COLUMBIA - Tempers flared throughout the Statehouse this week, with the pledge of compromise and conciliation nearly dead, or at least gasping for breath.
After Gov. Mark Sanford criticized the House of Representatives for its budget proposals - using several House members' own words as weapons - House leaders fired back.
"These antics aren't anything new to this administration," House Speaker Bobby Harrell said.
Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell also criticized the House on Thursday, in response to allegations that the Senate is moving too slowly on property tax changes and that the House intends simply to amend its far-reaching plan onto a Senate bill.
"Their bill has only been here one week and they're already talking about, 'Why don't we take it up?'" Mr. McConnell said.
"Can anybody in this chamber (the Senate) stand up and tell me the House bill is artfully drawn?" he said.
Mr. McConnell reiterated that the Senate is interested in property tax changes but is determined to debate each issue separately, from tax swaps to property reassessments.
That debate will continue next week, as will budget deliberations in the House Ways and Means Committee.
Those two issues consumed much of lawmakers' time this week, but the Legislature did override the governor's veto on a contentious billboard bill, and the House also welcomed a new member.
BILLBOARD OVERRIDE: Supporters of a bill that makes it more expensive for local governments to force the removal of billboards successfully overrode the governor's veto of the measure Thursday.
Mr. Sanford argued that the bill catered to special interests.
Both chambers needed a two-thirds approval to override the veto. The House overrode Mr. Sanford's veto 78 to 25. The Senate vote was narrower, 28 to 13.
CATHY HARVIN TAKES OFFICE: On what Mr. Harrell called a "bittersweet" day, Cathy Harvin took office Thursday in the House.
Ms. Harvin, D-Summerton, was elected Feb. 14 to fill the seat left open by her husband's death. Alex Harvin was 55 when he died in October after a long illness.
Mr. Harrell said he would be missed, but welcomed Mrs. Harvin to the House.
After winning in the Democratic primary, she ran unopposed in the general election.
Reach Kirsten Singleton at (803) 414-6611 or kirsten.singleton@morris.com.
