County Council approves controversial plan to use tax dollars to fund Gaillard makeover

The Post and Courier reports that the city of Charleston has asked the county and the school district to forgo millions of tax dollars in order to allow the city use the money for renovations to the Gaillard Auditorium.

Instead of million of dollars going toward pressing needs like schools, job creation and police protection, the Charleston County Council wants to filter money into the Gaillard renovation plan. The County Council signed off yesterday to give up at least $12 million of the county's anticipated property taxes to the building project.

Tourism has clearly taken precedence over all else in this city.

Charleston County Council members have said they were caught off guard by the issue which was proposed to them just two months prior to yesterday's voting. Despite the abruptness, Council Chairman Teddie Pryor, Councilwoman Colleen Condon, Councilman Elliott Summey and Councilman Joe McKeown all voted in approval of the request.

Riley is defending his plan to the death by stating, "The Gaillard is a long-range investment that will benefit the region, and we felt it was an appropriate project to request an extension of the TIF."

Long-range investment? What's so wrong with the Gaillard anyway? I guess giving money to an education system in which barely half of the student graduate high school on time isn't making the cut as a long-range investment these days.

Anyway, enough from me, go read the article in The Post and Courier and throw in your own two cents.

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