Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires the Department of Revenue collect an unspecified surcharge on the price of admissions to Major League Baseball spring training sporting events held in counties with a population of more than 2 million.

Highlights:

• Requires the Tourism and Sports Authority to maintain a Cactus League Development Account to collect the revenue derived from the surcharge, and specifies that the revenue shall be expended for the following purposes in the following order of priority (Secs. 1-2):
• For the purpose of acquiring land for and to construct, finance, and develop new Major League Baseball spring training facilities, or renovate existing Major League Baseball spring training facilities in qualifying jurisdictions that have contract or extension agreements entered into after January 1, 2010 with Major League Baseball franchises for spring training operations;
• For payment of up to $15 million to another jurisdiction in the state from which a Major League Baseball spring training operation relocated to the Tourism and Sports Authority for the sole purpose of debt service on outstanding obligations of that jurisdiction relating to the vacated spring training facility; and
• Any other purpose authorized by existing law (§ 5-808).

• Requires the Board of Directors of the Tourism and Sports Authority to require that any project that is financed with money from the Cactus League Development Account include financial participation from the qualifying jurisdiction in which the project is located, from a private party, or from any combination of these entities that equals or exceeds the amount to be financed with money from the account (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the Tourism and Sports Authority to pledge all or part of the money in the account as necessary to secure bonds or other debt obligations issued by the Tourism and Sports Authority for the purposes of providing money for expenditure (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that the surcharge is not taxable (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text