You may have heard that Arnold Schwarzenegger was proposing a tax on golf as part of the new California budget. Apparently, golfers who opposed the tax made themselves heard to the Sacramento lawmakers because when the budget was presented, the golf tax wasn’t part of it. Some people surmised that golfers were targeted for the outdated notion of their affluence across the board, but the state originally contended that golf was marked as an easy thing to tax since the infrastructure for collection was already in place at municipal courses. Though the tax would have reached beyond the munis and dug into the pockets of the wealthier golfers, the impact on lower income players, children’s programs and services that would have suffered from decreased funding due to the tax might have been what changed the politicians’ minds and ultimately caused the tax’s elimination from the budget proposal.
California’s financial position is in definite crisis and the new budget, if passed, will include an increase in sales and income taxes, to name a few. However, I agree with the people who opposed the golf tax as it seemed unfair and would do more harm than good. The California Alliance for Golf may have played a key role in getting lawmakers to see that position. They coordinated the efforts of regional golf leagues and agencies like the SCGA and NCGA to get word out to members to make their voices heard. Personally, I know the SCGA did a really good job communicating the issue and keeping us informed on the situation, and I want to thank them and every member who made the effort to get this tax off the proposed budget.