White Plains CitizeNetReporter - FORE! County Golfers Criticise County Management of Golf Courses as Money Burner

WPCNR WESTCHESTER VOICE. From Resident Golfers Protection Group. December 4, 2002: bob and Jenny Petrucci of the Resident Golfers Protection Group, who play golf on Westchester County's public golf courses raise some issues as to how the county can save money by managing their golf courses more efficiently, in their opinion.

After speaking with hundreds of residents, county-wide, about this Budget "crisis", we golfing-residents recommend:

First: Give no more money to county golf...in any way, not to existing courses, Hudson Hills, nowhere... no tax dollars, fee increases, bond issues, nothing...especially since they allegedly don't make money... and even lose money (per the County Finance Dept.), therefore, being nothing but a big financial drain on the county.

They can't increase fees much more, having about topped-out with fees now 40% above leading suburban-municipal courses while county course conditions are half those, for such a poor product value, resulting in a huge15% drop in playing rounds (including ours) this year.

Still, they claim to have done their best, while spending $30 million on deteriorating course conditions in recent years.

And yet, golf employees won't likely refuse their budgeted 20-40 salary increases or their 60% increases in Health-Benefit-Retirement Systems, much less take cuts.

And they "can't" cut any other expenses.

Therefore...why should we argue? It's a hopeless county golf situation. So, why throw good money after bad?

Cut the entire Golf Budget...Give them nothing...Zero. That will immediately and enormously reduce the deficit...responding to an urging of taxpayer groups.

Second: That then will make money available for those non-profit, needy, humanitarian groups that pleaded for hours at the Budget hearings; money that can be a fraction of the millions wasted on golf.

Redirect it to those authentic, praiseworthy groups above with whom we spoke, who expressed no difficulty with such being implemented on a county-validated, cost-benefit basis.

Third: Then, make the Golf Courses fend for themselves...and not treat them as needy, "hand-out" entities. Why should non-golfing taxpayers subsidize our golf...even $1 per round (per County Legislator Rogowsky)?

It's not done at Richter Park (Danbury). And if Messers Schwartz, Spano and staff reportedly play for free, that's not right.

Instead, provide Season Passes at $6-700. If only 30% of golfers do it, that's more revenue than...all...golf expenses...with $millions to spare.

Also, utilize our business advertising-sponsorship recommendations.

...And if County Golf can't sustain itself then, especially trying ALL of the successful-elsewhere methods that we've offered, then:

-Replace all that personnel, as inept, with those that can do the job like successful courses such as Richter Park; Or,

-Close all the Courses down and sell/give them to the local municipalities.

.....End of Budget "Crisis",

...all by the benevolence, unselfishness and self-sacrifice of concerned golfing residents, ..even without any well-justified salary cuts to county officials.

And Do Note:

Nearly 200 petitioners (shown at Budget hearings), many from Budget-gatherings alone, also call for an immediate, full investigation of county golf...for reasons including Parks' violating State Law in refusing to fulfill our legal requests for Budget-related public information...and those of County Legislator James Maisano.

Bob and Jenny Petrucci

Resident Golfers Protection Group

New Rochelle, N.Y. 10805 (914) 632-1765


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