FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 14, 2023
Contact: Amber Falgout, afalgout@battlebornprogress, 775.657.0433
Carson City, Nev. — Today, less than a week since the Nevada Legislature began consideration of Senate Bill 1, to allocate $380 million in taxpayer funds to construct a Major League Baseball stadium in Las Vegas, the Assembly voted to pass the bill despite considerable community opposition and concern.
The special session was called prematurely by Governor Joe Lombardo, leading to days of little movement and backroom dealings to bring legislators to a “yes” vote. The Assembly’s final hearing on the bill did not allow for phone testimony, limiting testimony solely to in-person at the Legislature in Carson City or Grant Sawyer building in Southern Nevada, or via email to the committee.
Of the passage, Executive Director of Battle Born Progress, Annette Magnus, released the following statement:
“For our democracy to work, and for Nevadans to have trust in our state’s leadership, the process to allocate nearly half-a-billion dollars of taxpayer dollars required transparency and open conversations. To limit constituent testimony during the one and only opportunity for the Assembly to hear the opinions of real Nevadans on Senate Bill 1 is not democratic. We are proud of all of our volunteers and activists who emailed their testimony to the committee to make their voices heard.
For the Governor to force this special session, while he opts to veto legislation that would improve the lives of Nevadans with a far smaller pricer tag, shows a complete lack of regard for the people he was elected to serve. Our neighbors deserve a Governor that is accountable and responsive to their needs and concerns. While he continues to spout off about the ‘Nevada Way,’ it is clear that the Governor has no real concept of what that means — rather, he continues to advance ‘Joe’s Way,’ caving to corporate interests and the distribution of taxpayer dollars to billionaire team owners who could very well finance this stadium on his own.
We are incredibly grateful to the Assemblymembers who stood up and raised their serious concerns about Senate Bill 1 and the hastiness of the entirety of the special session while quality legislation receives veto after veto by the governor. The giveaway of public funds for the construction of a stadium raises important questions about the priorities of our elected officials in Carson City, and we are fortunate to have champions for everyday Nevadans who stood up against this corporate handout.
The state of Nevada faces numerous pressing challenges, including education, healthcare, infrastructure, and affordable housing that have gone long-neglected, despite the efforts of the legislature. While our state continues to suffer, the owner of the Oakland A’s, John Fisher, could pay for this stadium entirely on his own. If the A’s have $1.1 billion to pay, they can and should pay the rest. Nevada should not continue giving public money away to fund private businesses, especially businesses that are underperforming and failing.
Our state and our democracy can only thrive when decisions are made transparently, and the voices of the constituents are heard — particularly when those decisions include half a billion taxpayer dollars. We implore our leaders in the Legislature and the Governor’s office to remember these fundamental principles and to act accordingly in the future. We are beyond disappointed in yet another handout to a billionaire while Nevadans cannot afford to pay their rent and feed their families. Those who voted for this scam should be ashamed.”
SPOKESPEOPLE ARE AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH
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About Battle Born Progress: Battle Born Progress, through strategic communication efforts, empowers, engages and mobilizes Nevada voters to build a state where everyone has a fair opportunity to succeed. We support, engage, and mobilize the progressive community through bold leadership, strategic communications, accountability, and education. We are on the cutting edge of new media and are the go-to source for progressive issues and advocacy for traditional media. Learn more at https://battlebornprogress.org/.
