Tuesday, Myrtle Beach city council voted unanimously to raise the sales tax by one penny, with that revenue going to tourism marketing. Businesses will start collecting the tax on August 1, 2009.
Dozens of people crowded into council chambers Tuesday afternoon to hear council’s decision on the tax and hear what many people had to say about the May bike rallies.
Many people who spoke out in support of the rallies said council members did irreparable damage because they were successful in scaling back the rallies.
Tricia Cunningham, with the group Help Eliminate Lousy Politicians, chocked back tears while she told council about her history in Myrtle Beach and her husband who died during one of the rallies. "To see the selective tourism that has been imposed by the city council, really upset me a lot, I felt compelled to speak in front of them because they weren't listening, they don't really understand what they did." Cunningham said she and the other members of H.E.L.P. are working to register voters in Myrtle Beach and Horry County so they can make changes in the November elections.
But many people made it a point to thank council for passing a series of ordinances, they say changed their lives.
Birgit Darby said, "I was just happy that I could sleep, I slept, during the Harley week I slept every night and was never awakened."
Once the rally thank you's and no thank you's were done, it was on to the penny tax.
Council has designated the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce as the marketing agency to sell Myrtle Beach through an ad campaign with money from the tax.
But Sea Palms Motel owner Karon Mitchell pleaded with council not to pass the tax. She said the tax isn't fair to everybody, and said the Chamber of Commerce shouldn't get all the money, she feels business that aren't members, like hers, won't benefit from tourism marketing. "I don't think that it's right right now with the recession, I want myrtle beach to do well, don't get me wrong, I want to promote myrtle beach, but I think there comes a time and a place for everything.” Mitchell said she's going to start working to repeal the tax.
Chamber board Chairman Brant Branham told News13 passing the tax is a game changer for the tourism industry in Myrtle Beach. "We want to go through an educational process now and a local pr campaign to show these folks that uh do have their doubts, what will be the benefits of being a part of the chamber and what can be beneficial to their businesses with this new marketing money.” Branham said he knows people are much divided on the issue, but in the long run
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