Leveraging the latest in 2017 technology, former Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride announced his intentions to run for mayor this November on Facebook Live last night. In his fifty one second announcement, McBride stated, “There are three issues in this election: public safety, public safety, and public safety.”
CRIME AND THE MYRTLE BEACH BRAND
Crime is a central campaign issue this year with ongoing shootings downtown. On Father’s Day, a tourist recorded a viral video of a downtown shootout that has now been seen by more than 5 million tourists. After the shootings, City Manager John Pedersen set up barricades all along Myrtle Beach’s Ocean Boulevard. Those barricades have upset many downtown merchants who believe the barricades hurt their Summer peak sales. Most every downtown merchant tells MyrtleBeachSC.com that Summer 2017 business is down by as much as 30 percent.
As a very young adult, McBride was formerly mayor from 1997 through 2005. He lost his seat to current Mayor John Rhodes in 2005 in a run off election. However, the “fifty something” candidate McBride of 2017 is a much more developed, complete and mature candidate than the upstart, young politician of a generation past.
HIS OPPONENTS
McBride is a strong Christian conservative in a town that has long defined itself as a conservative minded city. With that he does bring an enthusiastic base of support to the polls.
- The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber (MBACC)
- How Myrtle Beach treats its neighbors in the county as it relates to Golden Mile parking. Residents of Plantation Point, Carolina Forest, and Horry County will be volunteering time and money to those candidates who are more inclusive. The city constantly needs county funding and can not ignore nor exclude their neighbors in Horry County.
- Redeveloping the downtown is another key issue. While most agree the DRC has been nothing but a big government failed experiment, a new mayor will need to work with downtown merchants and create opportunities for redevelopment and growth. Downtown merchants feel strongly that this new approach should not be driven by a few locals with ownership in property management (hotel) concerns, however. A new effort of inclusion in the process will be required to make real change happen. Such an effort will demand an elected official with team building skills.
- Dealing with the MBACC tax is another key issue. The tax is collected in Myrtle Beach. It has increasingly driven tourists to other nearby towns including Pawleys Island, The City of North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and Garden City, however. These beach cities have more family friendly brand recognition in the market place. To grow the Myrtle Beach brand name, most merchants and residents agree the tax will need to be re-allocated directly into the city of Myrtle Beach itself. While McBride strongly supports this measure, Brad Dean’s control of over $32 million in total local taxes make him a formidable opponent. Dean will fight hard to keep control of the tax regardless of how well it works. Look for local corporate television media to also subtly work to make sure those tax dollars stay in Dean’s hands.
FUDD ALSO WROTE:
“Fudd” (McBride) writes: “Sheriff and Police also seized computers from The Brittains (Brittain Resort Hotels) and The Jordan Properties. Just think, the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce is waiting on their $18 million in Ad TAX monies. Will that be misused to benefit the Brittain and Jordan Properties?” The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce said the comments were untrue and said they would pursue a defamation lawsuit. Through those lawsuits a judge ordered the Sun News to reveal “Fudd’s” registration information. Turns out it was Mark McBride.