Both Boston city and MA state officials "dealt a double
blow to the Red Sox yesterday, making separate moves to
block public funding for the team's $600 million ballpark
project," according to Macero & Silberman of the BOSTON
HERALD. Eight city councilors "declared they will halt any
plan to use city funds to acquire land for the ballpark
unless a 'credible plan' is presented for recovering the
taxpayer investment." Meanwhile, MA Senate Republicans
presented a resolution on Beacon Hill that "seeks to halt
any legislative action on a new ballpark until lawmakers"
complete the state's FY 2001 budget. Macero & Silberman:
"That move, while largely symbolic, came with an implied
threat to kill any financing plan for the Red Sox if the
House or Senate leadership moves on it before the budget is
enacted." Sources add that GOP senators are "prepared to
filibuster a Sox financing plan to death if it emerges
anytime soon." The "dual moves" come as the Sox "have
stepped up" their PR effort for the project, including
taking out "large advertising inserts in both" the Boston
Herald and Boston Globe this week, "explaining to fans why
the team needs a new park and making claims about the
project's economic benefits" (BOSTON HERALD, 4/14).
