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California Alliance for Golf
We are excited to share with you, the first California Alliance for Golf’s Newsletter –
Keeping California Golf’s Top Issues at the Forefront.
This will be a regular communications tool to keep you informed on
the most current issues affecting golf in California.
We ask that you send this link to all your constituents to keep everyone informed and engaged.


The California Alliance for Golf  — 
Keeping Golf’s Top Issues at the Forefront
Golf Tax Issue Reemerging; Water Issues Bubbling Up
April 3, 2009

Spring is here in California and issues that are critically important to golf in our state continue to spring up—including a proposed tax on golf and ongoing water issues.

As the coordinating entity for golf statewide, the California Alliance for Golf (CAG) is at the forefront of these issues. We wanted to provide you a quick update on the golf issue “leader board” in our state.

Defeated Golf Tax Is Back in Play
With your support, the California Alliance for Golf won a critical first round against a proposal to broaden the sales tax to include golf—green fees and cart rentals, lessons, and club membership fees and dues.

When the proposal to tax golf emerged and seemed a mere certainty, CAG immediately jumped into action. We created a website (www.forecalifornia.com) and nearly 10,000 of you signed up at the site—where you could find out how to contact the Governor and your legislator to oppose the tax and also post your own blog comments about the golf tax.
At the site, you can also see the results of CAG’s proactive media outreach about the golf tax, which resulted in strong coverage in newspapers and Internet sites across the state, on TV, and radio.  Through the media, we successfully communicated the true face of golf in California, where the majority are “working stiff” golfers playing on public courses --as one article described. We also provided background information to The Desert Sun newspaper in Palm Springs that resulted in an anti-golf tax editorial that said the golf industry was “too important to put at risk.”

When the budget deal emerged, our work paid off: a golf tax was not included. As GolfWeek reported, “The California Alliance for Golf…played a key role in defeating the proposal.”

But with California’s budget woes continuing, the golf tax is back on the table. A report is expected by July from a blue-ribbon tax commission appointed by the Governor and the State Legislature to recommend ways to restructure California taxes to avoid chronic budget deficits. We are actively monitoring the commissioners and their proceedings:  this is round two.

And when the commission’s recommendations are released, it then will be up to the Governor and legislature to propose new laws, likely including another version of the golf tax. We are already working in anticipation of that phase—round three.

California’s Drought Conditions Create Special Challenges for Golf
The other most troubling issue for golf in California is water. On February 27, 2009, the Governor proclaimed a drought emergency in the state, causing many local governments to consider or begin enforcing water rationing.  Increasing demands on California’s water supply and infrastructure create issues that won’t soon go away.

CAG has been involved actively on water issues from the beginning, sitting down with state and local officials and water agencies to communicate the golf industry’s policies of conservation and increasing use of recycled water. Among these critical activities:
• Worked with the East Bay Utility District in 2008 to mitigate mandatory water rationing of courses.
• Launched a 2-year, $750,000 recycled water research project.
• Hosted a significant conference in 2008 with the Coachella Valley Water District.
• Received in 2009 a commitment from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to monitor our Water Stewardship Protocol, which will verify and certify water use and water management practices on golf courses.

Recently, CAG leaders had a highly productive meeting with representatives of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) on the current drought and longer term scarcity. Together we are addressing water conservation in an approach that we project as the model for the industry and water agencies statewide. We’ll have more news about this exciting development soon.

CAG Needs YOUR Support to Keep Golf Vital in California
To a large extent, the importance of golf to California and its tremendous contributions to the state’s economy remain an untold story.  CAG is changing that, but to do so we need your help.
Our goal is to keep golf vital in the state, by keeping golf courses open and explaining why the sport is so important to millions of Californians: from youth golfers with The First Tee and Youth on Course to senior golfers—and everyone in between.

We’ve got a great cooperative team now in place: a strong proactive lobby presence in Sacramento, a professional public relations firm, a dynamic and interactive website, and an umbrella organization, CAG, overseeing it all. That’s something golf has never had in California, and it’s what golf needs to keep its profile high and indeed survive as a sport and an industry.

Moving forward, we undoubtedly will be calling on you again to help defeat an unfair tax that could cripple California golf, and help us publicize other key issues affecting California golf. With your support, we know we can achieve success.

We have nearly 10,000 coalition members at www.forecalifornia.com.  In future rounds, we will need at least 100,000 registered supporters. Continue to spread the news to your fellow golfers about what CAG is doing to elevate golf in California, and get them to join the coalition if they haven’t already. 

And please stay tuned to the website for news updates, and calls to action.

Fore!
Bob Bouchier, Executive Director
The California Alliance for Golf (CAG)

The California Alliance for Golf is a trade association representing all California golfers and the golf industry, unifying them all on political issues of mutual interest. Its members include the Southern California and Northern California Golf Associations and the various associations that represent California superintendents, course owners and operators, managers, golf professionals, private clubs, women golfers and public links players, as well as retailers, suppliers, consultants and vendors to the industry.

To subscribe to the Fore California Newsletter and email updates, Click here

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