Daily News Editorial: City's decision to take over golf cart concession was right move to make

JUST as even a bad golfer can hit a good shot every now and then, Los Angeles City Hall can make the right move occasionally. When that happens, it would be unsporting not to say to the City Council: Well played!

The issue today is golf carts, never the most important controversy facing Los Angeles but still an instructive one, an example of our leaders finding a solution that produces several benefits.

Last week, recreational golfers rejoiced as 500 new electric carts began arriving at municipal courses, including the San Fernando Valley's Encino-Balboa, Woodley Lakes and Hansen Dam courses. Not only golfers had reason to cheer.

Replacing 340 worn-out vehicles are merely the most visible result of the city's decision to take over the golf-cart concession last Jan. 1 after being unable to resolve differences with private operators. The greater goals were to boost revenue from the golf-cart operation and to provide jobs for threatened city employees.

This, in turn, was part of an effort to make city golf courses pay for themselves.

Just so nobody forgot that this was your government at work: On the first weekend the new plan was in effect in January, carts at the municipal courses were left unplugged overnight and needed time to recharge, forcing golfers to walk. Then the

city added to golfers' natural level of frustration by taking six months to acquire the much-needed new carts, leased from an Augusta, Ga.-based company.

Now, though, the city's decision is looking dead solid perfect. The Recreation and Parks Department reports that having the city handling rentals will raise the city's net revenue from golf carts from about $1.2million a year to more than $2 million. That will help golf pay for itself, separate from the deficit-riddled city budget.

Looks as if everybody wins: Public service at some of the Valley's most popular recreation centers is improved, and so is L.A.'s bottom line.

The new golf carts have a top speed of only 13 mph. But by City Hall standards, the whole thing sounds like swift thinking.

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A Los Angeles Daily News editorial. To read more editorials from the Daily News, go to www.dailynews.com/opinions.

Source: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_18363385?source=rss

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