California Alliance for Golf sends memo to legislature, highlighting strong response from media in opposition to the golf tax

MEMO

Date:
February 10, 2009
From: California Alliance for Golf (CAG)
To: Interested Parties
Subject: City Park and Rec bottom line at risk, as are local tourist economies from proposed golf tax: LA Times & Monterey Herald; LAO recommends no golf and other service taxes in budget deal

A proposal to expand the sales and use tax to golf continues to get significant press attention, highlighting the negative consequences for:
• Los Angeles city recreation and parks programs, and
• the Monterey Peninsula and other local economies that benefit from the jobs and revenue that golf generates.
Please see the attached:
• “Golfers take a swing at proposed state golf tax, Feb. 6, The Los Angeles Times (one of three articles spotlighting the golf tax that appeared in the Times from 2-6 to 2-8) , and
• “Golf industry feeling pinch of economic downturn,” Feb. 9, The Monterey County Herald.
Also attached:
• The executive summary of a Feb.5 report by the Legislative Analyst’s Office, California’s nonpartisan fiscal and policy advisor, that recommends that the proposed tax on golf and other service taxes not be part of a budget-balancing package. The LAO said that the tax would create “inequities in the tax structure” by taxing some services like golf but not others and carries “too many risks” without further deliberation on its long term effects.
Golf tax opponents seek to erase misperceptions that may exist about the face of golf in California. They urge a greater understanding of who really plays golf (overwhelmingly public course golfers, including seniors and youth), how municipal and county courses provide key financial support for parks programs, and how the industry provides jobs directly and secondarily in the hotel, restaurant and service industry in California’s tourism and recreational economy—and why the tax will negatively impact them all.

For more information, please visit www.forecalifornia.com or call Stephen Kulieke at (916) 325-2904 or Lauren Silva at (916) 325-2936.

Thank you.

Comments

R L Rogers: Why pick on Retire`s on getting some recreation time in. Plus add to our costs. I suggest you stop Giving pay raises to our office help. Also Legislators take a pay cut to fix the budget.; February 11, 2009, 4:54 PM

Rudolph Vera: I believe that it this "recreation" tax is going to be instituted,the state should be more equitable and expansive in applying it to other adult recreational activities such as softball and soccer. To be even more inclusive,they should next "generously" apply it to children's recreational activities. Imagine an extra dollar per child going to the state's coffers from little league and AYSO participants! There have to be a multitude of recreational sectors they can draw from to fill their gluttonous appetites for our hard earned money.; February 14, 2009, 1:07 PM

Don Beglau: This tax is unfair for those of us on fixed incomes. Why pick on retired people who like to get out for a little exercise? Find something unhealthy or something that contributes to an unhealthy life style to tax. Another idea would be to cut some of the porkulos perks so freely given by tax payers to our Public Servants. Leave our golf courses alone.; March 12, 2009, 1:36 AM

Pete Hegerle: Any such tax should be applied to ALL recreational activities that generate revenue in any amount. That should include then, for example: bowling; tennis; rental, entrance or membership income for any and all playing fields, gyms, skiing, card rooms; swimming venues etc. Targeting golf does inordinately target fixed-income seniors who have golf as one several outdoor athletic activities which can be enjoyed into the 80's. Of course, our legislator's sometimes play golf gratis with their influential constituents...and properly report such perk as taxable income.; April 2, 2009, 9:58 PM

Bernard Gorospe: Why are the liberal majority California lawmakers picking on golf industry? Simple, class warfare. Average individual still thinks that golf is still a game for the wealthy. Majority of these people will not care if golf play and services would be taxed equating golf to smoking where cigarettes are taxed every single time the gov't can. I started playing golf when I was earning minumum wage as a working student. It's everyone's game now. Sorry to see a couple of courses in the Inland Empire close due to the economy. Taxing it will further hurt the CA. golf industry.; April 17, 2009, 6:36 PM