Hilton Head Island law enforcement costs a matter of facts, not opinion | Letters
The discussion of what Hilton Head Island pays for police services has been hurt by an absence of logic and facts and factual answers to logical questions. It’s a common problem in local politics.
The first question to ask and to answer is, How much do Hilton Head taxpayers contribute to the annual budget for the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office? We all pay the county taxes that support the sheriff’s budget.
Whatever the answer, the next question should be, What does Hilton Head get in return for its annual contribution?
Then the third question, Is the contribution of island taxpayers more or is it less than the $4.4 million the county’s consultant says is the sheriff’s cost to police Hilton Head?
If we pay more, then we need to demand more services; if we pay less, then that’s what we owe.
True, some have alleged the town gets extra services above and beyond the normal policing the sheriff’s office provides. Does Sheriff P.J. Tanner agree? If he does, he should tell us what those services are and what they cost. If he doesn’t, County Council should drop its lame arguments to the contrary.
Unfortunately, a good many people don’t seem to understand these issues are matters of fact, not opinion. There is no alternate reality here, no fake news. Somebody just needs to do the math.
Meanwhile, elected leaders have been too quiet about this issue, perhaps because they are busy pursuing a salary increase for themselves or taking free lunches.
Rick Caporale
Hilton Head Island
SC Gov. Henry McMaster needs to do more, now
Gov. Henry McMaster (Governor Disaster), refuses to protect the citizens of South Carolina by issuing a mandatory mask order.
The governor has been told by his own epidemiologist, the CDC and multiple infectious disease experts that wearing masks is the only sure way to slow the spread of COVID-19, yet he refuses to require this.
He claims that the mask order would be unenforceable, yet more than half of the states already have such an order in place, and are able to enforce the rules.
McMaster took a baby step to close the bars at 11 p.m., when there is mounting evidence that young people gathering in bars are exacerbating the spread of the virus. Close the bars totally or, if that is not possible, then close them at 5 p.m.
He should take away from the young, out-of-state, tourists the desire to be in our state despite the short-term economic harm.
He should protect the long- term physical and economic health of all of South Carolina.
He should prevent mass gatherings, such as Bike Week in Myrtle Beach, using the same powers that allow for evacuations when a hurricane threatens.
Possibly McMaster wants to be known as the governor responsible for untold death and illness among the populace of South Carolina. Perhaps he is just foolish, much like Nero, who fiddled while Rome burned. Time will tell which is the truth, but right now time is not on our side.
Eric Popky
Hilton Head Island
Defund police? The logic is flawed
Let me see, there is a movement afoot to defund the police in several cities because of a few bad cops.
Following this logic, should we defund our teachers because of the few teachers who have harmed our students? How far does this movement go?
Thomas Valentino
Beaufort