This article was submitted by a citizen of the City of Beaufort. If you have an article your would like to submit for publication, please email editor@beaufortinsider.org
By Thomas Paine
Just 11 months ago, Phil Cromer became our mayor, aiming to “lower the temperature of the city.”
The previous mayor, Stephen Murray, was caught in a lie—recorded on tape—and had to resign. Phil Cromer had no involvement in this situation.
Mayor Cromer likely thought he would run unopposed in the upcoming election, given that he had won his last race by a two-to-one margin. But now, rising from the ashes like a phoenix, Stephen Murray has re-emerged, seeking to resurrect his political career. It seems The Island News is giving him a boost.
So now, we have two camps.
In one camp, there’s Mayor Cromer. In the other, we have Murray, Scallate, and the developers. Pictures of Murray and Scallate are all over Facebook, signaling that Murray is likely assisting Scallate with his campaign. Scallate, with just two years of political experience, took the bait.
Historically, the city of Beaufort is always in search of money. Under Murray’s leadership, the City Council often gave developers a free hand. A recent example is the approval of single-family homes in the Old Jericho Road area, passed by a 4-1 vote, with Mayor Cromer being the lone dissenter. These 37 home sites sit only about three feet above the floodplain. Residents complained that the lots were too low and would cause too much density, but as usual, the concerns were brushed aside.
The saddest part? Our two local newspapers report next to nothing about council meetings, votes, or general city business. Most Beaufortonians have no idea who their council members are. Can you name your City Council representatives? The last time local council meetings were consistently reported on was in the last century, no joke.
The Beaufort Gazette/Island Packet mostly covers Hilton Head news. The Island News leans heavily left, while most South Carolinians lean right. The one exception is former Mayor Bill Rauch, whose articles are always worth a read.
Our only reliable source for information nowadays is online news.
So, if you want to stay informed about this election and Beaufort’s future, I suggest you pay close attention to online platforms like this one.
So, I ask you: which camp are you in?
(Thomas Paine was the author of the “Common Sense” pamphlet that informed colonists about British actions against the American colonies.)
As a voter in in the upcoming City election my camp is one of integrity, civility, truth, and promise—a team that represents the future without hidden agendas. It’s the camp that represents ALL constituents and makes decisions that will benefit all. My camp is the one that DOES NOT consistently bad-mouth opponents or gaslights meetings in an effort to demean other members of the Council. My camp doesn’t include representatives who hide behind a wall of silence when their leader is shown to be guilty of denying and lying about committing a serious crime, but instead take the necessary steps to remove the person from a position of power.
My vote will be for the future of a city I love—Phil Cromer, Josh Gibson, and Julie Crenshaw.