What's your view? Click here to add your comment to this story.

COLUMBIA ? Gov. Mark Sanford asked lawmakers Wednesday night to restructure the state Department of Transportation, cap spending, reform DUI laws and cut income taxes.

Sanford asked lawmakers in his State of the State address to make DOT a cabinet agency, listing changes at the giant agency as his top legislative priority.

?There is no more pressing case for reform than at DOT,? he said, ?where the agency?s budget has outpaced the rest of state government and where we even outpace the Southeastern average ? without commensurate results.?

Left unsaid were the results of a critical management audit by the Legislature?s watchdog arm last year, which has prompted three legislative committees to propose restructuring the department.

Advertisement

Sanford stuck to familiar themes in his 41-minute televised speech, calling for improving the state?s business climate through workers? compensation reforms, health-care assistance for small business and a $200 million tax cut.

He used the case of an Upstate victim of a repeat drunken driver to plead for DUI reform, sparking one of two rounds of applause during the substance of the speech. The other was after he called for school districts to be consolidated to one per county.

Acknowledging that he has had ?major differences with some of the outcomes of the General Assembly,? Sanford said he needed lawmakers? help during his second term if any of his proposals were to become reality.

Greenville County lawmakers said they believe Sanford?s suggestions to help business will also help Greenville County.

Rep. Garry Smith, a Simpsonville Republican, and Rep. Harry Cato, a Travelers Rest Republican, both praised Sanford for his business-related proposals.

?I think as the governor works with us to be sure we have a strong business climate, I think that is very helpful to Greenville County because we have a strong economy,? Cato said.

Giving the response for the Legislature?s Democratic minority, Sen. Vincent Sheheen of Camden indicated a willingness to accept restructuring while working for affordable health insurance for small business employees, workers? compensation reform and an increased state minimum wage.

He said Democrats would go along with ?a reasonable tax? increase on cigarettes if the revenue is devoted to a health insurance program for the state?s 850,000 uninsured. Sanford has proposed increasing the cigarette tax to pay for an income tax cut.

Staff writer Dan Hoover contributed to this report. ?