February 19, 2010

Selig, D-Backs endorse Cubs stadium TIF

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has officially come out against an Arizona-wide ticket tax scheme to help fund a Chicago Cubs spring-training stadium. In doing so, Selig joins every other team in Arizona, who would rather not be helping to foot the bill for their rival's new home, no matter how many Cubs fans boost the gate at their spring games thanks to the team's presence in Arizona rather than Florida.

Selig says he'd rather see a tax-increment financing scheme. The Arizona Diamondbacks agree, which should be no surprise given that a TIF was their idea in the first place; however, team president Derrick Hall hedged a bit, saying, "We would be open to [a TIF], but believe the legislators are not in favor of it. ... We are just seeking other solutions so as to not tax fans who attend any and all spring games." In other words: We don't care who you tax, Arizona legislature, so long as it ain't us.