“Public Safety Over Politics”

The Question

“John, I respect what you’ve done for the Town, but I can’t vote for you — you voted for a tax increase. Why did you do that?”

Councilman John Iacofano Responds

That’s a fair question — and I appreciate the chance to explain it.
Let me be clear: I did not vote for a tax increase. I voted to keep the millage rate the same because our town’s public safety staffing crisis has reached a breaking point.

Since 2023, we’ve lost 49 firefighters out of 137, and 40 of those were resignations. That’s nearly one-third of our department walking out — not because of politics, but because of pay and working conditions that can’t compete with surrounding agencies.

Rolling back the millage rate right now — one month before an election — might make for good politics, but it’s terrible fiscal policy. It’s the equivalent of cutting your household income while your family’s bills keep rising.

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💡 The Real Numbers Matter

Let’s talk facts, not feelings.
When trained first responders leave, the Town doesn’t just lose a person — it loses money, experience, and time. The average cost of turnover per firefighter is roughly $40,000–$50,000 once you factor in recruiting, training, overtime backfill, and lost efficiency.

At that rate, losing 49 firefighters has already cost the Town over $2 million — and we’re not getting that back. That’s what I’m fighting to stop.

Meanwhile, Mount Pleasant’s first responder pay lags far behind neighboring departments — resulting in a $7.6 million compensation deficit when compared with surrounding agencies. That’s the real reason we’re losing talent, and that’s the real threat to your safety.

Keeping the millage rate the same wasn’t about raising taxes — it was about stopping the bleeding and keeping experienced firefighters and police officers here to protect you and your family.

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🧭 A Smarter Way Forward

Protecting public safety doesn’t mean spending recklessly. It means budgeting with discipline, transparency, and purpose. Here’s how I’m working to do that:

✅ Zero-Based Budgeting: Start each department from zero each year. Every dollar must be justified — no automatic increases.

✅ Performance Accountability: Tie funding to measurable results, like improved response times and reduced turnover.

✅ Capital Project Review: Delay non-essential projects until critical staffing and safety needs are met.

✅ Transparent Spending: No backroom deals, no hidden votes — the public deserves to see exactly how its money is being spent. Championed this to be put on the town website Transparency Reports | Mount Pleasant, SC – Official Website

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🧩 The Bottom Line

We can’t protect Mount Pleasant on empty promises.
I didn’t vote for a tax increase — I voted for stability, safety, and accountability.

Because when it comes to your family’s safety, fiscal conservatism means keeping trained first responders on the job — not cutting the very services that protect us all.

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📬 Have a Question for the Councilman?

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