How Should We Provide Services in the Town?

How should we provide services in the Town?

In particular, should the Town continue to obtain sewer, fire protection, and solid waste collection from the James Island Public Service District?

Or should some or all of those services instead be provided by Town government?

In an earlier blog post, one published by the Post and Courier, I said that after the Town is reunited, we should discuss this matter.

Of course, it would be foolish to close down JIPSD operations, sell off its equipment and buildings, lay off its employees and then have the Town build new buildings, buy new equipment, and hire new employees.

It is rather that instead of the JIPSD Commissioners and their District Manager being  in charge of all of those operations, some (or all) of them might be transferred to the Town, which means that Town Council, the Mayor and the Town Administrator would manage some (or all) of the services.

Further, instead of having the JIPSD cover the cost of the services by charging sewer fees for sewer services and levying property taxes for fire protection and solid waste collection, the Town would collect some (or all) of the fees and taxes to pay for the costs for some (or all) of the services.   Most importantly, the Town could use its other sources of revenue to help fund fire protection and solid waste collection.

I have kept an open mind.  I am sure there are advantages and disadvantages specific to each particular service.

But I have always insisted that this decision should be up to the people of James Island.   The voters of the JIPSD elect Commissioners and the voters of the Town elect a Mayor and Council.   If the voters of James Island believe that all of these services should stay with the JIPSD, then they should elect Commissioners and a Mayor and Council who agree.   If, on the other hand, they think that some or all of these services should be transferred from the JIPSD to the Town, then they should elect Commissioners and a Mayor and Council who support change.

Before 2011, nearly all of the voters of the JIPSD were in the Town and all of the voters of the Town were in the JIPSD. (There were maybe 20 people in unincorporated James Island in 2011.)

Today, all of the voters of the Town are in the JIPSD and they make up a majority.   However, about 1/3 of the voters of the JIPSD remain in unincorporated James Island.   They were in the Town, but were not included in the 2012 incorporation election.

I am committed to giving the former residents of the Town an opportunity to return to the Town.   That is why I support legislation in Columbia to make it possible.

The recent Brian Hicks column criticizing the Town because the JIPSD provides fire, solid waste collection, and sewer in the Town was nothing new.   For years, elected officials from other local governments in the area have been critical of the Town.   They call us a "paper town."

I have always explained that the way we provide fire protection and solid waste collection on James Island may be a little unusual (though hardly unique,) but James Islanders are happy with our approach.   If James Islanders want to make changes, it is our decision and we do not have to blindly copy other municipalities.

Brian Hick's claim that it is illegal for the Town to receive services from the JIPSD because a PSD can only provide services in an unincorporated area is false.  It up to the people of James Island how we want to organize our services.  In particular, we can continue to have the JIPSD provide us some or all of the services it currently provides.

However, there are some James Islanders who feel threatened by even a hint that change is possible.  They treat consideration of a shift to Town provision of any service currently provided by the JIPSD as blasphemy.

Supposedly, the Town only exists because of the JIPSD, so it is a sacrilege to even consider shifting any service from the JIPSD to the Town.

That doesn't make any sense.   Neither the Town nor the JIPSD were ordained by God to be eternal and neither should be made into idols.  Both are human organizations whose purpose is to serve the people of James Island in an effective and efficient manner.   Only by a careful weighing of advantages and disadvantages can we determine what is best for the people of James Island.