As we approach another election on our small island, I must ask the question: Can’t we all get along?
It is OK to have different opinions, but do we need to get so nasty by calling each other names and attributing negative motives to people we have not even met? Directing our frustration toward elected officials is acceptable because they are in the public arena by choice. Directing vile comments at each other only destroys the fabric of our community.
Elected officials past and present can send a message of a united community with different opinions instead of throwing oil on the fire with hateful comments and baldfaced lies. Take the vitriol generated by the short-term rental referendum. Clearly, the nature of the referendum will generate different opinions.
Residents want to maintain a balance and a residential feel to the island while welcoming renters and second-home residents. The real estate community and residents affiliated in some way with the real estate community view this as potentially limiting their earnings. This is also valid. In talking to both sides, I believe there is a happy balance that can be achieved.
Residents want the one-third renters, one-third second-home buyers and one-third full-time residents balance that was always part of the planning for this community. The real estate business, including residents who in some ways are connected to the business, understand this, and many of them have expressed that they can get comfortable with a 1,600 or 35% cap. However, they are concerned that this cap might be reduced further, and they are concerned that if we reached the 1,600 cap, then selling an investment property to another investor would be difficult.
These are workable issues that have multiple solutions. Instead, we have nastiness, name-calling and scaring residents about taxes and property values. We had one current councilman go on TV and claim that 95% of city revenue came from short-term rentals. Well, if that were the case, we would still have that revenue because the cap is set at the highest level of rentals we have historically had. However, the correct answer is 23% of revenues come from short-term rentals after the funds to the Charleston Visitors Bureau and the beach renourishment fund have been paid out.
Heated debate has ensued online using language that can only be described as hateful and something this community does not deserve. This nastiness only causes this issue to be set up as a winner take all, where the eventual winner will not want to negotiate with the eventual loser to reach a healthy compromise that is good for the community. We are all better than that. Call out your elected officials and hold them accountable. But let’s be civil to each other and not tear this community apart.
