EDITORIAL: Bailey's Beach Club That Doesn’t Pay Taxes, Tries to Block Kids From Selling Hot Dogs

EDITORIAL: Bailey's Beach Club That Doesn’t Pay Taxes, Tries to Block Kids From Selling Hot Dogs

On one side are three high school students — public school students who attend Rogers High School. They pooled their energy, talents and entrepreneurial spirit to start a hot dog cart — for each of them, it is their second summer job.

On the other side is an exclusive, private membership beach club comprised primarily of the children and grandchildren of America’s most wealthy. Many of the members inherited their wealth — earned nothing.  Consistent with their members' values of working the system to their own benefit, the club operates as a not-for-profit and is exempt from paying most taxes.

Spouting Rock Beach Association, aka Bailey’s Beach Club, members include the Astors, Vanderbilts and the Whitehouses. Rhode Island’s United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has been a member all of his life. He and his wife are among the largest shareholders. According to a copy of the club’s membership secured by GoLocal, the Whitehouses (Sandra and Sheldon) are in the top tier of ownership — above many billionaire families.

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The conflict between the club and the high schoolers was sparked when the kids located their hot dog stand on a sidewalk next to the entrance of the local public beach — appropriately named “Rejects Beach.” It is adjacent to Bailey’s beach property — but nearly a quarter-mile from the entrance to the club and not visible to the super-rich.

The club’s superintendent told the teenagers that they could not operate their business on that sidewalk. He threatened them with the police.

Bailey’s, which pays no taxes, is the embodiment of one of the most serious issues facing and destroying America today - inequity of wealth. In this case, it also speaks volumes to inequity of class.

Members of the club, comprised millionaires and billionaires — most of it inherited — would know little of working in the summer other than watching the club’s staff. Financially they have so much, but yet are offended that three high schoolers could intrude and make a buck and serve those visiting  “Rejects Beach.”

The members of the exclusive club do not value entrepreneurialism, they value class and separatism.

The club’s effort to punish and intimidate the kids is consistent with its legacy -- keep things separate and unequal.

To the three students — their hard work — working a grill outdoors in blistering heat and their startup ingenuity deserves credit. Maybe the members of Bailey’s can learn something from their spirit and hard work.

Those three are far more impressive than 'The Beach"-going 1% of the 1%.