Author: Paul Gable

Bureaucracy to prevail at expense of the taxpayer

S.C. General Assembly Up to Old Tricks

With pressing needs on infrastructure, education and ethics, the S.C. General Assembly is instead focusing on how to negatively affect local governments.

H3374, which was passed favorably out of a House Ways and Means subcommittee last week, would further shift the costs of providing state services onto the backs of local government. It is expected to be considered in the full House Ways and Means Committee as early as this week.

The bill effectively makes additional cuts to the local government fund, the fund which transfers money from the state to local governments to cover the cost state services at the county levels.

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Reaching Your Dreams, Honor Black History Month

By Jordan Cooper

The opportunity for reaching your dreams is open to every American. Opportunity for having the type of family and career you desire is guaranteed to all. But, the outcome of your efforts is not set in stone.

As all Americans celebrate Black History Month in February, we must continue to rely on our attitude, preparation, and effort to help us achieve our goals.

As Blacks we must remember constantly to speak this, to show that we are the resilient, future people that our forefathers fought to get equality for.

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Is the County Council of Charleston County Awake?

The County Council of Charleston County held a public hearing on Tuesday February 3, 2015, on the proposed issuance and sale of general obligation bonds.

According to the public hearing notice, the purpose of the public hearing was to give citizens the opportunity to comment on the issuance and sale of $2.5 million in Fire Protection Service General Obligation Bonds for the Awendaw Fire District before the council took final action on an ordinance approving the bonds.

The proceeds of the bonds will be used to build a new fire station and purchase three new fire trucks, according to Charleston County records.

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Horry County Council to Study Carolina Forest MCBP

Horry County Council gave county staff the go ahead to develop a multi-county business park plan associated with the Gander Mountain development in Carolina Forest.

The general concept in the planning will be to add roads, water, sewer, stormwater drainage, underdrains, curbs, gutters and sidewalks in Carolina Forest.

The project would be initially funded by $2.2 million in special purpose bonds, issued by the county, to be paid off by a fee in lieu of taxes equivalent to 35% of the property taxes generated within the MCBP area.

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Pay to Play Bad Idea in Horry County

The more I think about Horry County Fire Chief Fred Crosby’s proposal regarding private medical transport services, the more astounded I become.

In a proposal to the Horry County Public Safety Committee last week, Crosby advocated forcing private medical transport services operating in the county to enter into franchise agreements with Horry County, pay over $1,000 each for the privilege and be on call to supplement county EMS services as needed.

The franchise payment would be in addition to county business license fees and, according to Crosby’s proposal, the medical transport ambulance services wouldn’t get business licenses if they didn’t sign the franchise agreement.

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Is Machiavelli Writing S.C. House Road Plan?

The S.C. House plan to fix roads is still in the planning stages, but the politics in it resembles the best thoughts of Niccolo Machiavelli.

Rep. Gary Simrill, R-York, will, reportedly, introduce the plan next week. Simrill chaired a special committee over the summer and fall that developed the plan.

Highlights of the plan include lowering the state’s gas tax at the pumps from its current 16.75 cents to 10.75 cents, but it would add a six percent sales tax to gas sales at the wholesale level. Not only would the wholesale tax be passed on to the consumer by being added to the price of gas at the pump, but it would increase overall gas taxes paid by the end consumer. (If you reduce a tax by 6 cents, but add back a 6 percent tax, any price over $1 per gallon results in a tax increase. Low as gas prices are right now, they are still considerably more than $1.)

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AvCraft Saga Nearing Final Chapter

The saga of AvCraft in Horry County appears to be nearing its conclusion as layoffs continue and no new rent or other concessions appear forthcoming from county government.

According to a former AvCraft employee whose job was eliminated among the recent redundancies at the company, employees received letters telling them their jobs were being eliminated and the company was closing.

According to the source, a small number of employees remain to complete maintenance work on two aircraft.

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Impressment of Private Ambulances by Horry County

The Horry County Public Safety Committee heard a proposed ordinance from Horry County Fire/Rescue Department to require private ambulance services to enter into franchise agreements with the county.

The private ambulance services would be on call to Horry County, as needed, to supplement the county’s publicly owned and operated EMS units.

According to Fire/Rescue Chief Fred Crosby, there are 28 private ambulance services operating within the county. Approximately five of those are certified by SCDHEC for emergency services. The remainder operate basically non-emergency transport services often contracted with nursing homes.

The proposed ordinance would require all 28 private companies to enter into a franchise agreement with Horry County in order to remain in business within Horry County.

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S.C. Supreme Court Denies School Rehearing

The S.C. Supreme Court denied a request by Gov. Nikki Haley and the S.C. General Assembly to rehear a school funding lawsuit it ruled on two months ago.

In its denial, the Court said it was unable to discover any material fact or principal of law that had been overlooked or disregarded when it first ruled on the case.

In November 2014, the Court ruled the state failed to provide to children in poor, rural school districts with a minimally adequate education as required by state law.

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What Does AvCraft Sale Bring to Horry County?

The recent request by AvCraft Technical Services to Horry County Council for further considerations by the county to help facilitate the sale of AvCraft appears extremely flawed.

According to several industry and county sources, Sun Air Scandinavia is considering the purchase of AvCraft.

According to sources familiar with the AvCraft request, Horry County is being asked to spend a significant amount of money upgrading at least two of the three hangars AvCraft now occupies at Myrtle Beach International Airport.

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