Q&A with Ryan James McAvoy, Hilton Head Town Council candidate

Name: Ryan James McAvoy

Age: 37

Education: Attended Harvard University, Miami University.

Family: Married to wife Kelly for four years and has one son, Lincoln.

Office: The Town of Hilton Head Island Council Ward 3

Challenger: incumbent David Ames

Why are you the right candidate for Town Council?

I am not part of the political machine that has brought us "Bay Pines", "Sea Pines Traffic Circle University" and the lack of transparency and accountability — especially the lack of forensic audits for the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, etc.

The town is facing an unprecedented shortage of tourism workers. Should the town help? If so, how?

Employers need to offer fair wages sufficient to attract employees until we get to do that we should not consider town subsidies or illegal alien workers. Employers need to pay our people a fair wage.

The town is mulling whether to build an arts campus. Should it? Please explain your answer?

Before we commit very scarce taxpayer funds, including the town's $400K and the county taxpayer's 6.2 million plus much more after that, we need a benefit cost study and detailed analysis. Anyone in industry who tried to finance a pipe dream without that kind analysis would be fired. Some in town government, including Mr. Ames, believe in spending taxpayer money, not their own — thinking they can skip this key step!

The town is considering the annexation of Bay Point Island. Do you support this proposal? If so why?

Yet, another vision without analysis of economics, benefit of cost and pro and cons behind it. Before we take another step we need to have all these firmly in hand!

This story was originally published November 2, 2016 at 9:27 PM with the headline "Q&A with Ryan James McAvoy, Hilton Head Town Council candidate."