Despite losing an estimated 13 percent
of its budget to the veto ax, Palmetto Pride, the state’s
private, nonprofit anti-litter program will continue to be a
strong presence in the fight to improve the state’s
appearance, its campaign coordinator and lobbyist said Monday.
"We, like all the state agencies that have had budget cuts,
we’re used to it," Becky Barnes said. She said the budget line
containing $321,949 cut by Gov. Mark Sanford last week had
already been cut 42 percent in the last two years.
When Palmetto Pride started three years ago, the general
appropriations portion of its budget — the part cut by Gov.
Sanford — was at $540,000. The bulk of its budget comes from
fluctuating court fines and private donations. The current
budget includes $2.5 million in court fines.
All three lines of income are pooled together for
administrative costs, community and educational grants to
local programs, and statewide programs such as a Litter Buster
hot line, which last year received 10,000 calls.
In December, Palmetto Pride was named the best anti-litter
and beautification program in the nation by Keep America
Beautiful. The Department of Corrections estimates that
roadside litter fell off 24 percent by weight between 2001 and
2002.
The governor’s veto most likely will reduce the number and
size of community grants, Ms. Barnes said. Last year, the
group gave out $450,000 in grants to 86 groups, including 15
Keep America Beautiful affiliates it started in the last three
years.
Local Director Michelle Strange said she was confident the
county would not be left out in the cold.
She said the affiliate’s board, anticipating monetary
issues, had already been looking for ways to stretch dollars.
A key plan is an upcoming regional campaign in which several
Upstate counties will pool resources to put out beautification
messages.
Kelly Davis can be reached
at (864) 260-1277 or by
email at
davisk@IndependentMail.com.
