Both private companies and governmental agencies provide utility services to the Trident area.Services can be subscribed to by phone or in person.
TELEPHONE SERVICE
Southern Bell provides telephone service to customers in most of Charleston and Dorchester counties, in addition to rural areas located in Berkeley County.
Deposits for home telephone service begin at $80, but the amount can vary depending on your individual credit rating and type of services ordered. Often deposits are waived in light of an excellent payment record with a previous phone carrier.
Southern Bell .... Main Office .... 5900 Rivers Avenue .... North Charleston, S.C. .... 780-2355
General Telephone Company of the Southeast .... 310 Carn Street .... P.O. Box 49 .... Walterboro, S.C. 29488 .... (800)762-6722 .... (Area includes the town of Hollywood &Charleston)
Home Telephone Company, Inc. .... 200 Tram Street .... P.O. Box 1194 .... Moncks Corner, S.C.29461; 761-9101 .... (Area includes most of Berkeley County! )
McClellanville Telephone Company, Inc. .... 1 130 Hwy. 45 .... P.O. Box 888 ....
McClellanville, S.C. 29458; 887-320 l .... (Area includes McClellanville and Andrews)
WATER & SEWER
BERKELEY COUNTY
Berkeley Water & Sewer Authority .... 572-4400
City of Goose Creek .... 797-6220
Jamestown Water Department .... 257-2233
Moncks Corner Water Works .... 761-8041
Town of St. Stephen .... 567-3597
CHARLESTON COUNTY
Charleston Commission of Public Works .... 727-6800
Folly Beach Water Department .... 588-2447
Isle of Palms Water Company .... 886-6148
Mt. Pleasant Waterworks & Sewer .... 884-9626
St. Johns Water Company .... 559-0186
Sullivan's Island Water Dept., Town Hall .... 883-3198
DORCHESTER COUNTY
Dorchester County .... 875-0140
Dorchester County Water & Sewer .... 767-2474
St. George Water & Sewer Dept .... 563-3321
Summerville Commission of Public Works .... 871-0810
Berkeley Electric Cooperative .... 572-5454
Edisto Electric Cooperative .... 563-3292
Santee Cooper .... 761-4060
South Carolina Electric & Gas .... 554-7234
GARBAGE REMOVAL
Municipalities provide garbage disposal to homes in the Trident region. The cost of disposal is levied in your taxes or simply included in water and sewer service fees.
Several isolated rural areas depend on private garbage collection services.
Information on garbage collection service is available from the following city and town departments:
City of Charleston Public Service Department .... 724-3754
Goose Creek Streets & Sanitation Department .... 824-2300
Hanahan Public Works & Sanitation Department .... 744-9946
Isle of Palms Office of Public Works .... 886-8956
James Island Public Service Department .... 795-9060
Mt. Pleasant Public Service Department .... 849-2022
City of North Charleston Sanitation .... 745-1026
St. Andrews Public Service District Commission .... 556-6310
Sullivan's Island Town Hall .... 883-3198
Summerville Street Department .... 871-6000
RECYCLING
Glass, aluminum, plastic containers and newspaper can be recycled in the area's curbside program.
There are different drop off sites for large and unusual recyclable items such as vehicle batteries,corrugated cardboard, large appliances, used motor oil and scrap metal.
There are several private recycling businesses in Berkeley County and one public landfill off highway 52 on road S850, which accepts corrugated cardboard, vehicle batteries, used motor oil,large appliances and scrap metal.
Charleston County's recycling program includes drop site collection at nearly 20 sites around the area, urban curbside collection and the operation of an 80-ton-per-day recycling center.
Charleston County residents are provided 14 gallon or 18 gallon bins in which to place recyclables if they are involved in the curbside program.
In Charleston County a curbside truck collects the recyclables bi-monthly.
Charleston County has placed 15 cubic yard containers in convenient locations along major thoroughfares, in shopping centers and at fire stations.
Dorchester County operates four drop off sites for recyclable material. Newspapers, plastic bottles, used oil, large appliances, aluminum cans and glass bottles are the only materials that can be left at the sites. These sites are open Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Dorchester County also has urban curb side collection in certain neighborhoods.
For more information on recycling, call:
Berkeley County Government Office 723-3800 ext. 4180
Charleston County Recycling Center 720-7111
Dorchester County Recycling 871-4636
PUBLIC BUS SERVICE
South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G) operates bus service:
City of Charleston
Isle of Palms
Mt. Pleasant
Sullivan' s Island
The Downtown Area Shuttle (DASH)
A cooperative venture between SCE&G and the city of Charleston, provides an expedient way to travel in the Historic District. It operates a daily schedule on weekdays.
For more information:
Greyhound Bus Lines .... (800) 231-2222
DASH Shuttle .... 724-7420
SCE&G Bus Service .... 747-0922
AIRPORT SERVICE CHARLESTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT:
serves over a million civilian and military passengers each year
is serviced by five major domestic carriers: American, Continental, Delta, United and US Air
Six private airports are located strategically throughout the region.
HIGHWAYS AND RAIL SERVICE
The Trident area has access to three interstate highways -- I-26, I-95 and I-526.
Tea is serviced by four major U.S. highways and seven state highways.
RAIL SYSTEM
travels to more major cities than any other Southern port.
Main line railroads serving the area include the CSX System and Norfolk Southern.
Amtrak connects the region with other cities throughout the nation via rail.
For More information about AMTRAK:
Reservations .... (800) 872-7245
Passenger station .... 744-8264
PORT ACTIVITY
The Port of Charleston is the number one containerized port on the South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and is second in the United States only to the combined ports of New York and New Jersey.
Four terminals comprise the Port of Charleston, Columbus Street, Union Pier, Wando and North charleston.
The Port handles over 7 million tons of cargo annually.
More than 1,400 vessels call on Charleston each year, representing service to 112 countries spanning the globe.
The Port of Charleston is export driven as well, with 60 percent of its cargo sent overseas.
STATE GOVERNMENT
State capital is Columbia
Some 110 miles northwest of Charleston
South Carolina is governed under a constitution ratified in 1895.
State legislators and members of the state's executive branch can be contacted by calling the following Number:
Governor .... 734-9818
Lt. Governor .... 734-2080
State Senate .... 734-2311
House of Representatives .... 734-2402
County Government
The structure of county government varies in each county.
Berkeley County:
County affairs are managed by a county council with an elected county supervisor serving as chief administrative officer.
Charleston County:
Council administrator form of government.
Council members are elected at large to four year terms.
A county administrator is appointed by the county council to manage the day to day activities of the county.
- Three council members must be from the city of Charleston, three from North Charleston, two from West Ashley and one from East Cooper.
Dorchester County:
Seven member county council, with each member elected to a four year term
Council administrator is appointed by the county council to administer the day-to-day activities of the county.
Local Governments
The 26 incorporated areas within Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties operate separately under the mayor/council form of government although the day-to-day operations vary from city to city.
Incorporated areas of Berkeley County:
Governed by a mayor and city council, elected to tour year terms.
City of Charleston:
Governed by a mayor and city council.
Twelve city council members are elected on a single member district basis for four year terms,with six members subject to election every other year.
City of North Charleston:
Governed by a mayor and six council members elected at large to serve four year terms. Under city law, the mayor is the administrative officer.
Other incorporated areas of Charleston County operate similar mayor/council forms of government.
All incorporated areas of Dorchester County:
Operate under a mayor/council form of government.
The Summerville Town Council appoints a town manager to serve as a professional administrator overseeing town affairs.
Cities and Towns
Charleston .... 577-6970
Folly Beach .... 588-2447
Goose Creek .... 797-6220
Hanahan .... 554-4221
Hollywood .... 889-3222
Isle of Palms .... 886-6428
Lincolnville .... 873-3261
Moncks Corner .... 761-6650
Mt. Pleasant .... 884-8517
North Charleston .... 554-5700
St. George .... 563-3032
Sullivan's Island .... 883-3198
Summerville .... 871-6000
Property Taxes
All property taxes in South Carolina are local taxes, as no state property tax exists.
The methods for estimating property taxes are uniform throughout the state, but each county implements its own assessment program.
For more information on county property taxes, contact the county treasurer's office in your area.
Sales Tax
Berkeley and Dorchester counties levy a 5 percent sales tax on the purchase of food, personal effects and other items.
Charleston County levies a 6 percent sales tax.
Income Tax
South Carolina levies taxes on the net income of individuals, trusts and estates. * Residents and non-residents earning income from South Carolina based sources are subject to this tax.
State income tax rates range from 2.5 percent of net income up to $2,070 to 7 percent on all income above $10,800.
Residents are taxed on 100 percent of their net taxable income, but are permitted to file credit for taxes paid in other states.
Part-time residents are taxed only on net income from South Carolina based sources.
Income taxes are not levied by municipal governments
For more information contact:
Berkeley County Treasurer's Office
223 North Live Oak Dr .... Moncks Corner, S.C. 29461 .... 723-3800 Ext. 4040
Charleston County Treasurer's Office
P.O. Box 878 .... Charleston, S.C. 29402 .... 723-6759
Dorchester County Treasurer's Office
101 Ridge St. .... P.O. Box 338 .... St. George, S.C. 29477 .... 821-0724
South Carolina Dept. of Revenue
3 South Park Circle .... Suite. 202 .... Charleston, S.C. 29407 .... 571-3000.
For voter registration information, call or write one of the following offices:
Berkeley County Voter Registration
223 North Live Oak Drive, Rm. B-3 .... Moncks Corner, S.C. 29461 .... 761-6900, Ext. 4056
Charleston County Voter Registration
1 Hutson Street .... Charleston, S.C. 29403 .... 724-6725
Dorchester County Board of Registration
101 Ridge Street .... County Courthouse .... St. George, S.C. 29477
Steps to Obtaining a S.C. Driver's License
For any new residents of South Carolina, an out-of-state driver' s license is valid for 90 days after moving.
During new residents' first 90 days in the state, they may turn licenses into the S.C. State highway Department and qualify for S.C. licenses by passing a written test and paying a $2 fee.
Military personnel may continue using a current driver's license and license plates from their home state as long as either is valid.
New residents who pass the written exam are not required to take a road test.
S.C. licenses are valid for four years, with renewals on birthdays.
The S.C. driver's license costs $10.
Steps to Auto Registration and Obtaining License Plates
Before registering an automobile in South Carolina, a paid tax receipt for that vehicle must be shown to the Highway Department. The receipt must bear the name of the person applying for the vehicle registration.
New residents must have local license plates within 30 days of moving to South Carolina.
The fee to register a private passenger vehicle is $17 and can be obtained through the mail for an additional $ l charge. For anyone over the age of 65, the fee is lowered to $10.
In order to complete your vehicle registration, you must also present a title, proof of liability insurance coverage and any vehicle property tax payment receipt to the Highway Department
The Rules of the Road Traffic Regulations
South Carolina utilizes a point system to penalize traffic law violators. This system is designed to encourage violators to improve driving habits or risk losing their license. Each traffic violation carries an assigned number of points, and when the total reaches a maximum of 12, the driver's license is suspended.
Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs carries severe penalties, including imprisonment.
In South Carolina, if windshield wipers are being used because of weather conditions, then headlights must be used.
Seat belts are required for both drivers and front seat passengers.
State law mandates the use of child safety seats that meet National Safety Commission standards(buses are the only exception). Toddlers, under the age of tour, must be restrained in the front or back seat.
In order to obtain a driver's license, plates, and vehicle registration, contact one of the followingS.C. Department of Highways and Public Transportation stations:
Charleston
l 80 Lockwood Boulevard .... 727-2064
Moncks Corner
438 Hwy. 52, North .... 76l-8488
North Charleston
3525 Pinehaven Drive .... 740-l670
St. George
U.S. Hwy. 78;563-45 l 7