Reelect Leonard Blank to James Island Town Council

Please reelect Leonard Blank to James Island Town Council.   Leonard's long experience with the Town always provides guidance to me, the staff, and the rest of Council.   He was Chairman of the Town's Planning Commission from 2002 to 2004 and then began serving on Town Council in 2006.   After serving with me on the Free James Island committee in 2011, he returned to Council in 2012.   He serves as Mayor Pro-tem and is Chair of the Town's Land Use Committee, serving as Council liaison to the Town's Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals.

Leonard played a key role in developing the Town's low density approach to planning and zoning in 2002.  He understands what the Town can and cannot do under the laws of South Carolina.   He has always worked to protect the Island from over development.

Leonard and I don't always see eye-to-eye, but we both share a key Town goal to give our former residents in the unincorporated area the opportunity to rejoin the Town.   Today, approximately 1/4 of James Island is under Town jurisdiction and protected from over development.   Approximately 1/4 of James Island is unincorporated.  There is potential for major developments in "the County," but worse, developers continue to annex to the City of Charleston to allow for even denser development.   Councilman Leonard Blank understands that our best opportunity to protect James Island is to reunite the Town.

Leonard was also a strong supporter of cooperation between the Town and the James Island Public Service District that allowed for our new tax credit which reduced property tax for Town homeowners by more than 13% on our October bills.   He is committed to continued tax relief for residents of the Town.

Leonard understands the need to focus on drainage.  He has supported the Town's effort to restrict "fill and build."  Leonard has supported the Town's program to extend sidewalks.   He has supported Town Parks.

Please return Leonard Blank to Town Council so that we can continue to work together to keep our taxes low while improving the quality of life on James Island.