State funding to help pay for a ballpark for the Marlins inched another step closer to approval Friday when the House Budget & Policy Council voted for a bill that would provide $60 million state sales tax rebates to the state's nine profressional franchises, at a potential cost of $540 million.

Under the bill, the teams would be allowed to keep the first $2 million in sales taxes generated annually for 30 years in their home venues for new construction and improvements. The bill is now headed to the House Floor. A bill that would provide the rebate only for the Marlins is scheduled for hearing before a Senate panel next week.

The Marlins, Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami are hoping to secure the state dollars to complete the financing for a $490 million ballpark.

But where the ballpark should be built is still undecided. Some county commissioners objected to comments by Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria and team president David Samson, who said before the team's home opener at Dolphin Stadium a week ago that they'd prefer the downtown location to the site of the Orange Bowl, should the University of Miami move its football games to Dolphin Stadium.

County commissioners raised the possibility of the Orange Bowl location last month and some worried about needing to find a new location for the planned children's courthouse if the downtown site, north of the county government center, is chosen. During a meeting of the county commission's Governmental Operations and Environment Committee on Tuesday, Commissioner Natacha Seijas called the team's comments "completely unacceptable," and said the Marlins "need to be respectful of the children's court."

Commissioner Joe Martinez, who suggested the OB location, said he didn't think the downtown location would fly with commissioners, who will make the final determination. "I don't think there are seven votes here right now for [the downtown] site," he said.

Commissioner Carlos Gimenez, however, said he believed the issues surrounding the downtown site, such as the location of the children's courthouse, could be resolved.

"I believe [the downtown location] is a better site because of mass transit, the [Metro] mover, it's downtown. It doesn't mean the Orange Bowl isn't a viable site," Gimenez said. "One thing we want to make sure is whereever we put it, it gives us the best opportunity to succeed. We don't want to build a white elephant."