Oppose $65M referendum on Hilton Head | Letters
I oppose the proposal from Hilton Head Island Town Council to continue a tax meant to expire two years from now that was for the specific purpose of providing and replenishing funds needed for hurricane damage. For those folks to claim this isn’t a tax increase is outright fraudulent.
While I personally support the arts, as well as the care for existing parks, I do not think a tax increase to provide for this is merited without a clear presentation, understanding, and proposed timeline for how these dollars will be spent.
Further, I do not think the island needs additional parks. Tourists and their children will go to the beach, go out for dinner, and return to the hotel and pool. I seriously doubt they will use the parks. And visiting grandchildren will also not likely use the parks. This isn’t the “Field of Dreams” notion of “build it and they will come.”
To rush this referendum vote onto a May ballot without full details on how these funds will be spent is, I believe, being pushed for a single reason: Fewer will vote, thus making it easier to pass. If this referendum is to be put to a vote, it should be in November when a larger percentage of islanders will be at the polls; thus, the genuine will of island residents will be known.
Finally, if another damaging hurricane hits, will the town call for another tax increase to provide funds and replenish them to pre-hurricane levels? Likely, so.
Fred Reichenbach
Hilton Head Island
Overuse of pesticides: Take charge of your own backyard
Who are the real pests on Hilton Head Island?
The unnecessary overuse of pesticides on Hilton Head is shocking. Most small plants that aren’t common cultivars are considered “weeds” to zap with some herbicide, preferably glyphosate. Ugly insects crawling around precious human-owned property are really scary! Pollinator? What’s that? Who cares? Zap!
Too many home- and business owners haven’t a clue what’s going on in the natural world: i.e., our own backyards. It’s simpler to hire out the landscaping to commercial outfits that have no idea what they are killing. The town government turns a blind eye as the “commons” become sterile and deadened.
Each time a plant is sprayed with a herbicide, both plant and insect(s) hanging around die within hours. When landscapers spray a common insecticide such as imidachoprid (neonicotinoid), bifenthrin, etc., bid goodbye to bees, butterflies, caterpillars, wasps, and birds, fish, frogs up the line. After the killing, the residue poison seeps into rivers, salt marshes, the ocean.
Get involved! Take charge of your backyard. Eliminate your monoculture lawn and let nature do some planting. Tell your landscaper (and town) “no more pesticides.” Please read “The Lorax” by Dr. Suess.
Who gave humans permission to destroy a master plan we don’t even understand? The meanness toward other “beings” placed with purpose on this earth by some wise creator (by any other name, try God) is unforgivable. Which brings us back to the original question: Who are the real pests on Hilton Head Island?
Debby Boots
Hilton Head Island
Don’t close Beaufort County trash centers
It is interesting that Beaufort County plans to close six trash and recycling centers to save money and encourage curbside pickup. It appears the goal of having the entire county having curbside pickup by 2020 will not be achieved.
Acknowledging that trash and recycling are not only a local but national and global problems as well, there is a disposal cost associated with most everything we buy and use that we must accept.
It seems to me the easiest solution for Beaufort County is to charge for use of convenience centers as is done for curbside pickup. It could be done on the basis of an annual sticker or daily charge for residents, and a higher daily charge for non-residents.
This would encourage curbside pickup and close the financial shortcoming of operating convenience centers.
I believe that closing 50% of them is not a good idea since much of the volume will just be transferred to the remaining facilities and could result in an increase in illegal dumping.
Pete Albero
Bluffton
Is Trump the best GOP can do?
A recent letter writer cites that three weeks into Donald Trump’s presidency, 83% of Hillary Clinton voters believed Trump should be impeached. Imagine what that percentage signifies when Clinton won the popular vote by 3 million votes.
A very substantial percentage of American citizens were stricken and appalled the day Trump was elected because he is so remarkably uncouth, unqualified, and undeserving – and he has proven to be even worse than we could imagine. The United States will never regain its solidarity and hard-won international stature and influence. Because of this buffoon?
If Trump is so vital to Republicans that they are willing to overlook, excuse, and deny his gaping inadequacy, are they admitting that Trump is the best they can do? Although corporations and the 1% are better off than three years ago, most of the country is not – and they are even more depressed. Please, let Trump go in 2020.
Kate McClintic
Beaufort
Whining? No. It’s the sound of freedom
A recent contributor referred to columnist Liz Farrell as “whining” that she was not welcomed at a public meeting on Hilton Head Island. For me, who reads the newspaper for accounts of local government happenings, I consider Ms. Farrell’s and her colleagues’ columns to be the “sounds of freedom,” much as hearing our military flights overhead. We need the press!
David Carney
Okatie
A better way to reduce Hilton Head traffic: Change check-in days
The U.S. 278 traffic congestion of high-season on “turnover Saturdays” is challenging. The solution is to change practices in timeshare selling and short-term renting.
All timeshares and the majority of short-term vacation rentals use Saturday as the date for check-in and check-out. This is based on a mentality that vacationers work a traditional workweek and wish to stay a whole week.
However, trends indicate vacationers desire shorter experiences. High employment and flexible work are the reason for the change.
Some short-term renters are already finding it profitable to offer stays of shorter durations with minimum stays of three days by charging higher rates for weekends/holiday periods while offering economical rates for weekdays.
Timeshare sellers could also find it more profitable to sell timeshares for shorter periods of time, which would be in three-day weekend (Friday-Monday) or four-day weekday (Monday-Friday) packaging.
With this change in strategies for sales and rentals, turnover days would be increased to Monday and Friday while remaining on Saturday for existing timeshares. There could be a reduction in traffic congestion periods by having more turnover periods. These changes in marketing will provide a superior visitor experience and better quality of life for residents.
Geri Brooks and Bob Parks
Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head behind in recycling
Recent letters to the editor and editorials have referred to proposed new taxes, reasons against increased tourism and an Earth Day program on April 22 of this year.
All of them got me thinking, again, about recycling on Hilton Head Island. We love this island for its beaches, beautiful trees and serene nature. Why then, have we not yet caught up with the rest of the world?
Every other place I travel to has a separate recycle bin next to every trash bin. (Some have three bins: trash, paper, plastic.) Why do we not spend a tiny portion of our tax revenue to save our island?
How simple would it be to require a recycle can next to every trash can? We are supposed to recycle at home, but, out in the public, everything goes into the trash.
Perhaps on this Earth Day, the Town Council can agree to this one small way to help our island. Then, perhaps on the following Earth Day, we can ban small plastic water bottles from our island as well.
Diane Lacey
Hilton Head Island
How to submit a letter
Send letters to the editor by email to letters@islandpacket.com or letters@beaufortgazette.com.
Or you may submit a letter online.
Letters to the editor must be 250 words or fewer and include your first and last names, street address and daytime telephone number so we can verify the letter before publication.
You are limited to one letter per 30 days.
Letters may be edited for length, style, grammar, taste and libel. All letters submitted become the property of The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette.
This story was originally published January 29, 2020 at 1:40 PM.