JIPSD Budget Hearing on June 24 at 6:30

The James Island Public Service District placed an ad in the Post and Courier this morning providing official notice of a public hearing to be held on  Monday, June 24 at 6:30 PM at 1739 Signal Point Road.     The regular meeting of the Commission is at 7:00 PM. 

The Chairman has agreed to call a special meeting of the Commission on Monday, June 17th.  (Likely at 7:00 PM.)   The purpose of the meeting is for a third attempt to pass the budget on first reading.    If that is successful, then second and final reading can be complete at the Commission's regular meeting on June 24th, after the public hearing.   If all goes well, the JIPSD will complete its budget before the beginning of the new fiscal year.

It is difficult to connect the ad to the draft budget distributed to the Commission.   The ad states that the Commission is increasing its government operations expenditure by 10% (fire protection and solid waste)  and its proprietary fund expenditure by an eye-popping 25% (wastewater.)   The total millage of 64.4 is to remain the same.  The budget also includes a modest increase in sewer rates, not included in the ad.

The draft budget appears to show a more modest increase in government operations of 3.8% and wastewater of 4.6%.    Hopefully, the Commissioners can get clarification on the percent increases included in the ad.

On the second day of the Commission's regular meeting in May (Tuesday, May 21,) the Commission passed a motion asking the staff to come back with a budget with a 2 mil property tax decrease.  The Commission then  rejected the budget on first reading by 5 to 1.   At the special meeting on June 3rd, the District Administrator proposed the same budget and in the meeting said he will not propose any cuts in taxes or spending.   The Commission then voted down the same budget they had rejected nearly two weeks earlier on a 6 to 1 vote.

Apparently, the Commission is on its own and will have to come up with amendments to cut spending and taxes or else just adopt what was presented to them by the District Administrator.