PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A local state lawmaker wants Rhode Island taxpayers to decide if the state should finance a new stadium for the PawSox in Providence.
State Representative Patricia Morgan introduced the bill Wednesday, calling for help and proclaiming that, “the people need a right to vote.”
The bill comes after new owners of the PawSox last month said that they may explore a state leasing plan to fund the stadium by the vacant I-195 land.
“He was saying, ‘Well we’ll use private money, but we need a lease from the state.’ And the bells went off. I think that’s really troubling,” she said.
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Morgan scrutinized the Rhode Island Convention Center as a leasing plan taxpayers never partook in.
“The Convention Center authority is going to cost the taxpayers three-quarters of a billion dollars and they never had a chance to vote on it,” explained Rep. Morgan. “I don’t want to see the same thing happening with the baseball stadium.”
The bill will head to a committee meeting before a public hearing will be held. It will then pass to the house floor for a vote.
Rep. Morgan remains optimistic that her bill will get support.
“I think once my colleagues know about it, I’m certainly hoping they would support it because this is about good government”
A full proposal from the new owners of the PawSox looms on what the stadium would look like and how much it would cost to build it.
