THE LAST STRAW, UH, WE MEAN PIECE OF THE PUZZLE

If you have achieved enough years, we are certain that, by now, you have become familiar with how an effective liar operates. The lie being told has to contain just enough truth to make the statement plausible. After this basic foundation is laid, the really accomplished liar can build upon this platform and spin whatever yarn that is to his benefit. In this post, we plan to re-expose a few Grand Daddy of all lies that particularly get on our last nerve. In the process, the purveyors of these prevarications will, also, be exposed.

First, a little history. (you knew it was coming)

The County budget has a lot in common with your household budget, with the possible exception that you can't take money from your neighbor to make your budget balance. With the County budget, as with your budget, dollar amounts of the expected expenditures and revenues are estimated. These actual amounts can end up being either greater or lesser.

Before Davis/ Schurlknight took office, a few past County budgets included small amounts , on paper, from the fund balance as an accounting maneuver to make the estimated budget balance. However, only once, prior to the Davis administration, was any amount of the fund balance actually used to cover expenditures. Pre-Davis/Schurlknight, the proceeds from the FILOT (Fee In Lieu Of Taxes) from Google went to pay back a Santee Cooper loan. Approximately 63% of all other FILOT revenue went to the schools. The County fund balance was at 16.78%, ($7,289,721) well above the 15% comfort zone. Our Economic Development rating was at the highest level, "Developed". The Economic Development fund was never raided. A full 100% of the Local Option Sales Tax revenue was applied to property tax relief. The fund balance of the BCW&SA was recognized as separate and apart from BC funds. As such, it was not incorporated into the BC general fund. And, water rates were 30% cheaper than they are today.

Since Mr. Davis/ Mr. Schurlknight took office, all this has changed. With the leadership of Mr. Davis/ Mr. Schurlknight, the fund balance is now below 4%. This represents a loss of over $5 Million. This dynamic duo has taken a cool $1 MILLION from the Economic Development Fund to prop up their fund balance. They have taken $4 MILLION of industry fees earmarked for the school system and added this money to the general fund. They have taken 29% or (approx) $3 MILLION of our property tax relief from the Local Option Sales Tax each year for three years, a total of (approx) $9 Million. They have "borrowed" $10 MILLION from the fund balance of the Berkeley County Water & Sanitation Authority. They have raised water rates by 30%. They floated a $150 MILLION bond issue and drawn $50 MILLION from it because they didn't want to wait for the proceeds from the NEW Local Option Sales Tax to begin the Hwy. 17A project. Last but certainly not least, they have raised your County taxes by one mill this year.

This information deserves reiteration.

They took and spent over $5 MILLION from the fund balance.

They took and spent over $4 MILLION from the Schools.

They took $1 MILLION from the Economic Development Fund.

They took and spent 29% of your tax relief, $3 MILLION a year, for three years.

They "borrowed" and spent $10 MILLION from BCW&SA.

They took another 30% in water fees.

They floated a $150 MILLION bond issue. $50 MILLION was drawn.

They floated a $10 MILLION general obligation bond.

And, to make matters worse, they have raised the operating fund this year by 1 mill.

This money was spent in addition to the regular tax revenue that they, also, spent. To add insult to injury, they furloughed County employees which resulted in their reduced take home pay. GE&P would like to pose a tiny little question:

WHERE, IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT'S GOOD AND HOLY, HAVE THESE TWO SPENT ALL THIS MONEY.

In his campaign ad in the Berkeley Independent last week, Mr. Jack Schurlknight is quoted, "As chairman of the Berkeley County Council Finance Committee, I was very pleased to see the County's first balanced budget in 18 years." In the first place, "the first balanced budget in 18 years" whether stated by Mr. Schurlknight or Mr. Davis, is a bold faced lie. A balanced budget is mandated by law. And, the BC budget was balanced every year for the 18 years before Supervisor Davis/ Mr. Schurlknight took office. Unfortunately, this has not "exactly" been the case for the first three years of Mr. Schurlknight's/ Supervisor Davis' tenure. We realize that we have allowed Supervisor Davis to slip into this post but, you have to understand that the activities of these two men are inextricably intertwined.

Mr. Schurlknight said "he was please to see" the first balanced budget in 18 years. Did anyone else notice he didn't actually say he had anything to do with it?

Here's the truth of the matter. Mr. Davis/ Mr. Schurlknight have to take responsibility for the situation in which BC finds itself. As these two brag about all their so called accomplishments, these events have taken place since they took office:

Numerous large industries have moved out of the County taking hundreds of our jobs with them.

Our unemployment rate is around 12%.

Economic development is at a virtual standstill or, at best, three to five years down the road. The County's Economic Development standing has been downgraded.

The morale of our County employees is at its lowest level in memory.

Cypress Gardens, as a tourist attraction and educational venue, no longer exists.

Most of our roads are nothing short of pothole heaven.

Due to several ill-advised water line projects, BCW&S is now dumping a large portion of its water supply into the ditches. This practice is an ecological disgrace.

And, as far as our financial state is concerned, we are tipping on the cusp of disaster. With the willing cooperation of Mr. Schurlknight, Supervisor Davis has constructed a financial house of cards worthy of Bernie Madoff. Even some members of County Council, when asked, have no earthly idea into which rathole all our money has disappeared. Straightening out the mess these two have created will take years.

So, when Mr. Schurlknight and Mr. Davis are voted out of office next week, don't think for one moment that BC's financial troubles will be over. When the full scale of our situation is finally revealed, more than one jaw is guaranteed to drop.