Friday, Oct. 16, 2009

Myrtle Beach hopefuls take public's questions

The Community Coalition for Good Government's first candidates' forum Thursday night wasn't a packed house, but the 40 or so audience members had plenty of questions for the candidates who came.

Three of the five Myrtle Beach mayoral candidates showed - Mayor John Rhodes, Bea Catalano and Bill Howard. Matthew McCarty and former Mayor Mark McBride were not there.

The forum, in two parts, made mayoral candidates the first panel and City Council candidates the second.

Audience members questioned the candidates about the motorcycle rallies, crime and the biggest problem facing Myrtle Beach right now.

Rhodes and Catalano agreed it's jobs, and Howard said it's small business.

"I see businesses with no business," Catalano said. "If people don't come, how are you going to have jobs?"

Rhodes said the way to solve the problem is by increasing tourism, which the city is working on.

"We've increased promotion of the city from 25 markets to 65," he said, referring to the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce's summer marketing push after the city implemented a tourism development tax. "Every week this summer except one had increasing occupancy. I talked to restaurant owners who said they'd seen an increase in business since July 1."

Howard said the city needs to take care of small businesses and help them be successful, because they create jobs.

"We need to stop big industry from taking over and stopping bike week and charging extra sales tax," he said.

The candidates each agreed more police officers are needed, but Catalano said she would cut the budget while hiring more. Rhodes pointed out that officers are working in people's neighborhoods, and that the police force has increased during his administration, by 26 officers.

Howard said he feels the police chief needs to be held accountable for every crime that isn't stopped.

"I see police cars everywhere, but I don't see them doing much," he said.

The forum, held in the Canal Street Recreation Center, drew a mostly black crowd. People wanted to know what the candidates would do to stop racial profiling.

Rhodes said the city is aware that it happens sometimes, and that officials try to control it as best as they can.

Catalano, who was recently arrested and charged with DUI, said she experienced profiling during her night in jail.

Howard said he didn't know there was a problem with profiling.

"We need more Hispanic officers so they can talk to the Mexicans coming into the area," he said.

Seven of the 12 council candidates showed up - incumbents Wayne Gray, Chuck Martino and Randal Wallace, as well as Joanne Vogelsong, Adam Parness (who had to leave early), Mike Lowder and Don Emery.

They took many of the same questions as the mayoral candidates, after introducing themselves to the audience. This is Lowder's third run for council. Emery has never run before. Parness has run for county office, and Vogelsong has run for City Council before.

The first thing people wanted to know was where they stood on the bike rallies. All of the incumbents said they oppose the rallies, but are not against bikers. Parness had already left, but Vogelsong, Lower and Emery said they favor the rallies.