By Paul Gable
I saw a Facebook post by former Myrtle Beach mayor Mark McBride yesterday that highlights why the city will continue its downward slide.
During the recent Myrtle Beach City Council elections, McBride was targeted by a third party group with hit pieces to keep him from being elected.
The Myrtle Beach Mafia was successful in its attempt to keep McBride from gaining a seat on city council.
The problem is the message was false, as is normal with hit pieces on a candidate. One said “Mark McBride is back and preying on voters.”
Actually, it’s the Myrtle Beach Mafia that preys on voters, at least those in the south end of the city.
During the campaign when challengers for city council seats were talking about rising crime in the city, Mayor John Rhodes donned his rose colored glasses and looked north to claim that crime was at its lowest level in 20 years.
It probably is in the Dunes Club and Pine Lakes areas. The south end is a different story.
McBride quoted some crime statistics collected by neighborhoodscout.com, which is really a real estate resource website to help those searching for homes.
“According to NeighborhoodScout,
YOU have a 1-61 chance of being a victim of crime in MB. As a resident of SC, it is 1-197. (Other cities)
St. Louis 1-63
Cleveland 1-68
Baltimore 1-70
Atlanta 1-77
Newark, NJ. 1-77
Washington, DC 1-77
Compton, Ca. 1-78
When is Myrtle Beach leadership going to pull their ‘heads-out-of-the-sand?”
The answer to McBride’s rhetorical question is never, at least not while this group of permanent incumbents remains in office.
Again quoting McBride, “I am only the bearer of the bad news. I didn’t create the statistics or the atmosphere which has led to OUR worsening crime conditions in the City of MB over the last 5 years. I didn’t ‘prey’ on anyone – I simply am willing to admit our problems – which must be addressed.”
But, they won’t be addressed by this group. The only things that are important to the permanent incumbent council is keeping their neighborhoods in the north end of the city safe and keeping marketing budgets low for their buddies by extending the tourism development sales tax.
Why should a private business have to pay for marketing when city council is willing to add taxes to do the job.
That strategy leaves excess money to fund advertising campaigns to help get the permanent city council re-elected.
Boss Tweed never had New York City wired quite this well.
Speak Up…