Mayor Smith defends Cubs bill

Now that the euphoria of the Cubs staying in Mesa has finally started to wear off, the actual reality of all the work that needs to be done is starting to set in. There are a few critics out there who don't think that the Cubs should benefit from leaguewide tourism taxes, despite the fact that the large majority of the existing stadiums were funded in a similar manner.

What they also seem to forget in their argument is the tremendous impact that the Cubs have on the Cactus league. The departure of the Cubs would be far more detrimental than boosting fees to keep them here - something that Mayor Smith was quick to point out. While his words were stern, they were nothing compared to the lashing he gave D-Backs and White Sox owners last week for their hypocricy and irony of standing up for the taxpayers after getting taxpayer funded stadiums of their own.

There is still a long way to go in keeping the Cubs in Mesa. Supporters, politicians, volunteers, and just plain Mesa residents should keep this in mind, and keep the heat on as much as possible. Florida is going to continue to watch intently and hope to swoop in if something in this deal falters.

We wouldn't be surprised to see them try to apply some external pressure at the legislature, and even if it makes it through at the Capitol, there is still the risk that they could try to make waves in the local election.