City/County Tug of War Unbearable

Horry County is known as the “Independent Republic”, and in many ways it’s a true depiction. It actually makes me pretty proud to have grown up in a community that takes care of itself, in spite of continually being taken advantage of by the State of South Carolina as a huge provider of revenue. Case in point, last week when the Department of Transportation representative Mike Barbee came to our community to help unveil the new road signs and road projects being paid for by our penny sales tax. Barbee told us,
"It's very nice for the DOT. Horry County has always been a good partner with us. With the financial problems the DOT is having; for Horry County to step up, provide their own funds to go towards these projects is a tremendous help to the department." No kidding! He was referencing what we as a community do time and time again…. we step up to the plate and take charge of our own destiny. When we don’t have enough roads or schools, we approve bond referendums and sales taxes to pay for them, and then we just keep building them. While it does cost more, we choose to pay for these infrastructure needs so that we can more quickly build roads and schools. It’s the very nature of the “Independent Republic” and it’s citizens, new and long standing, to do what’s necessary.

So… that’s why I continue to scratch my head in wonder, as I witness with tremendous frustration this unbearable tug of war between the City of Myrtle Beach and Horry County Government. It’s been going on as long as I can remember. It’s mostly about the doggone airport. The hardest part to witness is the lack of diplomacy on the part of a few key people, and in such a public way. While some reach out and try to find resolution, others respond with barbs and sarcasm. Why, after all of these years, with all of this building going on around here, can’t the city and the county build bridges toward one another? Why is this animosity so sharp, and obviously so deep?

Myrtle Beach is known in many parts of the world as a phenomenon. The successes of the economy are unusual for such a young city. Other communities all over the country, even in other parts of the world, look at Myrtle Beach to try and emulate its successes. That phenomenon happened, not by accident, but by the determination of a handful of amazing, tenacious men and women who decided that by coming together for the good of all, prosperity would result. Boy did it! This community is blessed. For leaders to continue to allow the seething wound of the airport to fester, further stalling the critical planning that impacts that airport, and all other important intergovernmental relations required in a dynamically growing area like this one… well, it’s just ludicrous.

Please, stop it! Take the high road here! Get on with the important relationship building that must come for the Grand Strand and Horry County to continue to maximize its opportunities. While elected leaders refuse to communicate diplomatically and effectively one to another, other communities take our missed opportunities and run with them. We lose.

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