Observing the ordeal of vacationers lugging beach chairs and other heavy beach equipment for the long, hot walk to the beach, they introduced a free golf cart shuttle service called “The Downtowner.” They are on call until 11 p.m. every night and can take anyone anywhere in the downtown area. It was an idea that they developed while studying business in college, and their parents provided them with the capital for the golf carts. They live on tips and on advertising revenue from local merchants who advertise on the vehicles.

The Downtowner is always fully booked and for good reason; the young drivers are prompt, exceptionally polite and courteous, and it’s free! What a great way to start your post-college career as an entrepreneur. Not surprisingly, the city government of Delray Beach is apparently doing everything it can to drive The Downtowner out of business.

The Downtowner may soon be history, and the young entrepreneurs unemployed, because in its never-ending quest to provide corporate welfare for politically-connected downtown merchants, the city government spent over $1 million to purchase two large buses called “Roundabouts” that run a fixed route and operate for “free.”