Brian Hicks' recent article on James Island displayed an amazing facility for factual error, distortion and misinformation.

According to Mr. Hicks, legislators changed the state annexation law to "allow the town to jump marshes and bodies of water to incorporate as a city." The fact is that the law originally was written for the sole purpose of allowing the city of Charleston to jump those marshes and bodies of water to begin its annexation of James Island. To ascribe this to the town of James Island makes as much sense as blaming the Poles for World War II because Germany invaded their country.

Mr. Hicks goes on to scold residents of the town of James Island for not having a property tax and suggests that we're getting a free ride. He neglects to note that we pay the same property taxes as everyone else in Charleston County. Is he suggesting that we should not get public services for these taxes? The same is true of the half-cent sales tax and other local taxes and fees. There's no James Island exemption that I've heard of.

He complains that the town somehow persuaded the state Legislature to exempt it from a "law" requiring certain levels of police protection. No such law exists. The requirement he refers to was based on an emergency regulation issued by SLED in 2005, at the urging of the city of Charleston, and the town of James Island was clearly the target. That's why the state Legislature wrote it out of the incorporation law.

The listing of funds that other entities provide to James Island is equally misleading. Most towns and city governments, including the city of Charleston, receive this funding and more. Meanwhile, Mr. Hicks conveniently overlooks the hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars the city has spent over the years fighting the town's incorporation, a seemingly endless effort that even has City Council members grumbling.

On the last three ballots to form a town, residents of unincorporated James Island have supported it overwhelmingly.

They have paid attorneys' fees from their own pockets, have volunteered to refurbish the modest town hall and, in general, have shown a degree of civic pride and grassroots determination other communities might envy. All town of James Island residents want is the power to control our destiny.

KENNETH C. JACOBSEN

Captain, U.S. Navy (Retired)

Wampler Drive

James Island