Sanford says he will take budget plans to voters

COLUMBIA -- Gov. Mark Sanford said Friday he plans to take his campaign for reducing government spending directly to voters next week since he won't have a ratified budget to sign or veto.

The governor had said he wanted lawmakers to consider his budget vetoes before the primary June 13, but legislators aren't returning until the next day.

Sanford threatened to force lawmakers back next week at a cost of more than $80,000 a day. But the leaders of the two chambers never got together Thursday to ratify the state's $6.6 billion spending plan. Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell called it his "trump card," and it left Sanford with nothing to veto until next week.

"All right, they won't come to me, then I'm going to go to them," Sanford said.

Asked whether he will campaign where House incumbents face primary opposition, Sanford responded, "It would be near impossible to cover large portions of South Carolina without having to hit some of those districts."

Twenty-four of the House's 124 members face primary opposition. Senators don't face re-election until 2008. Sanford called the June 13 date ironic because the budget's grown by 13 percent, a number lawmakers question. Sanford called the budget an "abysmal failure."

Harrell said Sanford needs to stop playing political games.

"He gave us a list of things to do and we did them, and he's still out there attacking us," Harrell said, citing a list that includes restoring $174 million to trust and reserve funds raided during lean budget times, paying off a $105 million deficit the state has carried since 1991, setting aside money in a contingency fund for future economic downturns, providing a sales tax holiday after Thanksgiving, and using surplus to reduce the sales tax on groceries from 5 cents on the dollar to 3 cents.

Sanford said the relief and contingency money didn't go far enough.

"It's not about the numbers, but about him making sure he gets press on what he's doing," Harrell said. "He's just trying to avoid the debate."