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.