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Post by DG1 Phillip on Jun 5, 2009 7:06:18 GMT -6
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Post by rangemaster on Jun 5, 2009 10:12:53 GMT -6
From the article: "Councilman Randal Wallace said he’s opposed to the idea, and he contends the latest push has nothing to do with representative government. “This is about bike week,” he said. “They’re trying to figure out how to do the math to get somebody on there that wants wholesale Harley week or the wholesale takeover of bike weeks. And that’s just not going to happen.” Wallace maintains voters wanted the rallies to end. “I challenge them to tell me who, on either end of town, was opposed,” he said. “I live in a neighborhood that’s got a lot of people in the service industry. And I hear a lot of people, both south and north end, who were tired of feeling like the community was being invaded and disrespected.”..." Wallace either just doesn't get it - or is just trying to cloud or skirt the issue.
It is NOT a matter of there being complaints about these 2 events - obviously a few about the Harley Rally and much more about the AB BikeFest - but that the City of Myrtle Beach went WAY TOO FAR in reaction.
Instead of actually addressing the PROBLEMS and PROPERLY acting to MANAGE and CONTROL the sources of the problems - the city instead simply enacted ABSOLUTE AND EXTREME measures that DICTATED the ELIMINATION of these events in a manner that totally ignores the laws of higher jurisdiction and venue. AND - without regard for the ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES, DESPITE prior concerns and warnings that came from sources ranging from the bikers and supporters to Brad Dean (President of the Chamber of Commerce).
THAT is what people are mad about - bikers, businesspersons, other local leaders, and even many who consider themselves ANTI-rally but have or had the courage and honesty to state (or have stated in the past) that they had less concerns with the Harley Rally and were much more concerned about the AB BikeFest.
The City of Myrtle Beach OVERacted, they and the Chambers of Commerce did NOT do any SCIENTIFIC and VALID polling to ACTUALLY DETERMINE WHERE THE PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS WERE, and ALL officials who CREATED THE END RESULT WERE ARE NOW IN MUST GO!!!
It is now time to REMOVE the current "officials" in the City of Myrtle Beach - and RELACE them with "LEADERS" who will actually MANAGE the city by actually attacking REAL PROBLEMS and CRIME instead of defiantly and arrogantly tossing the baby out with the bathwater...
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Post by train on Jun 5, 2009 10:53:12 GMT -6
I talked to him before bike week and he gave me card and we were going to meet after bw then he writes cry baby spoiled rotten bikers with their not a dime in 09 ... Now he's full of nuts with checking on south end none of them check anywhere they toot thier own horns ... He was reason for my letter I sent all over .....
To All The Tourist Who Plan to Visit Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Hope everyone has wonderful summer traveling around this country on your vacation at whatever destination you choose ….
BEWARE!
Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes and City Council raised taxes on locals last year to rid the City of almost ½ million tourist. People are not sure why anyone would raise taxes to chase off tourist in this economy, especially when your City thrives on tourism…
On May 26th, 2009, Mayor Rhodes and City Council raised taxes on you, the tourists, as well as the residents of the city. $.01 increase on everything but gasoline, prescriptions and unprocessed food. If you stay, eat, entertain or travel within Myrtle Beach city limits you will be charged a penny more per dollar on every dollar you spend. Their reasoning for this is to be able to bring you, the tourist, back to our City…keep in mind that the “City” of Myrtle Beach is roughly 10 miles long out of the entire 60 miles of the Grand Strand. Cities and towns outside the city limits, ie. Garden City, Surfside, Murrells Inlet, North Myrtle Beach, etc. have not joined the city in its efforts to deter vacationers. These surrounding towns are still in the tourism business. So now when you plan your vacation think of the extra dollar Myrtle Beach is taking from you, especially in the worst economy in US History …
Supported by: Not A Dime In 2009 and Maybe Do It Again In 2010 ….
Thanks for all you do… Tony Spinnato 843-359-3014 ajsnighttrain03@yahoo.com
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Post by rangemaster on Jun 5, 2009 11:02:31 GMT -6
From the article: "Councilman Randal Wallace said he’s opposed to the idea, and he contends the latest push has nothing to do with representative government. “This is about bike week,” he said. “They’re trying to figure out how to do the math to get somebody on there that wants wholesale Harley week or the wholesale takeover of bike weeks. And that’s just not going to happen.”
Regarding THIS part of the article -
Unless someone can show otherwise, I was probably the first person in recent time to PUBLICLY bring up the issue of considering DISTRICT instead of "at-large" city council representation.
My motivations were NOT as Wallace contends, however.
The bike rally issue certainly did act as a primary motivator, as they brought this issue to light, but the reasoning for it extends much further.
First of all, THIS issue brought to light the fact that the City of Myrtle Beach's elected officials, all but one, reside in one small section of the city - a section that is almost totally detached from direct impact from and reliance on tourism. This section consists of primarily wealthy, older folks who have already "got theirs" - regardless of whether they have lived here for a long time or "transplanted" from elsewhere. THESE are the people who MOST INFLUENCE, FINANCE, and "GIVE SPECIAL FAVORS" (free resort/golf club memberships, etc) to our current city officials.
Second, the difference between "district versus at-large" council composition was extremely enlightening when the City of Myrtle Beach was appealing to the Horry County Council and other local municipalities to support and mirror their new ordinances in order to attack bikers and the 2 may events.
You see, Horry County has the DISTRICT representation system. It was quite impressive and professional - regardless of from what perspective you actually view the issue - to see individual council members each provide testimony by saying things to the effect of "I have spoke with people in MY district, and they have stated the following (concerns, advantages, wishes, etc). Does anyone REALLY think that a county councilperson residing in a wealthier district would have REALLY expressed the views and concerns (pro or con about the issue) from a poorer of more-minority district under an "at-large" system?
This really pointed out - AS OBVIOUS AND DOCUMENTED FACT - the bias and faults of the current City of Myrtle Beach's "at-large" system. The Mayor and ALL council members keep claiming that they received WIDESPREAD and ALMOST ABSOLUTE opposition to the 2 May events, when the voices of THE MAJORITY OF THE CITY seemed and claims to have been concerned about keeping them for their advantages and, at the most, only wishing that the individual PROBLEMS of either event be addressed.
Third, I was born in a municipality with DISTRICT council representation. I lived in other municipalities with DISTRICT council representation. I served as a police officer in a municipality with DISTRICT council representation. I have seen FIRST-HAND the advantages that that system provided to the ENTIRE CITY in each case.
DISTRICT representation provides representation and a focused-attention voice for ALL people in that municipality. "At-large" representation only provides an avenue for those who have influence, power, and wealth to control municipal officials to THEIR advantage.
Finally, I have an OPEN QUESTION FOR RANDALL WALLACE:
"If HIS desire to maintain 'at-large' representation is such a great one: WHY does the United Stated of America have TWO SENATORS - and a determined number US House of Representatives seats per population - for EACH STATE?
Why not just elect US Senators and House of Representative members "AT-LARGE", Randall?
Is it POSSIBLE, Randall, that we would see a monopoly of Congress from California, New York, Illinois, and maybe a few other areas - and NO REPRESENTATIVES AT ALL FOR SOUTH CAROLINA (or PROBABLY the ENTIRE SOUTHERN US) ?
Actually, we - in the City of Myrtle Beach - are ALREADY in this situation. DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW, MR RANDALL WALLACE?"
The only difference is in the scale of perspective - Myrtle Beach in the micro, the entire US in the macro.
Parting note: If you LIVE, WORK, OWN PROPERTY, OWN/MANAGE A BUSINESS, ETC in Myrtle Beach - are YOU represented???
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Post by beachbikers1 on Jun 5, 2009 12:39:33 GMT -6
Wallace refers to voters in the City, he doesn't speak for me, Range, Train and a whole bunch of people that I know that live in the City that oppose what the Mayor & City Council are doing!
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Post by freebird on Jun 5, 2009 13:02:41 GMT -6
Wallace refers to voters in the City, he doesn't speak for me, Range, Train and a whole bunch of people that I know that live in the City that oppose what the Mayor & City Council are doing! They just want the Jim Crow laws back. Do as we say. There is no fair representation in this City. This is the first step to get the residents a voice. Forget Bike Week. No one at the add tax in the audience wanted this tax. No one wanted to pay for the Cities wreckless ways. The Mayor has all but destroyed MB's reputation and then he and Randall blame it on the residents. These people need to go. Tomorrow isnt soon enough
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Post by freebird on Jun 5, 2009 13:03:30 GMT -6
What Range Said. Send it to every newspaper in the country.
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Post by howardstern on Jun 5, 2009 13:05:49 GMT -6
Politicians tend to hear only what they want to hear.
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Post by freebird on Jun 5, 2009 14:25:26 GMT -6
I am BIKER hear me roar, not gonna take you crap no more. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW. I feel we neeb to support BOOST and HELP every way we can. We are stronger together.
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Post by geezer on Jun 5, 2009 18:09:59 GMT -6
Council is scared to death of single member districts. It will split up the boys club, Susan Means Grissom included.
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Post by rangemaster on Jun 5, 2009 18:16:01 GMT -6
Council is scared to death of single member districts. It will split up the boys club, Susan Means Grissom included. Absolutely - and they will come up with - and MAKE up - EVERYTHING they can to oppose it.
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Post by seaside on Jun 5, 2009 22:14:31 GMT -6
Council is scared to death of single member districts. It will split up the boys club, Susan Means Grissom included. You got that right!!!!!!! The one female on the Council is the daughter of MB's former mayor Bob Grissom. Bob and toad were friends from way back too. So she's part of the good ole people club. Heck she's probably got more balls than Weiner does. None of these people are concerned with ALL of the city. They've already made plans to set separate tax fees for certain districts of the city. I believe the additional tax fee or tax hike has already gone into effect for the former air force base area. Then they plan to phase in taxes on the next section of the south end. It seems the reasoning was that the south end of the beach required more city services So if we can have separate tax districts we should be able to have separate council representation districts. This ain't rocket science boys.
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Post by freebird on Jun 8, 2009 11:55:06 GMT -6
Range I hope you sent out you views on this subject to the news and also to train as a CNN follow up. Or send it yourself. We need NATIONAL coverage on this. How the select few steamroll over the common man.
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Post by freebird on Jun 13, 2009 19:34:34 GMT -6
At todays meeting it was brought up that if enough signatures are presented the single member districts will go on the ballot this year. If the residents vote so that they are represented by someone in their district then 90 days after the election all of those currently on the MB City Council will have only 2 spots. Mr Chestnut if re elected, and the remaining current Councilmen could fight over 1 position. Did someone say clean sweep. If you live in the City and haven't signed the petition then do not complain about the Lack Of Leadership.
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Post by DG1 Phillip on Jun 13, 2009 20:42:01 GMT -6
At todays meeting it was brought up that if enough signatures are presented the single member districts will go on the ballot this year. If the residents vote so that they are represented by someone in their district then 90 days after the election all of those currently on the MB City Council will have only 2 spots. Mr Chestnut if re elected, and the remaining current Councilmen could fight over 1 position. Did someone say clean sweep. If you live in the City and haven't signed the petition then do not complain about the Lack Of Leadership. Bird I know I dont live in the city but you might want to post where and how those that do live there can put their names on it...
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