Your Tax Dollars At Work

Brian Sweeney

I have been spending more time analyzing the Horry County Check Registers for tax dollars spent.  Granted that watching grass grow is more exciting but someone has to do it if we are ever going to get control of County spending.  So far, just 11 months of 2024.

I had already mentioned on a previous blog that D. R. Horton, Inc was paid $15,828,208.72 by the County.  Still trying to find out why. I did not know at the time that Pulte Homes was paid $5,709,665.50 for unknown reasons.

Tax Dollars

Other things draw immediate scrutiny, especially anything paid to an LLC. There is nothing wrong with LLCs, per se, but, when the LLC hires a professional registered agent company, you know they are trying to hide ownership.  Literally millions were paid to LLCs whose owners have, so far, not been identified.  Once owners are identified, checking who might have donated to whose campaign coffers becomes a much easier process.

There are other things that just jump out if you know where to look.

For example, $55,188.79 was paid to J. R. Battle Law Firm. OK, the County needs lots of legal help but Mr. Battle just happens to be the son-in-law of a sitting SC Senator.  Johnny Gardner Law PA got $55,000 (flat $5,000 per month).  This did not represent his compensation as Council Chair.  Pagliarini Law Firm, a Charleston based solo practitioner with expertise in representing both sides of eminent domain issues, was paid $243,307.79.  We couldn’t find a local guy who could handle that?  Attorney Sandra J. Senn’s law firm received $272,802.01 for services rendered.  Sandra (Sandy) Senn just happens to have been a sitting SC State Senator who decided not to run for re-election in 2024.

T. J. Johnson, (and/or his corporations) a well-known Charleston based auto dealer, was paid $3,788,376.54. It just happens that Mr. Johnson was named to the SCDOT Commission (representing District 1, not 7) in April 2023.

Palmetto Corporation of Conway, which happens to be owned by RIDE 4 promoter and Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce apologist, Shawn Godwin, was paid $34,828,472.60.

Is any of this illegal? I do not know but it clearly look and smells bad.