Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

Letters to the editor

Adam Parness

Candidate pays price, does the right thing

I know it will come as no surprise that I'm actively supporting my son, Adam Parness, for City Council. Our family has had experience in politics in the past, and we've been able to do good things for the communities where we've lived. However, it always comes with a price: the constant criticism and negativity that surrounds almost every political race.

My son has made me very proud as he kept his promise to keep his campaign positive and issue-oriented. I know this may sound a bit prideful, but I believe that his father and I raised him right. He kept his word and ran a clean campaign, and as your councilman, I'm sure he will maintain his pattern of always doing the right thing and keeping his word.

June Parness

Myrtle Beach

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH

Hatley does well for city, listens

The Hatleys and I have been personal friends for 30 years. I have always found Marilyn Hatley to be 100 percent honest.

She doesn't beat around the bush when she has something important to say. Even if you do not agree with her, she still listens to your side. She tries to find a happy medium between your side and hers.

I feel totally comfortable with Hatley as mayor of North Myrtle Beach. There is more going on today than ever before in North Myrtle Beach. This summer we had free concerts on Main Street. There was an amusement park and a huge water slide on the beach. Main Street is going to get a face-lift.

Hatley fought for the Main Street Connector and more funds for beach renourishment.

Vote for Marilyn Hatley. She has been a good mayor and still will be in the future.

H. Lee Brown

O.D. Pavilion/Sunset Grill

Response

Military families won't help revenue much

Re Bo Bryan letter, "Let Rhodes deliver on May plans," Oct. 28:

According to Bryan, Mayor John Rhodes will fix the ailing economy by replacing the motorcycle rallies with Military Appreciation days where many, many military families (with their kids out of school?) and veterans will flood Myrtle Beach with their thick wallets and "bring back prosperity." Don't hold your breath.

Prosperity? With what? Monopoly money? According to CNNMoney.com, the median military pay for an Army sergeant is $26,082. With that one should expect a military family to flock to Myrtle Beach for a weekend of jacked-up motel rates? I think our underpaid military families have higher priorities like putting food on their tables than to budget a dream vacation to honor their line of work.

On the other hand, according to the New York Times, the average family income for a Harley-Davidson owner/rider is $87,000.

Now I am not an economist, but with the above numbers it doesn't take much brain matter to know which group is more likely to bring "prosperity" to Myrtle Beach.

Don Ingerski

Myrtle Beach

Donations

Gifts to incumbents take unusual path

I've been following this story since I first learned that hundreds of thousands of dollars had been delivered in envelopes to incumbent politicians on the local, state and even federal level - all within a matter of weeks or even days. We've heard all sorts of lame excuses and explanations that this was not only legal and "ethical" but completely normal. Well, I've been around politics and campaigns a long time and this is anything but "normal." I am a taxpaying citizen of Horry County and South Carolina. No more double talk - I would like the truth, and I would like it now.

Missy Patterson

Conway