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My community (North Forest Beach) used to be a neighborhood. It is now taken over by rental properties that are, in essence, mini-hotels/people warehouses, that could never be used as homes. Residents who aren't in gated communities (named "plantations") are most affected by tourism. We are being forced to leave the island because taxes have risen so high.
Prior to the civil war, this island was forest and slave-dependent plantations. Following that war, it was left to those slaves, called the Gullah. Lumber barons invaded in the 1940s-50s, followed by developers. The Gullah have now been pushed to the north end of the island, between widening street/highways and the airport. Their land area--and their political representation--continues to decrease.
I live--actually live--in a community that is increasingly devoted to encouraging tourism and construction, to the detriment of actual residents, the environment, the indigenous community (the Gullah), traffic, & the water system. The Town has increasingly ignored laws and limits , in deference to the interests of the tourism and developers. Current districting has contributedat to these interests having an undue share of representation at the Town, County, & State levels.
This community is controlled by wealthy, politically conservative businessmen. Politically conservative candidates are virtually guaranteed to be elected--and often run unopposed. Minorities are subtly and overtly discouraged from voting and politically liberal candidates have little chance of being elected. I would like to see minority & politically liberal residents not involved in tourism and development to be represented in as many districts as possible.
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