COLUMBIA - A panel that was appointed by Gov. Mark Sanford to examine the state's budget processes produced several recommendations Monday - not all of which are likely to please the new governor.

The Budget Policy Task Force was assembled to offer ideas to the governor about how to handle budgeting as he took office.

"There isn't a more important issue in state government today than the state budget," said Sanford, who said he had not read the task force's entire report.

One recommendation would end the practice of the governor presenting a budget to the General Assembly each year.

The governor should offer legislators "a statement of priorities and objectives for the state," not a detailed accounting document, the 16-member task force said.

"I think in the budget the devil's oftentimes, indeed, in the details," Sanford said.

"It's important to get an insight into where the executive branch sees those details falling as opposed to leaving it wholly to the legislative branch," he said. "So, I respectfully disagree on that one."

Other recommendations from the panel include:

• Opening a debate, led by Sanford, on increasing user fees.

• Barring use of most reserve funds to cover deficits.

• Changing the state constitution to force governors to balance the budget after vetoes.

• Forcing agencies to justify spending from the ground up every year rather than only having to gain approval for new programs. Agencies that perform their functions well would be rewarded for improvements.

• Barring the three-member state Board of Economic Advisors from increasing revenue projections after Feb. 15 in order to lessen potential political pressure later in the year.

With projections, "no matter how good you are in this process, you are going to be wrong," said Hunter Howard, a task force member and chief executive of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.