Make Myrtle Beach pay for fleecing Horry County residents
I’ve been a homeowner in Horry County, initially in Myrtle Beach, since the early 1990s and have witnessed many changes along the Grand Strand in that time. For the most part, the changes have been positive, beneficial and generally necessitated by the area’s explosive growth.
Recently, however, Myrtle Beach City Council made a decision that adversely affects the citizens of Horry County as a whole.
Before addressing the new city parking regulations, let’s briefly review what the majority of the county residents derive from Myrtle Beach.
Among them:
1) Congestion
2) Crime
3) Deteriorating roads
4) Litter
5) Noise
6) Stressed emergency services
7) Traffic
Now we read that county council is going to form a commission to study the obvious parking issues Myrtle Beach has created for the rest of us in the county. Unfortunately, and not surprisingly, Myrtle Beach City Council is already displaying their typical us versus them mentality we see all too often. In reality, there is a simple resolution available to the county at no added expense. Horry County Council should enact a 15 percent Myrtle Beach Nuisance Tax, expressly for the purpose of reimbursing county residents for the parking fees charged to them in Myrtle Beach.
The money to reimburse county residents for the privilege of using the beach in Myrtle Beach would come from the revenue generated by the Myrtle Beach Parking Authority. To qualify for parking reimbursement, the county resident would submit a receipt from any electronic parking meter along the beach to the county for immediate reimbursement. Additionally, Myrtle Beach would be required to pay a penalty of $2 as compensation for the aggravation the city seems happy to impose on other county residence.
The mechanics of this plan:
If month “A” parking revenue is $1000, the Nuisance Tax would be $150.
Each month, Myrtle Beach would submit that $150 to the county so it can be used for reimbursing non-city residents for the parking costs incurred within Myrtle Beach city limits.
County residents would then be reimbursed from the newly instituted Nuisance Tax revenue as follows:
- Submit receipt for all day parking: $10
- Nuisance Fee penalty reimbursement: $2
- Total due to county resident: $12
After one year, the county would then return to Myrtle Beach one half of the monies collected, less a reasonable handling fee for the additional manpower and labor necessitated by the county for the administration of this program, which would have been created as a result of Myrtle Beach’s new parking regulations.
This is all quite simple. There is no need to study the obvious. Myrtle Beach is concerned about itself, with virtually no regard for the rest of us in the county.
This plan is fair and equitable to everyone, but if it’s still too complicated, try this idea:
Issue a free parking permit to any full-time Horry County resident who wants one, providing their vehicle taxes are paid.
But the reality is that the city and county will study this to death - before doing nothing.
The writer lives in Horry County.
This story was originally published July 31, 2016 at 10:41 AM with the headline "Make Myrtle Beach pay for fleecing Horry County residents."