Charleston County slow on projects, ethical leaders needed, wrong calls flagged | Letters (2024)

County slow to act

There was considerable discussion at the May 30 Charleston County Council meeting about the proposed $5.4 billion transportation sales tax referendum and the projects to be included in it, including the Interstate 526 extension.

Councilman Teddie Pryor falsely asserted that 526 extension funding was on both the 2004 and 2016 transportation tax referenda.

On Oct. 29, 2016, just a week before the 2016 referendum vote, Councilman Herb Sass said in an opinion piece, "It is unfortunate that the half-cent sales tax and the Mark Clark project were being discussed at the same time in the last six months. As I have said many times, each needs to be considered separately. The half-penny sales tax program Charleston County Council passed this summer, which is on the November ballot, was the result of careful study of our road and transit needs and did not include funding for the Mark Clark."

Mr. Sass went on to say in regard to the several projects actually listed in the 2016 ballot question, "Council will work to make sure we get these projects completed as quickly and efficiently as possible. Our record speaks for itself; let’s get them started now instead of having to wait two or four years from now when it will be more expensive and harder to work around."

Voters would probably not be surprised that only one of the projects listed as regionally significant has actually (almost) been accomplished in eight years. Mr. Sass was sadly prescient when he noted: "Our record speaks for itself.”

RICH THOMAS

Member, Nix 526

Johns Island

Haley’s political future

Who knew that former Vice President Richard Nixon would have risen from being politically dead in 1962 to being elected president?

Can former Gov. Nikki Haley, who is on what might be called political life support, do the same?

Time will tell.

To appease the Haley dead-enders, maybe Donald Trump, if reelected president, could appoint her as ambassador to Haiti. Or Estonia. Or Luxembourg. Something that draws on her experience as former United Nations ambassador.

It might be vastly different for her if she got on board.

But I’m thinking she might be rushing to the train station to find the Trump train has already pulled out.

KEN SCHAUB

Charleston

Wrong calls flagged

Like most folks, I hate telemarketers and robocalls, but I have had some surprises lately. I have a landline and a smartphone.

I recently answered a call on my smartphone. Even though the display showed “suspected spam,” the call was legitimate and from my bank.

A few days later, I received a call on my home phone that was noted as “potential spam,” which I reluctantly answered. It was from the S.C. Tax Commission returning a call I had made to its office.

I would have missed both of these important calls had I ignored them. Maybe they would have left a message, but maybe not. So if someone doesn’t return your call, maybe it’s because a message showed up as “suspected spam.”

MERRILL RIDGWAY

North Charleston

Send us your letters

What’s on your mind? Join our community conversations and let your voice be heard by writing a letter to the editor. Letters can be a maximum of 250 words and are subject to editing for clarity, tone and libel. They must include the writer’s name and city for publication and a daytime telephone number for verification. Email your submissions toletters@postandcourier.comor fill out the form onour online portal.