Orange County voters already prioritized immediate needs

Even though I don’t live in Orange County and I am an avid sports fan, it’s frustrating to see hundreds of millions of dollars potentially going towards what are, for right now, theoretical uses. Las Vegas convinced the Oakland A’s Major League Baseball team to commit to relocating, even though less than ⅓ of the proposed stadium is publicly financed. Orlando doesn’t have an existing team to potentially cost-share with – the proposed money from the tourism development tax would be used to potentially “lure” a team.

I say this as a fan who has traveled to Tampa Bay for concerts (an analysis showed that Taylor Swift concerts are a stimulus program) and sporting events: It should be a slam dunk to lure the Rays from Tampa Bay, but without a commitment and cost-sharing agreement, is it worth nearly $1 billion to lure the Rays to Central Florida or bank on expansion of a league that almost never expands?

In 2022, voters rejected a transportation tax to potentially improve transportation but approved a rent stabilization measure. To me, this shows a local desire to prioritize “kitchen table” issues as opposed to a tax increase based on a promise. Scott Maxwell recently pointed out that policymakers can change how TDT dollars are spent if they want (“$975 million for baseball in Orlando? Bianchi, Maxwell debate”). While the Citizens Advisory Task Force will make recommendations, they are not binding nor free from interest-group influence. Stadium constructions and renovations are certainly flashy, but theoretical uses don’t address residents’ everyday concerns, like making rent payments.

Kyle Curran

Casselberry