Dear Fellow Golfers,
We need your immediate action to stop a new tax on golf under consideration at the Connecticut legislature. This tax will increase the amount of taxes you’ll pay to play golf. Please send an email and/or call your state representative and state senator today asking them to oppose this tax increase for the following reasons:
1) Golfers already suffer a heavy tax burden. Golfers who buy season passes at family-owned public courses, or who join a private golf club already pay a whopping 10% annual tax to the state. The state collects millions of dollars every year from this “recreation” tax.
2) Golf cart rentals and pro shop sales are already subject to Connecticut’s 6.35% sales tax.
3) Golf courses that are not owned by towns are subject to often wildly inflated property tax assessments.
4) The golf industry has been in a slow decline for many years and numerous golf course operations are struggling to survive. Any additional tax that leads to a reduction in rounds played will cause further damage to a business already in jeopardy.
Golf courses in Connecticut are home to thousands of golfers of every demographic from retired people on fixed incomes, to the very young being introduced to golf for the very first time, to high school kids, to men and women who play in leagues. We have many more public golf courses than private clubs, and across the board membership numbers have been in a slow decline, and waiting lists have disappeared.
The Legislature has less than three weeks to finalize their budget. I urge you to reach out to your state representative and your state senator today and tell them “No New Taxes on Golf!” Please email and call their offices. They need to hear from you on this important issue!
To find contact information for your state representative and state senator go to the link below, enter your address, you’ll be directed to their website where you can find their email address and office phone number:
http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/cgafindleg.asp
Thank you for supporting the only game that can be played by people of all ages and that teaches complete respect for fellow players, for the environment, and for the rules and regulations of the game itself.
Best Regards,
Michael Moraghan
Executive Director, Connecticut State Golf Association
