Windsurfing and Free Enterprise

I think that the City of Long Beach has gone a bit far in granting “exclusive” rights to windsurfing instruction on Alamitos Bay (Southeast / /Long Beach sections, Aug. 24, 25). Seems that the spirit of fair play and free enterprise is absent in the chambers of City Hall. Next thing the city will do will be to grant exclusive rights to use of the beaches to a concessionaire that bids the highest!

While the city is entitled to a fee for the use of what might be a public facility, it seems the fairest method would be for all persons engaged in the business of instruction or rental of windsurfing lessons and equipment be allowed to use Alamitos Bay as long as they have a valid business license in the City of Long Beach. As for the present arrangement with the Long Beach Windsurf Center, the city should only be entitled to grant a permit to operate as a business, not as a monopoly.

--ALAN R. STANLEY

Long Beach