7. Business                                                      Home Page

    Although often the subject of scorn and government regulations we all need small and large businesses for a number of reasons. It could just be the convenience of shopping and services, it could be for employment including part-time student jobs but in a larger sense it is the creation of wealth that allows tax revenues. RPV has mostly small neighborhood businesses such as gas stations, hardware stores, super markets, restaurants, beauty salons, etc. Although some revitalization has occurred in areas such as Golden Cove other areas like Western Ave continue to struggle.

     The possibility of really significant revenue is centered on Trump National Golf Club (TNGC) and Long Point (LP) which have been perpetually delayed by special interest groups. When TNGC is fully operational as a public course it may produce city revenues approaching $0.5M per year. But try thinking outside the box for a moment. Mr. Trump would like a private club with memberships in the $300-500K range. Suppose RPV had negotiated a 10% membership assessment with Coastal Commission concurrence. That could have been worth $9-15M plus rollover assessments based on as few as 300 memberships. Most RPV golfers (including myself with an 11+ index) will not pay $250-300 to play a beautiful but challenging course when real public courses such as Los Verdes are available at $21 ($10.50 for seniors). At the above rates TNGC will effectively be private whereas public access might have been negotiated ala Palos Verdes CC.

     The other source of $3-4M per year in revenues is Long Point (LP) which if it were operational would be paying for our sewer and storm drain upgrades. You can thank the special interest groups for the predicament we are in. Without a golf course or an agreement with TNGC the future of LP remains questionable. Don't even think that keeping TNGC public will alleviate this problem. Unless these 2 entities converge or the city makes accommodations the vision of LP as a revenue source may well remain a nightmare as it has for 18 years.

     Although the use of Upper Vicente was widely condemned the detractors forget to mention that along with a few golf holes would have come enhancements of habitat, trails and public access. Rather than opening old wounds this is merely an invitation to acknowledge and deal with the results of prior actions.

     I propose to convene a business council consisting of small and large businesses owners and representatives of the Chamber of Commerce to establish a plan which encourages businesses and maximizes city revenue without wholesale developments such as exist in RHE.

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