Photo: WI Public Radio

DISCLAIMER: Wish I didn’t have to issue one, but I’ve been misquoted and misinterpreted so many times this is necessary.  I don’t dislike Steve Taylor. Never have. Quite the contrary, actually. However, he is now my Milwaukee County Supervisor, and as such he is wide open to review from constituents like me.

Back in February Governor Tony Evers proposed spending $290-million in state money for improvements at American Family Field, the home of the Milwaukee Brewers. The response from Republicans who control the WI Legislature has been cold so Evers’ idea is probably going nowhere.

Still there is concern that the Brewers in years to come could leave Milwaukee, so some form of financial aid may still be on the table with the key question being who pays.

Last Friday Steve Taylor issued a news release on the matter:

County Supervisor Steve F. Taylor has proposed a resolution opposing the use of Milwaukee County tax levy to fund long-term renovations at American Family Field. Supervisor Taylor made the following statement: “As someone who cares deeply about Milwaukee County and its residents, I am concerned about the use of taxpayer money to subsidize millionaire sports team owners. While essential services like parks, public safety, senior services, transit, and roadways continue to require significant investment, it is concerning that we have already been mandated by the State to subsidize billionaire owners on the new Bucks arena.

From Taylor’s resolution:

BE IT RESOLVED, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors hereby opposes the use of County tax levy dollars to help fund long-term renovations at American Family Field as more urgent, higher funding priorities exist in Milwaukee County; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Office of Government Affairs staff is authorized and requested to communicate the contents of this resolution to State policymakers and to support legislation to keep the Brewers in Milwaukee without local property tax levy support.

A Milwaukee County Board committee approved Taylor’s resolution Monday. It now moves to the full County Board which most likely will approve. After all, it’s low-hanging fruit. Can’t help pay for a playground for millionaires. It’s such an easy PR grab.

Taylor’s resolution has merit. I do agree with Taylor and state Assembly Speaker that state support for the stadium should not be a state budget provision. Rather, it should be an up or down standalone piece of legislation.

But what strikes me is that Taylor has taken an about face on the whole concept of public-financed ballparks.

During the lengthy debate over the proposed stadium for Franklin’s baseball team, the Milwaukee Milkmen, no elected official worked as hard to make it happen than Taylor, and he was right to do so. The city of Franklin has thus far provided some $33-million in support of Franklin Field. And Milwaukee County also came through approving certain requirements that Taylor fought for.

Local support for the Brewers is a totally different subject now for Taylor. Again, opposing county money for the Brewers is a simple stance that requires hardly any political capital.

Taylor’s resolution in opposition to taxpayer support for American Family Field states, “Milwaukee County is facing a fiscal cliff in 2025 severely hampering its ability to provide essential services to its residents such as transportation and support for the County Parks System” and his news release last Friday said “essential services like parks, public safety, senior services, transit, and roadways continue to require significant investment.”

That’s odd. I favored Taylor’s battle for Franklin Field 100%. But during that debate I don’t recall Taylor ever arguing that city funding should have been used instead for local services and other amenities.

And the county’s current financial dire straits? Even Taylor admitted this week the county is responsible for making “bad decisions.”

Are the situations regarding the two stadiums in Milwaukee and Franklin different? They’re not all that different especially when it comes to the general concept of taxpayer financing. They’re intertwined.

Here’s another issue Taylor has shifted on. Late last year there was debate on whether Milwaukee County should approve some advisory referendum questions. Taylor argued and rightfully so that because they were advisory in nature they were useless and a waste of time and money. Most if not all of Taylor’s buddy-buddies on the county board didn’t agree.

Now Taylor is posing for holy pictures, wanting to tell the state what to do. Again, from his resolution:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Office of Government Affairs staff is authorized and requested to communicate the contents of this resolution to State policymakers and to support legislation to keep the Brewers in Milwaukee without local property tax levy support.

Of course, the resolution will pass. And when “state policymakers” receive “the contents of this resolution” they will chuckle before depositing in the trash. Taylor knows it, but it makes for nice media coverage.

I’m sure Taylor won’t like my commentary. In all honesty we know he gets all upset if someone suggests his tie is half an inch crooked.

But as Charles Emerson Winchester III said in a M*A*S*H* episode, “That’s tough cookies.”

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