Opinion: With state budget roller coast heading down, giveaway to billionaire looks worse than ever [Opinion]
“improvements that facilitate enhanced freight and passenger access and to promote the efficient and safe movement of goods and people.” Given concerns about the condition of many state ports — and their crucial importance to the state’s economy — this seemed unremarkable at the time. Instead, as Walters noted, the port subsequently moved to use the funds to help subsidize a new stadium for the Oakland A’s on port property.
For the most part, state lawmakers used to grasp that it was wrong to divert public funds to the tycoons who own sports teams — unlike many officials in local cities and to some extent the federal government. Yet with Oakland still stinging over the departure of the Golden State Warriors for San Francisco and the Raiders for Las Vegas, its civic pride can be seen as having triumphed over the more pressing — and legitimate — needs of Californians.