The Oakland A’s, after claiming the team would privately finance its new ballpark, could receive a taxpayer subsidy worth tens of millions of dollars.
Once again, government officials are preparing to spend public money to try to keep a professional sports team under the false rationale that it would boost the local economy. We’ve seen this play before: Taxpayers are still paying off debt for stadium improvements that brought the Raiders back to Oakland in 1995.
Now the A’s are seeking a sweetheart deal to co-own and develop valuable public land at the current ballpark site to help fund their new venue six miles away.