Chances South Charleston becoming part of Charleston (Cross Lanes, Dunbar: taxes, living in)

[Wvu2016]

There have been talks about this, it would benefit a ton adding their population because we would get so much more money

[Silkdashocker]

This is the first I have heard of these two cities merging govts. Do you have any link to support this?

I do agree it would be a good financial benefit for Charleston. Not sure what South Charelston would gain from this.

[TheNida]

In terms of a metro-esq label it would give us it of would be good. However,South Charleston get more tax rev from South Ridge, Chemical Plants. Politics and taxes always get in the way!

[Chriscross309]

Wouldn't help South Charleston at all, so I doubt it would happen. If anything, metro government needs to take place.

[NOVAmtneer82]

There has been talk of metro government (which is really nothing more than a merging of most Kanawha Valley towns into Charleston proper) for years to no avail. Although it does indeed make sense from at least a regional standpoint, many of the smaller cities like South Charleston, Dunbar, Nitro, etc do not want to lose their own municipal governments and as such never agree to these proposals. South Charleston residents in particular have always balked at the option...they don't want to lose their twice weekly trash service! That seriously was listed as one of the arguments against merging when I was still living in the state about 10 years ago.

Since any attempt with these incorporated towns would meet harsh resistance from residents, the other option would be for Charleston to attempt to merge some of the unincorporated communities around town...Cross Lanes has about 9-10k residents and extending city lines north to include Mink Shoals, Crede, Big Chimney, Pinch and Elkview would probably add at least another 5-7k. This is partially how most of the sunbelt cities (Charlotte and Raleigh in particular) grow so fast..they are permitted by state law to automatically annex unincorporated communities around city limits once they reach a certain density. This would require a change to WV state law however as it would currently require approval of residents from the targeted annexation areas (at least I think this is still the case)...that would never happen.

[mensaguy]

There's a lot more to it than trash service (although that does count). City services in South Charleston are generally better in most catagories than in Charleston. Having a smaller city council makes it much easier to have a citizen's concerns heard. So far, I've heard nothing to make this idea attractive to residents of South Charleston.

Once I heard a mayor's secretary say that most of the calls from citizens dealt with trash pickup and winter street cleaning, both of which are excellent in South Charleston and fairly poor in Charleston.

[NOVAmtneer82]

Oh I am not denying that, it was just a big argument I heard when that debate resurfaced about 10-12 years ago while I was still in town.

South Charleston definitely has every right to chose their own fate in regards to annexation or not. This is why I agree more with the annexation of unincorporated communities as they don't have the same municipal services offered by that of being in a city.