Just when it seemed the Marlins might have a relatively smooth shot of gaining approval for a $60 million state sales tax rebate to help round out the financing for a $490 million ballpark in Miami, local and state politics are overshadowing the process once again -- for the sixth time in eight years.

A Senate committee vote on a bill to provide the rebate for the Marlins was postponed Tuesday morning after some senators floated the idea of instead making a $32 million lump sum cash payment each to the Marlins, Orlando Magic and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Our Tallahassee Bureau Chief Linda Kleindienst filed this to explain the latest political wranglings:

Miami-Dade politics and a budget squabble between the House and Senate have stalled a proposal to hand nearly $100 million over to three pro sports teams to build new homes or renovate the venues where they now play.

The plan to give $32 million apiece to the Marlins, Orlando Magic and Tampa Bay Lightning was scheduled for a vote in the Senate Transportation and Economic Development Committee on Tuesday morning. But the vote was delayed when it appeared there might not be enough support, even from Miami-Dade senators, to get the measure out of committee and there are signals that the House doesn't like the idea.

Bills that would give all nine of Florida’s professional sports teams a $2 million sales tax rebate over the next 30 years - $60 million apiece or a total of $540 million - have been moving through the House and the Senate this session. Those bills, however, would take recurring revenue from the state’s bank account while a cooled down economy is bringing in less tax revenue than the state had expected. Recurring dollars are used to operate state programs, including the court system, public schools and universities.

“That would have a huge fiscal impact on this state. I don’t think we can afford it,” said Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, the committee chairman who helped develop the alternative plan.

The $100 million package would give the teams a single, lump-sum payment out of non-recurring dollars - money the state has this year but doesn’t expect to collect next year. The plan falls in line with the Senate’s vision of pouring several hundred million dollars into economic development projects that will create jobs and presumably boost the state’s economy.

“We need to keep in mind that this is true economic development for the future of Florida, it’s not just a ballpark,” said Sen. Rudy Garcia, R-Hialeah, who has been pushing a bill to help the Marlins build a new ballpark in Miami.

As I always say: Stay tuned.