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Council candidate says no discussion has taken place about getting rid of Balloonfest in Anderson
Candidate Eddie Moore questions where rumor started
Balloons launch Friday August 29 from the Civic Center of Anderson.
Photo by Ken Ruinard
Spectators watch a balloon launch Friday August 29 from the Civic Center of Anderson.
Spectators watch a balloon launch Friday August 29 from the Civic Center of Anderson.
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ANDERSON COUNTY — During the Sept. 2 Anderson County Council meeting, questions were raised about whether the Great Southeast BalloonFest would float away come January.
“I don’t know if it’s a rumor or not, but I heard that the new council was going to get rid of BalloonFest as soon as they came on board in January,” said a speaker at the public hearing. “Well, I think that would be awful.”
But that option isn’t even on the drawing board, said Republican County Council candidate Eddie Moore. Moore, who defeated Larry Greer in a June primary, is unopposed in the November election.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Moore said when asked about the question of maintaining the festival. “We (council candidates) haven’t said anything about anything like that. I don’t know how that got started, but I sure would like to.”
The BalloonFest became an issue in the community in February, when a review of credit card purchases showed not only that some purchases for the festival were made on county credit cards, but that some charges on county credit cards were reimbursed by contributors to the BalloonFest, according to Anderson County Administrator Joey Preston.
Moore said he and other council candidates had not discussed anything since their primary wins. They have not formulated any plans, he said.
“It’s a little bit early yet,” he said. “We haven’t even been officially declared the winners.”
But losing the festival, authorities said, would have a financial impact on the county.
“I think it would be devastating if the county didn’t keep it going. The county would not have this experience for its residents,” Preston said. “There is an economic impact … that would be the main problem, the loss of income to the county, but then there the quality-of-life function.”
According to statistics from the county and the Anderson Convention and Visitors Bureau, the BallonFest brought in more than $6.5 million into the Anderson County economy this year, the second the event was offered in the county.
That figure includes a direct benefit of $2.6 million as well as that money’s indirect benefit.
“That’s represented in how the money recycles through an area’s economy,” said Glenn Brill, executive director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Say you have money for hotel room. With that money, the hotel pays their staff. In turn, the staff may pay for groceries and gas. That’s the indirect benefit.”
That’s a pretty significant weekend, Brill said, one on par with a Clemson home football game against one of the bigger-name teams.
Brill estimated the weekend brought in more than 25,000 day visitors to the Anderson area over the Labor Day weekend. The festivities included The Peoples Bank Midnight Flight, the balloon events, concerts on both Saturday and Sunday nights, and the Balloon Federation of America national ballooning competition.
And each of those visitors spent an estimated $45 per person while in Anderson.
“Since there’s no gate and no admission (charge for the BalloonFest), it’s hard to tell how many people attended the event,” Brill said. “But I worked Midnight Flight, and there were 1,600 runners, 200 volunteers and I don’t know how many people who just showed up to watch the race. … There were probably 13,000 to 15,000 people who came to the (Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium) concert on Sunday night. It was well-attended.”
The big benefit of the festival, Brill said, is that it is one of the few events in the area that brings in visitors from outside the area.
“BalloonFest is one of the few festivals in the county that is a draw from outside our county. From that perspective, BalloonFest is a big thing for us,” he said. “It’s a nice piece of tourism to have. We’re glad it’s here, but it’s a piece of the puzzle.”
Pendleton’s Spring Jubilee, Clemson home football games and events at the T. Ed Garrison Arena in Clemson all bring money into the Anderson community. That money adds up to a $130 million tourism industry in the county, Brill said.
Ballooning is something Anderson is known for, he said. That reputation is not just something the county government has created, he said, but something the community itself supports.
“Let me put that in perspective… all of the money for BalloonFest is paid for by sponsorships… would it be detrimental if it left? … When Freedom Weekend Aloft left, we created something to take its place,” he said. “This community has a stake in ballooning, and it’s something the community supports …The $300,000 that was raised for BalloonFest came from contributions from the community, not from the county budget.”
Preston, who raises most of the sponsorship money for the festival, said the total of this year’s contributions was double last year’s.
“Let’s put it this way, our budget was over $500,000, and we’re going to make budget,” he said. “That includes of course some state money, the hospitality tax and other money.”
At the Aug. 19 County Council meeting, four council members contributed a total of $22,000 to the event from their district recreation funds. Council Chairman Michael Thompson contributed $2,500, Council member Bill McAbee contributed $10,000, Council member Larry Greer contributed $7,500 and Council member Gracie Floyd contributed $2,000.
The BalloonFest, Preston said, is a county-driven event, but also a nonprofit organization within the county to which contributions and sponsorships can be made. County employees, he said, work as volunteers for the event, not as paid employees.
“The county owns the mark. The event is owned by the county,” Preston said. “So far, there isn’t any other organization that has stepped up to offer to help with it.”
Preston said a report about this year’s festival would be available soon.
“We don’t have all the expenses in and revenues put together yet, but we will be putting them together in the next few days,” he said.
The report will be released to the public when finished, he said.
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bullshxt. there was nowhere near that many people there.
in response to xenacat2
xenacat2...
Posted on September 2 at 10:18 a.m.
can we get a count on the no. of people that attended?
You asked for a count....You got it...Now you don't believe it. I believe it is probably correct. This is figuring over 2 days.
Typical WAIM crowd. Their motto " WE'RE NOT HAPPY TILL YOU'RE UNHAPPY"
There were loads of people everywhere and those numbers seem very realistic.
I get so tired of Slick Joey's double speak. Let's take a close look at his statement and see why they don't add up.
1. “The county owns the mark. The event is owned by the county,”
2. "all of the money for BalloonFest is paid for by sponsorships"
3. "The BalloonFest, Preston said, is a county-driven event, but also a nonprofit organization within the county to which contributions and sponsorships"
4. "Preston, who raises most of the sponsorship money for the festival, said the total of this year’s contributions was double last year’s."
5. “Let’s put it this way, our budget was over $500,000, and we’re going to make budget,”
7. "The $300,000 that was raised for BalloonFest came from contributions from the community, not from the county budget.”
8. “That includes of course some state money, the hospitality tax and other money.”
9. "At the Aug. 19 County Council meeting, four council members contributed a total of $22,000 to the event from their district recreation funds. Council Chairman Michael Thompson contributed $2,500, Council member Bill McAbee contributed $10,000, Council member Larry Greer contributed $7,500 and Council member Gracie Floyd contributed $2,000."
City of Anderson (11-27-07) "The Great Southeast BalloonFest received $ 6,000 for its 2008 Labor Day weekend festival."
So Greer adds $450,000 to the bond issue and then turns around and contributes $7,500 to a non-profit organization owned by the county for which Preston is the main fundraiser. If you remember from previous articles Slick Joey's defense of spending money from his slush fund for this event was all the monies were raised from sponsors.
Last time I checked monies spent by Council person's was county tax money. Change it into a sponsorship or donation and PRESTO it becomes unaccountable for.
In a interview with Liz Carey
http://www.andersonindependent.com/ne...
Preston claims:
"We’re a nonprofit organization. We have utilities and private businesses donate to specific events, like the BalloonFest. … That money goes to the county, and we use the money to reimburse the county for expenses that are part of that event."
"Each one of those expenses, Mr. Preston said, is reimbursed by contributions to events and is not paid for by county tax dollars"
"I’ve got 50 different businesses that I run in the county, and all of them are run differently," he said. "I’m not like any other county employee. I have a contract. … Look at my job description. I’m responsible for so many budgets – transportation, and that includes roads, bridges, and the airport. I handle economic development, 911, centralized communication, tax collection … You’re talking to the person who is in charge of it all."
Slick Joey is running an enormous shell game under the guise of a non-profit organization. Funneling county monies in throuh "donations" and "sponsorships" from the city and County Council persons and other entities such as Allied Waste who Preson claims are under contract to donate $75,000 a year to the county. This "payback" to the community isn't taken in as tax revenue and accounted for in normal ways but as a donation or sponsorship which Joey uses as he pleases under the umbrella of economic development and shrouded in secrecy.
This seems to be Slick Joey's forte. Call it something other than tax revenue and you don't have to account for it when you spend it.
We are being bamboozled by the slickest operator this county has ever seen. People who don't "get it" defend it. People who don't want to "get it" promote it.
in response to CindyRoper
"I get so tired of Slick Joey's double speak. Let's take a close look at his statement and see why they don't add up."
Cindy I get so tired of you beating the dead horse, we know how you feel give it a rest and try focusing on something positive in your life. Try volunteering they say you can make more change from within than you can siting on the outside beating a dead horse.
I wonder how many of the 'think we spend to much on taxes' people have ever lived or traveled outside of Anderson? I have been around a bit and owned homes in other states, and followed local politics while living there. If you have one type of Apple say a Red Delicious how can you say that it is better than all other types of Apples? If the same person has been doing your hair for the past 20 years how can you say they are the best Stylist in town? Well if you have never traveled or lived anywhere else how can you say Anderson taxes are to high? I wish people would stop making definitive statements on things they have no knowledge of, it just perpetuates the stereotype of stupid redneck here in the South.
in response to cwilson4
Cwilson, I am tired of your name calling it is so "high school' as to your allegations can you prove them? In the non political world that would be slander. Please remember you get back what you put out, I hope your house is made of strong glass cause when those stones come it will hurt.
I wonder how many of the 'think we spend to much on taxes' people have ever lived or traveled outside of Anderson? I have been around a bit and owned homes in other states, and followed local politics while living there. If you have one type of Apple say a Red Delicious how can you say that it is better than all other types of Apples? If the same person has been doing your hair for the past 20 years how can you say they are the best Stylist in town? Well if you have never traveled or lived anywhere else how can you say Anderson taxes are to high? I wish people would stop making definitive statements on things they have no knowledge of, it just perpetuates the stereotype of stupid redneck here in the South.
Can that figure be correct?
"includes a direct benefit of $2.6 million as well as that money’s indirect benefit."
Robert,they are just trying to 'sound' intelligent. We've moved around a bit too, and as with a lot of other areas, it's the ones who have been where they are all their lives and never been anywhere else that think they know everything about everything. These people think they are qualified lawyers, accountants, politicians, psychologists, etc. all at the same time. They have the answer to everything ... from their living rooms.
As for the Balloonfest, I was there - both as a volunteer & participant. I also went to all three concerts. Since the amphitheatre holds 15,000 plus and it was pretty well full I'd say that the 13-15,000 estimate was accurate.
In May, several protesters marched around the County offices carrying picket signs. Maybe next time they will pick up cigarette butts while they are marching around and be the *KAB Crew.
Next year, the *KAB Crew should volunteer at the BalloonFest. Instead of carrying protest signs, they can carry bright orange trash bags, police the ground, and pick up trash.
As volunteers, they could get "*KAB Crew" t-shirts.
*KAB = Keep Anderson Beautiful
JK
in response to robert
Talk about beating a dead horse...didn't you say that already on other threads. Can you think of nothing new. I am not beating a dead horse when item after item, issue after issue rolls back to Slick Joey Presto. I am not the one who said Preston is responsible for everything in this county. He did! No one has said we spend too much on taxes. Why you keep repeating that I have no idea. What people ARE saying, is the taxes we are spending are being misused for the personal gain of a few and not being accounted for to the public. Now, work on that and maybe, just maybe, you might contribute to the discussion.
in response to karoga
Sure Karoga, Zeldaz, UseCommonSense and whoever else is interested, how do you know we aren't lawyers, accountants, politicians and psychologists? You sure seem to think you know everything about everything. Apparently we are intelligent enough to have you worried enough to have multiple logins and make idiotic statements with no foundation. Since Slick Joey says county employees volunteer for Balloonfest, that must be you. Do I have a look of surprise on my face that someone on county payroll is defendng their sugardaddy. NOPE!
Wht did we build the Anderson Sports & Entertainment Center?
in response to Niblits
$2.6 million divided by (an extimated) 25,000 would have every man, woman and child spending $104. BS! The $6.5 million is pure accounting nonsense.
“Say you have money for hotel room. With that money, the hotel pays their staff. In turn, the staff may pay for groceries and gas. That’s the indirect benefit.”
The dollar spent for a hotel is taxed and what is left paid to staff where it again taxed and then spent on groceries and gas where it is again taxed. Just because that money is spent over and over does not increase it's value or create "indirect value" in multiples of that dollar. This propaganda would have us believe a dollar triples in value from 2.6 million to 6.5 million because it is passed around in a community. It's the same dollar and is diminished by taxes at each level, but still the same dollar passing hand to hand. On the hotel books it is a dollar in and dollar (less taxes) out, to the employee it is the same dollar in and the same dollar (less taxes) out, to the gas station it is the same dollar in (less taxes) out. Slick Joey wants us to believe each time the dollar is spent it represents an indirect benefit and increases that pool of money three fold. The only ones to benefit is the tax man not the community. Churn of cash always benefits the tax man as it is taxed with every exchange. But that tax for our coffers is a percent of the dollar, not a multiple of it. Churn of cash within a community only results in the original $2.6 million of direct benefit to slowly be diminished by the tax bite each time it changes hands and eventually shifted to the tax coffers. That is some accounting Presto!
If this is the way Slick Joey Preston does his calculating in all his figures he presents to us, no wonder he doesn't want us to check the books.
GOOD LORD!
Look at yourself in the mirror!!! You have an event that brings in MILLIONS into the county, and you're complaining. You have an event that is actually benefiting the industries in this county that are being hit hardest by the economy, and you are complaining. You have an event that is bringing in TAX REVENUE that you are not paying for, and you are complaining. You all don't want higher taxes, but when tax dollars come into the county from OUTSIDE visitors, you don't want that either. You want roads, but you don't want to have to pay for them, so when there is another revenue source, you complain about how there's a grand conspiracy to make someone else look good. You can't get it through your heads that the county has grown over the past 10/20 years, and that government provides more services than ever, but you complain about the increase in taxes over what the county spend back then... when you didn't have what you have now.
And if anyone DARES to support the festival, Celebrate Anderson, progress or fiscal responsibility, which of COURSE, is tied in to the current administration, then let's tar and feather them as well, because its the mccarthism thing to do, right Cindy? If the facts don't stand up, twist them and manipulate them until they fit your little conspiracy theories. If you can't fight fair, fight dirty, right? if someone supports an issue, don't actually discuss the issue, attack the person for their beliefs. Strawman arguments, misdirection and flat out lying always get you so far in a debate on the issues.
Look at it this way... those of you who point to the current administration as evil incarnate are in the minority. You always have been, you always will be. And people are not listening to you anymore, if they ever did. Your song is as annoying as Muskrat Love and we're all just sick to death at the thought that you have hijacked the democratic process.
Two years goes by quickly.
in response to CindyRoper
To begin with you chose to miss the part that said "all in one" in reference to lawyers, accountants, politicians and psychologists. In case you need clarification, you Wilsonites think you are all of them in one person. I have never indicated that I know everything about everything. I HAVE indicated that there is too much BS being spread in this county without PROOF. I have also said that I am one person with one login - why is it so difficult for you Wilsonites to believe that there are many people in this county who think things are better because of Preston? And that they are happy with the growth that has been achieved here?There are hundreds of volunteers that do NOT work for the county (including me) and volunteer for the benefit of the community. There are also county people who volunteer for the same reason. FYI there were numerous ads/articles for people to join in & help out. Last but not least, trust me, you do not worry me in the least.
in response to mom2two
Amen Momma! Well said!
in response to Niblits
indirect benefits are the money that continues to roll through an economy.
The service industry works like this - a big event happens, and they schedule MORE people to work to handle the added people who come to the event. Take the Orange and White Weekend for example... Anyone who went to Hooter's or Outback Steak House that weekend knows there was a waiting time of about an hour and the whole street was packed... the direction economic benefit of Orange and White Weekend on the local economy was all that money coming into those restaurants.
Okay, so now the restaurant people have to pay their employees more because they worked more... not just waittresses, but bussers, bartenders, dishwashers, cooks, maids, hotel clerks, cashiers... you get the picture.
NOW, because those people were paid more, they go back into their local community and spend more. Groceries, gas, rent, luxury items, et al. That's an indirect benefit. And it's all money that was spent because an event came to the area.
I can see how the anti-prestonites wouldn't want that in our area, and would question those numbers and formulas arrived at by economists. If it doesn't fit their argument, you'll just have to discard it as any benefit at all.
in response to cwilson4
No it boils down to the major fact that the Wilsonites question every thing Preston does, throws a negative slant on it and DO NOT speak for the majority of the county. Where is the PROOF that the 'majority' of the county questions what he does? Voting a few council members out of office sure isn't it. And if you think the 'majority' of the county posts their feelings/opinions on this site then it's another example of how out of touch you are. There are over 170,000 people in this county!
there wasn't a "Majority" of Anderson County residents that voted in the three new council members. That election happened because only 20 percent of the voting population turned out for the primary. The entire council changed, not because of some "mandate", as you all like to call it, but because 13 percent of the county's population went to the polls and voted anti-Preston, while the rest of the county stayed home. I'd say that means the MAJORITY (that would be 87 percent) of Anderson County just doesn't see things your way.
And everything bad in this county doesn't go back to Mr. Preston, it goes back to you. When anything comes up - whether it's true or you anti-prestonites just make it up - the anti-preston crowd sits down and picks, and picks, and picks at it until its a bleeding, raw, ulcerated sore that no one can stand to look at anymore. You twist it and turn it and mold it into something that no longer looks like what it was before. You follow people. You ridicule people in public. You smear anyone who doesn't see things your way. You spread rumors about people's relationships with one another to make them bad. You create conflict and conspiracy where there is none.
You're not the majority. You're the vocal minority. And what you're doing is ruining people's lives - not just those whom you smear - but the lives of everyone in Anderson County who actually likes it the way it is. You won't be happy until we've all returned to how YOU want things to be.
But even then, you won't be happy. You won't be happy with anything, will you? I swear, y'all could go on an all expense paid trip to Eden, and the only thing you'd talk about when you got back would be the snake.
The problem isn't Mr. Preston or the Council.
The problem is you.
in response to CindyRoper
Hmmmmm.... let's look at what CINDYROPER had to say in one of her first comments here...
1., 2., 3., 4., 5., 7., 8., 9....
so... what happened to 6? Where did 6 go? I bet that missing 6 means there is some underhanded conspiracy among the people who put up this web site to eliminate key evidence in the case against Joey Preston. OH MY GOD! SOMEONE NEEDS TO CALL IN THE FEDS! This is a violation of Free Speech.. we ALL know that CindyRoper can count - there's no WAY she could make a mistake like this... there has to be someone at the FCC who is looking into that missing point!
Wait, they're not already looking into it... that, ... that just goes to prove our point! This is a vast conspiracy, the likes of which is going to blow the roof off of this county and prove ONCE AND FOR ALL, that something's rotten in the state of Anderson.
YOu don't believe me? Well then you must be involved... we're all going to come and hunt you down and accuse you of sleeping with someone you work with, and then ... then... well, we're going to put our theories out as fact on the radio - that'll show you what a stupid idea it is to disagree with us. WE'RE the only ones who know the TRUTH... the missing 6 is proof that there is censorship by the highest levels of the federal government on our believe that Joey R. Preston is the anti-Christ.
(WHEW... can I take my tongue out of my cheek now?)
in response to mom2two
I am so glad you are here to speak for the majority of Anderson. I count about ten login names on here who agree with you on a regular basis. How that represents the majority of Anderson I am not sure but since you seem to know numbers so well maybe it is. On the other hand, when it comes to the political arena, the people who actually take the trouble to vote are what count as far as I am concerned. Guess what, their voting indicated they were unhappy with the status quo. Since Joey says he is the man and runs everything...I guess that translates to they are unhappy with Joey Preston. You can slice and dice it how you like but the results of the elections speak for themselves. Now as to indirect benefit and your description above. Either the executive director of the county visitor's bureau doesn't know what he is talking about or you don't because what you are saying and what he said in the article are not the same. I used his quote in my response. The actual definition of the two direct/indirect benefit is.
Direct Benefit - Result that is related with the event by cause and effect.
Indirect Benefit - Results that are related to an event, but not its intended objectives or goals.
So if you are to be believed the direct benefit is the actual event revenue and indirect is everything else collaterally affected. I have serious doubts Balloonfest took in $2.6 million dollars. I can see how you would be a scker for Joey Preston's number manipulation when you have no idea of accounting principles or definitions.
I don't know why you hate Anderson County so much. You must hate it because you are willing to accept growth by any means. It doesn't matter how crooked or unethical, as long as the money comes in. Interesting how you think someone calling the county administrator to task makes them against progress in our beloved county. Your description to Niblits of how indirect benefits are calculated does not jive with the figures and explanation given by Glenn Brill. If you're right and he's wrong, we're scrwed because we have a dummy running the show. If he is right and you are wrong, we are scrwed because that is not what the indirect benefits are and he doesn't know what he is talking about.
What I would really be interested in knowing is how mcuh revenue the actual Balloonfest took in and how they were able to come up with the numbers they did so fast. The monthly tax reporting isn't due until. Did they call all the businesses in Anderson and ask them what their revenue numbers were?
Is it greed that drives you to take success at any price?
in response to mom2two
You really managed to make yourself look stupid. Congratulations, I couldn't have done a better job.
Since you seem to know so much about all this maybe you can explain something to us all. Your hero Joey Preston stated there are 70 sponsors who contributed to Balloonfest. In the sponsorship descriptions at the Greater Southeastern Balloonfest website http://www.greatsoutheastballoonfest.... it states that all sponsors at the $1,000 level and above would receive "acknowledgment in marketing materials." Preston also claimed Allied Waste sponsored for $75,000. Yet when you go to the home page of Balloonfest http://www.greatsoutheastballoonfest.com I see two sponsors mentioned, Hooters and Skins. Now, either Preston lied to the sponsors or he lied to us. He can't have it boths ways.
You see, we don't have anything against Anderson County, we just hate to be lied to over and over and over.
Oh while you are looking for an answer why don't you find out what name the Greater Southeastern Balloonfest is registered as a non-profit, with the Secretary of State. Joey said it is a non-profit yet I find no information on the Secretary of State website. Maybe you can help us figure out this mystery.
Cindy... or Anna... Or whoever you are...
i don't hate Anderson County. I love it here. But then again, I'm not the one trying to destroy it - you are. And everytime you attack the people who disagree with you, you prove that your mccarthy-istic tactics are just more of the same misdirection that you have to rely on because you don't have any proof and you don't have a leg to stand on.
i guess we can't possibly imagine that you would know economic principles.
http://web4.canr.msu.edu/mgm2/Definit...
have fun with that one. Or would you rather that I send you an old economics text book?
And Preston didn't say Allied Waste contributed $75,000 to the balloonfest... it was $59,000, part of a larger $75,000 that the company contributed to the county as part of its contract with the county.
http://www.independentmail.com/news/2...
and that was LAST YEAR, not this year... and if you go here - http://www.greatsoutheastballoonfest.... you actually SEE all of the sponsors from this year... Since no one has said Allied Waste made that contribution to the county, i don't think we should just necessarily ASSUME they did and that it is a lie to the people because they don't show up there. Or is that another annoying little fact you don't want people to know.
This is just like Ms. Wilson slanderous statements about Brandon Grace... you just sling stuff out there without the facts, or misconstrue facts to fit your agenda.
you've got dates mixed up, you're not looking in the right spots for information and you clearly don't know anything about economics or political science, and yet you present yourself as an expert on everything. Just like Ms. Wilson's published literature slandering Mr. Grace that has dates wrong, completely fabricates a story about him and then maliciously impunes his reputation, you throw things around accusing people of whatever you want without being held accountable - all because you can do it from behind a console.
you're the problem, not me.
and you are in the minority. the sheer numbers prove that. People who are satisfied don't typically vote... would you like me to provide you with the political science textbooks for those theories too?
wait - isn't it about time for you to sling a few arrows about my character, or who i'm sleeping with/working for/getting kickbacks from? I'm amazed... you're actually sticking to the issues.
course, your numbers are all wrong and your comprehension of the facts is clearly out of sync with reality, but... as always, that's beside the point isn't it?
in response to mom2two
Way to go.......!!!!! I couldn't have said it better myself!!!!!
in response to cwilson4
OH MAN!!! It only took 31 posts for someone to accuse me of being a member of the current administration. That's a new record! OH, I know you couldn't resist... I just knew it. You've got me grinning from ear-to-ear because you just proved my point.
Charlie - did you know Joseph McCarthy? or did you just study his tactics? ;-)
And honey, seriously... do you REALLY think I think Joey R is the anti-Christ? That position is already taken by Richard Cheney, so it would be difficult for both of them to fill the same pair of shoes.
(see... the whole point of that can I take my tongue out of my cheek comment was that it was all said in jest... get it? it's a joke!!! Or are we going to take little bits and pieces of that, throw it all out on the internet and on the air waves as the gospel truth and use it to prove your theory of grand conspiracy?)
Come on charlie - everyone knows you can't put things in parenthesis and no one will hear you!
But it doesn't matter - no one was listening to you in the first place, except maybe Anna, I mean CindyRoper.
in response to mom2two
No, actually I could care less about your character, or who you are sleeping with/working for/getting kickbacks from. You are an anonymous person on a public forum who I judge by your words and by the facts as I know them, am shown them, or can find them. You are the one trying to clump everyone into this group or that, cause factioning, make everyone who doesn't agree with you as being against Anderson. I really could care less about your simpering little comments about me or my knowledge or my education. The facts speak for themselves and that is all I am interested in. If you think I intentionally misstate facts or try to make up things you are terribly wrong. Do I make mistakes? Sure, but the difference between you and I is I'll tell you when I am mistaken. But it won't be because you say so. You are clearly infatuated with Joey as I don't know any other reason you would spend so much time and effort to defend his every move and statement. I spend this much time on here because I love this County and will not stand by while someone like Preston rakes us over the coals. The absolute onesidedness of his contract is proof enough to me that he does not have anything but himself and what he can get out of this County on his mind. You are willing to accept success at any price, I am not.
Whether my numbers are exact or not really doesn't matter. Actually the amount Allied Waste donated was $59,342 not $59,000. Big whoop you were wrong. Thats not the point. Neither is whether I overlooked number six in my post. Just more ignorance to distract from the issues. Preston said Allied Waste was an every year thing, so I have no reason to believe otherwise. As to your link to SEE all the sponsors, unless your computer is magic or is showing something other than mine your link takes me to a page that describes the different sponsorship levels. In the top right corner is a link to a .pdf file titled "Download the 2008 schedule." When you download the Acrobat file I see no sponsors listed either. I see thanks to so and so. Is that the sponsor list? The only ads/sponsor list I see is on the main homepage and again that is Hooters and Skins. So either they did a really poor job giving exposure to their sponsors or they had none. I believe what I see, not what you or your hero tell me.
As to your remarks about my knowledge of economics or political science I doubt from the things you have revealed you would have the requisite knowledge to know if I did or didn't. You can't even recognize the difference between what you are saying and what Glenn Brill said (or are just unwilling to admit it) indirect benefits are. I quoted from the article exactly what he said. It even differs from your link to the msu site. I think I have every bit as much knowledge and education as you do, if not more. But since you don't know who I am, it really doesn't matter.
Whether my facts or reality are out of sync is your opinion. You've shown me nothing to prove otherwise.
And let's be CRYSTAL clear why I say what I say...
scvotes.org
june 2008, primary election
Registered Voters: 90,873
Ballots Cast: 23,827
Voter Turnout: 26.22 %
Anderson County population (from US CENSUS) 178,000 - as of the 2006 census...
SO, 13 percent of the total population of Anderson County actually determined the fate of the rest of us. Break down the numbers on how many people caused turn-over you all claim as your own - 7.8 percent of the population.
now, let's first kick ourselves that half of the population of Anderson County isn't registered to vote... then, let's kick ourselves for letting about 14,000 - that 2,000 people in every district, determine the outcome of an election. sad, isn't it?
Now... let's go back to the economic benefit... $2.6 million being spent in the Anderson area by not only the visitors, but those who came INTO the area to participate in the event is NOT unheard of. Current tourism averages for the area are $43 for every person going on a day trip. That alone would be almost $1.1 million. I don't think $2.6 million is outrageous at all. Heck, we spent more than $80 on balloonfest and we took a picnic dinner.
And even if the $2.6 million is taxed, at 7 percent, only $175,000 of that goes into taxes. The rest goes into the local economy. and again, it is spent by the local economic vendors -in this case the workers - which is in turn, taxed... if we take the indirect benefit and use it as a base for the taxation - you have an increase in taxes to the county of $437,500 in county tax revenue
Wow... we've got a festival that is paid for by $500,000 in sponsorship money (yes, including $22,000 in county funds made by direct donations from council members) that brings in alomst $500,000 in tax revenue... hmmmmm.
Could you subtract out that 7 percent? to come up with a more accurate picture of what goes to the local economy? sure... let's do that math on that shall we? Assuming the $2.6 million is taxed at 7 percent, and loses 7 percent everytime it trickles into the economy, we have a total of 6.1 million instead of 6.5 million. just do the math.
The fact that 400,000 is going into the county's pockets instead of directly into the consumers pockets, only means the county has more money to pay for things like roads and bridges and parks and health insurance for county employees and gas. But, since the county is STILL part of the local economy, it's still going into the economy. The county is not only a governmental agency, but also an employer. it's PART of the economy.
nuff said. this is not voodoo economics, or pulling slings and arrows out of a hat... it's math, plain and simple. Numbers don't lie.
in response to CindyRoper
If you don't care about my character, why do you keep maligning it?
I'm willing to bet my Ivy League education against yours any day, and twice on Sundays... What luck! Look at what day it is!
Let's do some more math, shall we? Throw it out there - i'm ready to party. I like going through figures and economic and political theory just for fun! Come on... let's really get into a discussion of the issues... I'm serious.
No character assassination, no name calling, nothing else. just two brains duking it out via a debate on the issues...
are you up for it?
i'll take cindy for $20.00
in response to mom2two
joey coaches well, does'nt he?
in response to mom2two
then, why are our county council members paying money that sould be helping out their own friggin destitute communities?
again... another mccarthy-esque attack!
You all are on a roll. it can't possibly be an investigation into how the numbers play out, but some sort of slight of hand, right?
This is so much fun, i could just stay here all night... xenacat2 - i'll take you on too!
Throw it at me and I'll debate the issues. no slams about me, no stupid comments about mr. preston, no "OH, if you agree with them, they must have something on you." just a fair and accurate discussion of the actual issues.
what is it you all are actually afraid of?
in response to xenacat2
the council members have discretion to spend how ever much they want, on whatever they want... and remember, the balloonfest brought money into the WHOLE county. by bringing in $500,000 in taxes, and by bringing in money into the local economy, they DO help their own "destitute communities."
the people in those same destitute communities are the ones that benefit from the taxes that you want to cut. Remember that. When you talk about cutting taxes, there are services that are going to have to go away - local free clinics, dog and cat chasers, emts, road funds, library services... the people who don't have money actually use those services...
and the money that comes into the county through taxes helps to off set those costs, no matter how little, which keeps taxes down.
it's not a direct benefit to those communities. It's not the council handing out $24,000 to upgrade a park, which is what Larry Greer did with the rest of his $30,000 recreation fund. but it's still a benefit.
and the money that they spent - depending on which councilmember you are looking at, is less than 10 percent of their budget for their recreation account. Which means 90 percent of that money went directly to their communities in the way of athletics, or contributions to festivals, or donations to a fire fighters fund.
if you really want to know you will have to ask them. But to make assumptions without asking them first is not acceptable in a debate about the issues, in my book.
in response to cwilson4
Are you referring to this clearly visible verbiage, which you presumed to be invisible? If not please clarify, because I'd hate for this to get uglier than it already is, because of people following this advice about double-parentheses.
((mom2two, I am putting this in (( )) so no one else can see it. Yes, mom, there is a huge conspiracy in Anderson County and I believe that you and King Joe are leading it, along with your son, sshm stupidshouldhurtmore. We, the 6 people that listen to WAIM are working undercover to expose it, and no, you are not invited to help us. We are going out tonight to try to film King Joe and his devil worshippers when they hold their ceremony at the landfill. Will you be there? ))
jencello - you must be part of the conspiracy!!
(just kidding!)
Wait... was I supposed to use DOUBLE PARENTHESIS there? Man... what was _I_ thinking
{grin - hehe} :-p
in response to CindyRoper
Oh, and Cindy? points 3, 4, 7 and 9 are not direct quotes from Mr. Preston.
Also... city of Anderson money is not part of the Anderson County General Fund. Neither are the councilmembers road and recreation funds. The hospitality tax is not paid for by the tax payers, but by those from OUTSIDE the county who come to stay in the county.
And lastly, state money, is not part of the anderson county general fund.
check it all out, it's all right there in the anderson county budget. have you read it? I have.
"Preston Preston Preston...."
Jesus Christ could you people get a frickin life already.
You can parse the election results as you wish. What matters is who turned out to vote. Your assumption that everyone who didn't vote is satisfied is like saying everyone who doesn't like Preston as an administrator is against Anderson County. Just because YOU believe Joey Preston defines who and what this county is, doesn't make it so.
Let's take a look at your numbers. Just say for the sake of argument the $2.6 million figure is correct. We don't know if that figure is tax inclusive or tax exclusive. I am going to assume the figure is tax inclusive as most gross revenue figures include tax. Let's also allow you the 7% tax rate. Using the tax inclusive figure of 2.6 million the original money spent was $2,429,906 and the tax bite is $170,093 ($121,495 is sc sales tax + $48,598 local tax). The business then pays a 20% income tax to the federal government leaving $2,024,922. Now for ease of argument, let's say all of that money that is left is paid out in wages to employees. Again for sake of making this easy let's assume they are all paying an average of 15% income tax. After withholding employee income tax by the employer, that amount of money is now reduced to $1,760,801 of spendable income by the employee. These employees then go out and spend ALL the money at local stores, again at a 7% sales tax rate. After the tax bite of $115,193 ($82,280 sc sales tax + $32,912 local tax) leaves $1,645,609 in the pockets of local vendors who then repeat the 20% federal income tax and leave $1,371,341.00 and then pay employees... and so forth. Presuming all the money stays within the County, after this churn occurs about 32 times the 2.6 million is reduced to $0. Of the original $2.6 million, $2,073,005 is paid in federal income tax, $376,414 in sc sales tax and $150,566 in local tax. Those are the numbers. They speak for themselves. Not voodoo doodoo. Now please do me the courtesy of not arguing the percent sales tax or percent income tax. This is to demonstrate how the initial spending at Balloonfest could not increase (from $2.6 to $6.4 million) as an indirect benefit, by changing hands as Brill describes.
The correct assessment of direct and indirect benefits is actually a whole different story. The direct benefit is the actual revenue taken in by Greater Southeastern Balloonfest, the non-profit entity. The indirect benefit is all the revenue taken in by the region from people coming to the area to participate in the event.
Having moved here about 6 years ago, I must say, I really like Anderson County. I also live in county district 7.
That said, I believe Ms Wilson is the worst thing that could ever have happened to Anderson County, and I'm embarrassed that we can't seem to vote her out in District 7. People seem to think that challenging "power" is its own virtue, despite being proven wrong again and again. There is no hidden agenda; Joey is not the root of all evil (from what I've seen, he's been a spectacular success as Administrator); and Cindy and her ilk have cost the county's taxpayers way more in lost lawsuits (over $1 million and counting) than any perceived irregularity in county credit card spending ever may have. From what I've seen, Mr. Preston may come off a bit arrogant, but it's probably because he's fed up with Wilson's baseless attacks.
In my opinion, Anderson County deserves better than to have an obviously angry and apparently bitter woman stirring up bad press for the county, with her baseless lawsuits, baseless media claims and expensive and redundant, but ultimately pointless requests for additional copies of documents everyone else seems to already have.
Oh, and by the way, I don't work for the county.
in response to mom2two
At 5:42 you said:
"wait - isn't it about time for you to sling a few arrows about my character, or who i'm sleeping with/working for/getting kickbacks from? I'm amazed... you're actually sticking to the issues."
Are we having a moment, or do you need to impune my voice for some personal satisfaction?
Accusing me of maligning you is a weak start. If you would point out where that occurred in my posts, I would be glad to discuss it. However, since it is a baseless statement I will treat like all the rest of them. Smile.
in response to Lamanamanumi
Mentioning Preston is just a nuisance in this conversation. We are talking about Anderson County, our county, our money. We were Anderson County before Joey Preston and we will be Anderson County after Joey Preston. Just because Preston has got us between a rock and a hard place, with his contract, it doesn't mean he has us in spirit or voice. If you are so disturbed by it why are you here? There are a billion other threads you can go to. Isn't the internet great!
in response to mom2two
You will have to argue with AIM about that. Every statement is exactly as presented by their articles. Who cares which fund it is in, it all belongs to the County. Preston is running a business wholly owned and operated by the County as a non-profit. Now you are here bragging on the money it has made for the county. Do you not see a problem there? Let me rephrase, if I started a non-profit and took sponsor money and used tax money to pay for an event that generated the kind of revenues you are claiming bragging rights on...and didn't pay taxes on it. I would be under the jail! Rules for a non-profit are rules for a non-profit. Read the Codes, I don't see anyone being exempt from the rules. Just chew on that for a moment. Oh, your gonna hear alot of fancy words to explain it away once you realize how you are screwing up, but that is the facts sister.
Man, y'all have too much time on your hands. Do anyone of you need a job?
in response to mom2two
Very well said Thank you. PS I hate that song Muskrat Love also.
in response to CindyRoper
Well if all the money we earn is just going to be taxed and wasted, let's all just sit at home, close all the hotels and restaurants, lay everyone off, and watch TV - oh, yeah that is taxed too unless you just have an antenna. Move on with your life and enjoy what was a fun family festival and stop worrying so much about what Joey Preston is doing. I've lived in Anderson twice and in several other counties and states. We could have it much worse and most of us think we have it pretty good here. Leave us alone.
in response to 8000milesfromhome
8000milesfromhome I couldn't agree more! Some of these people would beitch if their ice cream was cold!
I just have one thing to say to cwilson and cind