I can’t take credit for having said, “All that is required so that evil may prevail is for good men to do nothing,” but it was the first axiom that came to mind when I learned of the status of the master-lease at Belmont Park in Mission Beach. For those not familiar, Belmont Park encompasses the roller-coaster, the Plunge, and a number of first-rate shops, restaurants, and an entertainment arcade located on Mission Boulevard and the Mission Beach boardwalk. Ten years ago, Belmont Park was tantamount to a slum. It was dirty, poorly-lit, and run-down. The master-lease-holder at the time invested no money in the property and took no pride. It was a place to be avoided after dark for fear of gang-activity, and little more than a trashy parking lot by day. Along came Thomas Lochtefeld, a life-time surfer and Mission Beach resident, not to mention attorney and entrepreneur. Tom had a vision of bringing a vital surf-culture theme to Belmont Park. With a background in water-parks featuring his patented artificial wave known as the Flow-Rider, Tom acquired the Belmont Park master-lease. Several years later, and thanks to Tom’s vision and enormous personal investment, Belmont Park is now a showplace to take the grandkids to play, or out-of-town visitors to dine. So, what is the point, you may ask? It sounds like a good story with a happy ending. Well, you might think so, however, the City of San Diego has inexplicably responded to all this good news by forcing Tom Lochtefeld into bankruptcy by raising his rent 700 percent. I don’t claim to be a genius, but if you agree that something doesn’t smell right, please join me in contacting your city officials and asking them to check their math. Ed Lynaugh, Pacific Beach