Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Latest Spring Training Subsidy Speculation

Earlier this week, I wrote how proposed new legislation aimed at retaining Florida sports teams could actually have adverse effects and put taxpayers at a greater disadvantage by encouraging shorter leases & lower penalties for teams that break those leases.

And even though some Senators seem to recognize the state is handing out money to merely move teams from one side of Florida to another (Nancy Detert, R-Sarasota, at 1:07:00 in this clip), the giveaways continue.

For instance, the Nationals, a team that would never seriously consider moving to Arizona, is still in line for tens of million dollars in handouts sp they can move with the Astros to West Palm Beach.  The subsidies are not because the Nats are threatening to leave the state, but merely because several other Florida communities - bolstered by state dollars - may ultimately try to outbid each other for their services.

It's not exactly the kind of wise state spending taxpayers would expect.  But then again, it's not like Governor Rick Scott has any interest in reeling it in.

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