Comments for re: Our own little Culture War at http://www.theind.com , comment 1 to 16 out of 16 comments http://www.theind.com Thu, 23 May 2013 09:33:53 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-3205 Anyone seen the roads lately? No wonder the politricksters get away with so much in the Banana Republic after reading some of these posts. I would urge some of you to move to Idaho or somewhere lame. - RealityBytes Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:07:59 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-2005 written by Golfer "i'd like to see the festival have only francophile music. When did a rastafarian band from jamaica become french?" Hey Mon, you smoke that gunja it don't matter about that french. - Robespierre Sat, 25 Jul 2009 14:47:41 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-2003 Why can't, after 23 years, FI be self supportive? Bad business model? Salaries too high for employees/managers? Not enough corporate sponsors? Insurance running them broke? As a taxpayer, I'd like the answer. Seems everyone has their pet peeve about how they think their taxes should be spent. Well this is mine. Also, since they are spending my tax donation, i'd like to see the festival have only francophile music. When did a rastafarian band from jamaica become french? - Golfer Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:03:45 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-2002 Citizen..you will have to look up the numbers yourself. All i know is the last time i looked at the revenue stream for the city, which at the time only had two course, the the two golf course took in more money than any other entity the city had, except for LUS. Now, like i said earlier, what is their profit margin on it? I have no idea. But, also like i said earlier, i'm sure if the city isn't making money, they wouldn't have built a third golf course. So what if it cost a fortune to maintain it. If they are making money, then so be it. At leat they make money for the city. Does the NGO's make money? I doubt it. Oh yet thats right...they add to the quality of life for lafayette.Before i get jumped for that statement, let me qualify first to say that FI shouldn't be lumped into the NGO's in my opinion. I suppose they need a seperate division for festivals. - Golfer Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:54:22 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-1985 Glad to see you back, Robispierre. - Walter Pierce, Managing Editor Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:05:04 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-1984 by Valerie Keller "SROI (social return on investment)" AKA wasteful spending. - Robespierre Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:03:31 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-1983 by Walter P "Robespierre unfortunate preference for alliteration over definition aside" The term "bourgeois bohemians" was coined by James Brooks of the NYT. And, don't worry Walter, the Guillotine is put away for now but the blade is still sharp. :-) - Robespierre Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:01:39 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-1981 Golfer, "Yes it does spend a fortune on maintaining the courses. But here is the kicker. The golf courses are the second largest revenue maker for the city." Wait, either the city spend money maintaining the course or they make money from the course, which is it? There is no reason to fund something that is self supportive... cut it. I bet the FI would be self supportive if, like jazz fest, we built a giant fence around it and charged $65 for admission and didn't let anyone in who had so much as their own bottled water. Boy wouldn't that suck - citizen Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:40:34 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-1977 Golfer, Perhaps the courses are currently taking in more in fees than it costs to run them. If that is the case, I will agree that they would eventually exceed the construction cost and pay for themselves (although who knows how long that would take). But even assuming those as true, didn't we as taxpayers basically give a free loan to these courses? Don't get me wrong, I play golf and have played all the municipal courses. I would vote for building more. You would probably vote to build more. But if we all got to vote, most people would not vote to build more courses. "Let them stand on their own ... let the golfers pay to build it ... why should we give them a free loan" would be the cries. The sides on golf courses would boil down to the same argument for/against NGOs: I want X because I use X and I don't want Y because I don't use Y! All the best, Soop - Soop Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:49:56 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-1974 Golf courses on taxpayer dime now disc golf courses? Who else wants to line up at the taxpayer trough of "free" money? - Are You Serious? Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:37:22 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-1972 We need more disc golf parks. The disc golfers take care of maitaining and designing the courses themselves. Plus they are cheaper than any other organized sport when it comes to start up costs. It is also the fastest growing sport in the world. - Disc Golfers Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:36:55 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-1960 Well-written article! More policy, less politics = better financial ROI and SROI (social return on investment). - Valerie Keller Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:00:22 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-1959 If the golf courses don't make money, they why would the city build a third public course and completly revamp Vieux Chenes? Do you have any idea how many rounds of golf are played on all three courses annually, not to mention rental of golf carts,practice balls, etc. - Golfer Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:39:06 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-1958 Guess what, Golfer? The golf courses don't make money if you include capital costs...construction...into the equation. Not even close. - Holy Gufus Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:11:23 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-1957 The Independent speaking against ideology? It looks to me that ideology perks up its little head in every article written on this subject, as well as most articles. Maybe that statement was meant for humor. Better look for another analogy, the golf courses were voted on by the people, so it you better look for another ideoligical comparison. - Say What? Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:09:43 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/4706#comment-1950 Quoted "Lafayette Consolidated Government spends a fortune maintaining three public golf courses" Yes it does spend a fortune on maintaining the courses. But here is the kicker. The golf courses are the second largest revenue maker for the city. Only LUS takes in more monies. Now the question is, how big is the profit margin for the golf courses. Does the NGO's make money for the city? No. Do they provide a valuable service? Without a doubt. Should Festival International be included as an NGO? NO! FI should after 23 years be standing on their own legs, not continually begging for the $72k it receives. With its corporate sponsors and volunteers, it should be self sustaining by now. If not, then it should tighten its belt, reduce salaries, etc. - Golfer Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:30:59 +0100