OUTRAGEOUS LACK OF LEADERSHIP

After receiving and reading the latest political flyer from Supervisor Dan Davis, we must all agree that he is unparalleled in one area, putting lipstick on a pig. Therefore, we would like to elaborate on some of his claims to success enumerated in this latest mail-out.

Mr. Davis claims success in "LOWERING DEBT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM".

FACT: Mr. Davis did, indeed, lower county debt BUT he did so by illegally taking $10 MILLION from the fund balance of the Berkeley County Water And Sanitation Authority. Statute clearly states that "revenue from a utility may only be used for the operations of that utility and for no other purposes". Water and Sanitation is defined by law as a utility. Mr. Davis, however,  determined it was a "department of BC government and had made an interdepartmental transfer of funds".  Unfortunately for Mr. Davis, his "determination" cannot supersede SC Statute.  

FACT: Mr. Davis, also, drastically "reformed" BC government. Through his manipulation of Council Rules, he "reformed" all Conservative influence from County Council. He and his coalition of Liberals on Council, executed a 4/4 tie vote, with Mr. Davis voting the tie breaker, on every policy and spending issue. This effort resulted in an inability for the Conservative members of Council to prevent the reckless spending of taxpayer money. This situation lasted for over 4 years until an additional Conservative was elected to Council in 2013.

Mr. Davis claims success in "ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE".

FACT: Indeed, vast improvements have been made to Hwy. 6 and Hwy. 17A since the implementation of the Local Option Sales Tax. In case you didn't know, this tax burden rests exclusively on the backs of the people of Berkeley County. However, there is one additional fact of which most people in BC are unaware.  Hwy. 6 and Hwy. 17A are STATE HIGHWAYS and are, therefore, the responsibility of the STATE. Mr. Davis made no issue of this fact to the State but, willingly, placed this additional burden on the backs of the BC taxpayers.

FACT: Mr. Davis could not have pursued his agenda without his 4 dependable votes on Council. Two of these supporting votes were Liberal Democrats. In one case, the vote of one Liberal Democrat was secured with the construction of a waterline. This Hwy. 311, 12 inch, waterline serves a total of less than 10 households. The line, also, terminates at the front door of said Councilman. In order to maintain the quality of the water in this line and to prevent poisoning the few people who use the water, the line must be purged on a daily bases. This operation results in literally millions of gallons of drinking water being dumped annually since installation in 2008. In order to establish full disclosure, there were other water lines installed in the district of the other Liberal Democrat. But, these lines were installed over the protest of that District's Democrat Councilman. Even he claimed these "improvements" were a waste of taxpayer dollars.

Mr. Davis claims that, over the last 7 years, he has "PROVIDED A BALANCED BUDGET".

FACT: South Carolina Law dictates that counties maintain a balanced budget.

Mr. Davis claims success in "ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT".

FACT:  The deal for the establishment of Google in BC was being finalized during the transition from the last administration to that of Mr. Davis. Mr. Davis played no part in establishing the agreement. At that time, Mr. Davis made no secret of the fact that he disapproved of the Google deal. Since that time, in 2006, Google has expanded, with no input or involvement from Mr. Davis. However, at every opportunity, (including this flyer) Mr. Davis has taken full credit for the benefits Google's presence has provided to BC.

FACT: In raw numbers, over the last 7 years, Berkeley County has lost more industries than it has gained.

Mr. Davis claims success in "JOB CREATION".

FACT: During the last election cycle, Mr. Davis claimed to have created 2300 new jobs for the people of BC. Upon closer analysis, it was determined that the actual number of jobs created was 80, with the remainder listed as "possible jobs over the next 20 years".  This election cycle, we have been denied access to the list of supposed new employers used to establish this year's claims. Using deductive reasoning and a preponderance of the evidence, one could only conclude this year's actual numbers are comparable to those of last election cycle.

FACT: BC has the highest unemployment rate in the Tri-County area.

Mr. Davis claims to have taken a pay cut to balance the budget.

FACT: During his first budget process after he was elected for his first term, he included a $20,000 pay for himself while maintaining there was no money available for a County employee pay raise.

Mr. Davis possesses an uncanny ability to "cherry pick" from his record. He publicizes only the positive portions of his history while ignoring the true picture and the factual consequences of his actions. When examined as whole cloth, Mr. Davis has demonstrated poor leadership at every juncture of his tenure.  His years as Supervisor have resulted in a divided Council, a lack of employment opportunities for our citizens, and a waste of the potential of Berkeley County.

UPDATE:

We planned to end this post after covering the claims on Wednesday's flyer but, low and behold, yet another flyer arrived in the mail today containing even more outrageous claims and accusations. This latest piece of propaganda gets a bit more personal. Contained therein, are attacks not only on his opponent but, also, on members of County Council and the former administration.

ATTACKING HIS OPPONENT'S PROFESSION

In this latest attempt to secure votes, Mr. Davis disparages his opponent for being a L-A-W-Y-E-R. The tone of his remark would indicate he perceives a person engaged in such a profession to be unqualified to lead BC. When one examines Mr. Davis' resume, it becomes clear why he would take such a position. Mr. Davis can truthfully boast of two main accomplishment:

1. Mr. Davis was the Administrator for the City of Hanahan. This would sound impressive until you look closer at that pig. The day Mr. Davis began that job, Hanahan had a surplus of $1 MILLION. The day he left that job, Hanahan had a $3 MILLION deficit.

2. Mr. Davis was, also, the proprietor of a flea market. This shining star has shone brightest amidst his list of accomplishments.


ATTACKING HIS OPPONENT'S CONSERVATISM

Mr. Davis had to go back over a decade to find one single example to provide his "proof" for this statement. We had to go back but a year to find undeniable evidence in the form of Council minutes that Mr. Davis voted in lock step with the Liberal Democrats on County Council for over 4 years.

ATTACKING HIS OPPONENT AS "TAX AND SPEND"

Mr. Davis provided NO examples for this accusation against his opponent.

However, we can provide a few examples of Mr. Davis' supposed "Conservative" approach:

1. Mr. Davis spent $1.6 MILLION to purchase a swamp.
2. Mr. Davis wanted to spend $16 MILLION on the Carolina Nursery property on speculation.
3. Mr. Davis spent $2.4 MILLION on a waterline to nowhere.
4. Mr. Davis took $10 MILLION from Water and Sanitation's Fund Balance.
5. Mr. Davis was at the helm for TWO Local Option Sales Tax initiatives.
6. Mr. Davis was at the helm for increases in Water and Sanitation rates.
7. Mr. Davis was at the helm for the reassessment increases.
8. Mr. Davis IS at the helm for the purposed new Storm Water Management Fee.

Mr. Davis even alluded to the possibility that his nemesis may be poised for a return. (this obsession is verging on clinical) In his flyer, Mr. Davis uses terms like "Good Old Boy System of Government". He says his opponent will "return BC to high debt, high unemployment, and zero growth." Mr. Davis has "assumed" that all the voters of BC are uninformed as to the condition of their government. Mr. Davis has "assumed", by the use of buzz words, the voters can be fooled. Mr. Davis has made a huge mistake by bringing these issues to the attention of the voters. The truth of the matter is that BC NOW has unnecessary debt; BC NOW has high unemployment; and BC NOW has lower growth than what is possible.

It is passed the time that the voters of BC take the initiative to right this ship of state. We must rid the County of its dividers and seek out those who possess the leadership abilities to bring the differing factions together for the benefit of the County. Berkeley County has the potential to lead the State in every area. We have much of the necessary talent already seated on Council. With the addition of one more Conservative, we can maintain our strong Council form of government. We have a population standing in the wings ready to do the work required as soon as the jobs are available. We have the natural resources to accommodate any business that wishes to locate here as soon as we remove the impediments.  Now, all we need is the LEADERSHIP.

Please remember to vote next Tuesday, June 24th. For the sake of your County

VOTE JAMES LAW COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 6

VOTE BILL PEAGLER COUNTY SUPERVISOR

RUNNING ON HIS RECORD?

In every stump speech and mail-out, Supervisor Dan Davis says he is running on his record. Let's all look at the unvarnished record of Supervisor Davis:

• HE TOOK 29% OF OUR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF THAT WAS PROMISED TO US FROM THE FIRST LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX (LOST)

• HE ILLEGALLY TOOK $10 MILLION FROM THE FUND BALANCE OF THE BERKELEY COUNTY WATER AND SANITATION AUTHORITY.

• HE CLOSED THE BC SATELLITE OFFICE IN GOOSE CREEK, COSTING TAXPAYERS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN TRAVEL EXPENSES DRIVING TO MONCKS CORNER TO CONDUCT GOVERNMENT BUSINESS.

• HE SPENT 1.6 MILLION DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO BUY A SWAMP FOR HIS "DAN DAVIS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CAMPUS" THAT NEVER WAS.

• HE SPENT 2.4 MILLION DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO BUILD A WATER LINE ON HWY. 311 THAT SERVES LESS THAN 10 HOUSEHOLDS JUST TO SECURE THE VOTE OF THAT AREA'S COUNCILMAN.

• TO ACCOMPLISH HIS AGENDA,HE VOTED WITH THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS NEARLY 100% OF THE TIME FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS 

• HE HAS BRAGGED ABOUT JOB CREATION ALTHOUGH BERKELEY COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA.

• HE WAS SOLEY RESPONSIBLE, BY HIS MANIPULATION OF COUNCIL RULES, FOR THE TOTAL EXCLUSION OF CONSERVATIVE INFLUENCE ON COUNTY COUNCIL FOR 4 YEARS.

• DURING HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE, THROUGH RECKLESS SPENDING, HE REDUCED THE FUND BALANCE TO A LEVEL LOW ENOUGH THAT BERKELEY COUNTY WAS THREATENED WITH A REDUCTION IN THE BOND RATING.

• HE FOUGHT TO THE LAST VOTE, AFTER A CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY WAS ESTABLISHED ON COUNCIL, TO DEFEAT LAST YEAR'S BUDGET THAT REALIZED A 1.8 MILLION DOLLAR SURPLUS. THIS YEAR, HE IS TRYING TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THE SURPLUS.

• IN 2010, THROUGH HIS MANIPULATION, THE LEGALLY APPOINTED ACCOMMODATIONS TAX BOARD WAS REPLACED BY "HIS CHOICES". THE MINUTES OF THAT MEETING, (REGULAR MEETING, FEBRUARY, 2010) HAVE NEVER BEEN APPROVED AND RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC. HANDLING MINUTES OF A PUBLIC MEETING IN THIS MANNER IS CONTRARY TO SC LAW.
• DURING HIS FIRST BUDGET PROCESS, HE GAVE HIMSELF A $20,000 RAISE. WHEN THIS FACT WAS DISCOVERED, THE RECORDS WERE "ARRANGED" TO SHOW THE RAISE TOOK PLACE OVER HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE. HIS PAY RECORDS TELL THE STORY THOUGH.

Supervisor Davis brags of all the new jobs he has created.  Official records disagree. BC has the highest unemployment rate in the Tri-County. Last election cycle he claimed he had created 2300 new jobs in the previous year. Upon checking with the companies involved, our research team learned that 80 actual jobs had been created, with the remainder listed as "possible jobs" some time over the next 20 years. This election cycle, we were unable to gain access to the list of companies involved in the Supervisor's current claims, so we cannot give you the real information on those. This is transparency.

• HE ATTEMPTED TO SPEND 16 MILLION DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO PURCHASE THE CAROLINA NURSERY PROPERTY ON HWY. 52 ON SPECULATION. ONLY THE OPPOSITION OF THE CONSERVATIVES ON COUNCIL PREVENTED THAT DISASTER.

• UNDER THIS SUPERVISOR'S LEADERSHIP, BERKELEY COUNTY HAS LOST MORE BUSINESSES, INDUSTRY, AND JOBS THAN HAVE BEEN GAINED.

• HE HAS DEDICATED MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS TOWARD THE SHEEP ISLAND INDUSTRIAL AREA. ONE EXAMPLE OF HIS SUCCESS: THE FOUNDATION INDUSTRY WAS GIVEN A FEE IN LIEU OF TAX (FILOT) AGREEMENT EXEMPTING IT FROM COUNTY TAXES FOR FORTY (40) YEARS.

• HE HAS NEGLECTED OR DOWNRIGHT IGNORED THE NEEDS OF EMERGENCY SERVICES. MANY OF THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT'S CRUISERS HAVE OVER 250,000 MILES ON THEM.  MANY EMS VEHICLES BREAK DOWN ON CALLS. SOME RURAL AREAS DON'T EVEN HAVE EMS VEHICLES STATIONED IN THEIR AREA.

• HE HAS NOT PROVIDED THE NEEDED STAFF FOR THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED JAIL DURING HIS TIME IN OFFICE. THE TOP FLOORS HAVE STOOD VACANT WHILE THE GROUND FLOOR EXPERIENCES UNACCEPTABLE AND DANGEROUS OVERCROWDING.

• HE INSTALLED THE TECHNOLOGY TO BROADCAST THE COUNCIL MEETINGS ONLY AFTER BEING PRESSURED FOR OVER A YEAR BY THE CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND THE BERKELEY COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY.  HE COMPLIED ONLY AFTER PUBLIC PRESSURE GAINED THE ATTENTION OF THE MEDIA AND COULD NO LONGER BE IGNORED.

Supervisor Davis brags of economic development under his leadership.  The FACTS say otherwise. BC has lost more than it has gained.

Supervisor Davis brags about the budget surplus this year that resulted from last year's budget. He fought against that budget.

Supervisor Davis says he has created a more transparent government. His administration won't even provide a spread sheet on annual revenue to "some" members of Council or the list of companies involved in his job creation claim.

Supervisor Davis says he can't find money in the budget (without raising taxes) to address the needs of emergency services. He DID find the $1.6 million for the swamp and the $2.4 million for the waterline to nowhere.

Supervisor Davis says his administration is the most ethical in BC history. We would respectfully dispute that claim. He illegally replaced the Accommodations Tax Board, illegally took $10 million from the fund balance of the Berkeley County Water and Sanitation Authority, fails to provide requested financial information to members of Council, misleads the public on jobs created in the County, secures a support vote with unneeded and wasteful infrastructure projects, and is withholding the minutes of the February, 2010 council meeting.

Before everyone goes to the polls on June 24th, it is very important that you know all the facts about the candidates. In the case of Supervisor Davis, we encourage you to follow his request and  examine his record. None of the statement made here are opinion. There are official records, minutes of meetings, newspaper articles, and public statements to back up every assertion listed. Listen and learn BEFORE you vote.

GE&P'S PICKS FOR TUESDAY

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

ANY ONE EXCEPT HENRY McMASTER


STATE TREASURE

CURTIS LOFTIS        BECAUSE OF THE INVESTMENT MESS


STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION

MEKA BOSKET CHILDS           SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE ATTACKED HER UNJUSTLY


ADJUTANT GENERAL

BOB LIVINGSTON        HE'S DONE A GOOD JOB SO FAR


COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE

HUGH E WEATHERS           SAME REASON AS LIVINGSTON


US SENATE

ANYBODY BUT LINDSEY

BRIGHT HAS A CONSERVATIVE VOTING RECORD TO SUPPORT HIS PROMISES
CASH IS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ON ISSUES AND SMART.
CONNOR HAS RESPECTABLE MILITARY BACKGROUND, NO LEGISLATIVE RESUME
DUNN- KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE MAN
MACE IS OUT OF HER LEAGUE AND NEEDS MORE EXPERIENCE TO QUALIFY

US SENATE (UNEXPIRED TERM)

TIM SCOTT-----TIM SCOTT-----TIM SCOTT


US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, DISTRICT 06

LEON WINN   THIS MAN HAS A GREAT CHANCE OF BEATING CLYBURN IN NOV.


SHERIFF

WAYNE DEWITT

ADAMS IS A GOOD MAN BUT LACKS SUFFICIENT ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE
SMOAK IS A GOOD MAN BUT HAS THE SAME DEFICIT


CLERK OF COURT

LEAH GUERRY DUPREE

MARY'S TIME HAS COME AND GONE


COUNTY SUPERVISOR

JERRY BECKLEY  because he's not Dan Davis or Bill Peagler


COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 6

BARON THOMAS 1ST PICK
JAMES LAW 2ND PICK

THIS IS ANOTHER CASE OF ANYBODY BUT THE INCUMBENT


COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 4

JIM ROYCE  1ST PICK
ALDO NAPOLI  2ND PICK


COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5

DENNIS FISH HAS THE FINANCIAL BACKGROUND REQUIRED BY THIS POSITION

TRUTH CAN BE AWKWARD

As it turns out, we just might actually be clairvoyant after all.    Earlier, we predicted that the reassessment letters would not be sent out until after the primary. Yesterday, we learned the letters will be mailed today. That means they will arrive on Monday, the day before the primary elections. At least this administration can say they went out BEFORE the primary. Disregard the fact that they should have been mailed out in May.

How many folks will have the time in that one day to pull their files and determine a clear picture of their new tax liability?

How will the media have time to report on the changes?

How will taxpayers have time to affix responsibility for the tax hike to the proper entity?

We can definitely answer all three of these questions.

AS SUPERVISOR DAVIS WELL KNOWS, NONE OF THESE THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.  BY THE TIME THE TAXPAYERS REALIZE WHAT HAS BEEN DONE, THE PRIMARY WILL BE IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR.

PSA:

Let's all look at the unvarnished record of Supervisor Davis:

HE TOOK 29% OF OUR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF THAT WAS PROMISED TO US FROM THE FIRST LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX (LOST).

HE ILLEGALLY TOOK $10 MILLION FROM THE FUND BALANCE OF BCW&SA.

HE CLOSED THE BC SATELLITE OFFICE IN GOOSE CREEK, COSTING TAXPAYERS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN TRAVEL EXPENSES DRIVING TO MONCKS CORNER TO CONDUCT GOVERNMENT BUSINESS.

HE SPENT 1.6 MILLION DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO BUY A SWAMP FOR HIS "DAN DAVIS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CAMPUS" THAT NEVER WAS.

HE SPENT 2.4 MILLION DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO BUILD A WATER LINE ON HWY. 311 THAT SERVES LESS THAN 10 HOUSEHOLDS JUST TO SECURE THE VOTE OF THAT AREA'S COUNCILMAN.

HE VOTED WITH THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS NEARLY 100% OF THE TIME FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS TO ACCOMPLISH HIS AGENDA.

HE HAS BRAGGED ABOUT JOB CREATION ALTHOUGH BERKELEY COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA.

HE WAS SOLEY RESPONSIBLE, BY HIS MANIPULATION OF COUNCIL RULES, FOR THE TOTAL EXCLUSION OF CONSERVATIVE INFLUENCE ON COUNTY COUNCIL FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS.

DURING HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE, THROUGH RECKLESS SPENDING, HE REDUCED THE FUND BALANCE TO A LEVEL LOW ENOUGH THAT BERKELEY COUNTY WAS THREATENED WITH A REDUCTION IN OUR BOND RATING.

HE FOUGHT TO THE LAST VOTE, AFTER A CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY WAS ESTABLISHED ON COUNCIL, TO DEFEAT LAST YEAR'S BUDGET THAT REALIZED A 1.8 MILLION DOLLAR SURPLUS.

IN 2010, THROUGH HIS MANIPULATION, THE LEGALLY APPOINTED ACCOMMODATIONS TAX BOARD WAS REPLACED BY "HIS CHOICES". THE MINUTES OF THIS MEETING, (REGULAR MEETING, FEBRUARY, 2010) HAVE NEVER BEEN APPROVED AND RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC. HANDLING MINUTES OF A PUBLIC MEETING IN THIS MANNER IS CONTRARY TO SC LAW.

HE ATTEMPTED TO SPEND 16 MILLION DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO PURCHASE THE CAROLINA NURSERY PROPERTY ON HWY. 52 ON SPECULATION. ONLY THE OPPOSITION OF THE CONSERVATIVES ON COUNCIL PREVENTED THIS DISASTER.

UNDER THIS SUPERVISOR'S LEADERSHIP, BERKELEY COUNTY HAS LOST MORE BUSINESSES, INDUSTRY, AND JOBS THAN HAVE BEEN GAINED.

HE HAS DEDICATED MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS TOWARD THE SHEEP ISLAND INDUSTRIAL AREA. ONE EXAMPLE OF HIS SUCCESS: THE FOUNDATION INDUSTRY WAS GIVEN A FEE IN LIEU OF TAX (FILOT) AGREEMENT EXEMPTING IT FROM COUNTY TAXES FOR FORTY (40) YEARS.

HE HAS NEGLECTED OR DOWNRIGHT IGNORED THE NEEDS OF EMERGENCY SERVICES. MANY OF THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT'S CRUISERS HAVE OVER 250,000 MILES ON THEM.  MANY EMS VEHICLES BREAK DOWN ON CALLS. SOME RURAL AREAS DON'T EVEN HAVE EMS VEHICLES STATIONED IN THEIR AREA.

HE HAS NOT PROVIDED THE NEEDED STAFF FOR THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED JAIL DURING HIS TIME IN OFFICE. THE TOP FLOORS HAVE STOOD VACANT WHILE THE GROUND FLOOR EXPERIENCES UNACCEPTABLE AND DANGEROUS OVERCROWDING.

HE INSTALLED THE TECHNOLOGY TO BROADCAST THE COUNCIL MEETINGS ONLY AFTER BEING PRESSURED FOR OVER A YEAR BY THE CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND THE BERKELEY COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY.  HE COMPLIED ONLY AFTER PUBLIC PRESSURE GAINED THE ATTENTION OF THE MEDIA AND COULD NO LONGER BE IGNORED.

Supervisor Davis brags of economic development under his leadership.  The FACTS say otherwise. BC has lost more than it has gained.

Supervisor Davis brags of all the new jobs he has created.  Official records disagree. BC has the highest unemployment rate in the Tri-County. Last election cycle he claimed he had created 2300 new jobs in the previous year. Upon checking with the companies involved, our research team learned that 80 actual jobs had been created, with the remainder listed as "possible jobs" some time over the next 20 years. This election cycle, we were unable to gain access to the list of companies involved in the Supervisor's claims, so we cannot give you the real information on this year's claims. This is transparency.

Supervisor Davis brags about the budget surplus this year that resulted from last year's budget. He fought against that budget.

Supervisor Davis says he has created a more transparent government. His administration won't even provide a spread sheet on annual revenue to "some" members of Council or the list of companies involved in his job creation claim.

Supervisor Davis says he can't find money in the budget (without raising taxes) to address the needs of emergency services. He DID find the $1.6 million for the swamp and the $2.4 million for the waterline to nowhere.

Supervisor Davis says his administration is the most ethical in BC history. We would respectfully dispute that claim. He illegally replaced the Accommodations Tax Board, illegally took $10 million from the fund balance of BCW&SA, fails to provide requested financial information to members of Council, misleads the public on jobs created in the County, secures a support vote with unneeded and wasteful infrastructure projects, and is withholding the minutes of the February, 2010 council meeting.

Before everyone goes to the polls next Tuesday, it is very important that you know all the facts about the candidates. In the case of Supervisor Davis, we encourage you to examine his record. None of the statement made here are opinion. There are official records, minutes of meetings, newspaper articles, and public statements to back up every assertion listed. Listen and learn BEFORE you vote.

REASSESSMENT IS SIMPLE

The more we hear the "experts" (those who are responsible for the tax) explaining reassessment, the sillier it gets. As a result of this yeas reassessment, many taxpayers are complaining that their property tax bills have gone up drastically and in most cases, that is true. Some "experts" say the increase is due to the fact that these particular taxpayers benefitted from the 15% cap on the last reassessment. Others say the increase is due to the fact that counties reassess in different years. However, all "experts" say it equals out in the end.

BUT, there is one question none of the "experts" have been able to answer to our satisfaction. That simple question is:

If this process is so fair and equals out over time, why, when the tax bills go UP,  they go UP by HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, but, when they go DOWN, they go down by SINGLE DIGITS?

This scenario reminds us of a tale we once heard. The tale is about an old man who sharecropped cotton for a rich landowner. At the end of the season, the old man went in for his annual reckoning. After much figuring, the landowner announced that the old farmer had done a great job and had managed to break even that year.
The old man, astonished, asked, "Do you mean you won't be paying me ANYTHING extra?"
The landowner said, "Well, when we deduct the cost of the food you got from the company store this year AND the rent for your house I provide, AND those doctor bills for your kids last winter, there just isn't anything left.
The old man sat there in deep thought and finally said, "Well, maybe the wife and kids can go around the fence rows and on the ditch banks and, maybe, gather up another bale or two cause I was counting on getting the kids shoes and coats for winter."
Shocked, the landowner asked, "Do you mean to tell me you could possibly get two more bales out of your fields?"
The old man said, "Maybe."
The landowner said, "Well, in that case, we're going to have to refigure this whole thing."

Pretty much says it all, doesn't it?

DEATH OF THE FOURTH BRANCH

We decided to play a little game today. Here's the way it goes. You, the reader, must pretend that you are the top man and decision maker of a major national news organization. You walked into your office this morning and there was copy for two items on your desk and you had to pick the lead story for the day and the week.  Remember now, you are a professional with decades of news gathering and reporting experience. You can recognize and differentiate, from a mile away, a "fill" story from one that is of vital importance to this nation.

The first copy, complete with tape recordings, depicts an 81 year old man making racist remarks to his girlfriend. This old man owns a major sports team. However, this copy does NOT depict the first time this old fart has displayed this kind of disgusting racist behavior.  This man has been brought on the carpet several times prior for the same and similar offenses. He was even brought to court, convicted, and fined huge amounts of money for his racist behavior. So, the story here is that he did it, again.

Your second choice is copy, complete with stacks of corroborating emails, proving that the President of the United States and his top advisors conspired to and DID defraud the American people concerning the murder of four Americans, including our ambassador, in a foreign outpost, Benghazi. The emails prove conclusively that this administration, for purely political reasons, planned, organized, and executed a false account of the events in Benghazi. As the Benghazi event disproved many of the President's contentions during the campaign and it occurred a short two months prior to the presidential election, the administration knew this could be disastrous to the President's re-election bid. These facts are noted in the emails. The contrived story was later proven, by facts and testimony, to be 100% false. These latest emails prove a conspiracy of lies by this administration, including the President.

Our founding fathers knew that a free press was vital to the survival of our Republic. The mission of a free press was intended to protect the citizenry from an over-reaching, tyrannical government. Our founders, obviously, never envisioned that the majority of the press would voluntarily sell out the people and the country. But, it would appear that is exactly what has happened.

If you watch or read the MSM this week, all you see is wall to wall coverage of a disgusting little old man, accompanied by loops of his recorded venom. Is his behavior disgusting?  Yes.  Are people sick and tired of this kind of behavior?  Yes.  BUT, where's the huge news flash in finding out that a known racist has made more racist remarks?

On the other hand, finding proof that the President of the United States deliberately lied to not only the people of the United States but to the world, seems to be of no import to the MSM. It will be interesting to see the story count of these two items at the end of the news cycle. With the corruption of the Fourth Branch of Government, it makes one doubt the survival of this Great Experiment.

MORE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Here at Grits Eggs and Politics, we tend to be very community oriented.  When we notice a need for information, we attempt to supply it.  We have noted a few instances where information is definitely needed, so here goes:

1. If you are considering throwing your hat into the ring to run for any political office, there is a loose protocol when it comes to making your announcement.  Numerous venues may be utilized such as: the media, civic meetings, political organization meetings, etc. BUT, the public comment segment of a County Council meeting should NOT be considered appropriate. This action would be considered tacky and would indicate your complete ignorance of the process.

2. If you are a candidate for any office and wish to send out an announcement of any kind,  ALWAYS obtain permission from any supporter or campaign donor before you include their name. Be certain the person ACTUALLY donated to your campaign and make sure the amount of the donation is correct.  Nothing will dampen a campaign quicker than violating these rules as it denotes dishonesty and deceit. 

3. An announcement was made during the latest County Council meeting that the County intends to "fully enforce" the Administration's interpretation of the County's sign ordinance during the up-coming election cycle. In describing what denotes a campaign sign, the Ordinance states "Signs soliciting a vote for a particular candidate or for a position to be taken on a ballot...". The Administration has concluded that signs that do not specifically support a candidate or ballot issue will not qualify as a "legal" campaign sign. No one realized where this was all heading until one obtuse Councilman let the cat out of the bag by asking if this new policy would exclude the "RINO" signs from last election cycle and the answer was "YES".

Well there are a few things wrong with this new interpretation of the Ordinance and with the Ordinance itself. In the first place, the wording of the actual Ordinance is, in fact, UNCONSTITUTIONAL.  The wording states you can legally put up a sign that supports a candidate or ballot issue but does not specifically allow anyone to oppose a candidate or issue. That denotes viewpoint discrimination and is, therefore, UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Additionally, for the County to enforce its warped interpretation of the Ordinance, is an even more egregious violation of the First Amendment rights of the citizens of Berkeley County.

Here's a couple of ideas for the Administration to ponder:

Your legal fees involved in a Federal First Amendment law suit would be staggering.

Your embarrassment in losing a Federal First Amendment law suit would be palpable.

Your jeopardy of being sued?  Quicker than you can say Berkeley County School Board.