By JENNIFER HOLLAND
Associated Press Writer
WEST COLUMBIA – In the shadow of an old yellow and black school bus, Lt. Gov. Bob Peeler said Wednesday he wants Peeler said Wednesday he wants to use money from the South Carolina lottery to help replace the state’s aging bus fleet.
The Republican candidate for governor said the state has neglected to provide enough funding for eh Education Department to set up a long-range replacement plan, forcing hundreds of buses to remain on the road past their retirement age or mileage.
“My plan is to designate every penny our lottery earns in its first six months to do something we haven’t seen in six year,” Peeler said. “Since our lottery is beginning in the middle of the fiscal year, this one-time money is unbudgeted.”
The legislation that created the lottery did not specify which educational programs would benefit from the proceeds.
Peeler, who outlined his plan as he made stops across South Carolina, said the estimated $67 million from the lottery would buy 1,409 new buses. That proposal was based on whether the state could get the same price of $47,562 that North Carolina recently paid for some of its buses, he said.
Although Peeler was a staunch opponent of the lottery before voters agreed to it last year, he said the lottery funds would allow the state to save money with a bulk purchase of buses.
“There are a lot of education lists we would like to top, but highest bidder for school buses isn’t one of them,” Peeler said.
Education Department spokesman Jim Foster said South Carolina paid $61,847 to buy 100 new buses this year that would be comparable to the 800 purchased in North Carolina.
State law also requires South Carolina to purchases buses with specific safety features, which cost more, Foster said.
The Education Department reports that about 1,643 buses, or 29 percent of its fleet, need to be replaced because they are at least 15 years old or have driven more than 250,000 miles.
Most states retire buses after 12 years or 200,000 miles, Peeler said.
South Carolina is the only state that owns and maintains an entire school bus fleet. There are about 17,000 daily bus routes and school buses traveled almost 74 million miles during the 1999-2000 school year.
Amid fears a shrinking state budget threatens funding for new buses and fuel, the State board of Education has asked legislators to make purchasing new buses every year a priority and provide more money to pay for maintenance and operations.
Education officials wanted to begin a bus replacement plan last year, and Gov. Jim Hodges proposed to spend $40 million on new school buses, but the Legislature did not set aside enough money.
Peeler’s proposal “would get us on track,” foster said. “The challenge would be staying on track.”
The lottery money is the first step to address the school bus problem and the state needs to find a permanent solution, Peeler said.
Legislators are expected to determine how the lottery money are divvied up then they return to the Capitol in January.
Attorney General Charlie Condon, who’s running against Peeler for the Republican gubernatorial nomination and opposed the game, wants to see the money pay for kindergarten for 4-year-olds.