COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina Democrats took
aim Tuesday at Republican Gov. Mark Sanford, praising legislators for
overriding vetoes and putting together a budget that adequately funds
education, law enforcement and health care agencies.
"We really had a good session, despite the lack of leadership by Gov.
Mark Sanford," said Sen. John Land, D-Manning. "The Democrats, working
with levelheaded responsible Republicans, effected the best budget that
we have seen in years in this South Carolina General Assembly."
While Sanford worked to cut funding for public education, Land said,
Democrats and Republicans worked together to pass the first budget in
years that put as much money into schools as required by the Education
Finance Act.
Sanford vetoed more than $28 million from public college budgets -
cuts in four-year and technical school programs represented a third of
his vetoes. He also proposed cutting $1 million from the Department of
Education for testing. Those were overridden along with all but a
handful of the governor's more than 100 vetoes.
Sanford's spokesman Will Folks said the governor proposed putting
$190 million in new money into education in his executive budget. That
budget, released before the legislative session began, also included $30
million for law enforcement and $185 million "for the General Assembly
to spend on whatever it wanted."
Sanford's budget vetoes show fiscal responsibility, Folks said.
"We've been very clear on where we stand as to changing status quo,"
Folks said. A "growing number of legislators" are also on board with
those efforts, he said.
Some of Sanford's vetoes show a lack of understanding of the needs of
South Carolinians, said Sen. Tommy Moore, D-Clearwater, who has
announced he will oppose Sanford in the governor's race in 2006.
"When you start talking about vetoing Special Olympics and you start
talking about vetoing poison control centers, that's pretty calculated
and cold-hearted to people who can't help themselves," Moore said.
