A tax on golf courses? L.A. voters could decide this November
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Los Angeles City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian is proposing a new tax on nonprofit membership clubs such as private golf courses, saying it could raise up to $250 million a year for city services and capital improvement projects.The proposed parcel tax of $4 per square foot would require voter approval.Nazarian plans to introduce a motion to the City Council Friday to initiate steps to put a parcel tax measure on the Nov.
3 ballot.The measure would target large, private recreational membership-based clubs and similar facilities within city limits.
If the council approves Nazarian’s motion, it would next head to the city attorney’s office to prepare a resolution and ordinance to get it on the ballot.The funds generated could be used for capital improvements, such as curb cuts, fixing potholes and sidewalks, and repaving damaged alleys and streets; supporting the film and television industry in the city with a tax credit and permit fee relief; and a program that offers financial assistance for first-time homeowners in L.A, according to a copy of Nazarian’s motion viewed by The Times.“Such a framework could provide a meaningful and ongoing revenue stream to support critical investments, including affordable housing production and preservation, homelessness response, infrastructure improvements, economic development initiatives, including support for the film and entertainment industry, and programs that expand pathways to homeownership for Angelenos,” the motion states.Nazarian said in an interview Friday that the measure addresses a longstanding inequity of private nonprofit country clubs not paying what he called their fair share of property taxes.He said the measure would affect six country clubs that pay a combined $811,000 a year in property taxes and cover about 1,000 acres that are valued at more than $15 billion.
None are in his district.“Some of these properti...