Leland Councilman Bill McHugh Interview

Another Lesson in Democrat Incompetence

So some readers recently noted an interview Bill McHugh (aspiring actor, and Democrat) gave to National Comrade radio, WHQR. I link that here.

There are some things to note: that he, is either unawares or, is fibbing about, and all of it has to do with development.

I do not think I have ever seen someone use anecdotes, and generalize as if said anecdote speaks for a generalized population. If you have ever done any scientific study, you know this is…well….stupid. Anecdotes are merely that—localized currents that cannot be applied to any other experience. In order to be generalizable, a study must be conducted at random. McHugh offers no such evidence.

Let’s examine his misinformation shall we?

Really the growth is throughout the entire county. About 30% of it takes place in the town of Leland, we are the largest municipality by far within the county. But I mean, if you drive down 17, you see nothing but signs for new developments, signs for commercial or residential property for sale. I actually drove to Charleston this weekend and saw that all the way down 17 through Horry County into South Carolina. So as much as we're seeing it locally. It's a regional phenomenon.

There is some truth in all this. But McHugh is incorrect about the scope. As noted in the Big Sort, people are moving for political reasons, and also reasons related to owned space (a topic I have written about in this substack).

Why does this matter?

Because people are leaving crowded crap-holes in the Northeast, for more freedom and less taxes in the South, many states are growing. This is not just a US 17 phenomenon. It includes, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, etc. Just look here. And, here is a simple table that’s easy to understand. Just so we are clear (democrats use this term all the time, so I steal it here), Democrat states are losing population, and Republican states are gaining.

This is financial, and ideological change that people like McHugh do not consider, because their personal ideology is to blame for the migrations. This matters because, people like McHugh want to import the political decisions of the Democrats here, and it was those very policies people are escaping in the Northeast.

McHugh then steps in it so dishonestly, he spouts as fact something that is actually controlled by him—the Leland council. This is disinformation:

However, in recent times, we have seen a big shift towards townhome construction. I think part of that is trying to fill a niche of more affordable housing. You know, the prices have just skyrocketed over the past couple of years, and these are sort of filling that need for entry level homes that we're seeing. And frankly, they're, they're more profitable for the developers because you can fit, you know, two homes on a single lot. You're sharing walls, you're sharing infrastructure. It's something that is becoming more and more popular.

Now, in some sense, McHugh is right….see here. But, it is the boomers who are getting tired of living in high maintenance SFH that is the driver: see here. In other words, it is not necessarily from price points and inflation (SFH are just too expensive), though that does cause some uptick in coffin townhome sales.

But let’s cut to the chase: it is towns like Leland, that have rezoned areas to encourage townhome development! See here. McHugh wants to say— “hey this is what people want!” when in reality, it is McHugh who is forcing people into coffin homes over SFHs: See here. Yes, that’s right, the Leland town council is not just driving the market by planning for coffin building, it is also making a choice of “townhomes” over single family homes so that is the only available option.

McHugh is purposely supporting density over single family homes. It is not the market choosing such as he states. He is partly responsible for the development around here, and let’s be clear (again I use Democrat terms) this is what he wants.

People want to be part of that community, and that's why we've seen so much in recent years.

McHugh says this after a rambling answer, that people move here, because they want to be a part of the community, when nothing could be further from the truth. I have already demonstrated that people are getting what houses they can get because people like McHugh are limiting supply in their planned development (much like the socialist “republics did decades ago).

People are taking what is available because the limitations of supply—a supply McHugh has had a hand in limiting.

It is more people escaping high tax, poorly run Democrat states and taking what is available in other states (well here in Leland at any rate) to escape blue state tyranny. It is not so positive as “I want to be a part of” this or that less than an acre of land.

Anyone who reads Joel Kotkin already knows McHugh is…lying here. Want more? Here.

Today the current class of small holders face a threat from two powerful hegemonies, tech and financial interests, and increasingly intrusive bureaucracies. Both favor policies that would force higher population densities, which would likely raise housing costs and lead to lifetime renting for middle income households who would otherwise own their own homes.

~Joel Kotkin

What can we gleen from all this? McHugh’s policies will lead to a policy a feudalism, where people own nothing, and he expects them to like it. Lifetime renters is Leland council policy now.

Hard pass comrade.

Sure, so infrastructure is always a major concern. And you know, when I look at infrastructure, I'm not just looking at roads and, you know, sewer and water, because in those areas in Leland, for the most part, we're in good shape. We know we have H2GO, which has a lot of capacity left to build. The majority of the DOT-controlled roads like US-17, for example, are still well below capacity. But we are running into issues like US-133. That corridor is so packed right now, and it's well over its capacity, and we're looking at potentially 10, 20, years before truly meaningful action is taken on a large scale on that corridor. So that's something that we try to take into account when things come to us. Leland purchased the last undeveloped Tract on there as an attempt to preserve it and prevent high density housing from being built there. So that's sort of how we're addressing infrastructure that is covered on a state level.

More misinformation, and frankly planned stupidity.

This is the liberal mindset—densify everything (by building coffin apartments—the policy of Leland at present) but buy 20 acres for millions and dedicate that one space to open space…by the way, that land will flood, but who cares!

Open space is preserved by single family homes, not density with a small patch of land to preserve the illusion of open space. This is not New York and you are not creating central park, Billy.

Further, let’s talk US-17. Notice how McHugh dodges all responsibility— “it’s not my fault the state acts reactively! Blame them!”

No, we are blaming you. WHY? Because Leland is responsible for the congestion on 17 by building so much in high density so that 17 fills up. You caused that, not the state. McHugh knew this reality when he along with the Leland council started jamming people into this area. But they did so any way.

There was no coordinated, and slow planning with the state to alleviate US17 congestion. McHugh knew what they were doing would cause that congestion, but did it anyway. It is really rich for Leland council to blame NCDOT for a problem they caused.

NCDOT did their job when it widened US17, because, dear readers, I remember when it was a two-lane road.

Leland’s money lust to build beyond scope and increase density over single family homes (thus limiting homes and driving up prices because of lack of supply), is the reason now we have so many problems.

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I end this by stating once again, McHugh, and the entire Leland council must be thrown out of office for people who actually care more about the people here, than the bribes money the town receives from packing people into coffin apartments they are calling townhomes.

Remember, Leland caused this by bribing developers to become a part of the town, then they kicked back our monies to the developers in the form of “grants” to build their “townhomes.” See Lanvale development, and Malmo loop.

They all must go. This is corruption. McHugh is lying to us in this “interview.”