State Money for the Marlins
A bill that would provide a $60 million state sales tax rebate to help the Marlins build a $490 million ballpark in Miami passed the House Economic Expansion & Infrastructure Council this afternoon.
The council voted 13-1 for the bill that would provide rebates for all nine of the state’s professional franchises at a potential cost of $540 million. The bill would allow the first $2 million in sales taxes generated annually for 30 years by the teams to be kept in their home venues for new construction and improvements. The bill has one more committee stop before reaching the House floor.
Separate bills that would provide funding just for the Marlins are also making their way through the Legislature.




Comments
Sales tax is one way that we collect revenue from legitimate businesses. I just don't see why these sports franchises need to be exempt in any way, I just don't. This idea that they are somehow entitled just escapes me. The players are paid millions of dollars for playing a game and I guess that's fine, But the exception on these so-called businesses only benefits a very small number of people and where is the fairness in the tax code for that. It is offensive to me and I guess always will be. Either they can stand and survive as a business or they can't. If they can't then maybe they should look at their payroll issues and cut back to a reasonable amount of expenses that would allow them to operate profitably without the public's help through tax donations at every turn. What's the matter with that?
Posted by: Michael Garrett | April 5, 2007 1:21 PM
And we get to watch the Marlins in a world class facility.
Posted by: Fish Fan | April 5, 2007 11:52 AM
The benefit to the tax payers in this case is that the team generates far more sales tax than the $2 million this sales tax rebate gives them each year. If the team leaves, the state gets nothing.
Posted by: joe | April 5, 2007 10:56 AM
This just drives me crazy. I suppose if we were talking about a large number of quality jobs being created it wouldn't be so bad, but unless I am wrong that isn't what happens in these sports franchise scenerios. Instead, the rich get richer and the ticket takers and food vendors just get by. So who really benefits? Shouldn't there be some definitive benefit to the taxpayers when tax revenues are spent? How can the local and state government continue this kind of spending while claiming we are always in need of more tax revenue? Isn't this just more welfare for the rich?
Posted by: Michael Garrett | April 5, 2007 9:58 AM