Politics

Bureaucracy to prevail at expense of the taxpayer

SC DSS Scrutiny, Doris Holt and Southern Holdings

A SC Senate subcommittee investigation into DSS brings to mind the case of Doris Holt and its ties to the Southern Holdings lawsuit.

The Senate subcommittee this week began an investigation into what is described as “major problems” at the SC Department of Social Services (DSS), the agency that supposedly handles the welfare of children and families.

At the top of the list of DSS failings were a large number of child deaths in cases where DSS was already involved.

This investigation is long overdue of an agency whose goals do not appear to complement its mission.

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Bobby Harrell “Blindsided”

SC House Speaker Bobby Harrell held a press conference yesterday in Columbia in what appeared to be an attempt to regain control of the message on the ongoing ethics investigation into his use of campaign funds.

Speaking approximately one hour before the House was gaveled into its opening 2014 session, Harrell appeared to believe he could, somehow, stop the ethics investigation against him from going to the Grand Jury.

Harrell said he was “shocked and blindsided” by the news the investigation was being referred to the Grand Jury. He said both the attorney general’s office and SLED continuously told Harrell and his attorneys that they found, in the course of the investigation, “nothing that concerned them”.

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Bobby Harrell Ethics Case Going to Grand Jury

SC Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that he is referring the ethics case against SC Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell to the State Grand Jury.

The case includes investigation of the approximately $325,000 Harrell reimbursed to himself from campaign funds with only general records of the expenses, according to a series by Renee Dudley, then of the Charleston Post and Courier.

According to Dudley’s stories, Harrell failed to meet the requirements of state law section 8-13-1302, which enumerates requirements for maintenance of expenditure records from campaign contributions.

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HOA Changes Called For

Homeowner’s associations (HOA) and the ability of residents affected by them to get treated fairly has become an increasing matter of debate in both Horry County and around the state in recent years.

As more retirees moved to the county over the last 10 years, they often chose private sub-divisions or condominiums to live in that are governed by some type of HOA.

Homeowner Associations are governed by a chain of documents and laws such as:

The Articles of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State provide the legal basis of the association in the form of an Incorporated Non-Profit Corporation.

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The Media Education of Chris Christie

New Jersey governor Chris Christie discovered the real meaning of the political microscope in the last couple of days when a scandal that had been brewing around his administration broke into the national spotlight Wednesday.

Whether Christie knew about it or not, closing a couple of traffic lanes to cause massive traffic congestion into the George Washington Bridge for a couple of days as retribution for failing to get the endorsement of a small time New Jersey mayor is peanuts as far as political scandals go.

However, when you are thought of as a leading candidate for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, it takes over national news.

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Flow Control Amendment Passes Second Reading

Horry County Council passed second reading of an amendment to its flow control ordinance to eliminate regulation over construction and demolition solid waste debris originating within the county.

The vote was the exact same 6-5 in favor as first reading with the Horry County Solid Waste Authority apologists on council voting in the negative.

The discussion over this issue has concentrated on how much revenue the HCSWA will lose of the amendment passes. This is totally an unconstitutional argument according to the Supreme Court decision in the United Haulers Ass’n v. Oneida Herkimer Solid Waste Management Authority lawsuit.

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Horry County Council Flow Control Workshop

It does not appear that any votes changed sides at yesterday’s Horry County Council solid waste flow control workshop.

Council is currently considering an amendment to the county’s flow control ordinance that would remove construction and demolition debris from regulation.

The workshop allowed the Horry County Solid Waste Authority to make a presentation on the possible effects of the amendment followed by questions and discussion by council members.

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Horry County Council Flow Control Workshop

Horry County Council will hold a workshop on solid waste flow control and the ordinance amendment now being considered on Monday January 6, 2014 beginning at 3 p.m. in council chambers.

The amendment passed by a 6-5 vote on first reading at council’s December meeting. The workshop is expected to bring a full bore attack by council members opposed to the amendment, which is the same as saying apologists for the Horry County Solid Waste Authority.

Final passage of the amendment would remove construction and demolition debris from flow control regulations.

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Bureaucracy to prevail at expense of the taxpayer

SC General Assembly Pre-filed Bills

Pre-filed bills for an upcoming session of the SC General Assembly always provide interesting reading, especially in an election year.

Three definitely caught our eye in recent weeks.

Sen. Katrina Shealy is evidently trying to give her friend Gov. Nikki Haley a campaign issue by filing a bill that proposes to eliminate the state’s income tax over a five-year period.

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Big Talk Special Program Sunday

The “Big Talk” television show will feature a one hour special “Talking Big Trash” Sunday December 29th and Sunday January 5th.

The show is a response to the Horry County Council ordinance that will amend the county’s solid waste flow control ordinance if it passes two more readings.

Since county council introduced the ordinance, opponents led by Horry County Solid Waste Authority officials and several council members who blindly support the HCSWA have been spreading rumors about how much the amendment will cost the county.

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