1300 Hospital Dr #220
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Could you imagine going through life every day with near-debilitating, chronic back pain? Back pain is one of the most common ailments in America - it's estimated that 8% of all adults, or 16 million people, suffer from chronic back pain in the U.S. every year. If you've never experienced a back injury or pain, be thankful. Chronic back pain affects every aspect of a person's life, from participating in sports to limitations with everyday activities, like cooking dinner. In fact, many people with chronic back pain can't even make a reliable living and put food on the table. Almost 83 million workdays are lost every year due to choric back pain.
The inability to work and provide isn't just a physical issue - it can become an emotional one too. Many people suffering from chronic back pain also suffer from depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, in the past, chronic back pain sufferers wanting to avoid addictive medications and invasive surgeries had few viable relief options. However, if you're suffering from a chronic back issue like sciatica, a pinched nerve, or a bulging disc, pain relief may be closer than you think.
Modern chiropractic care and, more specifically, a spinal decompression chiropractor in James Island, SC, may be the long-term solution you need for chronic back pain.
A common misconception is that chiropractors only adjust your back and neck when, in fact, they treat the whole body with all-natural treatments. Here at Elite Healthcare, our doctors focus on your overall health, not just pain. We want to find and address the underlying causes of your symptoms. If you're unfamiliar with an integrative approach to medicine, this strategy may seem new. Our chiropractic care is less about putting a band-aid on the problem and more about finding a natural, long-term solution to your pain.
Fortunately, our experienced chiropractors provide the best in natural pain relief. Prescription and over-the-counter pain medications mask the symptoms you're experiencing versus getting to the cause of your pain. Pain is often the result of your spine being out of alignment, which leads to nerve issues. Once your spine is back in alignment, the nerves function correctly again.
Because our chiropractic center offers a combination of different therapies and non-surgical treatments, we provide a comprehensive approach to healing. Depending on the extent of your back problems, spinal decompression therapy may be the answer to your chronic pain problems.
Initially developed in 1985 by Dr. Allan Dyer, spinal decompression has been used by chiropractors for years. Unfortunately, spinal decompression is often passed over as a viable treatment, despite its numerous benefits.
In the past, patients suffering from chronic back pain issues like herniated discs were usually prescribed powerful medications. They were instructed to refrain from physical activities, referred to a physical therapist, and sent on their way. While physical therapy has an important role in back pain recovery, some back conditions need a more comprehensive treatment approach. For those patients, surgery seemed like the only option.
Today, patients with chronic back pain have many more options to consider. One of the most effective treatments for serious back pain is spinal decompression. This proven therapy, provided by Elite Healthcare, has been shown to significantly reduce pain and help patients live a normal, even active lifestyle once again.
Spinal decompression, also called Lumbar Cervical Decompression Therapy (LCD Therapy), is a very effective non-surgical solution to chronic back pain problems. If you're like most patients, your back pain is caused by disc issues related to your spine. This type of therapy uses computer technology and a spinal decompression machine in cityname, state, to stretch your spinal column slowly and gently, relieving abnormal pressure on the discs in your back, which sit in between your vertebrae.
This precise stretching action causes negative pressure to form inside the discs in your back, making them retract. With time, this negative pressure causes a reverse vacuum of sorts that actually draws your protruding discs into place. When pressure is removed from the disc segments in your spine, you experience much-needed pain relief.
The primary purpose of spinal decompression therapy is to provide you with immediate pain relief while creating a healthy environment to heal your spinal disc condition. Some of the most common conditions that spinal decompression therapy treats include:
This happens when spinal discs in your back are pushed outside of the spinal canal. When pushed outside of their usual space, these discs can put pressure on the nerves in your spine, resulting in localized pain and pain throughout your body. If a bulging disc is left untreated, it has a high chance of rupturing, which can necessitate surgery and longer recovery time.
Herniated discs are discs in your back that fracture or crack and leak fluid. The fluid or gel that leaks from a herniated disc may irritate the nerves in your back. When this happens, you may experience an intense burning sensation that shoots up and down your lower back and legs.
As you grow older, joints in your body, like your knees and hips, begin to wear away with time. The same thing can happen to the discs in your back. Often caused by heavy lifting or a family history of spine problems, degenerative discs are painful and can lead to serious situations. In advanced cases, bone spurs can form and affect the nerves of your spine.
When a herniated disc or bone spur begins to put pressure on the nerves in your back, it often causes sciatica. Sciatica is a common back problem that causes pain to radiate from your lower back down your legs via your sciatic nerve. Sometimes, this pain is only felt in one of your legs.
This condition is similar to arthritis of your spine, where the cartilage inside your facet joint breaks down and becomes inflamed. The result is often intense neck and back pain. It's most often caused by degenerative changes in the joints located between the bones of your spine.
This painful condition manifests when the space in your backbone is too small. When this happens, pressure impacts your spinal cord and the nerves that travel through it. Like other conditions treated by a spinal decompression therapy cityname, state, stenosis is caused by wear-and-tear in your back, which forms arthritis.
This term is often used to classify a range of back problems, most often caused by a pinched nerve root in your spinal column. This pinched nerve root may occur in different locations down your spine, like the lumbar or thoracic areas. Usually caused by a narrowing of the space where your nerve root leaves the spine, symptoms of this condition include pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness.
If you're looking for a safe way to relieve your chronic back pain, spinal decompression should be on your list of treatments to consider. This painless procedure is backed by research showing higher success rates in many patients when compared to spinal surgery. Unlike many medications, spinal decompression from Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine is designed to correct the condition you're facing while also minimizing costs and eliminating recovery and downtime.
Some of the most popular reasons why patients choose spinal decompression over surgery and other treatments include:
Invasive procedures, like back surgeries, often leave the patient racked with pain, long recovery times, and complications. Sometimes, the surgery doesn't work as intended, leaving the patient responsible for a therapy that didn't work correctly. As a non-invasive treatment, spinal decompression therapy can treat back and neck pain without needles, incisions, or harmful manipulations of the spine.
Getting back pain relief from surgery is far from guaranteed. However, because spinal decompression targets the underlying causes of your back pain, it's a much more effective long-term treatment. Spinal decompression is not a quick fix. When coupled with positive lifestyle changes like losing weight, you can maximize the pain-relieving benefits of spinal decompression.
Surgery of the back and spine requires the patient to be bedridden and uncomfortable for days and even weeks. Recovering from back surgery is no easy feat and often requires strong pain medications to help. Sometimes, back surgeries don't go as planned, causing complications and worse scenarios. Spinal decompression, on the other hand, is very effective and doesn't require much recovery time at all. Once your spinal decompression session is over, you'll probably be able to drive yourself home from our office.
One of the least talked about issues with back pain medications is that they only treat the pain, not the underlying causes. For many patients, relying on meds to relieve back pain fosters dependency on pain pills. Pain pill addiction is a very serious issue in the U.S., often leading patients down a dark path. With spinal decompression, you won't have to worry about taking pills for pain relief. That's because the root causes of your back pain are addressed, not just the symptoms.
If you were to look at the cost of surgery and subsequent years of prescription medication, you might be shocked. When compared to spinal decompression, surgery is a much more expensive treatment to consider. You've got to take the cost of surgery into account, but also the fact that you'll be forced to take time off work. By choosing spinal decompression therapy, you're choosing a safe, non-surgical treatment that doesn't require any time off work.
Spinal decompression relieves pressure on disrupted discs, causing them to retract back into place. This revolutionary treatment also lets oxygen, fluids, and nutrients re-enter your spinal discs, which provides additional healing.
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By now, you probably have a better idea of how spinal decompression can help rid your life of back pain. But spinal decompression treatment does more than help with bulging discs, herniated discs, arthritis, and more. It has also been shown to provide patients with important quality-of-life benefits.
As mentioned above, harsh surgeries leave you bedridden and unable to work for long periods of time. Spinal decompression allows you to jump right back into the workforce, so you can continue providing for your family. Plus, reducing your back pain naturally increases your mobility since you won't be stressing about hurting yourself while moving. Instead, you'll be living in the moment.
One of the worst symptoms affecting people with back pain is the inability to sleep well. Sleeping with back pain can be horrible, causing you to toss and turn to find a comfortable spot. As soon as you find one and get settled, your back starts to hurt again. It's a vicious cycle, but adjusting your spine and relieving pressure with spinal decompression will help you get a good night's rest.
Did you know that when your spine is decompressed, it helps fluids circulate throughout your body? These fluids actually flush your lymphatic system, which helps support your overall immune system. Better circulation also benefits your brain and can help boost concentration and memory. The improved circulation from spinal decompression may also distribute oxygen and nutrients to your skin, creating a multi-benefit effect.
We are happy to answer your questions, and help you find the services you need. Please message us to get started.
At Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, we practice an integrated approach to pain relief and chiropractic care. Our goal is to restore your spine to its proper alignment, which speeds up your recovery time and prevents additional injuries. If chronic back pain has taken over your life, it's time to visit our chiropractic office for a thorough evaluation.
Ask yourself this: Have you been suffering from headaches and sleepless nights due to muscle strain? Is your ability to work and put food on the table compromised due to a pinched nerve? No amount of over-the-counter pain medication can provide a long-term fix for such an issue. Thankfully, our chiropractors have years of experience providing relief to patients just like yourself.
After a comprehensive exam, our doctor will create an individualized treatment plan tailored to your body. That way, we can address the full scope of your symptoms by correcting any root causes of your back pain.
From minor chiropractic adjustments to spinal decompression treatment, we'll find the solution that your back and body need to heal correctly. If you're ready to get back on the road to better health, we're here to help every step of the way. Contact our Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine today to get started.
(843) 936-6238
Six Berkeley County School District high school basketball teams appear in the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association’s top 10 polls for Feb. 7.At No. 1 in Class AAAAA, Stratford’s girls headline the group. Goose Creek’s boys are ranked fifth in Class AAAAA and Philip Simmons’s girls fifth in Class AAA.Playoffs begin Feb. 15.5A Boys Top 101. Dorman2. Conway3. Lexington4. Summerville5. Goose Creek6. Cane Bay7. Byrnes8. ...
Six Berkeley County School District high school basketball teams appear in the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association’s top 10 polls for Feb. 7.
At No. 1 in Class AAAAA, Stratford’s girls headline the group. Goose Creek’s boys are ranked fifth in Class AAAAA and Philip Simmons’s girls fifth in Class AAA.
Playoffs begin Feb. 15.
5A Boys Top 10
1. Dorman
2. Conway
3. Lexington
4. Summerville
5. Goose Creek
6. Cane Bay
7. Byrnes
8. JL Mann
9. TL Hanna
10. Fort Mill
5A Girls Top 10
1. Stratford
2. Mauldin
3. Lexington
4. Summerville
5. Spring Valley
6. Rock Hill
7. Woodmont
8. Sumter
9. Carolina Forest
10. TL Hanna
4A Boys Top 10
1. North Augusta
2. Lancaster
3. Catawba Ridge
4. Greenville
5. Westside
6. Irmo
7. Wilson
8. Greer
9. James Island
10. Indian Land
4A Girls Top 10
1. North Augusta
2. South Pointe
3. Westwood
4. South Florence
5. Catawba Ridge
6. Pickens
7. Bluffton
8. Riverside
9. Hartsville
10. Wade Hampton/Easley
3A Boys Top 10
1. Crestwood
2. Orangeburg-Wilkinson
3. Manning
4. Wren
5. Loris
6. Clinton
7. Daniel
8. Travelers Rest
9. Lake City
10. Union County
3A Girls Top 10
1. Camden
2. Southside
3. Wren
4. Lower Richland
5. Phillip Simmons
6. Blue Ridge
7. Crestwood
8. Orangeburg-Wilkinson
9. Emerald
10. Crescent
2A Boys Top 10
1. Gray Collegiate
2. Oceanside Collegiate
3. Keenan
4. Landrum
5. Andrew Jackson
6. Wade Hampton
7. Strom Thurmond
8. Woodland
9. Saluda
10. Central
2A Girls Top 10
1. Keenan
2. Gray Collegiate
3. Andrew Jackson
4. Silver Bluff
5. Bishop England
6. Chesterfield
7. Timberland
8. Wade Hampton
9. Oceanside Collegiate
10. Lee Central
1A Boys Top 10
1. Christ Church
2. Scott’s Branch
3. Denmark-Olar
4. Great Falls
5. High Point Academy
6. Estill
7. Calhoun Falls
8. Whale Branch
9. North
10. Baptist Hill
1A Girls Top 10
1. Military Magnet
2. Denmark-Olar
3. High Point Academy
4. Lake View
5. Carvers Bay
6. Christ Church
7. Calhoun Falls
8. Estill
9. McBee
10. Cross
JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — The Lowcountry Cajun Festival will return at James Island County Park on April 22 from noon to 6 p.m.New for 2023, festival admission will be charged per vehicle, and tickets are available for advance purchase, according to a Feb. 23 press release. A limited number of vehicles will be admitted. Tickets will be $35 per standard vehicle of up to 15 people in advance. If available, tickets at the gate will be $40 per vehicle. For additional details and to purchase tickets, visit ...
JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — The Lowcountry Cajun Festival will return at James Island County Park on April 22 from noon to 6 p.m.
New for 2023, festival admission will be charged per vehicle, and tickets are available for advance purchase, according to a Feb. 23 press release. A limited number of vehicles will be admitted. Tickets will be $35 per standard vehicle of up to 15 people in advance. If available, tickets at the gate will be $40 per vehicle. For additional details and to purchase tickets, visit CharlestonCountyParks.com.
Gold Passes will be valid for vehicle admission; the pass must be presented at the gate for entry. Gold Passes will not be sold on site the day of the festival, but may be purchased in advance online. Receipt of purchase will not be accepted, according to the press release.
Read more: Lowcountry Cajun Festival returns to James Island County Park on Saturday
According to the press release, the 2023 Lowcountry Cajun Festival entertainment lineup is Shrimp City Slim Swamp All-Stars from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Les Freres Michot from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Corey Arceneaux & The Zydeco Hot Peppers from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The festival's small stage will host Friends of Coastal South Carolina for a program called “Who Calls the Swamp Home?” at 1 p.m. and the annual Crawfish Eating Contest will take place at 2:30 p.m., according to the press release. Other festivities include a crafters' market, souvenirs for sale and a kids' area.
Read more: Lowcountry Cajun Festival
Children can enjoy access to the inflatables and climbing wall in the kids' area all day with the purchase of a $10 hand stamp. Credit cards will be accepted at select locations, but attendees are encouraged to bring cash for convenience purposes, according to the press release.
No coolers or outside food or alcohol permitted, according to the press release. Carpooling is highly encouraged. Pets are not permitted to this event. James Island County Park will be closed to regular park guests on April 22 in order to host the festival.
The press release says Lowcountry Cajun Festival is presented by Charleston Animal Society, Coca-Cola and Charleston County Parks. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit CharlestonCountyParks.com or call 843-795-4386.
A Charleston-based sushi restaurant and sports bar with two Lowcountry locations will add a third site by the spring in a former bar and grill on James Island.Locals Sushi & Sports Pub plans to open after buying the lease for the space at 792 Folly Road where The Roost Bar N’ Grille operated until Jan. 31 according to Jim Moring with Restaurantbrokers.info, who handled the transactio...
A Charleston-based sushi restaurant and sports bar with two Lowcountry locations will add a third site by the spring in a former bar and grill on James Island.
Locals Sushi & Sports Pub plans to open after buying the lease for the space at 792 Folly Road where The Roost Bar N’ Grille operated until Jan. 31 according to Jim Moring with Restaurantbrokers.info, who handled the transaction for the property owner and tenant.
Locals owner Shawn Sherman said he’s planning some cosmetic changes, and the 4,500-square-foot venue should be open in a couple of months. He also plans to add a patio bar in the future.
Sherman took over the remainder of the existing lease term of about a year with the option to renew for two five-year terms.
The site once housed Charleston Sports Pub before it moved to Maybank Highway in 2021.
Locals has other restaurants in Mount Pleasant and West Ashley. The Roost has another location in Avondale in West Ashley.
A new restaurant from the couple who brought Community Table and Kiki & Rye to Mount Pleasant is ready for its debut in downtown Charleston.
Southbound, part of Free Reign Restaurants, will open at 4 p.m. Feb. 10 at 72 Cannon St.
Southbound’s menu will include appetizers as well as main dishes such as steaks, pork chops and seasonal fish along with vegetarian options.
The main level of the 2,000-square-foot space features a 10-foot open hearth with seating around it and about 45 seats outside on a wrap-around porch and terrace. The upstairs includes a bar and dining area. It will be open for dinner 4-10 p.m. daily.
Free Reign is owned by Ryan and Kelleanne Jones.
An Italian eatery recently opened at Citadel Mall. Bella Roma can be found in the food court. It’s owned by Fabio and Barbara Spadaro.
A women’s shoe shop is coming to Mount Pleasant.
Dear Lucy plans to open tentatively by March 1 at 1421 Shucker Circle in the Oyster Park development off Ben Sawyer Boulevard.
The owner of the 1,500-square-foot space is Melissa Desautels. The Mount Pleasant resident operates another store in Burlington, Vt.
Charleston International Airport recently welcomed new vendors to its retail lineup.
Hudson Nonstop and Sunglass Hut are now open beyond the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint.
Hudson Nonstop sells food, beverages and travel amenities. The CHS shop features Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” technology, allowing customers to enter by swiping a credit card or holding their palm over an Amazon One device. It also offers a contactless way to pay, charging shoppers for goods they take off the shelves as they exit.
“It’s the ultimate convenience and self-serve option for fliers on the go,” Charleston airport CEO Elliott Summey said.
Nearby, Sunglass Hut offers a range of styles from Ray-Ban, Oakley and other brands.
Tractor Supply Co. is out to plow new ground in the Charleston area.
The chain plans to build a 22,000-square-foot store on 7.25 acres on Dorchester Road between Shady Lane and Stack’s Nursery.
The store will be the Tennessee-based company’s fifth in the Lowcountry. Others are in Awendaw, Moncks Corner, Ravenel and near Nexton in Berkeley County.
An affiliate of developer Farmer & Associates of Aiken paid $1.19 million for the Dorchester County site, according to buyer’s representative Will Sherrod of the commercial real estate firm NAI Charleston.
The land was previously owned by Old Fort Baptist Church and Oakbrook Community Church.
The new store will include a garden center and outdoor display area. Completion is targeted by the end of the year, Sherrod said.
The Aiken buyer will develop and lease the site to Tractor Supply. About two acres of outparcel space will be set aside for future purchase.
Doug Richardson with Carolina One Real Estate and Michele Costanzo with eXp Realty represented the sellers.
An East Cooper footwear store is undergoing a makeover.
Rack Room Shoes in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre will be closed until late March for a total renovation, according to shopping center spokeswoman Kathi Herrmann. The 9,108-square-foot store closed in early February.
A grand reopening is planned for March 25.
The Planet Fitness gym site at 2070 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. in Citadel Mall reopened Feb. 6 after undergoing renovations since November.
The remodel included the gym’s Black Card Spa and locker rooms. Also, overhead televisions were added to the cardio theater.
A North Carolina-based supermarket chain with 19 locations in the Lowcountry hopes to improve its diversity of product suppliers.
Harris Teeter, an affiliate of The Kroger Co., will accept applications through Feb. 10 for its virtual Supplier Diversity Summit set for March 28-30.
The grocer will work to identify and increase sourcing for retail-ready products typically found in a supermarket from suppliers that are at least 51 percent-owned, -operated and -managed by people who are disadvantaged, disabled, LGBTQ+, military veterans, minorities and/or women.
Harris Teeter is partnering with RangeMe, an Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing company, to manage submissions. To apply, go to tinyurl.com/2zwt6e2c.
South Carolina House budget writers aimed to continue investing in economic development and the people of the state, the House’s lead writer says of the Ways and Means Committee budget proposal approved last week.Among the investments is money to prepare land for companies to locate, to freeze college tuition rates, to create new state parks and create a center for school safety.Lawmakers have about $3.5 billion in new annual and one-time revenue to spend in this spring’s budget discussions for the spending year tha...
South Carolina House budget writers aimed to continue investing in economic development and the people of the state, the House’s lead writer says of the Ways and Means Committee budget proposal approved last week.
Among the investments is money to prepare land for companies to locate, to freeze college tuition rates, to create new state parks and create a center for school safety.
Lawmakers have about $3.5 billion in new annual and one-time revenue to spend in this spring’s budget discussions for the spending year that begins July 1. In total, the House budget-writing committee proposed a $13.8 billion spending plan.
The full House is scheduled to debate the budget the week of March 13. After House approval, the Senate will start its deliberations.
Budget writers also had to take into account the second year of a scheduled tax cut that lowers the maximum income tax rate from 6.5% to 6.4%. The cut keeps about $96 million out of state coffers.
“I think this budget is an investment in the people and prosperity in South Carolina,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bruce Bannister, R-Greenville. “Low taxes, conservative budgeting, aggressive economic development efforts lead to a strong economy, which leads to additional opportunity to invest in the people and the economy in South Carolina.”
Among the planned expenditures, budget writers want to give $200 million to the S.C. Department of Commerce for economic development site preparation such as putting in roads, water and sewer infrastructure to sites for major economic development projects. An additional $5.5 million would go to the agency to update its branding efforts when marketing to businesses.
“Site preparation is critical to developing a competitive edge for South Carolina in the southeast to attract companies that can be economic drivers for our state and on a local level,” said state Rep. Leon Stavrinakis, D-Charleston.
The Ways and Means Committee also proposed spending $25 million on state park development, upgrades and maintenance.
The state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism has acquired land to build out the Ramsey Grove State Park in Georgetown County, Fort Johnson State Park in James Island and Black River State Park in Williamsburg and Georgetown counties.
The last park opened by PRT was H. Cooper Black in Cheraw in 2006.
“To the degree we can add unique and special things for our citizens to enjoy and that will further draw people to South Carolina to contribute to our local economy, that’s a win for us,” Stavrinakis said. “These are amazing properties and pieces of land that we’re preserving or making special places out of them.”
Budget writers also included $3.2 million to create a center for school safety at the former Gilbert Elementary School in Lexington 1. The center was among the recommendations made by Gov. Henry McMaster in his proposed budget and is in line with the plan to have a school resource officer at every school in the state.
“Having regular training sessions is really a response to (what happened in) Uvalde’s failure to act, ‘Hey, this is what you do when there’s an active shooter,’ and they’re going to go work on that and that’ll be part of their training,” Bannister said.
In-state college students also are in line to not face an increase in their tuition rates for the fifth year in a row. House budget writers proposed $69 million for tuition mitigation to freeze tuition rates for in-state students.
“We wanted to focus on the access and affordability in higher education for our young students across the state,” said state Rep. Nathan Ballentine, R-Lexington. “Freezing tuition prices obviously prevents an increased burden on families and our students throughout the state.”
House budget writers also want to spend $196 million for Medicaid and Medicare programs.
Part of the expense includes replacing matching dollars lost from a decrease in federal funding because the state’s economy is doing well, Medicare premium increases, increased reimbursement rates, increased costs for inflation and other costs to maintain the same level of service in the state.
“This will draw more providers to our underserved communities and that’s been a goal of our subcommittee for the past five or six years,” said state Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-Beaufort, who leads a panel overseeing health care spending.
Again not included in the budget proposal is money for to start building Interstate 73 to connect Interstate 95 to Myrtle Beach, a roadway that would encourage economic development in the Grand Strand and help with hurricane evacuations.
McMaster and Horry County lawmakers last year sought $300 million to start the highway, a recommendation the governor pushed for again this year. However, lawmakers included $200 million to speed up bridge work planned by the S.C. Department of Transportation around the state.
“My feel for the House is there’s still a very strong desire to fix the (current) interstate system,” Bannister said. “That we have to make sure that it’s up to snuff before we start building new roads.”
The initial budget proposed by Ways and Means does not include member-directed spending for projects in their districts.
Member projects are expected to be added when the House receives the budget back from the Senate. In recent years some earmarked projects have been controversial, including how money went to a nonprofit run by a lawmaker’s friend and how an Upstate Christian organization wanted to use state dollars to build a school.
Bannister said the Ways and Means Committee is working on the best way to review projects before they get state money, to make sure organizations or nonprofits that get dollars are in good standing, and if the project is worth the investment.
“We’re trying to figure out if there’s a way to vet those projects better than we have in the past,” Bannister said.
Bannister did not know how many member projects would ultimately be included but the committee has billions in requests.
This money will come from the first half-cent sales tax that the county approved back in 2004.CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Millions of dollars will come from Charleston County Council to go towards the I-526 expansion after Tuesday night’s approval. This money will come from the first half-cent sales tax that the county approved back in 2004.This is the second time Charleston County Council has attempted this vote. It was finalized with five yeas, three nays and one absence. Just like the council was during discussion, publi...
This money will come from the first half-cent sales tax that the county approved back in 2004.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Millions of dollars will come from Charleston County Council to go towards the I-526 expansion after Tuesday night’s approval. This money will come from the first half-cent sales tax that the county approved back in 2004.
This is the second time Charleston County Council has attempted this vote. It was finalized with five yeas, three nays and one absence. Just like the council was during discussion, public comment was also divided.
“You are our trustees,” Elizabeth Singleton, who is against the county funding said. “This is not your money. It’s ours.”
Bradley Taggart, for the county funding, disagreed.
“Poll after poll has shown that people with this project are in fact permanently in favor of completing 526,” Taggart said.
Rick Voight, against county funding, says there are better ways to spend billions of dollars and should use better outcomes.
Joe Greck, for the county funding, encouraged all of council to support the funding, which they ultimately did.
The Mark Clark Extension will extend from West Ashley to Johns Island, James Island and areas of the Charleston metropolitan area to provide easier transportation and improved safety. The total project cost is more than $2 billion.
Councilman Teddie Pryor Sr. District 5 says if this began when it was first presented 42 years ago, it would have only cost around $280 million.
“And you know, people are saying ‘Well why do we delay it?’” Pryor said. “The more we delay, the more it’s going to cost because construction goes up.”
Councilman Larry Kobrovsky for District 2 says otherwise.
“I think it is a tremendous gamble,” Kobrovsky said. “Other words, we voted to spend $75 million of taxpayers’ money without any guarantee that it will be put to any use.”
Kobrovsky says he wishes they would have waited until the next sales tax referendum in two years for them to know exactly where this money will go.
“If we have $75 million that was designated for transportation money and we can put that to meaty use, let’s do that and not gamble,” Kobrovsky said.
Pryor says putting money towards 526 will not defer any other transportation projects going on.
“We just need to move on and move forward,” Pryor said. “People can make excuses or comments when they don’t want anything done, but I’m trusting that Secretary Hall and SCDOT working with us to get this project completed.”
Pryor says the next step is for South Carolina Department of Transportation to start the permitting process. No word right now on when that could start.
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