Why is Horry County Councilman Johnny Vaught taking such an anti-face mask stance?
On Vaught
On more than one occasion, District 8 County Councilman Johnny Vaught has taken startling public positions that defy any sense of rationality — or show any measure of good common sense.
The latest example is Vaught’s vocal lack of support for mandating the wearing of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seemingly, Vaught’s primary rationale for staking out this position is that he personally should have the sole right to make this life-and-death decision for himself — because he is responsible for his own personal health and well-being.
That has got to be one of the most selfish and myopic positions by an elected public official that I have ever witnessed.
I wonder if it has ever occurred to Vaught that not wearing a mask when interacting with others, particularly in congested public settings, might put someone else in clear danger of contracting this deadly virus.
Adding insult to potential injury, it’s becoming more and more apparent that our local mass media outlets are determined to continue to be complicit in supporting this type of recklessness. They are doing so by affording Vaught seemingly unlimited and widespread access to the citizens of Horry County to voice his misdirected views.
Surely they could put forth better efforts to reach more balance in their reporting of a disease that has claimed so many lives in recent months.
Where is the accountability here?
Ray Brayboy, Myrtle Beach
On Myrtle Beach’s debt
The Myrtle Beach city manager recommended adding $5.5 million to debt and, sadly, city leaders bought into it.
The city manager’s attempted reasoning for making others pay later falls short: he does not save for capital expenditures, borrows long term and is happily retiring soon — leaving our children a legacy of debt.
The current interest payments are $8 million-plus for just one fiscal year, and delaying payments and constantly adding to debt makes the interest payments go up.
In fact, the interest payment for next year would more than pay for the much-needed $5.5 million solid waste transfer station.
This interest payment of $8 million-plus for fiscal year 2021 is more than the entire debt of the city of North Myrtle Beach, which owes just over $5 million.
And overall it brings Myrtle Beach’s debt to more than $203.5 million.
I have spoken at City Council meetings to promote the “pay as you go” mode of operating that North Myrtle Beach uses successfully. But City Manager John Pedersen has tried to dispute this — and also the value of minimizing debt.
Unbelievable.
An example of this folly is the boardwalk, which is not paid for and needs serious renovations.
We need a fiscally conservative mayor and City Council in Myrtle Beach, and we will have a chance to get them by voting in new representatives in November 2021.
Our debt has accumulated over decades, and it is draining our coffers in a violation of public trust.
A.A. Dunham, Myrtle Beach