The Merc’s Mike Swift has two good pieces today. The first covers the generally anti-public funding attitude for stadia in California. The other article has noted sports economist Roger Noll’s skepticism over the 49ers’ Santa Clara stadium plans, while also saying that the Fremont site is “much more viable.”

The only thing missing from Swift’s article is SB 4, the 2005 bill that flew under the radar during the legislative session, only to be stillborn as it went through committee. We should be proud of the fact that we aren’t likely to get extorted as our counterparts are in Pennsylvania, Florida, and even New York. It doesn’t matter that California alone would be one the world’s top ten economies. Let’s remember who would be competing for public funding if it were allowed at the state level (which it hasn’t for decades):

1. A’s ballpark in Oakland/Alameda County
2. San Francisco 49ers stadium
3. San Diego Chargers stadium
4. Sacramento Kings arena
5. New LA football stadium to attract an NFL team
6. San Jose Earthquakes stadium

As for Noll, he’s right. While the $200 million being pursued is only 1/4 of the 49ers’ projected budget, it’s still a sizable chunk for any municipality, let alone Santa Clara. If a vote is required – which looks likely – I don’t know how well that’ll go over. A while back I spoke with one of the Santa Clara project’s proponents, and one of the advantages about Santa Clara being pitched – the city’s ownership of an electric utility allows it to control and lower prices – could be placed at risk if the money backing that price control is leveraged. Meanwhile, Lew Wolff continues to make appearances in Fremont, yesterday reading to kids at Niles Elementary.

One other nice blurb from China Basin: PG&E will install new solar panels in three different areas at AT&T Park, enough to generate 123 kW, or “enough juice to power the ballpark’s scoreboard for an entire season.” Applause to both the Giants and PG&E for doing what they can to take a small load off the power grid.

Update (3/21): PG&E somehow “forgot” to tell its ratepayers that they would end up footing the bill for the project. Oops. So much for the good PR.