COMMENTARY: Ford Center tax proposal a bad idea...

So Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett wants to bring an NBA team to town.

And Cornett’s buddy, businessman and NBA fan Clayton Bennett — plus a cast of favorites — purchased the Seattle SuperSonics.

Then Bennett and company decide Seattle wasn’t being nice to his team and they should move it to Oklahoma City.

Further, since Seattle wouldn’t give into Bennett’s extortion, he threw a tantrum to justify his reason for pulling up stakes.

I know, you’ve heard all this before.

And, at this point, the debate is nothing more than a fight between millionaires.

“These are significant issues dealing with big numbers of dollars in taxpayer money,” Cornett told the Daily Oklahoman’s John Estus. “These are significant decisions, and we’re asking people in a matter of weeks to make up their minds. We’ve got a lot to do in a short time.”

Yeah, come up with a bad idea and try to shove it down the public’s throat quickly.

For the record: I have some swampland near Guthrie I’d like to sell you, too.

While I’ve said — and written — before that Bennett’s actions toward the people of Seattle have given Oklahoma a bad name, the proposal to have taxpayers foot the bill to upgrade the Ford Center so Bennett will bring his team here is even worse.

Public money for a private gain.

Bull.

If Mr. Bennett wants to spend his fortune (and, apparently, the fortunes of others) on a basketball team that’s fine.

And if he wants to try and extort money from the good people of Seattle, so be it (of course if I were him I wouldn’t travel there any time soon).

But now Clay, Cornett and company are playing on the home court.

And the voters should flush their plans.

The original MAPS proposal was a great idea.

As was MAPS for Kids.

But MAPS for Millionaires is a stupid, silly concept that does nothing but help make a few rich people richer.

And it’s not good public policy.

Rest assured chamber officials, Bennett and company and other insiders will do everything possible to sell this snake oil as economic development. They’ll tell you how Oklahoma City will move into the big leagues with its own NBA team.

They’ll tell you how much money the team will generate.

And they’ll tell you what a swell idea it is to have a Sooner state NBA team.

Don’t believe them.

Tell them ‘no.’

I find it ironic that Oklahomans will raise cain about taxes and even force a public vote on a tax for our schools, and in the same breath, come begging hat in hand for public funds so a millionaire will being his basketball team to Oklahoma City.

The whole idea would be funny if it wasn’t so stupid.

Cornett, Bennett and others should be ashamed they’ve even asked. With thousands living in poverty, the economy struggling and our schools and infrastructure needing million of dollars in improvements, earmarking taxpayer money to help a millionaire support hisbasketball team is the last thing we should consider.

And it shows just how messed up our priorities are.