PoliTick-Tock

MB Republicans to discuss economy

With the dominance of the economy in the current Presidential campaign and rising challenges on the Grand Strand, the Myrtle Beach Republican Club has scheduled two speakers on the topic for its next meeting.

Nick Sherfesee, president Grand Strand of First Reliant Bank, and Judy Blackburn, owner of Atlantic Home Mortgage, will lead a discussion of commercial and individual finance issues, club officials said.

"Foreclosures in the real estate market, sliding interest rates, and an uncertain Wall Street are sending mixed messages," the invitation states.

There is no charge and the meeting is open to the public.   

WHAT | Myrtle Beach Republican Club meeting

WHEN | 6 p.m. March 17

WHERE | Paradise Resort, 2201 South Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach

MORE INFORMATION | Mary Henry, 444-4364 or myrtlebeachrepublicanclub@gmail.com.

 

The numbers are in: Record viewership

Nearly 5 million people watched the CBCI/CNN presidential primary debate in Myrtle Beach Monday night, a record for any cable network, a CNN spokeswoman said.

"Number one in all demos," the spokeswoman, Edie Emery, said. "I think everybody's very happy."

Around 4.9 million people watched the debate, including nearly 2 million age 25 to 54, she said.

Leaders who pushed for the debates said the free publicity and attention would give an enormous return on any investment. The City Council gave $250,000 to the chamber of commerce to help pay for the costs involved in the debates.

Here's an Excel spreadsheet of the data provided by CNN.

CNN: Watch our debate in South Carolina

The CNN promos for tonight's debate call it the debate in South Carolina. And when anchors and reporters talk about the debate, they also say South Carolina, sometimes mentioning Myrtle Beach almost as an afterthought.

That's not right, say some Myrtle Beach leaders.

"I think there must be a breakdown in communication somewhere," Mike Chestnut, a Myrtle Beach city councilman, said, half-joking. "We want all the exposure we can get off of it."

"Hopefully shortly they should get that problem solved," he said. "By 7 o'clock, I'm sure the whole world will know the debate is in Myrtle Beach."

Mayor John Rhodes, exhausted from all the events of the weekend, said he was happy with whatever the city gets.

"Look, I'm just glad they're here," he said.

A CNN spokeswoman said she did not know why exactly some of the promos did not say Myrtle Beach.

Edwards announces three new endorsements

At a press conference in Columbia today, Sen. John Edwards' campaign announced three new endorsements from community leaders -- State Rep. Walton J. McLeod III from Little Mountain, former Newberry County Councilman Curtis Shealy and Folly Beach City Councilwoman Laura Beck.

The endorsements come shortly after the campaign released a list of more than 80 South Carolina endorsements from some of the state's most respected leaders.

Edwards returns to South Carolina tomorrow for a four-day tour, including a stop in Newberry on Sunday. During the trip, Edwards said, he will will call for bold action to ensure that all South Carolinians -- regardless of their backgrounds -- have equal opportunity for education, jobs and to support their families and have secure retirements.

A radio spot with Edwards' recent remarks in South Carolina about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and our shared responsibility to fight for One America can be found online at: www.johnedwards.com/realchange.

Here are the details of his Sunday appearance:

Supporters and undecided voters are invited to meet with the senator at noon at Steven W's Bistro,
1100 Main St., Newberry.

Tourism industry trying to get question on air

The head of the Travel Industry Association spoke twice earlier today to Brit Hume, who is moderating the Fox News debate as I type this, and told him about the difficulties the tourism industry in America has had since Sept. 11, TIA spokeswoman Cathy Keefe said.

The tourism industry is trying to get several things passed through Congress, including a bill that it says would help increase international tourism into the United States by making the visa process less of a headache, training customs workers and marketing.

We'll see if the question comes up.

Interest groups try to get their message out

Groups representing various national issues have started coming into town, hoping to get in front of cameras or show candidates the extent of support for their issue.

The head of the Travel Industry Association said his group had “aggressively” tried to get Fox News to ask a travel-related question during the debate.

TIA Executive Director Roger Dow, who spoke to the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce in November, pointed to an October survey that said half of likely S.C. primary voters thought the federal government could do more to improve the efficiency of the system, and more than a third of likely Republican voters said the issue could affect their vote.

“We're just trying to say hey look candidates you're not the only ones who have tight schedules to keep,” Dow said.

Does the Grand Strand hold a special place in state lawmakers' hearts?

No, but it should, members of the local legislative delegation told area mayors and city council members at a Wednesday night meeting.

“There’s nobody else like the Grand Strand in the state,” said state Rep. Nelson Hardwick, R-Surfside Beach. “They (other areas) have gotten far too comfortable eating off our plate.”

The dinner meeting at the Train Depot was nominally about upcoming laws of concern to city officials – the agenda mentioned annexation and immigration, for example – but concentrated on one upcoming measure that would limit cities’ ability to spend property tax money.

The mayors and council members were concerned, they said, because their ability to cope with future challenges could be hampered, even though they have been fiscally responsible. Myrtle Beach has not seen a tax hike in years, while North Myrtle Beach has even lowered taxes.

“We feel like we’re being punished for it,” said North Myrtle Beach Mayor Marilyn Hatley. “It’s definitely going to create some problems for us.”

Local lawmakers’ support of the bill is not a personal attack on area cities, the legislators responded: it is a political reality. Voters want tax relief and the governor and top legislators have a “top-down mentality of cut and save,” said state Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Myrtle Beach.

“What we’re hearing is that you’ve got a problem and therefore you can’t help us,” replied North Myrtle Beach Councilman Bob Cavanaugh. “You can’t just say there’s no answer.”

Discussion of the spending-reduction bill, however, soon gave way to a lament on the lack of love for the Strand in Columbia. The area has 5 percent of the state’s population, but its tourist economy generates 11 percent of the state’s tax revenue, state Sen. Dick Elliott, D-North Myrtle Beach, reminded city officials. Meanwhile, city officials along the beach are left to create roads, sewers and other services for hundreds of thousands of visitors using the property taxes of a few tens of thousands of residents.

“People in Scranton don’t have our problems,” Hardwick said. “They enjoy the tourists, because they ride through there and they can write a few tickets.”

No solution was reached to the spending-cap bill, though legislators asked city officials to write some concrete suggestions and send them to Columbia, in hopes the bill can be modified to account for the Strand’s particular needs before it passes. Further, the legislators said, city officials should act as their own lobbyists. When the bill comes up again, city officials should drive to the capitol themselves to argue against it.

“You want us to be in Columbia?” asked Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes. “We’ll be in Columbia.”