Florida Supreme Court Ruling Is Positive For New Marlins Stadium

Florida Supreme Court Ruling Could Pave Way For Marlins To Receive Public Financing For New Park

The Florida Supreme Court Thursday "ruled that voter referendums are not required when spending large chunks of community-redevelopment money," according to Michael Vasquez of the MIAMI HERALD. The ruling "had been holding up the final court decision" in Miami auto dealer Norman Braman's lawsuit over the public funding of the Marlins proposed ballpark that was "attempting to derail the stadium." The court's ruling could now "pave the way for the end of Braman's case." Thursday's ruling is a "180-degree about-face from a 2007 decision by the same court" (MIAMI HERALD, 9/19). In Ft. Lauderdale, Ortgea & Talalay report the court now "says long-term financial plans that pay off debt with future property tax increases are legal, even without voter approval." Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Jeri Beth Cohen "was waiting for the ... decision before ruling on the final count in Braman's case: part of the financing requires a referendum because it relies on" Community Redevelopment Agency dollars. Cohen has scheduled a hearing for Monday. The Marlins and city of Miami and Miami-Dade County officials "hope Thursday's ruling clears up misconceptions about the ballpark and other projects" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 9/19). The SUN-SENTINEL's Sarah Talalay reported Braman "wasn't so giddy." He said that his legal team is "studying the ruling and he vowed, again, to fight on" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 9/18).