You literally can’t turn around in Horry County, S.C. without uncovering some sort of shady dealings … and this story is no exception.
It’s also yet another example of how adorably clueless (or deliberately negligent) the local mainstream media is …
Anyway, FITS readers will recall we’ve written several stories in recent weeks slamming S.C. Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler and his brother, former lieutenant governor (and current Big Garbage lobbyist) Bob Peeler. In case you missed these reports (here and here), we’ve been standing up to the Peelers regarding their self-serving – and potentially illegal – brotherly back-scratching on a state waste disposal law.
Obviously corruption is nothing new in South Carolina … which means the larger story here is whether state governments have the right to force counties and municipalities to accept mountains of human feces if a majority of the local citizenry has registered its objection.
We believe the answer to that question is a resounding “no …”
On the same token, though, we don’t believe local governments ought to be in the business of running landfills – and then passing ordinances aimed at securing their monopolies. Which is exactly what’s happening in Horry County.
Anyway, that brings us to this week’s attempt at journalism by reporter Brad Dickerson of The (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) Sun News.
According to Dickerson, Horry County’s government-run landfill has spent nearly $52,000 lobbying the S.C. General Assembly this year on behalf of its trash monopoly – far less than Peeler’s “Big Garbage” allies have spent.
Are those figures accurate, though?
According to our sources, Horry County check registers show more than $850,000 going to a North Myrtle Beach lobbying firm called Beam & Associaties in FY 2011 and 2012. In fact these amounts have been confirmed in public testimony before the S.C. Senate and Horry County Council.
We’re also told a cap of $150,000 was placed on this lobbying activity in FY 2013 after this “spending history” was uncovered.
Hmmmm … either way, that’s a pretty hefty lobbying expense for a $13.5 million annual business. Seriously … what on earth was a government entity doing devoting that much money to “lobbying?” Makes us wonder how that case was spent, to be perfectly honest …
We loathe taxpayer-funded lobbying. In fact we especially loathe it when it involves government entities competing against the private sector on something government has no business doing. Horry County shouldn’t be in the waste disposal business any more than private waste companies should be able to force Horry – or any other county – to take out-of-state fecal matter.
Sadly, South Carolina’s great “Trash Debate” of 2013 isn’t focused on either of these issues (or what’s in the best interests of citizens statewide) – it’s focused on a pair of competing special interests watching out for their own profits.
Here’s a simple one-two punch which we believe would resolve this matter once and for all. First – if lawmakers are intent on injecting themselves into the local waste disposal debate (which they clearly are), then they should pass legislation prohibiting any county or municipal government from owning or operating a waste disposal business in the first place. Second, they should refrain from passing legislation which forces counties or municipalities to accept out-of-state waste from private sector providers in the event such waste shipments have been expressly denied by duly-elected representatives or prohibited via the results of a public referendum.
In other words get the public sector OUT of the waste disposal business – and then let local governments decide the extent to which they will permit out-of-state waste in their communities.
Makes perfect sense, right? Of course it does … but that’s why it will never happen in South Carolina, at least not as long as we allow compromised politicians, crony capitalists and government-funded special interests dominate the debate …
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38 comments
At least BigT can be spared looking at liberal women’s tits.
Seriously, Whorey County is already a landfill…
I like looking at women’s tits, whether liberal or conservative — as long as they arent 99 +44/100% plastic.
I cull no titties.
At least BigT can be spared looking at liberal women’s tits.
Seriously, Whorey County is already a landfill…
I like looking at women’s tits, whether liberal or conservative — as long as they arent 99 +44/100% plastic.
I cull no titties.
What’s lost here: FITS may (or may not) have a point. But he is seen as low, if not lower, than the politicians he attacks…
You have no authority, or the intelligence, to offer resonable thought…
Not to mention: a fair commentator should possess the experience or skill in order to be taken seriously…There is no reason to believe FITS has done the heavy lifting as a journalist, or an administrator, to earn the right to advise anybody.
At least we know his real identity. He’s not a chickenshit pussy who hides behind a fake screen name.
Conversely: The fact that we DO know your ID, and his, highly dis-qualifies you both…
IOW: You may not be taken as such a joke, if we did not know so much about you…
What’s lost here: FITS may (or may not) have a point. But he is seen as low, if not lower, than the politicians he attacks…
You have no authority, or the intelligence, to offer resonable thought…
Not to mention: a fair commentator should possess the experience or skill in order to be taken seriously…There is no reason to believe FITS has done the heavy lifting as a journalist, or an administrator, to earn the right to advise anybody.
At least we know his real identity. He’s not a chickenshit pussy who hides behind a fake screen name.
Conversely: The fact that we DO know your ID, and his, highly dis-qualifies you both…
IOW: You may not be taken as such a joke, if we did not know so much about you…
Strom Thurmond was the leader in the state’s “radioactive waste” industry.
Don’t neglect giving credit to the father of Essie-Mae for generating a more pernicious sort of waste.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, and I will give them nuclear waste.”
Sperm. . . He gave that to Essie-Mae’s momma, the maid. Radioactive waste. . . to Aiken County “forever.”
Strom Thurmond was the leader in the state’s “radioactive waste” industry.
Don’t neglect giving credit to the father of Essie-Mae for generating a more pernicious sort of waste.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, and I will give them nuclear waste.”
Sperm. . . He gave that to Essie-Mae’s momma, the maid. Radioactive waste. . . to Aiken County “forever.”
The peelers fit right in with this corruption and potentially illegal activity My MaMa always said if you don’t have morals, you can be trusted with anything. Bob and Harvey care more anout chasing strange and throwing money around than anything else.
Bob made a pass at my girlfriend recently, I understand he is famous for this. One day someone is going to kick his ugly ass!
He would not leave her alone, bragging about his brother Harvey running the senate and all they could do for her. She had to leave the function due to his persistence.
When I walked up, I think he shit himself.
Got him worried, huh? Good for you! Maybe that’s why he needs big dumps sites.
Well Bob, still at it huh!
Remember the night in Clemson when you and your trustee buddies were out and about. Remember Julie who wanted nothing to do with you. You gave her your business card, braggd about being the former Lt Gov.? Asked her to meet you later. She said you pulled her to you and kissed her in the bar, she left upset! She said you would not leave he alone for months.
When she told me about this, I told her she should have called the police.
You need to learn, NO, means No!
The peelers fit right in with this corruption and potentially illegal activity My MaMa always said if you don’t have morals, you can be trusted with anything. Bob and Harvey care more anout chasing strange and throwing money around than anything else.
Bob made a pass at my girlfriend recently, I understand he is famous for this. One day someone is going to kick his ugly ass!
He would not leave her alone, bragging about his brother Harvey running the senate and all they could do for her. She had to leave the function due to his persistence.
When I walked up, I think he shit himself.
Got him worried, huh? Good for you! Maybe that’s why he needs big dumps sites.
Well Bob, still at it huh!
Remember the night in Clemson when you and your trustee buddies were out and about. Remember Julie who wanted nothing to do with you. You gave her your business card, braggd about being the former Lt Gov.? Asked her to meet you later. She said you pulled her to you and kissed her in the bar, she left upset! She said you would not leave he alone for months.
When she told me about this, I told her she should have called the police.
You need to learn, NO, means No!
In August of 2012 Brad Dickerson covered a protest by the National Federation of the Blind at the local Goodwill. The issue that the NFB was protesting was the payment of sub-minimum wages to disabled employees. They claimed that some Goodwills were paying some disabled individuals as little as 22 cents per hour while the CEO was pulling down half a million per year. Our local CEO rakes in around $262,000 yearly.
The protest was also covered by WPDE reporter Brianna Smith. I contacted both her and Brad about some serious problems with their coverage. Ms. Smith was gracious and thankful for the information which I provided. Brad did not respond.
In August of 2012 Brad Dickerson covered a protest by the National Federation of the Blind at the local Goodwill. The issue that the NFB was protesting was the payment of sub-minimum wages to disabled employees. They claimed that some Goodwills were paying some disabled individuals as little as 22 cents per hour while the CEO was pulling down half a million per year. Our local CEO rakes in around $262,000 yearly.
The protest was also covered by WPDE reporter Brianna Smith. I contacted both her and Brad about some serious problems with their coverage. Ms. Smith was gracious and thankful for the information which I provided. Brad did not respond.
“On the same token, though, we don’t believe local governments ought to be in the business of running landfills – and then passing ordinances aimed at securing their monopolies. Which is exactly what’s happening in Horry County.”
If you really believed in what you say/think you believe in, you wouldn’t give a rat’s ass how any voters anywhere, via their elected representatives or directly, handled any of the services needed for a civilized society.
But, you’re really just another right wing authoritarian who wants to dictate to people how their government should operate.
“On the same token, though, we don’t believe local governments ought to be in the business of running landfills – and then passing ordinances aimed at securing their monopolies. Which is exactly what’s happening in Horry County.”
If you really believed in what you say/think you believe in, you wouldn’t give a rat’s ass how any voters anywhere, via their elected representatives or directly, handled any of the services needed for a civilized society.
But, you’re really just another right wing authoritarian who wants to dictate to people how their government should operate.
FITS has got it all wrong.
Trash collection/disposal is a primary function of government just like police or fire protection.
I have no problem with private refuse companies but it is clearly evident that the “Big 3” (Waste Management,Republic, & Allied Waste) spend obscene amounts of money influencing state and local governments on where to locate landfills and will go to court in a New York minute to continue bringing in out-of-state trash. They throw up Interstate Commerce BS and its case closed. They also give local governments a “cut” for every ton of trash they dispose in their landfill. That makes it hard to turn down when/if local governments are cash strapped. As a rule, there is very little accountability from the private companies but they spend a shitload on public relations saying they do.
On one hand FITS wants the public sector out of the trash disposal business and in the next breath whines about out of state shit coming into one of the most “trash friendly” states in the nation. And it is the private companies who are the biggest contributors to the situation FITS bitches about.
I used to travel around SC a bunch in my old job working for an engineering firm and I can tell you Spartanburg County has the best refuse collection/disposal/recycling (county operated BTW) system in the state and as far as I have seen one of the best in the South.
The Spartanburg County landfill is much better maintained than the privately operated landfills I used to visit in order to sample groundwater. The Spartanburg County weighing station and access/service roads are very well maintained and the area is immaculate (for a landfill anyway). Just the opposite of the private landfills – grimy weighing stations,trash blowing everywhere,the access/service roads look like shit, mud on the public roads after a rain due to the trash trucks slinging mud to the point of being dangerously slick, etc.
The Horry County “quandry” concerning requirement for only allowing trash to be disposed of it its county operated landfill has been in the trash trade news for some time now and it is nothing new. This situation is taking place all over the country.
FITS has admitted he/she knows very little about the workings of an automobile. It is evident he/she knows very little about the workings of the trash collection/disposal/recycling industry as well…….
FITS has got it all wrong.
Trash collection/disposal is a primary function of government just like police or fire protection.
I have no problem with private refuse companies but it is clearly evident that the “Big 3” (Waste Management,Republic, & Allied Waste) spend obscene amounts of money influencing state and local governments on where to locate landfills and will go to court in a New York minute to continue bringing in out-of-state trash. They throw up Interstate Commerce BS and its case closed. They also give local governments a “cut” for every ton of trash they dispose in their landfill. That makes it hard to turn down when/if local governments are cash strapped. As a rule, there is very little accountability from the private companies but they spend a shitload on public relations saying they do.
On one hand FITS wants the public sector out of the trash disposal business and in the next breath whines about out of state shit coming into one of the most “trash friendly” states in the nation. And it is the private companies who are the biggest contributors to the situation FITS bitches about.
I used to travel around SC a bunch in my old job working for an engineering firm and I can tell you Spartanburg County has the best refuse collection/disposal/recycling (county operated BTW) system in the state and as far as I have seen one of the best in the South.
The Spartanburg County landfill is much better maintained than the privately operated landfills I used to visit in order to sample groundwater. The Spartanburg County weighing station and access/service roads are very well maintained and the area is immaculate (for a landfill anyway). Just the opposite of the private landfills – grimy weighing stations,trash blowing everywhere,the access/service roads look like shit, mud on the public roads after a rain due to the trash trucks slinging mud to the point of being dangerously slick, etc.
The Horry County “quandry” concerning requirement for only allowing trash to be disposed of it its county operated landfill has been in the trash trade news for some time now and it is nothing new. This situation is taking place all over the country.
FITS has admitted he/she knows very little about the workings of an automobile. It is evident he/she knows very little about the workings of the trash collection/disposal/recycling industry as well…….
You need to add the amount of money and resources spent by the South Carolina Association of Counties. Protecting Horry County’s gov’t run garbage monopoly is their number one legislative item this year.
You need to add the amount of money and resources spent by the South Carolina Association of Counties. Protecting Horry County’s gov’t run garbage monopoly is their number one legislative item this year.
It has always troubled me that Horry County passed this legislation keeping all trash in the County.I was always taught to take the trash out of the house.
It has always troubled me that Horry County passed this legislation keeping all trash in the County.I was always taught to take the trash out of the house.
Although I’m a contributor to FitsNews, I wanted to direct readers who are interested in this story to the in-depth coverage former MB Herald investigative reporter Paul Gable has been running on his blog, grandstranddaily.com, about the Horry County SWA and the whole flow control story, including today. Paul has owned this story for some time.
Although I’m a contributor to FitsNews, I wanted to direct readers who are interested in this story to the in-depth coverage former MB Herald investigative reporter Paul Gable has been running on his blog, grandstranddaily.com, about the Horry County SWA and the whole flow control story, including today. Paul has owned this story for some time.
Beam and Associates? This is a joke, right? The coastal wetlands permitting guy? If he has done anything on this legislation, it must have been from on a dock he helped somebody get built down at the beach. Maybe the counties would be a big enough bump in the road, but not Beam? That is giving him too much credit. His man in the House, Nelson Hardwick, is the one championing this whole thing. Methinks there is way more going on here than any of us have even realized.
Too bad we can find out anything we want to know about how the public operation in Horry defends itself but we’ll never know what lengths Worst Management and Republic Services have gone to other than hire armies of Parker Poe and Nexsen Pruit lobbyists.
It is obvious what all this is about! More money for lobbyists running around the capitol. Like Sic Willie said, a real solution just makes too much sense here.
Beam and Associates? This is a joke, right? The coastal wetlands permitting guy? If he has done anything on this legislation, it must have been from on a dock he helped somebody get built down at the beach. Maybe the counties would be a big enough bump in the road, but not Beam? That is giving him too much credit. His man in the House, Nelson Hardwick, is the one championing this whole thing. Methinks there is way more going on here than any of us have even realized.
Too bad we can find out anything we want to know about how the public operation in Horry defends itself but we’ll never know what lengths Worst Management and Republic Services have gone to other than hire armies of Parker Poe and Nexsen Pruit lobbyists.
It is obvious what all this is about! More money for lobbyists running around the capitol. Like Sic Willie said, a real solution just makes too much sense here.
WOW….thanks for a whole lot of nothing in this article…!! From Tara Servacious twisting facts on Wind Turbines to Wil Folks forgetting that trash is ENERGY…!!
Geez….??
No wonder advertisers are staying away from this site….?
WOW….thanks for a whole lot of nothing in this article…!! From Tara Servacious twisting facts on Wind Turbines to Wil Folks forgetting that trash is ENERGY…!!
Geez….??
No wonder advertisers are staying away from this site….?