Was there ever a question?
So the City Commission did what we all knew they would. They voted 3-2 in favor of handing our tax dollars to the Florida Marlins, so that they can go ahead with their stadium building scam.
The Marlins really did not need to bring in the actors this morning to picket and speak, we all know the commissioners who voted in favor of this bail out already had their minds set.
Let's remember Commissioners Joe Sanchez, Angel Gonzalez and Michelle Spence-Jones at election time. They are the ones who feel that we didn't need to vote on how our taxpayer money was spent. They are the ones who voted to hand our tax dollars to the rich owners of the Marlins. They are the ones who put the City deeper in debt.
Commissioners Marc Sarnoff and Tomás Reglado were the only two with balls who stepped up to the plate (no pun intended). They are living in the real world. The other commissioners want to be popular, living in their field of dreams world. They sicken me.
And Joe Sanchez wants to be mayor? I wouldn't let him dog sit my puppy, let alone run a city.
The Marlins really did not need to bring in the actors this morning to picket and speak, we all know the commissioners who voted in favor of this bail out already had their minds set.
Let's remember Commissioners Joe Sanchez, Angel Gonzalez and Michelle Spence-Jones at election time. They are the ones who feel that we didn't need to vote on how our taxpayer money was spent. They are the ones who voted to hand our tax dollars to the rich owners of the Marlins. They are the ones who put the City deeper in debt.
Commissioners Marc Sarnoff and Tomás Reglado were the only two with balls who stepped up to the plate (no pun intended). They are living in the real world. The other commissioners want to be popular, living in their field of dreams world. They sicken me.
And Joe Sanchez wants to be mayor? I wouldn't let him dog sit my puppy, let alone run a city.
posted by Tom Falco at 2:24 PM
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17 Comments:
I guess Spence-Jones' vote was finally bought...
While the 3 Amigos always seem to be in bed together with their votes, I dont trust that Sarnoff and Regalado are not part of it. It could be that they all agreed on having the stadium but they needed to have 2 people vote against it so the public would be duped into thinking a few of them are actually on our sides.
This city is hopeless unless major government changes are made.
I am shocked. This is not representation. I have not heard anyone, I repeat, anyone living in this city, not directly tied to the Marlins say that they are in favor of this going through as it is currently drafted (I have heard some, if they put x restriction in, or require x payback over time or etc, etc.). I can look into it later this evening, but does anyone know what the impeachment process (or other process for removal) is for our city commissioners? This can't wait 2 more years.
Joe Sanchez, you HAD a chance. Glad to find out you're an ass sooner rather than later.
I am in favor of the stadium, but often afraid to say so because I don't want to be vilified.
I am Joe Q. Public and I think it would be a good idea to bring this development into our area. I love to go to baseball games but because of living in South never really get to go to stadum up north. I will be in line to buy opening day (and possibly season) tickets.
I have nothing to do with anyone building this stadium.
I have listened to where the money is coming from and what else it could be used for and think that the Marlins aren't going to let this fail.
I see how many people work at Dolphin stadium on average game day and think it would be great to have those jobs in my local area.
I hope the county follows the city and approves this and let's play ball already!
A world class city deserves a stadium, paid for by the taxpayers. Don't be so short sighted, people.
I would love to have a stadium in Miami BUT my problem is WHERE the stadium is built...
Can someone, anyone, tell me why there are plans to build the Science Museum and a Bay of Pigs Memorial in Bayfront Park? Why place a museum on prime waterfront land with a view of the water, palm trees and cruise ships? (The Children's Museum on Watson Island is a very similar waste of a beautiful view) And wouldn't the Bay of Pigs Memorial be better situated at the old OB site in Little Havana?
It makes no sense to put the stadium in the old OB location. The stadium should be DOWNTOWN just like every other big city!
If any readers have ever been to AT&T Park in San Francisco you have seen what I mean. THAT is the way a stadium should be planned! Not with a plan that requires me to pay $10 no blocki to park in some cuban guys yard!
Mr. Joe Q. Public,
You definitely have every right to be in support of the stadium. I just question whether you have done your own research or have just listened to the sound bites that are fed from people in support of the deal. Buzzwords like "jobs" which will be temporary at best and also when this wasnt a concern months ago. Do you not find it the least bit shady that the deal was kept behind closed doors until the 11th hour? Do you not find it odd that the public was kept out of the loop when their tax money will be funding over $500M of the project? Do you not find it disturbing that a City Commissioner was able to sell her vote?
What sort of impact do you feel it will have on the community in which the stadium is built, a community with zero mass transit that currently cant handle commuting traffic? A community that is also residential with little viable businesses to cater to the baseball crowd. What to say of the fact that the Marlins have had some of the lowest attendance numbers in the league for years? A team that has won 2 World Series Championships and cant get people to attend games? Surely you cant say youve seen people in the stands. The drive isnt that far either. Fans who live in the NY, LA, Chicago or Boston areas commute for an hour or more sometimes to see a game. Those are fans who want a baseball team.
Or maybe because you are a big fan of baseball (as am I) you have bought into the sob story that people like Mayor Diaz have propagated about the "love of the game"? Well, you ought to know that Marlins President David Samson was asked about using public money for his privately owned team and his response was that the stadium is "a business deal."
The public is getting screwed over once again by the fat cats who "lead" this City. I, as well as the overwhelming majority of citizens in Miami, am fully against this project and tired of taking this shit from my local government. The addition of this stadium deal will mean that $1.1 BILLION DOLLARS will have been spent in the past 5 years on 2 buildings (PAC & Marlins Stadium) that less than 0.5% of the population in Miami will enjoy. If that is not a blatant disregard for the betterment of an entire City population, I dont know what is.
Just heard a story on NPR on how Sarnoff has to now "get behind" the stadium since the vote. Could well be that politically his move was smooth enough to get us all believing he really did oppose the stadium and now he can support it. Just another flip flopping politician in the long run.
I realize there are many baseball fans out there (although I am not one) but it's not about having a world-class stadium in our city; it's about the economy we're all in and the God-awful timing of this thing, not to mention the unfairness of not allowing the public to vote on such a major expenditure of public dollars. All this in the same week AIG bonus debacle - really is an amazing time.
I know the construction jobs might be temporary, but in that neighborhood, I bet people will be lining up for stadium jobs.
This isn't all my tax money being used, I haven't stayed in a hotel locally in years. No reason to.
And this deal has been in the works for months; it wasn't just sprung on us. Braman's lawsuit alone took months.
The drive really is pretty far, if you're coming from Pinecrest, especially trying to make a 7pm game. And yes, being a baseball fan, it upsets me that I have to spend 45 min to an hour in rush hour just on I-95 alone to get to a football stadium
I'd like to think that there are some business owners, restauranteurs, etc, who will see the potential for business in the area because of this.
And I guess I'm in the minority then, when it comes to the PAC also. I've seen several great shows there and I think there has been some revitilization of the area around there.
Public and the other supporter in Miami: why go with this plan requiring $500 mil of taxpayer money, when a free (to us) stadium was offered up from the private sector???? There's only one reason for political backing to spending taxpayer money in such a terrible wasteful manner - kickbacks. I said it - everybody's been thinking it.
Also, this city is not a sports town. It's just not. The heat, located in the heart of Downtown do OK, the dolphins attendance is a complete joke compared to other NFL franchises and Marlins can't get anybody to go to games.
So "I'm in favor", I hope you're happy that the rest of us just bought you a baseball team, cuz it makes since for a million of us to subsidize the pastime that 5000 (on a lucky day) want to attend.
When your favorite project cannot get government funding because the City and the County have to make a $100 mil annual interest payment for the benefit of the privately owned Marlins baseball team you can blame Joe Sanchez, Michelle Spence-Jones and Angel Gonzalez.
When you garbage gets picked up once a month instead of weekly because the City and County have to cover the cost overruns from the baseball stadium you can thank dim bulb Joe Sanchez.
And do not forget the idiots at the County and the City who were supposed to protect the taxpayers. They should be embarrassed.
Public financing of private sports stadiums is a RIPOFF of taxpayer money by greedy rich people.
There have been many scholarly articles and books written on this issue for over 25 years, by folks of all political persuasions. Their analysis is clear - The economic promises for the "locals" are NEVER fulfilled...meanwhile, richie rich gets a free stadium to show off to his richie rich friends, while thumbing his nose at the general public.
If these teams want a stadium, they should build it themselves, with their money.
I would say this is yet another example of the banana republic we live in, but the fact is, this happens/has happened in pretty much every big city in the country.
We do not live in a U.S. democracy or a republic, people, we live in a U.S. oligarchy. And our money is going into their pockets more and more, while they continue to rub their d*cks in our faces.
"Pay for it yourself!!!!" now THAT would be change we can believe in.
Do not forget, we are under siege, by a system that has become corrupt to its every component. Michelle Spence-Jones practices political extortion. Joe Sanchez and Angel Gonzalez, don't even talk about them they make me throw up. Sarnoff is a at best a power hungry back stabbing disappointment to the Grove just because he plays both sides. The only order our local politics creates is rule of nepotism and kickback. Anarchy would do us more good than the chaos of South Florida political monopoly.
Joe Q - Just because the stadium is in that neighborhood doesnt mean the people of that neighborhood will work there. I know the deal was in the works for months, if not years. No details were ever disclosed. Why does everything have to be so secretive if its a positive benefit to the citizens? I can also guarantee you wont be hanging out there before/after a game, much like nobody did when there were UM games held there.
Much like "that guy" said, this is all about money and kickbacks. Miami isnt a sports town either, I agree with that in full. Ive been a Heat season ticket holder. People dont show until halftime. Its pathetic. Dolphins are also a weak draw with attendance boosted from fans of the away team. The Marlins have averaged less than 17000 fans in the last 3 years (and thats tickets SOLD, not actual fans that went to the game). They have only topped 17000 twice in the last 10 years and in that time they have won 2 World Series Championships! Thats unbelievable! People just arent that into baseball down here.
And buddy, you live in Pinecrest. Its gonna take 30 minutes or more for you to get just about anywhere. You wouldnt mind if going to a game was that great of an experience to you.
The Marlins rank dead last out of 30 MLB teams in attendence. That is 30 out of 30. In fact, the Marlins are not even close to 29th place. No one goes to Marlins games.
Spence-Jones, Joe Sanchez and Gonzalez probably do not even know that many of the Marlins few ticket buyers come from Broward and Palm Beach Counties. There is no way those people are driving to Little Havana to pay $20 to park and $75 for a ticket to see baseball. They only thing the commissioners did was obligate their children to $2 billion in tax payments.
There is no way any of Spence-Jones's voters are going to pay to watch baseball. They are working too hard just to survive.
This Stadium is also to be used for Music Concerts, and Shows. This town will get its money worth out of this building in many ways.
The Marlins are not paying rent. (They are getting the County to pay their rent.) The Marlins refuse to pay sales tax on their supplies. The Marlins keep all revenues. The Marlins get to charge $25 to park in the garage paid for by the taxpayers. The Marlins keep all naming rights. The Marlins put up no money for the construction until maybe 2 years after the construction starts and then only if they can get someone to lend them their share. If not, the County has to pay the Marlins share as well as their own. The Marlins refuse to disclose their financial statements. (Broke anyone?) The only thing the residents get is a $2 billion bill.
Thank you Jose, Michelle and Angel...
If Spence-Jones and the other Amigos are so concerned about finding jobs for their constituents, then they should do something positive in their districts to develop many more new employment opportunities.
Buildings a stadium for a wealthy for-profit company to offer rich ball players a great work environment and rich folks entertainment is not the best way to generate longterm jobs for those needy constituents.
Harry Emilio Gottlieb
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