Criminal Defense Lawyer in James Island, SC

Published: Oct. 15, 2024 at 8:28 PM PDT|

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - People who live in Charleston County had the chance to raise their concerns Tuesday night about a half-cent sales tax referendum.

In just three weeks, Charleston County residents will either vote for or against the renewal of this tax. If passed, they would be pay a half-cent sales tax for 25 years or until $5.4 billion is raised.

Those funds would be used towards road projects, mass transit systems and greenspace.

The extension of the Mark Clark Expressway, or Interstate 526, from West Ashley onto Johns and James Island is the priority project.

The ordinance states it is expected to bring in $4.9 billion for road and transportation-related projects, with the Mark Clark extension expected to cost $2.3 billion. Additionally, $432 million would go towards greenbelt projects.

At the public hearing, residents who are both for and against the sales tax came out to share their sides.

Charleston County Council Vice Chair Jenny Costa Honeycutt, who supports the referendum, said she has been advocating for the completion of I-526 for a while. She also said there are ways to maximize residents' tax dollars saying that is what the county has done and will continue to do.

“We have a three-part contract with the government, with the state, that’s why that is listed as the priority project,” Honeycutt said. “Our other $800 million worth of projects are projects that we intend to complete. We intend to leverage the dollars collected through the sales tax and get grants and seek other partnerships with either the state or federal government.”

The Coastal Conservation League is one organization that is against the sales tax. The executive director, Faith Rivers James, was at the public hearing and she said voters should be able to choose what they want to support without having to also vote on I-526.

“We do think it’s important that voters have an informed choice where they are able to select the things that they want to support, special projects, greenbelt, pedestrian support, mass transit, without having to accept the 526 as the price for those improvements and other traffic safety improvements,” James said.

Johns Island resident Bradley Taggart supports the referendum and wants to see the Mark Clark extension completed.

“Most people in Charleston are going to make off much better from this passing and save more money than it will ever cost them in taxes,” Taggart said. “It’s been a long time coming and it just needs to happen, so that we can finish this project and get talking about other things that we want to do.”

An Edisto Island resident, Fred Palm, who is against the referendum, said he doesn’t think extending the Mark Clark Expressway is going to improve traffic at all.

“We’re building in 25 years, which is the length of this program, during that time and after that time the traffic is going to remain and guess what? We’re all stuck in traffic and they are not fixing what’s broken and that’s why I am here,” Palm said.

Click here to read the ordinance and the ballot question.

Charleston County residents will vote on this sales tax in three weeks on Nov. 5.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Published: Oct. 9, 2024 at 1:50 AM PDT|

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Charleston County officials are taking the first steps toward improving pedestrian safety in a historic African American settlement community.

The Sol Legare Road on James Island has a history of pedestrian accidents and fatalities, according to Charleston County officials.

The first step to combat the problem is designing a sidewalk in the Sol Legare Community Safety Project.

The lack of a sidewalk has proved to be hazardous for the nearly 2,000-person community.

Leaders started making plans for the project back in 2021. Officials say area residents have been receptive to the idea of a sidewalk in community meetings since.

Charleston County Transportation Project Manager John Martin says the current state of the busy road is dangerous for pedestrians to walk along as speed limits range from 35 to 45 miles per hour.

“There’s just been too many people that have been injured,” Martin says. “Even one fatality is too many, so that’s the main concern. People would like to walk along that road safely and right now that’s difficult to do with no sidewalk.”

The Charleston County finance committee is voting to accept $1 million from the State Department of Transportation at a meeting Thursday, which starts at 5 p.m.

The funding is part of the state General Appropriation Bill, this portion of which is planned to go toward an estimated 1-mile long, 5-foot-wide sidewalk from Folly Road to Chavis Road off Sol Legare Road. They are working to start the design process as leaders say final design concepts may take up to two to three years.

This funding is only a portion of the originally requested $4.5 million. The original ask was estimated to cover the entire 2.5 miles of roadway from the Folly Road intersection to the state-owned public boat landing. That money includes the drainage work officials expect to go underway.

Martin says he expects this project to be a lengthy process with possible permitting to get started.

“The first step is to do the design and to get the permitting,” Martin says. “That’s just what we have to do before we can start any construction. So that’s what we’re planning to start as soon as we get those funds, we’ll do an RFQ… find a designer and get moving on that.”

There are no official dates, but Martin says community meetings will continue to be held as the project progresses.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.