MBACC TAX COULD BE RENEWED BEFORE SC SUPREME COURT FOIA DECISION MyrtleBeachSC News

S.C. Supreme Court Hearing On FOIA For All S.C. Chambers Heard Last October

Who benefits the most from another ten years and hundreds of millions of dollars? Certainly MBACC benefits, but do the residents, the tourists, or the city of Myrtle Beach?

Last October the S.C. Supreme Court heard both the lawyers for the Chambers Of Commerce as well as the lawyers for Domains News Media. The case centers around the issue of all S.C. Chambers of Commerce refusing to provide FOIA to media or any others who request such. The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber has received $200 million in TDF (tourist taxes) since 2009.

Current S.C. law is clear, organizations who accept tax monies are subject to FOIA. The S.C. Chambers of Commerce are arguing a special exception to current S.C. law.

Myrtle Beach residents and tourists are still waiting on the S.C. Supreme Court to rule.

Meanwhile, Myrtle Beach City Council Moves Forward To Extend The Tax

In May 2016, S.C. lawmakers (which included Alan Clemmons and Senator Luke Rankin), over-rode Governor Nikki Haley’s veto so as to extend the TDF (tourist tax) into the year 2029 by either a Myrtle Beach voter referendum or by a five out of seven Myrtle Beach City Council vote.

The City Council of North Myrtle Beach is putting the measure before its voters on a voter referendum this March 6th.

The city of Myrtle Beach has not yet decided whether to vote the measure forward by voter referendum or by Myrtle Beach city council vote.

TRUSTING RESIDENTS

It is clear that the city of North Myrtle Beach trusts its residents. It is unclear if Myrtle Beach City Council does or does not as they have been quiet and vague as to how they plan to proceed. At a retreat last week, they did ask the measure be put on a soon coming Myrtle Beach city council agenda.

MBACC RE-SELLS TAX EXPENITURES TO PRIVATE HOTELS

Brad Dean I 73 — Myrtle Beach Area Chamber C.E.O. Brad Dean

No one can argue that MBACC doesn’t get tens of millions in tax dollars annually. Tax subsidies are the major source of the chamber’s funding. No one can argue that MBACC is not re-selling those tax dollar expenditures to local hotel establishments in both Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach and then converting those tax dollars into private funding for the MBACC. While the funding model has been modified this year, here is exactly how MBACC converted $150 plus million into private MBACC general fund revenues over the past 8 years.

The following is also true:

City Council sets no goal metrics for MBACC.
MBACC‘s global Horry County visitor numbers are disputed by the South Carolina Parks Recreation and Tourism Department (SCPRT), with a 10 million visitor discrepancy.
Despite the spin by MBACC, there are no public audits of MBACC by any nationally accredited accounting firm.
MBACC refuses FOIA As can be seen in the video above.
S.C. Legislators are actually offering new legislation to skirt FOIA should MBACC and other chambers lose the Supreme Court decision.

TRUE COST OF THE TOURIST TAX – ROI and NPV

Responsible businesses usually look at the above two measurements when evaluating an investment.

ROI is return on investment. Myrtle Beach has invested now almost $200 million in TDF to MBACC alone. Last year, downtown Myrtle Beach merchants reported business down as much as 30%, despite arguments to the contrary by MBACC.

NPV – Net Present Value is a model where a business ( or government ) discounts its future cash flows by its current cost of capital. TO EXPLAIN: If I make a purchase today, what will my brand be worth in 5 or 10 years because I made that investment.

This model is ideal, because it looks at the OPPORTUNITY COST of what the business could have done with those same dollars.

Question: Would The City of Myrtle Beach have a stronger brand, had it?

Invested $200 million in Ocean Outfalls eliminating beach bacteria pollution
Invested $200 million in crime prevention
Invested $200 million in Infrastructure

Or is our brand stronger because we invested those tax dollars into MBACC every year since 2009?

Who benefits the most from another ten years and hundreds of millions of dollars? Certainly MBACC benefits, but do the residents, the tourists, or the city of Myrtle Beach?

MBACC TAX COULD BE RENEWED BEFORE SC SUPREME COURT FOIA DECISION

Must read

Horry County Fire Rescue: Why is that engine purring?

Judge Bromell Holmes rejected in pursuit of Court of Appeal Judgeship

Tried And Tested Ways To Keep Your Employees Motivated

Mark Kruea retires as Myrtle Beach PIO. Meredith Denari takes helm

S.C. Supreme Court Hearing On FOIA For All S.C. Chambers Heard Last October

Who benefits the most from another ten years and hundreds of millions of dollars? Certainly MBACC benefits, but do the residents, the tourists, or the city of Myrtle Beach?

Meanwhile, Myrtle Beach City Council Moves Forward To Extend The Tax

Question: Would The City of Myrtle Beach have a stronger brand, had it?

More articles

Latest article

Horry County Fire Rescue: Why is that engine purring?

Judge Bromell Holmes rejected in pursuit of Court of Appeal Judgeship

Tried And Tested Ways To Keep Your Employees Motivated

About Us

Important Links

Editor Picks

Horry County Fire Rescue: Why is that engine purring?

Judge Bromell Holmes rejected in pursuit of Court of Appeal Judgeship