Political grudge trumps budget deficits

Political grudge trumps budget deficits

Declining property values and budget deficits weren't enough to convince Charlotte County Commissioners to go along with naming its Tampa Bay Rays spring training stadium Mosaic Field at Charlotte Sports Park.

The Rays need county approval for the name change. The county needs revenue to address a $10-$12 million forecasted budget deficit for next year after making nearly $54 million in budget cuts for this fiscal year.

Commissioner Adam Cummings and the Greater Charlotte Harbor Group of the Sierra Club fought the renaming agreement between the Rays and Mosaic Co., which would have pumped $1.4 million into county coffers over the 15-year term of the agreement.

The Rays and Mosaic chose not to move forward in the face of citizen protests inflamed by Cummings and the environmental group. The item had been set to go before the commission Feb. 23 so it could be approved prior to the start of spring training games.

Apparently, Charlotte County is still smarting from spending $12 million in taxpayers' money over the past decade on four failed lawsuits against Mosaic. That costly effort tried to limit phosphate mining in the Peace River basin which drains into Charlotte Harbor. But courts ruled repeatedly that Mosaic's mining activity would not adversely affect the water quality or quantity of the Peace River.

Mosaic is the world's leading producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash, two of the primary nutrients required to grow food. The resource is limited to only a few locations around the globe.

As usual, taxpayers will be stuck making up the difference — apparently because of a political grudge against a company that produces much needed nutrients for food production.

Interestingly, the county's Web site urges residents to donate money to the county for various parks, recreation and cultural programs. Meanwhile, Mosaic has donated $500,000 to Haiti earthquake relief.

Coffee Talk does not expect Charlotte residents to see such generosity.