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It has been a while since we have spent time on these pages. For the better part of a year leading up to last fall's mayoral and city council elections, we voiced strenuous objection to various of the ordinances enacted by the city targeting bikers and the spring/fall rallies. We maintained then, and still do, that these ordinances were unconstitutional denial of equal protection and due process clauses of the federal constitution as well as in conflict with South Carolina statutes. We further maintained that they were passed by fiat, ignored the popular will of Myrtle Beach residents, and harmful to the local economy.
Some of these questions remain a subject of ongoing discussion and debate with court challenges still to be decided and continued economic hardship being endured by local businesses. One question, however, has been answered. The citizens of Myrtle Beach spoke unambiguously in the elections stating clearly that they favor the selective tourism being practiced by the city. This came despite the questionable involvement of campaign contributions that appeared to many to be unsavory. It has often been noted that people get the government they deserve. That is certainly true in this case. It is less frequently true that people get the consequences they deserve. As long as these ordinances and the biker-hostile attitudes of the citizens of Myrtle Beach stand, we cannot imagine why anyone would spend a penny of their increasingly shrinking budgets within the city limits. We will not be.
At the same time, we are moving on. These pages have always had two purposes. First, to generate opposition to what we believed were unpopular actions on the part of the Mayor and city council. The election results have settled this issue for the time being. Myrtle Beach doesn't want "your kind." They are willing to go to extraordinary lengths to discourage you from exercising your freedoms. It is up to individuals to decide if they are willing to reward or punish that attitude, but we won't be expending any more effort tilting at windmills.
The other purpose here has always been to support the activities of the local biker community in their social and charitable works as well as to highlight topics of interest and support for our first responders and military veterans. In this new year this will become our primary focus. We will continue to monitor the situation relating to specific rallies and ordinances, but those issues are now largely settled as regards Myrtle Beach until or unless either the courts or the citizenry intercedes to change the status quo.
A group of animal rights protesters in Johnstown PA recently took exception with the gathering of a local MC. Inspired by the hateful attitudes of the citizens of MB, these activists showed up at the local weekend rally to express their outrage over what they perceived to be the groups excessive use of leather animal products. The club was unphased by the protests, however, and even invited the group to join in their festivities. At the end of the day, the two sides agreed to disagree on principals while engaging in a healthy exchange of viewpoints which is the core of our democracy. Click here for details...
The city's attempt to file for preliminary relief against TERC oversight of it's a-tax expenditures has been tossed by Admin Law Judge Carolyn Matthews. At issue is how the city spends the more than 4.3 M$ in tourism taxes. The city spends the bulk of these dollars on "public safety", noting that “The city does not have another source of funds to make up the funds needed for additional law enforcement, traffic control, public facilities and highway and street maintenance services." This would seem to stand in stark contrast with state law which provides that funds “must not be used as an additional source of revenue to provide services normally provided by the…municipality." While tourism certainly provides added burdens to the city, one would presume that elimination of the bike rallies by the city will provide a significant reduction in the need for such added services. After all, it has been the city's position all along that the bike rallies incurred unique stresses and added crime not seen during other parts of the tourist season. Since we know the city would not lie about such things, it is only logical to assume that their successful elimination of the rallies will result in a significant decrease in a-tax expenditures on "public safety." Regardless of how much (or if) the rallies actually contributed to added requirements for public safety relative to other toursists, state law would seem to be clear that spending a-tax monies to support public safety during the off season cannot be justified or supported. TERC has not yet reviewed the city's 2008-2009 expenditures and so this remains an open question for the moment. Read the full story here...
We have long held (and continue to do so) that the answer to the MB helmet ordinance is a careful reading of that pesky Constitution. However, for those looking for a technological solution, our British cousins have come up with another alternative. After seeing the following, we can only note that the inventor may have imbibed one pint too many. Click here for details...
The SC unemployment rate hit a record high of 12.6 percent in December, with a majority of the jobs lost in the leisure and hospitality industries shedding more than 5,000 jobs. Stephen Greene with the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association said that a lot of the local businesses have either recently closed down or just don’t have enough jobs to offer to those without a job. Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind. Read the full story here...
In the mean time, we are hearing from many folks who are looking forward to a great time at the 12th Annual Thunder Beach Spring Rally in Panama City, FL scheduled for April 29th thru May 2nd. Those interested can check out their website here...
In a related story, businesses near the former Studebakers and Club Kryptonite are feeling a ripple effect following their permanent closing last month. Business is down 60 percent from this time last year according to owners at Knuckleheads, a bar next to Studebaker’s. The few vistors who are still visiting the ghost town have noticed. “I would like to go to a more livelier area like where there’s more going on. It seems like everything’s shut down,” said Justin Tyndall of Woodbridge, Virginia. How's that selective tourism working out for 'ya? Read the full story here...
It is the opening salvo in what many speculate will be significant property tax increases for Myrtle Beach and Horry County to make up for lost tourism revenues. Horry County reports they are dealing with over 11,000 property tax appeals this year, compared to a normal year level of 2,000. The result is contributing to a projected 11 M$ shortfall next year which is, coincidently, a reassessment year. Those of you who voted to chase tourists away better get your checkbooks ready because the bill for your folly is soon coming due. Read the full story here...
Ghost Town Budget Director Michael Shelton announced Tuesday that city finances are a wreck, with hospitality revenue taking a nearly 7% hit. This is the first time revenues have not shown growth in many years. The result is a 4 M$ budget shortfall that needs to be closed. Some items on the table to address the issue include...
Sounding a note of optimism, Shelton noted that "flat is the new up" looking forward to further losses in 2010. The news came as the City Council heads to their annual budget retreat so that they can try and come up with plausable excuses to defelect the blame onto someone else. Perhaps they can try and blame it on a failure of the traveling public to fully understand the benefits of their discriminatory selective tourism policies. In the mean time, the few remaining denizens of the Ghost Town should prepare to pony up the cost of their folly. This should not be a problem since the "Take Back May" folks assured everyone that they didn't care how much money was lost. Read the full story here... DO IT AGAIN in 2010!
So you think the situation in Myrtle Beach is less than optimal these days? Rising property taxes. Budget cuts. Reduced services. Scarce jobs. Businesses closing their doors. Tourists opting for more accomodating locales. You took back May and now don't know what to do with it. Cheer up! As our latest photo album shows, it can always be worse. Click here...
Since they no longer have bikers to kick around, Myrtle Beach area residents are showing their desire for "family friendly" fare by turning out en masse to protest plans for a Carnival setup at the Myrtle Beach Mall.
Ashley White, the promoter for J & J Amusements, which owns and operates the carnival, said rides would be geared toward children including tea cup kinds of rides, a merry-go-round, Ferris wheel and Tilt-a-Whirl style ride. Gwen Beck, an HOA board member for Briarwood, along with other area residents cited concerns about sanitation, noise, safety, security and other issues during the public hearing on the ordinance at Tuesday's Horry County Council meeting. No mention was made about instituting noise ordinances regulating bicycles, although the criminal menace posed by roving bands of children hyped up on cotton candy are well known.
It is becoming increasingly apparent that not only do MB area residents not want tourists of any kind, but they would just as soon see families who live in the area and are suffering through the worst job market in decades take their troubles elsewhere as well. NIMBY is clearly the word of the day. At least one can still enjoy the beach, until the oil slick arives from the Gulf or the bacterial population gets going again. Read the full story here...