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Some Find Florida's Sports Pork Difficult To Digest

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By CATHERINE DOLINSKI

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 19, 2008

Updated: 03/18/2008 11:33 pm

TALLAHASSEE - With more than $3 billion of prospective budget cuts looming for the 2008-2009 fiscal year, advocates for the poor, the disabled and teacher and state employee unions went on the offensive Tuesday with a news conference about the Legislature's protection of corporate subsidies and tax breaks.

High on their list was the estimated $21.5 million that Florida doles out annually in sports subsidies.

"Those would be the budgets of the Golf Hall of Fame that receives a $2 million annual subsidy for 25 years, no begging required," said Karen Woodall, a health and social services advocate who leads the Coalition For Fair and Comprehensive Tax Reform. "The budgets of the Jaguars' Alltel Stadium; the Fishing Museum in Broward ... these budgets are not cut."

Other recipients on the advocates' list included Tropicana Field/Tampa Bay Rays ($2 million annually); Raymond James Stadium/Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($2 million) and Home Depot Stadium/Florida Panthers ($2 million).

"It's time for this Legislature to open its eyes and to really look at everybody's budget - the whole revenue picture - and to stop considering these special-interest giveaways, handouts, as sacrosanct," Woodall said.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are contemplating cuts to budget areas ranging from K-12 education to the Medicaid Medically Needy program, which helps the chronically ill pay for chemotherapy and other lifesaving treatments.

"If we get rid of this program, we're pushing thousands of individuals again to unnecessary hospitalizations and premature deaths," said Anne Swerlick, of Florida Legal Aid. "It's tragic that we keep going back to the same needy groups to fill our budget holes while other moneyed, special interests are not even considered to share the load."

Ray Sansom, budget chief for the House, said it's too early to say where lawmakers will make cuts for 2008-2009. With the state's economy sputtering, Sansom said that the Legislature has to consider carefully the effect of its budgeting choices on economic growth.

"The second page of what we deal with this session is getting the economy going," said Sansom, R-Destin. "Pro sports arenas are a way to keep the economy going. So I think we have to evaluate that and balance that out: If you do away with that, does it reduce your state revenue even more? Or does it enhance your state revenue by having these issues in the budget?

"Those are things we will evaluate," he said. "I don't necessarily have an opinion yet."

Reporter Catherine Dolinski can be reached at (850) 222-8382 or cdolinski@tampatrib.com.

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