Andy Patrick|Effective Representation for Hilton Head Island

Dear Hilton Head Island Voter,

On February 1, 2010, the “First Monday Republican Lunch Group” will host a “Candidate Forum” for South Carolina House Seat 123 at Aunt Chiladas restaurant on Pope Avenue.  This will be the first, but certainly not the last opportunity to meet and hear directly from the candidates regarding their vision to effectively represent the interests of Hilton Head Island in the South Carolina House of Representatives.

Included below are the details:

- Reservations are not required, but seating is limited (first come, first served)
- Lunch, including beverage, tax and tip, is $10. (Credit cards are NOT Accepted). Also, please be sure to pay for your lunch as you arrive.
- The meeting will begin promptly at noon, so please plan on arriving no later than 11:45 a.m.

The candidates will each have 10 minutes to offer opening remarks about themselves and why they believe you should vote for them during this very important Republican Primary in June.  Following their opening remarks, the candidates will each receive an additional five minutes for further remarks. Following that we will have an open question and answer period, during which anyone can ask any of the candidates, or all three, questions.

Many of you have already pledged your support to our campaign and I would consider it a personal honor to have you join me on Monday.  For those of you who have not yet determined for whom you might vote in the June 08 primary, this would be a great opportunity to measure all three candidates.

I encourage you to become engaged in the “debate.”  The future of our community, our state and our nation are at stake and each of us has a voice.

Best Regards,

Andy

Dear Hilton Head Island Voter,

The “Press Release” below was sent to The Island Packet today.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Hilton Head Island, SC) Regarding the Okatie Crossings development and proposed tax incentives for developer The Sembler Co., I believe this project represents bad tax policy – pure and simple.

I reference the following from The Island Packet’s January 14, 2010 coverage of the Sembler retail mall project:

“Rep. Richard Chalk, R-Hilton Head Island, said a more extensive debate is needed about whether the state should grant tax incentives for retail enterprises. Such incentives historically have been used to lure firms that offer high-paying jobs in fields such as manufacturing — the BMW plant in Greer and the Boeing assembly plant planned for Charleston, for example.

That debate has not yet occurred because the incentives were included in a voluminous bill that also dealt with a host of other issues, he said.

“To facilitate such a debate, the provision that would benefit Sembler should be stripped and considered as a separate bill, Chalk said.

“That should be debated on its own merits,” Chalk said. “We really haven’t had a full hearing.”

The time to introduce nuances, such as those Rep. Chalk is now proposing, was during last session, when he voted – twice – for the incentives without conditions.

The only options that remain include: 1) the incentives as approved by the House, or 2) no incentives at all (they were deleted by the Senate in the version of the bill it passed).

Rep. Chalk’s concerns come too late. He should have been looking out for Hilton Head Island businesses when it was relevant, when he could have made an impact. Both Beaufort County Council and Hilton Head Town Council recently expressed strong opposition to special tax incentives for Sembler, and for good reason. The incentives would only result in local taxpayers shelling out more than $100 million toward Sembler’s building costs and be of little to no value in terms of economic development. The project would simply shift revenue generated through the economy from one place to another, with little net benefit – no additional revenue or jobs.

A year ago Rep. Chalk voted “aye” when the House voted to add the Sembler tax incentive to the bill (H. 3722) and even fought to keep the incentive after the Senate deleted it from their version. Today, during the 11th hour, it seems that public pressure has prompted Rep. Chalk to reconsider what appeared to be his unwavering stance on this issue.

The time for empty comments and meaningless actions is over. It is now time for some much needed, and deserved, truth, transparency and accountability.

Politics aside, please keep those effected by the disaster in Haiti in your prayers.

Best Regards,

Andy