Letters

DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS

Matt Coker's A Clockwork Orange ("Green With Anger," Nov. 23) may have left the impression that the Balboa Bay Club pays no rent to the city of Newport Beach, even though it's on public land. State law forces the city to charge the club fair market value for the land (fiscal year 2000-2001 lease payments totaled $2.7 million), and that revenue is dedicated to public tidelands restoration and maintenance. But the point of that item stands: a private club on public land—which only benefits members of the public who belong or who rent banquet and conference rooms—is now nickel and diming its low-wage service staff. That calls for another round of drinks!