Two bills introduced in the Oregon Legislature could unravel the one public subsidy that proponents of a Portland major-league ballpark have said they would seek.

The bills would repeal laws passed by the Legislature in 2003 that allowed for up to $150 million in state-issued bonds to help pay for the construction of a major-league stadium in Portland. Under the 2003 law, the bonds would be paid back with an income tax on the salaries of players and team managers.

The proposals were filed before the legislative session’s start later this month and first reported by Willamette Week. The Senate version, Senate Bill 607, is sponsored by Sen. Ginny Burdick, a Portland Democrat and the Senate majority leader. It’s backed by four other Democrats: Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson of Gresham, Sen. Floyd Prozanski of Eugene, Sen. Chuck Riley of Hillsboro and Rep. Susan McLain of Hillsboro.

Rep. Tawna Sanchez, D-Portland, is sponsoring an identical bill in the House.

Public financing for sports venues is often controversial, and economists say the economic development benefits of new stadiums rarely offset the costs of a direct subsidy. The bond funding plan is a gray area, however, because the income taxes directed toward the stadium wouldn’t exist if the stadium wasn’t built.

The stadium could result in other costs to the public, however.

The Portland Diamond Project, the group leading the effort to lure a Major League Baseball team, is negotiating to build the ballpark on a publicly owned site, the Port of Portland’s marine cargo Terminal 2. And the group is in talks with the city of Portland to provide the roads and utilities necessary to serve the stadium and other development on the riverfront site, which sits in the Northwest Portland industrial district.

The stadium’s cost is expected to approach or exceed $1 billion. The Portland Diamond Project hasn’t publicly revealed major investors who could finance a project of that size.

It has said it would not seek public subsidies beyond the bonds to build the stadium or purchase a Major League Baseball franchise. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said the city wouldn’t subsidize those costs but might support adjacent development through fee waivers and tax breaks.

-- Elliot Njus

enjus@oregonian.com; 503-294-5034; @enjus

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