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 Mount Pleasant, 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.
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.
While the hot, new restaurants tend to open in downtown Charleston, folks east of the Cooper need to eat too. Mount Pleasant serves up a lot of hidden gems that might not get the same publicity as the peninsula hot spots.This group spans multiple cuisines, from Japanese to Vietnamese to Southwestern, and collectively satisfies all of your restaurant needs.Read MoreEater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of...
While the hot, new restaurants tend to open in downtown Charleston, folks east of the Cooper need to eat too. Mount Pleasant serves up a lot of hidden gems that might not get the same publicity as the peninsula hot spots.
This group spans multiple cuisines, from Japanese to Vietnamese to Southwestern, and collectively satisfies all of your restaurant needs.
Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.
After a successful run with Ma’am Saab at former food hall Workshop, restaurateurs Maryam Ghaznavi and Raheel Gauba opened another Pakistani restaurant, Malika Canteen, in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre. Popular menu items include dahi puri, chicken tikka masala, the kabab roll plate, and paneer tikka masala.
Located in Towne Center, Savi Cucina has become known for its excellent wine selection, including a wine-tasting room and coveted inclusion in the wine club membership. Ricotta gnocchi and pizza options including the original fig and prosciutto pie accompany other Italian classics. Situated across from Regal Palmetto Grande movie theatre, Savi Cucina is a great stop before a film.
Chef Eric Milley constantly rotates the offerings on the menu at the Shellmore, but there’s always an oyster and cheese selection available to pair with the amazing wine selection. The restaurant is small and the kitchen is even smaller, but it puts out big flavors like shrimp and scallop risotto with lobster cream or rigatoni bolognese.
Kanpai is truly a staple of Mount Pleasant dining. Chef Sean Park puts the utmost care into every plate and seems to score the freshest catches around. Always check out the specials, which can range from uni to chutoro.
Open since 2003, Langdon's serves some of the best fine dining in Mount Pleasant. The dining room is set for a special night out, but it isn’t stuffy. Start with local goat cheese gnocchi or seared foie gras and then move on to a lamb ribeye or duck breast with celery root puree.
Brunch is serious business at this restaurant that draws crowds for PB&J pancakes and breakfast martinis. There’s a downtown location as well.
A South-meets-Southwest staple of Mount Pleasant, Red Drum has served the community since 2005. An inviting patio, great margaritas made with real ingredients, crispy fried shrimp, and a wood-fired creations from chef Ben Berryhill keep this a date night destination for many in the Lowcountry.
Expect friendly and fast service at this Mount Pleasant deli. At Mozzo, it’s common to hear, “Hey Jimmy, are you having the regular?” Other patrons can choose from an extensive sandwich menu featuring proteins like chicken cutlet, roast beef, turkey, and Italian meats served on ten different kinds of bread. Daily soups, house-made pickles, and local iced tea are a few of the many accompaniments offered.
Interested in grabbing a few cocktails and watching the sunset? Head here. Chef Denis Crutchfield’s menu offers plenty to snack on, whether it be roasted oysters with “casino butter” or pimento cheese with bacon jam, plus flatbreads and entrees such as grilled swordfish and pasta bolognese.
Oysters are the star at Nico, but there’s so much more to explore. This bustling brasserie from chef Nico Romo serves a wide variety of raw bar items and classic French dishes like escargot and burgundy sea scallops. The wood-fired oven brings a bit of smokiness to the menu through a selection of roasted bivalves and whole roasted fish. The brunch is popular here as well.
Locals like to debate whether Shem Creek dive Wreck of the Richard & Charlene is too touristy or just the right amount of out-of-towners. Nestled on the water, the dining room is not much more than a screen porch and some plastic furniture. It’s no frills, so stop by after a trip to the beach for some boiled peanuts, a cold beer, and fried shrimp.
Post House is a handsome tavern anchoring the Old Village. The neighborhood restaurant focuses on coastal, seasonal cuisine, and classic cocktails. Diners can start their meals with blue crab toast or Abundant Seafood crudo and move on to a half chicken or smothered pork loin. In addition to dinner, the restaurant offers lunch and brunch.
Established in 1945, H&R Sweet Shop is a staple of the Old Village. The address is an old shotgun-style building with a small cafe on the left and a hat shop on the right. Visitors come for deals on griddled burgers, fried oyster plates, and daily specials like cabbage and rice — many dishes are $10-$20 and some less than that.
After a successful run with Ma’am Saab at former food hall Workshop, restaurateurs Maryam Ghaznavi and Raheel Gauba opened another Pakistani restaurant, Malika Canteen, in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre. Popular menu items include dahi puri, chicken tikka masala, the kabab roll plate, and paneer tikka masala.
Located in Towne Center, Savi Cucina has become known for its excellent wine selection, including a wine-tasting room and coveted inclusion in the wine club membership. Ricotta gnocchi and pizza options including the original fig and prosciutto pie accompany other Italian classics. Situated across from Regal Palmetto Grande movie theatre, Savi Cucina is a great stop before a film.
Chef Eric Milley constantly rotates the offerings on the menu at the Shellmore, but there’s always an oyster and cheese selection available to pair with the amazing wine selection. The restaurant is small and the kitchen is even smaller, but it puts out big flavors like shrimp and scallop risotto with lobster cream or rigatoni bolognese.
Kanpai is truly a staple of Mount Pleasant dining. Chef Sean Park puts the utmost care into every plate and seems to score the freshest catches around. Always check out the specials, which can range from uni to chutoro.
Open since 2003, Langdon's serves some of the best fine dining in Mount Pleasant. The dining room is set for a special night out, but it isn’t stuffy. Start with local goat cheese gnocchi or seared foie gras and then move on to a lamb ribeye or duck breast with celery root puree.
Brunch is serious business at this restaurant that draws crowds for PB&J pancakes and breakfast martinis. There’s a downtown location as well.
A South-meets-Southwest staple of Mount Pleasant, Red Drum has served the community since 2005. An inviting patio, great margaritas made with real ingredients, crispy fried shrimp, and a wood-fired creations from chef Ben Berryhill keep this a date night destination for many in the Lowcountry.
Expect friendly and fast service at this Mount Pleasant deli. At Mozzo, it’s common to hear, “Hey Jimmy, are you having the regular?” Other patrons can choose from an extensive sandwich menu featuring proteins like chicken cutlet, roast beef, turkey, and Italian meats served on ten different kinds of bread. Daily soups, house-made pickles, and local iced tea are a few of the many accompaniments offered.
Interested in grabbing a few cocktails and watching the sunset? Head here. Chef Denis Crutchfield’s menu offers plenty to snack on, whether it be roasted oysters with “casino butter” or pimento cheese with bacon jam, plus flatbreads and entrees such as grilled swordfish and pasta bolognese.
Oysters are the star at Nico, but there’s so much more to explore. This bustling brasserie from chef Nico Romo serves a wide variety of raw bar items and classic French dishes like escargot and burgundy sea scallops. The wood-fired oven brings a bit of smokiness to the menu through a selection of roasted bivalves and whole roasted fish. The brunch is popular here as well.
Locals like to debate whether Shem Creek dive Wreck of the Richard & Charlene is too touristy or just the right amount of out-of-towners. Nestled on the water, the dining room is not much more than a screen porch and some plastic furniture. It’s no frills, so stop by after a trip to the beach for some boiled peanuts, a cold beer, and fried shrimp.
Post House is a handsome tavern anchoring the Old Village. The neighborhood restaurant focuses on coastal, seasonal cuisine, and classic cocktails. Diners can start their meals with blue crab toast or Abundant Seafood crudo and move on to a half chicken or smothered pork loin. In addition to dinner, the restaurant offers lunch and brunch.
Established in 1945, H&R Sweet Shop is a staple of the Old Village. The address is an old shotgun-style building with a small cafe on the left and a hat shop on the right. Visitors come for deals on griddled burgers, fried oyster plates, and daily specials like cabbage and rice — many dishes are $10-$20 and some less than that.
Published: Dec. 13, 2024 at 4:15 PM PST|MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - Neighbors and community members rallied together to make a Christmas miracle happen for one Mount Pleasant couple during a time of need.Lida Finlayson was surprised to see the overwhelming support from her community after posting on her Nextdoor neighborhood app asking if anyone knew of someone or a business that hung up Christmas lights on the outside of homes.Finlayson said in her post that her husband, Michael, is recovering from stage three pancrea...
Published: Dec. 13, 2024 at 4:15 PM PST|
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - Neighbors and community members rallied together to make a Christmas miracle happen for one Mount Pleasant couple during a time of need.
Lida Finlayson was surprised to see the overwhelming support from her community after posting on her Nextdoor neighborhood app asking if anyone knew of someone or a business that hung up Christmas lights on the outside of homes.
Finlayson said in her post that her husband, Michael, is recovering from stage three pancreatic cancer and she herself had hip surgery about a week ago. She said her children are going to be visiting from Chicago for the holidays and she wanted her house to be in the Christmas spirit when they were there.
Her post caught the attention of many neighbors, including some she had never met before, with over 100 comments. Inspired by her post, a group came together to decorate the Finlaysons’ house at no cost. They brought packs of lights, extension cords, and snacks, working together to create a true Christmas miracle for the family.
One of those neighbors, Cynthia Kalocsay, said that her story really stuck with her. Kalocsay said her mother had passed away around Christmas several years ago, and she understands how challenging it can be to navigate health challenges during the holiday season.
“I just said ‘let’s make this happen’ and the outpour of everybody jumping on, companies, people not just from this community, I don’t live in this community, from all over Mount Pleasant jumped on board,” Kalocsay said. “I feel like you know that’s kind of what Christmas is about is helping neighbors.”
Lida Finlayson said that if her neighbors hadn’t rallied together, their house wouldn’t have gotten decorated at all. She said she can’t wait for her family to see the decorations when they come.
“We would not have been able to decorate our house. We wouldn’t have had Christmas outside at all and for them to see and I wanted them to see, that was the whole point,” Lida said. “When they come they’re going to see this beautiful decoration and I’m so happy because otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to do it without our neighbors. Our wonderful neighbors.”
Michael Finlayson said he and a few of the handymen who came to help spent time searching their attic for Christmas lights but couldn’t find any. He expressed how grateful he was to everyone who stepped in and brought the spirit of Christmas to their home.
“We were just like without anything and these people brought so many lights today, it’s just crazy. All of these lights are not ours,” he said.
Kalocsay said that she was happy to see such a positive story come from the Nextdoor page, noting that a lot of times it’s used for people to criticize each other, and it shouldn’t be that way.
“This was a nice story and it was the community coming together instead of bashing them on Nextdoor, so I think that’s what Nextdoor is about is a situation like this where we can all come together as a community and help,” Kalocsay said.
The group of neighbors has already scheduled a time to come back and help the Finlaysons by taking all of the decorations down in January.
Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.
Published: Dec. 10, 2024 at 7:45 PM PST|MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - Mount Pleasant leaders held a special town council meeting Tuesday night where several community members spoke about a now-dropped sales tax increase proposal.This comes the day after Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie made a public apology and announced the tax, which would have been used to fund major develop...
Published: Dec. 10, 2024 at 7:45 PM PST|
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - Mount Pleasant leaders held a special town council meeting Tuesday night where several community members spoke about a now-dropped sales tax increase proposal.
This comes the day after Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie made a public apology and announced the tax, which would have been used to fund major development projects at Patriots Point, would be dropped following major disapproval from the community.
The town council approved the first reading of a tourism development fee for the Patriots Point development just last week.
The project’s plan stated the fee was proposed as a local tax on retail items, designed to support the local economy.
A portion of the estimated funding from the fee would have been used to build the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership, to which the town has already dedicated $3 million.
Funding was also anticipated to go towards $100 million in public infrastructure projects such as a 1,000-space parking garage, better roadways, a boardwalk along the waterfront, a public park, improvements to the town soccer fields, as well as renovations to the College of Charleston and Charleston Battery soccer stadium.
Some residents that came out raised concerns about the lack of transparency about the proposed sales tax increase to the community.
“I just want to know how this came about. I follow the agendas, there is no committee meeting. It just appears. It appears the Monday after Thanksgiving,” one public commenter said. “If you live on the property. If your direct family lives in Patriots Point. If you have a family member with contracts on Patriots Point, that should be known to the public.”
Some residents brought up that Haynie should resign from his role because of this proposal going straight to the town council and not through the committee first.
“If you were a CEO of a public company and you pulled these shenanigans without board approval you would be fired. You should do the right thing and resign effective immediately. If you don’t, the voters of Mount Pleasant will make sure you will be gone in November,” one public commenter said.
Another public commenter from the Coastal Conservation League brought up concerns related to protecting the land.
“We firmly believe that the proposed permanent structures and necessary infrastructure plans on the conservation easement property which includes the conference center and a 1,000-space parking garage do not meet the criteria of minimum improvement. Conservation easements are an essential tool in ensuring the integrity of our state’s natural resources from our water quality to wildlife to make sure these are sustained for future generations,” one public commenter said.
Another public commenter shared that although she thought the situation was a miscommunication she felt the residents shouldn’t be targeting Haynie.
“Just hearing everybody talk, I’m just going to say this seems like a bit of a witch hunt for Mayor Haynie and I don’t know perhaps some of you have only been to this because I haven’t seen a lot of your faces and I’m in here quite a bit and Mayor Haynie has done amazing things for this town and you can snicker all you want,” the public commenter said. “It seems like poor communication happened here and that’s all I’m going to say about that, but I do apologize for the witch hunt. I think it’s horrible.”
Following the public comment of the special town council meeting, each council member and Haynie spoke about the community’s concerns.
When Haynie spoke he covered concerns about protecting land at Patriots Point, accusations residents made that the town council members were only informed the day of the meeting last week before approval of the first reading, as well as a lack of transparency to residents.
“One reason this could not be thrown out to the public and I am a board member at Patriots Point and the Center for Leadership, all of that, everything that involved them up until the point that we said we could go public was privileged legal information,” Haynie said. “I met with our general council today, we reaffirmed that was the advice from the attorneys for all three. We cannot come out and discuss their landlord, tenant relationships and their legal and contractual things until they were at a point where they told us that we could go, and I hope you understand that because we had to operate under the law.”
Following the special town council meeting was the regular town council meeting, where council members received input from the public for a proposed development to be known as the Patriots Annex at Patriots Point. This development would include a mix of multi-family residential space, office, retail, hotel and conference, amphitheater, museums and public plazas. The town’s agenda says that this project is not related to the proposed tourism fee development that was dropped.
Town leaders emphasized the importance of being clear to residents that this isn’t just a change in the name of the project.
Officials say this proposed development will go to the planning commission on Dec. 11 for a public hearing, following that, it will go to the Committee, then the town council for first and second readings in January.
Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.
|Updated: Dec. 9, 2024 at 7:10 PM ESTMOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie publicly apologized Monday for the controversy surrounding a proposed sales tax increase for a major project currently underway.At a council meeting last week, members unanimously approved the first reading of a tourism development fee relating to the Patriots Point development.At a press conference on Monday, Haynie said the proposed retail fee for the project sparked major outcry among residents and because of the public...
|Updated: Dec. 9, 2024 at 7:10 PM EST
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie publicly apologized Monday for the controversy surrounding a proposed sales tax increase for a major project currently underway.
At a council meeting last week, members unanimously approved the first reading of a tourism development fee relating to the Patriots Point development.
At a press conference on Monday, Haynie said the proposed retail fee for the project sparked major outcry among residents and because of the public disapproval, the tax will be dropped.
“As a leader of the Town of Mount Pleasant, I come before you today to take full responsibility for the shortcomings and the bad optics of the rollout of the plan the town is considering for the Patriots Point district, and to ask for your forgiveness. I’m also announcing that the controversial funding mechanism, the 1% retail sales tax, will not be considered, and that idea will be dropped completely, including any discussion about a referendum since that tax will not be used regardless,” Haynie said.
Haynie asked Mount Pleasant citizens and council for a little extra grace at Monday’s press conference after he shared that one of his parents was recently hospitalized.
“My sister and I had to make the difficult decision to move both parents from their home of 55 years to a memory care residence here in Mount Pleasant. I am still involved in those adjustments on a daily basis. It was an urgent situation, and I trust that those families who have been through this will understand how all-encompassing it is. I don’t claim to have any superpowers. There are many things I would have handled differently, communicating and in the lead up to last week’s council meeting under normal circumstances,” he said.
According to the project’s overview plan, the proposed fee would have implemented a local tax on retail items, which would have helped boost the local economy.
“It is a unique blessing to have the opportunity for the Town of Mount Pleasant to be Patriot Point hosts. This is why our long-standing comprehensive plan and our economic development strategic plan direct us to make it a thriving area for its economic benefit and for that of the town. All of the town council share this vision, and that is why we are working on it. Our responsibility remains to ensure adequate infrastructure for resiliency, traffic, safety and our work on that continues,” Haynie said.
Haynie took full responsibility for his shortcomings but reassured citizens that their disapproval had been heard.
Residents upset claim the proposal completely bypassed the usual review process and went directly to the council for their approval.
Town of Mount Pleasant Councilman John Iacofano posted to Facebook saying, “While I appreciate and can support the vision behind this initiative, I am deeply concerned about the lack of transparency, the absence of stakeholder involvement, and the potential tax burden this project would place on our community. This project proposes taxing visitors and citizens of Mount Pleasant, creating one of the highest sales tax rates in the state while relinquishing control to the CVB.”
Haynie added that any ideas or discussions of a referendum are now out of the question.
“We cannot drag something as big as Patriots Point or the Medal of Honor into a local referendum because those things are controversial and get nasty, and there won’t be a referendum because there won’t be a tax,” he said.
Haynie said since the tax has been taken off the table, there are certain improvements that no longer have funding.
“The other things will find a way, and I’m sure some of the things, probably the conference center, will probably not happen,” Haynie said.
Some of the estimated revenue collected from the tax increase was going to be used for building the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership, a project the town has already contributed $3 million towards.
The project features a 50,000-square-foot leadership facility, recreational park, renovations to Charleston Battery soccer stadium, a new 1,000-space parking garage, conference center, new public boardwalk, paved roads and signage enhancements.
Haynie said the state has given $5 million towards the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership Center.
Haynie said the council’s next step is to work backward, and their efforts to redevelop Patriots Point will proceed with better ideas.
The next town council meeting is on Dec. 10.
Haynie said since the retail tax idea is dropped, there’s no need for citizens to attend the meeting and blame the council.
“Citizens do not need to come Tuesday night and blame council. They don’t need to demand a referendum. There’ll be no 1% tax, and council is not responsible for this. I am. I’m the leader of Mount Pleasant,” he said.
Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.
If Mount Pleasant's proposed tourism development fee moves forward, it would push the town's sales tax rate to the highest in South Carolina.Since the announcement of the 1 percent retail tax, residents have raised questions about what is and isn't included, along with lack of transparency and other concerns.Town officials plan to use the estimated $17 million to be collected the first year for several big projects at Patriots Point, including funding the ...
If Mount Pleasant's proposed tourism development fee moves forward, it would push the town's sales tax rate to the highest in South Carolina.
Since the announcement of the 1 percent retail tax, residents have raised questions about what is and isn't included, along with lack of transparency and other concerns.
Town officials plan to use the estimated $17 million to be collected the first year for several big projects at Patriots Point, including funding the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership, plus a convention center and more than $100 million in public infrastructure improvements also at Patriots Point.
Those additions will include a new town-owned, 1,000-space parking garage, an expansion of the waterfront boardwalk, new turf for the town's soccer fields and improvements to the College of Charleston's soccer stadium.
A 1 percent retail sales tax was originally established by state law in 2008 in order to fund out-of-market advertising to bring in more tourists. At the time, Myrtle Beach was the only municipality that passed such a tax. Mount Pleasant could be the second.
It applies to most retail sales within the town, excluding groceries and other specified categories. Examples of taxable purchases include clothing and accessories, electronics and appliances, furniture and general retail items sold in stores.
It does extend to restaurant and dining purchases, including meals, beverages and other food and drink items.
Exclusions include essential categories like groceries, prescription medications, medical supplies, utilities and large-ticket items with capped tax rates, like vehicles.
The revenue is earmarked specifically for promoting tourism and hospitality, funding infrastructure improvements tied to tourism and offering property tax rebates to residents.
Unlike a general sales tax, the funds cannot be used for unrelated town expenses.
It's unclear exactly when discussions on the tax started.
The town states the idea was proposed as a tool to capitalize on Mount Pleasant’s growing tourism economy. Mayor Will Haynie said during the Dec. 2 special town council meeting where the idea was revealed that it was a sustainable way to fund critical infrastructure improvements at Patriots Point, support projects like the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership, expand recreational facilities and improve waterfront access.
By law, the tax may only be imposed by a municipality located in a county where revenue from the state Accommodations Tax is at least $14 million in a fiscal year, according to state law.
The Dec. 2 special meeting was the first public meeting where the fee had been discussed, followed by a press conference that detailed how the money could be spent.
It was somewhat of an unusual process for the town, with no advance public campaign on the matter, an unlinked ordinance on the agenda and a delay in a public news release.
Per state law, a second reading and vote are required to finalize the ordinance. The town expects it to be held in early January, at which time residents can speak during public comment.
To be adopted, the ordinance needs a supermajority of council or a referendum.
Estimations are based on the town's gross taxable sales in 2023, which amounted to $3.18 billion with net taxable sales totaling $1.808 billion, according to the South Carolina Department of Revenue. In the first year, more than $17 million is expected to be collected through the tax.
The 1 percent fee, if approved, would be added to consumer's retail bill. The retailer collects the tax and remits the total to the S.C. Department of Revenue. The state distributes the funds to Explore Charleston, which allocates funds to the town and designated organizations.
A portion of what is collected would be set aside for property tax rebates for Mount Pleasant homeowners in the first year. A resident with a $500,000 home could expect a $38 rebate in the first year. In years 2-10, only owner-occupied homes will see an estimated $45 credit, for example.
While the property tax rebate is a direct way to target a portion of Mount Pleasant residents for relief to offset the burden of the additional tax, there is no framework in the state law to provide relief for other residents, like renters.