Mount Pleasant Town Council Special Meeting – September 22, 2025

The Mount Pleasant Town Council held a special meeting on September 22, 2025, to establish the village rate and sales tax credit factor following the 2025 property reassessment. Public comments focused on the need for increased pay for first responders. After staff presentations and debate, the council voted 5-4 to set the operating millage rate at 34.7 mills (no rollback) and adopt the recommended sales tax credit factor.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mike Van Horn (Iron Bridge Drive) urged the council to make Mount Pleasant the gold standard for first responder pay, citing that recent pay incentive recommendations lag behind in five of six categories. He emphasized that many first responders live outside town, increasing costs and response times. He specifically asked for better pay and incentives for first responders.
• Kevin Crane (Toonswest) argued that abysmal pay shows lack of respect for first responders and noted that the town manager's pay rose from $180,000 to over $240,000 while first responders sometimes make less than fast food workers. He criticized take-home vehicles for office chiefs and suggested assigning chiefs to fire stations to improve service and reduce costs. He called for a tax increase to fund higher pay.

Discussion Items

Staff Presentation (Ms. Harness)

• Property reassessment every five years; 2025 reassessment shows 10.4% increase in property values, plus 4.9% from new growth/transfers, totaling 15.3% increase above 2024.
• State law requires a millage rollback to generate the same revenue as prior year. The allowable increase is limited to 3.06% (CPI + population growth), equating to 1 mil. Unused increases from prior three years can be banked; the town has 7.2 banked mills.
• The rollback rate would reduce operating mills from 34.7 to 31.0, generating $59.4 million (consistent with adopted budget). If council used all 8.2 available banked mills, revenue would reach $71.1 million.
• Sales tax credit factor drops from 0.00045 to 0.00037, providing a $259 credit on a $700,000 home.
• Reinforcing that debt millage is allowed to increase to cover debt service.

Council Deliberation

• Council member Brownstein noted that the town has had an operating surplus of $2–3.5 million in recent years, arguing that a full rollback plus one mil would fund the consultant-recommended $1.5 million pay increase. He opposed a no-rollback motion, preferring a one-mil add-back after rollback and exploring housing assistance for first responders.
• Council member Whitley moved to adopt a 34.7 operating millage rate (no rollback) and the sales tax credit factor, stating that the salary study’s average does not go far enough given the higher cost of living in Mount Pleasant compared to other study areas. She cited inflation (25.8% national from 2020–2025) and growing service demands (fire calls up, police calls up). She noted the need for more officers and firefighters, and expressed concern about recruitment/retention.
• Council member Chapman asked about prior pay increases and personnel additions. Staff confirmed merit increases and additional hires in police and fire over recent years. The fire chief noted service calls doubled from 2011 to 2024.
• Council member Rambo supported the no-rollback motion, stating that the salary study average was insufficient and that comparing to cities like Greenville and Columbia ignores Mount Pleasant’s higher cost of living. She noted that even with the study’s recommended increase, Charleston officers with a bachelor’s degree would still earn $6,500 more than Mount Pleasant officers.
• Other council members expressed concern about the timing with an upcoming election and the need for further committee review. Some favored a one-mil increase after rollback to balance relief for citizens with first responder pay.
• The town administrator noted that the millage rate vote does not bind the budget; the money would not be collected until January 2026, allowing mid-year adjustments.

Key Outcomes

• Vote on motion by Ms. Whitley: Set the operating millage rate at 34.7 mills (no rollback) and adopt the sales tax credit factor as recommended by staff. The motion passed 5 to 4.
• This effectively keeps the millage rate unchanged from the pre-reassessment level, meaning property taxes will increase for most homeowners due to higher assessed values.
• The decision directs additional revenue (estimated at approximately $5.3 million above the rollback level) to general funds, with council members indicating intent to prioritize public safety pay and personnel.
• No further action was taken; the meeting adjourned.