Fees for Baltimore County?s public garages and golf courses will modestly increase under a budget adopted Thursday by the county agency that oversees both operations.
The county?s revenue authority, a five-member private-public board, voted unanimously to increase fees for monthly contract garage parkers by $3, starting in April. Golf rounds will increase by $1 to $2, depending on the times and location.
Prices still will remain competitive, and increases will be “plowed” back into improvements at the county?s six golf courses, from enclosures for restrooms to a new golf cart fleet to renovated putting greens, said George Hale, the board?s director.
The county?s golf courses have lost money over the past four years but showed signs of improvement this year, he said.
“They are generating positive cash flow, but they?re still not profitable,” Hale said.
The authority is considering creating a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation to run the courses, similar to the Baltimore Municipal Golf Corporation in the city. The status would allow the authority to keep the 10 percent amusement tax on each round of golf, which currently is transferred to the county.
The tax cost the authority nearly $900,000 this year, and board member Les Pittler said the agency should perhaps renegotiate payment with the county before raising fees.
“Now, for me, is not the time for rate increases,” Pittler said.
The board will spend $4.3 million over the next five years on garage improvements, starting with $1.1 million next year on the county?s oldest facility, on Washington Avenue. Engineers told board members on Thursday that garage requires immediate “life safety” repairs, including unstable hand rails.
“I think before, we thought of these as indestructible cash cows,” said Wayne Rice, director of the county?s golf operations. “… We have a 40-year-old garage we need to pay attention to.”
