It's the first sign of spring, when pitchers and catchers report to their respective spring training camps in Florida and Arizona. Baseball season is finally here. I have attended spring training once in Arizona, where 15 teams are within an hour of each other, most of them in the metropolitan Phoenix area. It's a destination for baseball fans all over the country taking a vacation away from the cold and the snow. Spring training enables fans to be closer to the action with more accessibility to the players for photographs and autographs. It brings in millions of dollars to the local economy in the form of hotel rooms, car rentals, dining out and shopping.

There is a controversy hanging over training camps in Arizona this year, which has pitted the state of Arizona and the Chicago Cubs versus the rest of Major League Baseball. The Chicago Cubs is looking for $84 million dollars to build a new stadium in Mesa Arizona. There have been several proposals for the funding. First, the City of Mesa proposing a referendum to their voter to allow them to issue bonds and offer other spending to help with this project. I have no problem with this, even without voter approval because communities all over the country offer tax breaks and incentives to businesses to expand or move to their community. It's a fine line because you can't give all businesses what they want, sometimes you have to call their bluffs. Sports teams should be considered as a business like any other corporation. They generate revenue for the local community and employ citizens. Tax breaks are an investment in jobs and grows an economy to support schools, the arts and other projects. Voting on a referendum is what the residents of Brown County Wisconsin did to help the Green Bay Packers funding the renovation of Lambeau field to increase revenues to be more competitive in the NFL. The voters approved a ½ percent increase in the sales tax. While I voted no, (because I believe that the ticket prices are too low because the Packers have a waiting list of 54,000, its simple supply and demand)the Packers are an important part of the community and would lose some quality of life if the Packers weren't there. I would rather spend my tax dollars on “Private” enterprises than wasteful government programs.

The controversial part of the funding comes in form of a bill that is working its way through the Arizona legislature. If passed there would be an increase the tax on hotel rooms and car rentals which  is a common practice, because it effects people who are visiting the community no voters. The bill would also add a surcharge on ALL spring training tickets in Arizona, not just the Cubs. The Chicago Cubs feel that they are the most important team in the Cactus League, bringing in the most out of town fans and fills up stadiums whether its at home in Mesa or away games. Of course Major League Baseball and the other Cactus League teams are against the proposal. I agree, its like having a tax on all cars sold but all revenue going to General Motors. I have no problem with government making investments supporting revenue generating businesses but it has to be somewhat fair. Depending on leverage, cities give out greater tax breaks to one business than to others of comparable size. They just don't tax their competition. If all the funds that come from this surcharge would go into a general fund supporting all teams and the marketing of the league, I wouldn't have a problem with this. I also wouldn't have a problem if the state, county or city offer tax breaks and incentives just to the Cubs. If the other teams want the same breaks they can negotiate for them. I just hope that this bill goes nowhere, without other teams in Arizona the Cubs wouldn't have anyone else to play in their new stadium.