Tag: James Frazier

Mike Roberts Campaign Kickoff Draws Over One Hundred

Over one hundred people attended the kick off Meet and Greet for Mike Roberts’ campaign for Horry County Council District 7.

The event was held at The Warehouse in Conway last week.

A number of county politicians and business people were on hand to help Roberts kick off his campaign.

Sheriff Philip Thompson was joined by local attorney and former state representative George Hearn in a picture with Roberts featured above.

Horry County Auditor Lois Eargle was in attendance as were Horry County council member Jody Prince, state representative Kevin Hardee, former council member and current Horry County Registrar of Deeds Marion Foxworth, former Horry County Treasurer Johnny Allen and longtime Horry County Planning Commission members Don Helms and Dan Gray.

Hearn said of Roberts, “I have known Mike for over 10 years. He is one of the most astute individuals I have encountered and is a man of his word, which, in today’s world is unusual.”

“Mike is a longtime friend and supporter,” said Prince. “His passion for Horry County will be an important addition to county council.”

“Mike is a fine man and will do a good job on council,” said Eargle.

Roberts lost the 2014 general election for Horry County District 7 to 36 year incumbent James Frazier, who resigned his seat March 1st due to declining health.

Roberts is running on a platform of keeping taxes low, supporting growth of small businesses and strong constituent service.

“Government is too quick to raise taxes when it faces some kind of problem,” Roberts said. “We must first look to cut needless spending so we can keep taxes low. “We need to treat all businesses equally, especially small businesses. There is no reason to give incentives to one business while forgetting all the others already operating in the county.”

The Republican and Democratic special primary elections for District 7 will be held May 17, 2016 with primary runoffs on May 31st, if needed. The special general election will be held July 5, 2016.

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James Frazier Resignation Stills Questions

The resignation letter submitted by Horry County Council member James Frazier last week stilled questions that have been making the rounds lately.

Frazier is the record holder for service on county council having been the representative for Horry County District Seven since the county established single member districts. He has represented the citizens of District Seven for 35 consecutive years.

Recently, however, Frazier became notable for his absences, having not attended a council meeting since September 2015.

State law provides that three straight unexcused absences, by elected or appointed officials, create an automatic vacancy in the seat they hold. The law further provides that the chairman of the council, board, commission or committee the absent member sits on is required to immediately notify the governor of the vacancy.

This was not done in Horry County. Frazier missed six straight council meetings beginning in October 2015, but no notification to the governor was given. While Frazier was absent due to medical conditions, numerous sources agreed they were conditions from which he would not recover.

This is not about individuals or their service. The law is in place to assure continued representation to the citizens affected by these absences.

Frazier’s letter makes his resignation from his seat on council effective March 1, 2016. It could be argued, according to a strict interpretation of state law, a vacancy has existed in the District Seven seat since November 2015.

James Frazier served the county long and honorably for 35 years, a record not in danger of being broken. Like many athletes and politicians, he probably stayed a bit too long, but knowing when to quit is often difficult for the person involved.

Below is a Public Servant profile featuring Frazier that I did for Carolina Weekly several years ago:

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Budgets - Cuts, Spending and You

Horry County Council Budget Failures

The latest development at MBREDC indicates how casually Horry County Council approached raising taxes this year.

Jim Moore, President and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation, resigned from that agency Monday.

Moore came to MBREDC only six months ago after the three plus year dismal reign of Brad Lofton. During the four year period represented by these two, MBREDC allegedly reorganized itself with a new approach to attracting jobs to Horry County.

Neither Moore nor Lofton was any more successful in economic development recruitment than the former iteration of MBREDC or Partners Economic Development Corporation before it.

The difference is the current four year MBREDC 2.0 has been receiving serious funding from Horry County Council, between $1.3 million to $1.8 million per year of taxpayer dollars, with little to nothing to show for it.

Think of AvCraft, Project Blue and PTR Industries as the poster children of MBREDC efforts.

Over the past five county budget cycles, MBREDC has received at least $7.5 million from Horry County Council to fund its few employees and other operational costs.

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Horry County Council Tax Explosion

It is now official, the tax and spend Republicans on Horry County Council passed the largest tax increase in a generation last night.

Nothing changed from the budget that passed at second reading. There will be a countywide tax increase of 7.2 mils more for the general fund. The countywide road fee increased from $30 to $50 per vehicle and county building permit fees increased.

The Republican “Gang of Five” who voted to increase taxes consists of chairman Mark Lazarus, and council members Al Allen, Johnny Vaught, Bill Howard and Gary Loftus. Democrat James Frazier made the sixth vote in the 6-5 decision.

Of the six members who voted for it, five (all but Loftus) were elected to their current terms in November 2014, so it will be over three years before they have to face the voters for reelection. There is speculation Loftus may not be planning to run again so his term ending next year may not matter in having to answer for being a tax and spender.

Despite campaign pledges to “oppose new taxes”, “keep property taxes low”, “listen to the taxpayers” and support TEA Party goals, Lazarus, Vaught, Howard and Allen (respectively) make the term conservative Republican virtually extinct in Horry County and, in their particular cases, an oxymoron.

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Horry County Council Tax Explosion

Horry County Council is spending your tax dollars like a bunch of drunken sailors making a port call.

The council voted 6-5 to amend the FY 2016 budget to include a countywide tax increase of 7.2 mils for the general fund, to increase the business license fees and to raise the road fee to $50 for every vehicle registered in the county.

Council chairman Mark Lazarus was joined by council members Al Allen, Bill Howard, Johnny Vaught, Gary Loftus, and James Frazier in voting yes for the tax increase.

This is an increase of 20% on general fund operating millage and 67% on the vehicle road fee. The increase of 7.2 mils for the general fund is the maximum limit allowed by state law or council probably would have gone higher.

This comes on top of a 6 mil tax increase (50%) for the fire fund in all the unincorporated areas of the county approved two years ago.

And not that many years before, council added 3 mils (100%) to the waste recycling fee in the unincorporated areas of the county.

It used to be if you lived in the city you could expect fairly routine tax increases, albeit for a higher level of services. Now, that holds true for tax increases in the unincorporated areas of Horry County just not for the level of services.

To paraphrase former Republican senator Everett Dirksen, a few mils here, a few mils there, pretty soon it adds up to real money.

Of course, Dirksen was speaking against federal tax and spend programs.

In Horry County, it’s the Republicans who have proudly become the tax and spend party.

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Vote for Mike Roberts in Horry County District Seven

The right choice for Horry County Council District Seven in tomorrow’s general election is Republican Mike Roberts.

Trying to unseat a long-term incumbent in South Carolina is never easy, but Roberts has worked harder than any candidate I’ve seen in my 31 years in Horry County.

Incumbent Democrat James Frazier has served honorably on council for over 35 years, but it’s time for a change. In the past couple years, it has become obvious to this reporter that Frazier is past his prime and should have retired at the end of his current term.

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James Frazier, Political Signs and the HCSWA

Horry County Council District 7 incumbent James Frazier is the longest consecutive serving member of that elected body.

As such, you would expect Frazier to know and abide by the laws regarding election campaigns. However, that does not seem to be the case.

Section 1005 of the Horry County Zoning Ordinance clearly states that “political or campaign signs may not be placed within a public right of way” and “are allowed no sooner than 45 days before an election.”

The November general election will be held on November 4, 2014. Forty-five days before that election is September 21, 2014.

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