10/23/07 STATEMENT ON ACCOUNTABILITY IN ECONOMIC LEADERSHIP
October 24th, 2007 by Julie HarbinHORRY COUNTY PRIDE
STATEMENT OF JULIE HARBIN
before the
HORRY COUNTY COUNCIL
October 23, 2007
ACCOUNTABILITY IN ECONOMIC LEADERSHIP
Madam Chair, Distinguished Members of the Council:
We have a problem in HORRY COUNTY that is threatening the well-being of every citizen and every visitor. It’s a problem that everyone who lives here knows about. It’s a problem we are to a large degree ignoring because it’s so out of hand that many believe we can’t do anything about it.
The problem I’m talking about is UNBALANCED GROWTH. By this I mean the growth of new businesses and new communities is far out pacing the growth of the very INFRASTRUCTURE needed to support that growth. And this UNBALANCED GROWTH is now destroying some of the natural resources that make our area so attractive to development in the first place.
With all due respect to all parties involved, we cannot continue to ignore this problem. We cannot continue to allow the enormity of this problem to keep us from addressing it. We cannot continue to allow special interests to ignore the interests of the WHOLE.
I speak today on behalf of HORRY COUNTY PRIDE—a County-wide organization that believes that by working together we can correct this problem WHILE WE GROW.
I emphasize WHILE WE GROW because we want to make it perfectly clear to everyone that the HORRY COUNTY PRIDE members are NOT—repeat NOT—anti-development. We are PRO-HORRY COUNTY.
HORRY COUNTY PRIDE members are EXISTING taxpayers who are tired of living with the results of UNBALANCED GROWTH.
• We have had enough of clogged roads, overcrowded schools, and inadequate police, fire, and emergency medical services.
• We have had enough of building homes where water seeps up through driveways and flooring because they are built on filled-in wetlands.
• We have had enough of asphalt and cement plants and other businesses with toxic effects in our communities..
HORRY COUNTY PRIDE
Statement before the County Council
October 23, 2007
• We’ve had enough of freezing zoning requirements for 20-30 years.
Right now the tax structure in Horry County requires EXISTING taxpayers pay for the maintenance of the EXISTING roads, the EXISTING schools, and the EXISTING police, fire, and emergency medical services.
On top of that, the tax structure in Horry County also requires EXISTING taxpayers pay for the NEW roads, the NEW schools, and the NEW police, fire, and emergency medical services the NEW residents and NEW business owners require.
HORRY COUNTY PRIDE members are no longer interested in acting as bankers for developers. Developers are making PROFITS from their developments, and they should be. It’s just time for everyone to pay their fair share of the COSTS.
We recognize this is not just an Horry County problem, and it’s not just a South Carolina problem. The nation’s infrastructure is old and crumbling, and the nation’s natural resources are at risk. But…the fact that state and federal governments are facing the same problems is no excuse for not taking effective action ourselves.
The fact that state and federal governments are facing the same problems makes it even more imperative that we exercise creative and responsible economic leadership in Horry County.
This is NOT a financial problem. We know what needs to be done financially.
This is a POLITICAL problem. In Horry County we simply don’t have the political will to solve it. This needs to change.
HORRY COUNTY PRIDE recognizes the financial environment for development is not what it has been, and we are NOT interested in adding to a difficult situation.
We do, however, think this is the perfect time for us to step back, assess where we are financially and where we need to go. A WELL PLANNED and WELL FUNDED strategy to build the necessary infrastructure and to preserve our vital natural resources will be an ASSET TO DEVELOPMENT. It will show potential buyers and lenders our financial strength and market value.
HORRY COUNTY PRIDE is UNITING the taxpayers of Horry County into a powerful citizens’ lobby on behalf of the infrastructure and natural resources. Building a strong infrastructure WHILE WE GROW must be made a priority and preserving our vital natural resources WHILE WE GROW must be made a priority.
The members of HORRY COUNTY PRIDE look forward to working together with all parties concerned to find a way to bring our communities back into balance and back to good health.
Thank you.