Public hearing today on Republican bill to spend $614 million in public money on Brewers stadium upgrades

If someone were to pick the worst time to hold a public hearing, asking the state of Wisconsin to pay $614 million to update the Milwaukee Brewers stadium, one would have picked 9 p.m. last night — about the time the team was swept out of the playoffs.

The second worst time — one sleep later. At 11 a.m. today, the state is holding those public hearings on whether or not to spend over $700 million for American Family Field upgrades.

The Republican bill was unveiled last week. While the public is putting in over $600 million, the GOP has the Brewers on the hook for about $100 million.

The stadium itself cost about $400 million when it opened in 2001.

Republicans, who control the Legislature, rejected a plan from Gov. Tony Evers months ago, that would have spent about $290 million on the stadium.

The state has been sitting on what is now $4 billion dollars in budget surplus for 20 months.