There are good arguments from both the left and right that professional sports franchises in North America (because this is a Canadian problem as well), with their incessant demands for public funds, are leeches who take far more from local regions than they ever give back.
Steve Fanning
In Portland, the Mayor has suggested using the "clean energy fund" to bribe our basketball team to not leave town. Meanwhile, our transit system is facing dire service cuts.
opb.org/article/2026...
opb.org
Here’s a refresher on how and why the city’s playing an active role in negotiations and how the public can get involved.
