WI Governor Tommy Thompson's top aide says a "myriad of
questions and complications remain" in the search for a way to
pay for a new $223M stadium for the Brewers. These statements
come on the eve of today's final meeting of the Milwaukee Stadium
Commission, where a recommendation for a plan is expected to be
submitted to Thompson. James Klauser, head of the state
Department of Administration: "I am sure we'll find a way, but we
have a lot of foundation work to do. Everybody will point the
finger [at the state] and say 'You do it.' This has got to be a
collaborative effort. The city and county have to participate as
well." A report in yesterday afternoon's MILWAUKEE JOURNAL says
the committee "may simply recommend a series of potential sources
of public funds." It is estimated the state will need $18-$25M a
year for the next 20 years to fund the project. Among the
possibilities: a sports lottery that would be expected to provide
from five to $15M a year and a regional sales tax for Milwaukee
County and the surrounding counties. The sales tax option has
"little political support and hostile opposition." Tuesday night
in Racine County, just south of Milwaukee, the county board voted
24-2 against raising the county sales tax to finance a ballpark
project. Milwaukee County official William Drew proposed the
regional sales tax idea last week: "I'm still waiting for the
first supporter to call me and say, 'Great idea.' Raising taxes
is not a very politically popular type of thing to do" (Craig
Gilbert, MILWAUKEE JOURNAL, 1/25).
