A swing, a miss, and an errant bat in the stands

MADISON, WI – Seasoned fans might remember a former Brewers slugger named Jeromy Burnitz. He sometimes swung his bat so hard trying to hit a home run that the bat would fly out of his hands and into the seats on the first base side, imperiling all fans in its path.

That’s a lot like what happened today in the State Senate. In a desperate rush to pass a stadium funding package to keep AmFam Field up to MLB specifications for another 27 years, we passed a bill with few safeguards for taxpayers that will end up costing us roughly half a billion dollars – money that could be better spent on policies that benefit all of us, not just those who can afford to attend a Major League baseball game.

With 7 years left on the current lease, it’s curious that we chose to swing at the first pitch instead of waiting for the Brewers to truly come to the table with a deal that asks a whole lot more from team ownership and a whole lot less from our neighbors.

Despite their position in a highly profitable, multi-billion dollar monopoly, pro MLB teams, like other major sports teams, have a business plan that includes coming to cities and states with their hands out every few decades. Perhaps the next time the Brewers owners come back for a new stadium, political leaders will have more patience at the plate, wait for better pitches, and know when to cry foul.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.