Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public commenters press council on sales‑tax mitigation and allege impending legal action against mayor
Summary
During public comment, Anthony G. Bryant urged that a proposed half‑cent sales tax include mitigation for long‑standing residents; Mohammed Idris said he is suing Mayor William S. Cogswell and will appeal to the state Supreme Court.
CHARLESTON — During the public‑comment portions of the Nov. 18 meeting, two speakers pressed council on contentious matters: mitigation tied to a proposed sales tax and a pending lawsuit involving the mayor.
Anthony G. Bryant (2133 Cortland Avenue) told the council he is "concerned about the half cent sales tax" and urged that surveys, engineering reviews and protections ensure existing residents benefit rather than bear costs of development. "We need surveys, engineers, existing communities...the zoning ordinances does not provide for these existing residents to pay for any mitigation...we gotta put existing resident half sales tax," Bryant said, arguing longtime residents have received little from prior developments.
Mohammed Idris addressed the council to say he has filed suit naming Mayor William S. Cogswell (he said the local suit had been dismissed and he intends to appeal to the Supreme Court) and that he had provided materials to council members. "I'm not suing the mayor... I'm suing mister William Scott Coswell...I'm a appeal it. I'm a take it to the Supreme Court and then to the public," he said in his remarks to council.
Council accepted the public comments; staff and council noted written comments received in advance on Calhoun Corridor improvements and James Island infrastructure. No council action on the sales‑tax question or on the litigation claims was recorded in the meeting minutes for Nov. 18.
