Hospitality Tax

I have asked Town Council to consider adopting the hospitality tax in the Town.  This would be a 2% tax on on restaurant meals served in the Town.   This tax is already applied to restaurants on James Island that are in areas annexed to the City of Charleston.

Nearly all the restaurants in the Town are located in our Folly Road commercial district.   While I sometimes go out to those restaurants, and so will pay an added tax, many of those eating in the restaurants do not live in the Town.  Some are tourists traveling to Folly Beach.   When a Town resident eats in a restaurant here on James Island that is under City jurisdiction, you pay that tax and it goes to the City of Charleston.

The monies from this tax can only be used in very limited ways, but improving roadways important to tourism is one such way.   The Rethink Folly Road project is likely to be very expensive, and the Town will almost certainly be required to pay our share.   At least some portions of the project are aimed at improving traffic flow on Folly Road, and much of the problem with that flow is "beach traffic."    Other portions of the plan involve improving the quality of the corridor, something that will very much benefit the businesses along Folly Road.   For example, the most important element of the plan to me is to fix the traffic signals.   Another element of the plan that I think is very important is sidewalks along Folly Road in the Town's commercial district.

Please let me and the other members of Council know whether you think this is a reasonable and fair way to fund these needed improvements.