Letter: City should get out of the golf business

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Re “Golf course’s operations considered” (Monitor Local & State page, Oct. 20):

We have to make decisions about what areas government gets involved with, and golf isn’t one of them. Parks, trails, recreation programs – we used to have art and hobby programs – I think those are all good uses for tax dollars in the interest of quality of life. Golf, on the other hand, is a booming success in the private sector. Sell the course and get it on the tax rolls in addition to the one-time sale price, money we could put toward finishing Langley Parkway.

If no one can make a go of a private course, use it for pasture or, worst case scenario, build some apartment blocks with public trails in back. You want to network on the course? Wander around a park or lean on a fence and watch the cattle grazing instead.

I’m no neo-liberal, but we have fields that government better organizes and others that should be private and allowed to fail. Like the airport. And every TIF district the city council awards to its buddies, uh, networking contacts.

Remember: Golf is a good walk ruined. Trail maintenance is cheap, and you don’t have to pay a fee to walk.

JOSHUA GRACIANO

Concord