CLEVELAND (AP) A top county official and Ohio gubernatorial candidate says Cleveland's major pro sports teams should get less money if they don't perform well.
Ed FitzGerald says the proposal would introduce an element of competition governments already use to fund road and bridge projects. He noted at a news conference Thursday that Cleveland teams have not won a world championship since 1964 - the longest title drought of any U.S. city with major pro franchises.
FitzGerald is a Democrat, Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH'-guh) County's top official and a candidate for governor.
County voters last month approved a 20-year extension of a tax on cigarettes and alcohol that is projected to raise $26 million a year for stadiums and arenas for Cleveland's teams. FitzGerald wants to use team performance as criteria for 20 percent of the amount collected.
