[DoodleDawg]

The rest of the bonds will be financed with state tax revenues, but there’s an important catch — the remaining $3.5 million per year the state will pay over the next two decades is more than offset by the annual income taxes the Milwaukee Bucks franchise pays the state. According to state records, the Bucks pay $6.5 million per year in state income taxes. Every NBA player who comes to Milwaukee to face the Bucks pays a portion of his income to Wisconsin. This isn’t expected revenue from future economic development — this is money already being paid to the state. Thus, “taxpayers” won’t be paying the state’s portion, the Bucks will be.

Except that the NBA players have been paying that since the Bucks entered the league and I assume it's gone into the general revenue fund. So if suddenly more than half of it will now be devoted to paying for the Bucks stadium then I assume the Wisconsin taxpayers are on the hook for making up for where that money was spent before?

Anyway you look at it taxpayer are funding a big part of the arena and the Bucks owners are making out on the deal. At least when Kansas City renovated the Truman Sports Complex they put the issue to the taxpayers in a referendum. And the taxpayers approved the spending. Tney didn't have it shoved down their throat by the legislature.

[Dr. Sivana]

Except that the NBA players have been paying that since the Bucks entered the league and I assume it's gone into the general revenue fund.

There was an agreement to raise the fee, so there is more income, but not nearly enough to pay for the building.

[BlueMondaySkipper]

What happens is, if the team leaves the state, the income tax the players pay go with them. I don't support public money for sports arenas in general, but this one is pretty benign as they go. The owners have skin in the game and there was a very real threat that they would move.

If there was a federal law that prohibited states and cities from doing this, then the threat to move would be diminished and it would be easier to stand firm against funding.

Like any business, if you can invest $1 to make $1.50, you should do it. The numbers in this case seem realistic and not made up at least.