New Britain Won't Help Get Rock Cats' Taxes Reduced

The New Britain Rock Cats plan to leave New Britain and move to Hartford in 2016 and now the city of New Britain says it will no longer be helping with the team's tax problems in neighboring Berlin.

Mayor Erin Stewart told the New Britain Herald (http://bit.ly/1lhTwIf ) that she won't waste city resources to help the minor league franchise.

New Britain attorneys have been negotiating with Berlin officials for months to reduce the team's $300,000 tax bill for the use of New Britain stadium, which straddles both municipalities.

New Britain had been making a $30,000 a year payment in lieu of taxes to Berlin, but the team's lease, which expires after the 2015 season, calls for the franchise to begin paying taxes on July 1.

The decision comes days after Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra and other Hartford officials said that they have been in talks with the Rock Cats about moving from New Britain to Hartford for more than a year and a half.

Those discussions seemed to be a total surprise to officials in New Britain, who initially denied that the team was moving and said it was just a rumor. 

During a meeting in Hartford on Monday night, several residents spoke out against the plan and said they were upset that they were left in the dark about the discussions. http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Public-Voices-Opinion-on-Rockcats-Move-262464531.html

"It is a transparent process moving forward now that this is in the council chamber," said Hartford Council President Shawn Wooden said in response.