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House Approves Money For Arena; But the bill is called a long-shot...
Topic Started: Apr 28 2005, 08:56 AM (354 Views)
MagicMadness
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TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida House gave final approval Wednesday to spending more than $100 million in taxpayer money on sports facilities across the state, including an Orlando Magic arena and NASCAR Hall of Fame in Volusia County.

But Senate President Tom Lee immediately cried foul and said the mega-package was "a long shot" to pass his chamber. Without Senate approval, the measure would die.

"I don't want to put the body through a protracted debate on which there are not the votes to pass," Lee said.

The measure also would divert sales taxes to build a new Florida Marlins stadium in Miami; help several spring-training facilities in various cities; and give a rebate of taxes generated by convention centers, including $1 million for Orange County.

On the Senate side, the subsidies remain stuck in the Senate's Ways and Means Committee, and Lee said it was "highly unlikely" they would reach the floor in the session's final six days.

Bush said he didn't know if he would sign the bill in its current form. But the governor said each subsidy seemed fair, when considered individually.

"There's still time to pick and choose, I guess," Bush said, saying the proposals don't have to pass as a single bill.

But House Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, said he would like to see the Senate vote on the whole package, which was bundled together by House leaders earlier this week.

"It has a little bit of everything for everybody," said House Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando. "If they start picking stuff off . . . you start to lose support. It's sort of a coalition of South Florida, Central Florida and all the convention-center supporters just to do it."

The issue will likely get thrown into the last-minute horse-trading between the House and the Senate as the legislative session comes to a close next week. Republican leaders of each chamber will try to reach compromises on other big issues such as the budget, growth management and Medicaid.

Orlando is asking for a $60 million subsidy over 30 years that has potentially been available for about a decade. Daytona Beach has proposed to pay the state back through license-plate sales for the $30 million it wants to help build a NASCAR Hall of Fame.

The package easily passed the GOP-controlled House despite opposition from some Republicans who warned the subsidies would not generate extra spending by locals and tourists.

"The numbers do not add up," said Rep. Fred Brummer, R-Apopka. "We are not going to generate any new money . . . There are no new dollars generated by these type of facilities."

Others called the spending frivolous when many Floridians are without health insurance and some regions are still struggling to rebuild after last year's shock of four hurricanes.

"I can't stand here and vote for stadiums when I have 30,000 families who can't move back into their homes," said Rep. Holly Benson, R-Pensacola, whose hometown was devastated by Hurricane Ivan.

Orlando officials, including Mayor Buddy Dyer, were in Tallahassee to lobby the issue Wednesday and are not deterred by Lee.

"There's still time," Orlando lobbyist Kathy Russell said. "It's a survival of the fittest."

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/bask...magic&track=rss

So you're saying theres a chance...
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MAGICMANEVAN
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sigh... hopefully...
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efenell
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Even if this falls through (which is likely) that doesnt blow our chances of getting a new arena by any means. But it would help considerably
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Black and Blue
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I feel like suddenly congressional hearings are more exciting than anything with all this hoopla. Damn I guess that means Im a grown up.
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iceveins333
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Rocks blocking shots on guys with dreadlocks
I remember way back in Elementary school we had to go to Tallahassee on a field trip and we watched like a session of congress
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