CAROLINA STATION STATUS
We are ONE VOTE away from stopping Carolina Station at 3rd reading July 1!

TAXPAYER ADVOCACY IS ALIVE AND WELL!

SUMMARY: Although the Horry County Council approved the 2nd of 3 readings on the Carolina Station development Tuesday night (June 17), IT WAS A CLOSE VOTE…6-4! (See Voting Specifics at end of email to see why we only need one more vote.)

For the 40 or so of you who went to Conway, we want you to know you made a difference. Your presence, clapping, and cheering made a huge impression on Council members and developer representatives. According to our records, at least one Council member was still undecided as to how to vote Tuesday night. Your presence, your energy, and your enthusiasm helped him or her (can’t tell you who) decide to vote NO!

For those of you who were not there, your friends made you proud. HCP leaders Pam Creech and Jim Paullin and Growth Impact Action Committee leader George Edwards presented EXCELLENT statements outlining specific, logical, economic, and business reasons for opposing approval of the Development Agreement with Carolina Station until they are paying their fair share and it is a GOOD DEAL FOR TAXPAYERS. We say excellent because that’s the feedback we’re getting from Council members and the public.

Pam told Council members “No business person would sign the International Paper Development Agreement because they would go BANKRUPT, and the only reason you would sign such an agreement is because you can raise taxes. If you vote yes, you will be making it possible for the developer to make hundreds of millions of dollars AND you will be consigning taxpayers to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to build and maintain the infrastructure needed. A business person would not sign this contract. I would not sign this contract, and I am asking you to not sign this contract for me as a taxpayer.”

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County Leaders Treat Carolina Station Development Like Sub-Prime Mortgages
This was sent to the Sun News as a letter to the editor but unfortunately did not get pulished

Horry County leaders are treating the proposed giant development of Carolina Station like banks and homeowners treated sub-prime mortgages—with little thought to their ability to pay in the future.

Consider. The County’s development impact modeling software shows Carolina Station will produce an estimated operations deficit of $2M a year for the next twenty years (including the $15.6M developer contribution which we believe is inflated by approximately $7M). That’s $40M over the next twenty years for the existing taxpayers in Horry County to cover—in addition to our individual current taxes.
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COUNCILMAN KEVIN HARDEE ATTEMPTS TO RUSH CAROLINA STATION APPROVAL

In a move Tuesday night Councilman Kevin Hardee (District 10) tried prematurely to start the Council approval process for Carolina Station (partially in his district). A motion to add the first (out of three readings) for the development to the agenda was defeated by Ms. Gilland, Mr. Ryan, and Mr. Schwartzkopf who voted NO (a motion to add an item to the agenda requires a unanimous vote.)
EXPLANATION: This was an attempt by Mr. Hardee and the developer to start Council approval of this project BEFORE 1) staff approval (staff has NOT finished negotiating the developmental agreement and has serious legal questions yet to be answered, 2) the Council has conducted its Workshop on Carolina Station scheduled for May 13, and 3) the County has identified funds to pay for the estimated $200-$250M in new infrastructure needs.

ACTION ALERT!
Ms Gilland, Mr. Ryan, and Mr. Schwartzkopf stood up for County taxpayers and demonstrated good common sense in declining to move forward. Please write to each of them (regardless of whether or not you are in their districts) and let them know you appreciate their vote and request they identify funds to pay for the NEW infrastructure required BEFORE approving the project.

Liz Gilland, chairman@horrycounty.org

Mike Ryan, Mlryan2000@aol.com

Carl Schwartzkopf, captcarl@sccoast.net

DHEC approved a storm water permit last week for the 701 asphalt facility. Below is an email Horry County P.R.I.D.E. sent to state officials requesting assistance.

The Honorable Ray Cleary
Representative Nelson Hardwick

Horry County P.R.I.D.E. is strongly opposed to the placement of a toxic asphalt plant in a residential area at Route 701 and Mt. Pisgah Cemetery Road.

Although this is a County decision, both the State and the County have a responsibility to protect its citizens. The Horry County Council approved an asphalt plant in a residential area knowing that DHEC does NOT have the ability to monitor toxic chemicals in the air or the ground water. Their regulations haven’t been updated in almost 30 years, and many nearby residents rely on well water.

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