- Thu Aug 13, 2015 7:00 pm
#61695
MANCHESTER, N.H. —Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Thursday labeled as “ridiculous” any suggestion that politics had a role in his approval of $250 million in public financing for a new arena for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks.
The Republican presidential candidate also said in an interview with WMUR.com that the deal is a good one for taxpayers of his state and does not conflict with his fiscally conservative approach to governing.
“I’ve cut taxes by $2 billion, and I want to have more money to cut taxes,” Walker said. He said that Wisconsin currently collects $6.5 million in state taxes from Bucks players and personnel.
Walker said the team owners have “put up a quarter of a billion dollars. The state is putting up (borrowing) less than $4 million a year to keep $6.5 million, and to see that double over 20 years. Most business people would say that was a three-to-one return on investments and it’s a pretty good idea.
“And that’s what we’re doing, putting more money back in the hands of the taxpayers of our state.”
A minority owner of the team is Wisconsin business executive Jon Hammes, a longtime Walker supporter and a current co-chair of Walker’s presidential fundraising committee. According to the New York Times, a company registered to one of Hammes’ family members donated $150,000 in May to a super PAC supporting Walker.
The Republican presidential candidate also said in an interview with WMUR.com that the deal is a good one for taxpayers of his state and does not conflict with his fiscally conservative approach to governing.
“I’ve cut taxes by $2 billion, and I want to have more money to cut taxes,” Walker said. He said that Wisconsin currently collects $6.5 million in state taxes from Bucks players and personnel.
Walker said the team owners have “put up a quarter of a billion dollars. The state is putting up (borrowing) less than $4 million a year to keep $6.5 million, and to see that double over 20 years. Most business people would say that was a three-to-one return on investments and it’s a pretty good idea.
“And that’s what we’re doing, putting more money back in the hands of the taxpayers of our state.”
A minority owner of the team is Wisconsin business executive Jon Hammes, a longtime Walker supporter and a current co-chair of Walker’s presidential fundraising committee. According to the New York Times, a company registered to one of Hammes’ family members donated $150,000 in May to a super PAC supporting Walker.