Sanford said he vetoed part of the spending tied to that to create a $20 million cushion for the Department of Social Services. He also trimmed about $16 million elsewhere in the budget to generate enough money to eliminate a $155 million deficit left from two years ago.

"We think the debt was unconstitutional," Sanford said around midnight, his deadline for delivering his veto message to House Clerk Sandy McKinney at her home just outside Columbia.

Sanford said if the Revenue Department money didn't materialize, his cabinet agency, DSS, would have been "devastated."

Sanford used his line item power to issue 106 vetoes. Among them:

* The $380,000 for the Palmetto Bowl;

* $500,000 for Coastal Carolina University;

* $5 million for Hunting Island beach renourishment;

* $400,000 for Department of Natural Resources marine research;

* $547,000 for the Department of Health and Environmental Control biotechnology center.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bobby Harrell said Tuesday that he expects the House to act on the vetoes beginning today. Whatever vetoes the House overrides will be sent to the Senate to sustain or override.

Legislators sent Sanford the budget last week, leaving him five days to decide what to veto.

Sanford squelched expectations he'd deliver his vetoes before midnight Tuesday and in time for newspapers to write about them in detail for Wednesday editions.

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