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Wisconsin Giving $250M To Billionaire-Owned Basketball Arena Days After Cutting $250M In Education
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/07/16/wisconsin-giving-250m-to-billionaire-owned-basketball-arena-days-after-cutting-250m-in-education/If you want to see the priorities of politicians, follow the money. In Wisconsin, that means watching Republican Governor Scott Walker and his friends in the state legislature quite literally take money out of the coffers of higher education and place it directly into the hands of the owners of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team – both of whom are billionaires.
This month, scientists and academics around the country watched in stunned horror as Walker systematically dismantled his state’s public university system. Not only did Walker’s razor slice hundreds of millions of dollars in vital funding for the University of Wisconsin, but he went a step further, killing professor tenure to boot. Under the guise of holding teachers accountable, Walker undermined a system of education that protected science and learning from being bullied by popular opinion or politics....
In a move that can only be described as “trickle up” economics Wisconsin lawmakers are dead set on giving $250 million to build a new basketball arena in downtown Milwaukee. As Deadspin points out, the two co-owners of the Bucks basketball team are both billionaires who had demanded the state of Wisconsin foot the majority of the bill or they might take their team elsewhere. Their offer was simple: You pay for this or else.
As usual, supporters of the spending have trotted out the traditional line of defense, claiming the new arena will mean a boost to the Milwaukee economy that will make the arena practically pay for itself. They couldn’t be more wrong. Despite that common perception, economists and clear-eyed city officials have long pointed out that getting taxpayers to dump money into sports stadiums is a massive waste. Pacific Standard took a comprehensive look at the “stadium myth” in 2013 and found absolutely no justification for using public money to purchase a stadium that the team owners might otherwise pay for themselves.
This month, scientists and academics around the country watched in stunned horror as Walker systematically dismantled his state’s public university system. Not only did Walker’s razor slice hundreds of millions of dollars in vital funding for the University of Wisconsin, but he went a step further, killing professor tenure to boot. Under the guise of holding teachers accountable, Walker undermined a system of education that protected science and learning from being bullied by popular opinion or politics....
In a move that can only be described as “trickle up” economics Wisconsin lawmakers are dead set on giving $250 million to build a new basketball arena in downtown Milwaukee. As Deadspin points out, the two co-owners of the Bucks basketball team are both billionaires who had demanded the state of Wisconsin foot the majority of the bill or they might take their team elsewhere. Their offer was simple: You pay for this or else.
As usual, supporters of the spending have trotted out the traditional line of defense, claiming the new arena will mean a boost to the Milwaukee economy that will make the arena practically pay for itself. They couldn’t be more wrong. Despite that common perception, economists and clear-eyed city officials have long pointed out that getting taxpayers to dump money into sports stadiums is a massive waste. Pacific Standard took a comprehensive look at the “stadium myth” in 2013 and found absolutely no justification for using public money to purchase a stadium that the team owners might otherwise pay for themselves.
What the Buck?
18 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Seattle, for example. We lost the Sonics. 
It is what it is.
As the Kings nearly did before Sacramento caved in and built them a Xanadu-like pleasure palace downtown.
When we lost our beloved team right as we drafted Kevin Durant, that hurt bad. I'd rather have an expansion team than inflict that pain on other fans. But you know the NBA, they hate expansions aka splitting the pot.
Seattle is a major metropolitan area. That other place, not so much. Yeah, yeah, yeah, old arena, but weren't the TV rights worth more than he's getting now? 
And no competition from hockey, either, unlike most markets your size.
You're talking about our next POTUS , 
'Not'
An education, not so much. 
