Stop Beaufort County Council chairman Rodman’s shady deals, secretive conduct | Letters
Since his election as Beaufort County Council chairman in January, Stewart Rodman of Hilton Head Island (District 11) has been conducting all sorts of public business in private — including a recent recommendation that the county ditch transparency as one of its priorities for the coming year. While symbolic, the latest move against open government fits in neatly with Rodman’s increasingly opaque approach to discharging his responsibilities to the public.
Rodman has embarked on a campaign of arrogance, secrecy, and stonewalling in carrying out the people’s business. Kudos to Liz Farrell of The Island Packet for reporting on Rodman’s secret government.
We must not allow Rodman to continue to duck and cover on issues of public concern, and tell Rodman and the other council members that we demand higher standards of transparency and better stewardship of our dollars.
Transparency is a vital check against the most egregious abuses of public trust, as is a Fourth Estate committed to accountability from those entrusted with public resources and responsibilities.
My advice to Rodman: If he cannot stand up to, and does not like, public scrutiny and criticism of his shady deals and secretive conduct, then he can get out of the public sector and resign.
Sooner rather than later, preferably.
Robert J. Blok Sr.
Hilton Head Island
Referendum
not a good deal
I agree wholeheartedly with the Island Packet’s “negative response” regarding this upcoming referendum.
The established hurricane replenishing fund is expiring next year. There is no guarantee another Matthew won’t be thrust upon us and deplete these funds, once again causing the Town of Hilton Head Island to dig into our pockets for more money.
The TIF funding was established to rehabilitate urban decay. This tax on Hilton Head reaped approximately $50 million, divided into a $25 million gift of a building to USCB (a college in Beaufort and Bluffton of approximately 2,000 students), and $25 million for the Coligny Circle area for tourist improvements.
Now that money is running out. So where can the town find more money to spend? Oh, a 25-year repurpose extension of the hurricane tax for new “wants.” Example: $30 million for three more parks added to the 11 we already have on this 12-mile island. These vacant town-owned parcels can’t remain environmentally clean? Why not?
A refund to taxpayers is not an option to our town leaders.
The items this tax would pay for are being touted as benefiting residents, when it seems it will benefit the tourists over the residents who are being asked to pay for these lightbulb ideas.
By the way, what is the town doing with revenue going into their coffers from 2.6 million annual visitors, other than forking over $2 million every year to the Chamber of Commerce with no questions asked?
I urge all citizens to vote in May.
Lyn Piwko Bullard
Hilton Head Island
Don’t give up
your freedom
The Framers designed the Constitution explicitly to protect individual freedom by curtailing government power and by establishing rule of law. Our Republic is unique. The shared belief that the freedom to pursue individual life and happiness is what makes America the beacon of the free world.
Sadly, over the last 50 years, the liberal ideal of self-sufficiency and personal responsibility was scrapped as the nation went through crises. With each, laws were enacted, bureaucracy created and government budgets enlarged. If unchecked, the current crises in student loans and health care could usher in a record-setting expansion of government in the form of “free education” and “universal health care.”
The concept of “free” sounds too enticing to cash-strapped millennial and idealistic Americans. However, economists have cautioned us that there is no free lunch.
Untenable tax hikes forced Vermont to abandon its universal health care program in 2014, and government takeover of education completely destroyed intellectual freedom in China.
If they cannot run Amtrak, the VA, or the Iowa caucus, there is no evidence that unelected bureaucrats would do a better job managing health care and higher education.
Most importantly, by ceding to the temptations of cradle-to-grave guarantees by Washington, we are in danger of letting freedom slip away right in front of our eyes. How can any free nation survive when a majority of its citizens are dependent on government services, and when unrestrained growth of government power is entrenched in every aspect of our lives?
Xiaodan Li
Hilton Head Island