Told ya so: Dolphins stadium bill poised to pass [the buck]

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Many people didn’t see this coming.

The Miami Dolphins stadium bill to provide public tax funds for the renovation of the SunLife Stadium, owned by billionaire Stephen Ross, was described as a “longshot” with words like “dead in the water” and, then, “on life support,” coming out of the mouths of opponents, legislators and political observers for months.

But it looks like there’s been a miraculous recovery. At least in the Senate, which passed its bill with a surprising slam-dunk 35-4 vote Monday.

Ka-ching. Ker-plunk.

Only two of ours voted no: Sens. Anitere Flores and Rene Garcia. And Ladra wants to thank them publicly. That means the other four in the Miami-Dade delegation were all a yes and need to be spanked publicly: Sens. Oscar Braynon II, Dwight Bullard, Miguel Diaz de la Portilla and Gwen Margolis.

Diaz de la Portilla, the only local Republican to vote for it, was the most surprising to me. How can he vote against giving medicaid benefits to the uninsured and then give this gift to a billionaire who is Forbes 83rd richest man in America? And I thought he didn’t like the idea of using public dollars for a private billionaire’s pet project. This is a tax increase, after all. A bed tax increase, but a tax increase. And I thought the DLPs never voted for a tax increase.

While he may still be a brilliant orator and one of my favorite electeds, the flagship and face of the three-headed monster gave a lame excuse which amounts to basically passing the same buck everyone else has already pushed around and around and will eventually stop at the Miami-Dade electorate.

“The voters will decide on the bed tax,” the elder DLP told Ladra late Monday in a text message.

“Re state tax rebate, they would have to compete for dollars. Similar to other incentives and exemptions we give to business for job creation,” he wrote in subsequent sends. “Legislature decides ulitmately if there is an appropriation. Referendum for voters to decide re bed tax. Let the people decide.”

Like Pontius Pilate, I told him.

“Like Thomas Jefferson,” he wrote back.

By the way, Diaz de la Portilla (R-Coral Gables) filed a campaign finance report from the first quarter that shows $3,000 from pro-stadium interests: $2,000 from Dolphins lobbyist Ron Book and $1,000 from Ross’ two companies, Miami Dolphins and South Florida Stadium, both on March 4. While Garcia (R-Hialeah) shows $1,500 from Book and nada from Ross. Braynon (D-Miami Gardens) $13,000 so far shows nada from either Ross or Book. None of the others have filed reports or, apparently, opened accounts yet.

Hate to say it. But I will: Ladra told you so. Even though I had the Senate passing without such a beating in a much more narrow win. If this were a football game score, the anti side was clobbered. I bet auto mogul Norman Braman is playing Tuesday morning quarterback today and wishing he had not put all his eggs in his Tallahassee basket. Hopefully, he will switch gears and start putting his resources against the local referendum.

Because here’s more bad news (and, yes, I’ve mentioned it to Braman once or twice): It’ll pass in the House this week, making the private election that’s already underway — bought and paid for by Ross — all that more real to those who have had their heads stuck in the sand for months.

And since the Senate bill has the team competing with others — like Jacksonville, which is struggling to keep the Jaguars — there could be wide support, from different regions, in the House.

Really, how can you expect it not to pass?

Ross and his team have rented somewhere between 15 and 28 lobbyists or mouthpieces and have already made a tremendous investment — $6 million, at least — in between the costs of the paid, private election and the Miami First campaign. You think he did that on a lark?

“There is no way he is spending $6 to $7 million on a whim and a prayer,” said Alex Dominguez, who is running for Miami City Commission against Frank Carollo and has been vocally against the deal.

Like Ladra, Dominguez thinks Steve Ross’s lobbying team has been counting votes. Monday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell added some chutzpah to the chorus by going with Ross to visit with legislators, including House Speaker Will Weatherford.

And I’m also pretty positive they can afford to throw more money around. And why wouldn’t they? After that intitial investment, Ross and his team of lobbyists can sway anti and on-the-fence legislators who can now take $3,000 maximum contributions for their next re-election campaign.

Say there are 20 lobbyists, plus Ross and four more of his companies. That’s 25 donations for $75,000. Give or take a few thousand. Pennies to the dollar.

“After what he’s invested, that would be nothing,” Dominguez said.

Ka-ching. Ker-plunk.