By FITSNews || With all of the problems facing South Carolina (an anti-competitive tax climate, the nation’s worst public school system and a broken, antiquated form of government), you’d think that Palmetto state lawmakers might be focusing their efforts this year on long-overdue reforms, not more special interest giveaways.
You’d be wrong.
Last Thursday, the “Republican” controlled S.C. Senate voted to fast-track a $134 million incentives package for Mel Sembler, a wealthy GOP developer whose company is looking to build a controversial “Mega Mall” in Beaufort County.
Despite Sembler’s poor track record, the questionable legality of this deal and the fact that the proposed “Mega Mall” will cannibalize sales from local retail establishments, aspiring Lowcountry poverty pimp Sen. Clementa Pinckney (D-Jasper County) was positively giddy that the state’s “deliberative body” was going to drop everything to vote on this handout.
“We’re one step closer to putting South Carolina back to work,” Pinckney told McClatchy reporter Josh McCann.
Wait … is this guy for real?
Because the last time we checked, handing a friggin’ rich Republican developer $134 million to rip business (and jobs) away from homegrown retailers is not “putting South Carolina back to work,” it’s putting South Carolina businesses out of work.
Anyway, as we’ve said from the beginning of this process, we have no problem with anybody (even a Republi-scum like Sembler) building a “Mega Mall” that will cannibalize sales from local businesses … just don’t ask for $134 million from Palmetto State taxpayers to do it.
By No Name February 28, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Why does any commerically viable entity need precious State government funds ? .
Are the bailed out Bush Benanke “banksters” not flush from both the wide open Fed window and depressed Discount rate….. they are more than capable of fulfilling the development needs of a builder.
Could it be that all these soon to be bankrupt real estate developers with expensive parcels and loans now coming due are pulling long held markers in the Sc legislature to get bailed out.
Where is the BEA on questioning these actions….oh I forgot Rainman is a developer also ……..
By victor February 28, 2010 at 3:32 pm
It is about insiders and they money they give to each other. it has nothing to do with good or bad government, or need, or business. It is about money.
Keep sending the same people to Columbia, and you keep getting the same crooks taking our tax dollars.
Throw the bums out.
By Just a thought February 28, 2010 at 4:11 pm
What is enacted, can be repealed.
Find out who voted for the corporate welfare, vote them out!
By Insider February 28, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Bill Herbkersman needs to rethink very strongly his stance on this project. Could it be his development company is going to benefit? We’ll be watching!!
By Ynotfirst February 28, 2010 at 6:45 pm
It’s Sanfraud’s friend and fault.
By SCEPTICAL February 28, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Is there any political linkage between the Sembler give-a-way and the proposed Jasper County port? The Legislature and SC Ports Authority want the Japser port to go away. If Lowcountry citizens accept the Sembler deal they can forget Legislative support for the port.
By pleasechokeonyoursourgrapes February 28, 2010 at 7:26 pm
A new mega mall: just what’s needed here at the beginning of post-consumerism.
By Silence F-ing Dogood February 28, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Great, this guy is going to get a bail out before the project even starts in the form of tax cuts…must be a real money maker?
By RutRoh! February 28, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Something is missing from this post. Oh wait, Larry Marchant has been paid $20,000 to lobby for Sembler. Wonder if any contributions from Sembler will show up on the next round of campaign disclosure for his Black Label clients like Andre Bauer and Kelly Payne?
By Pee Dee Insider February 28, 2010 at 11:15 pm
Insider,
This is a Senate issue for now. Herbkersman is in the House. I also understand he is much more concerned about his development in Blufton and is in no way concerned about this project.
FITS facts are a tad off, as he got his soundbites from Senator Davis. I’m not suggesting that I support this, but I do understand that there are some very high bars for Sembler to meet that will benefit the citizens of SC, before they get the breaks, with the exceotion of the infrastructure.
By Wayne March 1, 2010 at 12:13 am
Can you PLEASE tell us who vote in favor of this deal??? PLEASE
By fitsnews March 1, 2010 at 8:03 am
Wayne-
Republicans voting in favor of MOVING THE BILL TO SPECIAL ORDER (i.e. moving it to the top of the Senate calendar) were:
Ray Cleary
Ronnie Cromer
Wes Hayes
Jake Knotts
Hugh Leatherman
Shane Massey
Glenn McConnell
Billy O’Dell
Harvey Peeler
Luke Rankin
Mike Rose
Obviously, had even one of those Senators voted the other way, the bill would not have been called up.
Republicans voting against setting the bill for special order were:
Thomas Alexander
Lee Bright
Kevin Bryant
Chip Campsen
John Courson
Tom Davis
Mike Fair
Larry Martin
Shane Martin
Mick Mulvaney
Greg Ryberg
Phil Shoopman
Danny Verdin
-FITS
By Another Opinion March 1, 2010 at 9:14 am
Just what we all aspire to, working in a supermall. God forbid these idiots in Columbia actually invest in education or attracting decent, well-paying jobs. Benefits? Thing of the past.
Why can the reps of this state not do better?
Don’t blame it on the voters. We can’t vote for someone worthwhile if no one worthwhile is running.
By Gillon March 1, 2010 at 10:04 am
Could you tell us how the candidates for governor stand on the issue?
By Gaffneyandproud March 1, 2010 at 11:15 am
Fits: Don’t you mean Harvey? You have Bob Peeler listed above. Bob Peeler is not in politics anymore. His brother, Harvey, is in the Senate. Please report factual information.
By FITSNews March 1, 2010 at 11:18 am
Gaffneyandproud:
Good eye … and please accept our apologies. It’s easy to mistake one redneck poon hound for another, isn’t it?
-FITS
By kendra March 1, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Fortunately, Beaufort. Has some folks ready to pounce on the illegal hires. Govt still doesn’t make an effort to help. Business licnses are under scrutiny of Licensing. But you can bet there will still be a significant presence of foreign nationals getting a % of that deal.what retailers are going in the mall??? Ones of the taxpayers’ choosing? Are they selling cheap Chinese CRAP!? Or USA made. My Q: is that stimulus money this glutton is to get? Or our state collected taxes? Which? Yet again, politicians aren’t watching out for the people.
By Mallory March 1, 2010 at 5:55 pm
Is anyone in the Senate going to oppose this boondoggle, or is it a done deal?
By Old Bike Dude March 1, 2010 at 10:14 pm
There just can’t be that many stores which sell high end camo clothing, tree stands, electronic coon dog tracking devices, minner traps, and NASCAR paraphenalia. Please add this taxpayer funded boondoggle to the long list of previous failed projects in the Greater Hardeeville area(like where the hell is the lesser Hardeeville area). We have Traditions(bust) Hilton Head Lakes (bust) Exit 8 Disney project(never happened)Exit 8 Butterfly freaking park(never happened)Exit 8 Hospital (bust)etc etc.
And just why did McConnell vote YES. Do I smell a little Tom Davis favor. Let’s Tom talk smack and vote NO but keeps him in good stead with all his realtor pals.
Just build the Jasper port already.
By Evaray107 March 2, 2010 at 7:00 pm
“It’s easy to mistake one redneck poon hound for another, isn’t it?”
That might be the funniest line ever!
I lost some IQ points living in Gaffney and knew some Peelers (but not in the sense that the athletic teams did), so I offer this warning:
Watch your back, and CYA. A Deliverence scene is headed your way.