Well, soccer star David Beckham finally found a Tallahassee champion to drive the ball upfield for his Major League Soccer stadium in Miami — and it is State Rep. Erik Fresen (R-Coral Gables).
Only a day or two ago, it looked like there was no appetite in the state capital for yet another stadium tax subsidy for a future MLS home in Miami. But House Bill 887, filed by Fresen at 2 p.m. Tuesday as a companion bill to one sponsored by an Orlando senator for the soccer stadium there, would specifically include soccer stadiums in the sales tax rebate program for professional sports franchises. It would also expand the number of franchises that get the subsidies and, oh, also requires the Department of Economic Opportunity to reserve aside “two facility certifications for new Major League Soccer franchises” to get what could be $3 million a year for 30 years — or $90 million.
It doesn’t mean the bill will be heard. The stadium rebate was not on the Miami-Dade delegation’s priority list weeks ago. And remember that there was a similar bill sponsored last year by State Rep. Eddy Gonzalez for the Miami Dolphins stadium — and that died after House Speaker Will Weatherford refused to move it. Or maybe because State Reps. Carlos Trujillo (R-Doral), Jose Javier Rodriguez (D-Little Havana) and Michael Bileca (R-Pinecrest) had pretty much killed it by refusing to hear it anywhere.
Fresen was the co-sponsor of that bill.
Trujillo told Ladra that he hasn’t changed his mind about the issue. “A lot of people take issue with subsidies for professional sports franchises that are worth millions if not billions of dollars,” said Trujillo, who chairs the Economic Development and Tourism Committee that the bill would likely have to pass through first. He told Ladra last month that he was unwilling to hear any new subsidy for any sports team. And he reiterated that on Wednesday morning.
“I’m not inclined to listen to any subsidy for sports franchises.”
Fre told Ladra Wednesday morning — in a series of text messages because he was in “back to back committee meetings” — that the bill was a “placer bill” or place holder because of the Senate bill for the Orlando stadium.
“It’s to make sure that any conversation re: sports facilities in Orlando will also make sense for Miami. It’s to take control of the issue and make sure that IF something is to pass, it’s not a bad deal for Miami,” Fresen texted.
But Ladra is sure he is not so naive that he doesn’t realize he just upped the chances for the Senate bill to pass.
See? One of the problems with last year’s Dolphins stadium scam bill was that it was too region specific — benefiting only one sports facility in one black sheep district. Fresen’s bill makes it more of a statewide issue because it specifically brings up two facilities: the one in Orlando — where MLS has already awarded a franchise team and the city is moving to seize private land for it through eminent domain — and the future one here.
And while Ladra would support the just and fair elimination of the discrimination that soccer is apparently currently subjected to under our state’s subsidy program, I have to stand with Trujillo in saying that this is not the time to be giving our tax dollars — even unearned future sales taxes — away to millionaires who don’t need them.
Why on Earth would Fresen — who barely squeaked by in his 2012 re-election — put himself out on such a politically weak limb. It’s like drawing a bull’s eye on his ass. He just handed his opposition this year with raw, fresh material for attack mailers going into this election year.
Ladra is quite sure that both Amory Bodin, who is challenging Fresen in the Republican primary, and Daisy Baez, the sole Democrat that has filed against him so far, are already creating ads and mailers about this “welfare for millionaires” tax giveaway.
I can hear the robocall now: “Erik Fresen wanted to give millionaire David Beckham $90 million of our tax dollars for yet another sports stadium subsidized by us! That’s what he does in Tallhassee — give stuff away to special interests. Let’s bench him.”
Soccer stadium finds champ in State Rep. Erik Fresen added by Ladra on
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