1. MISLEADING!
• Three times the South Carolina State Supreme Court has
declared the Town of James Island illegal. During the period of
litigation each time, the Town received funds that were taken
from the taxpayers of Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, North
Charleston and the other legally incorporated areas in the
county.
WRONG!
• 17,847 James Islanders have already joined the City of
Charleston. The City has always welcomed new citizens and
will continue to welcome the many James Islanders who are
now petitioning to join.
WRONG!
• What is causing concern in the areas of James Island that were
part of the defunct town is crime. A major reason for the
current wave of annexation requests is the police protection
offered by the City of Charleston. Our 412-officer police
department has devoted Team 3 to James and Johns Island –
44 patrol officers and CSI, SWAT, Traffic, Underwater Recover
Unit, Victim Services and special units responding 24/7 to
citizen needs.
• The quotes included in these articles come from the former
Mayor and a former Councilmember of the defunct town. The
automated phone call from their web site is, of course,
patently meaningless.
www.RileyForMayor.com

2. WRONG AND MISLEADING!
• This reference from a blog is to a 4-year-old story, although it
attempts to imply that the proposed increase is a current one.
• The City of Charleston has increased property taxes only once
since 1999 – in 2008, and the increase was quite modest. Few
cities can match Charleston’s record of fiscal prudence and
accomplishment.
– Charleston was the first city in South Carolina to get a
Triple A credit rating from Standard and Poor’s. And
Charleston got this rating at the height of the economic
downturn.
– Charleston’s property tax rate has decreased from 129.8
mills in 1999 to 79.1 mills in 2011.
MISLEADING!
• The truth is that Mayor Riley opposed the repeal of the point
of sale provision of the 2006 legislation. The repeal of this
legislation would have made our tax code patently unfair by
giving a huge tax advantage to the wealthiest property owners
and shifting the burden of property taxes to middle class and
working class homeowners. Mayor Riley supported
compromise legislation, which protected the middle class from
this unfair tax policy, and it passed the General Assembly in
2011.

3. WRONG!
• These figures are for the Charleston-North Charleston-
Summerville Metropolitan Statistical Area – in other words,
they are meaningless for the City of Charleston.
WRONG!
• This is a quote from a two-time, unsuccessful candidate for
Mayor, who has been a long-time opponent.
• Riley’s record on job creation is outstanding and ongoing. As
recently as October 24th, he announced the relocation of a
high tech company—PeopleMatter—to King Street. The
project will add 265 jobs and $18.8 million in capital
investment over the next four years and will be the largest
privately held technology company on the peninsula.
• The Digital Corridor’s accomplishments in the City have been
remarkable. Flagship I and Flagship II, the City’s premier co-
working facilities, have housed and/or graduated nearly 40
knowledge-based companies. The Digital Corridor now has 70
businesses and more than 3,000 jobs.
• The City’s Horizon project, in concert with MUSC and SCRDA, is
working to turn the groundbreaking research at MUSC into a
major biotech center close by that will provide hundreds of
new, high-paying jobs in private industry.
www.RileyForMayor.com

4. WRONG!
• Another unsupported quote from a long-time opponent.
• The City has set up a program through the Planning
Department to provide every significant development or
business project an individual staff member to shepherd them
through every step of the permit process. It has been very
successful.
• Businesses are not staying away, but coming in large numbers.
And the City also takes great care to assist existing as well as
new businesses, large and small, throughout the City. Last
year our Office of Business Services provided significant
business assistance to 560 businesses in the City.
• The Local Development Corporation lent nearly $1.5 million to
44 businesses in 2010. Just this month it received $1 million
in new Federal financing that will enable it to offer more loans.

5. MISLEADING!
• This matter was on Sullivan’s Island and had nothing to do with
the City of Charleston.
WRONG!
• This attempted smear cites a 4-year-old column and
shamelessly cuts out the first eleven words of this very
sentence: “To my knowledge, no one has ever accused him of
corruption, …”
www.RileyForMayor.com

6. WRONG!
• The UDAG program was designed to encourage new private
investment in cities experiencing severe economic distress.
The Charleston Place loan was structured to create the
incentive for the revitalization of downtown Charleston. The
loan agreement was like many others in the U.S. at the same
time. Interest is accruing on the loan and will be repaid to the
Local Development Corporation for the benefit of the citizens
of Charleston. The loan is not in arrears.
• The impact of Charleston Place has been beyond our most
optimistic expectations. Besides the job creation and direct
impact ton the tax base as a result of the project, other
benefits haven derived through the increased private
investment in the downtown, indirect job creation, and
improved quality of life.

7. WRONG!
• Specific Charleston Place numbers include:
– In 1979, there were 32 businesses in the surrounding
area – in 2009, there were 266.
– In 1979, the average appraised value of properties was
$118,221 – in 2009 the average was $2,582,405.
– In 1979, the total appraised value of properties in the
area was approximately $13 million – in 2009, it was
$392.1 million.
– In 1979, the assessment for the area was $791,595 – in
2009, it was $22,122,900.
– Other financial benefits to the City have been realized
from fees – business license, hospitality,
accommodation, local option, etc.
• In 2010, Charleston Place alone provided the following
numbers:
– 402 employees - $11.8 million payroll
– 100 jobs in the retail spaces
– 2009 property taxes - $1.477 million
– 2009 sales, use & hospitality taxes - $4.027 million
– Local hotel purchases $12.56 million.
www.RileyForMayor.com

8. WRONG!
• Charleston was put on a ‘watch list’ by two organizations that
were heavily pressured by a small group of Charleston citizens
who oppose cruise ships. The ‘watch list’ status does not label
Charleston as a ‘threatened cultural site.’ Charleston is, in fact,
a heralded cultural site as evidenced by its placement by
Conde’ Nast Traveler readers as the Number One most favorite
city to visit in the United States. Charleston has also been
named the Most Livable City in America, the Best Southern
City, and among the Best Cities in Which to Do Business, the
Top 10 Cities for Technology Jobs, the Best Performing Cities,
the Best Places to Live and Work for Young Professionals; the
Best Food and Wine Destinations in the World, and the Best
Places to Retire in the South.
WRONG!
• The SELC representation is totally wrong. Cruise ships do not
pollute Charleston harbor. They are regulated through
extensive federal and international laws and regulations,
governing every waste stream and discharge.
• There is no evidence that existing regulations are either
ineffective or insufficient to protect our environment.
MISLEADING!
• There is broad-based support throughout the community for
the Union Pier Concept Plan and Mayor Riley’s support of it.
The vast majority of Charlestonians recognize and appreciate
the value of the opportunity to have this property available for
public and private use, to have more access to Charleston’s
historic waterfront, and to have the benefit of the jobs and
economic vitality that the Union Pier plan can provide.

9. WRONG!
• Gaillard Auditorium is not taking one dime from the Septima
Clark – it’s actually increasing the funds available by allowing
the City to extend the tax increment financing district.
• The Crosstown is U.S. 17 – a state and federal highway and
responsibility. Nonetheless, the City has put together a
comprehensive funding plan that involves state, federal and
city resources. Complete funding approvals are expected
within the next several months.
• Meanwhile, the City has spent or committed $125 million on
33 major drainage capital improvements. Largest projects
completed include:
– Ardmore drainage improvement project
– Concord Street Pump Station
– Byrnes Down drainage improvements
– Playground Road Pump Station
– Church Creek drainage improvement project
• The next major projects to be completed are:
– Forest Acres ─ Market Street
– Septima Clark/Crosstown ─ Calhoun Street West
• Annually the City cleans 132 miles of ditches and 131 miles of
storm drain pipes.
• Another unsupported quote from the aforementioned long-
time opponent.
www.RileyForMayor.com

10. WRONG!
• Infrastructure has always been a high priority for Mayor Riley.
He fought hard to get the new Cooper River Bridge built and was
instrumental in the new bridge including special lanes for
walkers and bicyclists.
• Drainage has been a very high priority. The issue is complex,
and the solutions are extremely expensive. Nevertheless, the
City has spent or committed more than $125 million on 33
major drainage capital improvements.
• The largest projects completed include:
– Ardmore drainage improvement project
– Concord Street Pump Station
– Byrnes Down drainage improvements
– Playground Road Pump Station
– Church Creek drainage improvement project
• The next major projects to be completed are:
– Forest Acres
– Market Street
– Septima Clark/Crosstown
– Calhoun Street West
• Even though the Crosstown (Highway 17) is a state and federal
highway and responsibility, the City has put together a
comprehensive funding plan that involves state, federal, and city
resources. Complete funding approvals are expected within the
next several months.