James Island council votes to end cost‑sharing agreement with Public Service District, redirecting sales‑tax funds

At a regularly scheduled meeting, the James Island Town Council voted to authorize the mayor to terminate the town's cost‑sharing agreement with the James Island Public Service District (PSD), a measure council members said will allow the town to redirect local option sales‑tax revenue to services and projects for town residents.

Councilman Bowles said the agreement functions as a subsidy that the town has been paying to the PSD and that ending it would let the town spend the money on local priorities. "I characterize the cost sharing agreement as a subsidy or a welfare that we have all been paying to the PSD," he said during the meeting.

The vote to authorize the mayor to end the agreement passed 4 to 1. Council members and several residents debated the financial impact and timing during over an hour of public comment and council deliberation.

Why it matters: The town has been using local option sales‑tax (LOST) revenue under the cost‑sharing arrangement to offset payments to the PSD. Council members said redirecting those funds would let the town pay for drainage repairs, green‑space improvements and a proposed James Island Arts and Cultural Center on land…