Budget cuts won’t affect park fees

Deepa Bharath

The Parks and Recreation Commission on Wednesday unanimously shot

down city staff members’ suggestion to impose fees on local sports

teams and leagues for using the city’s fields.

Representatives from various local sports organizations spoke

against the proposed fee of $20 an hour, which Recreation Department

staff members said would be a source of revenue for the city with

state budget cuts looming large.

Local sports leagues already shell out tens of thousands of

dollars to improve and enhance the fields they use, said Amy

Stephens, president of the Costa Mesa American Little League.

“Our biggest concern is that we’re being turned into a source of

revenue,” she said.

Costa Mesa resident John Zick, a former Parks and Recreation

commissioner, agreed.

“We’re not a revenue stream,” he said. “We’re community-based

nonprofit organizations. The benefits our programs provide far exceed

the cost.”

Charging Costa Mesa residents money to use their city’s fields

would amount to “double taxation,” said Chris Sarris, regional

commissioner of the American Youth Soccer Organization.

“We pay taxes and taxes pay for our fields,” he said.

The fees would also affect low-income families that participate in

sports, resident Olivia Ramos said.

“We charge fees per family now,” she said. “With these fees, we’ll

have to charge per person. And that’s a lot for these families to

pay.”

Commissioner Wendy Leece said she believes there should be no fees

imposed on local leagues and teams.

“Costa Mesa kids should have the ability to use the fields for

free,” she said. “I think taxes pay for it.”

Nonresidents should have to pay higher fees for using Costa Mesa’s

fields, not residents, Commissioner Byron de Arakal said.

“I would never want to ask any of the local teams to pay any kind

of fee for using our fields,” he said.

The city should “support our youth and their activities,”

Commissioner James Fisler said. Commissioners Mirna Burciaga and Mark

Harris agreed.

Those who came to the meeting to oppose the proposed fees said

they were happy with the commission’s decision.

“Denying the recommendation was the right decision,” Zick said.

“They did the right thing.”

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.