1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

The state legislature should redirect any proposed public funding for the Cleveland Browns' new stadium to investing in essential services that benefit all Ohioans, such as education and public libraries. Allocating hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars to a private sports franchise owned by billionaires is an egregious misuse of public funds that should be prioritized for underfunded schools, libraries, infrastructure and other community needs. The Browns' subpar on-field performance of recent years further underscores why valuable state resources must not be squandered on subsidizing the team's profits. Lawmakers have a responsibility to citizens, not corporate entities, and must realign spending to uphold that duty.