The WI Assembly approved the stadium financing plan for the
Brewers early this morning, 52-47, according to Amy Rinard of the
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. The bill now goes to the Senate for
a vote expected next week. Thompson admin. official James
Klauser expected the Senate to pass the bill (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL
SENTINEL, 9/28).
ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE: Negotiations between WI Gov.
Tommy Thompson's administration and Assembly Democrats "continued
late into the evening" yesterday, as proponents continued to seek
further support. Minority Leader Walter Kunicki said he received
a pledge from Thompson that the governor would not veto certain
key changes Democrats had insisted on. The JOURNAL SENTINEL'S
Rinard reports "that pledge helped deliver a few more Democratic
votes for the bill." Democrats had received concessions from the
Thompson administration, including an agreement that Thompson
would "not be allowed to appoint" a majority of the members of
the stadium district board. Under the compromise, Thompson would
name six members, the City of Milwaukee one and there would be
one member each from Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington and Racine
counties. Milwaukee County would name two members. With the
compromise, Thompson lost one appointment and Milwaukee County
gained one. Among other agreements: 1) Language requiring the
WI Housing and Economic Development Authority to secure adequate
collateral before lending the Brewers $50M; 2) $36M in state
money for infrastructure improvements (Amy Rinard, MILWAUKEE
JOURNAL SENTINEL, 9/28). In a 61-38 vote, it was decided that
that Racine County would stay in the five-county stadium taxing
district (AP/CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/28).
