COLUMBIA - Gov. Mark Sanford vetoed legislation Wednesday night that would move control of the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy from the Department of Public Safety.

The Legislature responded to years of criticism by police leaders around the state about poor funding and reductions in training opportunities by moving the academy out from the Cabinet agency and setting up an 11-member board to oversee its operations.

Sanford said the legislation "is the most recent example of the assault on accountability that has taken place since the Restructuring Act was enacted by the General Assembly in 1994."

That 1994 law moved much of South Carolina government away from an array of boards and commissions that controlled most state agencies and put many under the control of the governor's Cabinet.

Sanford also said flaws in the legislation would leave the academy with no oversight for half a year because it would take time to appoint members to the board. "In effect, the academy will be set adrift for six months without accountability to either the Department of Public Safety or the Law Enforcement Training Council," Sanford wrote in his veto message.

That could weaken the academy "for some time to come," the governor said.

Public Safety Director Jim Schweitzer also opposed the move.

"The underlying issue here is money," he said Wednesday. "What needs to be fixed at the academy is funding."

The academy's operations depend on traffic fines, but that revenue has stayed flat for years at between $7 million and $9 million, Schweitzer said.

Since the bill cleared the House with a 104-1 vote a few weeks ago, a veto override is expected in the lower chamber before the Senate takes it up.

Also Wednesday, Sanford vetoed two bills intended to spur job growth, saying they unfairly carved out tax credit breaks for Orangeburg County.

Sanford said that was unfair to other underdeveloped counties.