Moore: A Preposterous PawSox Proposal

After the jaw-dropping proposal from the Pawtucket Red Sox ownership, that would, among other things, force Rhode Islanders to pay the team $120 million for an $85 million stadium they'll build was released, former State Representative David Segal took to Facebook to ask a question: Why wouldn't the state just buy the team itself?

It's a fair and just question seeing that the new Pawtucket Red Sox ownership paid just $20 million for the team. And if the state is going to risk all that capital to pay for the stadium, why not just buy the team outright so that it could benefit from the profits?

But the question is obviously rhetorical, because it contains an inherent assumption that only Rhode Island political observers would catch: that state government works for the interests of the common people. In reality, state government is filled with snollygosters—folks who look out for the interests of themselves and their friends, the wealthy and connected, not the general public.

If the state bought the team, the state taxpayers would benefit from the profitability of the franchise instead of Skeffington and his partners personally. That wouldn't work for him, and that's what this is all about. Skeffington wants the risk socialized, but privatize the profit. Segal's suggestion would be too fair to the little people in that the risk and profit would be socialized.

Corporate Welfare

If this were a straightforward situation where a non-connected, ordinary person who wasn't part of the state government class here in Rhode Island, approached the state with a ludicrous proposal that would force the state to enter into a situation that was so blatantly crony capitalistic and filled with obvious corporate welfare, he'd be laughed out of the room. But because Skeffington is so immersed in the culture of state government--the government and legacy media treat it as a legit proposal.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that Skeffington and his prominent partners have been donating money to prominent politicians like Governor Gina Raimondo for years on end.

For far too long, there's been a culture in Rhode Island where the highly connected beautiful people like Skeffington have taken advantage of those without a connection to state government other than their tax payments.

This proposal is yet another example of the strong preying on the weak. Yet Skeffington makes it seem as if by forcing taxpayers to pay for his team's brand new stadium so he can profit handsomely, he's doing them a favor.

A Playround for the Connected

Skeffington made what had to be one of the most disingenuous comments I've ever read several weeks ago, when he told wpri.com's Ted Nesi that he saw being a part of the ownership group that bought the Pawtucket Red Sox "an opportunity to give back to my community". If that's the definition of "giving back", I'm sure just about every citizen in this state is looking for precisely such an opportunity.

Inviting local bands, who are struggling to make end’s meet, to play at McCoy Stadium this year for free was also a nice touch. It just shows that Skeffington and this ownership group are cheap and inconsiderate.

In addition to being cozy with so many politicians and state officials, Skeffington is also leveraging the nostalgia for the Pawtucket Red Sox. So people have such fond memories of the Pawtucket Red Sox dating back to their childhoods. Like so much else from his past, it’s a trick.

In case anyone needs to be reminded, Skeffington is the man who brought moral obligation bonds to Rhode Island—the concept that brought us 38 Studios.

Bloopers of Yesteryear

While 38 Studio’s isn’t his fault at all, Skeffington was the driving force behind the financing mechanisms of the construction of the Rhode Island Convention Center. When the Convention Center was constructed roughly 21 years ago, original forecasts by Skeffington was that the center would pay for itself. The reality is that the state has had to pour about $450 million dollars into the facility to keep it up and running.

Rest assured however, Skeffington made a hefty sum out of the deal, so it worked out well for him.

Of course, Skeffington is up to his old trick again. Golocal reported earlier this week that the consultants the team has hired to make economic projections on the proposal have a history of telling their customers precisely what they want to hear. But that's no surprise, such consultants are little more than PR people parading as economists.

Odds in Skeffington's Favor

Despite these truths, the odds are in Skeffington's favor once again. He is a close ally of Governor Gina Raimondo and has raised money for the candidate. House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and Senate President Teresa Paiva-Weed haven't indicated any opposition to this project yet either, and that's also a good sign for Mr. Skeffington (and a bad sign for the people of Rhode Island).

Yet in this particular interest, all is not lost. This issue has galvanized opposite from both sides of the political spectrum, and everywhere in between. Folks with such diverse political perspectives as Segal and State Representative Doreen Costa (R-North Kingstown) have come out in opposition to this deal. Groups on Facebook have been created with the express intent of opposing this boondoggle.

It needs to be thwarted. Mr. Skeffington is certainly not the only mover and shaker in Rhode Island who would, and has, used the taxpayers as his own personal ATM machine, but with this latest scheme, he's certainly become the poster boy for it. It's about time the people whom the government is supposed to be working for pushed back. Call your representatives, senators, and Raimondo and tell them we don’t need want any more corporate welfare.

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Russell Moore has worked on both sides of the desk in Rhode Island media, on both political campaigns and for newspapers. Follow him on twitter @russmoore713. Send him email at [email protected]