Apr 21, 2009 2:07 pm US/Eastern
General Funds Will Not Be Used For Marlins Parking
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
-
-
Rendering of the Florida Marlins Stadium to be built on the site of the now-demolished Orange Bowl.
Urban Design Review Board/CBS
-
-
New rendering of the Florida Marlins Stadium to be built on the site of the now-demolished Orange Bowl.
Urban Design Review Board/CBS
An item that would have asked the City of Miami to use $9-million of the city's general fund for the construction of a parking garage at the new Marlins' stadium site in Little Havana has struck out with Miami Commission Chairman Joe Sanchez.
"We were very clear from the beginning. We will not dip into our general fund for this project. I directly asked the administration before I voted, if the general funds will be used and the answer was 'no'," stated Commissioner Sanchez.
Tuesday, Sanchez declared the item will not be heard at Thursday's commission meeting.
"I have a duty to protect the taxpayers, and a promise was made to them. I will not back down from that promise, " said Sanchez in a news release. "Therefore, as Commission Chairman, I have pulled this item from the meeting's agenda."
The item was to be heard on April 23rd, 2009 and Commissioner Sanchez believed that was not enough time to truly examine the item. Sanchez continued, "When an item is rushed unto the agenda, without the approval of the Chair, and has a substantial impact on our taxpayers, it is my duty as Chairman to make sure that the item is not heard. I will not allow our operating funds, which are used for the benefit of Miami's residents, to be used into a payday advance, which is what this item would have accomplished."
The Marlins plan to open the ballpark in 2012 at the Little Havana site of the now-demolished Orange Bowl.
Back in March when Miami commissioners narrowly approved the plans for the 37-thousand seat retractable-roof stadium, tapping into the general fund was one of the major sticking points.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Burned Teen's Family Staying Positive
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
I-Team: Tracking The Florida Stimulus Money Trail 
Stumble It!
Reporting
