(Columbia) Jan. 9, 2004 - Outlining his budget plan on Thursday, Governor Mark Sanford said he couldn't be sure how it would go over with state lawmakers, "I don't have a crystal ball as to exactly how much is or isn't enacted." Read full budget (Adobe required).

The reviews are mixed.

House Speaker David Wilkins, during a taping for Sunday's "Newswatch" program, "I think it shows that spent a lot of time with the budget process this summer and this past fall. It's very much hands-on. I think it's the most practical budget we've seen in the last several years and obviously a lot of thought went into it."

Wilkins questions whether lawmakers can downsize government as much as the governor wants to, "Restructuring for restructuring's sake is probably not going to happen. But where it causes more efficiency and more accountability in government, then I think you'll have the support of the legislature."

Sanford says the budget provides a major boost for schools by raising basic student cost spending almost $32 million.

Education Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum says the governor's plan damages teacher training and other important functions of her agency, "What we've seen is an effort to increase the base student cost by taking the money from the state Department of Education. Money that's used to fund programs that are making a tremendous difference in the quality of our schools."

Tenenbaum says the Sanford plan hampers the goals of the department, "By just wiping out offices and divisions, we can't carry out what the General Assembly has mandated us to do in terms of accountability, tracking taxpayer dollars, training teachers."

The governor says his outline for government restructuring could eliminate more jobs from a state workforce that lost 5000 positions over the last few years. Democratic State Senator Tom Moore spoke during a taping of Newswatch, "If we're going to pile on and just beat up state employees, it looks like another round to just beat down state employees."

Wilkins says the relationship between lawmakers and the governor is better than it was last year. He says that will help Sanford win approval for at least some parts of his budget plan.

The Sanford plan calls for dramatic cuts in the public service activity program at Clemson University. Clemson President James Barker said Friday he's disappointed by the governor's proposal and says the university needs to do a better job of communicating with state leaders.

By Jack Kuenzie
Updated 5:44pm by BrettWitt