COLUMBIA
-- Although several top Republican legislators marveled at the
details in Gov. Mark Sanford's 301-page debut executive budget
last week, Sen. Harvey Peeler, R-Gaffney, said the plan
infuriates him about as much as the governor's failure to give
legislators a heads-up.
Peeler, a 23-year Senate veteran, said Sanford's budget
convinced him someone should stand up "to say the emperor has
no clothes."
Peeler complained Sanford blindsided him with proposals to
eliminate his district's University of South Carolina-Union
campus. The campus costs the state slightly less than $1
million annually. Sanford's proposal to cut funding for the
Clemson Extension service also shocked and upset Peeler.
Sanford's proposals have further demoralized a community
depressed by double digit unemployment caused in large part by
textile mill closings, Peeler said.
"People in Union are scared to death," he said. "For them,
this is just the final blow."
Peeler said he was upset he had to hear of Sanford's
proposals when the governor announced them to the press.
"If he was serious, surely he would have talked to the
legislative delegation ahead of time," Peeler said. "He never
said a word to me about it."
Sanford also recommended closing the USC-Salkahatchie
campus and consolidating 15 state agencies to save on
administrative costs.
Working on giving notice
Sanford spokesman Will Folks said the governor and his
staff were working at doing a better job of providing advanced
notice to legislators and that the governor does not
necessarily believe the areas targeted for cuts are
unworthy.
"When you start off the budgeting process $350 million in
the hole, it's going to require you to make some tough
decisions," Folks said. "The governor has always been willing
to make the tough decisions ... in the best interest of the
taxpayers."
Meanwhile, the General Assembly is considering a bill to
expand USC-Sumter from a two to a four-year campus.
Peeler said he knows colleagues may dismiss his criticisms
as "sour grapes," given that Sanford defeated Peeler's
brother, Bob, in the 2002 election. But he's not the first
Republican legislator to find himself knocked off balance by
an unanticipated Sanford proposal pitched to reporters rather
than fellow Republicans.
Speaker of the House David Wilkins, R-Greenville, said he
understands why Peeler is upset. Sanford placed Wilkins in a
similar position last spring with a tax proposal announcement
only 24 hours after House leaders announced a markedly
different strategy, confident of the governor's full
support.
Rep. Bobby Harrell, R-Char-leston, said Sanford should have
instructed a staff member to give those legislators most
affected by the sweeping proposal prior warning.
"When you are suggesting major changes, you really should
talk to your allies first," Harrell said.
Harrell said today's Repub-lican caucus meetings would
reveal whether Sanford upset other Republican legislators with
his proposals.
Contact Karen Addy at (803) 331-6923 and mailto:kaddy@heraldonline.com
