Lawmakers, community leaders react to Milwaukee Bucks arena funding deal

"Today’s vote protects taxpayers from the financial impact of losing the Bucks and opens the door to further job creation and economic growth for our state.  Governor Walker thanks members of the Assembly for their bipartisan support of this bill and looks forward to signing it into law."

“Today, our collective effort to create a world-class sports and entertainment district in the heart of Milwaukee took a monumental step forward thanks to the bipartisan leadership of elected officials in Madison. We’re incredibly grateful for the commitment of state, county and city officials to work together in a historic fashion to help shape this public-private partnership. There’s still work to be done and we look forward to building on this progress with the city and county, but the passage of legislation today makes our future much clearer. The Bucks will not only remain home in Wisconsin, but we’ll soon begin a transformative economic development project that will help revitalize our community and region.”

“The passage of the arena deal shows that legislators can come together to make the right decisions for the state of Wisconsin.

This arena plan is a good financial move. It protects state taxpayers and brings new economic development to Milwaukee. We have proven that it is cheaper to keep the Bucks in Wisconsin than to lose them. This is a smart investment that will have numerous economic benefits for the area and the state as a whole.

I want to thank all the parties involved in these negotiations. I look forward to working together in a bipartisan fashion on other important issues facing the state in the near future.”

“Especially when decisions by extreme Wisconsin politicians continue to damage our state and Wisconsin Republican leadership has blasted Milwaukee as a ‘drain on our state,’ I believe we have a transformative opportunity to make Milwaukee’s communities stronger and strengthen Milwaukee’s position as the economic engine of our state with this project.

When given a small window of opportunity as a member of the minority party, I am proud to have worked with a wide range of stakeholders - Democrats, Republicans, Milwaukee Bucks leadership, and the neighborhoods and families I am proud to represent in Milwaukee - to make sure this deal will deliver family-supporting jobs for people in our community.

I will continue to work to ensure that this project will be a catalytic, once-in-a-generation opportunity for the city of Milwaukee and its families. However, this will also involve bold and concerted efforts to make Milwaukee’s neighborhoods safer, more vibrant, and more prosperous.

Just as Democrats and Republicans came together to vote on this project today, I hope that, one day, Wisconsin Republicans will join the ranks of my Democratic colleagues and I to support safe neighborhoods, strong public schools, healthy children and families, and real opportunities that will allow our neighbors and families to get ahead and achieve the American Dream.

After all, standing strong for these shared Wisconsin values and priorities are the real ‘slam dunk’ for our state.”

“If you had asked me just after Governor Scott Walker’s budget address if I’d be supporting the Bucks arena plan, I’d have said, ‘no.’ I couldn’t bear the idea that we’d subsidize an arena, when school funding was being cut so severely.  But, this plan is not Governor Walker’s plan – far from it.

In Senate Bill 209, an investment of $3.5 million each year gets Wisconsin $6.5 million in revenue from professional basketball players who pay income taxes here.  Keeping the Bucks in Wisconsin puts our state in a better financial situation to support the things we truly value: public schools, lifeline health care programs, and the UW System.

The folks in my district seemed to understand the economics of this deal because they contacted me in support of the deal by a margin of nearly 2-to-1.  Their input, as always, matters most to me, and it continues to be a privilege to be their voice in the State Assembly.”

“I am supportive of building a new arena for the Milwaukee Bucks and for the potential that comes with it. The Bucks are an important part of our local and state economy, and I want them to remain in our city. However, I couldn’t support the arena deal without reducing the $400 million financial burden on taxpayers, much of which will be paid for by Milwaukee residents.

This legislation put the Bucks and our community in a unique position to share not only in the responsibility of constructing a new arena, but also in the opportunity that comes with it. Naming rights for the arena, valued by the Bucks at as much as $120 million over 20 years, presented a great opportunity for the Bucks to stand with their community and reduce tax dollars spent on this project. This bill would have had my vote if there was an agreement that returned half of any naming rights proceeds to the taxpayers. While I support the project, without this change I could not vote yes.”

“Our partnership with Wiegand and the Near West Side Partners is a great example of the approach to economic development that Milwaukee County takes.

By leveraging County funds and assets to catalyze local development, this deal creates a win for County taxpayers, local businesses, and the people of the Avenues West neighborhood.”

“Public-private partnerships that benefit the general welfare are within the purview of public policy and worthy of consideration. When local, county, and state government entities see fit to cooperate for purposes of economic development and collectively negotiate an agreement that earns bipartisan support, such an agreement is likely in the public interest."

The bill to fund the construction of a new arena for the Milwaukee Bucks and other entertainment options in Milwaukee is an agreement that is in the public interest which is why it garnered my support today on the Assembly floor.

It might be easy to stand on some principle to oppose the funding plan. To do so, however, would be to ignore the fiscal benefits and the potential economic benefits. Over the last several months while I wrestled with the philosophical principles of public support for a private venture, the terms of the agreement have improved.

The key for me is that those who will benefit the most are contributing the most. Private investment from out of state and from within Wisconsin covers over half the cost. Public investment at the local level from the City and County of Milwaukee along with the Wisconsin Center District and the ticket purchasers collectively provides the next largest portion. Finally, the State of Wisconsin’s share of the funding formula has been reduced to a relatively small portion, and the terms of the agreement reduces the State’s long term liability with the current Bradley Center and protects the taxpayers for the next few decades.

It is my hope that the Milwaukee Bucks organization sees the value of this partnership and accepts the awesome responsibility that comes with it. The people of Wisconsin expect the Bucks to build a successful team with people of great character who will give back to the community. The people of Wisconsin expect the Bucks organization to give us a team we can be proud of and a team that can inspire us to pursue greatness. My message to the Milwaukee Bucks: the ball is in your court.”

"My goal was to get the best deal possible for workers and taxpayers of Wisconsin – and I believe this deal does that.

Making sure that Milwaukee remains a major-league city helps all of us and I am confident that the arena project will serve as a catalyst for economic development, investment and job creation for people in southeastern Wisconsin.

For taxpayers, this deal will actually result in more state revenues to pay for our priorities like education and long-term care. If the Bucks left Wisconsin, we would lose more than $6.5 million a year in revenue from players like LeBron James playing in Milwaukee and paying Wisconsin income taxes. Under this deal, Wisconsin taxpayers will pay $3.5 million a year. Simple math reveals that keeping the Bucks in the state will be bringing in millions in additional revenue, even if the development doesn’t spark a single additional project, which I believe it will.

We need to invest in economic development projects across the state, and I am proud to support this project just as I supported the Confluence project in Eau Claire, Amazon in my hometown of Kenosha and many other projects.”

“After many months of negotiations, the state has finally passed legislation to keep the Milwaukee Bucks in Wisconsin. This vote represents the best interest of taxpayers because it allows the state to continue to benefit from the Buck's income tax revenue.

If we had not passed this bill, the state would have lost at least $130 million in income tax revenue over 20 years. Instead, with the passage of this bill, the state will continue to receive the $6.5 million a year in income taxes we're currently getting, with the potential for revenues to grow to almost $12 million a year in 20 years.

These are revenues that will help to fund our priorities for years to come, such as our education system, healthcare, and job training. Taxpayers should also know that they are protected if the team leaves the state, thanks to a claw back provision that allows the state to recoup any money already spent should the Bucks leave before the twenty years are up.

Investing state money in a sports facility is not a new concept in Wisconsin. In 2003, the state contributed millions of dollars for the renovation of Lambeau Field. This investment by the state has proved to be a financial success. It’s clear that we’ll see a similar level of economic benefit thanks to our investment in the Bucks arena.

Keeping the Milwaukee Bucks in Wisconsin is a huge win for taxpayers, the city of Milwaukee, and our entire state. We’re pleased to see that SB 209 received broad bi-partisan support, and we look forward to seeing the economic benefits in the future.”

"I want the Bucks to stay in Milwaukee and do not oppose building a new arena, but I could not support today’s proposal. It is a bad deal for my neighbors in this Assembly District and for Milwaukee County.

Governor Walker and his legislative allies argued that the Bucks will leave Milwaukee if public funding is not given. They claimed that we “cannot afford” the negative economic impact of the Bucks’ departure from Milwaukee and that there will be a huge positive economic impact if the team remains, but sports economists found that there is no evidence to support a connection between sports facility construction and economic development.

There have also been estimates of lost revenue as well as job creation projections, but these numbers vary greatly depending on the source. Of course no one opposes economic development, but our community would be far better served, in contrast to the current arena proposal, by not slashing the funding of UW-Milwaukee and the UW System as a whole– a system that generates $24 in economic activity for each $1 spent.

The hundreds of millions cut from UW System funding should be restored; that will produce jobs in the state. Our public education, criminal justice system, environmental protection efforts, road maintenance, public transportation, and so many other public services all cry out for greater support, yet all of them are diminished by the subsidies and tax breaks that anchor this proposal. Wiping out decades in public investment to support our community's most vulnerable and needy to pay for this arena is wrong.

Milwaukee County, which has had more than its fair share of recent struggles, is now being asked, via the arena proposal, to shoulder an additional $80 million in legacy costs. It would be taken from some of our community's most vulnerable and needy by further cutting services such as Milwaukee County's mental healthcare system. I could not support such a plan.

I understand this is an emotional and important issue. I have listened carefully to neighbors, consulted with colleagues, and worked to get a better deal, one that would build the arena with consideration to the needs, interests, and values of our community. The proposal today was a bad deal for the residents of this Assembly District and for Milwaukee County. I am saddened, because I know that we could have done better, but absolutely resolute in my decision to vote “No.” Many people want to see this arena get built, myself included, but not like this."

“Public-private partnerships that benefit the general welfare are within the purview of public policy and worthy of consideration. When local, county, and state government entities see fit to cooperate for purposes of economic development and collectively negotiate an agreement that earns bipartisan support, such an agreement is likely in the public interest.

The bill to fund the construction of a new arena for the Milwaukee Bucks and other entertainment options in Milwaukee is an agreement that is in the public interest which is why it garnered my support today on the Assembly floor.

It might be easy to stand on some principle to oppose the funding plan. To do so, however, would be to ignore the fiscal benefits and the potential economic benefits. Over the last several months while I wrestled with the philosophical principles of public support for a private venture, the terms of the agreement have improved.

The key for me is that those who will benefit the most are contributing the most. Private investment from out of state and from within Wisconsin covers over half the cost. Public investment at the local level from the City and County of Milwaukee along with the Wisconsin Center District and the ticket purchasers collectively provides the next largest portion. Finally, the State of Wisconsin’s share of the funding formula has been reduced to a relatively small portion, and the terms of the agreement reduces the State’s long term liability with the current Bradley Center and protects the taxpayers for the next few decades.
It is my hope that the Milwaukee Bucks organization sees the value of this partnership and accepts the awesome responsibility that comes with it. The people of Wisconsin expect the Bucks to build a successful team with people of great character who will give back to the community. The people of Wisconsin expect the Bucks organization to give us a team we can be proud of and a team that can inspire us to pursue greatness. My message to the Milwaukee Bucks: the ball is in your court.”

“It is my job to protect the taxpayers of my district and I take that responsibility very seriously.  It is also my responsibility to work on behalf of my constituents to steer Wisconsin in a direction that will create ample economic opportunities for them.  When considering whether to support this deal, I wanted to ensure that the legislation was the best deal possible for taxpayers and workers in Milwaukee.  Ultimately, I believe that the deal I voted on will move Milwaukee forward through a substantial state investment in the city and I supported the deal with a ‘yes’ vote.

While I was happy to support this investment in Milwaukee that will create a world-class entertainment venue in the urban heart of our city, I am well aware that more needs to be done by local and state officials to keep Milwaukee moving forward.  We must proactively address the issue of public safety on our streets, adequate education funding for our schools, and continue creating real economic opportunity for Wisconsin residents.  I look forward to working with my Milwaukee colleagues in the coming weeks in advancing this agenda and am anxious to return to the Assembly Floor this fall to continue debating how we can move Milwaukee, and the state of Wisconsin, forward.”

"Today marks a day in which a vision for a new arena took a major step forward. We once again applaud the bipartisan drive and collaboration shown by so many leaders across our state. The new arena will provide a tremendous state-of-the-art facility for our student-athletes and it will provide our incredible fan base with a game-day experience second to none in the country. This significant investment will be a signature attraction and a catalyst for economic growth for generations to come. While steps remain, we look forward to this bill being signed by Governor Walker and to the day in the very near future when leaders in our city, region and state put shovels in the ground."