated by Miami-Dade County senators Wednesday and tacked onto a related measure for the Orlando Magic in a span of several hours ? violating a number of Senate procedures for bills that spend taxpayer money.

 

"I just don't think that's the way to run a railroad.... What happened last night was unfortunate," Senate President Tom Lee said Thursday. "This is a second subsidy to the same team. There's all these teams out there now are saying: 'Hey, what about me?' So we've been scratching our head today to try to figure out something that maybe wouldn't appropriate money, but would at least address this situation on a statewide basis so that this wouldn't just be another bite at the apple for the Florida Marlins."

 

Proponents' hopes of riding the Magic's bill ? HB 615, which would continue to reserve a $2 million-a-year slot for the basketball team ? may have dimmed when the language for the Magic was added to a separate $75 million proposal to help pay for ballparks for spring training sites. That bill was approved 37-2 and sent back to the House.

 

Whether a bill that clears both chambers would make it into law is not certain. Gov. Jeb Bush has supported a new ballpark in some years and opposed it in others. He said Thursday that he knew very little about this year's plan to build a new park in Hialeah.

 

"There has to be a deal attached to this. I've got to look at the whole thing," Bush said. "We'll certainly take a hard look."

"I just don't think that's the way to run a railroad.... What happened last night was unfortunate," Senate President Tom Lee said Thursday. "This is a second subsidy to the same team. There's all these teams out there now are saying: 'Hey, what about me?' So we've been scratching our head today to try to figure out something that maybe wouldn't appropriate money, but would at least address this situation on a statewide basis so that this wouldn't just be another bite at the apple for the Florida Marlins."

 

I, I, I, me, me me. It's like he's made this his personal mission.

 

Well I'm glad you've taken it upon yourself to decide what's best for everyone Tom. Put it to a vote jackass!

"I just don't think that's the way to run a railroad.... What happened last night was unfortunate," Senate President Tom Lee said Thursday. "This is a second subsidy to the same team. There's all these teams out there now are saying: 'Hey, what about me?' So we've been scratching our head today to try to figure out something that maybe wouldn't appropriate money, but would at least address this situation on a statewide basis so that this wouldn't just be another bite at the apple for the Florida Marlins."

 

I, I, I, me, me me. It's like he's made this his personal mission.

 

Well I'm glad you've taken it upon yourself to decide what's best for everyone Tom. Put it to a vote jackass!

 

Well lets see what happens when his Jax Jaguars need to upgrade AllTell in a couple of years. Didn't they already recieve one for when the NFL awarded the Jags franchise and they turned the Gator Bowl into AllTell ?

"I just don't think that's the way to run a railroad.... What happened last night was unfortunate," Senate President Tom Lee said Thursday. "This is a second subsidy to the same team. There's all these teams out there now are saying: 'Hey, what about me?' So we've been scratching our head today to try to figure out something that maybe wouldn't appropriate money, but would at least address this situation on a statewide basis so that this wouldn't just be another bite at the apple for the Florida Marlins."

 

I, I, I, me, me me. It's like he's made this his personal mission.

 

Well I'm glad you've taken it upon yourself to decide what's best for everyone Tom. Put it to a vote jackass!

 

No kidding right? Put it to a vote and let everyone decide.

 

So let me get this right...They give a tax rebate to the "marlins" when Wayne owned the team, but now that he doesn't own it anymore, somehow he gets to keep the money even though it was for the "marlins" and not for the individual right? Now, instead of taking it away from the individual that doens't own the team anymore and give it to the actual team, they complain about giving "a second subsidy to the same team" even though the team doesn't actually have one. So they screwed up the first time by not making sure the rebate was transfered to the team during a sale, refuse to fix that problem, and are complaining when the team comes back and asks for the rebate that they should actually have?

 

Only a government organization can make this seem logical. What a bunch of dumb-***s! Jeez.

they got screwed over by Wayne basically, tried to sue to discontinue the payments or something if I remember correctly, & lost.

 

I think it's just sour grapes at this point.

Senator Lee is, politically, doing the right thing, to a degree.

 

Politics, especially state politics, aren't always about doing what is the right thing, often it's what is the 'least wrong' and most cost effective or responsible.

 

I mean, as a tax payer in the state of Florida, all giving an additional tax break does for the Marlins is mean higher taxes for you down the road as issues for hurricane preparedness and state education become hot-button topics (as if they aren't already).

 

Both parties are in the wrong here. The Marlins originally negotiated poorly with Henry and then later Samson, then in bad faith, now the new Marlin crew spearheaded by Senator Villalobos is taking a very sneaky back-door way to get a hot button issue passed through, all while knowing that about a third of the chamber has no desire to see it passed in any form.

 

It's like watching male rams but heads, you know there has to be a better way, but this is always the way it's been done, so why change now?

they got screwed over by Wayne basically, tried to sue to discontinue the payments or something if I remember correctly, & lost.

 

I think it's just sour grapes at this point.

 

 

Sounds like it. Talk about holding a grudge. :banghead

they got screwed over by Wayne basically, tried to sue to discontinue the payments or something if I remember correctly, & lost.

 

I think it's just sour grapes at this point.

 

 

It depends who "they" are.

 

If it's the Marlins themselves, then no, not really.

 

If it's the state, then yeah, but they screwed themselves over because they didn't double-check their math and gave Wayne all that he asked for, which turned out to be substantially more than he needed.

right, I meant the state Swift. Here it is...

 

In 1993, the state Department of Revenue sued what was then Joe Robbie Stadium, arguing that it should get no more than $10 million of the $60 million because that's all Huizenga had spent. His allies in the legislature in 1994 changed the law to permit any improvements at the park to count toward the $60 million. The suit was dismissed as moot.

So in other words, when the Marlins exit Dolphin Stadium, Wayne still has $ 50 million of his "rebate money"to redo the stadium to football only. What happens if he goes back to the legislature and asks again -- AND GETS IT ?

 

What will your reaction be ? (I know I'd be really P.O.'d if we lost the Marlins in the meantime)