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Article published May 8, 2004
Ritchie: Paying debt still option
ROBERT W. DALTON
Staff Writer
COLUMBIA -- The state
Senate spent a great deal of time Friday in extended recess.While that may be
every school kid's dream, most senators didn't have a lot of fun. But they
certainly got their exercise -- running to a conversation here, trying to swing
a deal there -- as they attempted to pull the state's $5.3 billion budget out of
the same ditch they drove it into Thursday night.The same amendment that halted
the debate Thursday -- allocating a projected $130 million surplus to pay down a
$155 million debt from 2001-02 -- had senators scrambling for corners to hash
things out early Friday. When they did get together in the Senate chamber, they
refused to kill the proposal and then voted to carry it over."We want to
continue to work on the budget and in the interim work out a compromise that
will allow us to pay down the debt and provide services to the state," said Sen.
Jim Ritchie, R-Spartanburg.Gov. Mark Sanford on Monday urged the Senate to use
any projected surplus to pay down the debt because the state's triple-A credit
rating could be at risk. The budget that the Senate Finance Committee sent to
the floor, however, used the money to pay for programs.Sen. Vincent Sheheen's
amendment mandating that any extra revenue go toward the debt would create a
major hole in the budget.Sen. Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, said the only way to
fill the hole would be to start cutting, and he said programs that aid the
blind, the disabled, the elderly and children would be among the first to be
slashed."We'll have to start cutting optional programs, and it's not necessary,"
Leatherman said. "Our triple-A credit rating is not in danger. If it was, I'd be
the first to tell you."Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Hopkins, asked Leatherman why he
was focusing only on cuts instead of increasing revenue. Jackson was one of
several senators who raised the possibility of increasing the cigarette
tax.Ritchie said he didn't think a cigarette tax would make it through."I'm sure
there are other ways we can find revenue," he said.After bogging down in the
afternoon, Senators began churning through other amendments Friday night. They
hoped to wrap up the budget before adjourning, which meant they would have to
come up with a permanent resolution for Sheheen's amendment.How that would play
out was anyone's guess."I don't think anybody can predict where this roller
coaster will end," Sanford spokesman Will Folks said. "We hope it ends with the
surplus going to pay down the unconstitutional deficit."Robert W. Dalton can be
reached at 562-7274 or bob.dalton@shj.com.