April 20, 2004
No state money for Marlins this year
Looks like the Florida Marlins aren't going to make that May 1, ahem, "deadline": Florida House Speaker Johnnie Byrd has rejected the team's request for $60 million in tax rebates to help fund a new stadium, saying, "I've had a chance to learn a little bit more about the Marlins issue, and I don't believe that's an appropriate way to invest taxpayer dollars." Marlins execs haven't yet returned press calls, meaning we'll have to wait a bit to hear what biblical reference David Samson tosses out this time. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush did comment, though, noting that while he supports tax breaks for the Marlins, "I understand that they started late in the game and not all of their proposal is finite." That'd sure make for one weird-looking stadium.
